Mixed Bag

There is a shop in Breaux Bridge (pronounced "bro") that
represents 250 Louisiana artists and their work.  They have
been selling my work for awhile. But recently, they have
sold quite a few.  They call every couple of weeks and want
more!  Yay!  So, here are four new ones that I did
quickly, so that I could take them down there.

This is a new style I have been playing with.  The background is
done loosely with watercolor and allowed to dry.
I use my own reference photos and add the birds or
object then in acrylic paint, which is opaque.  It covers
over the watercolor background, and especially makes
white areas possible.  They have been a lot of fun...I am
really enjoying them.  They combine my two favorite techniques:
loose, washy wet watercolor, and then detailed,
realistic image.  perfecto!!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Louisiana Marketshops at the 115
Breaux Bridge, LA
On I-10 near Lafayette, LA  

New Egret

I have been playing around with some modeling paste,
canvas, acrylic paint, and colored pencil.  When you have all the
stuff...why not use it?  I love these white birds...paint
them all the time.  I wanted to do some canvas pieces instead
of paper.

The reference photo was taken at the egret rookery near
Alexandria.  I textured the canvas with the modeling paste
first.  After it was dry, I painted it with the tan colors and white.
Then I did the bird and branches, and added the last details with
some colored pencils.  The design wraps all around the edges.

I like it...it is different for me!  I am working on a second one..will
post soon.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Bird and Branches   10 x 10   $120

A Few More

A few more that are headed down south to the Louisiana Marketplace.
As soon as I posted the first one (the egret in the blue background),
someone wanted it!  So it is sold already!!  Hopefully, customers down
there will be receptive to these as well....fingers crossed!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Golden Light

Stopped by Lake Martin again yesterday on my
way home...just beautiful.  The birds were
gorgeous in the fading light...golden edges and
illumined feathers.  A spoonbill landed on the tree
not far from me.  And the sunset was stunning. 
A peaceful end to a worship day.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Verse or Two



I have a new printer who is doing some canvas prints for

me.  I received the first one last week and I was very

pleased.  These are some more that I have sent him to do.

I am printing these as note cards as well. I plan to market

them next January at the gift market in Dallas. (I did not

make it for the June one this time!)  I am working on many

more that I hope to get him to do for me. 

sheltongail@hotmail.com

www.wholesalecanvasprinting.com

Posts and Twigs

Thinking outside the box...or canvas. This is

a canvas framed with 100 yr old beaded board.

I will either do a painting or a collage..still thinking.

My daughter gave me these great porch

posts, so I thought I would think of different

ways to use them. Here I suspended the pelican

painting from one with a chain. I like the

white bird and white post, and the contrast in

their shapes.

And I have been saving these twigs and branches

as they fall to the ground in the yard. I knew I

wanted something "woodsy" with this one, so I

attached the twigs as a holder at the top, and

added some at the bottom to balance it out.

I am having fun putting all these concoctions

together. "out of the box" is my thing.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Pelican Post original acrylic ptg $50

Twiggy Egret original acrylic ptg $50

1300 and Counting

1300....I thought you might think I was going to

say I had 1300 pieces in the Louisiana show!...or

that I had 1300 comments...no, actually, I have written

1300 posts! wow...they have all been fun, and I hope

you have gained something from at least a few of them?!

I am busy putting together a bunch of "junk" to paint

on. These boards came from a house that we tore down

(beside the Sonic!). I am going to paint a brown pelican

on them.

I also finished up this window collage today. The

top two sections are canvas that I attached in the

glass openings. Then I collaged onto the glass in the

bottom two sections. The fleur de lis and the

wooden scrolls are all glued on.

My daughter salvaged a great old green chest

of drawers, and I was able to dismantle it. I am

going to use the various pieces to paint on, etc.

Here are two that I did tonight...a white pelican,

and another egret. I am going to

hang them with some

wire and some twigs...too cool.

Vintage Wood Paintings / Scrap Art!

Pelican $40.00 Egret $40.00

Window Collage $150


sheltongail@hotmail.com

In honor of 1300, I am going to be giving away some

art this week...stay tuned.

Treasures to Include

While in St. Francisville, I visited a couple

of antique stores. I am always on the lookout

for paper items to scan and include in some

collages. Above are some vintage postcards,

and a Cafe Dumonde ad that I scanned and

printed on that 12 x 12 sheet. I will use them in

some New Orleans pieces.

Because the city was the home of John James

Audubon for awhile, I looked for some bird

images as well. I bought the Audubon Bird

Guide book at a great little shop, and these are

a couple of the bird plates. I have already painted

the canvases, and I will start working on these

tonight.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Swamp Pair

Still working on these two paintings.
I added the black; I like it. I still have
to add some details and some outlines.
But overall, they are almost there. I
have several more paintings in mind
using this egret pattern. I can see
them back to back, and three in a row.


We finished hanging the Natchitoches
Art Guild show at the gallery. I will try
to take some photos of it today. It is
a variety of work including oils, watercolor,
collage, and some sculpture. It will be
up through the month of August. Come
by and check it out if you are in town.

sheltongail@hotmail.com