a little spot mural for a groovy girl named alexa.
Friday
Tuesday
"zeke and zoe"
8x10 acrylic on paper
meet zeke and zoe lovebird.
they've been inseparable since the day they met and no matter which one you ask they'll tell you it was love at first sight.
Thursday
Monday
"suggestion box"
i love the idea of a suggestion box...
it's a wonderful gathering of ideas and a great way to find out exactly what people think. people's suggestions could lead to more doors opening and bigger pay-offs.
which brings me to my pondering as of late... the "here's what you should paint" suggestion box. i love when people offer suggestions about what i should paint. i love that they are interested. i love that their creative juices are flowing and i love that they feel a connection enough to offer up a suggestion.
i hear and love every valuable input, but here's the deal... for every person there is a completely different suggestion. one thinks i should paint only animals, another thinks i should go more painterly and abstract, another thinks i should target the market and only paint only what people would "buy".
what i've really noticed is that most people tend to offer up suggestions that lean towards their artistic aesthetic. my best friend loves hearts so she wants me to paint more hearts... you get the idea.
you know that old saying 'you can't please all the people all the time?'
well it's true, and if you try you will end up driving yourself crazy.
i made the decision a long time ago to lovingly mull over everybody's suggestions but ultimately please myself as an artist. creativity flows from inspiration. i have a vision. i have an artistic voice. it's mine and mine alone and my greatest fulfillment comes when i stay true to it.
but don't get me wrong... i would never want the people in my life to stop making suggestions. because you never know... that suggestion to paint a heart could ignite the spark that leads to my greatest masterpiece. :)
for brooke. happy birthday!
Friday
"lips"
48 x 24 oil on canvas
recently i felt inspired to try something a little different...
something a little edgier, a little moodier.
what do you think?
the canvas is big and has a very strong presence that i love.
the women are friends of mine and the scene was patched together from pictures that i took from a recent night out.
and because it's the first question everyone seems to ask...
yes, they are in a limo.
Thursday
"allie in wonderland"
a sneak peek into allie's room...
working on a really cool whimsical mural for a beautiful free-spirit named allie.
Wednesday
"classic"
16 x 16 oil on canvas
i have been driving myself crazy trying to get the photograph of this piece to exactly represent the painting. the colors are even softer and prettier in real life... oh well, every painting looks better in person.
classic.
Sunday
are you an "artist"?
recently i read an article musing over the question, when does one officially become an "artist"? i laughed to myself and thought... i was just born this way. :)
do you earn the title when you sell something? yes. that would do it, but i believe my children are artists and they have never sold a thing. i have sold many pieces and yet still question if i deserve the title... yes, it's what i do for a living and yes, i do believe i make art, but am i an "artist"?
that's why when people ask me what i do for a living i say, "i paint."
the few times i have said, "i am an artist" the next question is "where can i see your work?" or "what gallery are you in?" or my personal favorite... "where do you hang?"
does one have to hang in a gallery to be an artist?!?
absolutely not.
one simply has to create art.
if you have ever written a poem, played the drums, decorated a room, had a child... you are an artist.
we are all artists. what we do with that title is up to us.
"all natural"
16 x16 oil on canvas
...it's about the only thing left in boca that is.
just kidding. :) anyway, i love how this piece turned out. it really speaks to my vision as an artist...
realistic, simplistic and colorful.
Thursday
Monday
Thursday
"sebastian"
12 x 12 oil on canvas
sebastian has been hanging around my studio for a LONG time... i got the underpainting finished and then just let him sit there - abandoned - for many many months while i painted other things. he sat there patiently and lovingly while other pieces came and went wondering if i would ever pick him up again.
and i wasn't sure if i ever would either... to be quite honest, i have been inspired lately to make a bit of a departure from my usual work and try something totally different. so in comes this big canvas and needless to say, it is now garnering all of the artist's attention.
and then something happened. i was preparing to paint the other day and for some reason i looked over and saw sweet sebastian just sitting there and i started staring at him. i mean really looking at him.
...and then i picked him up.
he actually looks even better in person and i hope he's not too disappointed he had to wait so long. :)
Wednesday
"benagain"
8 x 8 oil on canvas
sold
it's ben... again.
ben is a beautiful, blind, brave akita.
this painting is for my friend greg who adopted him.
i've said it once and i'll say it again...
people who rescue animals are awesome.
for more information on akita rescue please click here for the link to akita rescue of western new york.
one.
my first book.
...and it was just chosen as a "staff pick" on blurb.com.
this feels REALLY good. :)
(click on the book above for a preview)
Friday
"may flowers"
masterpiece two and masterpiece one
Thursday
Saturday
"gentle ben"
8 x8 oil on canvas
sold
"it's better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lab."
I mean lamb. :)
zack de la rocha
ben is an akita rescue. for more information on akita rescue please click here for the link to akita rescue of western new york. ask for joann... tell her benny sent ya. :)
Tuesday
"lost"
12 x 12 oil on canvas panel
have you ever just wanted to "get lost?"
I did not like my first attempt at this painting... this was one of those that refused to come easy. sometimes a painting has a rhythm all of it's own and flows so smoothly and sometimes one comes along and it's like banging your head against the wall.
I was "lost" so I decided to stop and ask for directions... one of my artist friends on twitter @artbyeve gave some wonderful suggestions that led me exactly to where I wanted to go.
thanks eve!
click on artbyeve to check out her wonderful work.
Wednesday
Monday
"thistle"
my youngest son came up to me as I was painting the other other day and said:
"mom, I want to paint with you...
you don't have to teach me, I just want to paint next to you."
I looked at him and smiled and said:
"I'm using oils."
"it's ok. I want to paint." he said.
so with big smiles we sat side by side
and we painted.....
5 x 5 oil on panel - mason age 9
his reminds me of the giving tree.
...and the mother was happy. :)
"norman"
12 x 12 oil on canvas
in addition to his career in landscaping,
norman can now add 'cover model' to his resume.
my first book is coming soon...
Thursday
Tuesday
"Karin"
6x8 oil on panel
I usually like to keep my posts short and sweet...
but this time I just can't. :)
the above painting is part of collective 'thank you' to artist karin jurick for her tireless effort in hosting the blog different strokes from different folks. 118 artists who normally participate in karin's monthly challenges were asked to paint her portrait as a thank you gift.
personally, my gratitude runs very deeply as I have admired and have been inspired by karin's work for several years now... not to mention my appreciation for all the wonderful artists I have had the pleasure of discovering and getting to know since becoming a participant. because of this blog, I can proudly say there is nothing quite as extraordinary as the artist community.
unfortunately though I am not happy with this portrait. I am actually quite embarrassed. karin is so much prettier than my painting and deserving of such a better homage than I was able to deliver. perhaps I can blame it on the fact I am not a portrait artist or perhaps I can blame it on the self imposed pressure I felt painting an artist I so admire... but the bottom line is I could have and should have done better.
but the sentiment remains the same.
thank you so much karin.
"paint on."
coordinated and implemented by talented artist, jill polsby
you can find the 118 faces of karin jurick here.
Wednesday
sweet charity
"hangin'out" 12 x12 oil on canvas panel
not only does tom like to hang out...
he believes in supporting art in our schools.
"hangin' out" has been donated to morikami park elementary in delray beach, florida.
it is being auctioned off to raise money to support their international baccalaureate program.
keep art alive.
Thursday
"norman"
tba digital photograph
I am happy to announce the newest division of traciebrownart.
prints are now available for purchase on imagekind.
check it out!
follow me on twitter
-photo clip from a traciebrownart wall mural-
I have started tweeting. :)
take the tunnel to twitter by clicking on my version
of the twitter tweedy bird
of the twitter tweedy bird
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