Row vs. Wade

This has been one of those weeks....kids home from school....art shows looming...no sleep due to mentioned children.......house a disaster. Thankfully I have many wonderful friends who have all simultaneously offered to bring over margaritas. This worries me...am I known as the needy margarita girl? As one friend put it so well, they are much more fun and effective than chicken soup. You may not feel any better about life when you sober up, but at least for the duration of the tequila you just don't care. Alas, I have refrained from the fun and just relied on triple lattes, and not enough of them. I was able to finish this painting, 40 x 40, titled Row vs. Wade and now available at Gregg Irby Fine Art.

Gratitude

We had a wonderful opening for the emerging artists show at Anne Irwin Fine Art. Anne's new space is huge and gorgeous and was filled wall to wall with people. I loved meeting artists I had heard of for years and new art patrons. As I told my husband, I felt like Cinderella!

Now Cinderella needs to get moving and paint. Thanks so much to all who came and supported me either in person or online-so appreciate you all!

Nudes

I remember finding all of my mother's nude drawings from her college art classes. I was 7 or 8 at the time. While I was mortified that she would actually have seen a naked person, let alone drawn one, I was also fascinated at her skills in depicting these people. My little mind grasped even then that being able to render the human form was something special. I took my first human figure painting workshop not long ago. It was not as awkward as I thought it would be. I enjoyed working with skin tones and their special nuances. There are many models in the Atlanta area and one day I hope to be able to work with these professionals, however that can be pricey. Finding people in the meantime would be weird. "Hey, want to come to my studio and pose naked?" Friends suggest using my husband as he something of a Greek god, physically. Perfectly proportioned. Quite dishy in fact. He is too embarrassed to even disrobe in the doctor's office so scratch that idea. Male nudes don't sell anyway. I think I will try the group drawing classes at our local artists' center. In the meantime this painting is 24 x 36, and is available for 2 weeks at Anne Irwin Fine Art.

Morning in My Dreams

Would love to be in Europe right now. I want to sit and have coffee and watch a little village wake up. Smell and see and hear the day start. Of course there would be some decadent pastry on the table too, however I didn't want to tempt myself by painting that in. My reality however is hearing "Mom, what's for breakfast" and "Honey, where are my car keys" and hearing our dog bark at the neighbors. That is the wonder of art-it transports you to other places and times. Think I will now paint myself a palm tree to go sit under.

News....

I am very happy to be asked to donate a painting to the High Museum High Arts Day coming up this fall, as well as one to the Swan House Flea Market. I am so proud to be included with this very talented group of artists!

Also on tap on August 19th is the Anne Irwin Fine Art emerging artist show. This will be held in Anne's gorgeous new space on Miami Circle and is sure to be a fun show. It runs through September 9th. The painting above "Aren't You Glad I didn't Say Banana?" will be shown there.

More good news from Anne Reynolds at Sunshine Limited, a fun gallery in Watkinsville, Georgia. I have been fortunate to have several recent sales thanks to Ann. She has such a wonderful place and is great fun to visit with. All you Bulldog fans need to be sure to stop by during football season!

Summer season in Georgia lake country is in full swing. Three Lakes Gallery is in a new spot and has some fun new work. My painting "Flat Broke" featuring a truck in Cashiers, NC is featured there.

Gregg Irby Fine Art is representing my Recess series of retro girls and her space in Buckhead is so cool. Be sure and stop by and see Mary Margaret, Grace, Amy and all their friends playing on Gregg's walls!

AHHHHH.......

Time for a vacation. The heat has boiled me and I am so wanting

an ocean breeze. I love the water when it turns that clear turquoise, like the Caribbean. South Florida or the keys. I remember staying at the Boca Raton Resort. Once you sat on the beach someone would put a little flag pole beside your beach chair and when you wanted another drink you just ran your flag up. Gosh, that was a wonderful idea.

This painting is 24 x 36, and is available at my etsy store or by

contacting me at jschultz05@comcast.net.

Growth

Recently, I was able to visit the studio of one of my favorite artists, Dennis Campay. The man is amazing, and his wife is one cool chick. I want to be them when I grow up. His art is so alive, and so fantastic. He is such a generous man. He discussed the mindset of a creative person and how to open yourself to what is really in your soul and in your heart. I felt like a lightening bolt had hit me. There was a true, giant, all encompassing "AHA" moment-Oprah would be so proud.

I came home from Dennis's funky, urban place of inspiration and looked around my suburban, white bread home filled with old english furniture. My surroundings cannot dictate my creative flow!! At least for now it will have to do. I ran upstairs to my in home studio and whipped out a wild and crazy painting with drips and scraping and splatters. I was scared, appalled and excited. What had I done?? One of my galleries had called needing more art. Dare I? I didn't have much else so I did. I took that wet & wild painting in there, full of trepidation and more than the usual insecurities. My friendly gallery owner took a look at it, kind of mumbled and smiled, then moved it to to the side of my pile of art.

At least I had tried to release that creative, wild thing inside of me. It was scary but I heard Dennis in my head saying "It's only paint-what are you afraid of?" Halfway home I got a call from my gallery. The piece had just sold.

There is paint now splattered everywhere in my studio. It reminds me of the first time I tried to cook spaghetti. I have strange things scattered around that I hope to use in my paintings. My next few attempts have had mixed results, but I am raging forward, opening that part of my self that is a little scared to come out. This painting is 24 x 36, and now dried and recovered from the violence of its creation and is available by contacting me at jschultz05@comcast.net.