taking flight

the new year is taking "flight"

as it has been some time since i last blogged,

(having a new baby will do that!)

i wanted to post a little new year inspiration along with 

the first paintings of the new year!

as these little birdies take flight from the studio

i am looking forward to seeing where

my "artistic flight" will soar this year...

  in my quiet reflection about the new year ahead

the word "persistence" keeps coming to mind...

sounds like a year of growth ahead!

in that case, i may be doing more flapping than soaring! :)

-M.ELLIOTT

Sprouting

little did i know 6 months ago as i sat in reflection
over words and intentions that i wanted to cultivate in the NEW YEAR
just how prophetic the word "NOURISH" would become.
mostly i was thinking of my newly planted herb garden,
(a Christmas gift from Kyle)
but little did i know a tiny bean was sprouting in my belly!
Going to be NOURISHING myself lavishly in the final trimester
waiting to welcome a tiny creation of creativity into the studio in september!

NOURISH

fruitful, bearing fruit

life giving

Mail Art

okay,
something you might not know about me is . . .
that i LOVE mail

NOT email, but the good ol' fashioned snail-mail! its
not uncommon for me to go out of my way to drop a letter
off at the post office or to stand in a looong line just to pick
out a specific stamp. writing thank you notes, sending a
birthday card, or just a note to journal about what i have been
doing lately is a delight for me!

when i read about Jason Brown's REINVENTION project,
i knew i had found a perfect blend.....
ART + MAIL.
the awesome thing is that ANYONE can take part in this project
(no art skills required!)
visit Jason's web page and find inspiration from pieces of
mail art already submitted.
and for a peak at my little piece of art that went
to the post office today, scroll down! :)

-M.ELLIOTT

Check out the Reinvention Project website!

(my submission)

color study, 4.5"x6" acrylic and pen on canvas paper,

M.Elliott 2014

(back view)

(front view)

So, WHAT IS MAIL ART????

Mail Art, also referred to as Postal Art and Correspondence Art, 
are small scale works of art sent via the postal service (a work of art isn't considered Mail Art until it is dispatched). Each piece of Mail Art is unique; sometimes the artwork is meant to engage social, artistic, and political issues. All forms of material and artistic techniques may be used. Rubber stamps (including artistamps or artist-created stamps), stickers, paint and other material may be combined in Mail Art collage. Ray Johnson, founder of the New York Correspondence School, is often also credited as the founder of contemporary Mail Art. 

Wedding commission

what could be more fitting for

a sea side wedding than . . . . a pair of lobsters!

here's to the bride & groom!

(initial color blocking on canvas and color palette)

(if i were choosing a wedding dress to compliment the painting,

this would be it! -sourced from Pintrest)

(commissioned painting, "Two Lobsters", 2014, M.Elliott)

-M.ELLIOTT

"allegro ma non troppo"

for those (including myself) not versed in musical terminology,

what does "allegro ma non troppo" mean?

fast, quick and bright, but not too much

the perfect description for my latest painting!  although i did

consider the title "slow and steady", it just didn't have quite the 

same charisma. this painting has been on the easel for a while,

a lot of stop and go with the brush- some days with a lot of 

quick and bright energy and other days not too much.

although there has been good reason for the change in rhythm

(no pun intended!) to my painting process with this piece, 

i will wait to share that in another post! :)

enjoy the images!

a pencil sketch starts the process

working color palette

blocking in dominate colors

a few final brushstrokes . . .tah-dah!

(Allegro ma non troppo, 30"x40", acrylic on canvas)

M.ELLIOTT

You are my Lobster-

wishing YOU 

SWEETness on this day!

-M.ELLIOTT

(mini lobster, 2014)

(sketches on canvas)

(mini lobster series, 2014)

(image from ETSY.com)

One of my favorite events in NASHVILLE!!

I am so honored to donate again this year to such a

wonderful program.  If you have never been, 

I highly recommend getting tickets this year!

'Birdhouse Thing Event'

5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18

at W.O. Smith Music School

1125 8th Avenue South     

Click here to get your $40 early bird ticket by January 31.

Admission is $60 at the door.

"Birdie" painting by M.ELLIOTT 

***for auction the night of the event ***

Today is the final opportunity to get discounted pre-sale tickets!

Enjoy hors d'oeuvres from Nashville's top caterers during the live auction of wooden birdhouses designed and decorated by Nashville celebrities, renowned artists and professionals alongside other unique art works and gift packages to local businesses. Returning again is the silent celebrity online auction through www.mclemoreaution.com.

2.0.1.4

one of my favorite things about january 

is the clearing and the cleaning that 

takes place both physically and mentally. 

the holiday decor is stored.

the shopping is finished.

and the festivities give way 

to quietness, reflection, and new beginnings.  

in this quietness my thoughts begin 

to shape feelings into words

intentions for the new year are formed

SERVE  .  NOURISH  .  COLLABORATE

SERVE

breathing in, serving out

NOURISH

fruitful, bearing fruit

life giving

(*see photos below of my new herb garden)

COLLABORATE

alternate art forms

art in unexpected places

((*exciting  things in the works, stay tuned!!!))

(thanks Kyle for the best gift!)

(my new herb garden)

(flat leaf parsley, sweet basil, oregano, onion chives, cilantro,

cherry tomatoes, and a poblano pepper)

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

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

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

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

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

30A-

today, i'd rather be . . .

on the beaches of 30A soakin' in some SUN-shine 

(. . . rumour has it, that is where the sun in nashville has gone to!)

and stopping in at my favorite local spot, 

the REd Bar for a post-beach drink and MUSIC!  

(SeaGulls and Umbrellas, 8"x16", acrylic on canvas)

 click here for purchase inquiries!

-M.ELLIOTT

NEW website!

beautiful.

crisp.

fresh.

the long awaited revisions 

to the old website are NOW 

complete, click on over to see my 

NEW website!

the images below are just a peak :)

-M.ELLIOTT

stay tuned . . .

stay tuned .... 

my website is getting a much needed 

make-over and should be up and running soon 

with it's fresh NEW look!

-M.ELLIOTT