Seasons of Trees

This tree is created with colored pencil scribbles on cut white paper on black paper. I first cut the white paper into a tree shape, spreading out the white paper on the black background paper, glued the white paper down. Then I started adding the scribbles for the colors. I wanted to show the stages of the seasons that the tree goes through during a year. The scribbling was a little scarey at first, but it got easier the more I added. I've seen other colored pencil artists use the scribbling technique that I wanted to try. Specifically John Smolko, the award winning artist known for this technique. This tree is experimental and I enjoyed the process. Maybe I will try another one soon. Right now I am working on another tree, but not scribbling. I will post it when I finish.

September ATC

“Three Apples”
Colored pencil Stonehenge

Beth S. Macre © 2007

This month has been extremely busy because it was the first full month of school. The first couple of months are always very busy trying to get organized, learning new procedures, computer programs, meetings, etc. etc. Plus I decided to paint my kitchen and breakfast room this month. It is mostly done, but I still need to finish up the baseboards and the wall going down my hallway. So, I haven't had much time or energy for completing much artwork. I did manage to complete a small piece (ACEO size) for the ATC trade at ScribbleTalk. So here is my image that I will be trading. "Three Apples" is Prismacolor on White stonehenge.

I have 2 projects on the drawing board that I will post later. Hopefully this month will be more productive, artistically.

Candy anyone?

"Lemon ~ The Chosen one"

Colored Pencil on Stonehenge

3 1/2" x 2 1/2"

Shown here is my most recent addition to my ACEO size colored pencil artwork. It was created for the August ATC trade at ScribbleTalk. August has been a very busy month with school beginning last week, two weeks of in-service before that, and the CPSA exhibition the week before that. So, my artwork has been limited this month. Also the temperature outside has been over 100 degrees plus the heat index in the 110's. Not that I work outside, but any activity in this kind of heat can be draining...especially after working with 140 teenagers all day! Hopefully I will be able to work on some of my art this weekend. I'm beginning to get cranky from not having something on the drawing board. ...plus I have a group art show to get at least one new piece ready for. So back to stare at the blank papers on my drawing table.

Time Flies!

Pen and Ink Home Commission

I recently completed this pen and ink commission for a client. This is half of the original drawing. I have done a few commissions of homes, businesses, churches, and barns in recent years. Some in pen and ink, some in colored pencil.

I haven't been very disciplined in posting on this blog. The summer has been so busy that time has flown by! It seems like just yesterday that I was saying that summer if finally here! But next week I have to return to work/school for teacher workshops. But first I will be traveling to Washington DC to the CPSA exhibition. I will be attending a workshop given by Linda Lucas Hardy and I am very excited about that. Her workshop is on using a sanded drawing paper with colored pencils. I've experimented some with a different kind of sanded drawing paper and like it very much. So I'm hoping to learn alot and have fun on the trip too.

This summer I have been pretty busy with my art. I tried to make it my priority this year. Usually during the summer, I try to paint a room or two. I haven't had time to do that this year. I completed around 15 ACEO size drawings and a pen and ink commission (above).



School will be starting in a few weeks and then I will really be busy! But I plan to continue to put my art at the top of my priority list. So I must learn to set aside at least an hour each day to work on my art. That will be a challenge because working with teenagers all day can be very exhausting! We will see how it goes and I will try to be better about posting the results here.

Baseball Card Series

Well, lately I've done several ACEOs for Ebay and for trading with other artists in a group that I belong to. Some of those have been more baseball subjects. My son has played baseball for many years, so I have lots of pictures to use for reference material, not to mention the actual balls that line the shelves in his bedroom. Here are two of the baseball ACEOs that I have done this week. SOLD

But, I have to decide on subjects for some larger pieces for an artshow that I will be participating in this November. I will be spending some time doing some sketches to get some ideas for compositions.

Baseball Cards

“Flag Baseball Series”
Colored pencil Stonehenge
Beth S. Macre © 2007

SOLD

Well, I've been working on more ACEOs for ebay. For the second batch I decided to draw some individual baseballs in the dirt. Last year I did a large drawing with 9 baseballs, so for the small ACEOs, I decided one ball would be interesting to try. Drawing this small can be tricky, getting it small enough for the card, but big enough to see it. Anyway the 3 baseball cards sold on ebay last week. So I decided to do two more this week with a Fourth of July theme....hence, the Flag Baseball Cards. To see other listings, visit my ebay.

Wine Glass Studies

“Wine Glass & Grapes”

Colored pencil on Black Stonehenge
Beth S. Macre © 2007

SOLD

I love using black paper with colored pencils. I have done several pieces using back stonehenge paper. My most recent pieces on black are studies of wine glasses. I did them the size of ACEOs so that I could list on Ebay. I plan to do some more studies on the black paper, as well as other colors using sanded pastel papers. But that will comes later. I hope to finish 3 to 4 of these a week. Who knows, maybe I will get on a roll and finish 5 to 7 a week. The small ones are pretty fun to do, plus it helps to work out composition and colors before working bigger.