My Plot

Sorry about my short hiatus.  I was busy plotting taking over the world!  Well...not really the world.  That would be crazy.  No, right now I'm focusing on the U.S.  As you can see on my map, I'm working my way up and down the east coast.

Recently, I've been working with clients who live outside of my home state, and I noticed that although some paintings were living in the same state, other's weren't.  Wouldn't it be cool if I was able to say that one piece of my artwork, no matter how big or small, was in every state?  Feel free to spead the word about my plot.  Ahem... I mean my goal. 

My Summer Finds

Summer is right around the corner.  Although its a beautiful season, it gets pretty hot down south, so instead of thinking about the upcoming heat wave, let's focus on other great things about summer like the colors!  This original ACEO, available in my shop, definitely brings this season to mind. 

The blue is the focus because all season long, I'll no doubt wish for a cool front to blow in.  Its also a great representation of all the watersports that are popular in the heat.  The yellow represents the sunshine of course.  A beautiful combo, don't you think?  I found some other things that have these great colors in the fashion world:

These lapis blue chalcedony briolettes by Kristin at Your Unique Kreations are perfect for the summer season.  They can be made into earrings or necklaces, or whatever creation you come up with.  I love the color and shape of these!  The listing is for the two drops only, but one thing that makes Your Unique Kreations so unique is that Kristin also offers earring bases and chains too.  This particular set is wired with 14K gold, but I scoped a similar set that has sterling silver.  Check out these and other listings at her shop:  http://www.youruniquekreations.etsy.com/

Another summer find that follows the same theme is the custom canary dress by Holly Stalder.  I'm such of fan of ruffles and this beauty has plenty of them!  If you enjoy being a girl, then this dress is perfect for you.   Its elegant, classy and yes, a little flirty.  Holly's design is made in 100% silk chiffon, which is a lightweight sheer fabric but is also great for the season as it gives off an airy, floaty look.  This design is perfect for the fabric.  Visit Holly's shop to see more of her creations at : 
http://www.hollystalder.etsy.com/

My Etsy Challenge

Elle Decor featured an article on Monique Lhuillier's Bel Air home.  Isn't the decor fabulous?  I love it!  This room was also perfect for a painting I recently completed, and also adore.  After all, the rule is use pops of color (or in my case, pattern) in threes.  Don't you think the painting fits right in? 

Although I'm seriously tempted to keep this painting, "Striations" is reluctantly available for all Zebra lovers at Ashton Atelier.    This painting is so gorgeous and detailed!  You can almost pet its fuzzy stripes as it gazes soulfully at you with its chocolate eyes.   I also wanted to see what else the Etsy community could offer.  Could they come close to Ms. Lhuillier's home?  I put together a collection and had an exhibition.  That's right!  My first treasury was an Etsy Challenge:  Luxurious Living!    How do you think they compared?

Etsy came pretty close, along with some extra luxurious items that would look great.  But I also did some window browsing to see if any online stores had slightly more affordable furniture and accessories than the designer names Ms. Lhuillier uses:

  Williams-Sonoma's Presidio Sofa in Luxe Velvet, Pewter is a close match to the A. Rudin sofa. 

 And Crate & Barrel's Clara Chair in Luna are a nice substitute for Liz O'Briens' club chairs.  Feel free to tell me if you find a match and where.

My Trip Back in Time!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...Jane Austen is awesome!!!  Reading her work never gets old, and I'm so happy that they've been made into film features.  It makes it easier to visualize the characters.  Especially Mr. Darcy. *sigh*

In the 19th century, and in the years previous, all of the great houses in England were proud of their family history.  Most homes featured a portrait gallery of all the family members.  If you tour any historical home, you'll likely see some family portraits.  Sadly, with the invention of the camera, portrait painting has mostly become a lost art. 

Well I'm bringing it back in style!  I wanted to focus on the actual historical side for my portrait work.  The clothing and styling was so unique!  My first attempts were a success, so of course I want to do more!  I also enjoy showing off the process.  To the left is the beginning stages.  So, come on!  Visit Ashton Atelier, and we'll take a trip back in time!

My Time Machine

In case you didn't know, I work from photographs whenever I paint a portrait. The more photographs, the better. You have no idea how a person's facial expression at that moment can play a large part. I choose the best, and sometimes combine a few photos for a single subject. Occasionally, I have to make changes myself. My latest portrait fell under this category. I received 4 photos. The challenge? They were dated. As in, 1970s, dated. I had to bring the subject, who had deceased, to the 21st century.

Most of the original photos I received had the subject with a beard. My client requested no beard. The subject had an afro. My client requested a shorter haircut. And I had to update the clothing. For this painting, I was basically doing a makeover. I love makeovers!! After getting all the info needed, and picking the best photo, the painting began. My client loved the end results and put it in a place of honor! What do you think?

My 1st Etsy Sale!

There has been a lot of action this past month. The most exciting was my first Etsy sale! A shopper wanted a custom painting of a Weeping Willow for their fireplace at home. What made this request so unique was that six different versions from six different artists were wanted. Each artist would give a different perspective and I thought that was a cool idea. Well, I was one of the chosen artists! Yay, me!! I matched the colors with the photo references of the mantle piece, did a little research and it came out beautifully. My client was happy, and couldn't wait to hang it. I wish I could see the final vision. What do you think?

In other news, Ashton Atelier has been featured several times in other articles, and a few more are upcoming. One of my paintings even made it to a Top 10 list, and that made its popularity skyrocket! Not bad for its first month.