"Smitty"

Hi Everyone

"Smitty" watercolor by Carrie Waller 16" x 20"

I finished my painting:)  I present you "Smitty" 16" x 20" watercolor on 260lb Arches.

"Smitty" is my Grandpa.  He is prominently featured in the center of the composition.  I found this photograph this passed Summer when I was visiting family and acquired some of the family photos.  My Grandpa passed away when I was 6 years old but I have lots of memories of him working on cars at his auto body shop.  This photo was taken when he was visiting Indianapolis, where I was born.  He got the opportunity to visit the Indy 500 test track.  I knew when I saw this photo I wanted to paint it, but how could I incorporate the photo with my love of still life painting?  I'm sure anyone that has kids, boys in particular, have lots of Hot Wheels around the house.  So I didn't have to go to far to find the rest of my composition.  I blew the photo up and surrounded it with several of the cars.  I tried to find vintage cars, in fact the Independence car, bottom, center, kind of represents me.  I was born in 1976.  The old red truck off the left of my Grandpa reminds me of him for some reason.

This painting was a fun challenge and I wasn't sure how it would turn out until the very end but I think my Grandpa would be proud.

"Emerald City" 11" x 14" watercolor by Carrie Waller

I also got some good news that my painting "Emerald City" won a purchase award from the Arkansas Small Works competition.  I delivered the painting last week.

I also had my painting "Going Green" featured in an Arkansas publication Soiree.  It looks great!  I love it when I get such amazing free coverage:)

Carrie

Stacked, Pomegranates and Cranberries and Sunflowers

Hi Everyone,

"Sunflower" 4x4  $75 watercolor on paper BUY NOW

"Pomegranates and Cranberries" 4x4 $75 original watercolor on paper BUY NOW

"Stacked" original watercolor on paper 4x4 $75  BUY NOW

Have you recovered from your Turkey day and Black Friday madness?  We had a great dinner with family.  It's a bit of an adjustment not having Brian here this year, but we're making the best of it.

Today I have some small works to share with you.  I've been doing some 4x4's.  They may be small but they have a lot of impact.

I'll see you on Wednesday:)

Carrie

Work In Progress Wednesday

Hi Everyone,

Thought I would share the progress of my newest painting with you.  This is currently a 6x6 version.  I really love this composition so I am going to paint the large version of this in the future.

 

I'm also still working like a mad woman to get ready for  the Artist's Holiday Market at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art November 18th and 19th.  I took the advice of Leslie Saeta from the Christmas in July, Artists Helping Artists show, and am working on some gift tags for the market.  They are a bit labor intensive but they are cute.

I have sets of 10 gift tags in each cute little package.  There are 5 of each tag.

To make these gift tags I ordered free business cards from Vistaprints, instead of a business logo I just had my Christmas painting images on the card with To: and From:.  I stamped the back with my free stamp from Vistaprint with my e-mail and website info.  And I packaged them in  these cute little red bags I found at Michael's which I purchased using a 40% off coupon.  Did you know at Hobby Lobby and Michael's you can now pull the coupon up on your smart phone and they can scan the bar-code at the register.  So much more convenient:)  I embossed my little red bags with my embossing tool that I bought earlier this year.

Hope everyone is having a great week so far.  I'll see you Friday for my Friday Feature:)

Carrie

Candy Apple Red

Hi Everyone,

'Candy Apple Red' original watercolor on paper copyright 2011 Carrie Waller BUY NOW

Today I have a delightfully, delicious, subject:)  I have been wanting to paint candy apples all Summer.  Fall came speeding towards me and I thought, good I'll see if I can pick some up at the store to paint.  Well, I was disappointed because they always have to ruin a good shiny apple with the addition of peanuts.  So in the name of art I had to figure out how to make some.  Steven was my Soux Chef.  We made an entire batch of absolutely beautiful to look at but break your teeth off if you ate them candy apples.  I photographed them ad nauseaum in every kind of light and configuration, decorated with them in my kitchen for a week and then deposited them in the garbage.  Hope you like my 'Candy Apple Red'

Steven's Fall pic 8.5 x 11 crayon on paper (See his tree and all of the leaves at the bottom)

Steven's original watercolor on paper 8.5 x 11.  This one is a little more abstract, see all of shapes at the bottom.

Steven was in the swing of things and has 2 lovely artworks to contribute to our post.  He is at the age now where he starting to get frustrated if he can't get his artworks to represent something instead of just throwing down his colors in an abstracted way.  It is interesting to watch the journey of a young artist.

Have a great Monday, everyone.

See you Wednesday:)

Carrie

She Sells Seashells

Hi Everyone,

"She Sells Seashells" watercolor on paper 6x6  BUY NOW

When we were in Florida on vacation last month it was scallop season.  There were scallop shells everywhere.  As we were driving into our campsite we stopped at the bay and I took the most fabulous photo of scallop shells with a layer of glittery, golden water floating on top.  I have painted a 6x6 and a 4x6 version of this.  I may at some point do a larger painting.  The colors are just beautiful, lots of golds, oranges, turquoises and blues in addition to the muted neutrals.  Just gorgeous!

"She Sells Seashells" watercolor on paper 4 x 6 BUY NOW

 Have a great Monday, see you Wednesday:)

Carrie

Can It

"Can It" original watercolor on paper 6x6 Buy Now

 It's Friday!!!!  Yay! and a long weekend for everyone in the U.S.A.   I hope you all have wonderful plans. 
We'll have a low key weekend at our house, maybe a barbeque at a friends.  Steven is under the weather and Sam is finally able to shower again after busting his chin open.  Hopefully we can relax and re-coop:)

I have finished my 6x6 painting.  I'm titling this one "Can It".  I just can't get enough of these jars and with the wonderful light pouring through them.  Hopefully you won't get too bored, I plan on doing a series.

Have a fabulous weekend! 

Carrie