Trompe l'oeil Murals in Frederick, Maryland

I was just in Frederick, Maryland.  If you ever get a chance to visit Frederick make sure to visit the historic district which has some wonderful trompe l'oeil murals.  There are art galleries to visit too.    

The trompe l'oeil painting style has been used to paint a number of beautiful murals, including a community bridge over Carroll Creek just off of Market Street near the visitor's center.  The bridge looks like old weathered rock, but the old stone structure is actually a piece of art.  Artist William Cochran spent 5 years creating the mural.  I love that he asked for ideas from the community and incorporated ideas from 100's of the local residents.  All of the paintings look 3-dimensional, but they are painted on flat surfaces.  If you aren't familiar this style of painting, trompe l'oeil means "deceive the eye." 

Monday was cold and rainy, so not the best lighting for taking pictures.  I was very pleased with the photos I took with my iPhone.  I love always having a good camera with me so I don't miss that shot that might end up as a painting.  Of course this is WAY out of my league!!

These are all paintings done on flat walls! 

Unbelievable these are flat paintings. 

They look so dimensional its hard not to keep from touching it to be sure. 

Holding onto Summer

Holding onto Summer, 8x8" oil on gessobord

I love to paint beach umbrellas.  There's something about them that just make me happy.

Frank and Ernest

By Tom Thaves

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Nico Delort - Ink & Scratchboard Illustrations

My laptop is in the shop getting the motherboard replaced.  Boy that doesn't sound good.  I'm laptopless for at least 2 weeks!  While I hope I don't loose all my documents,  I'm hoping and praying they will be able to retrieve my photographs.  Lesson learned, back up more frequently.

I have to take new photographs of my work, so I thought I'd share an art site my niece Chelsea just sent to me.  It's an art form I haven't tried since high school and was never very happy with my finished product.  Nico Delort's Ink and Scratchboard Illustrations are amazing in their detail.

Challenge #5 - Beau Roux

This is #5 for the HH4 as we affectionately call the Hilton Head 4 challenge.  It was Regula "Lulu" Scheifele's pick.  Lulu sent us a number of pictures she took in Paris.  I'm so envious.  All the photos were great.  Picking one was a challenge in itself!  I loved this gal's gorgeous red hair, so as they might say in Paris, Beau Roux!  

Beau Roux 
8x8" oil on RayMar panel

Paris in the Pink!  

 Maria Bennett Hock 

Paris à Deux Regula Scheifele

Chris Werst

Tony & Joe's Restaurant

Tony & Joe's 20x16" oil on Canvas (sold)

If you haven't been to Tony & Joe's restaurant in Georgetown, in Washington, D.C., I recommend you try it the next time you are in town.  If the weather's nice its great to dine outside along the Potomac River. 

Close up of the Table

Loft Gallery, Occoquan, Va.

The Majestic

The Majestic, 16x16" oil on canvas (sold)

The Majestic restaurant is located in old town Alexandria, VA.   I loved the great reflections in the windows. 

ART TIP - Organizing Your Paint

Like many artists, I have lots of paint... I can't help myself.  I love to ask people what their favorite color is and if I don't have it I can't wait to add it to my arsenal of paint.  Making on-line order... I always get a tube or two.  Of course, I rarely walk into an art store and not buy at least one tube of paint no matter what I'm there to buy. 

With so many tubes of paint, I found myself spending way too much time looking for a particular color when I was painting.  I came across this 4 part plastic storage container at Target for about $10.

I divide my paint in a way that works for me: yellows & browns; blues & greens, red & everything else, and the 4th container I put my large white tube, palette knives, glass scrapper and other miscellaneous items I carry.

I keep it divided in my studio then pop it together to take it to classes or workshops.  Word of caution.  If you have a lot of paint, the individual layers, which snap together, can pull apart when you pick them up. ... I learned that lesson the hard way.  My solution was to get a strip of Velcro and strap it around the container when I move it.  It works like a charm.

Before putting my paint into my art carry bag I put the velcro strap
around it so it doesn't accidentally pull apart due to its weight.  

This is what it looks like in the top drawer of my "art cart" 

a counter height rolling cart I bought at Ikea.

Budding Artist

Budding Artist, 8x10" oil on gessobord (sold)

This is the second of 3 paintings of the neighbor kids across the street painting and chalking on their driveway.  They spend hours drawing away.  Sadly, this is the oldest who is probably getting to the age that's it isn't cool to be drawing on the driveway.  I'll miss seeing her delightful creations. 

Mug #8, Pam Tadlock

WANTED

Pam, aka, “The Godmother” Tadlock

Mug #8 Pam, 4x4" oil on Gessobord

I've found that when I'm looking and painting someone who has tilted their head I somehow  unconsciously straighten their features.  I'm still working on that trying not to do that. 

Many thanks to "Supervisor" Wanda Rottenfusser for all of the wonderful background write-ups she has done for the Hilton Head Caper.  Wanda's latest lead:

     This week an APB had gone out for Pamela “The Godmother” Tadlock.  Pam (or Pammy P.I. as her gang affectionately calls her) is the head of a large and ruthless Florida crime family with ties to New York.  We know she was seen in the company of Karin “Quickdraw” Jurick in New York in May 2010 and again in Hilton Head in the fall of 2012.  What influence this had on her remains to be seen.

     We do know her own gang continues to grow.  Originally there were seven plus a partner-in-crime and a huge menagerie of animals but the current numbers are unknown.  She still maintains a cover as an artist but we have seen no evidence of recent activity in that field.  We suspect she is spending her time training her gang in far more nefarious activities but we have no proof.  As a senior statesman and artist once said “This is one of those cases in which the imagination is baffled by the facts”.  No matter the truth, she needs to be apprehended so keep working on those mugshots.

With 20 people painting the same painting, it is similar to interviewing eye witnesses... no two people ever see things the same way, but they all bear a resemblance to the truth.  To see other "eye witness" accounts of the Hilton Head Caper their paintings can be found at:  2012hiltonheadcaper.blogspot.ca

New Arrival - President Obama

New Arrival, 8x10" oil on gessobord (2009)

New Arrival seemed like the perfect painting to post today.  Just prior to President Obama's first election, LA street artist Shepard Fairey did this red, white and blue collage which became one of the memorable images of President Obama's first campaign.  The National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C., acquired "Hope" and it was hung before President Obama's  Inauguration where patrons were allowed to photograph it.  


Shortly thereafter; the controversy began when the Associated Press sued Shepard Fairey for copyright violation.  Fairey denied using an Associated Press photograph.  They produced the photograph that had appeared in the press.  Hope was an exact copy.  Fairey plead guilty to tampering with evidence and received 2-years probation & fined $25,000.  

From a New York Times 9/7/12 article by Randy Kennedy:

"When the case began in 2009, Mr. Fairey argued that his use of Associated Press imagery constituted fair use under copyright law. But the civil lawsuit was settled before that question was decided, and the two sides agreed to financial terms that were not disclosed. The parties also agreed to share the rights to make posters and merchandise bearing the “Hope” image. Mr. Fairey maintained that he had never personally profited from sales of the image, a contention The A.P. disputed."

Thai Anyone

Thai Anyone? 16x20 oil on canvas ($350)

I was in Portland, Oregon for 3 weeks.  I walked by this Thai restaurant everyday on my way to the office.  What a great color.   Luckily, when I went back on the weekend the sun was shining and made these wonderful shadows on the building.  Sun shine was not a common occurrence when I was there. 

Speed Bump

Spreed Bump by artist Dave Coverly

I swear this could be me!

I love Dave Coverly's comic Strip Speed Bump, especially when his topic is art.  I wish I had half his imagination.