A New Painting in the Cell Series

Cell No.22, Acrylic on Canvas

Where do ideas come from?

The diversity of nature from microcosm to macrocosm can be a vast source of inspiration.  It has been a source of inspiration for scholars, scientists, and artists throughout time.

Biomimicry is a new term I just learned.  It can simply be described as copying nature.  But it's more than just copying, it is the scientific practice of studying systems and elements in nature to come up with new man made inventions inspired by nature.

Video of nature used as inspiration by biologists and engineers at UC Berkeley.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnBkbaFsZOY&feature=player_embedded&noredirect=1

Art Student Finished Painting

My student finished the first painting she has ever painted!  She did an excellent job!!!  I'm not sure if you can see it, it's probably too small, but the photo she referenced is in the background above the painting.

Anna with her finished painting (acrylic on canvas)

A Photograph for Inspiration

Photographer: Jeremy Russell

An Art Lesson on How to Paint

Acrylic on Canvas

I've been giving art lessons to a lady who wants to learn how to paint "abstracts with feeling" in 3 or 4 lessons. A tall challenge for the amount of time. It's taken me 10 plus years to figure out I really love to paint the human body abstractly...and I'm still learning.

Her Experiment With Texture

The first couple of meetings we explored the elements of art like line, form, color, repetition, balance, movement, proportions, etc. For the third class (today) she decided she'd like to paint a female form instead of what she originally thought. We used a picture and the grid system to lay the proportions correctly on the canvas. She only had enough time to put the wash (a watery application of paint) on the canvas. This is such a hard but good lesson for beginning painters. I've found that beginners think the first brush marks are the last. Most people don't realize how much working and re-working goes into creating.

She has done a really awesome job...especially for her first painting. I'll post her progress after she gets done working next time.

Abstract painting and technical painting are worlds apart. I won't get off on this tangent now. It's a separate topic for a future post.

Easter Egg with a Surprise Message

Photo by: Photologic, Jon Nicholls

I know you have tons of extra time on your hands and are feeling crafty this Easter. To satisfy your urge I came across this cute fortune-cookie-like surprise message in a egg. Find the photo tutorial here.

Licensed Painting: Cancer Cell No.15

I was so excited to have my painting featured on the cover of Journal of Oncology Navigation and Survivorship in February. To top it off, the following month I received this email message, "We took the premier issue of our publication to a nursing show, and the nurses walking by would see the cover, stop, pick it up and marvel at it. I discussed it with my supervisor, and we would like to use other examples of your work for all the remaining covers this year."

Woohoo!

PS. This painting is still for sale:  $500, Acrylic on Canvas with Beads, 24 x 18 inches. Get it before it's gone.