It was Right before Christmas....

It was right before Christmas and all through the south,
The storm spread 'round us like a honey tongued mouth,
And breathed in our faces, and toppled large trees,
Snarled up the traffic and came up to our knees,
The shoppers weren't happy, the traveler's not pleased,
This snow wasn't planned, we were all ill at ease.
But not so the children who squealed with delight,
and quickly made snowmen and snowball fights,
They slid down the hills on bags and on sleds,
rolled in the snow and made angel beds,
And while grownups admitted it was a beautiful sight,
the kids already knew and frolicked till night,
So you would think......, we must know by now,
we can't control all things, not what, not how,
All we can do is accept certain things,
And a snow before Christmas is a beautiful thing!

by M Theresa Brown

Smokey Mountain Labrador

Sandy spent 17 years as a much loved companion to her owners. When she passed they realized that they did not have as many photos as they thought they had. I combined several photos as well as my knowledge of the Labrador retriever breed to create Sandy as they remembered her. Here she is,in this 16 x 20 pastel, smiling and back in a favorite area, hiking through the Smokey Mountains!

Shhhhhh-a Christmas gift for the owner's wife!

Pastel Collage of girl and horse

This 20 x 20 " pastel collage of Jennifer and her late horse, Bernie was fun to do! I pretty much had free choice in the photo selection as Bernie had passed away the previous year and Jennifer referred me to her Facebook albums. So although Bernie was a talented jumper, he and Jen were also pals and that is what I wanted to convey!
This is the second portrait I have created for Jennifer. And although it was not a surprise to her, it IS her Christmas present courtesy of her generous aunt!

Vintage 1963

Ah one of my favorite things to create-portraits from old photos.
The gentleman pulled out a tiny 2 x 3" black and white photo of his family and I created this 18 x 24" pastel from his color descriptions.
When he first saw it, he cried. We walked into the framing shop and he is like a child at Christmas, already anticipating the look on his wife's face at Christmas. Yes, life is good! And the ability to create and bring joy into someone's life is even better!

Audio ebook for working artists!

Well it's been a long road BUT we now have my ebooks for the marketing artist in an audio form!
Our ArtCAreerExperts site has all the packages but you can enjoy a "free art lesson" from Jerrysartarama with me in it! Enjoy!

http://www.jerrysartarama.com//videoApplication/videoLesson.html?title=Art%20Career%20Experts%20-%20%22Business%20Cards%22&id=670&res=lowRes&catTitle=&subTitle=&cat=0&sub=0

or copy and paste
http://www.jerrysartarama.com//videoApplication/videoLesson.html?title=Art%20Career%20Experts%20-%20%22Business%20Cards%22&id=670&res=lowRes&catTitle=&subTitle=&cat=0&sub=0,

Girl with Quarter Horse

A large pastel of Samantha and her late Quarter Horse, Sonny.
An emotional painting that had the whole family in tears. Ah, art!

theresa

Little sisters

I created this pastel of two adorable sisters from a supplied photo. The parents were delighted with the results and it was great fun to go traditional with the girls!

Jack Russell terrier in the Woods

This little Jack Russell terrier was a favorite with his owners and after he passed they asked me to create a pastel from a photo they had taken one day when he was romping in the woods with them. I removed the red harness at their request and used the textures from the Canson paper to add some texture to the tree.

Theresa
www.mtheresabrown.com

Pastel of Pitt Bull

A cameo pastel of a client's Pit Bull, Isis, created on Canson acid free paper. The brindle color is always a pastel challenge and when working from a photo, it's always good to have some outdoor photos to show the true colors of the coat! The clients were delighted.

Theresa www.MTheresaBrown.com www.OnRoadArtists.com

Pastel portrait of little boy

Another cameo pastel portrait. This portrait of Tristan is the third that I have created for the family.
Sometimes the best portraits are those where the subject is caught unawares and the resulting portraits are timeless!

Cameo Pastel of child

My cameo portraits are super popular and this one was created from some photos that I took of my subject. Grandma commissioned one of another grandchild several years ago and now it was Lilly's turn. :-)

Pastel of an English Springer Spaniel

I loved creating this pastel for the family. Actually it is a gift for the mother's birthday of their adored family dog who passed suddenly last May. In the only one good photo they had, Breezy is partially asleep. I opted to open his eyes and let him peak out at the viewers with his "Are you thinking about going somewhere?" look. The daughter is thrilled...I'll bet Mom will be too!

Portrait of Teen Sisters

An 18 x 24 pastel portrait of two sisters.
Big smiles can be a definite challenge but I have created many smiling portraits and the key is to know the personality of the subjects. Neither of these girls were the serious, moody sort when I met and photographed them and the teen years need to be remembered as not always enveloped in "teen angst!"
But the important part is what the client thinks!

For years I have dreamed of having a portrait done of my children and like many of us I “never got around to it”. When Theresa Brown became a resident artist at The Cotton Company and I got a chance to not only view a good variety of her work but also talk to her about how she works and the whole process, I realized I had finally found the right person to do this portrait.

I gave the portrait of our two daughters as a surprise birthday present to my husband and he and I are both so happy with the results. When the girls go off to college this portrait which has captured not only their likeness, but also their spirit, will be a reminder of so many happy memories!

Thank you, Theresa!

-Elizabeth Johnson, Wake Forest NC

Little girl in white oil painting

This 16 x 20 oil was quite a challenge! Photographers all deal with photoshop and a large number of artists do as well now. Sometimes I think that a little more sketching would bring the brain back as "photoshop" is something an artist always did....long before the computer! This little girl came from 2 photos. I created a pastel of her sister 6 years ago and they had an "oil photograph" made. So I had a photo of the little blond headed sister-full body and a head and shoulder photo of the other dark haired sister...basically combining them together and then deciding to add the arm to the right as the original photo showed (vaguely, in parts) her little arms pulled up to her body. But after painting that, it looked awkward, so I rubbed out the arm (with a crowd watching) and sketched it back onto the canvas and then painted it. Fun with a crowd around! Anyway the client was THRILLED with the results.
The very cool thing is that the dress in the oil was detailed (more so than the photograph) and it had been made by the grandmother. Both little girls wore it for their portraits (6 years apart!) Grandma's Dress is an heirloom as is now this portrait!

Teen Art Boot Camp

What a great week with working with a group of teens! We worked in acrylics, oils, graphite, charcoal and conte. They learned Art presentation, Art journaling and Art Marketing!

Still lifes, landscapes and portraits, all in the traditional mode helped expand their vision and stretch a bit more from them. We also taled about what to look for when selecting an art schoo for college-a very necessary topic to save tens of thousands of dollars for the parents!

Next camp is July 6-10 and the final is August 3-7. They run from 10-2 pm.

Blowing Rock NC Charity horse show

Hooray! I have completed the second of two pastels which will be sold at the two Blowing Rock NC Charity Horse shows this July. The images used on T-shirts . The first represented the Saddlebred show and the second is the Hunter Jumper show.

We LOVE this show. Held just off the Blue Ridge Parkwayin the NC mountains, it is wonderfully cooler than the Piedmont. There is something in everyone's DNA where some ancient connection to mountains manifests itself. Looking out over the incredible vews, we tend to drift into a time warp and we become our ancestors for a short period of time!

It just doesn't get better than that!

A breathing, living portrait

A fine art portrait is more than a likeness of the subject. A portrait should virtually breathe on it's own!
This 24 x 30 oil is a good example of that concept. By intertwining the likenesses of the subject with a visual example of their long term relationship and devotion to each other the portrait took on a life of it's own.

In other words, it went far beyond "looking like the subject" or what a photo is required to do. A fine art portrait creates a perpetual record of a subject on that day, in time and the interaction to the environment around them. A moment in time. A forever reminder that life is good!

Dressage Horse for the CDI show

I created this 18 x 24 oil of a dressage horse from photos that we took while down in Southern Pines, NC.
I used a 2 inch Gallery Wrap canvas and had fun pulling the painting around the sides! Take a look!

Saddlebred Horse show at Blowing Rock NC

It's been fun creating a collage for the both the Hunter Jumper and Saddlebred portions of the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show held each year in the incredibly beautiful location in the NC mountains of...Blowing Rock! The show has been an annual event for many, many years and we enjoy being there for the activities. OK, maybe the climate has something to do with that too!
I have completed the Saddlebred collage which will be auctioned off at this year's event and also used for the T-shirts. The Hunter Jumper collage that I am creating will be for next year's show. They are held in the same location but on different days. This pastel is 18 x 24 in size.

Wild Roses and Artist inspiration

I am not, by nature, a landscape painter. Odd, huh? You would think that an artist would paint pretty much anything and in one respect, I do. But my artistic heart is on subjects...people and animals especially. Or a tree. Now THAT I can get a grasp on-a big, impressive or gnarled subject! But a landscape? No. To look at a beautiful landscape has always held a wonder for me. The oceans, the the pastoral farm settings, a pasture with cows, the mountains of the Blue Ridge. But to paint those scenes? Actually.....no. Sometimes I look at all the green in all its variations and think "No, I don't wish to paint each leaf." But of course I miss the point don't I? In memory, one remembers with a softness, not with clarity and that is probably why the Impressionist movement has such a following. I am quite fond of my husband's work as he loves his landscapes and perhaps has the essence of what I just said-light, color and generalities to combine into a beautiful coherent scene. But having said all that, maybe, just maybe, after wandering through my yard yesterday and looking at the once a year amazing burst of colors from the wold and heirloom roses that surround the house, studio and pastures, I might be persuaded to pick up a brush and boldly go where I usually don't go! Into a landscape!

Pastel portrait of Little Girl in White

Here is an image of a cameo pastel that I just completed for a client of her granddaughter. People love the cameo size. Most frame out to around 11 x 15 with a mat and are the perfect size for gift giving and small apartments and those watching their pennies!

The clients provide the photographs for these and some can be quite challenging! I create many of these cameos for genealogists who bring me very old black and whites (or even tintypes) of their ancestors and I re-create them in the soft colors of pastels.

Super popular for the holidays!

Meet in the Street art show

Wow-so many miles these past few months that a small show (with over 10,000 visitors!) 14 miles from home....it just doesn't get better than that!

So here I am, having completed a cameo pastel and chatting with all the visitors. Just a hint of rain, a few sprinkles, a light breeze, not too hot. Of course by 3 pm I needed a cup of coffee but what the heck?
The Wake Forest Meet in the Street held May 2 was a big success for all.

Single Moms Guide to Making Money as an Artist!

I AM proud of this one! Real help, real facts and real solutions for the Single Moms who can paint OR sew! Only someone who has been there can appreciate the challenges that this (usually) unplanned position in life holds!

I have included an excerpt from the book below:

Single moms with children. They are everywhere. They are every age, every race and in every economic niche.

But they all struggle to make ends meet!

No matter how much you earn, it is never enough! And if you are fortunate enough to receive child support to help with those bills, it is doesn't go far enough!

In these tough economic times, single moms who are raising their children alone need all the help they can get! It seems as though every waking moment is spent with work, children, debts...who has time to have a life let alone be an artist?

But if you can paint or craft, you can add substantially to your income without investing a lot of money in the process! How do I know? I have been there!

These are ebooks which means they can be purchased and downloaded immediately!

You may also sign up for our newsletter. It's FREE!

ENJOY!!!!!

New ebook! Art Marketing Success Secrets!

Well, we finally did it! All those years and all those artists asking us how we do it!
Steve and I stopped long enough to pull together a remarkable art marketing book that is a combination of our experiences and successes (and failures) as artists who create their art for a living!

It was certainly the road less traveled!
Here is an excerpt from the beginning pages:

.............We hear it all the time! You would give anything to make a living at something you love! But how do you overcome your fear of the unknown?

Whenever you told people about your dreams to make a living at your art, what was their reaction? Did they laugh?

Did they tell you stories about starving artists and wealthy dead artists? Maybe they told you that you weren't good enough? Or did they tell you that artists can't run a business?

Now, we're not sure who decided that artists could not sell. That is a new concept as artists have sold their art and crafts throughout history!

We're not sure why the Art Communities in general came up with the idea that artists "should" not have to market their art.

We're not sure when the phrase "starving artist" was first used. But the damage was done long enough ago that it has become a standard assumption that ALL artists are starving!.........

Doesn't that ring a bell? Drop into www.artcareerexperts.com and read more about our new ebook. You can order a CD or download instantly from the Internet!

Pioneer Town, California

I had to include this view from near Palm Springs, Ca. Pioneer Town was where many of the background scenes in westerns from the 1940's-1970's were filmed (I was told) Can't you just see High Chaparral or the Virginian or a Clint Eastwood movie in this view?
Part of the scenery was the odd looking Joshua Trees.

Indian wells California

This is the view that we saw leaving the show each day. It was held at the Indian Wells Tennis grounds. The stadium is located to the left in this photo.

Indian Wells Art show California

This is a shot of my booth at the show. Gorgeous weather with the exception of the first day when the wind came through the pass and those EZ up tents went sprawling...maybe flying would be a better word! Some of the vendors, unfortunately lost a lot of their art.

Notice the bungie cords on a few of the paitings!

Albuquerque New Mexico SNOW

Yes, on the morning of the 3rd day of travel, we awoke to snow in Albuquerque!

Now we had been told that Palm Springs was warm...it would be in the 80's, but we had l uckily brought along a few jackets.

Now we know that late March on Interstate 40 can bring surprises. It seems that the Interstate had been closed the day before in Amarillo TX because of a blizzard! So we stayed in Haskell OK with friends while waiting for the day to warm!

On the Road Again....

Amazing landscapes to two artists from the East! We are in Indio, CA but the 4 day cross country road trip has been an adventure! From closed Interstate 40 due to blizzards to the sunny warm landscapes of the moon!

We'll post a few more photos. Essentially we headed west from NC through TN, OK, TX, NM, AZ and into California!

We CANNOT imagine doing this by ox and cart! Wow what fortitude our ancestors had!

Incredible scenery as we journeyed through rain, fog, snow, sun and the continual winds.....

This photo is on Rt 62 in California. No more 4 lanes!

Indian Wells, CA here we come! (well almost)

There is nothing colder than a wet, gloomy day in North Carolina on a cold March morning (unless it is the Fall!)

But the dreariness does not stop us from getting our lists down to the wire.....Steve loaded the van yesterday with the portraits. Today is the final Paintings, the wall displays are in. Let's see, a few pillows, the portable coffee, the pastels, the easels, the clothes.....a lo-o-o-ong list!

At this art festival we are renting the tents and tables. Far more cost effective than hauling two Craft Huts and their weights across the country. I am finalyzing one pastel and hope to ship later today. Shipped the large pastel on the right on Tuesday to its new owner in FL. There is always SO much to get ready! Lists are critical.

5 dogs are getting worried. They know something is up and they' re not happy but no one is coming on this trip! We aren't pulling the camper this time and I know as we get closer to the desert regions, it will get warmer. There is nothing worse than traveling with a pet in hot weather!

Then again, I have to keep reminding myself that it WILL be hot. Just as heading down to Florida last month from a snowey NC (and returning to one!) presented a mindset challenge (it was hard NOT to pack a coat) so will our trip across the country.

I guess we are really www.OnRoadArtists.com!

Making changes in a portrait for a client

I completed the changes for the client in this large oil of their 3 charming sons.

Look carefully and see what I did compared to the image I posted 2 weeks ago!

We are getting ready to head to the Indian Wells Art Festival in Palm Springs, CA. The show is April 2-4. What a fun cross country adventure!

Family oil of boys and their pets

What a delightful experience it has been to work with the Faykus brothers! Their joy of life and their home in the country pours into their everyday attitude and being! Although their 30 x 40 oil is not quite done,I have had the family live with their portrait for a few weeks to get a feel for the overall impact. So just a few tweaks to do here and there and this beautiful moment in time is theirs forever!
Originally I photographed the boys and their huge Newfoundland and mellow Golden Retriever (and Siamese) in the late fall.
I created a more springtime look to the portrait and although everything is pulled together to create one cohesive look, the viewer can't tell that I used many reference photos!

But in this scene it is all about the exuberance of childhood! The rough and tumble relationships between brothers. The family pets involved with their young masters. And the growing up with an emphasis on being outside in all weather. It is an opportunity for growth and discovery at its most basic level!

I look forward to the final unveiling!

See more of my Portraits!

German Shorthaired Pointer Hunt Test

I spent a very cold day January day down in Southern Pines, NC at a Hunt Test. The clients had two gorgeous German Shorthaired Pointers who were participating and they wanted me to create a pair of oil paintings.

"Seth" and "Gretchen" were created on 14 x 18 canvases. The eye popping capabilities of oil are enhanced when the images are highlighted from the natural light of the sun. I like to fade the background and not have it compete with the foreground.

Loads of fun to create and the owners were delighted!

Family Pastel Portrait with westie

This 24 x 30 commissioned pastel portrait was a delight to create! I love zooming in on the subjects and although it means the portraiture must be very accurate when working almost lifesize, I find it actually easier to work larger.
The Jones family was delighted with my portrait of their two daughters, Lacey and Morgan and of course they loved Jack, their lovable Westie.
Although the garden was not in bloom, I recreated my rendition, groomed Jack, changed faces, hairstyles, perspective and a number of small areas to finalize my composition.
I met the family in October, took the photos early in November and completed this pastel right before Christmas! An heirloom for generations!