This gorgeous weather has found me outside the studio working on my plein air skills. It has become quite an addiction! I adore getting out there with the watercolors and seeking out great painting spots.
     I always have two or three pieces going in the studio and I thoroughly enjoy working late into night with my music and Border Collie to keep me company. I have always been a bit of a night owl and find it easier to just get in the zone at night.
     I started  on this latest painting a while back and just hit a wall as to where I was going with it. So I let it sit in a spot where I could constantly just look at it to see what I could come up with. A few nights ago I just popped it onto the easel and literally with no plan just started throwing paint at it.  Literally!  I LOVE the drips on the bottom right and the way the rider just fades away. The horse is my focal point and I just wanted her to pop and not compete with the rider.
     This is much larger than I usually work. Almost a full sheet of Arches Hot Press 140lb paper. Available for sale unframed. The price with go up when I have it framed. MUCH more affordable to ship unframed! $850 includes shipping and insurance.

Here in the NorthEast we are experiencing the mother of all heat waves.To borrow a line fro the movie Biloxie Blues..this is like Africa hot! One hundred degrees is just...well... unnecessary. What do people do down south who have to endure this kind of weather on a more regular basis?

I am definitely a cool weather person. Love my sweaters.

So what are all of you doing to keep cool? I took my son to a movie, went to a support group meeting and am planning to pull an all nighter in the studio. Okay..maybe a half nighter. I have an acrylic painting of a horse in half pass that I have been staring at for the past few weeks trying to decide what to do with it. I love the horse but the backgrounds just irks me. So I am planning on reworking this one. I like the arena but the rest has to go.  I will post the results as soon as I finish it! Oh , that is if I can figure out how to post photos from my iphone! :)

Now for my question of the day. Does anyone know if you can post photos to Blogger from your iphone? I can't seem to find any info online on how to do this. Anyone?

Now I know I said I would be posting details from the Alvaro Castagnet workshop but I have lots of images that I would like to include.  makes for a more interesting blog post. Don't you agree?

Stay cool!   :)

Deborah

I’m ba-a-aa—ck!   I have been out of action as far as my blog and social media lately due to lack of a computer. My ever faithful Powerbook G4 met it’s demise at the hands of a person with unscrupulous actions. So my new wish list includes a new MacBook Pro 13 inch laptop.

My life has been in a major upheaval these past months as I have been in the process of getting divorced after 16 years of marriage. I so appreciate all the kind words and support from everyone. It has been very difficult with roadblocks thown at me in every direction.  I will get through this with lots of faith and hard work. It is incredible how you can be in something for so long and not see it for what it is. My biggest lesson in all of this and I speak to all of you women out there....

* Do not ever give away your power. *

The ironic part in all of this for me is as I have been becoming empowered again over the past few years developing my business, networking and finding my voice my world changed in ways that I could not even imagine. Now that the shock has worn off and I am working with the help of a super supportive councelor and the best of friends I can see that my future is so bright!  But my first order of business is I must get myself and my son out of this house and into my own home,


So to do this I must get this art business jump started to the next level.  I am looking at life as a single mom now and I intend to fully support myself with my art. I was thrilled to find the ebookThe Single Mom's Guide to Making Money as an Artist a created by ACE -Art Career experts.
I will also need to subsidize my income with other work. Preferably work online so that I can stay home with my son. So if anyone has any leads let me know!  I am a hard worker and extremely motivated!

Any other single moms out there working as at your at full time? I would LOVE to hear from you!

 Last year I added so many new collectors and sold out most of everything that I had in my inventory! There are a few pieces still available looking for new homes! I am offering these to new collectors a 10% discount and repeat customers 20% discount. So help me clean out my studio, add to your art collection and help me move into my new apartment! Everyone benefits!  I am also available for commissioned portraits of that most favorite horse or dog!

Checkout my website here...DeborahOSullivan.com

All sizes and price ranges! So drop me an email and we can discuss your needs.

Dress Blues, Watercolor on paper, 14 x 11, unframed
To Purchase

If you have an intent to purchase drop me an email and I will send you an invoice with the reflected discount.
I have well over 30 new paintings to list on my website- everything from horse to dogs to landscapes.. As well as all of my daily paintings! Yes, I have been painting every single day! Even if is just a quick sketch out of the car window. I have gotten so god at whipping out my little Winsor & Newton watercolor field kit and my Moleskine watercolor sketchbook and knocking out sketches. I am trying to do a sky a day. And it is simply amazing how your work can evolve with just a few minutes of work a day. Still trying to figure out how to do that with no computer. J One of the things that I have found as I go through the process of separation is how this emotional upheaval has impacted my work.  To borrow words from a fellow artist//friend…My art has helped me to express feelings for which there are no words. This expression is incredibly healing for me. I will post some of these emotionally charged paintings as soon as I can get them scanned. Just a bit more patience!

Click to Purchase

I have so much news to catch up with. One of which is the week long workshop I attended with master watercolorist Alvaro Castagnet. That is the topic for my next blog.   I am off to do some plein air painting on this gorgeous Fourth of July!  Enjoy the holiday!

All the best,

Deborah

Today I will be reviewing the Cheap Joe's Signature Field Easel. As soon as I saw this easel I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. Those who know me know that I love pochade boxes. I have my little Guerilla Thumbox and my Alla Prima Bitteroot boxes. Both are great for acrylics or oils but were lacking for me for watercolor. It says on the CJ's website that this easel was designed with the watercolorist in mind. This looks very much like the easel that master watercolorist Joseph Zbukvic uses.

I love this easel. It is super easy to set up and take down and it has plenty of workspace in all of the right places. The mast portion has a landscape orientation which I really like. You do need to tape your work to a board or use blocks. It can be set upright and flat as well. The legs are fully adjustable and super easy to fold up. The box also came with a free DVD that has set up instructions and a nice watercolor tutorial on painting trees. This is a great box for other medium as well but it may lack the storage space required for acrylic and oil. It is available in cherry or black and right now it is on sale for only $169. Cheap Joe's also often has great prices on shipping. I only paid $4.95 to have this UPSed to my home. Follow them on Twitter for some good coupon codes and art deals.

I originally bought this as an extra work station for my studio but I will definitely be taking this one outside to do plein air work. Overall- a super box for a super great price! I have a lot of photos below. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

Enjoy the day!

Deborah


  

I have been working on my watercolor technique these days and thoroughly enjoying the processl. I did these
two studies last week. The first painting is of a maple tree. I am
really tryng to learn my way aroud trees. Each variety has very
specific details. So it has been quite an education learning about
which way the branches grow, the colors of the foliage, etc.
The
second panting is of a moody rainy sky. I love doing clouds and
painting these kinds of dark skies. Reminds me of the rainy days in the
Pacific Northwest. Watercolor just seems to be made for these kinds of
scenes. These are both small, about 8 x 10 on Arches Rough Press paper.
I just may list these on Ebay....



Don't forget the that the studio sale is still going on! Mosey on over and have a look see for some great prices on reproductions and even some small original pieces!

Ebay Sale

I have had a few requests from readers to see my plein air set up for watercolors. I only use this set up when I settle in for a few hours of painting or when I am doing a paint out. I much prefer my smaller portable set which is on me most of the time. So  I actually have 2 set ups for wc. A small one in my purse which I will detail in another post and my larger set up for bigger paintings. I use the Alla Prima 10 x 12 Bitterroot Pochade Box for my watercolors. This is a really great box hand made here in the USA by Ben Haggett!



Here is the box ready to go. I have a lightweight, 11 x 16 masonite board, my chair, water and tripod strapped to the pochade with elastic straps and I have added a shoulder strap that I took off an old bag. The whole thing weighs about 8 pounds.



Here a couple of photos of the set up. Ready to paint.

I use an enameled metal box which folds up and fits in the drawer or my new Heritage palette from Cheap Joe’s (which I really like but does not fit in the drawer) for my paints. I fill my own pans with M Grahams and a few Holbein colors. Board fits very nicely into the magnetic clips of pochade. I can also fit blocks of Arches paper in a variety of sizes very nicely. This is one versatile pochade box. I love seeing other set up so post links with what you use!

Yours in art,
Deborah

I painted this little acrylic of a street in Cork, Ireland the other night. This is a real departure frm my usual work of horses and dogs. I really enjoyed painting this. I painted this from a great reference photo that my husband took when he went home. This is acrylic and only measure 5 x 7 and is painted on cradled birch panel so it does not require framing.
Now I am attempting to do the same scene in watercolor. I am doing it quite a bit larger (11 x 14). I will post the WIP (Work In Progress) for this one. I am painting this on Arches 140 lb rough press. The first image is mt palette. I will probably on use 4 or 5 of the colors here.


This second image is of my image of my initial sketch. You get one shot with watercolors so wish me luck! I will post updates as they become available.

I have managed to do two daily paintings.I have had several requests to do retrievers..so here thay are. These are retrievers painted on 5 x 7 hardwood cradled panels that are 3/4 inch deep. I have painted the side, applied 2 coats of satin varnished and wired them for hanging! No need to frame (unless of course you want to). These are headed to the Bakla Java for display but are also available here on my website site for $35 each. Price includes shipping! The swimming lab has sold! Thanks for all of the inquiries!



Click To Purchase

Hitting the studio with gusto! Today's daily painting is a Border Collie. What About Me? is the title of this one. It depicts my most favorite breed of dog. This one really, really wants to come out to play but can't reach the latch! :) This one is a small 5 x7, acrylic on canvas panel. As always can pop into a standard size stock frame. This little gem is super affordable and can be yours for $35 and includes Priority Mail shipping! To purchase What About Me?

I have been laying really low these days so I apologize for my lack of updates. Been feeling icky with this Lyme disease. Here is the much delayed finish to the jumper painting. Titled Flatwork it measures 10 x 8 and is acrylic on canvas board. Check out the previous post for the story behind this piece of art. This one is available for sale. To purchase click the following and you will be directed to my website for a safe and secure transaction. Price is $80 and includes Priority Mail shipping and insurance. To Purchase Flatwork