How to Open Clams

Seriously, how beautiful is this basket of clams ?! I love the deep inky blues the clams have when he first pulls them out from the mud.I see another clammy painting in my not-too-distant future. 

Seriously, how beautiful is this basket of clams ?! I love the deep inky blues the clams have when he first pulls them out from the mud.

I see another clammy painting in my not-too-distant future. 

I have been itching to add to my "How To" series for awhile and a mini-break from art festivals in early May let that happen. Doesn't hurt that my fisherman boyfriend supplies me with tons of inspiration when he's working on the bay. 

Second thingy I want to share : I am revisiting some of my older instructional pieces. After years of having people suggest/argue with the steps to eating a lobster, etc., I am jumping back into and adding some more tips for those struggling with seafood. 

Some cosmetic tweaks are in the works too. My first piece in this series was completed in 2010 so they could use a little love.

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YES I made changes, but I need to say one important thing. Eating anything is intuitive and the only way to find your way is to try it yourself (especially picking crabs, which is now newly updated. Check out that hand lettering I painted with my liner brush & the note about the "mustard").

 

 

Interior Design Collab

My May was spent working on a large commission, a dream project with some unexpected challenges. The main culprit was working on a much larger scale than I (and my computer --- omg so painfully slow) were used to.

In a nutshell : I spent many days in my studio pleasantly creating happy light-hearted images of beach creatures that I can't wait to share with everyone (yes! there's more than I shared in my IG stories). I learned a lot about my work-limits and my computer's work-limits. AND (most important IMHO) I learned that I need to spend more time creating art in the physical realm and exploring outside. Too much time in front of a screen is... just yikes. 

I am not sharing that project yet because it's not completed, so I decided to share something I worked on in the Fall of 2016.

THIS GORGEOUS SERIES OF ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR & INK NAUTICAL KNOT PAINTINGS > > >

When the designer sent me these photos of the finished room, I was ecstatic. She knew exactly how to make my art shine in this cozy yet crisp space. Her website is thecleverdesigner.com

Knots Featured/Requested by the Client :

  • Carrick Bend
  • Fisherman's Bend
  • Figure 8
  • Beckett Bend
  • Lovers Knot
  • Double Sheet Bend

* I am not (*knot) a sailor or Girl Scout or Certified Knot Aficionado. I started painting knots when I was commissioned to paint Save the Date cards (Get it? Get it? Do ya?).  I was further inspired to paint more because of the way light & shadow wraps as the ropes twist around each other. Because of their intricate yet predictable structure, I find painting knots incredibly relaxing. Give it a try yourself sometime... xx