Fizz... Boom... Window Painting!

Every summer I have the opportunity to help out one of my favorite places in town: the Library! The staff just lets me know the general theme of the summer reading program, hands me the clipart, and I get to painting. To be trusted with such an important project is a huge deal, I mean, almost everyone is going to see it so I HAVE to do an amazing job.

I'm quite proud of this year's windows:

Of course, with a science theme I HAD to shout out to Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Check out my previous library windows: 2010, 2011, 2012, and I do believe I forgot to post 2013's. 

It's Summer Reading Program Time Again!

This is the third year in a row that I've painted the library windows for their annual Summer Reading Program decorations. I'm usually just given the theme and a few images ideas and then told to run with it. Every year it gets better and better!

Tired Thursday

Can I tell you how happy I am to see Thursday? I knew with all my projects lined up this week, I would be thrilled to see this day. With painting my studio on Sunday, painting the set for the production of Oklahoma! on Monday and Tuesday, then painting windows on Wednesday, my week has been busy. Honestly, I don't think I would have it any other way. I mean, I painted and made art all week! For pay! How awesome is that?

Here's a little photo dump of what I've been up to:

My buddy Sammie and I took a painting class at a brand new nearby painting studio. We had a great time and we're looking forward to doing it again. 

Here's a photo of the first day of painting on the Oklahoma! set. I love painting large, but this one nearly made me cry. I've got to get better at managing my time.

This is Wednesday's project. A new business is opening on the town square and their logo features a pair of wings. The owners thought it would be neat to have wings on their doors. And they were totally right!

The owner took a photo of me while I was working and I thought it was a pretty good shot! 

Now I can focus on my studio for the next week or so. I'm sure I'll be updating with progress pictures. Keep your eyes peeled. :)

It's Snowing! It's Snowing!

I'm so fortunate that I get hired for things like painting snowflakes at a local restaurant! Being an artist is awesome!

'Tis the Season to be Painting!

These past few years I've been fortunate enough to be able to go crazy on the windows of my work. I just come up with a general idea, run it by my bosslady, and get to painting! Here's what I came up with this year:

A "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" theme! We're advertising the Annual Christmas Talent Showcase, Sounds of the Season. (You can click the Flickr link to see it bigger!)

This is how I prepared for this big project: find How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Youtube, print screenshots of my favorite characters, freehand everything with a dry erase marker on the windows, and paint! There you go! 

All of the painting took about 5 hours total. It seemed so much longer since it was cold and windy. My eyes we red by the end of the afternoon. 

Details!

I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see this whenever I drive by. I've already heard many compliments!

Summer Reading Program Preparations

Just like last year, I was asked to help decorate the local library by painting the windows. It's been awhile since I've painted on glass, and I've definitely forgotten how hard it is to do! The paint is very temperamental, and you just can't treat it like a regular painting on canvas.


Here's some of the clipart I used as inspiration. This year's theme is "One World, Many Stories".


And here's the final product. I have another window to paint around the corner next week. I'll probably add more textures to the elephant while I have the paint out.

I'm almost relieved that there won't be any facepainting at this year's kick-off party for the Summer Reading Program. Last year's facepainting marathon almost wrecked me! 

On My Desk Wednesday

Also Known As: What I'm Working On Wednesday

I feel like I've been slacking these past few days, blog-wise, but I have been busy doing other things, including spending time with family (Cousin and brother came to visit for the weekend), stuffing envelopes (Membership drive for work!), and tattooing (Tattooed my cousin). I'm also trying to fit in some reading time, I miss casually reading novel after novel. This year I've only read a few books and this makes me sad. Oh, and then there's school (Final tomorrow!), and a couple of freelance projects I've been working on. Busy busy!


I'm a big fan of the library and I'm willing to help them anytime. They needed help decorating for the Summer Reading Program and asked if I would paint something on their inside windows. Here's what they got.


I also painted faces at the Kick-off Party. I don't have any pictures from that since I was knee-deep in little kids for two hours, painting itty-bitty marine animals on their cheeks. It was exhausting but fun! It made my day to see their little faces light up when they saw their reflection in the mirror.


Here are two ATCs I made for a Swap-bot swap. I'm trying my best to keep up with mail art/swaps.

All in a days work, right?

New Large Paintings

I enjoy working on a large scale: wall murals, sets for performances, floor to ceiling windows, etc. I don't get to do it often, mostly because I've become better at saying "no", so when I do take the chance to paint big, I have lots of fun.

Both photos are of the tattoo shop. Painting the windows is a fun and (almost) easy way to attract attention to our small business. It only takes me a few hours to whip up a scene, and the paint lasts for weeks and weeks. Unless, there's a really hard rain the day after I've painted, then it slowly starts to peel off.

We've decided we'll change the image seasonally. The first was painted right before February so it's full of hearts and love in honor of Valentine's Day. The second was painted at the end of March. We thought a hula girl would fit perfectly in the middle frame and she did. She's loosely based on the hula chick on Sailor Jerry Rum bottle. I'm sure she's going to stay up for awhile. Perhaps until July? We're already thinking of other awesome scenes to paint and looking forward to the Halloween season!

Speaking of large paintings, I finally hunkered down and finished the peacock painting from my last post. Have a looksie:

It's 24"x48" and I'm so glad to have it done. Now what do I do with it?