Friday, March 7, 2014

My Painting is Ready For The Family Justice Center!

PLEASE READ MY INSPIRATION STORY BELOW.... It Would Mean The World to Me, the Family Justice Center and Preslie!

 
UP CLOSE DETAIL:

  c. Nicole Slater   30 x 40"

Mixed Media Acrylic Painting on Canvas

Title:  "Tiny Steps; New Beginnings"

 


 


To learn about my Inspiration please read here:


Tiny Steps; New Beginnings
Heart Story Art by Preslie, age 8
artwork #19 and Nicole Slater
 
 
 
The Family Justice Center asked local artists to represent a child, through their own art interpretation. The child’s art I chose was a wonderful, heart-felt piece by an eight year old girl named Preslie.

  Preslie painted heart images and as I love to paint hearts…I knew at that moment this was the one I wanted to represent through my art.
 
 

  I started by taking what I believed represented her heart and the new beginnings she found with her new family.

  Art is very special in the fact that you create a feeling and idea by visual rather than a verbal voice. I wanted to make sure I was able to speak Preslie’s thoughts through art, loud and clear.

  With stairs being a negative remembrance in her young life, I felt the need to turn those negative images of stairs around, “up,” instead of “down.” My focus was on how the steps can be a positive. The symbolism of stairs; …representing “moving up in life,” “stepping in the right direction,” “moving forward” and steps into our hearts and reminding us to help others.

  Texture and the movement of Preslie’s painting were important to recreate. I wanted to capture her personality, emotions and healing through the Family Justice Center. As an example, I believe she is full of life with a lot of energy because she used bold, vivacious brushstrokes in her art. Preslie also used layers of paint and crayon in her work….I think this shows that she has wonderful layers in her spirit. The heart-felt imagery was also important… it shows her heart is whole with a bright future.

  My hope for this painting titled: “ Tiny Steps; New Beginnings” is that together with raising money for the Modesto Justice Center, it will also bring hope and joy to the new owners of this art.
-www.nicoleslater.com

-applecheeksgallery.blogspot.com
 
 

My painting for the Family Justice Center is now ready for Purchase, Auction or Placement at the center!
 
Please help our community by showing you care just by buying at ticket for the event.
 
 
 My heart would be overjoyed if you participated
 
Three ways to show you care and support:
 
1. Go to the "Art Walk" March 20, 2014 from 5-9pm @ Chartreuse Muse Gallery, Modesto
 
2. Buy tickets to this wonderful event
 
3. Bid, purchase or donate the art of your choice
 
Date: March 27th 2014
Location: 1625 I Street, Modesto CA 
Time: 5-8PM Open House
Tickets:$20.00 at the door
$16.25 advance
 
Wine, Beverages, Appetizers
 
Tickets by calling : Cindy Schneider  209-525-5134

Show Curator:
Sandra@thechartreusemuse.com
 
 
-Thanks in advance,
 
 Nicole Slater
 
 






Tuesday, March 4, 2014

My Hunky Cowboy Oil Painting...Number 7 of 52 Paintings!

Week number 7 of 52 paintings    
oils on canvas   


This week I was challenged to paint a Cowboy...not just a regular guy, but an amazingly hunky and manly Cowboy!

 Look at all of his amazing life lines and sun drenched face...I think he has seen a lot in his life....this is a real working Cowboy...I can't wait to paint him.

I first began by really looking over his character. What is it that makes him so cool? How can I make him seem life like and still painterly?

I quickly learned that with portrait work it is working-out placement of ears, eyes, etc. and also the uniqueness each individual...some eyes are closer in, some wide apart and so on...

PHOTO
I started by quickly sketching him out in thinned out paint color.  For this I used  "burnt sienna". I then moved on to blocking in under paint colors; using "olive green" in some of the warm shadowed areas (right side of face), and "cobalt blue" in the coolest shadow areas such as (under hat, neck and beard) and "burnt umber" in the cool mid shadow areas (left of nose, eye).

Once I had this all blocked in I began to see a dimensional shape. This was a great feeling but, quickly panic set in...I thought to myself; "I have to make it look like an identifiable face."

I mixed four flesh hue tones from light to the darkest of tones and just started looking at shapes to paint. I think this is the key to paint the shapes not the objects....as I went through and started doing this it somehow seemed to be fun....some shapes were so strange and yet cool to recognize...I never noticed  how many weird shapes are shadowed onto our face! it was like painting a puzzle.By the time I put in these shapes I saw what appeared to be a recognizable face but...like it had bad plastic surgery. Again a little overwhelming feeling began...."now what!" I asked...
                                                           UGLY STAGE


The next day the paint seemed to be "set enough" to start working on it again....I began transitioning one shape to another...smoothing out, adjusting hue, and so on....I can't believe what a dramatic change occurred!! I was thrilled...I was actually painting a picture that looked pretty close to the real guy!


Overall from this experience I learned that portrait work is a challenge and rewarding. It goes through an ugly stage, a fun stage and a "how am I going to get there stage:).Then finally, a WOW stage.


                    c. Nicole Slater   11 x 14"  oil on canvas "Hunky Cowboy " 2014

 I really enjoyed this challenge and found that the finished painting is worth the time and frustrations to capture the persons character "just right."

The slightest character features are so important to capture. They are the essence of who the "person is" through life experiences such as this hunky Cowboy...in this instance "coolness" is his character.

 I think he has lived an interesting and rewarding life...at least it's what I want to believe:)

www.nicoleslater.com


                                                            

More Paintings by Nicole Slater