Art Show is Up!

[liralen]

On my birthday, my third painting show was hung. *laughs* It's just a small space, at my church, but it's a very nice presentation space, and 10% of the proceeds go to the church.

We're heavily involved in the recovery efforts for the city, and were actually awarded a $10,000 grant for the relief work we're doing, so that we have plenty of materials and tools with which to do it. I love that the mother of one of our congregants got to learn how to use a pneumatic air gun to help. Maybe I should say that anything that's earned from this show goes to that fund?

Anyway... it's always a little crazy getting everything framed, under glass, and matted properly, though I didn't even bother matting the Western style watercolors, since the edges of the paper were beautifully deckled, I just floated them over a background page. And they look so different when they're in their framed best! It always kind of amazes me how they look when they're like this.

It's also interesting to me, at least, that the mix of Eastern Style and Western Style watercolors kind of works with this show, and people aren't expecting just one or the other from me anymore. I admit that the strict disciplines of the Chinese ink paintings gets to me, sometimes, and I throw out a lot more than I show because I wavered with my brush. *laughs* But with the Western style ones, I don't worry about it as much and I just have fun with it. So.... I know what the draw is either way.

If you want to see more detailed pictures of each panel, you can look here: Older Asian, Mostly Ink, Newer Ink and Watercolor, and The Big Paintings.

Comments

[helliongoddess.livejournal.com]

I swear, nothing brings out the green-eyed monster in me like someone who can BOTH write incredibly well (and prolifically) AND has incredible artistic talent! I tried for years to wring some scrap of artistic ability out of my soul, and I think with writing and art both (as well as music, and so many things) I am condemned to a life of "Solieri Syndrome" - I have a great capacity to recognize and appreciate excellence in writing and the arts, but am destined never to rise beyond mediocrity in my abilities. It's really quite frustrating. But at least I CAN appreciate the good stuff - it's better than spending a life watching Honey BooBoo and reading People Magazine! *lol*

But enough about me.... Your art is FABULOUS!!!!! I'm sure your family is beaming, and your church members are gobsmacked. I'm proud just to be able to say, "hey, I know her! She's a friend of mine." ♥ And one of these days when I have the money to pay you a decent commission, I want you to do me one of your Asian ones (your choice of medium) with a white egret in it, and perhaps a lotus or two.

I've FINALLY given up waiting for us to build an addition for my study and have claimed the guest room as my study, and have been decorating it to my heart's content - I think of you when I look at the lovely Shun/Uki picture I found & framed! (I will, of course, take down my porny Saiyuki pics, should we ever have a guest who would find them objectionable - which seems unlikely, given that 99% of my friends at least are fellow anime & yaoi junkies.) At least half of the art in the room is art by people I know and love, and one of your fabulous paintings would be the icing on the cake!

Edit: big congrats on the grant! That's wonderful, and a great acknowledgment of the value of your work. It just frankly amazes me, all the things you DO!

[liralen.livejournal.com]

*beams* Thank you very much!! Both for the congrats on the grant and the lovely kudos on the paintings themselves. I still think of myself as mediocre. *laughs* I'm getting there, though! So long as I keep painting, I suspect I'll keep improving.

Yay for getting your very own space! That's important to do, and it's good to have friends that wouldn't be upset by what you love.

*hugs* Thank you again!! And I'd love to do that egret and lotus pond.... especially now that I've seen a lot of lotus ponds. *laughs*