The Art of Chickens

The Art of Chickens   

(from my post in ArtsyJourneys) 

Artists seem to ponder the most absurd things sometimes.....take the chicken for instance-good for baking, casseroles, frying and yum-lots of eggs.That's about where most people end their thoughts about this versatile bird.
But sometimes the smallest and least conspicuous thing in your day to day world can have the most  interesting history, tantalizing colors and absorbing social scene. And the chicken has it all.
We just added chickens back to our mini "homestead" farm and art studio. We had them 10 or so years ago but lacked the proper fencing.....oh we had plenty of fencing and the bills to show it...just not the type to totally foolproof ranging neighborhood dogs. The numbers dwindled and we gave the last few roosters to a farmer.
Now I had chickens when my children were small-in fact in another life (it seems) I had a Grade A Dairy Goat farm licensed for making feta cheese. My chickens were the Aracaunas and other mixes so we routinely collected pale blue and green "Easter Egg" eggs plus the white and brown. So I am very familiar with the work and rewards of such a life :-)And it is hard to sty away from!

The first batch 6 weeks old March 1. 10 of them!

So the first batch we picked up locally and they are a trip. Alert, inquisitive-s a few very friendly ones, the others a bit stand-offish. Their treat is bread pieces. A mixture of Buff Barringtons, Speckled as well as purebred.

5 month old Dorkings

The next ones are also local-from a Dorking breeder outside Louisburg, NC. Ancient breed-pretty feathers-4 hens about old enough to lay...5 toes...originally brought over to the British Isles by Romans! Regal aren't they? 



Ah well, the kids interaction with a chicken is no problem! The youngsters below were at an art lesson at our studio and did not hesitate to walk in with the chicks and hold our gentle ones!

So as artists we find ourselves studying the colors.  As humans we find ourselves smiling at their antics.....listening to the multitude of sounds-clicks, murmurings, croonings that are unique to a chicken....and hey, who knows how we, and our many students of all ages,  will incorporate feathers and colors into our art?

I'll keep you updated!

A Child's Portrait as a Family Tradition

I love it when clients have a family history of portraiture and they come to me for a portrait to continue that tradition!  I know that a family portrait is valuable to them. They understand the emotional and long term appeal of capturing a moment forever in a way that a camera cannot! 
Often the earlier portraits have something in common-an expression, a pose, medium or a location. In this case, with the 16 x 20 pastel portrait of little Harper that I just completed, her expression and the fact that it was created in pastel, mimic the earlier portraits of her father, uncle and grandfather! How fun!

A Group event at the ART Studio!

Often I have artists telling me how wonderful it must be to spend all my time in the studio. But just like the post earlier, we recharge in a variety of ways! I don't have to be painting to be having fun :-)

I invited fellow artist, Ophelia Staton to my studio and on Feb 9 we had a fun filled afternoon at our "Ladies Art Retreat!"  You can see the other side of what I do when we fill the studio with people, art and fun! Pop over to my "Artsy Journeys" blog   and sign up for our April 13 class online!

Recharging the creative side of your brain.

January-what a strange month! A new year, new beginnings and yet for us, it's a wind down from the frantic two months of November and December!
As professional artists, Steve and I tend to work, work, work when the orders and deadlines are there and when January comes, we continue on a roll until about the second week. Then it stops. Obviously the orders slow down and that's good :-) We have our bills handled through February so the pressures slackens a bit. And that is good as it is our "Recharging" time!

So what do we do? Do we attend art functions, concerts, art galleries, art groups in the city? No. We stay away from crowds and traffic and head further into the countryside where we can drive, stop and walk and absorb :-)
We live on the outskirts of Raleigh NC and several small towns in between on a mini farm along with 5 dogs, 2 ponies and a pygmy goat. The 4 kids are on their own now :-). So when in the past our "Adventuring" included them, now it's the two of us and that is fine....although I discovered that driving and exploring with kids makes adults get out of the car more frequently!
We always have a camera of some sort with us on these trips to recharge-our phones, our professional cameras....whatever,  but you never know when the light on a sycamore branch will catch your eye-or the setting of farm animals, the curve in a road or an old building. I decided just to add some of our traveling images from the other day below so you can see what I am chatting about-images for the brain and food for our creativity.From the many types of animals we meet to the surprises we find while walking the woods!

Boer goat mama and baby

cow

Belgian draft horses

Great Pyrenees herd guards

Lady Slipper

abandoned home

Amazing sunrises from our studio porch

The geometric curves of a plowed field

A hidden waterfall and pond off the beaten track

We do indeed take the road less traveled!

Sometimes you really do have to stop and get out of the car and see what small treasures await your discovery of them. Taking the time to really absorb what you are seeing is part of the intuitive nature of an artist. Make sure you make the time to recharge your visual needs!

Christmas Art 2

And the Christmas surprises continue!  I also have added a few of the abstract paintings that were sold.

"Storm Watch" 24 x 36 (sold)

"Olivia and her Horses" pastel 16 x 18

"Child with Standard Poodle" 14 x 17 pastel

30 x 60 mixed media "Race for the Triple Crown" (sold)

The Christmas surprises! Blog 1

Williams portrait. Pastel 11 x 14

NOW, I can post a few images from our frantic month of December! So many collectors, so many hours...and I wouldn't have it any other way :-) On this page are just a few of the many...a good way to see the diversity! All portraits are different!

Mia, 16 x 20 pastel

Lydia 9 x 12 pastel

Ernie's Dad 16 x 29 Pastel

Saunders children 9 x 12 pencils

Ramsey Terriers, 11 x 14 pastel

Mixed breed portrait-Pastel 9 x 12

Yellow Labs of D. Perry 14 x 16 pastel

"Bubba" Chocolate Lab, Pastel collage 16 x 18

"R & M Drafty Achers" 14 x 24 pastel of mini team

Yellow Lab, pastel 9 x 12

A girl and her mule

I loved meeting this family in October and photographing their daughter and her beautiful mule, Fancy! From that came my 24" x 26" oil portrait with their barn in the background. I didn't need to go to Florida in order to photograph their barn; her mom had an image on her cell phone. (ah, modern day wonders!) An earlier post had the painting in progress but now you can see the finished oil!

Morgan was showing Fancy and there is one thing about competitive showmanship classes-in that world there is just one correct way to present your animal!

Morgan with her mule, Fancy. 24" x 36" oil portrait