Dragon Goes AR

There's a Dragon in the Library is now on the AR (Accelerated Reading) list.

I AM SO EXCITED!! Teacher friends and educators, this is a fun book for your child to check out and read.  They then can take a test on what they have read and earn AR points for school.  

The interest level is K-3rd. The AOTS level is 2.9.

I am thrilled! YEA! 
You can check it out here.

Happy

Happy!

This is a project I did in the Lilla Rogers class on art licensing. The assignment was to start with a collage and add all these bits and pieces of things to create art for the wall.  I started with tissue paper and some other texture but soon enough paint took over.  After all that is what I am....a painter.  I have never really added words to my paintings but I love this.  There is a debate in my head whether to put in a gallery or keep it for myself.  

I really enjoyed taking the class.  The class is over now and a second part of the class will take part in Oct.  I haven't been a student in a long time, there were parts that were hard...times I was irritated, times I was exhausted,  but over all the end result was inspired and refreshed.  

I needed to grow in my art...I was faltering because of lots of changes. Those changes...new house being built, my daughter getting married, loss of a loved one...were taking the happy out of my creating.  So here is some Happy! I hope everyone has a little creative happy in there lives.

Chairs Chairs...Everywhere

Chairs, chairs, chairs.

I am taking a class that I am enjoying tremendously.  It is a art licensing class taught by art agent Lilla Rogers.  In one of the assignments we were to create a collage with bits and pieces found about our studios.  We were assigned colors.  My colors were blue and yellow.  I had a very hard time finding bits and pieces.  I realized that I didn't really collect things and that I didn't like clutter.  So I thought a lot about this and finished the assignment. 

 Next assignment.....gather our collections.  

This made me laugh as just the week before I realized I really was  NOT the hoarder type.  So what was my collections?  I listed them and I realized I love chairs.  Big Smile!! In fact I am always wanting to buy chairs... but that no clutter part of my personality is really the boss.  So I just covet chairs.  I look at them in magazines, put them on my pinterest boards, and put as many as my no clutter brain can take in my homes.  

For the assignment I drew a lot of my chairs.  All the chairs you see below, I own.  The recliner in the top left just below I don't really claim, because I am not a huge fan of large lumpy chairs...it is for my sweet husband.

I also love to re-do chairs.  And believe it or not this week when I was drawing chairs I actually had planned to re-do two of my chairs.  So I thought I would share. The chair below is a desk chair in our stone cottage in Mountain View, Ark. My husband wanted the cottage to have a cabin feel to it.  I still used all my bright colors, but I tried to give him that cabin feeling.   I covered this chair in a yellow, orange, gray and aqua chevron.  Love Love Love the result.  

The chair below has had many lives.  It started out white antique wicker with a rose and purple flower cushion.  I had it in my bedroom in Louisiana for years.  Then I found another chair for that room and this lovely chair was stored.  Ahhh... but when I needed a chair for Mountain View I remembered my favorite.  I painted the chair a very light sage/lime green and then rubbed it down so that it looked distressed.  Then I searched all over till I found this fabric.  It is Heather Bailey's Pop Garden fabric.  Love it!  Wala...this chair is soooo Cute!

Below is the bedroom it is in.  Remember we are going for the bright lodge cabin look.  I particularly love the rug.  My mom crocheted that rug when I was a child and it was in my childhood living room.  Recently I asked her for it and thought it was a wonderful addition to this room.  The painting over the bed is of course one of mine.  

I am sure that my delight in chairs will continue.  I have plans for reupholstering one in my home in Louisiana...very soon.  I am thinking yellow chevron....hmmm or maybe orange.

The Edge of the Blues

Here you go, a new painting.

I just entered this into a competition.  As you all know I love to paint color. Mostly in bright and happy combinations.  But every now and then I see something in and around my life and I need to paint the mood. Color plays a huge roll in that also.  

This painting has been on my mind for a while.  Brent and I were in Mountain View at our lovely hide-a-way a week or two after his dad had passed away. I came out of the bathroom and he was sitting on the edge of the bed... the rest is the painting.  I got may camera and got a few shots before he noticed.  I loved the way the light was on his hands and the rest faded into the background.  This painting is a bit emotional for me, but I wanted to portray a musician letting  the music soothe his soul.  Enjoy!!

Spring into Summer

sold

sold

Summer Fun!!

I love crickets! These are a little extra colorful.  I painted these a few weeks ago when spring was just springing.  But now it is summer and I thought I would share. 

What made this an even better post I took these two painting along with the dragonfly painting below to a gallery that represents my work, and they all sold before the afternoon was over!!!!  That is always a YAY!!

sold

Have a great start to summer. 

 (I do not know if it is officially summer, but I am through with teaching and the school children are out of school, it is hot and sunny.) LOL

Selling paintings is a good start for me.

In the class room

Lucky Leprechauns

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

This week at Magnolia Woods Elementary(where I teach art all year) the Pre-K classes and I learned about leprechauns.

We read a story about Too Many Leprechauns by Stephen Krensky.  In the story we found out why all the leprechauns were keeping the villagers awake...and why there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  

Then I showed all my fun friends how to draw a leprechaun using simple shapes. We used a U shape to start off with then added rectangles to create a hat, circles for eyes and nose, another U for the mouth and the triangles for his shirt.   These lucky leprechauns were drawn by my students most of them are 4 years old.  I am pretty impressed as usual.  Of course I think my kiddos are the best artist in the world.

So, I leave you with a Irish saying...

"May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks. May your heart be as light as a song. May each day bring you bright, happy hours. That stay with you all the year long."

Alley Shadows

That is the name of the painting above.  I create these paintings using fluid acrylics in a very traditional watercolor method.  I enjoy how it's a very abstract process.  

I haven't painted much on canvas lately.  I am happy to say I have been teaching a LOT and working on another book.  I have also been busy re-vamping my website and blog so they flow together better. 

 Blog....that is actually what I want to post about today. I enjoy reading and following blogs about design and being creative.  This blog started out showcasing my illustrations.  Then six books came along and I got a website www.maritagentry.com.  I then changed it to "in the studio".  But in reality I want to blog about ALL the creative things I do.  So once more I am changing.  Now I will blog about the studio, the classroom, my home, my garden and  all the things I do that make my life fun and creative.  Oh...I have hardships too, but this blog is about the things I enjoy.  

I hope you enjoy the painting above.  I am ready to get back in the studio and work on paintings.

Happy creating.  

Designing Bookmarks

This is the bookmark I just finished designing for my newest picture book

Beware Beware of the Big Bad Bear.

We have our book launch at Octavia Books in New Orleans.  Saturday, October 13 at 1:30.

You can catch Dianne and I at the Baton Rouge Barnes and Noble...Citiplace

Friday, October 19 at 7pm. 

 We have lots of fun and ton of things for children to do.

I still have coloring sheets to create and puppets to create.  But all that is fun.  You will be able to download everything off my website www.maritagentry.com when I am through.  

Why?

Why?  

This is what I am asking myself.  I have illustrated several books.  Six books in fact.  All of which have a whimsical sort of style to them.  I am now working on a project, and what do you know,  the style is more realistic.  I sometimes questions why? I actually do not know.  You say, your the artist make it how you want.  That is true, but sometimes no matter what we want some projects insist of being painted a certain way.  I wonder is it my attitude toward the story?  I am not sure. The painting above is a character in a project I am working on titled...Why Dogs Are.  I think it is a beautiful painting, but I am interested in the fact that the paintings are much more realistic.  Some thoughts on that matter.  

1. As an artist realism comes easy to me. 

Am I reverting back to what is comfortable?

2. I actually strive as a artist to paint looser and less realistic.  

Hmmm....didn't achieve that here.

3. Will I change it?

At this point no.  Still thinking about it.

Someone recently told me that to have a great idea you create several, then you reach beyond what is comfortable.  Then and there you get a good idea.  

So in my head I wonder is whimsical comfortable since that is what I have illustrated all my other books in, or is this comfortable because it comes easy?  

Any input is appreciated.  Leave me a comment.

It really isn't good if you ask the questions and answer them. ha!

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Finally after a almost a year I got our book done.  Enjoy!!