My Self-Published ArtBooks Now Available

It's been a long time coming ...... thank you all for the patience. I now have my Painting-a-Day Volumes One thru Eight available. You can preview each book on this main page or go straight to my eBay store to purchase yours.

A note about the books...... for several years now, I've created and published the books thru Apple. Those currently for sale will be the last in that format - in the future, I'll be designing, publishing and selling my books thru Blurb - including the upcoming 100 Faces series.

Thanks to all ~ Karin J

"100 Faces, No. 99"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Holy Cow -- #99. As I typed it, I couldn't believe it.

"100 Faces, No. 98"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

You can see the emerald-green ground color I started on - I had no plans to leave so much of it revealed, but when I got to this point, I loved it, as is. It adds a stern, somewhat graphic, somewhat of a wood-cut effect - I think it works well with the woman.

The tabletop easels sold out again - I assure those who are wanting their own - this is an ongoing project and more will be available as they are completed.

"100 Faces, No. 97"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

"100 Faces, No. 96"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

I l-u-r-v-e this painting.

"Rewards"

8 x 10"
oil on masonite
sold

Back in December, I had short spans of hanging in limbo - in between working and waiting for the closing day of my business. I filled up those times with more of the 100 Faces, which kept me sane and limber and I painted this piece. This past November, I had painted this young woman in a plein-air event in Charleston - and I had this desire to paint her again, from a photograph - I was curious to see how different it would come out. It's also larger than the version I had done in the park that day, which gave me more space to improvise her surroundings. Nice and loose, just the way I love it.

Please click here for a larger view.

"100 Faces, No. 95"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

First - a huge Thanks for your enthusiastic response to the tabletop easels - we sold out already and Brett is starting on a brand new batch right away. And thanks to those artists who left comments praising their easels - it proves that when we have the right tools, we can really enjoy our job. Stay tuned, more will be available very soon.

The man above is a favorite of mine - a good example of how the ground color can play a big part in the final painting.

My Custom-Built Tabletop Easels Now Available

I've painted on my tabletop easel, nearly every day, for over seven years now. I don't know what I'd do without it. Brett, my guy, has custom-built a deluxe version and they are now officially for sale. Quantities are limited - I will post announcements as more become available.

Ten of my Hilton Head workshop painters bought and got good use out of their new easels - you may have spotted them in the photos I posted that week.

Let me tell you a little bit about why I love my easel. It's solid wood and sturdy, you put your panel or canvas on it and don't even think about it. Just paint.

The great features -

The adjustable and removable brace can lock in your panel or canvas from the top or
can lift your painting higher up.

The base ledge is flat with no annoying grooves.

You can easily adjust the angle to what is most comfortable for you.




Temporarily Sold Out - more available very soon.

More detailed photos coming soon.

"100 Faces, No. 94"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Way back when I started the 100 Faces, I knew hair was one of my challenges - how much detail does it take to make sense. It's tempting to overwork it, but the key, I think, is to define it as much as the rest of the painting. Andrew Wyeth's portraits of Helga are a good example - those intimate, close up portraits are so beautifully rendered with tiny strokes of details in the face, the sweaters, the strands of hair - yet, in his looser 'studies' of her, it's more about the setting and the body - the hair is more an impression.

I started adding more patterns in this man's braids and realized I didn't like it. Then it would be all about the braids. If the face was done more realistically, then it would have matched the overall feel of the painting - yet I prefer, with these small, quick studies, a more painterly result.

"100 Faces, No. 93"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

What sorta came over me with this one is using something besides flesh-tones for the skin - same values but different. It was done quickly, with yummy, thick brushstrokes.

"100 Faces, No. 92"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

I just love this guy's face. He made for a great painting.

"100 Faces, No. 91"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

"100 Faces, No. 90"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Happy Saturday. I'm back in my painting chair for the first time in ...... 9 days. Even weirder than that, it's the first Saturday in 31 years and 8 months that my shop isn't open for business - aside from an occasional snow day or holiday. A strong and heroic team of three men and myself just dismantled, disposed, shredded and stored an entire frame shop in seven days - just minor details left and we're done. And I can get back to painting again. I miss it. Terribly.

This guy, above, really has that pastel-like feel to it - a result of a very tired body and mind, meaning I took it slow, kept the brush somewhat dry with paint and made layers of scratchy strokes. A completely different outcome, which I love.

I'm in the homestretch .........

"100 Faces, No. 89"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

I've come to the conclusion that some people can be rendered in minimal brushstrokes - those who have characteristics that speak for themselves - strong bones, angular shapes, etc. I'll go 30 minutes into it and realize what I've done says it all about that person. This guy is a good example of that.

My work just ramped up - the ice is thawing and I've got a big job ahead of me to get my business closed up for good and outta there. As soon as I can take a break, I'll be back with the conclusion of the 100 Faces. Stay tuned, I'll resume, probably, next weekend.

"100 Faces, No. 88"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

As I was working on this guy, it almost felt like I was using pastels. Rather than thick daubs of paint - I thinned it out a bit then used a more dry brush to add detail. Love the results.

"100 Faces, No. 87"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Let me respond to a couple of questions while I'm snowbound ....... I don't anticipate I'll stop at 100. It's been the best warm-up exercise for me in the past few months and I thoroughly enjoy the subjects. With respect to how I choose the ground color for each piece, I should say it chooses me. I paint a batch of boards with all different tones, randomly, with acrylics - when I'm ready to start one, I grab whatever is there. No plan. I just adapt to the color and experiment with what happens. That's a lot of the enjoyment and discovery.

"100 Faces, No. 86"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

This face was painted on the red you see as the shirt - which I kept as is. The angle of this head was a bit tough - I went slower to get it right. No doubt the profiles are tougher than the straight-on shots - this being both. Good practice.

"100 Faces, No. 85"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Atlanta is officially shut down - it's the most beautiful snow day if you're home safe and sound.

This is one of my personal favorites. Again, the mustard tones with reds ...... love that.

"100 Faces, No. 84"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

"100 Faces, No. 83"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

I am very fond of painting on a curry-like ground color, especially for these faces.

"100 Faces, No. 82"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Up until this one, I hadn't sketched out the face first - on the previous 81, I just started painting. I started with the bold orange as the ground, used a black Sharpie and quickly drew the shape of the head, hints of the eyes, nose and mouth and used a more oiled-down paint. I immediately loved the severe nature of the portrait - kept the angular lines and edges, kept a lot of the ground showing through and stopped when I was thrilled with it.

"100 Faces, No. 81"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

I hope you don't get tired of me saying it, but this is one of my personal favorites. The hard part is explaining why - and the comments that are left usually say what I couldn't articulate. A lot of those I particularly love have 'sweet spots', a stroke of paint I left visible (like the dark line at the tip of his nose) that maybe should have been smoothed over, but, to me, makes the painting.

I think the more you paint, the more you build confidence with the decisions you make. You learn to stop when you like what you've done - and not overwork the piece. That's why small studies are essential. They're more liberating, experimental, non-binding.

"100 Faces, No. 80"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

I could have gone further with this - but I really loved it as is. I started on a soft-purple, oddly chose to surround the head with much of the same tones in the skin - I usually opt for a contrasting color.

Announcing a Workshop in November

I held a workshop last November at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina - an awesome location and space that I loved so much, I'm doing it again. The dates are October 31st - November 4th.

Please contact Vince Fazio at the Sedona Arts Center if you are interested in signing up. Details can be found on their website or you can call directly - that information is on the right hand column on this blog. Thank you for considering this workshop, I think you'll really enjoy it.

"100 Faces, No. 79"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Before I run off to work I'll post this new guy. We look at some people and think 'they look like a cartoon' - this man was one of them. I painted him three times. It was a struggle. The paintings just looked like an old most-wanted drawing, something out of the wild, wild west.

"100 Faces, No. 78"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Wakey Wakey - Eggs & Bakey. And a Big Happy New Year to you. I stepped on the scale, successfully gained back 7 pounds and loved every bite of it. But I did lose 57 before that - such is life. There's triumphs - there's failures. There's days you spend hours painting then end up wiping it all off. Every day is a chance to recommit. To pick yourself up and dust yourself off and start all over again.

This year, for me, is a life-changer. After nearly 32 years of running a business, I'm closing up for good. Gratefully, I have this new path to proceed with - truly painting for a living. Freedom that I haven't known since I was 18 years old. More time to paint, travel, teach, experiment - I guess I should include exercise. Yikes.

So...... my January will be devoted to wrapping things up, tearing things up and cleaning up. To keep my sanity, I'll make sure I paint a few hours a day - finish up my series of 100 Faces - then start working on a solo show opening April 21st. I may not have much to say as the faces are posted - just know I'm working at it.

As soon as February arrives - I'll have my artbooks available again, with two new volumes of the small, daily paintings and hopefully, a book of my 100 Faces. Promise. Also available will be the desktop easel you may have seen on my workshop photos - my man custom-builds each one - I've used mine for over five years now, every single day. It's a must-have. So stay tuned for that announcement, as well as the artbooks.

I woke up this morning, first email I opened was from Katherine Tyrrell, the host of Making a Mark - an excellent, if not the best, blog all about art. My painting 'Hands of Time' was given the Best Picture of the Year on an Art Blog. Holy cow. I am soooooo thankful to Katherine and all those who took the time to vote for their favorites. You must know how much it means to be to be recognized in the vast ocean of art. You make me very, very proud.

Make it a good year.

~ Fondly, Karin J