Prints

I'm bringing back prints to my Etsy shop! www.livefunky.etsy.com

The Evolution of the Series

Mountains - acrylic on 36" x 36" canvas.

Behold the Endless Journey - acrylic on 12" x 24" canvas.

Memories of the Bay - acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas.

There's a blend of abstract expressionism and the Bay Painters influencing me right now. Well, they always have, but they are really making themselves present in a louder way in my work. I feel like each of these paintings connects to landscapes but nothing literal, which is fun and freeing. I see elements of the sea, the countryside and mountains in each of these in different ways. It's really still all about color, composition and chemistry, but that whisper of a landscape sets me in the space in a sort of peaceful, zen way.

I look back at the history of my work and the phases of my life being expressed right along. The angst of youth, the frustration as well as the fear on a quest for answers, making sense of things. The curious exploration of self and others - it's all there, documented in my drawings and paintings. Now I really feel like I am in such a good place in my life. I've resolved certain issues and I'm still working on others, but I'm more confident and centered than ever. It feels GOOD to be centered. I think I used to worry that if/when I achieved any sort of balance in my life that my paintings would become boring, uninspired. Not at all! I'm more focused and the connection is deeper, more meaningful. I've got a lot of life yet to live and it will be interesting how my work evolves on this journey. Right now I feel connected to the brilliance of life and the quiet truths of the soul - I hope that this carries through in these paintings.

www.livefunky.etsy.com

First two paintings of the new series

These are the first two finished paintings in my new series.

I've Been Here Before - acrylic on 20" x 20" canvas

Through the Blue - acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas

Both of these paintings are available in my Etsy shop. www.livefunky.etsy.com

Rainy Day

Here's a picture of a Rose of Sharon blossom in our yard. A rainy day today meant I was painting, but there wasn't good enough light to document any of it. A few canvases are getting closer to complete. I'm really loving paint right now... Good times.

FIVE FAB ETSY FINDS on Look See Saw

Check out my other blog, Look See Saw for a new series of posts called Five Fab Etsy Finds (simply put, the Five Fab). I am sharing this handful of what I consider the best of a specific theme. Limiting myself to only five items has been a challenge, but that's what I think will keep my posts really unique - each theme MUST be specific or else I'd have a really hard time wading through hundreds of listings trying to find my five favorite necklaces, for example. If you have a suggestion for me, please leave them in your comment - thank you!

Below are examples of each of my posts.


THEME 1: AMBER RINGS
Amber Dark Ring by sisicata

THEME 2: UPCYCLED SUITCASES

The Sophisticate Traincase - a go go... by SamariaProject

Next up... Pincushions!

Have an idea for a theme? Leave your suggestion as a comment!

Featured Ahtist!

I am this weeks featured "ahtist" on www.Ahtspot.com - a website for Artists of New Englad (hence the "ahtist" part, gotta love our New England accent!).

Back to Business

brushes, originally uploaded by livefunky.

I have been having a blast painting the last two days. I'm working big again and really exploring expressive gestures, dripping paint, working fast and loose. I love it! I don't want to post anything until it's really finished. I tried to make a video while I was working and I totally screwed this great painting up. I can't work with anyone's eyes on me, and I guess that goes for a digital camera as well.

I hope to post a few finished pieces in the coming days.

The Great Shift

Original acrylic and oil pastel on 12" x 12" gallery wrapped box canvas. Available at www.livefunky.etsy.com

I don't know what other people will think of these really raw new paintings, but I'm digging them. I just wanted to do something different, something truly outside the box. Every instinct I've got to make certain compositions or marks are being washed over and broken. I'm not sure where this journey is taking me, but it's fun!

I'm wondering what sort of products I could offer for Christmas. I've never done much to change my shop during the holidays, except for one time when I made some handpainted gift tags. Greeting cards maybe? Or keepsake boxes? Or should I just let the other thousands of sellers offer things for Christmas and stick to what I do best - abstract paintings. I'm undecided at this point. Thoughts?

Two new paintings

View From Above - Acrylic and oil pastel on 12 x 12 box canvas.

Over Yonder - Acrylic and oil pastel on 12 x 12 canvas panel.

I'm enjoying working really free - fast and loose. There's a bit of a landscape quality to these two paintings. The first piece is titled View From Above because it reminded me of looking down on the California coast from a plane. Both pieces are now available at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

Collective Dream Stream

Original acrylic painting on 8x8 inch box canvas, created in 8/2008. Now available at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

The Art of Cooking 2 - Fruit and Cheese Salad

This installment of the Art of Cooking is a simple and DELICIOUS salad I'm calling the Fruit and Cheese Salad. We've been trying to have as much salad as possible with our meals, and the standard veggie salad with Italian dressing was getting a bit old, so I mixed it up a bit tonight.

What's In There?
Mixed greens
Yellow tomatoes (fresh and local!)
Red onion
Peeled and diced orange

Halved red grapes
Walnuts
Crumbled goat cheese
Strawberry slices

Served with a raspberry poppy seed vinaigrette.


I think apples, pears and grapefruit would be good substitutes and/or additions to this salad.

Check out my first installment of the Art of Cooking HERE!

Here I am! - by Jessica Torrant

absolutearts.com Portfolio

I've been a member of absolutearts for some time now but I've never offered anything for sale. I'm now offering some very recent paintings for sale here to see how things go. Please feel free to contact me at jtorrant@aol.com with any questions or comments you may have about me or my work. Thank you!

absolutearts.com Portfolio

Big eBay Sale!

Today I listed 51 paintings (possibly more later tonight) on eBay with auctions ending in 3, 5 and 7 days. The starting bids are all greatly discounted from my usual prices.



Original acrylic paintings on paper - $9.99 and up starting bid/no reserve
Original acrylic paintings on canvas board - $19.99 starting bid/no reserve
Original acrylic paintings on stretched canvas - $39.99 starting bid/no reserve

I'm offering these at such a discount because I only want to work on gallery wrapped canvases from now on. You can see all of my current auctions here http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZlivefunky

Summer Day Dance

Original acrylic painting on 12" x 12" box canvas, created 8/2008. Available at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

Documenting my routine

Take a morning hike on a local trail through Shenipsit State Forest with my two loves, Leo the dog and Rob the husband. (Rob is on vacation this week - he makes taking a walk ten times more fun).

Get home and start painting. I've been working in the screened in area of the porch because the weather has been so nice. It's so easy to get in a groove listening to the birds sing and the chipmunks peep and scurry about. I love it out there.

You'll see those craft bottles of acrylic there. I've been using them for base coats and then I work over the surface with higher quality paint. You can call me frugal franny if you like, I won't mind.

Continuing on the frugal tip, instead of buying some pre made bbq sauce for our chicken tonight, I whipped up some homemade sauce, a little trick I learned from my dad. Ketchup, molasses, spicy mustard, garlic powder, ground red pepper, and some of my favorite dry rub. I put some boneless thighs in there, as well as chopped onions that caramelize, to marinate for a few hours before baking them. Let me just say, I have a new favorite recipe.

The energetic boy has refueled from his walk and is ready for more. A good old Frisbee session in the back yard is in order.

Back out to the studio to paint, and take pictures of finished paintings, then it's time to call it a day and get started on dinner. After dinner, I dive into online work - promoting and adding new pictures to my various sites. At some point we'll go to bed then the whole routine begins again tomorrow.

So there it is. Not especially exciting or anything, but it's my life, and I love every minute of it.

In an Instant

Original acrylic painting on 8" x 10" stretched canvas. Created in 8/2008.

Since I am trying to keep my Etsy shop filled with only the best of the best, I decided to list this painting on eBay instead because the canvas has stapled sides. I bought staple sided canvases for years at a discount store in the area because, well, they were inexpensive and readily available. But I've found that spending a bit more on a staple free canvas is so worth it because so many contemporary art collectors don't want to worry about a frame.

I like the interesting palette in this piece - a soft pink contrasted against darks and a bold yellow. I'm starting the bidding at a much lower price than what I'd usually charge so if you're looking to invest in my art, but you want an affordable option, you should CHECK OUT THIS AUCTION!

Push and Pull

Original acrylic painting on 8" x 8" box canvas, created 8/2008. Available in my Etsy shop at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

Worlds Collide

Original acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas. Now available at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

Borderline

Original acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas. Now available at www.livefunky.etsy.com

Testing the Water

This watercolor painting is on acid free watercolor paper. It is being sold unframed for the custom framing of your choice, or an easy DIY project by popping it in a ready made, standard sized 8" x 10" frame (Note: painting goes to the edges of the paper). For a great overview of more in depth DIY picture framing, check out this blog post.
Now available for purchase in my Etsy shop

Today was a great day - very productive! After a walk in the woods with Leo and Rob, I spent the rest of the day in the studio painting. At first I played with some watercolors (this is the most successful one among the three I worked on - the other two are currently incubating) and then switched to acrylic on various canvases. I "tagged" around ten paintings with a fast first pass of color compositions. Just getting back into the flow of things, the feel of it, the zone. Tomorrow I will be getting back into each one, and I'll have at least one complete painting to share by the end of the day.

PAINT ON!