Carrie's Family

12x9 oil on panel - sold

This is a commissioned piece for a very dear "old" friend. The kiddos are her niece and nephew and I hope I am not spoiling any surprises by sharing this here now. Carrie came to visit me at our Chocolate and Chiaroscuro event. I hadn't seen her in quite a long time. We reminisced about "coming a long way, baby" since our first meeting in Austin as volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. 

I used to have an annual party and forced all our friends (think construction types) to put on suits and nice dresses to come to my little apartment for a Christmas Ball. We had no other reason to dress up so I made my own fancy dress party! Ah, good times. 

Incidentally, I met my husband on the construction site. I saw him walking with a heavy box of nails on his shoulder... he had a good swagger (that we still laugh at today!) He came to my Christmas party that year... cleaned up very nicely. We were engaged the next Christmas and married in April ('00). Ah, even better times.

Carrie sent me this photo to work from. It was a neat composition - right up my alley. ha ha! 

Mother and Child

7x5 water soluble graphite on paper (greeting card)
$30 + $5 SH

 

One of many small original sketches available at our "open studio" event.

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V....Vaughan said on her blog yesterday that we "solve all the world's problems" over yummy chocolate and coffee/hot choc at Joel's. Maybe its not as lofty as that, but it is extremely meaningful time for me to get to unwind, to talk shop with another full time, dedicated, hard working artist, and to play with new ideas. One of my favorite new mediums is the water soluble graphite. I love to sketch. Adding water to the sketch is almost cathartic... it reminds me of this great little art "toy" I saw at a museum once - the Buddha Board. But this is permanent.

Please join us tomorrow and watch us sketch a customer or chat with us about art and life, and enjoy Joel's treats - gluten and nut free wall of choices too! - as well as delicious chocolates made by Brad/Austin Truffle Co. 

Wednesday -  November 20th - 4 -8 pm

Joel's Coffee House

11301 Lakeline Blvd, Ste 120

Austin, TX 78717

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Upcoming Events: 

• November 20: Chocolate and Chiaroscuro Event, Joel's Coffee House, Austin
• November 29: Major's Fundraising Art Sale begins 
• December 6: Small Gems show dk Gallery, Marietta, GA

Maestro

12x9 oil on panel  

Ask Gardner Colby Galleries about this painting

"Slice of Life" opens March 14th. The theme couldn't be more right for me. Its what I like to paint best - those moments in life that seem less than extraordinary, but are what the stuff of life is made of. Life here is finally taking a turn for the better. My husband is going back to work soon. My parents are making plans to move to the Austin area finally. Spring is in the air and I feel my heart lifting as these weighty matters come to resolution. Not to get too personal, but I feel very blessed that these last months have made our family stronger and closer when the difficulties could have produced very different results. I'm really proud of my husband. And my daughter.


My work is now turning to kitchen and domestic scenes. Its all relative. :-) 

Yesterday I met my lovely friend V....Vaughan and we painted while we visited in a very welcoming and cozy coffee shop in northwest Austin - Joel's. Its also the home of Austin Truffle Company and nothing will get you through a crazy time like excellent mocha truffles (and friendship.) I did the two studies above from photos while we enjoyed our hot chocolate, tea and truffles. Will be working them into larger works soon.

Gelato Counter

18x12 oil on linen
Available at Russell Collection Fine Art

We had a very fun opening reception last night at the gallery for the Femme show. What a great bunch of artists and a very eclectic show. Nine of the 11 featured artists were there. Several of my new paintings sold which I consider high praise. 

I had fun taking pictures with my iPhone apps. I used Hipstamatic on these below.  The show hangs until Dec. 22nd so do stop in to see it if you can.

 

Windy Beach on She Magazine Cover

I've had the honor of having one of my paintings printed on the cover of She Magazine - a faith-based publication located in South Carolina. Its a nice bit of publicity but even more of an honor because the May issue is all about motherhood. Its lovely to have my painting  reflect all those hard-working, infinitely loving, guiding, and nurturing moms out there. Happy Mother's Day early!

The painting Windy Day is available at Edward Montgomery Fine Art gallery in Carmel. Its 12x9 oil on panel.

Maid Marian

8x8 oil on paper
$125 including s/h SOLD


Sometimes, when I sit down at the easel, I hear the Monty Python blurb in my head - "And now for something completely different."
This scene, glimpsed through a shrub at the Renaissance Faire, just appealed to me. I had to try it.
The light on her shoulder and face was irresistible. Its a little confusing in its impressionism at first perhaps, being a 30-40 minute study, but I think once you make sense of it, its a pleasing scene. Maid Marian and her young Robin Hood perhaps.

Moses Botkin Monthly Challenge

Windy Beach
12x9 oil on panel

This month the theme was "blue" - in whatever way we wanted to represent it. Well, I had two thoughts - the big blue skies of Texas, which are pretty special, or the blue of ocean. Only it is bigger than the skies over Texas. Those skies are dripping some wet stuff on us lately, for which we are extremely grateful.

Enjoy my fellow challenge artists' interpretations this month!

Holiday Blues
5x7 oil on hardboard

©2011 Diana Moses Botkin

Blues
4x4 silverpoint and oil on gessoboard

©2011 Vicki Ross

Malibu Blue

4x8.75 oil on canvas
©2011 Ruth Andre



Blue Ice
16x20 oil on canvas

©2011 Suzanne Berry

Sweets for My Sweet

20x20 oil on linen

I thought I'd give my blog viewers a sneak peek at some of the work that is now available at Russell Collection in Austin. They are mounting their Best of Texas show featuring 10 of the Texas artists they represent, including me. It should be a fun opening reception Friday night with a diverse collection of artists and live music. If you are in town you should rsvp and attend!

This painting might be my favorite. I actually have thought about this scene for a couple of years but hadn't painted it yet. Perhaps I didn't think I could. But I am so pleased with the results. The setting is actually across from Russell Collection at Sweetish Hill Bakery. They have one of my small daily paintings on their wall. Its also a scene from their bakery. Pretty neat.

30 Minute Study - Radiance

8 1/2 x 6 1/2 oil on canvas paper

This is new... a quick sketch I did today to loosen up. I've actually been working on and off for three days on a larger piece and when I finished that today, I had just enough time to stretch my wings a little. Ta da!

Personally, I love working this way. The results are so impressionistic, so spontaneous and I'm generally very pleased with my results. Perhaps sketches like this come more from the gut. Maybe because I am not so serious about making it perfect. But I plan to do more of these quick studies both for the exercise and for planning larger paintings.

This was painted on a canvas-style paper - not mounted. As of this moment, I cannot decide if I will offer it for sale. Perhaps after I've lived with it, and used it to create my larger gallery painting.

Sidewalk Artists

11x14 oil on panel

Ask Castle Gallery about this painting.

This mommy and daughter were perfectly posed as they focused on their sidewalk art skills at the arts festival downtown Austin. I had a bear of a time painting the lady's feet though. I hope I have them correct now. If not, I don't want to hear about it. ;-)
Have a wonderful weekend. We will likely be enjoying the fine weather and the reggae festival.

Early Outing

24x20 oil on canvas

This painting was rather cathartic... its loose and large and it felt good to use large brushes and really push the paint around using my whole body. Its a little indistinct and impressionistic and I tried to keep it light in tone by not using too many darks. I think I needed to open up a bit after working so small in the last months.