Splash! #scbwidrawthis prompt word this month is #splash

Summer Splash
Lamb in inner tube
by Andrea K. Lawson c. 2017

More Splash
by Andrea K. Lawson C 2017

Brains and Beauty, Have it all!!!; Brain Beauty, Beauty Brain was just installed at the Camano Island Library

Camano Island Library Call for Art Project #3 is installed! In the photos below you can get a glimpse of Michael Hamilton of michaelhamiltonfurniture.com,  David Menard, Library Manager of the Camano Island Library and myself installing my science inspired multi-panel  acrylic painting Brain Beauty, Beauty Brain on the wall in the reading room of the Camano Island Library.  Inspired by brain imagery, each panel depicts a different aspect of the brain at the  microscopic level, (neurons, auditory cortex, cerebellum, retina etc). It was a very focussed experienced as we contemplated lifting the painting above the library shelves in order to hang it without damaging painting or wall. It was accomplished with a team effort and  z- clip type hanging hardware.

Brain Beauty, Beauty Brain
acrylic on canvas 54" x 60"

Andrea K. Lawson in front of the Camano Island Library

Michael Hamilton of michaelhamiltoncabinets.com
fabricated the wood support for the painting installation

HI David!

Adjusting the painting

The installation is above the stacks, labelled food, I think I like that!

Brain Beauty in situe

David Menard, Library Manager and myself, the artist, Andrea K. Lawson
in front of the library after the installation!

Illustration Friday- Tribal

HI! Here is this week's drawing for Tribal, copyright 2016 Andreaklawson.com
ink and wash on paper

Dance Draw this!

Bunny Book Dance!
by Andrea Lawson

Draw This! SCBWI bimonthly prompt is "Enchanted"

Enchanted!

ink and watercolor by Andrea K. Lawson 

copyright 2015

Here is  in grayscale
(note: the wand is a carrot)

Painting the Isthmus with art friends

It's fun to have company on landscape painting expeditions and we really had a blast loading up cars with an abundance of paint, finding the right location on Indian Island and merrily painting by the side of the road. We were a peaceful group, but sadly, not all of the art loving insects survived. Otherwise there were no catastrophes.

My in progress painting of wetlands

More in progress paintings with Lauretta's acrylic on left and my oil with sailboat on the right

 

Here I am flanked by Lauretta  Frost on the left ( my right) who is visiting  to her " real home" and Sharon Schlentner on the right. (Note the hats)

ART Opening Tonight!!!!

Bainbridge Art Walk features Pets on Parade and Live music!
The exhibit will be on view throughout the month at the Island Gallery so stop in anytime./http://www.theislandgallery-artblog.blogspot.com/

The Island Gallery Art Blog

400 Winslow Way E., #120

Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

206.780.9500

www.theislandgallery.net

www.theislandgallery.net/shop/

www.theislandgallery-artblog.blogspot.com

Help our local wildlife!

A West Sound Wildlife Shelter donation box will be available

in the Gallery through the show’s run.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @islandgalleryBI

Underground Parking Available at The Winslow off Ericksen Avenue

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Creating a Butterfly Mural for a California Home

Monarch Migration

acrylic on canvas 48 x 72"

detail of the Butterfly Mural

I just got  back from completing a 75 square foot mural for a private  home in San Raphael, California. It was hot work but very gratifying. My intent in creating the butterfly mural was to extend the garden space  and expand the feeling of sky while bringing more vibrant  color to the enclosed garden space. It's a dialogue between art and setting, as now the garden is being redesigned with the mural's color palette in mind. Susan Amanda who commissioned the  mural told me that  it makes her happy to wake up and  look out her kitchen window each morning to view the mural. Since my other goal was to create a painting that would bring a feeling of joy and happiness to the owner for years to come, I consider the project a success.The butterfly images relate to my Monarch Migration series which call attention to the environmental challenges facing the monarch butterflies. My most recent piece Monarch Migration Flight seeks to give the viewer the feeling of being surrounded by the  flock of butterflies.  www.andreaklawson.com/gallery

The images in the mural  vary from large close up butterflies  to abstractions creating a sense of movement and space. After extensive research about monarchs, I definitely took artistic license in their execution to create interesting designs and color variations. Another challenging aspect of the project was that the mural was to be painted onto four doors.  Because of the doors, the surface was not flat.  I chose to deal with the space as one  and to incorporate some of the hinge shapes into the butterflies.
I thought it would be fun to share the process of creating Butterfly Mural:
One of the most time consuming  parts of the process was the surface cleaning and preparation.

 During the heat wave,  I had to work in the early morning before it got too hot!

I used Golden acrylic paint with GAC 200,  goldenpaints.com and did a lot of research to make the painting archival for outdoors. I selected the most color fast  pigments which included many earth tones but also lots of bright oranges and blues, for instance,  Phalo blue for the sky. First, I painted the entire   surface shades of sky blue. Each color had to be painted in two coats to make it color fast.The idea is that in the face of sunlight two coats are better than one!
 Next I created a grid to  translate my small painting design to full scale.
Luckily, my brother Jeremy dropped by to help me with the chalk line and level! He sneakily let me climb up and down the ladder multiple times before realizing that he was tall enough!

Me and Jeremy making a grid

 Drawing the design and honing it to go with the actual wall/door area.

Outdoor painting table

Detail of Completed mural with the Artist
(before final msa varnish to protect the  mural from weather and UVA)

This was an exciting project and I'd love to do more. Please contact me if you would like to commission a  mural or painting for your home or garden.

Spirits soar at Gallery Walk March 1, Monarch Migration

Port Townsend Jefferson County Leader Article features my Monarch Migration Painting:

Port Townsend Jefferson County Leader  This Week  Feb.26-March 4

Monarch Migration ll  acrylic on canvas   48 x 72 "

 

 "Monarch butterflies that once covered 50 square acres of forest during their summer layover in central Mexico now occupy fewer than 3 acres, according to the latest census.
The numbers of the orange-and-black butterflies have crashed in the two decades since scientists began making a rough count of them, according to Mexico's National Commission of Natural Protected Areas.
At a news conference Wednesday, the commission said the count was down 59 percent from December 2011 levels, when the insects filled 7.14 acres of fir trees in central Mexico."
See entire article by clicking link to kuow article.

http://kuow.org/post/monarch-butterflies-population-falls-record-low-mexican-scientists-say 

Edge of Day Exhibit at Max Grover Gallery

 please Click this poster (above) to view more info

Please join me at the reception of my upcoming exhibit of landscape paintings at the Max Grover Gallery in Port Townsend, Washington, Saturday, March 1, 2014, 5-8 PM. My new series of paintings: Edge of Day  observe Northwest light from dawn to dusk. 

 Visit the gallery Mon-Sun   11 AM-6 Pm Show on view through March 2014.

for more info:            Link to Max Grover Gallery on Facebook

2013 SCBWI Tomie dePaola Award

This was my entry this year for the Tomie dePaola Award.
Tomie's directions were to  illustrate the poem, Sneeze  with  an 8 by 8"inch composition
using any color or medium. The illustration was to target the 2 months to 2 year age group!
You can find the other entries in the Unofficial Gallery of the Tomie dePaola Award 
and see the winners at http://www.scbwi.org/winner-of-the-2014-tomie-depaola-award-is-announced/

Sneeze

My black and white  illustration of Little Women won an honorable mention from Tomie dePaola last year. It was a challenge to have to use only black and white!

 

http://www.andreaklawson.com/page/httpwwwandreaklawsoncomillustration

This is the 2013 First Prize winning illustration from Akiko White :

Here is my friend Rowena Russell's entry, I love the simplicity and idea of the sneezing snowman!

Paintings Drying on my floor

 Waiting and waiting for them to dry so that I can find room to walk around and  paint some more!

Landscape Painting!

Inspired by our outdoor friendly weather, I would like to feature a variety of landscape paintings this month!

Here are some inspiring landscape paintings by my friend the artist, Stephen Yates. I love the abstract capturing of light and  water!

Inlet is 36 x 36"

The two Marsh paintings below are 36 x 80"

 

http://www.stephenyatesarts.com/

ArtSites.us Has a newsletter!

 Guess what? This week, I'm the featured artist! HOoray!

 Click here to see the article:

http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=383d89cd7132ba36405d3909f&id=d277035353&e=274d4f2b38

Night Parade Dance, oil on canvas by Andrea K Lawson

Landscape Painting at Anderson Lake!

Yes, me painting! It was supposed to be the cloudy day but was actually very hot!

My friend Sharon Schlentner painting at the same location!

 

I got up at the crack of dawn to paint a pink hued sunrise but got fog!

Landscape painting is always a surprise. Here is what the sky looked like! Grey!

Morning sky from Port Hadlock, Washington, photo by A. Lawson, 9/13

 

Illustration Friday: Hybrid

Hybrid Fish of the Sea