Artist Reception 3/20 and New Work, Big and Small

Come by this Tuesday evening, 5:30 - 7:30, March 20 to Bella Sera, 919 King Street in Avondale, for an Artists Reception for me and Eileen Corse. Our work is on display there in Liz Grenamyer's catering party space. There will be delicious food and wine as well. Join us! Stop by on your way home for a treat.

Above is a new watercolor just finished, tentatively titled "Pop a Cork", H 31" W 20", I plan on having it there for the party. Earlier I painted it in oil, 8" x 6" for my PAD paintings and decided to try it in watercolor and bigger - painting glass and silver in watercolors is a challenge and a lot of fun.
This oil painting was commissioned by a Santa Fe lake neighbor of my mom's, a thoughtful surprise for his spouse. Titled "Autumn at Santa Fe Pass", it will be available in several sizes as a print, all smaller than the original. Feel free to inquire!
Another commissioned oil painting for a Lake Santa Fe neighbor, given to her husband as a retirement gift for his tenure as Gainesville High School principal. It is titled "Osprey Nest at Big Santa Fe Lake"
Here are some small works painted recently, above, "Pink Field" H 8" W 8", $120 oil on canvas, the 1/2" edges are painted with the image wrapped around.
Above, I experimented with a new watercolor surface, Aquabord and it comes cradled with 2" of wood edges I stained dark oak. This surface allows me to paint watercolors and just seal it with a waterproof clear coat and doesn't need glass or plexiglass, it is ready to hang up as is. "Yellow Study" H 12" W 12" $320 and is a small section of my earlier yellow tulip watercolor. Looking forward to painting more on this surface, I like not having to put watercolors behind glass or plexi.
I call this oil on canvas, "Carnation Abstract" H 10" W 10" $220 and the 1 -1/2" edges are painted with the image wrapped around. The pink themed paintings were painted around Valentine's Day... Feel free to inquire to purchase any of these. Order a print of one of my over 30 images scanned to be a print on canvas or paper, they are uploaded on my website and Facebook print album page. And "Like" my Facebook page: Kathy Stark Fine Art.

This spring weather is luring me to get outside and kayak and hike around for more subject matter!

"The Church of the Good Shepherd"

SOLD 6 x 8 oil on panel

My show for the Riverside Fine Arts Association in Craig Hall at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 1100 Stockton Street will be on display through November 19. The 11 originals and 7 prints and about 15 blog paintings are beautifully displayed and worth a viewing if I do say so myself! If you would like to view them call RFA at 389-6222, their office is in the church and someone would be glad to show you Monday through Thursday, 9 am -4 pm and of course during Sunday church services! (20% of any sales or print orders will benefit RFA.) The RFA concert Thursday night with the King's Singers was terrific, I look forward to attending more concerts in their Fall series.

"Tour de France Sunflowers" and New Summertime Goals

SOLD 3 3/4" x 10" oil on panel

Here is a quick PAD of my favorite sporting event to watch, the Tour de France. Enjoy.

It seems I am getting away from the Painting a Day concept to "a painting in a day" on occasion. I am working mainly on bigger work (and playing some this summer) so will only post about once a week while also showing my larger work as it progresses. (PAD burn out might have something to do with it too!)

"From the Biltmore Estate"

SOLD 6" x 8" oil on panel

After visiting the beach, now I am yearning for the mountains. Maybe I will get up there and post a few PADs from NC this summer! In the meantime, I dug up some old photos to use as a reference from the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, my father's home town, in memory of my dad this Father's Day weekend. (How do you like this landscape?)

I am participating in the Riverside Arts Market this Saturday, June 20 in the very middle row with my black tent. Also I am excited that "Sweet Grass Dairy" will be there so I can buy some more of their delicious award winning artisan cow and goat cheese from their organic dairy farm in South GA. Worth the trip to RAM just for the cheese!

"Ragtime Corner"

SOLD   4 3/4" x 12" oil on panel

Here is the finished painting, lots of correct guesses today on where the progression was going, Atlantic Blvd and Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach. Because of the two day posting I raised the starting bid to $150.

"Cumberland Dune Palms"

SOLD 4 3/4" x 12" oil on panel

Being out of town part of last week and busy the rest of the week made for only one painting posted. I hope to be better this week!

"Guana Lake Shoreline"

SOLD 6" x 8" oil on panel

Here is another landscape from a kayaking trip to Guana Lake. Enjoy!

"View of the Cummer Garden"

SOLD   6" x 8" oil on panel

Here is another one from my visit to the Cummer Museum and Gardens several weeks ago.

I am not painting and posting a PAD Friday so I can get ready for the Riverside Arts Market this Saturday. I have booth space 406 again, come visit me there!

"Bolles Hall"

SOLD   6" x 8" oil on panel

I unintentionally took a break from PAD painting for the past ten days. I was kidsitting three great active boys for my good friend Susan Brodeur and with other projects and a show at First Guaranty bank last week I just didn't paint and post!

This is Bolles Hall at the Bolles School in Jacksonville which was originally built as the San Jose Hotel in the early 20's.

This Thursday I am participating in a fundraising event, "Taste of Talent" benefiting the Riverside Fine Arts Association for a night of live music, food and wine from local restaurants and ... local art! The artists are me, Jim Draper, Tom Hager, Jesse Wright, John Bunker, Billie McCray, Emmy Cervany, Nadine Terk, Bunny Morgan, David Lauderdale, Paul Riley, Alison Watson, Barre Barrett and Danile Wynn. The musicians are Bella Voce Caberet, Sue Carmichael, harp, Andy Clarke, organ, Rodney Cleveland, organ, Nick Curry, cello, Philip Pan, violin, Riverside Guitar Quartet, Gary and Marilyn Smart, piano/soprano, Tony Smotherman, guitar, Randy Tinnin, trumpet, Von Barlow Jazz Trio, Scott Watkins, piano and  Kyle Wehner, violin, all performed on multiple stages in the courtyard, sanctuary and parish hall of the Church of the Good Shepherd. Tickets are $60 and will be available at the door. I hope to see you there!

"Santa Fe Pass, South Bank"

SOLD  4 3/4" x 10" oil on panel

I haven't been to the lake since March, I miss it so I painted it! Enjoy!

"Little Girl in Gramma's Garden" - My 100th Blog Painting!

NFS  4 1/2" x 8 1/2" oil on panel

To celebrate my 100th (!!!) PAD blog painting I thought I would paint a 'self-portrait' of sorts. For years I've been wanting to paint from this old photograph of me standing in my grandmother's flower garden in Wilmington, NC. Like my knobby knees?!?

I started this PAD blog in mid November as a way to help me get through this tough economy. I've sold over two thirds of them. Thanks everyone!

I hope you continue to enjoy them as I go for another 100!

"Hanna Park Palm"

SOLD  6" x 8" oil on panel

"Kayaking Guana Lake"

SOLD 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" oil on panel
Another one from a paddling trip on Guana Lake in South Ponte Vedra Beach, perhaps a study of something larger later.

"Life, Memorial Park"

SOLD 6" x 8" oil on panel

This is the bronze sculpture "Life", created by Charles Adrian Pillars, located in Memorial Park. I decided to paint Memorial Park again because it would be a good one to have at the Riverside Arts Market this Saturday, April 4th. Underneath the Fuller Warren Bridge, North Bank, Riverside Ave side, it will be from 10 am until 4 pm and I'm pretty sure it is free to attend. My booth number is 406, one row away from the Farmer's Market. I plan on participating in the Art Market about two Saturdays a month and see how it goes. I recommend either walking or riding a bike (there is a bike depot) or parking at the YMCA lot and walking down the NorthBank Riverwalk to it. Come visit me there!

Charlie Patton interviewed me yesterday for the Florida Times-Union and a photographer came today to my studio and took some pictures of me. Sounds like I will be included in an article about it in the paper tomorrow! I will post what comes out since I doubt I will be painting a PAD tomorrow being busy with getting my booth ready.

Ah, I just checked the online version of the TU, here is the article! (Not the best sounding quotes on my part but I like the photo. I will have to sound more verbose next time!)

"Shelby's Coffee Shop"

SOLD 6" x 8" oil on panel

I started this one Friday ...but finished it today. This is another one from my beach outing Wednesday.

"Surf's Up!"

SOLD 6 1/2" x 10 1/2" oil on panel

On my beach dog walk Wednesday, I caught this guy watching the surf and/or other surfers.
I really enjoyed painting this one today, it was faster than some and I like the looseness. I actually started it with a black background.

"Raising the Bridge" and A Large Landscape

SOLD 4 3/4" x 10" oil on panel

Yesterday, while my car was at the car wash I walked Talley to the Ortega drawbridge park. It made me think it would be interesting to paint the drawbridge. (Talley ended up getting a 'wash' too after chasing two geese into the river.)(I posted this Wednesday night but for some reason the email subscription service didn't send out the email. Didn't want this one to go unseen so I reposted it)
This is the large oil landscape I just finished today. Whew! It is titled "The Pass at Santa Fe Lakes" and is 29" x 48" and already has an interested buyer! For some reason I went very detailed with this painting, note the two bass boats in the middle. I signed it after I took the photo of it. I am going to have this scanned to become a giclee print and it will be available on canvas or paper in smaller sizes than the original. Enjoy!

"Sausalito Florist"

SOLD 6 1/4" x 8 3/4" oil on panel

Yesterday's PAD with the grass and red flowers made me think of a florist shop I saw in Sausalito years ago. I decided to "revisit" painting it in a quicker, looser way than when I painted it much larger a long time ago.

"Cumberland Island Horse"

SOLD 6" x 12" oil on panel

Busy day today, got this finished in the nick of time to post. Enjoy!

"A Walk in the Park"

SOLD

I was secretly wishing we would get some of that snow blasting the east, having never painted snow. Boone Park would look awesome blanketed with snow, maybe one day ...next winter.