Vive La (R)evolution Press Part 2!

More press after last fall's Women Painting Women shows came down,

here is Round 2! See Round 1 HERE.

Some artists involved in the shows have been blogging about their WPW opening experience, different aspects of what it means to be in a Women Painting Women show and how women artists approach this theme, possibly, differently than their male counterparts. Their insights are well worth reading!

Carly Strickland's blog (catalog designer), Self Portrait at Work, vector illustration

Linda Tracey Brandon,'s Blog  A World With Stripes,  24x36, oil

Lisa Gloria's Blog,  Victory, 24v18, oil on Maple

Ilaria Rosselli Del Rurco's Blog, Girl From Virginia,  24x32,  oil

Candice Bohannon, oil on mounted linen, 13.25x44.25


There is an eloquent and thought provoking review of the show by Gail Leggio in the
very well respected American Arts Quarterly in the Fall 2013 issue.

Individual back issues are $3 each (shipping included). Please be sure to indicate the number of copies, Volume number, and issue number for each order. Checks should be made payable to: Cultural Studies Center, 915 Broadway, Suite 1104, New York, N.Y. 10010.

For further information contact: dschultz@nccsc.net

American Arts Quarterly, Fall 2013, Cover. That's Sadie Valerie's self portrait

If you click on the images of the pages below they should be large enough for you to read them. The article is not online.  

Times Free Press, by Barry Courter, a review of the Townsend Atelier show.

Women Seen by Women Seers, (I like that title), in The Pulse, by Michael Crumb,
a review of the Townsend Atelier show.

A catalog is available for the Townsend Atelier show.

Samson and Delilah, Trust and Betrayal

My painting, Samson and Delilah, Trust and Betrayal has been used in National Geographic's television documentary Lost Faces of the Bible, episode: Delilah Revealed. It is a biblical archaeological series.

The director came across the painting online and asked for permission to use it at the end of the episode for a montage of various depictions of Delilah over the centuries. I've been told it would be on screen for approximately 2 seconds. I have yet to see it but if you do let me know!

Samson and Delilah, Trust and Betrayal, 36x52, oil on canvas over panel

The painting was a way for me to explore a moment of choice.  What we do and how we spend our days defines us. Even small daily choices have long term ramifications on the rest of our lives. I wanted to capture that moment when Delilah is deciding whether or not to cut Samson's hair. 

It's also about his trust and her betrayal. Each of those behaviors are choices consciously made.

This painting is in a private collection in Homewood, AL. Thank you Mary Lee and Kevin for inviting it into your home!

The Art Innovation of the Year Award!

Women Painting Women continues to be an inspirational movement!

The group received two awards from Katherine Tyrrell's Making a Mark Blog. If you don't know her massively popular blog check it out. It is listed as #14 in the top 75 art blogs. Katherine recognized the WPW and the innovation of print on demand publishing as being game changers for the art world.

The Art Innovation of the Year Award is for the group's production of the Women Painting Women: (R)evolution catalog produced by Matter Deep Publishing and designed by Carly Strickland for the WPW show at Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA in Sept, 2013.

The Art Innovation of the Year Award is awarded to highlight those artist bloggers who experiment and/or create and/or share innovations which help the practice of other artists.

The sharing may be through:

• the invention of a new tool or art medium to aid artists

• testing and reviewing a new art medium or material

• experiments with existing or new art media, materials or equipment and the creation of                           a new way of doing things 

Making a Mark writes:

The Women Painting Women group... used HP's Magcloud to enable potential collectors to buy either print and online versions of their catalogue for the Women Painting Women (R)evolution exhibition. It's a novel way of enabling people to access a catelogue without having to spend a lot of money - because MagCloud works on the basis of a call off production.  They priced the digital catalogue at $5.99 - a figure which won't phase most collectors. 

Of course, we at Matter Deep Publishing are very excited to hear about the award!  Print on demand and digital publishing are great business tools and formats that we whole-heartily embrace.

Catalog available in digital or print.

The second award for the WPW is:

Making a Mark writes:

What the women had planned for 2013 fell only a little short of world domination! In the end, in 2013, the project organized and held SEVEN concurrent exhibitions and went international. Where do they go from here? Some National Portrait Gallery has got to pick them up at some point surely?

"This is an art blog project which started with an admirable set of values, achieved its goals and then changed up a gear and created a significant movement amongst painters. In all of this the art blog has proved a valuable tool for showcasing the work of various women artists and providing a place of reference and an accessible identity for their work.

Thank you Making a Mark again for recognizing the Women Painting Women and Print on Demand as being game changers for the art world!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From Our Family to Yours

May your 2014 be filled with people to love, work to do and something to look forward to. And when something goes wrong in your life, try throwing your arms up in the air and yelling "PLOT TWIST" then move on! 

Alla Prima Still Life Demo

Last Saturday, Oct 19, 2013, I did a painting demo at Forstall Art Center in Birmingham, AL. I teach oil painting there on Tuesday mornings. Here a quick video of the demo!

"Southern Still Life", 20x16, oil on linen.

All in the Family-Shelby Living Magazine

Our little family enterprise, Matter Deep Publishing has a lovely article in the Shelby Living Magazine October 2013 issue. You may read about how we got our start, what it's like working with family members and find out about the different hats we all wear.

Thanks so much author Linda Long, photographer Jon Goering and all the nice folks at the magazine!

Daughter of Thought, Women Painting Women:(R)evolution

Here's my third painting in the show at Principle Gallery, opening Sept 20, 2013.

Daughter of Thought,  47x32, oil on canvas over panel.

My model was Philadelphian, and fellow Women Painting Women artist, Rachel Constantine. She is a stand-in for each of my Athena like WPW sisters.

Click Read More below to see more details and links to all the artists in the show.

The Seamstress, Women Painting Women: (R)evolution

Here's my second painting for the show, opening Friday, Sept 20, 2013 at Principle Gallery. Do women paint women differently than men do? All the WPW shows are giving us a chance to see these paintings in a collective way and giving us an opportunity to contemplate the question.

The Seamstress, 39x32, oil on canvas over panel.

I have painted a male model wearing this superhero shirt many times but never painted a woman wearing it and decided the Women Painting Women:(R)evolution exhibit was the perfect time to do it.

This is one of those paintings that for me began as a story inspired by an individual and personal story but has transcended into a universal theme.

The model is my daughter, Carly. Rather than wait for her time to come this young heroine is taking her destiny in hand. Who doesn't want to be a superhero? ‘Tis better to create her own reality, even though at times it may feel as though she’s holding it all together with safety pins. She can be in charge and look feminine and sexy as hell at the same time.

Click on Read More below to see details of the paintings and musings.

Women Painting Women Press, Vive La (R)evolution!

The Women Painting Women: (R)evolution shows running concurrently this fall are getting AWESOME press:

Fine Art Connoisseur online, by Allison Malafronte

American Art Collector, Sept 2013 issue, by Rochelle Belsito.
(more images from this article in my next post about The Seamstress)

Click Read More below to see the rest of the press.

Women Painting Women:(R)evolution, Self Portrait with Beard

Count down to Friday, Sept 20, 2013 opening at Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA!

I'm so pleased that I have three paintings in this show. Here's the first one. (the other 2 will be in subsequent blog posts)

I've been journaling this idea for a while and trying to figure out a way to do it properly. It started with the oft repeated sentiment "It's man's world." When designing pieces for this show on the theme of Women Painting Women: (R)evolution I knew it was time to explore this concept.

Self Portrait with Beard, 20x16, oil on linen over panel

Click Read More below to see details of the painting and info about the show and monster press from all seven 2013 WPW shows.

9 Plein Air Painting Tips and A Packing Check List

Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of spending a couple of days plein air painting down at Sugar Beach in Grayson State Park, in Florida. The painting conditions were perfect; a cool breeze, very few people, the shade of a pavilion and a red wing blackbird singing all day for company.

My Top 9 Plein Air Painting Tips

Here are few helpful hints to consider when choosing a location, a subject and progressing through the painting process.

Lavender Shadows on Sugar Beach, 9x6, on on oil primed linen

1. Scout out locations ahead of time if possible. Consider crowds, wind, angle of the sun, shade and the closest bathroom if you plan on painting for very long.

2. Set up in the shade to avoid the glare of the sun on the painting's surface. Think of where the sun is and where it will be in a couple of hours. Look for a spot out of the wind. 

3. Think about your physical comfort. Bring extra clothes, standing in the shade for a few hours can get chilly. Gardening gloves with the fingers cut out are great for keeping hands warm. (59 degrees standing still for hours in the shade is cold!) Hats, bug spray, sun screen, etc. (See below for a list of supplies to pack for your comfort)

Click Read More below for the rest of the tips and a packing check list.