Awesome Week

... so far. :)

Not only is the weather totally awesome (20-30 degrees and sunny and warm and all Fall like), but I have been given a couple of great pats on the back.

First, my Bluejay Aria painting sold at the Bluerock Gallery in Black Diamond. I was sooooo happy that my blue friend finally found a home!

Second, the same painting (Bluejay Aria) was also featured on Deviant Art as one of their Daily Deviations. :) For those of you who dont follow DA, its a huge accolade as it gets placed in a premium spot on the website and many, many, many people are exposed to your (in this case my) art.

http://tempeststudios.blogspot.com/2010/03/2.html

My gallery has had over 2000 visits since the painting was featured. Thats pretty swell in my book. Not to mention the painting being sold gives me a big boost of self-esteem and motivates me to get painting (not to mention the nice boost to the ol bank account).

Birds and Feathers

4 of my newest paintings.

These were created as sets. I have more in the works. More birds with feathers, and a few with butterflys. :)

Pheasant and Grouse Pair - "Sir Grouseman" and "Pheasant Present"
Peacock Pair - "Me Sexy" and "Sex Appeal"

5x5 inches each.
Acrylic on recycled massonite board.

They are for sale in my Etsy shop at the moment.
*Click on the images to magnify.*

New Girls

More additions to my "Creepy Girls" series. Halloween is coming so im really into this theme right now.

Here is a link to the other illustrations in the series.
http://tempeststudios.blogspot.com/2011/05/girls-atcs.html

- Day of the Dead Girl(s) one, two and three.
- Scarecrow Girl

*Click on an image to magnify.*

Botanical Studies

More from my Botanical Studies series. I am really enjoying these, especially while I can actually get outside and draw from life.

Here is a link to a previous post with the first cards I did in this theme.
http://tempeststudios.blogspot.com/2011/03/artist-field-journal-atcs.html

Some of these are available in my Etsy Shop.

- Cone Flower
- Fairy Ring Mushroom
- Golden Clematis
- Foxglove
- White Bleeding Hearts
- Rasberry
- Cone Flowers

*Click on an image to magnify.*

Swap ATC's

Created for a "Kings and Queens" swap on Illustrated Atc's.

- Warrior King
- Peacock Queen
- Ivy King
- Trout Queen

*Click on an image to magnify.*

** I used this stock image http://grinmir-stock.deviantart.com/art/Jierdan-XXV-155973404?q=gallery%3Agrinmir-stock%2F10068087&qo=29 in the creation of Warior King. :)

Finally!

I have finally started painting again. Whew! That was a long hiatus, but well worth it as far as I am concerned.

I am not putting any pressure on myself. Just talking it one day at a time and not trying to be a super woman, churning out the work, but at the same time its good to get brush to canvas again.

I really needed that break. Its good to recharge.

I have all my other commitments taken care of, so there are no horrible deadlines looming over my head. I finally feel like I have some time to take some time (if that makes any sense).

I might take a little break from my ATC's and give those a rest too. Not as long though. Just a few weeks. :)

New Fish Atc's

The newest fishies. :) Some are for sale in my Etsy Shop, some are for trades. One of these is my 300th card!

*Click on an image to magnify.*

Canada Post Sucks!

Oh the Summer is going by so fast! I have totally been neglecting my blog.

Canada Post is on strike - still - and that has put the kybosh on all my mail-art plans. Swaps are delayed, im not getting any mail, cant mail out, and my Etsy Shop is also suffering because of the strike. Its just too expensive to use other companies, so I just have to wait it out. I appoligize to everyone around the world who probably doesnt know about the strike, and becomes an innocent victim.

I have a lot of work to do still. Lots of projects on the go, and I just cant seem to manage my time as well. I blink and weeks go by. How does one slow time down?

New artwork to be posted soon. Promise.

Prints!

Update! Update!

I have decided to make some reproductions of my atc's. Thanks to the amazing print shop I am working with, they are NOW available through my Etsy Shop.

The first ones available will be my "Creepy Girl" series.
http://tempeststudios.blogspot.com/2011/05/girls-atcs.html

If there is a particular one of my atc's you would like to see made into a print, let me know.

Also, the Bluerock Gallery in Black Diamond has their hands all over my miniature Stone Icons. Check out their website to see which ones.
http://bluerockgallery.enstore.com/browse/erika,esc,schulz/1

New Gallery For Me!

So, today I made a drive down through Southern Alberta to a place called Black Diamond. It was with the purpose of visiting an art gallery called Bluerock.

Its such a great Gallery, and a really cute cowboy town, not to mention the beautiful scenery. I totally recommend the drive.

The other reason you NEED to visit the Bluerock is to check out my Bird Paintings in their new habitat. Yes, Bluerock is showing my work to the southern ab crowd. :) So happy.

Check out the website. http://www.bluerockgallery.ca/
"Like" their facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/bluerockgallery/
And while you are at it plan a trip. http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=110+centre+ave,+black+diamond,+ab&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=31.615483,91.494141&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=110+Centre+Ave+W,+Black+Diamond,+Division+No.+6,+Alberta+T0L+0H0&z=16

Girls Atc's

Im not quite sure how I ended up doing this series, but I just ended up really liking these characters. A bit dark, gothic, and horror.

- Vampire Girl
- Ghost Girl
- Frankenstein Girl
- Zombie Girl
- Goth Girl
*Click on the image to magnify.*

Swap Atc's / April cont.

Another set for the same Swap as previously mentioned. For this group my colours were restricted to ultramarine/pale blue/yellow/red/pale grey.

-Feline I
-Feline II
-Fowl (rooster)
-Flyer (crow)

Swap ATCs / April

These four art cards were created for a Swap on Illustrated Atc's. The challenge was to create them in a limited palette. This group was limited to pale blue/mint green/brown/peach.

I was inspired by grave statues or Mourning Statues, so they all have a bronze like patina. Bronze starts off as a golden or honey brown, but after years of oxidation in the elements it gets a wonderful range of greens and blues.

-Silence
-Ecstasy
-Rest
-Memory

Get Motivated

I just havent had that feeling, that desire to be truely creative. I wouldnt call it an Artist Block, because I still have lots of ideas, and inspiration. When it comes to actually getting down to it my motivation evaporates.

I have lots of excuses. An above average work shedule, crappy weather, my house is getting a fresh coat of paint, but really I have to be honest because I think the real reason is still the lingering effect of my Grandmothers passing. I have been thinking about it quite a bit and its interesting how these kinds of things can truely change a person. I feel changed. Fundamentally. I dont know how though and in what ways, which is why I just cant bring my self to paint.

Now that all being said I am still really, really enjoying my escapades in my Miniature art cards. I love makeing them. I love being involved in IllustratedATC's and joining themed swaps, and doing custom trades. Its a real joy, and I am very fulfilled by it artistically. Maybe that more than anything is the real reason I havent tackled a canvas in 4 months.

4 months. That doesnt sound like that long of a time when I write it down. It certainly feels much longer. I am always very consious of the timeline of my year. They have been going by so fast lately. I watched Oprah's interview with Shirley Mclean the other week, and Shirley talked about our spiritual sense of SPEED. Of the world moving so fast, and it was so true. Thats exactly how I feel. Its like im standing in an energy wind tunnel and its all moving so fast, and im being swept along with it.

Parnassius Titania

A larger artwork, which was sent out as a part of the Secret Bunny Swap mentioned in the previous post.

*Click on the image to magnify.*

"Parnassius Titania"
4x6 inches.
Ink and watercolor, on Arches cold-press paper.

Art Cards for a Secret Bunny

On Iatc's I participated in a Secret Bunny Swap. Basically we all make presents for each other, put together in a marvelous package and mail it to our partner. You can choose to send a Mini, Small or Large package. I did up two small and two mini, for my 4 partners. I will get the same in return from 4 different artists.

Presented here are the artworks I created.

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Two koi cards in this partners favorite colour combinations. :)

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Two flowers that were this partners favorite.

A Sun Goddes atc.

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Athena and her Olive Tree atc.

Both for seperate Bunnies.

Featured Artcard

One of my Klimpt inspired art cards was recently featured in Art Trader Magazine. Its a free online publication, that you can download. Check it out! :) www.arttradermag.com

Artist Field Journal / ATC's

I created these ATC's for an "Artist Field Guide" Swap on Iatc's. I had a blast drawing them, and I know I will be creating more. They are so fresh, fun, and rejuvinating. Both to look at and also to create.

I think this will turn into a series, with more cards and also larger drawings. This isnt something earth shattering or groundbreaking. Its not a new idea, I remember creating similar drawings in College, and im pretty sure students all over the world try their hand at this style, but for some reason its exactly what I need as an artist at this time. I dont know how to explain how good this makes me feel, it just does.

*Click on an image to magnify.*

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- Mountain Ash

- Oriental Lily

- Elephant Ear