Tribute to Vickie Wilson

Today I want to honor Vickie Wilson.

This woman has touched countless lives, including my own. She has more spunk and pizazz than anyone I have ever met, and enough optimism to make an eight year battle with illnesses (yes, plural) one that can teach all of us something about meekness, humility, faith, and trust.

I had the honor of being able to spend afternoons during the summer months painting with Vickie. She had a wonderful, accurate artistic eye, and a gift to make anyone laugh no matter how stiff or serious they might be feeling. She was free with her compliments, and always genuine in their communication. She taught me how to serve, and be served.

She loved life, and her family fiercely. No one could be more loyal. She put her heart into her home and her loved ones. Every time I visited, she always talked lovingly of her family. I am humbled by the blessing it has been to know her. Words cannot express how wonderfully happy I am that she is free at last, though we all will miss her sorely.

This is for you Vickie. I love you. I am praying for your family.

Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise

Watch this video

http://www.theavettbrothers.com/us/video/head-full-doubtroad-full-promise

oh yeah and this commentary on it

http://www.theavettbrothers.com/us/video/making-head-full-doubtroad-full-promise-video

That's all...

Sculptures

These are sculptures I've worked on this semester for my figure sculpting class. I tried to take each assignment and to form all of them into a cohesive body of work.

These two works are about the fragility of the relationships that we maintain.

The beeswax bust comments on the relationships that we have with ourselves, and how it takes consistent effort to keep it a healthy one, to hold ourselves together and to examine ourselves with proper perspective and knowledge.

This second piece is about relationships to people with which we are very closely connected, those that see all sides of us, the good and bad. The connection between us and them is one that must be monitored and where the environment we create is crucial to the strength of the bond.

Although these two are solidly connected and grounded in wax, if it gets too hot, they will disconnect and topple over.

I am so glad I chose to take this class, so that I could study the figure three dimensionally, and so I could explore concepts that are relevant to me.

To All You Wonderful Traveling Trunkers...

This post is for all you wonderful women who I have been able to meet this weekend so far at The Traveling Truck Boutique event. Thanks for checking out my personal process blog!

This blog is a journal of my visual endeavors, portraiture or more abstract concept based work. If you are looking for specific info on pricing for commissioned portraits, check out my portraiture blog:

arpportraits.blogspot.com

If you'd rather not, here is my basic pricing list.

Feel free to email me at arpartworks@gmail.com.

Pricing

Oil Painting Prices:
11"x14" .................. $150.00 14"x18" .................. $250.00 16"x20" .................. $320.00 18"x24" .................. $430.00

Pencil Prices:

	11"x14"	..................	$110.00
	14"x18"	..................	$185.00
	16"x20"	..................	$240.00
	18"x24"	..................	$322.00

Charcoal Prices:

	11"x14"	..................	$90.00
	14"x18"	..................	$150.00
	16"x20"	..................	$190.00
	18"x24"	..................	$260.00

Side Notes on Pricing:

* All projects are considered individual, personal and different, and as such are individually priced. This table gives standard pricing and sizes, and is used as a guideline, but each project pricing is discussed between client and artist individually to find a fair price for their specific piece.

* Special projects with unique specifications are very hard to categorize under a pricing table, so their pricing is completely between client and artist.

* If the client is unhappy with their piece, they may negotiate a price reduction or decreased pricing on a replacement commission (they will still receive their first piece).

The Traveling Trunk

I will be participating in a Holiday Boutique in Salt Lake City called "The Traveling Trunk." I'm offering a 20% discount for those who arrange a commission with me there. I'll also be displaying some commissioned portraiture, and selling small prints. There's going to be a lot of other beautiful stuff there from other artists/crafters/etc, so come check it out!

Ashleigh Braithwait

Everyone, this is Ashleigh. I may have posted my earlier version of this painting...can't quite remember... but here is the finished version.

Ashleigh and I have decided that we are roommates. We live in our painting studio at least 20 hours a week, if not more. She has a very exciting and funny personality, yet a thoughtful, deep part of her that I love to see when she chooses to show it.

Thanks, Ash, for protecting my sanity.

Peruvian Spoon Seller

This is a colored pencil drawing that I still haven't finished, but I loved working on the face. This woman sold wooden spoons on the street. When I asked to photograph her so I could draw her, she was so funny, she kept saying how she felt like a movie star :)

Those eyes have so much wisdom and life experience behind them, I wish I could have talked to her more. She was very sweet and had the most endearing laugh.

Hopefully one day I'll finish the background. This has been one of my very favorite portraits that I have done. I wish I had more control with a paintbrush so I could do more stuff like this. Until then, back to the grindstone.

Whole Virtue Series

A dear friend of mine from the ward asked to see the whole collection of my Women's Virtues series. Here it is :) I really loved this series, it was just so natural and it really resonated with me. I loved looking at these faces and trying to discover what good might be inside the eyes and hearts of these women I drew.

Figure Sculpture

I've been in a figure sculpting class, and I have so much more respect for sculptors! I've discovered it is like doing a drawing from 360 different angles. I really have enjoyed it though. It is really helping me understand the human form better. And thank goodness for BYU so I got to sculpt someone in a swimming suit :).

If I could get a degree in everything, I would get one in sculpture too. Love it. Why can't we do everything at once?

Karissa Price

Three hour head study:::Ashleigh Braithwait

Current Projects and Motion Studies

Abstract gestural figure studies analyzing the internal battles we have. Reactions? Thoughts? (this is 5x7 feet)

Self in Motion: head study 2

Self in Motion: head study 1

And finally ... the finished product.

Whitney in Progress

New Commissions I'm Excited About!

Jen and Derrick Hull

Whitney and Chris TaylorSo excited to do these couple portraits. Both wonderful couples with cute happy families. The Hull's will be a more unique style, a little bit more like animation with the dark outlines. Hope they turn out!

Another Try, Another Style

Soooo I wanted to try another Dave portrait. This was different than the last one.

And I've decided that art is entirely too subjective! But not, because that is the beauty of it...but anyway, how are you supposed to know what is good and what isn't when everyone has a different opinion? I'm glad we can all think for ourselves though. I guess I'm just torn a bit. I'll explain why I brought this subject up so you know where this random rant came from...

So I started the portrait with high hopes for something beautiful and realistic and full and rich. But no. The paint wouldn't have it. It wanted to be flat, and sticky, and dry and hard to work with and frustrating! So I just sort of stopped 2/3 of the way through because I was getting so frustrated.

Guess which painting is the new favorite of my professors and fellow painting majors? This one. They won't let me finish it. They like it flat and unfinished and dry and lop sided. What is a portrait artist obsessive about accuracy to do? I guess I'll leave it for now. Oh art world, why are you so confusing? Maybe one day I'll figure you out. Maybe.

Hannah Wertz: In Her Working Apron

Just did this last night. I love painting at night. I don't know what it is about me, but I just love the calm quiet of the late evenings. It is the least stressful time of the day for me. Usually by then I've gotten over any guilt and stress of getting things done for classes, and I can just enjoy doing art. For some reason my sensitivity is more acute, and good things tend to happen.

This beautiful girl is a good art friend of mine. She is a very sweet and kind, and yet a crazy fun girl. She is a beautiful painter. Right now she is doing these large drawings and paintings of trees with organic textures. We hang out in the studio at night time.

She makes people smile. I hope this can potentially do the same.

Thoughtful Dave

My first real portrait of Dave. I can't believe it has taken me this long to do a full color painting of him. But I finally have done it. (I'm not sure if it is finished... I might need to do a bit more of his shirt.)

It is so much easier to paint someone that you spend a lot of time with. You can catch the subtleties. Take something like Dave's nose for instance. Very characteristically Dave's. If I didn't spend as much time as I do with him, I don't know if I would have gotten it right. It took me several tries anyway. But it really was enlivening to try to capture those features I know so well. His eyebrows (that he actually gets compliments on quite often), his cheekbones, his lips, etc. I have studied these features very carefully, so it was almost second nature to paint them.

I started this piece today because I was feeling a little bit frustrated and hurt. I'd been in a stressful situation with stressed people, and I just needed an escape from the STRESS of the first few days of school. You know, those days when you actually realize just how much work you're going to be putting yourself through this semester. I've also been preparing for an art show, and that sort of thing unfailingly ends up being more work than you ever planned. Anyway, before I complain to all of you any longer, I guess what I'm getting at is I am grateful for the simple joys and calming happiness these features bring into my life. They not only make me feel happy, but confidant too. Even though I may not have the "deepest" art philosophy or most interesting paint strokes, someone who means an awful lot to me thinks that what I have to say or what I want to do is worth while. Thank you, thoughtful Dave.

Faith

I'm starting a new series. This series focuses on virtues, and I've chosen to portray them through the eyes of women.

I was looking through some antique, old photographs of women the other day and I was struck by the natural, sincere emotions in their faces. I thought about how our photographs these days are so entirely posed, it is almost impossible to tell how that person was really feeling at that moment.

But when I looked at these women's eyes, I felt as if I was witnessing a real moment in their lives. I have been sketching some of the more powerful images I have found 0n an antiqued surface. I don't think I have done a series that has felt more natural to me. Oftentimes I try to think up something that is "deep" or philosophical. I feel like this has meaning, but that it isn't overdoing it, if you know what I mean.

There are many virtues to be found in these faces, but the titles I have selected are ones that I have felt are more prevalent in their respective pieces. What virtues do you see in some of the pieces I have posted? I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this.

What is the Value of a Virtuous Woman?

Announcing the First Annual H-Anna-H Art and Photography Show

Hannah Galli (A very good friend of mine, and cousin by marriage. Not to mention an amazing photographer) and I are going to put on an art and photography show September 10-11. It will consist of our fine art and commission work that we have produced over the last couple of years. Most of it will be for sale. Also, we are going to have coupons for those interested in commissions, and lets not forget the GIVEAWAYS. (more details on the giveaways when it gets closer.) We're pretty excited, to put it lightly. We are most of all impatient to share with all of you our passion that we have shared for the last decade. Art truly is a beautiful thing, enriching lives, communicating across cultures and beliefs, a powerful way to touch others. We hope that our art can do this for you.

Here's a link to Hannah Galli inneri fine art photography. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Vella

Remember how dramatically I proclaimed I was going to paint? Well, I finally have some sort of evidence of that.

But on to more important things.

Meet Vella. This is my Grandmother-in-law. She is a beautiful woman full of kindness, knowledge, wisdom, and faith. On this 24th of July weekend, I declare her a pioneer in this trek of life. Her humility and dedication in transforming her way of life recently has inspired me to try to do that more in my life. I wanted to capture her legacy as her posterity will remember her from now on. I have always been impressed by her and I have been wanting to do this portrait for a long time. I hope you can catch her spirit and get to know her a little through this painting. You'd have to meet her to get the full effect though.

Happy Pioneer Day!

I Will Paint Tomorrow!!!!!!

FINALS ARE OVER and I'm sort of thrilled about that. Tomorrow I am going to paint. End of story. So feel free to check back, hopefully it will be something good. But for now, here is a study I did of my vunderbar friend Camille (her blog is artsy and fun...check it out!) in under two hours. It was so great of her to sit for me!

I hope you all do something fun this weekend. I hope that I do too.

That's all. Farewell until tomorrow.

New Photo-location Find!

So I like to do photography as a hobby, and it just so happened that my friend Coryn needed some last minute pics of her and her handsome future hubby. So, me being the novice photographer I was, I googled "good photography locations in Provo" and came across this place. It is on 5th East, about ten blocks south of BYU. Gotta love old warehouses and rusty poles. So all you Provoians, you should probably check it out. That's all. Hope you like the pics.

Cuties.