Whats new from Black Crow Studios

While in High Point, NC last month I had the pleasure of catching up with Tracy Hiner, the artist behind Black Crow Studios, who told me about her latest projects.

Series 12

I love Tracy's work.  We often see it at CR Laine during market, and I have purchased some of her prints, and can't wait to use her wallpaper line in our design business.

Here is a sampling of the scale and impressive watercolor 'airy-ness' of her artwork.  First featured is her wallcovering line...

Robbert Passal, designer

Cuffhome Interiors, designer

Tobi Fairley, designer

Her art prints are brilliant and affordable:

Greystone

Teal and Violet

Her latest series is titled "Caliber" and involves immersing paint in large bodies of water and photographing the completely spontaneous affect that happens.  Tracy described the process as using large aquariums filled with water and literally dumping water based paint into the water for random and unpredictable affects.  At first I didn't know what the objects were amidst the clouds of paint.

In this Caliber series, she has taken dismantled gun and weapon parts that she secured from police departments who have taken these weapons from arrested criminals, and rendered them unusable, never to resurface again.  I love that she is making a statement about keeping these guns off the streets, and not putting them 'en totale', but using parts so that it remains an abstract quality in her work.  I think this is a brilliant artistic move, and quite unique.  

I can't wait to see what she creates next.  You can follow Tracy, and Black Crow Studios on Instagram and Pinterest.

This inspires me to make some more art, how about you?

On the easel

I'm on a painting binge this month!

It's been a while since I painted for myself, as it is customary that I create a hand painted piece for all of my design jobs (leaving my 'signature' behind) with little regard for private painting time.

So I took a turn at the easel in my sunroom this month to see what was inside of me lately. This light filled room is where I love to paint.  Our animals are always close at hand!

First of all, I have needed art over my family room sofa for a long time, and haven't found anything I wanted to purchase, so I painted this 36" x 48" canvas with nothing particular in mind.  I started with a black canvas and what I ended up with was iteration no. 3, just going with the flow of "Spontaneity" (aptly titled).

Here is it in situ:

(My husband is making a 4" wide natural wood frame for it, so it will visually take up that whole wall.)

Here I am in the evening, Nicholas the Shih Tzu by my side, painting Bethany's beagle "Winston" for over her living room sofa.  Again, we haven't been able to find just the right size and color piece, so I created it.

Next on the easel is a canvas using one of my current favorite color schemes; white, chestnut brown and black.   I'm calling this one "Oh William".

Here is a detail, which has drawing detail done over top of the paint.

Here is a progress of a cloud painting, started on a red primed canvas (just experimenting with different colored canvases)...

and the final "Moody Cloud" :

Another day of playing on a blue primed canvas, not knowing where this is going yet:

leading to the final "Whimsy" (nothing like where I started, but a fun journey).

I'd love for you to share your feeling about any one of these.

I'm still finding lots of unused canvases around my house and putting random color on it, then waiting for inspiration and a little time.  This has been so much fun, and very 'freeing'.  

Who knows what will come out of me the next time I sit down at the easel?  I hope you give it a try if you haven't already.  Art is very individual and personal, and it's ALL about the experience.

Art fix

More often than not I need an art fix. If I can't physically get to a museum I have found some wonderful inspiration online.  One of my goals over Christmas is to head to my favorite museums in DC. 

 For now, this will do...

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 Love the work by Karen Darling:

These 8' x 4' graphite drawings by Bethany Govsvener kill me:

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Have you seen the work of Michael Zavros, like this drawing and the painting below?

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You can follow my Art Pinterest board to see more.

What things will you be doing over Christmas break?

Happy Holidays!

Design for thought

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The simplest of images, shapes or designs make a huge impact in numbers!

 Hope you have a great week!

FALL-ing for change

It's funny how our tastes change with the season.  In the summer I love the color of water, sand, river stones, natural wood and sky blue and aqua, which I use in my home.  

Now I'm looking toward the earth tones of fall in art and in fabrics. 

                                          Autumn Aurillia by Franklin Carmichael

Since traveling to Italy last October I continually peruse Fortuny online for beautiful fabric inspiration.  I am dying to have some Fortuny pillows.  I had the opportunity to buy some fabric there and thought it was too expensive! It is about double the price in the states!

                                      Fortuny's Piumette in burnt apricot & gold

Melagrana in marmalade & silver

Campanelle in apricot monotones & silvery gold

This painting  "Autumn in the Foothills" by W. Herbert Dunton reminds me of the winter ahead and inspires a new color scheme.

         Dandolo in tortoise & gold

Orsini in warm french brown &  gold

Are you inspired to change your decor with the seasons?

Horses in Art

Muybridge

A subject near and dear to our hearts, I always love to look at horse art.

Here are a few I have coveted beginning with the cave paintings at Lascaux.

Leonardo da Vinci

Albert Gleizes

Edgar Degas

Alessio Issupoff

Anton Mauve

Elizabeth Frink

Marc Chagall

Mike Smith

That first animated image brings back the thrill and rush you feel on the back of a fast moving horse... have you experienced that?  

Like no other.....