Mollie February 28th, 2008 Business , Show Comments(0)

I added some drawings and paintings to the gallery section last night. I might put up a couple more, as time allows.

I’m not sure if I mentioned it, as things have been so crazy lately, but during the last Oak Leaf Artist Guild meeting I was voted onto the board as Website Coordinator. Actually, it was more that I accepted the job, than got voted in.. but saying I’m on the board with OLAG just sounds better.

I’ve already presented some of my ideas to the guild, but I’ll expand on that tonight at the Board Meeting. I’ve been working on some designs and concepts to show, as well as talk about content, layout, and possibly using a new software that my husband discovered called Drupal. If we can get it to work, I think it will really allow us free reign on options, features, and flexibility to build and maintain. I’ll try and keep current on this project as well.

Meanwhile, I’m still working on “The Look of Love” piece for the show, I’ll try to post some images of my progress tonight after the meeting if time allows.

Mollie February 26th, 2008 Painting , Show Comments(0)

“Look of Love Show” deadline for submission is this weekend; and of course I mistakenly thought I had two more weeks. That means that I have to double time it. Unfortunately I have a really busy week, and full weekend… so it should be a real photo finish.

Below I’ve got two more images of “The Look of Love” in progress. In the one directly below I focused on the heart-shaped box that the bear is holding, part of the wine bottle, and some work in the red fabric in the background.

This one shows the work I’ve completed tonight, the jewelry box and Love Potion.

Mollie February 21st, 2008 Uncategorized Comments(0)

Below is a photo of the a still life I’m doing for the “Look of Love Show” coming up next month along with an image of the painting in progress.

I worked a little more on the Mill since I last posted (see below). I’ve been concentrating on a layout for the image that will go underneath this one, and I’m thinking it will be a montage-like image with some animals in cages, and some places with just abused and neglected looking dogs. The difficult part is going to be getting enough details to show through, so it doesn’t just look like a jumble. Keep your fingers crossed.

I’m really on a roll lately, because I’ve somehow managed to start another 5″x7″ series of drawings for the Puppies are Biodegradable Show in my spare time; but I’ll save that for another day.

Mollie February 12th, 2008 Painting , Show Comments(1)

I received word this past weekend that Genny Glosier’s centerpiece was the winner of Best of Show for the Marti Gras Charity Event. Of course I wish mine had won, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was so much fun to make, and it reminded me how much fun it can be to work three dimensionally. Oh, and did I mention it was for a good cause.

I’ve been working on some concepts for “The Look of Love Show” at Framations. The show is next month, so I’m putting the “Puppies are Biodegradable” paintings on the back burner until I get something together for that. I’m thinking either a digital/photographic collage series with a different symbol focal point in each; or a painted still life with different items that are typically associated with love. I’m leaning toward the latter, but who knows. I got the suggestion of painting cute and cuddly puppies, but I just don’t think I have it in me to paint more puppies right now. Maybe a different, but equally cute animal… I’ll keep you posted.

Mollie February 7th, 2008 Mixed Media , Painting , Show Comments(0)

This is a detail of the St. Bernard painting after I’ve worked on it a little more. I still have a bit of work to do on the head, and I had to get more reference to piece together to get what I have so far; but he is nearly there.

Close up you can see some of the layering and texture of the background;some of the layers are slick, others are very flat, and when the canvas shows through it’s very textural.

Mollie February 6th, 2008 Drawing , Mixed Media , Painting Comments(0)

As promised, here are some images of the pieces I’ve been working on for the “Puppies are Biodegradable Show.” Please note that these images are of pieces I recently started and are thus still in progress.

It might be hard to see, but the background consists of paper glued on and painted over to create texture. The angry red-orange slash in the middle of the painting was part of the original piece. I thought to take it out, but now looking at it, I might try and make it work. The sketch in the bottom left corner is the start of the keg and the surgical supplies will be strewn about on the ground in front of the dog.

This seems a little lopsided, which might be a product of me skewing the image to cut out the wall behind the picture without cropping anything out. As you can see, it’s pretty basic pen and ink over color washes. I really need to introduce some contrast in the color area, it’s a little brown on brown right now.

More to come soon.

Mollie February 4th, 2008 Mixed Media , Painting , Show Comments(0)

I’ve been working on the pieces for the “Puppies are Biodegradable” show, trying to expand on some of my original ideas. Here is what I have at this point.

St. Bernard the Rescue Dog: I’ve gotten as far as roughing in the St. Bernard and working out the overall layout. This piece is going to contain a textured background (care of an old collage painting that I’m re-purposing for this project) with the St. Bernard as the main focal point taking up nearly 3/4 of the right side of the painting. The bottom third of the painting will be the surgical devices and tools of the trade and the background will be dark with the hint of dogs in cages.

Puppies Don’t Grow on Trees: I haven’t done much work on this one yet.

What’s a Puppy Mill?: This one is an experiment, please bear with me while I try to describe it. On a piece of clear thin acetate-like paper I’ve thinly painted an image of a scenic grain mill. In order to preserve the transparency most of the details were drawn in with ink. The affect is a little cartoony, which I’m hoping to use to my advantage, by lending it an artificial or unreal feel. Then I will paint a second piece depicting the horrors of puppy mills; that when complete will be placed behind the first image so that only part of the second image shows through. Hopefully, the viewer will first see a picturesque grain mill, but upon closer examination discover the second image peeking through.

Triptych: For the sake of simplicity and wall space I am going to try and get all the iconography into one painting. This piece has been personally difficult for me to conceptualize, therefore it will probably be the last in the series. It will depict the poorest, most miserable, and emaciated dog nursing her pups inside a cage that I can possibly depict; with each pup having a dollar sign shaved into the fur on it’s back to represent it’s worth to the Puppy Mill. I’m still trying to decide whether the cage door is open to keep the image un-obscured, or if I want the image to be scene through the bars to add to the horror.

I’m open to any and all ideas expanding on these concepts or ideas for creating new ones. I’m going to try and post some images of the pieces in progress as well. Hopefully, I will get some images of the two I’ve been working on tonight.

Mollie February 4th, 2008 Business , Mixed Media , Show Comments(0)

Below I’ve attached an image taken from www.framations.com of a small selection of the Centerpieces created for the Marti Gras Event. For more information go to www.bcifoundation.org/Events.htm and click the tab “Behind the Mask.”

Mollie January 26th, 2008 Mixed Media , Show Comments(2)

Below I have pictures of the finished Marti Gras Centerpiece along with one of the concept sketches that I did. When doing a concept sketch it’s generally more of a diagram with text and notes than a sketch. The real purpose is to get some ideas on paper before I forget, and since there isn’t really a client involved I don’t have to worry too much about rendering it completely.

Mollie January 25th, 2008 Uncategorized Comments(0)

The Marti Gras Centerpiece is complete, I hope to have some information and concept sketches up by the end of the weekend. However, right now I want to share some of my ideas for a new project I’m going to work on for a Show/Benefit that was introduced to me at a meeting at Framations Gallery (where my work is currently on display).

Several pieces from a show from Pennsylvania called “Puppies are Biodegradable” (www.puppiesarebiodegradable.com/) will be coming to St. Louis to stop for a week before moving on to Jefferson City where it will be show for Humane Day at the Capitol. While the exhibit is in St. Louis there will be a juried show where local artists can display some of their pieces; and some will be chosen to go with, and be exhibited alongside the original show from Pennsylvania.

The show itself has been very controversial in nature, as its purpose is to help raise awareness of the evils of Puppy Mills (more specifics to come). I confess that my first response was to try and deny that such things even happen, but the more I heard the more sick I became, and it wasn’t long before I decided to join in.

It was heartbreaking doing the research for this piece, I had to stop and start several times because the imagery and information out there is beyond words. I haven’t really done a lot of controversial pieces in the past, but I feel that some shock value graphics might be necessary this time.

Concepts

St. Bernard the Rescue Dog: He’s equipped with more than just brandy, he has surgical equipment in his keg to help his fellow dogs.

Puppies Don’t Grow on Trees: Puppies literally growing on trees.

What’s a Puppy Mill?: Image of a scenic Grain Mill contrasted by the horrors of an actual Puppy Mill scene.

Triptych: Left side-Cute puppy in a pet shop window. Middle-Emaciated Dog nursing her young. Right-Greedy Mill owner receiving his reward.