Waiting For Harvest II

                                Waiting For Harvest II - Colored Pencil On Ampersand Pastelboard

I finally finished the second Waiting For Harvest piece and an addition to my Wine Series.  Again it is the same size as the first one (16 X 12) which was Pinot Grigio grapes from the Castello di Colognoli vineyards in Greve, Italy (which is in Tuscany).  These were Sangiovese grapes to be used for their Chianti wine that the family makes at the castle.  And one of my favorite red wines.  What attracted me to this cluster of grapes was the large knobby vine  and it was so large you knew the age of Tuscany was inside and out.  They were very sweet to eat and I believe were harvested just after we left in late Sept. 2009.

This will probably be the last of my wine series as I begin work on a commission piece for a client, that I will post after Christmas so I don't give away any surprises.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday everyone and have some wine it's good for your Heart!  Red Wine that is.
Gloria

Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale AZ - Studio Gallery Representation

Hey Everyone,

I'm so excited to mention that I am now a part of the Xanadu Gallery - Studio Artists Gallery, in Scottsdale AZ.  Go  here  if you'd like to see my gallery page.  I'm proud to be accepted by them as J. Jason Horejs, gallery owner has been of great help to me in getting my art career off and running.  He has a wonderful book "Starving to Successful" which has valuable info for artists.  His father and artist himself John Horejs, has been represented by Jason's gallery for many years.

I can't wait to see what happens with this new exposure.

I just finished my Waiting For Harvest II and photos are to be taken soon for updating here.  And I'm starting on a new commission work for a client as a Christmas present.  Lots of prep work and composition work on this one to be done before I put any pencil to paper.  But this may have to wait until after the holidays to post on the blog.  I don't want to ruin the surprise.  How's that for keeping you coming back for more.

Enjoy your day and I'm back to the sketch pad.
Gloria

Nectarines And Wine

                                          Colored Pencil on Ampersand Pastelboard  16 X 20

In Getting ready for my showing at several of the Wineries and Wine Festivals this year here is the second Still Life finished last week just before Powhatan's Festival Of The Grape, our local wine festival.  Turn out yesterday was somewhere near 7500 - 8000 wine lovers, and great weather.  Not bad for such a small rural county in VA.   My most local and newest art association Fine Arts Of Powhatan had our 2nd show at the festival.  I donated my tent and screens for the event so Powhatan could see the fine artists in their midst.   I myself had my 3 recent wine themed paintings there, this one included.  It's a good thing it didn't sell because I hadn't had it photographed yet.

It of course is on pastelboard and finished with UV Archival Varnish to protect it like all my other pieces on this board.  I did get the usual comments of "That can't be colored pencil!"  This still life was set up in my kitchen on my granite countertop with a few nectarines I had around with one of my favorite blue wine glasses.  A pale blue draped fabric covered the background board which I thought was a nice complimentary color to the yellow of the napkin and the Fess Parker Chardonnay (which I love).

Now on to my last of the series, for a while, which has to be done before my next winery show.  I'll leave you all in suspense, but realize that since I've started my "part time day job" to pay for this Art Habit I have it may not be a short wait.  Now back to coloring.

Gloria

Additional Painting To My Wine Series

                       Waiting For Harvest 16 X 12 Colored Pencil On Ampersand Pastel Board

In full swing of Art Festival/Exhibit Months, it seems my goals to get new work completed for the Wine Shows to come meet with distraction on a daily basis.  I attended the Exhibit at Glenview Mansion in Rockville, MD on Sunday of the CPSA (Colored Pencil Society of America) Disctrict Chapter in DC, of which I am a member.  The mansion is a beautiful and artsy place to exhibit with so many shows going on besides ours.  I have three paintings in the show and received nice comments from the other members on them.  A must see if you are in the area.

Now for the painting seen above, it's finally finished and I'll do another similar with red grapes soon but it will have a distinctly unique feature, stay tuned.  Both of the references for the 2 grape harvest pieces are from my 2009 trip to Castello di Colognoli, in Tuscany.  This of course the white grapes on the vine waiting for the harvest, thus the title.  The photos were taken late in the afternoon just after dinner and the warm setting Tuscan sun was setting.  The feeling of being there comes back to me as I work on these, remembering the sweet taste of these white grapes.  But I've started a wine still life to give me a break from all the grape drawing, and Still Life are one of my best sellers.

I've got frames to order and at least 2 more paintings to finish by then ......so back to it.