changes

this place is being remodeled. sorry for the mess!

but my new website is up. go visit. :)

Cleaning Sale!

Until mid-December, almost all my available original pieces and limited editions can be purchased for sale prices. Works on canvas, panel, and paper, in mixed media and pencil. "Duality" and "Persephone" limited edition prints in premium satin-luster paper with hand-painted embellishments. Discounts vary from 25%-50%. Small artworks as low as $40. Don't miss it!

cleaning off the spider webs

over two months and no updates? can't believe it.

i am still working on a new version for my website, when time permits. since the new site is powered by WordPress, i've been pondering if i should keep the blog here or migrate it to the website. i have been a Blogger user for years, and i am very fond of it, so the decision has been a little difficult.

meanwhile, lots have happened. i have a new show up, at Vertigo Rising Gallery, here in Everett WA. the show is called Venusian Odyssey and features artworks of artists Carol J Elsip, Cher Clemans, and myself. i am showing some old pieces and a couple new drawings i have prepared exclusively for the show.

Venusian #1 and #2

in December i will be the featured artist at the Habitude Salon and Spa, in Ballard, Seattle, where i will be showing for the first time works in oils and acrylics. the pieces are a blend of geometric abstracts + figurative work. sneak peak of a work in progress:

Leda, oil and acrylic on canvas. Progress detail.

2013 starts well with two more shows around the Seattle area. details coming soon.

around the studio, things are bubbly (and a bit confusing at times). slowly finishing a bunch of commissions i had in line since early this year, with new ones coming. playing more and more with abstracts, which has been greatly opening my perception of color, form, and composition, and also improving my inner sight. i think that my experience with abstract painting deserves a special post. my illustration work has taken a different direction, with bigger contrast color/grey scale, more detailed pencil work, and the return of my first love, the colored pencils. it has become sort of difficult to work following my old direction of colorful water media. this commission will probably be the last piece more or less following that line of work.

Wocekiye, mixed media on illustration board. Progress detail.

also, i have recently signed a contract with Pacifica Tile Art Studio to have my work printed in tile murals. The Chemistry, Yemanja, and Esperance have been already released. 

thank you so very much for all the lovely messages and the valuable support, and my apologies for not being able to return back to you as promptly as i'd like. hope you all had a scrumptious Halloween!

Me as a voodoo doll.

The Mirror Pond

Colored pencil, pencil and golden acrylic on bristol

14" x 18"

2012

Copyright Patricia Ariel

ORIGINAL SOLD

Limited editions ready for pre-order!

i am excited to announce that my first limited edition prints Duality and Persephone are already available for pre-order!

prints are hand-embellished in golden acrylic, making of each one an one-of-a-kind-item. acid-free inks on a high quality 300g satin lustre paper, with a photographic semi-gloss finish. only 25 prints each (never to be released again!), hand-signed and numbered, with certificate of authenticity included. shipping available from August 20th.

to purchase, please visit my store:
Persephone
Duality

Limited editions are here!

got the samples of my limited edition prints today! and the chosen ones are....

 

Duality and Persephone!

i am impressed with the stunning quality of the prints, in a semi-gloss satin luster paper. i am going to apply hand-made embellishments in golden acrylic, so each print will be one-of-a-kind! Duality measures 11" x 14", and Persephone, 10" x 8". i will be accepting pre-orders soon, stay tuned!

new website + painting in progress, step by step

so, between commissions, design projects, and weekly 2 and a half hours bus trips to Seattle (this part will finally be over soon), i have been managing to work on some essentials that have been neglected for a while. first, my new website, being completed bit by bit, when i have the time.



graphics on the website are all handmade. (striped curved lines on the left are an effect caused by camera + lighting + computer screen. they do not actually exist.)


drawing the graphics.

second, a new exciting personal painting project. i wanted to start experimenting for a commission on masonite i am working on, and thought that i should develop something personal first, using the same style + technique. my idea was to use an imprimatura underpainting instead of my usual multicolor abstract washes and see what would come out.




i made the imprimatura wash mixing raw sienna and a bit of black. in acrylics, because i had no oils available in that color. the drawing came after. if i hardly follow rules in life, much less in art.




at this point i was wondering if i would be able to do any tonal study, which is one the things an imprimatura is good for. i never do tonal studies of anything. my painting is pretty much instinctual. it is part of the fun, after all. :)



i ended up roughly trying the tonal study (notice the darker areas,) but, no patience. i want to go down the rabbit hole. no pencil rendering this time: my oil paints were smiling at me. part of my visual language is never to render my figures in realistic colors. i like them surreal, unnatural, spectral, in grey scales or showing the hues of my underpainting. i used the paints straight from the tube, without mixing with any vehicle. a bit difficult to work on more delicate details, but possible.




and, because my process is usually chaotic, and because i like to see a bit of each part of the work before finishing others so i can have a glimpse of the final product, i started to study the background before even finishing the face.




i also started applying the flowers, in acrylics and free brushstrokes.




the face here is almost all finished. not bad for a first attempt i guess... oils are a fun, flexible, forgiving media, and a perfect substitute for my traditional pencil rendering in surfaces like masonite, wood, and canvas. the imprimatura worked well in its magic of playing with light absorbency, making the face almost luminescent. good good. more as long as the piece progresses. :)

+

the open edition prints poll is still open. i got samples of papers from the printing service, the prints will come out awesome. i am amazed how Persephone and Duality as disputing the first place in public preference. thanks for your voting, folks!

Limited edition prints coming soon!

so, i have finally decided to start selling limited edition prints of some of my most popular artworks. hooray!!

i am still researching paper types, printing services, and other possibilities. but most likely the average print sizes will be of  8"x 10" or 11" x 14" (depending on size of the original work), and they will come out for $80- $100 each print, depending on size.

these will be limited editions, which means that THEY WILL BE RELEASED ONLY ONCE  by me, the artist, and NEVER AGAIN. for this reason open editions have an importance almost similar to an original artwork. they will be numbered and hand signed, and a certificate of authenticity will accompany each print. the editions will be of only 25 prints.

i will start taking pre orders as soon as i have the details all set up. the first five names to pre order will be granted free shipping.

to start, i will be releasing two different artworks, and i would like to know your thoughts about which pieces you would like to see released as limited editions. poll is available on the top of the blog's sidebar. you can vote in more than one image. the two most voted images will be the first ones to be released.

the candidates are:

The Peacock

Persephone

Lilith

Duality

Artemis

Serpentarium

and even if you do not plan to buy a print, you still can vote! your opinion will be much appreciated!

settled in, but not quite.

so, almost one month after having picked up the keys to my new place, i am still struggling to get things flowing the way they are supposed to. baby is still attending school in Seattle, which means i have to share my time between both cities during the whole month of May -- and maybe early June. with all the studio set up in Everett, and only 3 days in the week available for painting, i don't have other choice but continuing in a slow pace until getting definitely out of the limbo.

the Drawing-a-Day project will be put on hold until June. i have 19 more drawings to go!

current projects in progress:

a peacock commission on canvas. pencil drawing soon to be covered in acrylics. this is something very different from my usual direction, but exciting. working on something more ornamental is always a delight.

detail of a commission on paper board with which i have been struggling for quite some time now. :((

the sunset from my rooftop. 

Drawing-a-Day: After the Rain #2

 

 Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 11: 

 After the Rain #2  

Mixed media on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012 

 $50 

 Purchase

Drawing-a-Day: After the Rain

Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 11: 

 After the Rain

 Mixed media on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012 

 $50 

Purchase

Drawing-a-Day: Lotus

 Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 10: 

 Lotus

 Mixed media on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012 

 $50 

SOLD

Drawing-a-Day: Luna

 Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 9: 

Luna 

 Mixed media on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012 

 $50 

 Purchase

Drawing-a-Day: Exude

 

Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 8: 

 Exude 

 Mixed media on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012 

 $50 

 Purchase

Drawing-a-Day:Clown

 

Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 7: 

 Clown 

 Watercolor on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012 

 $50 

 Purchase

Drawing-a-Day: Possession

 

 Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 6: 

 Possession

 Acrylic and pencil on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012 

 $50 

SOLD

Drawing-a-Day: Womb

Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 5:

 Womb

Watercolor on illustration board

 5" x 7"

 2012

 $50


SOLD

Just married.

my apologies for failing on posting the last Drawing-a-Day pieces (thanks for your comment, Jennifer!), but the last weeks has been really crazy hectic. reason: i am moving to another city, and i have nothing less than FOUR client's projects in progress. the move, although planned for a while, happened a little fast and i could not predict that all the process would be so time consuming. for a person without a car, a 5 year old, and no baby sitter, things tend to be a little more complicated than usual. on the top of all that, a strong cold stole my energy for three days. i lost track of my stuff, the commissions ended up overlapping because they were scheduled to start on certain days of the month, and i am now trying to juggle all the projects at once. i said once that i have the best clients in the world, and i must repeat: I HAVE THE BEST CLIENTS IN THE WORLD. they have been fortunately amazingly patient and understanding. the Drawing-a-Day pieces will come, although in a sort of schizophrenic way, at least for the next couple weeks -- i have a lot of packing/unpacking to do!

the new home is a loft in an artist's building in the lovely city of Everett, about 25 miles North of Seattle. dozens of artists live and work in this building, many of them with their families. there are art walks every month, a gallery in the lobby, and an art center in the first and second floor of the building. i am so blessed for being now a part of this wonderful community.

Isobel all excited spinning and rolling around the floors.

My marriage with the arts, a commitment since childhood, has finally gone official. :) 

Drawing-a-Day: Fulfilment

Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 4: 

 Emerge 

Mixed media on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012 

 $50

Purchase

Drawing-a-Day: Emerge

 

Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 3: 

Emerge

Mixed media on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012 

 $50

SOLD

Drawing-a-Day: Writing in Water

Drawing-a-Day Project | Day 2: 

Writing in Water

Pencil and watercolor on illustration board 

 5" x 7" 

 2012

$50

Purchase