Happy Birthday, Vincent

"I dream of painting and then I paint my dream." - Vincent Van Gogh, born March 30 1853

A Cupcake for Vincent (2015)   $85 framed (3" gold plein air)

© 2015 Joan Terrell   Click here to purchase

An original 6" x 6" oil painting on museum-quality gessobord™ panel

A happy birthday and an homage to a great artist, Vincent Van Gogh. He never dreamed he would become this famous, after all, rumor has it that he only sold one painting during his lifetime. And his brother, Theo, was an art dealer in Paris, no less.

This cupcake has quite a history, click here to view previous posts about it. Be sure to scroll down and click Next or Previous to see more.

We end our birthday saga with some closeups. Enjoy and keep dancing!

Follow Me to Wildcat on a Wing Gallery

"Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable." - George Bernard Shaw, playwright

Looking for a wide assortment of art for that north Georgia mountain cabin? Follow me to Wildcat on a Wing gallery in Ball Ground, Georgia for unusual gifts and pieces for home and garden. They carry regional and national artwork, all handmade in the U.S.A. 

The dramatic natural light inside (a must see) shines on everything from copper-roof birdhouses to original paintings, jewelry, furniture and everything in between, See the photo below for the background of this gallery's unusual name:

Some of my small original oil paintings are now in the Wildcat gallery and hopefully stealing places in hearts, too. Sized perfectly for bookshelves or those kitchen nooks.

Next time you're heading to Big Canoe or just touring the mountains, why not give your senses a feast? And many of my pieces are sized to fit into a Harley tour pack, box and all. Just sayin'. 

Until then, visit online at Wildcat on a Wing or give Julie a call at  770-735-6923 to let her know you're on the way. Also visit Julie and David's related art website: Wildcat Works for more of those wonderful copper-topped birdhouses, wind directionals, and garden art.

Oh, and don't forget to stop in historic downtown Ball Ground for a Cajun meal at Les Bon Temps and then get some fresh made sausages (such as Andouille, my favorite) to go at the German place next door. Although it was Napoleon Bonaparte who said "An army marches on its stomach." I'd have to say "and so do artists and art collectors!".

A Whimsical View from Queen Emma Bridge

"I feel we are all islands - in a common sea." - Anne Morrow Lindberg, author and poet

View from the Bridge by Joan Terrell Click here to purchase   $250 

24"W x 12"H x 3/4" deep on stretched canvas
An original plein air oil painted with a palette knife for rich, impasto texture

In keeping with the spirit of Plein Air Curaçao 2015 (Feb. 26 - March 7), this painting was created outside - in my north Georgia backyard. Hellen Chirino-Roosberg, event coordinator, made me promise to be true to plein air and paint outside. I used my computer outside for a satellite web cam and also used reference photos that I took when in Willemstad, Curaçao in 2013. 

This painting is a playful interpretation of the capital's colorful skyline as seen from the Queen Emma Bridge. My goal was to capture the excitement of seeing this famous cityscape for the first time.

First the initial sketch, using fingerless gloves and soft vine charcoal. Yep, that's snow in the background.

 


I then went over the charcoal with black acrylic to create a bold, black outline. Next, I glazed colorful acrylics. Like the pink sky?

It's important to note that a glazing medium was used and the acrylics were not thinned with water. I used a brush to glaze because using oil paint with palette knives later will create all the rich, thick impasto needed.
  

Now it's time to use the palette knives and apply oil over the glazed acrylics. This is definitely adhering to the "fat over lean" principle.

Time to go inside and warm up! Thanks for visiting and did you enjoy our colorful excursion to the island? If so, please leave a comment and don't forget to apply more sun lotion.
For more information about the event, see http://www.pleinaircuracao.com/en/