I've been working on this piece for a friend for a while now. It's definitely not something that I would normally paint. It's the Detroit skyline.Hopefully, I will be finishing up with it soon. As you can see it's mid process, but I'm trying to devote most of my painting time to it until it's done.Trying new styles and subjects is hard but good.
Enjoy!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Detroit
Observation
This week I sent in my application for the scientific illustration program. I'm extremely anxious to hear back but relieved that now it's out of my hands. I'm still working on my observation skills and trying to be a little more controlled with my drawing. Time to finish up some close-to-completion paintings this week!
Monday, January 21, 2008
It's about time!
Before the holidays Kristen, Abbey and I decided we would make eachother Christmas gifts as a further challenge to keep creating art. This Friday I finally finished my pieces for the girls. This was my gift to Kristen. Inspired by her food paintings, and the cupcake painting of hers that hangs in my bedroom. It was fun to try to adapt my friends' tastes and style but still make it a "Rachel Sherwood" original.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Sharing Ideas
I'm still trying to get inspiration for my next big body of work.I'm looking at new sources and trying new techniques. I found a magazine with an article about a family and their home and they had a painting in their kitchen that was amazing.It didn't have an artists or title listed.
I emulated the piece and made my own changes and touches as well.The end result is the diptych below. I cannot take credit for the whole thing, but I translated it into a style of my own.I think it's really hard nowadays to make a totally unique piece of art work. We're always taking ideas and bits and pieces from things we see that others have made.Hopefully this painting will lead me to the next big idea.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Thank you
This is a piece I made as a Christmas present and ended up getting a picture of to post. I'm working on a few last pieces for my portfolio to send along with my application to the science illustration program. I am so anxious and nervous and excited, I know that this is what I want to be a part of and I can't wait to get my life moving. Thank you so much to the people who send us encouragement and inspiration every week. Your comments and support are what keep us going and thinking and pushing. Thank you so very much.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Do-Overs all around
One of the paintings I haven't sold is my green bean painting. I really like the colors but it's an awkward piece. I decided to revisit the idea but in a more abstract way. I'm not totally satisfied but I rushed through this one a bit. Check back, I may re-work it some more.
Other than that, things are just rolling along as ever here... I'm just trying to roll with it.
Redo
My post this week is a piece that many of you have seen before. I went back and reworked many areas on this piece. I added a few more layers of color in the background and re blended areas on the vase.I think it added some subtlety that might be better enjoyed in person than from a picture of a picture.Anyway, sometimes you have to acknowledge when a piece just isn't right and go back in and fix it.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Scientific Illustration
The past couple months I've been spending a lot of time thinking about my future. I have always been unsure of what I wanted to do in terms of a "career" and how far to take my art background. I wondered what would it be like to go in a completely different direction; I had gotten great grades in science in high school and have always been really interested in nature. It's so hard to make art a career especially in Michigan it seems. Well I applied and got into the zoology/environmental biology program at MSU which is really exciting. When got to talking to some people about my new plans and ideas it was suggested I look into scientific or medical illustration. I found some fantastic sites and realized it could be the absolute perfect fit for my interests. I could study and draw animals and plants and shells...and get paid for it! So I'm in the final stages of a really long application for a killer graduate program at UC-Santa Cruz for scientific illustration. Finishing up a few more relevant pieces for my portfolio which is how the snail drawing came about. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Featured Artist: Lisa Overholt
My students actually make me create art. Isn't that a little backwards? But with a class period consisting of 2 students, and about 3-5 "troublemakers" kicked out of other hours, we spend a blissful hour of our day talking, drawing and begging " Ms.O" to "...make/draw/paint this..." for them. This particular tiny class consists of a few extremely gifted kids, who are willing to trade work with me.
Teaching is not an easy job, (especially at an alternative high school) but teaching art has been my only career choice since the age of three. I have been making my own art all my life. When I was 10, my grandmother got me into a private art class where I studied under Robert Michmerhuizen for the next 8 years of my life, 2 hours a week. He encouraged my ambitions, and in 2006 I got my teaching degree from Adrian College.
Currently, I teach, paint, and draw. Lately I've been getting into mural projects in the west michigan area as well. The drawings shown have all been sold, but I do take commissions. I am willing to travel to do murals (June through August, of course!)
~lisa dawn overholt
Contact me at loverholt@gmail.com
New Stuff
The piece I made this week is an image that I've been carrying around in a scrapbook for years now. I don't know what it is exactly, but it's unique and unusual. I like to stare at it. I hope you take what you like from it.New year, new stuff, new style.
dirty socks indeed
Okay seriously. Un-inspired enough to draw a dirty sock? That's probably not a good sign.
At least I posted something. I guess that counts.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Happy New Year
I love the idea of New Years. I definitely believe this is going to be a fresh and fantastic year for me. Right now I'm finishing up my commissions for over the holidays. In the rush of getting a few pieces to people right before Christmas, I unfortunately forgot to scan them into my computer so I could post them. How dumb is that?! I do have lots of tricks up my sleeves for this week though, I'm very excited about what's coming up! Stay tuned....
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Changes are Coming!
It's a new year, and with it will come some updates to our page and some new ways to purchase. Next weekend will begin new artwork again, so look forward to that! Happily we all survived the holidays and are looking forward to the year ahead! :)
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