Italian Journey 2016

I have booked my 2016 trip for next summer to....Italy.  Specifically Venice, Lake Como,
Milan (to see the Last Supper!), and Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera.  I would
love for some of you to join me!  The departure date if June 4, and the trip is 11 days.
I am going to stay for the added extension in Venice for a couple of days.
The trip is around $4000, and if you book early, you can make payments all during
the year.  I am using Go Ahead Tours again, and they handle all the details and
arrangements.

If you think you might be interested, please let me know.  I can answer any
questions you might have, and help you get signed up if you'd like to go.
I am looking forward to the trip, and it will be a wonderful experience.
Great scenery, fabulous food, beautiful architecture, and lots of art...
a trip of a lifetime.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Show and Tell

I just received notification that these two pieces were
accepted into the September Competition at the
Alexandria Museum.  Woohoo!
I have never been in this show.  I don't remember entering
very often.  But this time, I had some work I thought might
have a chance at getting in, and
I was right!
I have to frame them both with some "gallery framing".
It should be a plain simple mat with a simple black or
wooden frame.  It highlights the work more
if the frame is not distracting.  White mats allow the work
to "pop" or show up.

I have also been chosen to be on the review team
for the DAF, the Arts Council of Central Louisiana
grant proposals.  I have to read and study each
one, and rate them, making comments as I go.  Then we meet
as a panel,and review them, and determine who gets what
funding.  It is a good opportunity to
meet some others in the art community in Alexandria.  It is
also giving me lots of ideas for art related activities
that I could do in my own little town.

sheltongail@hotmail.com 

Germany, Austria, and Switzerland Book

I know I haven't posted in awhile....been really busy!  My artwork has
taken a back seat.  I do have good news, however.  This digital copy of my
travel journal to Europe is finally ready.  It is the large 12 x 12 format, and is 42 pages.It contains most of my paintings in the original sketchbook, and lots of
photos from the trip.

The books are $100, and I can ship them to you.  If you are interested, just
email me, or call the gallery.  You can pay with PayPal, mail a check,
or call with your credit card #.  It was a spectacular trip, and I was very
inspired by the scenery and the people.

sheltongail@hotmail.com
Gail H. Shelton
Pea Patch Gallery
109 S. Abel    Winnfield, LA  71483
318-628-3560

Art History in Vienna

My niece, Katie, hamming it up with the Hapsburgs

Carved ivory pieces from the royal family...amazing

This carved ivory ship moved and the oarsmen rowed.  A clock maker
outfitted it with moving parts that are inside the
hull.

I thoroughly enjoyed touring the Art Museum in Vienna, Austria.
They have a huge Egyptian exhibit, lots of beautiful carved ivory treasures,
unlike any I have seen anywhere.  The building itself was gorgeous,
built by the Hapsburgs to house this collection.

I love seeing the art treasures that survive the centuries.
I like to wonder what those craftsmen and artists knew and how
they made their objects.  I wonder what they would think now
about their creation being in a museum...viewed by thousands
every year.  It would be humbling, or even comical to some of
them, I'm sure.  I am grateful that people have the
foresight to save so many valuable and priceless items.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

"I have been to the Mountain top"

We had the wonderful experience of traveling up Mt. Pilatus.  This is
the beginning of the cog train ride.

It was cloudy at first, and we traveled up thru them

As we got higher, the distant mountains peaked through the clouds!

This is the hotel and cafe on the top...very cool.  They told us
the workers work 7 on and then 7 off.  Once they get up
here, they have to stay!

We came up on the train..this is the way down!

And this is the way down, back into the clouds, and
then safely on the ground.

Wow, what a view and an experience.  Just to see all of God's
amazing creation from such a perspective.  I feel very
blessed to get to see this part of the world.
Bring on some more!

A Few Sketchbook Pages

Around Mannheim Germany town square

A meal in Mannheim, and a day in
Heidelberg

A few sketches along the way

Downtown Heidelberg...my favorite so far

A few scenes along the way...

Just a few pages from my travel journal..more to come!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Good Day! from Germany

We made it!  We flew into Frankfurt this morning, and got underway to
the town of Mannheim

This is the old water tower in the center of
the town.  A lot of the city was destroyed during the WWII
bombing, so alot of the buildings are more modern

This is our hotel...named after one of my
favorite artists!

Here we are at the welcome dinner...woohoo! we made it!

We ate at Koch's...a little Bavarian restaurant, serving local food.
This is a pig knuckle? a potato dumpling, and some red cabbage.
It was quite tasty!

This old mill stone is down around the city square also.
I am now working on my book, doing a little painting
before I hit the bed...like a rock hopefully!
More tomorrow...stay tuned for "adventures in Germany!"

sheltongail@hotmail.com

This and That

A new "work in progress", some clouds and an egret. It's colored pencil, and I
just got started.  Lots more to go.

And this is my little watercolor palette that I take during
my trips.  I have added a few colors, and I will clean it up
a little more before I go to Europe.  I have just a few more days
before we leave.  Will be lots of fun, and I will try to post during the trip.
Hopefully...! Stay tuned!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Had a Hoot in Lindale

Eating lunch in Mineola...a cute town near the workshop

Alan Woollett demonstrated how to do each part of the owl drawing.
This is the twine that goes across the bottom of the piece.  

This is my finished piece next to his example that we used to go by.
The colors are a bit different, just because the copy was a different
shade.  He told us what colors to use for each part, so the
colors are accurate in the real drawing.

I am happy with the finished product.  I did learn a few things.  Most of all,
that I don't take the drawing far enough...detail wise, etc.  And we used
different paper and pencils that I have never used before, so the results are a little
different as well.

This is the nice group of ladies and Alan that I spent the week with.
They were a "hoot"!

Alan Woollett and I...his prize pupil!

sheltongail@hotmail.com