Demo Practice

I may have mentioned that I am doing a

watercolor demonstration for the Bossier

Parish art teachers this Monday. As part of

the inservice, I am supposed to provide

for them ways to use watercolor with their

students. Since I will have to paint in front

of them, I thought I would do a couple of

practice runs tonight! And since, I am

traveling back to Yellowstone soon to paint

there also, I thought I would try two

different landscapes: a swamp and a beaver

pond in the mountains.

I have purchased some of the Stephen Quiller

supplies...some of his paper and paint. I am

very unfamiliar with the colors that he uses.

I may have to take mine that I am used to!

These two little paintings are done with the

new paint and paper...it will take some getting

used to!! So, I think for Monday, I will stick

with what I know best, and try to give the

teacher's their money's worth.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Natchitoches Art Guild Show

The Natchitoches Art Guild sponsors a juried

show every year in August. They must remove

their art from their gallery walls to make

room for the show entries. I had invited them

earlier in the year to come and hang a show

during the month of August while the art

would be available. So, a few of them submitted

some work, and it is now hanging in our

gallery.

I really like chickens and roosters, and several

of the pieces are that genre. The wire

sculpture pieces are done by Char White.

The oil painting of the rooster is by Margie

Tate from Alexandria, and the parrots

are by Linda Lyles. (you can tell I like all

the birds!) The show will come down on

August 29th, so come by and check it out

this month.

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

Making Some Progress

Worked on these two little paintings

tonight. I am making some progress.

I am trying to decide what color to paint

the area behind the bird. I am thinking

about black. It would really make the

shape of the bird "pop". High contrast

is always a plus.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Focus, Focus, Focus!

I made a list yesterday of all of the

goals and projects that I would like to

complete in the next couple of months.

And, I have marked off a couple already!

And tonight I started on some more artwork

for the Louisiana show coming in the fall.

This will be a pair of acrylic paintings with

the egret motif. I am just laying down some

of the underlying colors..will build them up

as I go.

Projects:

1. Louisiana Show at the Pea Patch Gallery

(opening Nov 1)

2. Two small ptgs for Susan K. Black Foundation

Workshop auction in September

3. Coasters

4. T-shirt design for Christmas

Submissions:

1. Southwest Art Magazine competition

2. Licensing agencies

Engagements:

1. Teacher Inservice: Caddo Parish

Watercolor Demonstration for Art Teachers

Monday Aug 8

2. Art Party "Canvas and Coke Floats"

Pea Patch Gallery Saturday Aug 13

3. Watercolor workshop with Stephen

Quiller Yellowstone Nat'l Park

September 13-19

I think it always helps to get things down on paper,

or at least here on the screen! to stay organized

and motivated. I plan to try to stick with my

short term goals in order to help achieve some

even greater long term ones!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

If it weren't for the last Minute...

"If it weren't for the last minute,

nothing would get done"!

I was having a discussion today with one

of my nieces who is in college. She was

putting off some homework that is due

tomorrow (monday morning). I told

her that a lot of projects never get done

until the last minute. Having a time

deadline seems to stimulate creativity,

heighten your abilities, push you to

get something accomplished. And, so

I decided to take my own advice, and just

whipped out this pecan festival poster/t-shirt

design tonight! They are due tomorrow...

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Sunset Summer

We have been blessed recently with some

much needed rain. The rain clouds often help

make the sunset much more interesting.

Last night was no exception. I took several

photos from different angles because the

clouds were really breathtaking. What

doesn't show in the picture, and was also

so neat, was a whole layer of fog rising from

the pasture. The fresh rain created it, and

as dusk approached, the mist began to rise

over the rich, green fields and creep up the

hills. I used every setting on my camera,

but it still didn't capture what I could see

before me. I guess there is still no substitute

for the real thing.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Pecan Festival Poster Revisited

After I got home tonight, I decided this
thing needed some tweaking. So I added
the small pecan and leaf motifs, and the
stripes. I also added some sketchy ink
lines around everything...making it looser.
I don't know if I improved it or not...but
I at least filled up some of the blank space!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Final Pecan

I just finished putting the finishing

touches on this poster entry for the

Louisiana Pecan Festival. I will have

to take it down to Colfax on Monday.

I may do another version over the

weekend if I have time.

Off to work!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Louisiana Pecan Festival Poster

Pecan Festival 1st weekend in November

ShadowBox Part 2

I finished the second shadow box for

the bride today. This one includes all

of her "stuff"...garter, hankie, jewely,

a poem from her mom, etc. It was a

challenge! to get all of that attached and

secured. I am sure she will like it. I hope

it will become a treasured keepsake for

her.

Custom Shadow Boxes Prices vary

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Pecan Progress

I made a little progress on this poster.

I still have the lettering to do, and I

am still working on that. I am not

entirely happy with this, but I will

have to enter something, and I may not

have time to do something else!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

The Louisiana Pecan Festival is held

the first weekend in November in

Colfax, Louisiana. They celebrate all

things "pecan", from festival queens

to pie. They hold a contest each year

for their poster and their t-shirt.

Shadow Boxing

One of the really creative projects that
I get to do at the gallery is designing a
shadow box. They are always a bit of
a challenge, and they are always unique.
I have been working on this one for a
couple of days. I had a lot of time today,
and I finished this one. It is for a bride,
and includes lots of her "paper" things:
invitation, save the date, party invites,
and her marriage certificate. Her colors
included purple, so I worked that in to
a couple of the pieces. I say "finished"...
at least this part. I still have to line the
frame and assemble the whole thing. At
least another week in the process. This is
one of two she wants. The other one includes
more 3 dimensional items: jewelry, satin bag,
garter, etc. I am still arranging and mounting
that one, with velcro dots, glue, and t-pins. I
will try to photograph it tomorrow. Her mother
viewed the progress today, and was very pleased
with the results so far....so far, so good!

I can design a shadow box for you...heirloom items,
vacation memories, memorial tributes, etc. Just
let me know, and we can discuss possibilities.

sheltongail@hotmail.com
Custom Framed Shadow Boxes $100 and up

Pecan Fest Poster Time

Started trying to work on a few ideas

for the Louisiana Pecan Festival poster.

This is pen and ink and watercolor...still

working on it. Will try to post some

progress. I will have to work out some

lettering also. Hopefully it will all come

together!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Kids, Art, and Smiles

We finished up two different summer

art classes this week at the gallery.

The boys took a whole week of art

camp with Mr. Rockett. It was

"Dinosaur Week" and they completed

some neat projects including a

painted dinosaur egg, a volcano painting

and sculpture, and lots of dino drawings.

The girls came for an Art Party,

"Cupcakes and Canvas". We did a mixed

media, paint and collage, on canvas of

a cupcake, while they snacked on butter

creme and chocolate cupcakes. Everyone

had a great time.

I have one more Art Party this summer,

August 13th. "Canvas and Coke Floats" will

be from 10:30-12:00. I am sure you can

guess what we will enjoy that day?!

There are still some spots available...kids

and adults welcome. Call the gallery to

register. Come join the fun!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Pea Patch Gallery 318-628-3560

Art Party $20.00 Includes supplies

and snacks

On the Back Burner...oops

I had been asked to do this invitation

last month, and I just now found it

on my very "organized" art desk. So,

I managed to decorate it today, and

will mat it for her. Her colors included

this purple, and this flower pattern

was on the envelope. There are some

faint flowers in the background as well

that I drew and then lightened with

an eraser. I hope she will be pleased

and forgive me for my tardiness.

....too much to do....

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Painted Invitations $20.00

Camera Ready

Here is the finished camera ready logo.
I finished it up tonight after working at
the gallery today. I also ran over to
Natchitoches late this afternoon to pick
up my Christmas poster entry. I did not
win, but they told me that the judges
really liked it (they probably told everyone
that!) I have a sneaky suspicion that you
have to live in Natchitoches to win...I will
investigate that when the winning poster
is unveiled. I am going to start working on
a design for the Louisiana Pecan Fest now..
they wanted me to submit something. At
least I know you don't have to live in Colfax
to win!

sheltongail@hotmail.com
I can design a logo, business card, letterhead,
etc for you. Email me for quotes and ideas.

Logo Selected

I had been asked by the Louisiana
Baptist Singing Women to design
a logo for them. They notified me
that they would like this design. So
I am in the process of doing a camera
ready copy for them. I have to make
sure all the lines are really crisp and
clean. I will add the text with the
computer. Will finish it up and send
it off...one more thing off the list!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Sketch of the Egret

I am still working on this "egret theme".

I just love those tall, majestic white birds.

This will probably be done in acrylic on

a square canvas. Just playing around with

some ideas. Those are supposed to be frogs

across the top...I got tired of drawing all of

them! I am still working on the alligator

design, and I am playing around with some

frogs and turtles. just a "swamp" frame of

mind...

sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Day for a Ride

Small watercolor painting of the

mule drawn carriage in New Orleans,

for the upcoming Louisiana show.

My college watercolor teacher would

like to absence of detail! He always

wanted me to loosen up...

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Carriage Ride Watercolor

8 x 10 $35.00

for Liz (and Brian)

Agapanthus on the edge of a cliff in California

Blue wildflowers in my backyard

I have been working on several

things, but have had some computer

connectivity issues! So, I will do a

couple of posts in a row...hopefully!

These scripture photos are for a

friend, Liz. She wanted this verse,

but with a blue color scheme. And

since my brother had surgery today,

this has been my own personal prayer,

all day today. He is fine, and will have to

be in the hospital a few more days. God

does care for His own. Let not all our

hearts be troubled!~

sheltongail@hotmail.com

scripture photos 12 x 18 $35.00

available as note cards and 11 x 14 prints