I am a pretty lousy photographer but I must admit there was something magical
about the lighting at Las Ventanas. Every corner inspired me.


It is a photographers paradise as well as a tired artist's paradise!


Posted by Picasa
Posted
Authormkm
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6179/490449539ec59d7c7deblo4.gif Mark Ryden's magnificent oil painting
entitled
The Creatrix
What makes this painting so amazing is.... it is
close to 6 feet tall with an incredible amount of fine painting.
The detail is simply mesmerizing.
The hand carved frame picks up on many of the paintings
symbols and is beautifully carved and guilded . Most likely the
frame was designed by Mark and carved in Thailand.
It is just a
guess though.
I saw this at the Juxtaposed show at the Laguna Art
Museum back in September. Check out this web site
to see more cool Ryden pieces!
http://www.wondertoonel.com/
12x15 Oil and graphite on Birch
by Jennifer Winship Mark

This is a wooden tray I painted using Audrey Kawasaki's Imagery. She has an amazing pencil line and light touch with oil. This was an experiment with all these new mediums. It was quick and really fun to try.

6x6 Jessica's Dream Oil and graphite on Birch
by Jennifer Winship Mark

This is en experiment on birch board using an imagininary girl. It is called Jessica's Dream. It is only 6 x6 and was very quick and fun, although a little "rough around the edges".
Margie's Funky Smile is a large 36 x36 acrylic
Jennifer Winship Mark

I did several years ago. I had a blast painting it and I have
wanted to go back and try a few more "funky faces"
but I can't seem to settle on a style I love!

I need your help deciding which direction I should
go with my art......?



Looking out to Sea- Acrylic on canvas 36x24
Jennifer Winship Mark

I love the romance and classicism of this painting
I was thinking of the great American painter, Frank Benson
when I completed this acrylic....................what do you think of
this style?????

These are all part of a collection of 20 charts and 10 stillifes I have just sitting in my studio because I have been too lazy too contact galleries in the last year.



I took some new photos after reading an article in I'd Rather Be in The Studio . I realized some of the blurry crooked photos could be improved.
I am presenting these pieces to the Bronze Coast Gallery in Canon Beach Oregon.

Here is another finished nautical chart painted over with acrylic paint with some added collage elements

I originally did these pieces for the cruise industry. I think they should have great appeal to Northwesterners who love the coastal sports of fishing, sailing, canoeing and kayaking.



I can't imaging how daunting it would be to be sailing like this out in the middle of the pacific.
I included a small excerpt from a sailor's writing that I ran across.....
"Never take the fresh breath of the ocean for granted for the wind can vanish without the slightest hint of where it has gone" This is what is written in the cartouche at the upper left.



This stillife is surrounded by pages torn from the
Gray's Anatomy Book for Doctors.
I have been tearing up my book like a mad woman. I know this must bring great pleasure to many medical students that have spent years slaving over that thick and unforgiving book.



I love working with gold leaf. Laying the light as air leaves down onto my sticky ground is like catching a ghost in honey. I just contacted the master guilder Nancy Thorn to see if I could get some real instruction in this area. There is so much gorgeous art out there covered in gold leaf.
It is not as complicated as it seems, however to be a master like Nancy Thorn takes years.
I need to come up with 3 paintings for an up coming art show entitled "The Artist's Vision" I was inspired by several different artists. These images were found on the amazing site that the artist Audrey Kawasaki has set up fffound

This big eyed girl is an inspiration for another painting. It reminds me of Sas Christian's paintings
This incredible photo is from Delores on the Dotted Line. It is great inspiration for a future painting.
Posted
Authormkm
A pen and ink piece i did to work out the details of my anniversary invitation....
I am inspired to do more silhouettes.



In memory of my niece Kacey(my daughter Michelle on the left and Kasey on the right) who was killed in a car accident heading back to college after Thanksgiving break in '07
she was only 18.....




This was the last photo I took of her.
I think of her every day





A bug's eye view of my dirty yet inspiring studio.


One of my favorite paintings by Sharon Broznan



Posted by Picasa
Posted
Authormkm
2 CommentsPost a comment
This was the view from my hotel balcony in Sienna. No one can see these characters from the street below in fact the only people that can see these guys are the guests that stay in these few rooms.
They seem so less dignifyied with the pigeon "pooh" on their heads.....they seem to have a bit of a sense of humor though.

I am not big into popes but I thought this was the kindest carved face I had seen in all of Italy!
Is'nt pope John Paul?

What a body and I love the crown of thorns (bird inhibitor)



You will be seeing these blackberries in an upcoming painting. They were the only ones I could find still on the vine in late October.

Posted by Picasa
Posted
Authormkm
This was a beautiful shell arrangement in a georgeous hotel in Rapallo. The coral was just spray painted sticks. Great idea!



The views from the unfinished church in Sienna are unrivaled in their breathtaking beauty .
This is a romantic picture of two Vespas having an intimate moment in Sienna.


For such a small store, what a stunning display of color and texture.
Posted by Picasa
Posted
Authormkm

The sunsets in Florence this fall were amazing.













t
This is a beautiful pathway between homes up above Florence


















As soon as he finished his masterpiece it poured down
rain and washed away his masterpiece!














The view of the Arno River from our hotel suite.
Posted by Picasa
Posted
Authormkm
I am currently working on a series of
stillifes and I love these objects and colors.
I had to hurry and photograph these fruits before
they were no longer available.


Posted by Picasa
Posted
Authormkm















Here is a selection of painted nautical charts. I have a series of 25. I take old nautical charts and find something mysterious in the ocean or the coast line and create a collage along with an original acrylic painting. I incorporate compass roses, old stamps and old fish images along with lots of other elements
The images are a visual reminder of what we see on the surface. The nautical charts provide the surface for paint but more importantly, the depth of knowledge that exists in all the information, nautical symbols and graphs and depths.
I am almost done with these pieces, I just need to write my thoughts in each
of the cartouche. This is the fun part that will add humor and certainly a little mystery.
What do you think....any suggestions?



Posted
Authormkm

I Shall Return Limited Edition Print
20 x 18
$600





I just returned from a wonderful 4 day trip to Orange County CA. I visited the breathtaking Roger's Gardens. The beautiful still lifes, flower pots and outdoor gardens has inspired me to paint gardens again.
Right now they have some amazing arrangements that combine a full white hydrangea with a delicate maiden hair fern and variegated ivy all in a beautiful aged basket. The crazy thing is these are running about $165!
Let your "inner cheapskate" emerge and pull together something like this for under $50
All it takes is some very fine ribbon (don't chintz out on this!) A gorgeous basket from Cost Plus and some beautiful potted plants from Trader Joe's.
Inspiration is all you need to pull together a beautiful flower creation.

Juxtapose show at Laguna Art Museum is amazing....too bad you missed it because it just closed.
Ryden's piece is breathtaking.
Check it out.
Turns out the piece is actually owned by a Nike executive in "my neck of the woods". Maybe I can knock on his door so I can come in and drool over Ryden's brilliant brush strokes and amazing finesse with glazing.
This show was epic. The low brow movement is officially on its way into the art history books.
Hey, It is not too late to become one of the original collectors. Sign up to get Copro Nason's show announcements.

Today I am featuring my favorite limited edition out of the 12 that Marco Fine Arts printed

Seed collector Limited edition Print 21 x 18 selling for $650
If you are interested in seeing the rest of the pieces ....just ask.

Life has been crazy here. ..no time in my studio.
I will be finishing the nautical chart series and then moving on to some large canvases of boats and gardens done in a watercolor technique but using acrylic paints on canvas.
I will post a image of my first attempt.

This will be one of my first Acrylic experiments. Isn't this a wonderful scene ? I took this photo on the collector's cruise that Princess sent me on a few years ago.


Wow summer sure gets crazy when you have four kids at home and the sun refuses to shine and acknowledge that it is summer. Needless to say I have had no time to sneak into my studio but I have seen some pretty inspiring creativity around.
Last week we checked out the new digs for the second Collage store in Portland. The store could use a little help in the ambiance area but they had some amazing new products that I plan to try. I ordered an intricate old world nautical stamp to use on my charts art pieces and picked up some DG3 Judi Kins new art gel product! This stuff is great for making charms covered in a deep coat of resin so they have the appearance of laying under a layer of glass. I bought several of the deep channeled charms so I can do my own micro collage charms.

I also dropped by one of my favorite new interior stores Ste. Maine over in the Portland Sellwood antique area. I am in love with the art that they are carrying by x-San Francisco Graphic Designer/illustrator, Manwaring. he is an extremely gifted artist. After many years grinding it out in the serious world he has chosen to move to beautiful Portland. Portlanders are the lucky ones now! It seems he has had beautiful images floating around his head for years and now he has the time to turn them into paintings so we can all enjoy them finally as fine art.

If any one knows anything more about this gifted man, let me know.

I have no doubt that I will be buying one of his paintings in the near future. In the mean time I will continue to be inspired by his fresh approach, impeccable draftsmanship and cool imagery. Ste. Maine currently has a piece that mimics the moving and somewhat disturbing silhouettes of Kara Walker, one of the most gifted artist of this decade.

Posted
Authormkm