Blog Posts

Painting woes.

11/20/2020

I like to paint on unstretched canvas. I have done that for years. The painting can be stretched later or not stretched at all. Easy to store paintings that way too! Easy to ship!
But, alas the canvas I have purchased lately has been, well, crap. When I go to paint on it, the canvas buckles and warps. I tried taping it to my table and that helps, Sort of, but certainly not ideal. I am used to working on many paintings at a time and if my work table has painting taped to it, then I have to clean house, Oh! The horrors!

This is not good.

So, since I have some cardboard here courtesy of Amazon, I thought I would play with the idea of constructing some art out of that. I am still working on the idea, but these pics will give you the idea!

I wrote a plea to a canvas manufacturer in Texas and I hope they have just what I need. Cross your fingers for me!

One foot in front of the other

9/23/2020

This Covid stuff has made time just slow down for me. I had a while there where I was not painting. Then I got back to painting and the new canvas I ordered had issues and they sent me another 50 yards. Yes, Yards.
This canvas is better but will take me extra steps to get it to work. But I will figure it out.

Then my computer died. Had to wait 2 weeks for an appointment to take it in. Had to drive to the middle of Portland to take it to an Apple store. They said it would be 5-6 weeks before they could get to it to repair it. So I have been stumbling by on my ancient macbook pro. It is 11 years old and it is slow. Really slow. I have to wait for my other one to be repaired before I can upload photos here.

So if you are on Instagram, I post there often. www.instagram.com/helvismith

Photos to come when the starts align!

Together Alone

4/27/2020

Well, who woulda thunk?

I am pretty much used to spending a lot of my time by myself, but I do miss the little social life that I did have.

Lots more Facebook and phone calls lately. It helps.

My art pal, Beck Lane, who lives in Florida, posted on Facebook that she was doing a "social distancing art walk" in front of her place. What a great idea!

So each day I put a painting on an easel on my porch and post it on my instagram page and my Facebook art page.

Come hang out with me!

3/2/2020

I have a new show at a gallery in McMinnville, Oregon - The Gallery at 10 Oaks in March and April.

The opening event has been cancelled, but all the art is there!

I created all new works for the show and they are meant to display in a different way that most art.

The long tall paintings are on un-stretched canvas and meant to hang on clips and I call them "paintestries" as they are similar to tapestries.

They are very affordable at only $200 each and clips are included in the price.

Here is Dan hanging up one for the show!

Oh! What fun to see them up!

The 8"x 10" paintings on the right are all original works and they are painted on peel and stick paint samples. Yep. Peel and stick.
That means you can put up the artwork and then if you want to move it, peel it off your wall, or fridge or window and plop it down elsewhere. These are really affordable at $50 each.

I think they did a good job hanging these up!

This one I painted for a local art show, Knickers in a Bunch, and it will be available at that venue on March 6th at the opening of the show,
Appropriate, for that show, this one is titled - "A Royal Pain in the Ass."

Long and Tall

1/11/2020

I have a big roll of primed canvas and I had a whim to paint tall paintings. Un-stretched artworks that will hang on the wall with clips. Why not?

Black and White. Imagine That.

11/12/2019

I adore colors.

Big bold and bright colors.

So lately I have been painting black and white paintings.

Whaaaa?

It was great fun to play with black and white.

I may do more of those, and I may not...

One great thing about being an artist is the unpredictable nature of it.

OK. You caught me. I added red in there too. heh

Not Painting is a Pain

9/4/2019

Ha.
The joke is on me.
Sciatica has been a major pain and I have not been painting. Been THINKING about painting but that has been about all I could manage.

I don't even want to talk about neglected house cleaning.

I am starting to feel better and have been dipping my toes back in the paint! So to speak...

Digital painting can be done without having to stand or reach.
I have been wanting to figure out how to do faces and I just keep trying.
This one, I like...

Digital painting and painting on canvas with paint are two totally different experiences.
A time and place for each.

This one is a painting that has been mocking me for at least a year.

So I decided to paint over it. Take that you sassy ugly painting!

This is still in progress, but I have a title for it that popped into my head.

"Call the Midwife, Season 19"

Flat is where it's at

5/20/2019

I really like painting on un-stretched canvas. Like, really!
So I am trying something new.
Painting on the canvas and then they will hang off binder clips on the wall.
I am painting up a storm and these flat canvases will be for sale at good prices as soon as I get them all done.

I am having a blast!

Helvi Strips

4/29/2019

I have had a hankering to paint on un-stretched canvas and since I have a lot of that around...

Once this was sufficiently done, I decided to strip.

Strips are for sale! $30 and up depending on the width.
I like hanging them up with binder clips!

Thinking turning into action

4/8/2019

Since I am still recovering from some crappy illness - I have been thinking thinking thinking of what to do next art-wise.

I have had tons of ideas and ounces of energy.

I want to paint bigger like I used to do, and I have lots of canvas that is gessoed and on rolls, like fabric.

I can cut off pieces to whatever size I want and paint away.

But, how to stretch them?

I am going to NOT stretch them and have them be just what they are -- wall hangings.

What fun!

Here is one that is just about finished,

I am thinking I will use binder clips on the top for hanging, then the artwork can easily be straightened by adjusting the canvas with the clip. I will post a pic later of what I mean....

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