EBSQ Servers Down....

Just a note to any who might be wondering, it seems that the online art community/site, EBSQ, is currently down due to server issues. The problem is temporary, but my portfolio there (along with those of all other EBSQ artists) is inaccessible at the moment while EBSQ conducts data recovery. In any case I'm sure all will be back to business as usual soon....

September Nibblefest Art Contest: "Ode To Blue"

"Blue Moon Guardian", my 9" x 12' original entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest



What a week! We've had contractors crawling around here for days doing extensive and much-needed insulation work on our ramshackle, century-old home. Lots of noise, fuss and muss, inside AND out -- though all of it should prove very worthwhile once we start seeing what we hope will be significantly lower energy/heating bills this winter, brrrrr. It's always been so bone-chillingly frigid in here during the cold months that I suppose I'll only truly believe it when I actually see it (and FEEL it!). Which ought not be too long now, hard as it is to believe that we are actually at the official first day of Autumn....

Something else that we are currently at right now, is yet another round of the fun and fabulous Nibblefest Art Contest...! The theme for September is 'Ode to Blue'. Well, needless to say, I adore the color blue, so in spite of all the commotion around here I did manage to come up with a NFAC entry. I was in the mood to do something whimsical and fun -- plus for once I actually entered a larger painting this time around, as opposed to my customary ACEO's (click for link to my entry auction)...

My auction description:

A tribute to one of my favorite colors, this unframed ORIGINAL was painted in acrylics on 9" x 12" canvas sheet, and features a lovely whimsical creature, perched on a branch and cuddling her infant under the watchful, trustworthy gaze of a friendly and smiling, blue crescent Moon....

For further information regarding the Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC), I highly recommend reading this really good blog post about it, hot off the Wordpress press as written by my friend and fellow artist/blogger/Nibbler, Sherry Skey (check it out here)....

Happy Nibbling, Everyone...!

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EBSQ's "Ripped Off' Exhbit

ACEO: "Blue Blaze" by Patience


I participated in a fun annual, themed EBSQ exhibit last month, known as the 'Ripped Off' show. To participate, members partner up with one another, choosing from amongst each other's portfolios a piece with which to use as inspiration to create a new, original work of art -- or in other words, a piece to 'rip off', but with express permission of course! (read the prospectus of the show here). I was invited to pair up with the wonderful nature artist, Amanda Makepeace. Agreeing to create ACEO's, the above is what I came up with, based on her painting of a blue bird entitled 'Resplendent Blue'). The following is my artist statement;

.....My partner for this year's EBSQ 'Ripped Off' show challenge was the wonderful nature artist, Amanda Makepeace. It wasn't easy choosing among her many lovely portfolio pieces, but finally I settled upon her watercolor painting, 'Resplendent Blue'.....

As a bird lover, having my own little pet cockatiel for over half my life now, I was attracted to the avian subject matter, in addition to the striking color. I also admired Amanda's simple, understated, and elegant composition, as anyone familiar with my artistic style knows I myself tend toward detail (and often lots of it). Thus I thought it a good personal exercise to attempt her more subtle approach with a simple, unadorned background. Unlike Amanda's bluebird, painted with watercolors in mid-flight with outstretched wings, mine is painted in acrylics looking over its shoulder in a relaxed, perched position -- the same posture that regularly greets me within my own pet cockatiel, every single day.....

All very much fun, and a big thanks to Amanda for teaming up with me! To see her own take on one of my pieces, go here -- she 'ripped off' my 'DragonFly Moon'. I love what she came up with, and because we traded, I am now privileged to possess a beautiful, original work of art by Amanda Makepeace...!

Nibblefest!

"ACEO, Pear Share" (click for auction link)


We are in the month of August. Really??? Seriously how can it already be August, much less the 20th of August? And yet so it is, which can mean only one thing (besides my Mother-in-law's birthday today)...Nibblefest Art Contest!

The contest theme for this month was 'Farm'. Well for whatever reason I didn't think I was particularly inspired by the theme, and consequently stalled and stalled -- and yet when I finally did settle down to work (at the 11th hour), it all came together quite nicely and quickly in spite of myself, and I ended up liking and enjoying what I came up with (will I never learn?). In any case, here is my entry/auction description:

"....A family friend has a wee hobby farm, complete with a small orchard. Every autumn I am invited to head out to the farmstead to pick as many fresh apples and pears as I can manage. With the bounty I prepare homemade sauce and pie filling, canning and freezing up a storm, as well as filling up my dehydrator with batch upon batch of sliced apples, all to enjoy throughout the rest of the year. And so I brace myself -- the harvest season is nearly upon us once again...."

Next month's (September) Nibblefest Art Contest theme is to be 'Ode to Blue'. Interesting enough (-- and perhaps for once I could actually attempt to get my entry done ahead of time...?).....

The Nibblefest Art Contest Rolls Around Again....

An ACEO entitled, 'Catch a Falling Star', the theme for July being "Imaginary Creatures' (click for auction link)...



Nibblefest Time! For those not in the know, the Nibblefest Art Contest (or, NFAC) is a fun and friendly, themed monthly art competition, hosted via ebay. All entries must pertain to the theme somehow, AND be listed with a starting bid of .99 cents. My entry for this month is an ACEO featuring a young woman who, to her surprise and delight, has been lucky enough to catch a fallen star.... (To see all of this month's lovely themed Nibblefest entries, click here)...

EBSQ's 'Art of the Day'.....

Screenshot of my 'Pottery Wheel' as EBSQ's 'Art of the Day'.....

What a nice surprise! I woke up this morning to see that my recent little ACEO, 'The Pottery Wheel' was selected to be featured on the front page of the artist community, EBSQ, as their 'Art of the Day' today -- how lovely! (Apparently the theme for this week's 'Art of the Day' is the nouveau classic quote by Forest Gump: "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna to get.") Well, it always makes me feel a little like a 'Queen for the Day' to be featured as the 'Art of the Day'. Thanks, EBSQ...!

Nibblefest Art Contest for June: 'Things WIth Wheels'

My ACEO entry, entitled 'The Pottery Wheel'....(click for auction link)

I had fun with this month's Nibblefest Art Contest* theme, 'Things With Wheels'. One of the first things to pop into my head upon thinking of 'Wheels', was the art of pottery and the pottery wheel. I've had limited experience with the technique myself -- but my daughter will be taking a pottery class later this summer, and I'm looking very much forward to seeing what treasures she brings home....


(*Nibblefest is a monthly themed Ebay art contest that begins on the 20th of each month, with all entries starting at a mere .99 cents).....