ShannonsPortfolio.com transitions to ShannonsStudio.com

I have transitioned my website ShannonsPortfolio.com to

ShannonsStudio.com

which also means I have a

new blog attached to the new website

When I started my website 5 years ago there were not that many great website DIY services. I remember it took me several weeks to figure out how to do it. There are so many user-friendly services available now. Plus, I wanted my blog and website on the same site. I also was not thrilled with my current service provider's brand personality.

So, I decided to make a change.

ShannonsStudio.com is still under construction but enough is done to work with.

Painting - Shatto Milk Bottle

Shatto Milk Bottle - Untitled 35" x 15"

Detail Shatto Milk Bottle

I really liked the size of this painting (35" x 15") and how it's cropped. I loved painting the glass, well, love is such a strong word. It was a challenge to paint glass but I enjoyed it (along with the Farm Fresh glass.) And painting white... ohhh... I do love painting white. I am going to do at least one other one in this Larger Than Life Locals series.

Painting - Farm Fresh

Play the video below to see it come together

Two hours well spent yesterday. Finally.

Small Paintings @ The Great Frame Up in Parkville MO

Here are some of the small 8" x 8" paintings that are for sale at THE GREAT FRAME UP in Parkville, Missouri. Thanks to Eric, Jason, and Randi. They're great people.

The Great Frame Up #591

6325 Lewis St. Suite 115
Parkville, Mo. 64152
816-741-6464

Print of Fortune Cookie Painting in Hillary's Kitchen

It was totally fun to get this photo in my email tonight. Hillary sent it to me of the print from one of the fortune cookies that I painted. A little while ago she responded to one of my posts and I mailed it to her. Just wanted to share and say thanks to Hill for taking the time to do that.

Painting - Naataanii's Hoop Dance, Honorable Mention

Naataanii's Hoop Dance 20" x 30"

Greenhouse Gallery's Salon International 2009

Honorable Mention for Artistic Excellence

Awarding Judge: Daniel E. Greene, N.A.

Video - First Attempt, Oil Painting Jared

This is my first (successful) attempt ever of making a video and uploading it. I am doing a small one here and one on YouTube 

The quality gets better as it goes along. Well, maybe.

Oil Painting Jared 8" x 10" hope you like it.

Free-for-All Friday - Forever, Marriage Metaphor

This is a painting I did a while ago. It is a metaphor on marriage. Obviously the wedding rings represent marriage. Putting 'marriage' on a pedestal shows high regard for it. A pedestal is a support or foundation of which marriage is that for a vigorous, productive society. Classical column design suggests the highest quality and antiquity. A polished river stone to show that over time imperfections are smoothed out by the course of 2 people learning to live together. It also stands for marriage as the basis for the construction of bigger things, one being a family. As well as a marriage can become 'rock solid'. Forever is etched deeply to show the commitment that is takes for a successful marriage and that it can last eternally. Some of the meanings of my marriage metaphor. 

If you see more or something completely different do share.

Mini-Monday Painting - Cause & Effect

3/31/09

I love to push the first domino and watch the series of each hitting the next and falling down. It's pretty predictable seeing how they are set up but not always. Sometimes we stack things up nice and close in our lives and wonder when one thing is whacked why everything else seems to fall as a result. Sometimes you can grab a domino out of the line further down the series and it stops the falling process.

This week's theme is Cause & Effect.

The 1 domino represents a couple and each successive domino things they choose in their lives. The last domino off to the right represents over time a growing family. It happens to show the 2 for my husband and I and the 9 for the 8 children we have and 1 son-in-law. The domino laying down shows inaction, inability and no risk. It's safe. It won't have the chance or opportunity to be knocked down. It also is blank to show emptiness, lack of growth, immoveable on the one hand and calm, stability, and rest on the other. The curvy pattern for the twists and turns in life.

3/30/09 I didn't want you to think that I dropped off the end of the earth so I am posting Mini-Monday even though I haven't finished it yet. It's about half way done. I have a couple of things to do tonight, like pick up my Mom from the airport, and I didn't know when I'd be able to post later. 

This week's painting inspired by having to shop for a car after the car accident.

Mini-Monday Painting - Accident

You'd think I'd do something like spring given the time of year. But, this week's theme is ACCIDENT, since my teenage daughter had a car accident Friday afternoon and our car is totaled. And the other car. So accidents have been on my mind a little this weekend. (She is fairly fine. Very sore.) We spent the afternoon in the hospital for tests. My other daughter, Alisha, flew in the night before to visit for the weekend so she was part of this adventure too. And that is who inspired today's Mini-Monday.

Alisha works in a state mental hospital and is familiar with difficult patients. Because of her aptitudes she is often asked to accompany patients to the hospital. She was in her element when she got in 'work' mode with her sister. It was different to see her in that way. But it's made me think of how helpful it is to have someone who can assist, aid and give relief during times of stress, like accidents.

The painting has folded metal to represent the metal of the car accident. It's a cup because I often think of people as vessels, things being put in and things going out with the ability to store for future use. Alisha is a no frills kinda gal. The X & O to represent the emotional and physical love and relief. Green because of the renewing affect that the aid generates. Not much of a vacation but it was a help and pleasure to have her here especially in response to the accident.

This week's painting inspired by Alisha.

Mini-Monday Painting - Cupcake Jessie

oil 8"x8"

FINALLY! This is a first - Mini Monday on Tuesday. Truth be told I started exercising last week. And it's something that I'm not so fond of and takes me half the day to work myself up to do. So I have not been working my normal painting routine. I may have to change a few things here. But, for today here is the painting. It is inspired by my daughter Jessie. Her nickname, given to her by her great-grandmother is Cupcake. I don't even remember exactly why but that's it.

Most nicknames are given in affection, tenderness or some connection. It's a soft spot someone has for someone else. That's why the soft colored background of spots. The reflective foil surface is reflective because it mirrors the nicknamed's personality. The cupcake is served on a plate because we usually get 'served' nicknames from others. And the circle dragees because it is mostly an inner circle of people that use the nickname. (I actually meant to add a line on the inner edge of the plate to represent that too but forgot until this moment reading my notes - oh well) So, there you have it.

This week's painting inspired by Jessie & Gram

Free-for-All Friday - Eat Rejection Fortune Painting

Actually, there were 2 things that were a toss up to do for Free-for-All Friday. One was to take some of the paintings I consider 'rejects' and give them away today. But, I went through them and they were rejects in the extreme and I just couldn't bring myself to even give them away for free. So that idea worked in theory but not practice so they'll stay in the garage. The other idea which wasn't what I was leaning toward now looks a whole lot better.

When I came across the quote "Learn to eat rejection, it makes you stronger" I just kinda had a laugh and connected with it. I've been wanting to do a fortune cookie painting for myself but the fortune I was going to use didn't motivate me as much as this. I did this little painting a couple of days ago. So for today if you'd like a little 4" x  4" computer print out on canvas or paper (whichever one ends up looking best) then post a comment that you'd like one. This time I'll have to get $4 for package/shipping as these fun things can add up. Just mail it to me.

And thanks for the comments from yesterday I agree with them all, though I've really never tried the batting cages idea. I see the possibilities. 

Mini-Monday Painting - Brush Off

Brush Off                8" x  8"                 oil

For Mini-Monday's Painting I could have gone in all sorts of directions with the topic of REJECTION but I ended up with Brush Off a play on words. It is symbolic of being rejected from exhibitions - particularly 3 shows (hence the 3 paint brushes laying flat) that paintings of mine were rejected from last week. The paint brushes in the can are for shows that I do get into. Rejections and Acceptances are just intertwined in the process. The background is a palette representing the amount of work involved in finishing a painting. The used, chaotic paints on the palette are kinda like the feelings one has when being rejected or brushed off.

Inspired by the 3 Exhibitions that I didn't get into.

Mini-Monday Painting Dreams

Dreams            8" x 8"      oil    

This weeks theme is DREAMS. For Mini-Monday it's a symbolic painting representing dreams. The swirling pattern on the heart is for the swirling of emotions that - as in wishes, aspirations, wild fancies, or hopes - often whirl through us as we dream (like-can I? I can, maybe not, why not?, this is dumb, no one does this, not me,...). A heart for the personal nature of our dreams. How close to us that they are. Things we don't want to tell others. Or that when we do tell others that we know our dream will be safe with them. It's hanging in the open because we expose our vulnerability when other's know our dreams and when we fail or we succeed. Dreams show what we think about ourselves or the world around us. It hangs by a ribbon because of the circumstances that dreams hang on. Sometimes by a thread but at other times it seems like a gift. I chose the ribbon for the gift side of it.

Inspired by my daughter, Leila, who is visiting, and her dreams many of which she has accomplished and the one's in the future.

Mini-Monday Painting - Apple halves

oil  8" x  8"

Today's Mini-Monday painting is an apple cut in half. I will name it later. I think I am having a need for brighter colors lately. Maybe it's the winter weather. I don't know but I like them. I don't know that I'd like these colors larger than this format though. 

I liked the idea of seeds for beginnings because of the obvious. But, apples also have many prior iconic meanings that have tie ins to beginnings. Like Adam and Eve (and the apple) in the beginning, Apple of someone's eye - their favorite, Newton and the falling apple linked to gravity, seeds and Johnny Appleseed who supplied seeds to pioneers, and then there is my favorite Apple (MAC) in the beginning of the personal computer industry.

Well, maybe you have some other connections. Let me know and happy Monday.

Update: This painting is inspired by my Mom who has been there since the beginning for me. 

Painting - Happy Valentine's Day Blog Fam

8" x 8"

Happy Valentine's Day Blog Fam! 

Paton

Leila

Bob

Dacia

Mashaide

Alisha

Daina

Chels

Allen

And even you two...     Hillary and Anon  - what do you two think that I stay up all night:)

Thanks for being with me. (Late for a portrait painting class - GTG)

Update: Thanks to the other bloggers that didn't leave a name I want you to feel the love too.

Mini-Monday Painting

8" x 8"  oil

Free-for-All Friday Exchange, Let's Trade!

This is a study I did a little while ago. Lunch  11" x 18"  My kids are always coming home and telling me what they got and traded at lunch time. They seem to enjoy this little bartering system. They are always pleased and satisfied with the exchange. For Free-for-All Friday I want to do what kids do all the time at lunch.

 

Exchange. I want to trade this painting for something you might want to trade with me. 

Put in the comments what you are willing to trade. It doesn't have to be 'equal' value. Be creative. I'll consider all trades until tomorrow night around 6 PM (CST) then post who I'm exchanging with. Let's trade!

Mini-Monday Painting - New Beginnings

The Mini-Monday painting is New Beginnings  6" x 6"  oil. I actually was really done on Monday... that is until I dropped it. My husband and I were webcaming together apart (he's in Africa) and I lifted the painting to show him. Bam! On the floor. Oh and it had to hit the drawers on the way down. Of course. So I had to fix it.

This obviously is a lousy photo so I will post another one later. (2/3/09 I replaced the photo for one in natural light) And I'll try not to touch it again until dry. Since I started so late, 10:30, I needed something a little simple. I had this little broken egg that one of my daughters brought in. Robin's egg blue is a beautiful color.

2/3/09 Posted this Mini-Monday late last night. Originally titled it "robin's egg blue" which I liked. But looking at it this morning I had different feelings. (As opposed to the feeling last night of just getting it finished.) I thought about the different direction, really a more focused direction, I am going in now with my artwork.  It seems more symbolic of me. It's a new vision about my art and this is apropos - New Beginnings.

Free-for-All Friday Fortune Cookie Paintings

Okay, last Free-for-All Friday I said I was going to do a little fortune cookie painting. And I had a ton of things going on and I really should have picked something else, like the self-portrait paintings we did at the meeting. That would have been what I was doing and easy. Duh! But, I didn't. And I asked for your input and you came through for me. And I didn't do the painting. THAT has bugged me all week. I've thought about it all week, about why it bugged me. And I felt like I walked out in the middle of the conversation. I just walked away without a response. That happens sometimes but it shouldn't happen often. And somehow it has to be made up. I realize that these conversations are valuable to me. So....

I decided to re-enter the conversation. I went ahead and did the painting. But I did one for each of you who added a fortune. (Well, I have one left to finish after this post) This for me is a gesture that shows I appreciate my blog family because I do. 

Wade - "you soon will be blessed with unlimited opportunities"

Jared - "windows error 404, reboot cookie"

Anonymous - "your life is unfini..."

Leila - "the harder you work the luckier you get"

And Tricia - "live simply and simply live"

I did these in a little over an hour (timed myself so I didn't get crazed doing them) so they are just quick sketches but I hope you think they are fun. So, please accept my apology and I will not make a habit of that. That's today's Free-for-All.

I'll mail them in about a week.  6" x 6"   oil