100 Girls Opening Night

I have been neglecting my blog a tad, i'm sorry to whomever if anyone is out there that actually follows my entries. :-)  There has been so much going on though, i will do a little catch up now and then more to come the rest of this week.

The 100 girls opening night has come and gone!  It is sooo bittersweet, definately one of those nights that i wish i could press a do-over button for. It just went by so quickly and i didn't take as many pictures as i would have liked.  Although there is still hope from my 5 year old photographer Maya, i have yet to see what is on her camera..there could be some gems from the little one's perspective. (i'm hoping!)

Posters of the 100 girls are now available in my Etsy store HERE . they look somewhat like this flyer above, except for i removed the words that are covering the girls and the bottom doesn't have the show's opening night info on it. they are about 11x15inches and only 5 bucks! If you are local you can still pick one up at the gallery. the show runs until the 25th of June, and the gallery is open M-Sat. 1-6pm.

the very creative girls at Gimme Some Shugah made these mini paintings to stick in the mini cupcakes!

♥ my sweets/pink corner ♥

*posing* with artist Rattananan at the show

For the up to date album of pictures from the show, please visit my facebook page HERE

If you are interested in purchasing one of the 100 girls paintings, i'm keeping an album up-to-date with what has sold so far here: Sold Paintings

I also want to express my extremely huge gratitude to a few people who have helped me with this project in some way, or helped made this show possible.  This show had been booked since 2009, these paintings took 365 days to complete. The framing and final preperations have been going on for the past 6 months, and it all came down to one opening night.  So anyway, thank you to...Deanna Bower, Lynn Markley, Patrick Van Zant, Shawn Sibley Athayasay, Diane L. Johnson-Mendes, Rattananan Karinsee...there is much much more who have done things to make this a great show and you know who you are and what you did! 

Also, HUGE thank you to all who attended the opening night or are still planning on going to see the show. I hope that you had a great time at the opening, enjoyed the art, the cupcakes, the wine and the company. ♥

Here's to the FUTURE!!

"Kindreds" arthop reception 5.5.11

the reception for kindreds was alot of fun. it was great to see a bunch of classmates and friends plus meet some new faces.  i want to thank everybody who came by the show and big thanks to all who purchased an item, i thought for a second that i was going to sell out of my merchandise!!  Also a HUGE thank you to Ma Ly and May Lee Lee of Colligo-Studio for having me show with them. they really went above and beyond with the advertising of the show, and i really appreciate everything that they did for me!  Here are some photos of the night as well as some of the new pieces that i created for the show...
"Kindreds" art reception pics

before the crowd ate all the cupcakes and bought up all the buttons & stickers :)

Lorna, from Gimme Some Shugah...provided the red velvet cupcakes. (my favorite)

great photo by: Gimme Some Shugah

the outside wall of the studio. it was definately hard to get a shot of the crowd inside.

me with one of my favorite fresno artists, Ole Scovill who is sadly moving away! :(

with a couple of girls who bought some items from me ♥

my newest painting: "Elemental" 24x30in acrylic on canvas

mixed media 2011

mixed media 2011

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so now, it's time to focus all my energy on the next show...100 girls at Studio 74! i can't believe it's almost here. this show has been booked for almost 2 years. i really can't wait for the opening night!  I still need about 20 frames ranging from 5x7in-11x14in. if you have any extra ornate/vintage looking frames lying around your house that you would like to donate to me (that would be great!!) or sell to me for a reasonable price!  please email me: stephallisonart@hotmail.com

Hello 2011

and noooo way am i doing 111 girls in 2011. don't get me wrong it was fun, but also sooo stressful! Last years project 100 girls in 2010 was definately a huge personal accomplishment and success.  some people say that it's not good to force one's creativity upon themselves. although, normally i would agree with that statement, in my case i felt that i needed to do something extreme in order to try new things and create a style which is recognizable as my own.  there are a few of the pieces in the bunch that i sort of wish that i could replace. (they are not my favorites and i won't say which one's!) But, without them...would i have been able to create some of the ones that are my favorite?  I'm not sure that I would have.  I'm going to be working on creating a flyer that has all 100 girls on it. should be interesting to see them all together in one place.  I'll put that up on facebook when it's done, i'm sure it will take some time to do all the cropping and size reductions. Over the weekend I started to frame some of the pieces...never thought i could get such a HIgh from framing my paintings. It's just amazing to see them all come together and i seriously can not wait for the show in June at Studio 74!

Here are some of my favorite personal art moments of the year....

having a show at The Saroyan Theatre during the Romeo & Juliette Symphony was a great experience. A very different crowd of people got to see my work.

Entered 4 pieces into the cARTalog contest at FCC, and 2 of my pieces won! 1st place and best of show. I won $75 bucks!

my paintings were on display at Urban Ornaments in Clovis for about 5 months. Thanks to them I sold several paintings and merchandise.

My painting "Tangled in the Mangroves" on the cover of The Undercurrent. Huuuuge honor and happy moment. Thank you Miss Kelly Hawthorne for bringing in the article that day to class, or else i might have never got the guts to submit to them.



"Cecilia & The Centipede" painted for 31 girls in 31 days Poison theme. she was one of my breakthrough's with using mixed mediums. ink pen, acrylic, watercolor and gouache on tea-stained paper. I was learning the class/order/phylum of some animals in my biology class at the time too, so the centipede seemed appropriate. This was the first time that i did the detail in the hair, which i fell in love with and have used several times since.

The Without Color show @ Chris Sorensen's Gallery. This ended up being one of my favorite paintings of the year, and it's one of the biggest painting that i have ever sold.  This show also reminds me that Payne's Grey has a blue tint to it, and I will never use it again for a without color show...lesson learned thank you :o)

I was soooo incredibly fortunate to have gone on a whirlwind vacation to Australia with my mom this year. What an amazing experience. Here is myself, Cousin Jane and mom Lynn in front of some art from locals in Melbourne.  Also got the chance to go to the Tim Burton Exhibit and European Master Painters Exhibit. *thank you mom*

This years attempt at a self-portrait. I was feeling very torn at the time of painting this...torn between doing my homework and wanting to paint.  I absolutely hated my Trig class and was failing it too.  i worked on this before class a few times to calm my nerves. Math really irks me. yuck.

The month of October included several events involving The Pink Show. I was so honoured to have been asked by Cynthia Chapman to create the art for 2010's poster. It includes 5 women from all walks of life in front of the historic tower theatre. I'm glad that this was auctioned off to a lady who i know personally and she will take good care of it.

I was also honoured to be able to get the chance to paint my cousin Amanda, who is a cancer survivor.  She lives in Cairns, Australia and it was great to meet her while i was there, she is such an inspiration...i swear that woman has more energy than i do!  I will be mailing her this painting!



Me with Josh Freeman and Linda Lloyd Pitts
Art shows galore at The Treasury!  So much fun and really great to meet more local artists. I love to talk art! I look forward to more shows with them in the future...Thank you Toby!

 


"Kindred" acrylic on canvas

another favorite of mine from 2010.  I love it when a painting sits doomed and unfinished for months and months, then all of sudden gets chosen to be completed and the results are so pleasing to me. I also realized this year, that it's ok to not use 100% color color COLOR. just chill stephanie...use some greys and more black. it calms the soul a bit.



"Dia De Los Muertos" show at City Arts Gallery. That show was sooo much fun. never been a part of show that had that much entertainment. loved every minute of it! (even being told that my painting cost too much by someone that didn't know i was the artist. hehe :o)



"Woodland Girl" 3 color screenprint.

LOVED my printmaking class last semester so much that i'm taking screenprinting in the Spring.  Printmaking is such a different approach to creating a piece...really made me think differently and i loved that.

"Miss Monster" Mixed Medium
I discovered that its "OK" for me to let a little of my dark side out after painting 2 zombie girls for the San Diego Undead show.  Even if Mom's not too into them...hehe.

worked on this project throughout the year...very mentally draining, challenging, rewarding

2010 was a great year. obviously i love to paint otherwise why would i be doing it...but it's also so much more than that to me...it's the most rewarding thing in the world. starting with this blank piece of paper or canvas, totally BLANK...then spending days and days on the creation of this image that comes straight from my mind. it really is a blood, sweat and tears experience. sometimes, i throw my canvas across the room in frustration. (and then i apologize to it).  I get really annoyed with myself when the painting isn't looking like the way i envision it.  Then, I overcome it...and THAT is the moment that makes me feel like i'm floating on a cloud in happiness.  Nothing else gives me that feeling, and i'm honestly addicted to it.  If people like my art enough to come to my shows or even purchase a painting, then that is just so amazing to me.  It allows me to be able to purchase more art supplies, and continue with my ultimate dream...(to be a full-time artist). Fresno has been so kind to me and I know it sounds cheesy but there are people that I want to thank for giving me a chance and making this year such an awesome learning experience -  Sin Chapman (The Pink Show), Marty & Lupe Oftedal @ BeBeO's, Teresa & Barbara @ Urban Ornaments, Toby @ The Treasury, Joe Osejo @ City Arts Gallery, The Undercurrent, Iris Wasabi, Rick @ Gorgon Isle Gallery...there are probably much more that i am blanking on...but you know who you are!

It's New Year's Eve EVE!

Still in complete shock that this year is almost over. I have about a day and a half to finish up this insane project of mine.  I'll have more to say about it once it is DONE.  Luckily I get off work today at noon and tomorrow at 1pm, which will help alot with freeing up some time to complete some of the paintings. I decided that as long as i finish the detail of the girls in the paintings then that is good enough.  there is alot of detail that i want to add to some of the backgrounds of the acrylic paintings that i'm working on, but there is just no way that i'll finish that part of it. especially since several of these paintings are commissioned...they need to be perfect!  I recently discovered a new way of incorporating old scraps of watercolor borders that i had lying around for months.  they always looked cool to me and i thought they might serve some purpose someday...and then it just hit me. *DUH* add them to some new pieces in a collage sort of way.  Here are two new pieces below that i did this with....

"The Seeker" 8x10inches
watercolor, ink pen, acrylic on tea-stained watercolor paper w/ cut-outs of previous watercolor paintings.
This painting will be on display in June 2011 at Studio 74 in Fresno.

"Melody" 8x10 inches
watercolor, ink pen, acrylic on tea-stained watercolor paper w/ cut-outs of previous watercolor paintings.
This painting will be on display in June 2011 at Studio 74 in Fresno.

  Also wanted to include some of my favorite Art Toys of the year! I'm pretty sure that all of these can be purchased from Kid Robot or maybe even SOMOS.  I just love how creative artists are getting with these new toys. Each year i am more and more amazed.  I still have yet to complete my first my dunny or munny. i screwed up at my first attempt, hopefully next year i'll get some done :o)

Tara Mcpherson's take on Hello Kitty...  own this one!

Wyger by: Sam Flores

Sweety by: Stephanie Levallois

Cobbler Dunny by: KADO

ACEO Originals

As the end of the year and the end of the 100 girls in 2010 project approaches i feel many things.  I'm overwhelmed with happiness, anxiety, and determination.  There is just over a week to finish the remaining 15, and at this point the thought keeps popping in my mind...can i really do it?? I definately do not want to half-ass the remaining pieces. The whole point of this project was to improve my abilities throughout the year and develop a style which is recognizable as my own.  I feel like I have accomplished these things but half-assing the rest of the girls would mean that I didn't learn anything right?  In an effort to maintain my sanity  as well as provide several paintings which could be extremely affordable to those who will be attending my 100 girls in 2010 artshow at Studio 74 next June 2011,  I created these 2.5x3.5 (ACEO size) girls.

first sketching, then line work on tea-stained paper

 I love all of them and loved working on them also. Each one is very detailed for being so small, and I think they will be a great item at the show and will probably be around $35 each.  The ideas for all 10 of these came fairly easily to me, and I was able to finish them all in a few days.  I (kind of) wish that I could make the rest of the 15 be this size as well, because that way I know for sure that I could finish the project before my deadline, but that would also be cheating.

The 10 ACEO's

 Above are all 10 of them, and now I need to find some really cute frames that will complement each one. 
The search is on! 

watercolor, ink pen and acrylic on tea-stained paper

watercolor, ink pen and acrylic on tea-stained paper

watercolor, ink pen and acrylic on tea-stained paper

Soooo it's onwards and upwards now...heading to the finish line.  It's so close I can taste it...