My Journey From Middle School to College...

The Superhero Within: My Journey From Middle School to College. 

Press Releases Really Do Work...

A friend of mine, Eddy, wrote up a nice press release for my political work.  The local paper picked up the story.  A nice way to get your name and work out there, and it's free!  Thanks Eddy.

The Violation

My painting titled, The Violation is going to be published in a Florida State Art Magazine.  This is very exciting news.  It is one of my most disturbing paintings, and I am glad it has found an audience.

Expressionism In My Work...

Another work I recently completed.  I am always moved by the art made during the Expressionist (Expressionism) Movement.  I am a fan of Egon Schiele's work and Kathe Kollwitz.   My work is not reflective of either; I chose to work in what I feel is expressionistic  for me.  It is a much darker theme than what I usually portray in my work, but still true to my interest in portraiture.  

Woman of Complementary Colors

This is my newly completed painting - from beginning process to completion.  I used  looser brushwork in this portrait. 

Inspired By Another...

This little illustration is inspired by the artwork of Laylah Ali. 

Painting Completed

Night Terrors....

Painting – My Process, Progress and Passion...

I am in the process of completing a painting.  The images I am posting are not in order but rather a collection of my process, my progress and my passion.

Started a New Painting...

I will call this my psychological painting style. I hope to continue exploring this sort of theme, subject matter, expression...  the images posted are of the under painting.  I will post more images as the painting develops.  The German Expressionist painters have moved me and impressed upon me over the years, and it just now clicked that I feel most at home amongst this collection of artists... especially Egon Schiele and Kathe Kollwitz.  There is a wonderful exhibition of Expressionist artists at the San Diego Museum of Art.  The exhibition is showing now through Nov, and every third Tuesday is free to San Diego residents.  Worth the visit!!! 

Sad but also just a little funny...

click on the link below: 

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/elderly-woman-ruins-19th-century-fresco-restoration-attempt-191155838--abc-news-topstories.html

Solo Show - Totally Awesome!

A solo show of my portrait paintings is currently on display at Victory Theater in San Diego, CA.  Pretty cool.

On My Way...

I am on my way to pick up some fresh new canvases, liquin and yarn.  I can't wait to start painting again!  And the yarn is for my various crochet projects.  I have learned how to crochet scarfs, beanies and have started to make socks/slippers.  I am also working steadily on my illustrative work.  I now have a blog for my Illustrations.  You should check it out.  It's also linked to my professional Illustration Blog.  Followers would be amazing.  I am also on Twitter as well. 

http://lisaspennedpals.blogspot.com/

This is one of my newly added characters:  

A Better Look....

I am re-posting my three political paintings - my version of a political Mad Hatter Tea Party.  This will be my next political sticker.  The line-up is a little better on this one as compared to my previously posted version.

Note To Self...

I was responding to a young artist who was frustrated or hurt that approval was not forth coming from someone in her sphere.  I had first wrote that she needs to become her biggest fan and f*^k the rest of the world; after all that's what makes the great artists great-putting faith in themselves.  She replied back...easier said than done. 

So I wrote back (and this is the note to self part): You are right, it's not easy - just years of experience talking - rejections, disapproval and hard work to often no avail, but I still put paint to canvas, pencil to paper, hands to clay, I create my work and someday the rest of the world will catch up.

Seeking Representation...

As posted earlier, I have been working on a collaborative project, a children's book.  Along with that project, we, my bf and I, have been sending out query letters and tear sheets to different publishing houses looking for representation for me as an illustrator.  We have received "no thank yous" for the most part, but we did receive one encouraging "no." You might think to yourself how can any "no" be encouraging?  Well the answer is when you get a nice answer back stating that many of your examples are very promising and would be a good fit, but they currently have illustrators with a similar style.  Although people in the "business" might be laughing at my naivete and say, "well that's just a nice way to let you down, we do it all the time."  and that's fine with me, but I have also received nasty, cold and rather bitchy responses as well.  So if it is just nice fluff to let me down easy, I'll take it.  It only takes one "yes" in a sea of nos to turn things around.  

Children's Book in Process...

I have embarked on illustrating and co-writing a children's book.  We, my bf and I have completed one book and have another in the works.  I have to now start working on illustrations for the second book, but for now here is a sample of an illustration for our first book:

Hand-drawn to Vector.

I am in the process of taking my hand drawn illustrations and changing them over to vector.  This allows me to manipulate the size and colors more efficiently, but the process does take some time.  I am recreating the drawing all over again in Illustrator.  This is Dan D. Bear now vectorized.

All packed away...but still working.

Well all of my art supplies are pretty much packed away and not easily accessible, so I have been working on some line drawings. These are influenced by Rat Fink and other artists of the Hot Rod clan.

Cleaning Up.

Well it is the end of my time at ASU.  I am in the process of rolling up the large paintings, cleaning my palette and taking ALL of my supplies home.  A long journey is almost at an end.  The keys to the studio will be turned in on the 23rd.  I will paint again, and I will post more in the near future. 

Geisha Tree

This is an imaginative tree project.  This work is pen on paper and will have color elements added.  This piece will also be cut out and placed on a black background. 

Political - Mad Hatter's Tea Party

This is a mock-up triptych of my version of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party with a political theme.  The paintings line up much better, but for the sake of providing a visual concept of my idea, I put the three images together.  I will try and have pictures with them all lined up, so that you can see how they truly look, but for now, this will do.  There are small collage elements in each painting. 

Silenced I

This is the first in a series of "white" paintings I am working on.  I am developing these paintings to have a sense of an all over white appearance, but in actuality, there are a myriad of colors subtly ensconced within the palette.  I am currently working on the second of this series.  I am shooting for three but there may be more to follow.

The Dance

This is an acrylic painting on watercolor paper.  It is part of a diptych.  The other half of the diptych is a drawing of the two same items but in a more realistic/empirical format. 

 

In The Moment

Here it is completed and for now titled, In The Moment.  I am very pleased with this painting. 

Nearly Done with Large Painting

I am nearly done with the large painting.  I am currently adding some finishing touches.  I am very pleased with the outcome and will post photos soon.  Thank you to all that follow my blog, it encourages me to keep going.  Little blessings and little surprises, unexpected happenings and being adopted by another family and accepted with open arms has lifted my spirits and is aiding me in continuing my artistic endeavors and dreams.  I have hope at the end of this journey and am looking to start another.  Thank you. 

The Fourth Member of the Large Painting....

Well I have been working away at the large painting with the four male figures.  I have added the fourth man, and he is pretty much finished.  I am going to go back through the entire painting now and start bringing the colors together.  I need to give one of them feet and add detail to buttons on coats and stripes on ties, but it is nearing completion.  Below is two pictures of the fourth member of the group.  The battery on the camera died just as I was taking the last picture, so it isn't really aligned or anything, but it will give you an idea.

Continued Work on Large Painting

The painting has gone through various stages.  It will take many more sessions to complete, but I thought I would post some photos of the progression.  The third man has been added, and the fourth will be started probably next week.  I am reduced to working on it every Mon. and Wed. after my class to keep up with the rest of my coursework.  I am also working on the triptych for my painting three class.  It is a take on the Alice in Wonderland's Mad Hatter Tea Party.  The image I am showing is of the Rabbit, and he is an Occupy Wall Street protester.  The Bull's head is being served on a platter.  Alice and the Mad Hatter will be posted later; they are in progress too. 

These are images of the large painting:
This image shows the second man in place.

 

This image shows the third man now in place. He still needs a lot of work, including feet, but he's getting closer.

This is a close up of the second man's face.  I am no longer sketching out any cartoon detail other than a rough outline; I work entirely with the brush building and creating the facial structure. 

This is a picture of the Rabbit from the Mad Hatter Tea Party:  The head is purposely too big for the body - this is a fantasy piece and made to be more of an illustrative storybook style.  The side beard will be brought in more on the face to take away some of the squatted feel.  Still a work in progress.

Claiming A Canvas for My Own....

So now there was this really huge, hideous painting left behind in the painting studio.  I turned it around so that the back of the canvas was facing the room.  It was too big to try and move out of the way.  And to add a note: I normally don't comment on another person's painting or art in a negative tone, but this one really was a doozy.  I needed another canvas to work on and decided to turn this huge canvas back around and paint over the picture.  I have some initial drawings on the canvas and then some images of the work progressing.  I have four men in the image.  I am currently working on the prominent figure in the foreground.   I was excited to post the images because even the preliminary sketches have an exciting feeling to them.  You can still see the painting underneath and see my work over the top.  The two mix to make an almost abstract painting.  I think the canvas is approximately 60" x 84".  I spent five hours on it today and am already pleased with the progression.  I was telling some fellow classmates that with my luck the painting would show up on the Antiques Roadshow, but not for my painting...oh no, they would want to lift my painting to get to the amazing primitive work underneath and that painting would be worth millions!!!  Well here are the pictures I took of the work.  Oh and you know (too funny), you might think my painting is hideous too!