New Bloggy Home

 

Hi guys, it's been a while! You'll find me in my new blog home HERE, come say, "Hi!"

Haste Makes Waste

Being an artist it's unavoidable that you will make waste, I have so many little pieces of scrap paper, bits and bobs, odds and ends. I love being able to conserve it all and put them together as little beautiful Frankensteins. Sometimes I think they come out better than my conceived and executed ideas!

Illuminati Enneagram

 The enneagram is a symbol that represents the up and downs of life. Encompassed by the circle, life goes cyclically and in a constant wave of ups and downs, without the down times we wouldn't appreciate the times we are blessed with abundance, security and comfort.

This particular image is quite personal to me. The bleeding all-seeing eye of the Illuminati stares out from within the ups and downs of life, the blood dripping onto a fully blossoming rose. Someone was taken from me just as I was coming into myself as a person and being catapulted into accepting this loss I clearly saw both myself and the natural cycle of life, it's hard, frustrating, trying but we move onward and in its ugly times; there is beauty.

Star of David

From something heavy to something pure pattern and getting lost in the details. I get so caught up in the line work and pattern, it's euphoric and meditative to noodle away at it. I was inspired by the rose windows of Catholic churches, mandalas and the beauty in symmetry.

P.S. made my first Etsy sale and I can't say how elated I am! :0)

Pattern & Paper

For my most recent group of book forms for Etsy I couldn't find the right kind of pattern for my end paper so I patterned and hand painted it myself.  It took for-ev-er but it was worth it! Hopefully, as time progresses and I begin to have some small success with my store I will be able to work more and more independently of store bought products. I aspire to be completely self sufficient as far as making my own papers for decorative and drawing purposes. I have a vision of  studio with pulp and screens, drying racks and presses (my inner artist is drooling).

the beginnings of my pattern, post gridded

all finished, sorry for the halo effect. the pencil guidelines reflected in the light of the flash.

brand new 6

end papers

All the end papers are completely different because they were cut from the larger patterned sheet. It was really awesome pairing them up with their drawing counterparts, almost like a design puzzle.

I'm really looking forward to doing more pattern experimenting for my creations so I don't have to rely on the mass marketed patterns in art stores. I try to stick with handmade papers usually from Tibet which I find have the most subtle and beautiful textures and patterns.

Check my Etsy listings to see these guys all set up. Thanks for looking!

Reliquaries & Keepsakes

I've always been really taken with religious artwork from The Reformation and Fourteenth and Fifteenth centuries but since I watched all of The Tudors on Netflix a few weeks ago it kind of kicked off a new level of obsession.  Which then turned into a bit of Jane Austen obsession as well, (two words: Mr. Darcy) damn you Netflix suggestions.  So, when I wanted to make a keepsake for  my wonderful man, Mark, who has flown south to Florida for the winter I painted a small self-portrait housed in a tiny reliquary so he doesn't forget the face of his true lady love. The little guy stands on it's own and also can be fastened shut with the twine and button.

7 3/4"x5", bookboard, book cloth, hand printed Japanese paper, oil on canvas, twine, found button

 Inspired by this marriage of my two loves; bookmaking and fine art painting. I have dived into a production of a lot more of these with various internal images. Here is a sneak peek of my desk as I'm working on the first set of four!

Until next time friends, namaste!

new painting

Just started this painting, one layer down now I will begin to push and pull areas of highlight and shadow. This is one of my ideas in my series of paintings called 'Beasts of Burden'. Inspired by the Rolling Stones and Hieronymus Bosch I'm thinking about animals of carrion, women, beasts, melding the two together. How we are pieces of what we carry around with us regrets, questions and the burden of living life and loving. It's the first idea I have felt passionate about since I left school and I hope to see it through. I already have another painting that is mostly done but no one can see until it's finished!


Critiques and questions welcome, please remember though it's only the first layer and there is no light source I am playing with metaphor and theme with this one. Most likely this is just a study for a larger work on the same idea.

Great Art Sale Part II

Hello All! The second installment of my great art sale!

All artworks are original pieces unless otherwise noted. All artwork was matted with archival quality material by my good friend Jody Selin! Sizes include the mat and are standard for easy framing.

Prices don't include shipping but I will mail! E-mail me at samskrits@gmail.com for more info.

'Victoria' 8"x10"
$40

'Ophelia I' 11"x14"
$50

'Ophelia II' 11"x14"
$50

'Ophelia III' 11"x14"
$50
(or $100 for the 'Ophelia' series)
'Ophelia' series: SOLD

'Aesop's Bear and the Owl' 11"x14"
$50

'Valkyrie study' 12"x16"
$60

'Ali G' 12"x16"
$60

'Maiko' 12"x16"
$60

'Sisters' 14"x18"
$65

'The Creature' 14"x18"
$65

'Valkyrie' 14"x18" (print)
$65

'Deer Skull' 16"x20"
$75

'Harajuku Girls' 16"x20"
$75

'Tibet' 16"x20"
$75

'Pisces' 16"x20"
$75

'Egon' 18"x24"
$75
SOLD

'Outdoors' 22"x28"
$80

Great Art Sale Part I

I'm selling a bunch of artwork that is ready to go to a new loving home. Please e-mail me at samskrits@gmail.com for more information on any of the below pieces.

'Frank' 20"x24" framed
$250

'Chad' 18"x24"
$200

'Roly Poly Fish Head' 10"x10"
$75
SOLD

new painting-phase 1

Beginning a painting for my friend Kerry of her and her dog, Guinness. The picture is really strange and very orange so I'll be using secondary reference and also planning to make a looser more painterly image than my previous tighter ones.

at least I can entertain myself

Some ridiculous illustrations a friend requested of me while drinking copious amounts of wine, him not me.

'Jabba the Jew' or 'Jewba the Hut'

translation: 'feh! non-Jewish Princess, to me you're beautiful'

'Mein Furrer'

sketchbook

So, I got a new brushpen a while ago and have been filling up a small sketchbook with really random drawings and thoughts.

desktop wallpaper

Sometimes I feel the need to create a new desktop wallpaper. I've never made one before and while this one is ridiculously simple and yet still took me about an hour because my PS skills are rusty...I like it. Leaves room for a lot of creativity especially during the holidays.

Name ideas?

ricky jr.

A really horrible thing happened at the restaurant where I work this past winter, a friend of mine was shot and killed. It was a traumatic event for everyone at the place because we are small and all of us were more or less are friends. A lot of people left and many changes have happened since this event.

Not that Ricky and I were really tight but he was a sweet kid and I always loved seeing his face in the kitchen when I came into work. He always had a joke, a smile and a wink for all of us (especially the girls). His wonderful family misses him so much and the only thing I could think to give them was a portrait of their son and brother. So, finally finished months and months later:



It was framed by the awesome dudes at Avenue Art and Frame on Delaware Ave. The photo doesn't do the frame justice, the painting is floated and it's a beautiful gold tone with markings that match the markings in the back.

The family seemed to love it, it's no replacement for their loss but I hope it gives them comfort.

figure drawings