Mug Shot

One of my 2012 resolutions was to paint more. In college, oil painting was my main method of art making, which is typical for undergrad art students, I suppose, but it was also my greatest therapy. After college, without the studio/classroom I so frequently had to myself to paint in at all hours of the night, painting started to seem like a messy, turpentine-smelly hassle. Last year, to my own horror, I found myself using my easel as a clothing rack. That’s when I realized things had to change. So, while I doubt it will ever be my main artistic squeeze again, painting makes me a calmer, saner person and is something I need to do more of for myself. That said, here’s an oil painting I completed a month or so ago.

Our favorite mugs; Star Trek is Ben’s and Kate Spade is mine. Obviously, right?

Now, by completed I mean maybe I’ll come back to it later. I’m happier with the Star Trek mug than the Kate Spade because it’s more painterly. I think I got too precise on the lady mug side of things and it reads a bit gaudy. Or maybe it’s just that I wouldn’t normally paint in the palette of colors on the KSNY mug. THEN AGAIN, maybe it’s better not to dwell and just move on to the next thing.

ova da rainbow

After seeing Jackson Pollock’s Greyed Rainbow at the Art Institute, Ben and I decided to make our own paintin’ with acrylics and straws. While watching The Sound of Music. And drinking Cherry Coke.

Awr, I love my boyfrien’.

girls in fields, babies in cribs

New paintin’. Very cleverly titled… imaginary drumroll… Girls In a Field. It started as an oil painting (which is what the more blended areas are; the skin, the Peter Pan collared shirt, so on) and then turned into an acrylic painting. It was kind of a nice change, to mix it up.

Oil and acrylic on canvas paper, 16″ x 19.5″

 

Christmas was a short but sweet affair as I had to work both Xmas Eve and the 26th AND fit train rides to and from Detroit in there. But I got to meet my tiny babydoll niece Scarlett on her 25th day of life, so no complaints here. Seeing her little fingernails really makes you think that Juno kid did the right thing. Anyway, babies make some really gruesome faces as it turns out. I mean that in the best, must amused way though. Anything that tiny and unaware can only ever be precious, so the twenty facial expressions she goes through in roughly an instant and the Exorcist-style limb spasms (after the initial shriek of fear that occurs the first time the whole of a miniature right arm flies into your face) are all pretty “awww” inducing. In short, she’s pretty awesome:

Chicken Pox: Round Two

A combination of sugar, espresso, and graduate application-related stress on top of holiday/retail-related stress has got me hopped up like a… uh, rabbit? A bunny rabbit, yeah. Or some other dumb metaphor. Point is I am trying to HAVE A FUTURE, INTERNET. One that involves making stuff is my preference. So here’s something I done finally properly painted to include in my graduate admissions portfolio. You’ve seen it before, as a drawing, but this larger, painted format was my real intention for it. Of course, if I ever tackle printing, maybe you’ll be seeing that too. Anyway, here, look at this:

19.5″ x 27.5″, Acrylic on masonite

Thinking of making more. Maybe “Asthma” in honor of Danielle Kassover…

brusha, brusha, brusha

Me and Ben, Acrylic on wood, 27.75″ x 12″

Something you don’t need to know about me: I can’t keep toothpaste in my mouth.

Something you don’t need to know about Ben: He has Wolverine hair after showering, and a stern face when brushing.

Also, I hate pastes that contain baking soda and we, therefore, cannot use the same tube. If you’re reading this Alex Moase, I owe you some toothpaste.

Shhh… I found the Secret Garden

Oh hi, Internet. I’m real sorry for being such a rotten pen pal, but here’s a thing for you to look at with your eyeballs:

Shhh: I Found the Secret Garden, painted book cover in acrylic

Many moons ago I found it in my sweet angel heart to rescue this beat down ‘n battered hardcover edition of the Secret Garden from the damaged bin at work. I took it home, taped up the spine, and painted on my own cover. And I didn’t like it. So I let it sit. For months. Then, yesterday, I decided to give it another crack and I’m happier with these results, though the faint flower background is a little TOO faint in this scan, unfortunately. In person (in the FLESH) I think it’s nice ‘n subtle, though. I’ve got a comic strip back cover summary in mind for it as well, but I’m contemplating going digital for that.

Mini Coop

Check out the paintings page at killmargot.com for two additions. They aren’t new to me, but it’s possible you haven’t seen them since I, y’know, just posted them half a second ago. Field of Cooper is my second pet portrait and I hope to make lots more in the future. Commissions are most definitely welcome. E-mail nicoleslaw@gmail.com, if you’re interested! In the meantime: