"Desolation Row" (Bob Dylan), My Nibblefest Contest Entry for June's "All in a Row" Theme

"Desolation Row", painted in acrylics on a 6 x 8 found, wooden plaque.

Click for Auction Link

Ay Carumba.  It's been quite long time since I last posted here in my poor neglected wee blog.  Not because I haven't had much to talk about, nay -- more like because I guess it's part of my nature to be on the flighty and sporadic side of things.  I do take lengthy breaks from the bloggery from time to time (some breaks longer than others).  Yet I do always seem to find my way back.... eventually. 

This was a year of adjustments -- new job, new art students, a really and truly miserable winter the likes of which I've not seen since my youth (hello, Polar Vortex!), my daughter graduating high school, college visits, my son shuffling around the country in pursuit of his dance aspirations (with us visiting often in order to see him in action), and just busy family life in general.  For months it felt like I was spinning my wheels just trying to keep up with it all.  Happily, despite the ramping up now of Summer, the pace of life is settling down and it feels like I'm finally hitting my stride again, so it's back to what I love.  And that's Art, people...! 

The above is my entry into this month's Nibblefest Art Contest.  The theme for June 2014 is "All in a Row".  I thought long and hard about the theme.   It wasn't so terribly inspiring to me at first.  But then a classic old song by Bob Dylan, called 'Desolation Row', finally came to mind.  And thank goodness for that because I decided to do a tribute to Mr. Dylan and his epic, 11-minute song/poem.  I really do like this song -- especially the harmonica solo at the end.  Makes me want to take it up!  Sadly, I wasn't gifted with much in the way of musical talent, so that isn't likely to happen anytime soon (probably best if I just stick with the painting and sculpting)....

The following is my auction description:

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"Desolation Row"

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC),  the theme for June being 'All in a Row', features a portrait of the venerable singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, in his younger days.  Painted in acrylics on an 8" x 6" found wooden plaque, it's my tribute his classic song, "Desolation Row".  This original painting is signed and ready to hang.

When reflecting upon this month's theme, 'All in a Row', the epic song of free-flowing poetry, "Desolation Row", by the songwriter and poet Bob Dylan, came to mind. 
The following excerpt of the song was my inspiration...: 

"....Yes, I received your letter yesterday
About the time the door knob broke.
When you asked me how I was doing,
Was that some kind of joke...?
All these people that you mention,
Yes, I know them, they're quite lame.
I had to rearrange their faces,
And give them all another name.
Right now I can't read too good --
Don't send me no more letters, no.
Not unless you mail them
From Desolation Row....."

~Bob Dylan

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View showing painted sides....

"The Bronte Sisters", My Nibblefest Art Contest Entry for May's 'PORTRAIT' Theme

My Nibblefest Art Contest entry for May,

"The Bronte Sisters":

Click for Auction Link

"The Bronte Sisters", painted in acrylics on a 3.5 x 4 found, wooden plaque.

Once again, Nibblefest Art Contest Week rolls around, with May's theme being 'PORTRAIT'.... 

Well, anyone who follows this blog surely knows portraiture has to be among my very favorite things to paint.  Regular readers might also recognize this particular piece from a few months ago, back when I was attempting to follow the last '29 Faces Challenge' (as written about in this previous blog post).  Indeed, though I did fail pretty miserably in my challenge bid that time around, managing maybe only half of the 29 Faces during the course of the month (oops), all was not quite lost because I did come up with this particular little painting at the time, with which I was well pleased....

'The Bronte Sisters' tribute portrait, view to the right side

As I'd explained in my earlier post (linked above), I stumbled across this funny, little wood plaque at a charity garage sale years ago.   Unfortunately it never occurred to me to get a 'before' picture -- but please take my word for it that it had originally been painted in such a way to suggest a rudimentary 'slice of bread', complete with those curvy, carved sides.  Well, while I do like to re-purpose the old found frames and plaques that I find around and about town, the size and shape of this particular one had had me sufficiently stumped for ideas -- and so, I put it aside.  For years. 

Quarter for Size Reference

Until it finally occurred to me during the 29 Faces Challenge when I dug it out that the curvy sides looked exactly like ''heads' and 'necks' to me.  And that despite the plaque's petite size, I realized there was room for three separate faces.  It was then that it sprang to mind to paint a tribute portrait of the lovely and talented 'Bronte Sisters' (while painting on all sides, 'in the round' as it were, for a 3D effect).....

'The Bronte Sisters', view to the Left Side

The following is my auction description:  

"The Bronte Sisters"

My piece for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for May being 'Portrait') is an original arylic painting on a small and curvy, found wooden plaque (3.5" x 4").  Complete with painted sides for a 3_D effect (see pictures for details), my entry features a triple portrait of the famous literary sister team of the 19th Century, 

 The Bronte's:  

Anne Bronte:  (17 January, 1820 – 28 May, 1849), author of
'Agnes Grey' and 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'

Emily Bronte:  (30 July, 1818 – 19 December, 1848), author of
'Wuthering Heights'

Charlotte Bronte:  (21 April, 1816 – 31 March, 1855), author of
'Jane Eyre'

  The Bronte's were a talented lot, but it wasn't exactly an easy life.  Losing their mother at a very young age to disease, losing two elder sisters to more disease, dealing with a troubled alcoholic brother and enduring sexism galore (a cultural norm at the time) in regards to their writing and publishing, they then each went on to get ill in their 20's and 30's and enter into early graves themselves.  But happily not before leaving behind a body of work that remains much beloved and classic reading to this very day.....

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"The Bronte Sisters", a view from the top.....

'The Bronte Sisters', view from the bottom.....



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To see ALL the great 'Portrait'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just click here....

 

"Owlie" Ties for 2nd Place in NIbblefest

It's been quite a long while since I've placed in the Nibblefest Art Contest, so it was a very nice surprise indeed to discover my "Owlie" entry tied for Second this month.  What a hoot (pun intended) --- here's a big shout out of thanks to all my lovely bidders and supporters -- I truly appreciate it!

"Owlie" ties for Second Place

"RedWood" for the 'Artists for a Cure' Community Art Show

Tonight marks the inaugural opening of a local art show, called 'Artists for a Cure', which its organizers are hoping to make an annual event.  Artists here in my locality were invited to contribute works of art, with all proceeds to benefit the American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life of Champaign County".   As a cancer 'Survivor' myself (happily in remission and aiming to stay that way) I was glad to donate.   My offering for the show is entitled 'RedWood' -- a piece I painted back in late 2011 (click to read the background story behind this painting)....:

"RedWood" (8.5 x 10.5) painted on a support I created myself from an old frame

"RedWood", my contribution to the 'Artists for a Cure' local art show

Locals interested in seeing this piece in person make their way over to the Indi-Go Art Gallery, where the show will run through the weekend.   The opening is tonight -- come enjoy snacks and live music and support a great cause....!

My April Nibblefest Art Contest entry (theme: TREES): Meet "Owlie"

It's Nibblefest Art Contest week!   We're smack in the middle of it.

As usual Nibblefest began on the 20th.  With April's theme being 'Trees', I composed a blog post for the Nibblefest blog in order to introduce this month's theme, featuring some lovely Tree-inspired art by lots of Nibblefest Artists (including an older piece of my own).  I then entered myself on the 20th with the following:

"Owlie"  8.5 x 5 acrylic on found, old wood

 CLICK FOR AUCTION LINK

Long time readers may recall I've painted a version of 'Owlie' before, back in 2012, when I participated in the very first internet-wide  '29 Faces' Art Blog Challenge.  I was working on a project at the time by which I was painting 'guest' entries into the personal art journals of my private art students.  Just as a lark, in one of the journals I whipped up a funny-looking-yet-charismatic, anthropomorphic owl/human hybrid:

'Owlie' as I painted in my student's art journal

I recall being tickled with how he (she???) turned out, and have wanted to experiment with "Owlie" further ever since.  With a theme like this month's 'Trees', I figured I finally had my chance. 

(And be forewarned -- I'm rather partial to this wee creature, so it's probably not the last you've seen of little "Owlie")....:

:

The following is my auction description:

"Owlie" My entry for the month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for April being 'TREES') is an original acrylic painting on an 8.5" x 5" found, thin segment of found wood.

Painted in acrylics and featuring a wee and mysteriously winsome nocturnal creature, tree-dwelling and perched upon a branch on a chilly, moonlit evening, "Owlie" is signed, sealed and ready to hang....

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To see ALL the great 'Mushroom'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just click here....

"Aretha's Mockingbird", my March Nibblefest entry and tribute to Aretha Franklin

 

Today, March 25th, marks a very special anniversary.  It's Aretha Franklin's 71st birthday today --  Happy Birthday, Ms. Aretha F....!

View from the side showing painted edges

It also just happens to be Nibblefest Art Contest week (which started 5 days ago, on the 20th).  The theme this month is 'Nursery Rhymes', with the above painting, a little tribute to the venerable Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, as my March entry.  So how did I manage to tie Aretha Franklin into a theme like 'Nursery Rhymes'......?  The following is my auction description:

(Click for Auction Link)

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"Aretha's Mockingbird"

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for March being 'Nursery Rhymes') is a 5-Day auction for an original acrylic painting on an 8.5 x 5 wooden plaque, with painted sides.   "Aretha's Mockingbird"  features a tribute portrait of the singer Aretha Franklin, and is signed and ready to hang.  

"Aretha's Mockingbird", an 8.5 x 5 painted wood plaque

Regular bidders know I often look toward musical influences for inspiration when casting about for my monthly Nibblefest theme ideas.  Reflecting upon 'Nursery Rhymes' this month had me recalling the favorites of my children, which I must have repeated a thousand times over to them through the years at naps and bedtime.  My daughter's favorite was "Hush Li'l Baby" (which she referred to as "Mockybird").  

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word.

Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird."

And now I have a confession to make.  Sadly, I've no talent for singing.  Lacking range, vocal strength or tone, I nonetheless never let that keep me from performing a veritable concert every night for my appreciative children when tucking them into bed. I gave it my best, but still I always had a secret longing for the beautiful singing voice I never had.  Which brings me to...Aretha Franklin.  Now there's a woman who can sing (and how!).  Aretha covered "The Mockingbird Song" back in 1965 -- to be sure a jazzed up version of the rhyme I sang to my kids, but still clearly based on the old folk original.  My entry this month is a 60's-era portrait of Aretha Franklin, a tribute to our reigning 'Queen of Soul'.....

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 To see ALL the great 'Mushroom'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just click here....

Entry for Nibblefest's February Theme 'Domestic Animals'

I did it....!

My February 2013 Nibblefest Art Contest Entry (8 x 6)

I got my Nibblefest Art Contest entry finished in time yesterday, and was able to upload and enter it into the contest last night as a 5 Day listing.  So glad the rules allow for some wiggle room, because sometimes you just need it....

 Auction Link HERE 

Speaking of 'wiggle', I think it's pretty clear the subject matter of my entry this time around -- not a lot of need for lengthy descriptions!  Though I will say, as usual, when this month's theme "Domestic Animals" didn't conjure up a lot of promising ideas for me otherwise, I went looking to my usual 'musical influences' default fall-back.  "Domestic Animals" made me naturally think of 'dogs'...... -- so, just how many 'dog' references can you think of in popular music?    Probably a good many, but the very first one to come to my mind was the classic early rock ditty, "Hound Dog".   Besides, I've been fishing for an excuse to paint Elvis -- always fun to tackle those much beloved, iconic historical faces.  And ayway I figure one just can't go wrong with The King.....

The following is my auction description:

"Ain't Nothin' But...."

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for February being 'Domestic Animals') is a 5-Day auction for an original acrylic painting on an 8 x 6 found, flat wooden plaque.  "Aint Nothin' But...." is signed and ready to hang.

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Regular bidders will know I love looking toward musical influences for inspiration when casting about for monthly Nibblefest theme ideas.  Reflecting upon "Domestic Animals" this month made me think of 'dogs'.  'Dogs' made me think of 'hounds'.  And 'hounds' naturally made me think of.... ELVIS!   (Really, how could I resist...???)

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Note that this also officially constitutes my Faces #13 and #14 of the '29 Faces' Challenge  -- never mind that I have fallen so hopelessly behind by now, I'm still aiming to catch up.  Or try to at least......!