Live Wedding Painting: Leevon & Daniel

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to create a live painting at Leevon & Daniel's wedding that took place at the Salem County Fairgrounds. Leevon and I have always supported each other, she has participated in my painting parties and I have been a sponsor for her agricultural fundraisers. I was honored to have the opportunity to paint at her wedding!

Even though I am familiar with the fairgrounds, I met with Leevon the day before her wedding. I wanted to visit the ceremony sight and confirm what she wanted to include in her painting. I also took some reference pictures for the background.

The day of, I arrived at 2:30pm and started to set up and sketch out the painting. I began by painting in the ground and horse stall doors where Leevon and Daniel would be standing in front of. Since the ceremony was brief, I took reference pictures of the bride and groom for the painting. Looking for special moments between the couple is so much fun to capture and recreate in the painting.

Directly after the ceremony, I went back to work as the guests were enjoying cocktail hour. I was situated near the entrance for the reception which was perfect because it gave everyone an opportunity to see my painting evolve throughout the evening. The humidity in the air made the paint very tacky which was a bit of a challenge. However, I used it to my advantage in the sky to create the textured clouds.

The wedding was so much fun! I had some family and friends attending, so it was nice to chat with them throughout the evening as I worked. Below are my Instagram story pictures of the painting progression.

If you are getting married or would like to gift a couple a live event painting at their wedding, please contact me to set up a consultation. Email is the best way to get in touch with me: kimberlydenglish@gmail.com

Be sure to check back for the final reveal of their painting!

The beautiful bride, Leevon, and I

With my cousins Molly and Chloe

Taking Time for Family

I took a short break from art the last eight days as my sister-in-law, Windi, and my four month old niece, Brooklin, stayed with us. My brother, Brandon, works on a professional NHRA Funny Car drag racing team and was racing on the east coast so the girls flew out to spend time with him as well as visit with our family.

Over the past week we did short little trips around our area. We fed the chicken's at a friend's farm, picked raspberries, went to the Cohanzick Zoo, the local Amish Market, drove around the back lanes of my husband's family farm, and went to a few different ice cream stands. We had bigger plans in mind but three kids on different schedules and Brooklin NOT liking to travel in her car seat, we compromised and stayed local.

This past weekend I also hosted a luncheon for my family to come meet the baby. We had lots of delicious food and the festivities turned into an all day event. We spent time eating, talking, swinging and picking raspberries. It was a great day!

I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend so much quality time with Windi and Brooklin. We had a lot of laughs and really enjoyed being together. It's definitely a visit we won't forget! Below are some pictures from our adventures.

Dads & Grads Sale!

This week I am having a sale for Father's Day and Graduates! Use the coupon code: DADS&GRADS at checkout for 15% archival prints, canvas prints, framed prints, furniture, greeting cards, pillows, and wall hangings. If you are local, be sure to select free pick up! Click here to start shopping!

Canvas Prints

 Framed Prints

Greeting Cards

Pillows

Why Landscapes?

I first began to paint when I was in college studying to become an art educator. At the same time, I also had just started dating my husband. We spent a lot of our dates on tractors in spinach or hay fields and on his four wheeler exploring his family's farm. I would take my camera along to capture the sights of our adventures.

The photographs from our time together served as subject matter for my college assignments. Learning how to paint using the landscapes from special places and moments that I had experienced really helped me connect to the painting process. I had a better understanding of the structures and lighting I was trying to render rather than if I had found a picture on the internet. I created the image while I was in landscape which greatly helped me recall the conditions of my surroundings (i.e., the dry texture of the ground)

Now, 9 years later, most of the pictures that I take are either in our yard or the fields surrounding our home. Where I live provides endless inspiration! I am so lucky to have so many beautiful scenes right outside of my door. Since I am a stay at home mom it is very convenient to walk out the back door and find a landscape that can become a painting while my children are taking their naps or tucked in to bed at night.

My paintings all have special significants and stories about that particular point in my life. They serve as an autobiography and illustrate the landscapes that have shaped who I am. Having the opportunity to paint my surroundings and have people not only recognize the location but also connect with it provides me with so much fulfillment.

Below are some of my first paintings that  I completed in college as well as pictures take from around our home.

"Watson's Mill Road" - Acrylics on Canvas - 9" x 17"

Completed for a college assignment

"Wilson's #601" - Acrylics on Canvas - 22" x 28"

Completed for a college assignment

"Any Given Sunday" - Acrylics on Masonite - 15" x 21.75"

Completed for a college assignment

Painting Progression: Distant Vista on Shirley Road

When I was contemplating what to paint, I had just finished an intensely detailed commission, "One of a Kind", and wanted to paint a subject that was less structured. After looking through my reference pictures, I decided to call upon my photographer friend, Don Macavoy. He takes amazing photographs and happened to have a beautiful sunset of a local scene which he granted me permission to use.

I was attracted to the color shifts in the sky as well as the varying shades of blues in the foreground. The barn and silos' shilouttes against the vibrant sky depicts Salem County's magnificent, unobscured sunsets that regularly occur. I enjoy photographing and painting sunsets because I am always amazed at not only the range of colors but how quickly they can change! If you take the time to watch, in a matter of moments you can witness the dramatic display of the color spectrum as well as the glistening glow of the sun as it descends into the horizon. I hope this painting inspires others to pause and experience this beautiful phenomenon that happens everyday.

"Distant Vista on Shirley Road" - 11" x 14" - Acrylics on Gessobord by Kimberly English © 2017

Painting Progression Video

Arts in Bloom Site #6

This past weekend was my 5th year exhibiting in the Salem County Arts in Bloom Studio Tour. This year was special because it was the first time I was at my house as my own site location. In previous years, I have exhibited at my workshop studio at A Whole New Light, and at Janice Chassier's Gallery Under the Oak Tree.

I began setting up my display on Wednesday. I wanted to use the display system I purchased from a Massachusetts photographer (read more about it here) inside our garage. I first had to shift things in order for the display to fit. My goal was to have the display components setup by Wednesday, hang all of the artwork and stage the setup by Thursday and tie up any loose ends (print out missing tags, price items) on Friday.  Despite the heat, everything went according to plan!

Friday evening I held a preview/opening reception event where I invited a few clients and friends to attend. It was a relaxed gathering where visitors could look at the artwork, talk, and enjoy some wine and desserts. We lounged on the straw bale couch and watched a distant lighting storm. It was the perfect way to start the weekend!

Saturday morning as I began to set up, visitors started to arrive around 9:30 AM. There was a constant flow of tour goers throughout the day including neighbors, farmers, friends, students, and art enthusiasts who I hadn't met before. I had so many wonderful conversations and even witnessed one of my paintings captivate and move someone so much, they cried. It was a powerful moment. I even sold my painting, "The Meathouse". It was an amazing day!

The day started slower on Sunday which gave me an opportunity to take some video of my set up and post on Facebook for Arts in Bloom (I am the Volunteer Social Media Coordinator for AIB). By lunchtime, visitors began to arrive and I was busy for the rest of the afternoon! I had several people return from the previous day to discuss private art lessons and commissioning a piece of artwork. Fellow Pitman Gallery & Art Center member artist, Eileen Meehan Ziegler and Ro Mansfield came to my site. They were so nice and I look forward to collaborating with them in the future! 

My aunt and cousins came down from Kennett Square to see my display. They ended up staying for dinner after the day had ended. It was the perfect ending to a successful event!

Overall, I had a phenomenal weekend! I had over 100 visitors between the two days and sales that far exceeded my expectations. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the support I received! I am excited to get back into the studio and create new works of art for next year's Salem County Arts in Bloom. Special thank you to my mom and student, Audrey, for helping me throughout the week with the kids as I setup for this big event. I couldn't have done it without you!

Sharing Another Artist: Bethany Ann Clare Krowsoski

This week I wanted to share another artist: Bethany Ann Clare Krowsoski. I stumbled across her on Instagram a few years ago and have been following her ever since. She is a high school art educator with a Master's in Special Education and is also an avid painter from Erie, Pennsylvania.

When I first came across Bethany she was creating photo realistic acrylic paintings of orchids and koi fish on canvas. She has since expanded her portfolio to oil paintings and trompe l'oeil of Luna moths on classical literary pages.

I admire Bethany's artwork for it's beautiful details, strong compositions and dramatic lighting. Her dedication to her studio painting while working a full time job as an art educator is truly inspiring. I know from experience how difficult that can be. Below are a few examples of my favorite work: 

"Deep Magenta" - 12" x 12" - Oil on Canvas - prints available

"Zen and the Art 1" - 18" x 20" - Acrylics - Original and prints available

"Speckled Orchid"- 12" x 12" - Acrylics - Original & prints available

Luna Moths on Classic Literary Pages - Available at Wicked Pittsburgh Art Collective and Charity

Be sure to follow Bethany with the links and contact information below

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bkrowsoskiart/
Instagram: @bkrowsoski
Website: https://www.bkrowsoski.com
E-mail: bkrowsoski@gmail.com