Go Wilbur!

Wilbur, 18 x 24 x 7, sculpture by Tex Forrest

painting by Elizabeth W. Seaver

Wilbur got accepted into a show at Artful Dimensions for the month of April. He rode his green trike to victory, winning an honorable mention and people's choice awards. 

Go Wilbur!

Come Here Often?

Come Here Often? collage/acrylic, 22 x 28

Elizabeth W. Seaver

This is the finished cat from two posts ago.

I'm working on a companion piece. I may rename them Outside Cat and Inside Cat. 

It's a blast.

Life Gave Her Feathers (#3)

Life Gave Her Feathers, 8 x 10, collage/acrylic

Elizabeth W. Seaver
sold

This painting I created for the commissioner herself, who is a fabulous weaver. She is also one of few I know who could bring the feather boa from obscurity into stylish daily wear.

I appreciate her support of my little corner of the art world with her confidence in my ability to make something she would be pleased to give as gifts.

Thank you, Fran.

In Her Element (Commission #2)

In Her Element, 8 x 10, collage/acrylic

Elizabeth W. Seaver
sold

This for the commissioner's grand-daughter, a swimmer and singer.

(Though I am absolutely sure she would never compete in a flowered bathing cap.)

Armand at Work

Armand at Work, 6 x 8, acrylic on Masonite

Elizabeth W. Seaver
sold

"Bliss," thought Armand. He cycled around the three rings of Humbolt's Harrowing Circus keeping tabs on piles of poop deposited by Erma the Elephant and the tiger triplets, Hocus, Pocus and Dorcus. Next act, he'd be spotting Boomer the Bear and the snooty dancing horses. Armand didn't mind who was pooping. He loved his job.

The seats were full. Cannon fire in the middle ring made the whole arena shake and filled it with smoke, turning it into hazy perfection. And just because Armand had Poop Detail, the least mysterious job in the whole circus, didn't mean he loved any less the thrill of the ride, the riot of calliope music, and the roars, sighs, oohs and ahhs from the ticket holders.


Whoops--Erma let loose a steamer. He swung by the curtain shielding the acts waiting offstage for their cues. "Surely and Pete, you're on. Big plop dead center stage left," Armand called.

"Aw, man! I'm getting tired of this s**t," Surely whined to Pete, who never said anything. Pete always agreed with Surely. It was easier that way. Pete nodded leaving her behind the curtained area. He moved towards Erma's disgrace: cartwheeling, back flip-flopping, ending with high-flying round-offs. The crowd laughed and clapped. Pete took the pooper-scooper, size large, off his belt, grabbed the pile and flipped it into a large receptacle at the completion of a thrilling set of acrobatics.

Armand watched with envy--ok, maybe there was one job he wanted more than Poop Spotter-- Acrobatic Poop Scooper Clown.

"Tomorrow, I'll start to work on my cartwheel," Armand resolved. "Surely--she can be replaced."

Porter

Porter, acrylic on board, 6 x 6 x 3

Elizabeth W. Seaver

Had he known what a fraught, frightening, freaky Halloween awaited him, Porter would, no doubt, have asked his mother, his father, or even his slightly patronizing, sometimes mean, ten year old sister to accompany him. But he didn't. And even worse, he forgot any kind of candy receptacle. Lucky for him, his "which came first, chicken or egg" costume had capacious pockets. And when those filled, there was plenty of room left between what was Porter and what was stuffing.

But then he thought of something. "I hope I sewed the elastic around my legs tight enough. Hmm. Maybe I should stick my candy all the way into the top of my tights. Yes, that's it." Reassured, he immediately stopped thinking about the time his birthday pinata leaked all that candy--a good thing at a birthday party, but not tonight. Tonight there were ghouls and goblins, princesses and pirates, Captains Underpants and Supermen who would scoop up rogue candy, even if they knew the source of the leak.

Nothing could have made Porter turn his silver bike around and go back home, though he should have, because what happened that Halloween eve changed Porter forever.

 * * * *

Now it's your turn.

What happened to Porter that fateful Halloween night? Leave your creepy, crawly, humorous, spooky, spiteful, monstrous ideas in the comments box.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Wilbur and His New Green Trike

Meet Wilbur. He is a new collaboration between sculptor Tex Forrest and me. Tex got excited about my birds on bikes and one day showed up with a gessoed bird and tricycle. He had carved the bird out of foam and found the trike somewhere exotic, I'm sure.

His part was done, and it was left to me to figure out who this fellow was. It had to be a fellow, 'cause of the comb on his head, right? Well it took MONTHS, but finally he popped into my brain and introduced himself. After that it didn't take long to transform the plain white sculpture into Himself.

As you can tell, Wilbur is a happy fellow. Proud of his new green trike, he took it out for a spin in today's lovely fall weather.

Then, he parked himself back on his shelf at Water Street Studio.

What's in a Name?

Collage/Acrylic, 24 x 24, Elizabeth W. Seaver

This poor new painting suffers from a lack of creativity from its creator who cannot think of a suitable name for her. So far, the file is called, Big Yellow Bird. I ask you, does any painting deserve to have such a generic title?

Help me. Please comment and leave your suggestions for a title. Keep it clean! And, a word of warning: the critters in my paintings don't feed on each other, so I'm not likely to choose a name that suggests anything so violent.

I will send the winner of the title contest a package of my birdie cards as a prize. See below the five designs included in the package.

Thank you for your help in advance. (And my big yellow birdie thanks you, too.)

Grape POPs

Grape POP 1, acrylic, 8 x 24, Elizabeth W. Seaver

Grape POP 2, acrylic, 8 x 24, Elizabeth W. Seaver

Well, this shows how eccentric my cropping was with these two! I have never shown this pair of paintings on the blog before. I painted them specifically for a show about food last spring. They do not really go with the rest of my work, except that I painted the following bird on a bike to tie the two ideas together:

Drucilla, Don't Lick and Ride, acrylic, 24 x 24

Elizabeth W. Seaver

Good advice, don't you think? I hope she doesn't rip her cute tights when she hits that big, bad rock...

Bitsy Picks Her Own

Bitsy Picks Her Own, acrylic/collage, 16 x 20

Elizabeth W. Seaver

Bitsy is entertaining tonight. She uses only fresh local produce for her soirées, and everyone knows that the freshest produce is the stuff you pick yourself.

 

I didn't get an invite. Did you?

Dapper Dan

Dapper Dan, acrylic with a wee bit of collage (can you find it?)

16 x 20, by Elizabeth W. Seaver

Dan is off on his red bicycle to woo his sweetie with wine and flowers.

Party Animal, Too

Party Animal, Too, collage/acrylc, 16 x 20

Elizabeth W. Seaver
sold

Happy New Year, everyone.

Have fun, but be careful. I'll see you all in 2013!

Thomas on a High Wire 28/30

Thomas on a High Wire, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

Life is hectic this morning, and I don't have time to to interview Thomas to find out his story. Will you please do it for me? 

Leave me a comment and tell me one thing about Thomas that I do not know. Right now, he's a blank slate.

Thank you for reading and following my blog, everyone. I appreciate you more than I can express.

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.

River Song 26/30

River Song, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver
Sold

For my favorite singer/songwriter whose creativity flows from a river into which I will never step. Keep making your music.

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!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

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.

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!

3 Panels, finished...

...I think! I had such fun working on these yesterday. I can't help but show them. I painted the sides black, even before reading Tracy's blog about how she paints all her cradles black and likes to hang all her artwork without frames.

Progress on 3 Panels

Several posts ago I showed these three 6 x 6 wooden boxes that I gessoed and collaged with a variety of papers, handmade and recycled.


Yesterday, I worked on them, wanting them to both be a unit as three paintings, but also for each to be able to stand alone. First, I sketched my drawing across the three collages with watercolor pencil. Then I added first layer of paint around the elements.


My challenge will be resolving the elements into recognizable things without losing the cool look of the collage underneath.