Thoughts on Veterans' Day

I thought of all the veterans who served the United States in various wars and have been mostly forgotten or ignored by society. Thanks to all of you! I hope we will be able to give back what is (over)due you one way or the other.

Gen. Petraeus may have succumbed to human weakness but it is not for us to judge him. He served his country and its people well and he deserves respect for that.  And for that, we should be grateful.

Blue Mood and Indecision

 

Blue Mood, which had been selected as Nude of the Day for May 4, 2010 and October 7, 2012 at Barebrush Gallery, was again selected as Nude of the Day for November 11, 2012. You can vote for your favorite nude of the month and curator’s choice at the following link:

http://barebrush.com/NOTM/Archives/NOTM2012_11.php?calendar_nbr=0

Indecision, which had been juried in as Best-of-the-Rest at Barebrush Gallery for March 29, 2012 and for May 27, 2012, was chosen for November 30, 2012. To vote, here is the link:

http://barebrush.com/NOTM/Archives/BOTR2012_11.php?calendar_nbr=2

Having been selected three times by different jurors, both will be “retired” from the calendar competition at Barebrush Gallery.

Hurricane Sandy

The Washington area is bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy.  It started raining last night but the weather forecast predicts very strong winds and several inches of rain.  Hopefully, there will be minimal property damage and the power stays on.

I wish I could neutralize a cold, rainy day like this by creating some colorful art on canvas but I have a terrible cold and a sore throat to boot.  I don't feel like doing much except watch the trees sway with the wind.  Oh well.... 

Blue Mood - Vote for Nude of the Month

Blue Mood, which was chosen as Nude of the Day for May 4, 2010 at Barebrush Gallery wa selected as Nude of the Day for Oct 7.  Voting ends soon so please vote for your favorite nude of the month and curator’s choice at the following link:

http://barebrush.com/NOTM/Archives/NOTM2012_10.php?calendar_nbr=0

Buy Now!

Good news! My website has a Buy Now option for my artwork through PayPal. Check it out!

Art By Cynthia Angeles

Early Light

Oil on Canvas, 17" H x 21" W

Bokid Collection

I have to share this with you. My niece, Pamela, and her family sell a beautiful collection of hand-woven fabrics and rugs made of natural fibers from the Philippines.  In addition, she creates beautiful one-of-a-kind jewelry.  Check it out:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bokid-Collection/276698695772244

The Bokid collection is available at Le Decor Francais, 1006 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10021.

http://www.bokidcollection.com
http://www.ledecorfrancais.com

Artist Talk

I recently attended an artist talk in a local gallery.  Three artists spoke about their processes, inspiration, significance of their work, etc.  It was quite interesting to hear what each had to say.  I left asking myself what I would say if asked to give an art talk.

I have given brief speeches during a couple of solo exhibitions before.  The direct questions from the audience helped me explain why I painted a certain piece or what stories lie behind some paintings.  Most of the time, though, it is difficult to articulate why I painted this or that.  Inspiration seldom visits and can be elusive.  Committing something to canvas is hard work.  For me, talking about it is even harder.

October is Filipino American Heritage Month

I am participating in the Brown Strokes on White Canvas (BSWC) exhibit at the Philippine National Multicultural Center from Oct 1 - 31, 2012.

7500 Livingston Rd, Oxon Hill, MD 20744 

Tel: 301-567-2280

Opening Reception: Sunday, Oct 7, 2012, 4pm - 7pm.
Please join us at the reception or see the exhibit at your convenience. 

No More Art Festivals For Me!

I have participated in three art festivals so far.  Each time, I had my own booth or table.  Although I have sold in those occasions, it was a lot of hard work.  The preparation had to be well-planned since I don't drive and had to rely on my husband or friends to drop me and my "wares" off.  I tried to pack the minimum paintings (and easels) so I didn't have to struggle carrying them from point A to point B and back.

The setting up could be fun and challenging as well.  Some experienced vendors bring their own folding tables and chairs to take best advantage of their space.

One other thing: people would easily buy jewelry or pottery but paintings (or even prints) are a hard sell.  The most difficult part for me was sitting alone, fighting to keep the bugs off me (they love me!), waiting for prospective customers to approach and buy.

Sure, it is always nice to people-watch but you can only do so much of that.  It gets boring after a while.  I think I will give the art festival a miss next year.  

I can't draw like a child!

I just finished writing a short book for children. Although the main character is a little boy, it is based on snapshots of my childhood in the Philippines. It needs to be illustrated but no matter how much I try, I can't seem to draw like a child.  The drawings I produced were not appealing at all.  Hmmmm.

Art in Bookhill Bistro, Georgetown DC

A friend and fellow artist, Elba Molina, and I hung our paintings at Bookhill Bistro in upper Georgetown (1639 Wisconsin Avenue NW) yesterday afternoon.  Mori, the owner, was kind enough to give us a free rein to hang our art on his nice walls.  To DC residents, please drop by (the bistro is open every day except Mondays) to sample the good food and wine he offers and to see our art.  The patio is lovely, especially at this time of year.

http://www.bookhillbistrodc.com/

17th Street Art Festival - Washington, DC

The 2012 17th Street Art Festival will be held on Saturday, September 22nd, from 12 - 6 pm on 17th Street, between P Street and Riggs Place NW.  I will have a booth there so please come, browse, and people-watch.  It should be fun (weather permitting)!  I plan to show some of my art and my sister's one-of-a-kind jewelry.  Mark your calendars!

OPTION TO BUY!!

I was advised by an art consultant to put up a "Buy Now" button in my website to give readers the option to buy a painting, print, or note cards.  Since I do want to sell my paintings, I am considering adding a "shop" to my website.  Will let you know when it is set up.  In the meantime, please check out my website and let me know if you have any suggestions:

http://paintingsbycynthia.com

IT'S BEEN A WHILE!

I've been blogging exclusively in my own art website (paintingsbycynthia.com) but, I guess, my reach is wider in blogger.com, so I'll do both.

I have not been painting much these days because of various reasons.  I've been busy with personal commitments and also wanted to reduce my inventory of paintings before creating some more.  The last two canvasses I painted were Tsunami (my latest attempt to do an abstract piece) and Voices of Hope (a tribute to the women in the Middle East).

I usually paint what I feel.  Although I want to sell my art, it matters not whether what I have created is "saleable" or not.  What really matters is that I have committed to canvas or paper what has inspired me in the first place.
 

How I clean my paint brushes and palette knives

An artist should know how to treat paint brushes and palette knives with care.  From the class of Ed Furuike in Honolulu, I learned how to paint with a palette knife and how to clean it. I first wipe off the excess paint in a newspaper or an old phonebook page, then clean it with a baby wipe sheet.  Works like magic!

When I'm finished painting with my brushes, I dip them in turpenoid and blot them on newspaper or paper towels.  Then, I clean each brush with Lava soap and rinse it clean, then rub it on Octagon soap to soften the bristles.  Rinse thoroughly and let the brushes dry upright in an empty container.  Taking care of your brushes and palette knives will assure a longer life.

New Art Website

I have transferred most of my posts to my new WordPress website (http://paintingsbycynthia.com).  Please check it out and let me know what you think.

Dune Shadows Update

I mentioned Dune Shadows in my post of 12/27/11.  It is now hanging on the wall of our friend's home in Oswestry, UK.  It looked very much at home there, I must say, and complemented the rest of her decor. 

MY NEW ART WEBSITE

Just to let you know that my art website http://paintingsbycynthia.com is up and running.  Matt Howell of Webbrewers.com converted my Office Live Small Business Website into a WordPress site and I'm really pleased with it.  Do check it out! 

More Apologies!

I am sorry it is taking time to get my art website (www.paintingsbycynthia.com) published.  It is being reconstructed by webbrewers.com.  I have seen it, worked on it, and it really looks cool!  I will let you know as soon as it is ready.  Thanks again for your patience. 

Do I Want to Exhibit?

Of course, every artist wants to exhibit his/her artwork.  But I am no longer that keen about getting to exhibit in galleries.  A male artist I met didn't seem to care much about it so I asked how he sells his paintings and he said nonchalantly, "Just word of mouth."  True, not many artists actually sell during an exhibition but I was touched by his attitude.  He was more animated talking about what paints he uses than where or if he sells his work.  A true artist, I thought.