snowy owls

guess "whoo whoo" created these charming "snowy" OWLS?

. . . 5 young emerging artists at FEAR NO ART

i had the privilege of spending a misty grey saturday morning with 

5 talented young artists.  we spent the first part of our morning 

sketching and drawing before working with tempera paints on 

canvas paper to create our "snowy" OWLS.  

i love how their creative differences stand out!

their favorite part was creating "snow" with the tempera paint

creative minds hard at work

detail of young artist's rendition of an owl

young artist's rendition of an owl and moon

collection of work

young artist's rendition of an owl 

-M.ELLIOTT

Red Tide Kisses

my color palette usually trends from COOL tones to 
WARM tones and back again very gradually . . . . . but,
this "chair" is a stark contrast to my last "chair" painting!
(remember "invigorating blue", click here)

 . . . . .

from COOL blues to 
juicy
rich 
vibrant
fiery
potent

RED TIDE kisses,

Red Tide Kisses, 2013, M.ELLIOTT

inspiration and color palette

painting detail

painting detail with line work

painting detail

-M.ELLIOTT

Opening Dec 12th!

NEW OPENING . . .

For more details click here!

-M.ELLIOTT

invigorating blue

i have often noticed that my "chairs" somehow evolve
into self-portraits.  unintentionally, the mood, colors,
or setting chosen for the "chair" reflects my current
environment, i guess this ONE is no exception!
. . . . .

for the last 4 weeks i have been surrounded by WATER
pond WATER
muddy WATER
pool WATER
clear WATER
ocean WATER
salty WATER
fountain WATER
refreshing WATER
tranquil WATER
and

invigorating blue WATER….

(Invigorating, acrylic on canvas, 2013, M.ELLIOTT)

(detail, acrylic on canvas)

(acrylic on canvas, 2013)

M.ELLIOTT

JUBILEE!

I took a "field-trip" the other day,

although I didn't get to ride on a school bus

nor sit next to my best friend, 

but I did have a fUn day by breaking my routine!

"Jubilee!  is a new special exhibit (at Fisk University) featuring 

the most comprehensive presen-tation of art works made by 

and about African Americans ever organized from the univer-sity's

highly acclaimed permanent collection."

I am a huge fan of  Romare Bearden, so any opportunity to see some of his work and I am there! The collection also includes masterpieces by Aaron Douglas, William H Johnson, Jacob Lawrence, and Henry O. Tanner, among others.  

I recommend seeing the exhibition for yourself!

-M.ELLIOTT

(interior, Carl Van Vechten Gallery at Fisk University)

(artist, Romare Bearden)

(love this folk art painting on board!)

(the colors are even more vivid in person!)

polka dots!

the polka dot

a circle 

simple and round,

yet

so STRIKING and BOLD.

it could be the symbol of simplicity or infinity.

polka-dot inspiration

color palette

color palette 2

blocking in color and neon polka dots

bouncy orange and green polka dots

Bouncing and Balancing, 24"x 48", 2013

-M.ELLIOTT 

contagious creativity!

this week i had the pleasure of visiting

FEAR NO ART.

this studio space is full of 

energetic and contagious creativity!

:)

stay tuned!

i will be stopping back by as

a guest instructor!

*photo courteous of Fear No Art

fingers busy creating

to learn more about FEAR NO ART, click here!

-M.ELLIOTT

Save the Date

"Chair-ish the Night" 

with Vince Gill & Friends

November 22, 2013

Music Hall of Fame & Museum

Nashville, TN

"Mini Chair-ish Series, IV",
to be donated for the art auction

This is a terrific event to raise funds for

S.T.A.R.S (Students Taking A Right Stand).

Included in the evening will be cocktails and a

silent/art auction followed by an incredible 

concert in the intimate Ford Theater!

I hope you will join me in supporting S.T.A.R.S

and their fabulous event!

more details here: www.starsnashville.org

mini chair-ish series, 5"x7", acrylic on canvas, M.ELLIOTT

working color palette and mini chair-ish painting
-M.ELLIOTT

"mini chair-ish" series

in the studio,

working on a mini series 

"mini chair-ish" series
M.ELLIOTT

"Red Kantha Stitch Chair"

("Red Kantha Stitch Chair ",  M.ELLIOTT)

i love how this painting turned out,
it's rich in color, and vibrates a playful undertone!
where did the inspiration come from?
(click here for a more photos of the earlier painting stages)
lately, i have been really intrigued with fabric
and pattern, espcially Nakshi Kantha quilts.

Nakshi Kantha quilts are a work of art themselves!  

These quilts have been made for centuries in India with thread 

and layers of old cloth, including their beautiful saris.

(talk about been ahead of their time in recycling!)  

The name for these quilts is given for the embroidered patterns

and designs; the Indian word "naksha" means artistic patterns.

"Kantha" refers to the main stitch, which traditionally was red, 

blue, or black.  Later additional colors, like yellow, green, 

and pink were also used. 

Makes me think of my own artistic "stitch" or "squiggly" line 

that continues through all my paintings! 

working color palette

notice the "kantha/squiggly line" in the upper left 

detail of pattern and more "kantha/squiggle" lines

the ART of DISGUISE-

i have this dilemma, pest traps (EVERYWHERE) that serve a purpose but that also do nothing for the overall design aesthetic of my studio, not that i have a design scheme anyway! it's more of a hodgepodge of canvas, paint, and drop cloths scattered in a creative flow which is interrupted by these unattractive traps that invoke unpleasant memories of an unfortunate encounter a few years ago with a brown recluse spider
 (a very  l o n g story for another time).
so you see, while i don't like these traps i also "need" these traps (EVERYWHERE) to prevent any future spider encounters!

 solution . . .  the ART of DISGUISE!
yep, i camouflaged those traps!  with the help of a pair of pinking shears and some left-over fabric scraps, you don't even notice that there are pest traps (EVERYWHERE)

pest trap before and after 'make-over'

and the progress in-between

pest trap beautifully disguised under my desk!

M.ELLIOTT

another layer of color!

another layer of color added

. . . 

happy friday!

tour of the studio-

in the studio w/my "studio sidekick" 

(pictured in the upper left corner)

working on a new chair painting,

and contemplating a bright color scheme 

....who doesn't like to go to work year round barefoot?!

-M.ELLIOTT