Blog | Annie Mason

2 min read

That blank canvas doesn't scare me.

Well, maybe. Just a tad.

I haven't done acrylic painting in a very long time. It'll come back to me, right?

Our new house has a lovely fireplace mantel longing for a canvas painting. Here I am, four months into living in our new home. It's time to give that space a painting.

Here we go:

Supplies:

Gallery wrapped canvas by Artist Loft

Liquitex Basic Acrylics Paint Set

Palette with Lid by Mr Pen

Extras: work rags, paper towels, brush cleaner.

Now, the hard part: what to paint. It's in my head. It's one of our favorite vacation spots: Sedona Arizona

I do work from photographs (as many artists do). Our daughter took the photo on a trip out west. Jeep tours are a great way to get up close and personal, gaining a lot of information if you get a good guide. Here's one: Pink Tours from among many others. Or check these from a list: The 6 Best Sedona Jeep Tours

You can see the sky area (although it is subtle because I chose not to bring the dark blue completely to the edge of the mountainous horizon line.

⬇️ Work in Progress

I added cacti to the left foreground; now to fill the empty space.

That space could be problematic. Put something too detailed, and it would take away from the detailed cactus. I decided to keep this area nice and straightforward with the desert sand and earth-toned colors.

Terra cotta Acrylic Paint Set

This set is FABULOUS! Strongly pigmented colors are perfect for this painting!

⬆️

Am I finished?

It is a never-ending challenge for the artist. It's "quite" done. Sometimes, it's a good idea to walk away from a task. I don't consider painting a task because I love it. But like other decisions, it's a good idea to take time and ponder for a moment. "Sleep on it," my grandma used to say.

SEDONA. Vortex and meditation. Oum. Break time.

One day later: 🕰

After careful thought, I decided not to make any significant changes. My style is loose. The image lends itself to a quick, rough pattern with the brush (and a bit of pen and ink), an homage to the grand desert landscape with its rocks, prickly pears, and dramatic sky. So what you see in these close-up pictures is a bit more detail and the use of darks and lights to emphasize the textures.

Now, clean up the sides of the canvas. Since I will not be framing it for placement on the mantel, I painted entirely around the sides. Acrylics dry quickly, but even if it is dry to the touch, it is a good idea to wait about a week before applying a varnish coat to the artwork. For a technical description of the drying process, check Golden Paints Drying

Liquitex BASICS Varnish

Blank wall waiting for a not-so-blank canvas.

Another few days to dry completely 🕰

Ta Da!

Cadnly Faux Succulent Set

MOVA Globe 4.5" White and Gold

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Looks like that blank canvas wasn't so scary after all. Sometimes, you have to DO IT!

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Learn to Paint in Acrylics

Annie Mason

3 min read

Connecticut Artists - Historical and Conceptual

This series introduces artists associated with certain states; this one features the state of Connecticut.

The state of Connecticut has been, and still is, the birthplace, workplace, and/or home of many fine artists.

Like many noted here, the eighteenth century was the flowering and fulfillment for many portrait artists.

Ralph Earl

b. 1751 d.1801

Ralph Earl was born in Massachusetts and established his art studio in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1774 at 23. A Loyalist, Earl refused to fight in the Revolutionary War, and his father’s suspicion that he was a spy for the British led him to disinherit his son, and Earl fled to England. There, he studied with Benjamin West. He returned to his native country after the war and settled in Connecticut, where his patrons, the country gentry, appreciated his straightforward landscapes and portraits, [Smithsonian American Art Musuem]

Like other artists of his time, Earl joined other portrait and landscape painters whose business relied on the country gentleman and their wives who loved the prestige of having a well-known artist capture the finery and status for posterity.

Sadly, Earl had a self-destructive streak and died from drinking.

John Trumbull

b. 1756 d.1843

John Trumbull was frequently called the "Painter of the Revolution." The painting above is one of three that Trumbull painted during the Revolutionary period. All hang in the Rotunda at the U.S. Capitol (Fortunately, none were damaged during the Jan. 6, 2021 riots).

See: Here's the Status of the Capitol's Historic Artworks After Riots

Son of the Connecticut governor, John Trumbull graduated from Harvard College in 1773, worked as a teacher, and then served as an aide to George Washington. Traveling to England, Trumbull also studied with Benjamin West. Encouraged by Thomas Jefferson, he began to work on historical themes. In 1817 Trumbull was commissioned by the U.S. Congress to paint four large pictures that remain in the rotunda, finishing them in 1824.

Frederic Edwin Church

b. 1825 d.1900

Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Frederic was the son of a wealthy businessman. At a young age, he studied with Thomas Cole, a prestigious landscape painter. Frederic began to specialize in ambitious nature scenes, serious enough that he traveled extensively to Columbia and Ecuador, where he painted Cotopaxi. This volcanic scene was thought to reflect the volatile event of the Civil War rumbling through Church's native country.

Alexander Calder

b.1898 d.1976

American sculptor known for his "mobiles" (kinetic sculptures powered by motors or air currents). Born into a family of artists, his work gained attention in Paris in the 1920s. He was soon championed by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Rouge Triomphant [fr{ Triumphant Red 1959 - 1963

Although most famous for these mobiles, Calder created paintings, prints, and miniatures, as well as his work in theatre design, jewelry, tapestries, and political posters. Calder has extensive collections in museums across the world. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously in 1977.

Sol LeWitt

b. 1928 d. 2007

Born Solomon LeWitt in Hartford, Connecticut, "Sol" was an American artist linked to various movements, notably conceptual art and minimalism. He attended Syracuse University and moved to New York City in 1963 following military service in Korea.

Sol worked as a graphic designer for the architect, I.M. Pei, During that period he started concentrating on sculptures of various gridlike axial arrangements of modular white aluminum, wood, or metal cubes.

Working in this vein, he concluded "that the planning of a work of art would always be more significant than its execution as an object." This became a credo of conceptual art, LeWitt wrote in Artforum magazine in 1967.

For his thoughts on "conceptual art," watch this interview with Sol LeWitt conducted by Stefan Römer. 10/2/2004, New York City.

(Full-length version available on www.conceptual-paradise.com)

Living Artist

Fairfield, Connecticut

Susan Newbold

From her artist statement: "My fascination has always been with the organic line of Nature, most specifically, the ocean."

website: susannewbold.com

A sampling of her artwork below:

Books available on the artists in this post:

Pin it, please! Comment below this post.

Annie Mason

2 min read

Home Decorating with pizzazz

A New Year, a new look. Whether it's a whole new makeover or adding a vase to a tabletop, I love giving a room that extra touch, Some "pizzazz" (an attractive combination of vitality and glamour).

We have recently moved and it is so much fun to take an object and find a new spot for it. The links below will help you do just that.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from the links below, at no extra cost to the buyer. I have listed products that are stylish and would perk up any room. Thank you for your purchase as the commissions help with website maintenance.