Cardinal for Dinner, Again?

Cardinal for Dinner, Again?, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

I know. 

 

It's not funny. 

 

Maybe just a little?

It's My Party

It's My Party, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

Anybody Else Feel a Draft?

Anybody Else Feel a Draft? collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

Couldn't help myself. The name just floated out of the air to me.

These two (yesterday's posted painting and today's) will hang side by side at LibertyTown Arts Workshop in Small Works, artworks on a small scale by the Ltown artists.

Snap the Photo Already

There are so many names for this one, 6 x 6, collage/acrylic

Elizabeth W. Seaver

 

 My friend Lynette and her husband went to Kenya in September. She shared a fabulous photo with me. In it, there were two birds called Amboseli Superb Starlings. I flipped over it. They looked so dyspeptic or impatient or grumpy. 

 

I'm in love. 

I have painted each one of them on 6 x 6 collaged, cradled wooden panels, and I've painted them together on 11 x 14 linen with acrylic. I'll be sharing the other paintings in the next couple of days.

Help me name these guys: Take a Picture It'll Last Longer, Snap the Photo Already--can you think of any others to help me out?

I'd Rather Be Sleeping

This IS My Happy Face, 4 x 4, acrylic, Elizabeth W. Seaver

Title borrowed from my student's t-shirt yesterday--thanks, J!

We have experienced quite the opposite of the weather in my painting the last few days. Skies have been beautifully sunny, and October breezes blew--kinda chilly for those of us still circulating summer-warmed blood.

Alas, it is time for seasons to change, and yesterday we got the jump on Halloween with a downtown trick or treat event. Ninjas, ghosts, princesses, pirates and their patient parents wandered among store fronts to collect all kinds of things, including oos and ahs from local business owners. We gave the traditional candy, but we saw books and pencils in pumpkin buckets as well.

Let me leave you with one thought: perhaps purple plastic princess shoes are not the best footwear for traipsing city streets.

Beets

Beets, 24 x 36, acrylic and white charcoal on linen

Elizabeth W. Seaver

Here's a new painting for my show at Blackstone Coffee, where my work will hang for April and May. I decided for this painting that less was more, and stopped painting early, leaving parts unfinished. The camera gremlins have let me know that it is more difficult to take good photos of less than more. You'll have to take my word for it that in the light this painting has lovely color and the beets sort of float out of the darkness underground. It's a little spooky, in fact, and that's part of what I like about it--it's a surprise.

I ate freshly picked beets this spring, and I have developed a new appreciation for this root veggie. Yes, there is an initial dirt taste, but the finish is lovely and sweet, especially if not overcooked. I will be trying them again this spring, if I can get them really good and fresh!

Sweet Ones

Sweet Ones, acrylic on linen, 24 x 32

Elizabeth W. Seaver

As opposed to the other ones which I painted here. (It is at the bottom of a post from summer 2011.)

I am back to painting root veggies to go in a show at a fine establishment called Blackstone Coffee next month. Their coffee is fantastic, and the beans are roasted locally. Come out, try their coffee and eats, and see me at the opening, First Friday in April (the 5th) with all my root veggie paintings. I will be in my studio before that from 5 to 7.

I'll be posting more as they are finished. Cheers!

We Have a Winner!

Do Tell!, collage/acrylic, 24 x 24, Elizabeth W. Seaver

The winner of my card give-away and the one who named my painting is Dorothy. Thank you all for giving such cute suggestions. I liked that one of hers because it hinted at the relationship between the bird and the caterpillar/worm/ space snake.

Dorothy, if you will send me an email through my website and give me your address, I will mail you your prize.

Watch for new work in the next couple of days. I've been busy!

March 150 Panel at the Torpedo Factory

Spring!, acrylic/printmaking, 10 x 10, Elizabeth W. Seaver

This panel will be up at the Torpedo Factory's Target Gallery for March9-17, 2013, as a joint fund raiser for the March of Dimes and outreach projects spearheaded by the Gallery. Read about it here.

Lots of fabulous artists donate to this event, and this Friday, March 15, the night of the big party ($15 admission) the works are only $100 each, rather than $150. All panels are 10 x 10. Go if you can, it'll be a blast. I hope to see you there!

Sunny Bird 27/30

Sunny Bird, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

A bicycle built for one, was in Sunny's opinion, the most wonderful invention--two-wheeled freedom under the summer sun. Because, let's face it, the nest was crowded, and some days he just needed to get away.

Billie was always hungry and squawking. Their parents had to fly far and wide to find enough to feed him. Millie was a happy sib, but had a piercing giggle which drove a spike through Sunny's eardrums and interrupted his reading. Pierce just wanted him to play pick up sticks all day, pulling on his wing and pulling him away from the sculpture he was building in his head. He loved his family, but he lived for the day he could move out and make his own nest.

When it all got to be too much, he jumped on his bike. He found that if he pedalled fast enough, the white noise as he cut through the wind made a perfect Sunny-sized space.

Present 25/30

Present, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6, Elizabeth W. Seaver
Sold

Finally, on the third morning of shopping for it, Isadora found the perfect present for her friend Pilar for her birthday. It wasn't just an ordinary birthday present, one that would be played with a little while and then break or sit high on a shelf, forgotten. It was special. Isadora wanted it to say to Pilar what Isadora could not say out loud. She wanted the present to say thank you for hugging her when her kitty died and what fun they had when Pilar threw the surprise party for her and for the worm bisque Pilar made when Isadora got sick that time. It was hard to find a small token which expressed all those things and fit into a box, but she did! She wrapped it in paper and ribbon as beautiful as Pilar.

Crumbs were all that remained of the corn meal cake, and Pilar opened her gifts. The stack of gifts dwindled until one lovely pink box was left. Isadora sat breathlessly on her chair, hoping that when Pilar opened her gift, she would know all the warm feelings in Isadora's heart.

Pilar slowly untied the ribbon and draped it over her neck. She carefully pulled the tape off and placed the wrapping on a stack of paper to be reused throughout the year. "OH!" Pilar gasped when she finally removed the lid of the box and looked inside.

What was in the box? You tell me.

Polo Anyone? 24/30

Polo Anyone? collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

sold

Even with a special mallet, how long would a bird's wings have to be to reach a ball from the back of a horse? Really long. A bicycle is the only answer. In fact, bicycle is the answer to many questions about birds if you only think about it. And I have thought about it--a lot!

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Please join us on Saturday from 10-5 at LibertyTown Arts Workshop for our Holiday Open House. Many artists will be in their studios to help you find just the right hand crafted thing for Aunt Mabel or little Sam. Perhaps a gift certificate?? Come by to shop, talk, drink apple cider and eat cookies with us on Saturday.

Oops! 22/30

Oops!, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6, Elizabeth W. Seaver

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There comes a time in most parties when a little too much fun flies around the place. This time, poor Rachel got in its way. No one meant for her to wear a cupcake, but it happened, and once the shock wore off, everyone sped away laughing, leaving Rachel with icing dripping down her forehead.

How do you handle such a socially embarrassing moment? Do you stomp your prehistoric dinosaur feet and flounce home in a storm of plumage? Do you laugh with everyone else and find a sink to stick your head in? Or do you act cool and nonchalantly eat the cupcake off of your own head, acting like that's what you meant to happen?

Rachel is captured on the horns of a dilemma.

On Line Chat Room 21/30

On Line Chat Room, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

It was the best job ever. Floyd and Fred and Erma and Amy sat every Monday morning on the Boynton's clothesline, making sure the Boyntons' Saturday night, whoop-dee-do, go-to-town, hoe-down clothes dried nicely, all ready for the following weekend. Mrs. Boynton paid them in as much birdseed as they could carry away in their plump, late summer bellies.

Now, Sunday night is the birds' whoop-dee-do, go-to-town hoe-down, so every Monday morning, there was plenty of fodder for the rumor mill. The latest was that Alfred Jay made a terrible fool of himself over Miriam Cardinal, and her a married woman. Tinker Jay let Alfred know just how far off base he was in the Peck-n-Paw parking lot. And then, Penelope Peacock looked upon the persimmon wine while it was orange, grabbing the microphone from the band. Her rendition of Feelings cleared the joint. The party continued outside. The paper-rock-scissors loser had to go back in for the next round. The owner of the Peck-n-Paw banned her from coming back for two weeks.

Yes, there was lots to talk about this morning.

Off to Practice 20/30

Off to Practice, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

sold

I know, I know, "We're only on number 20?" Imagine how I felt painting them!

In lieu of a story for my painting today, I will treat you all to my favorite Christmas song ever. Enjoy!