Poison Tree Frog Painting for the Cushman fund

My latest painting 7"x5" in acrylics - 'Poison Tree Frog'.  I met him in Costa Rica, my last trip.  I painted him life size - which is tiny.

Its a donation for the Cushman Art Scholarship fund run by the Seacoast Artists Guild.  Each painting is the same size and sells for $20 at the Seacoast Artists Gallery at the Market Common here in Myrtle Beach.  All proceeds help fund the scholarships for HS students going to college to study art.

Class Demo - Morning Sun - Part 2

Part 2 of Demo - See earlier post for part 1

flower pot

Last week I painted the background and streaked the glass.  Today I painted the window sill and blocked in the pot.

I used a limited palette of white, ultramarine blue (same as the window), yellow ochre and burnt sienna.

I mixed blue and burnt sienna to make a gray and used that for the shadow areas on the sill.  I used a ruler to sketch in the lines in chalk.  I also used the ruler to guide the brush to get straight lines.  I wipe the ruler off after each stroke.  I used a mix of white, yellow ochre and burnt sienna to make a golden beige for the sill, slightly changing the mix for each of the strips.  I used the gray mix to put the shadow under the pot.  I used white to give a strong highlight on the top of the sill.

I blocked in the pot with similar mixes.  I used more burnt sienna to give a kraft paper/terra-cotta look to the pot.  I used the gray mix for the shadow side.  I used just white and yellow ochre for the highlight side.  I wet my brush slightly more with just a touch of water to help blend all the colors in the pot.  I also put a few strokes of blue and straight burnt sienna in the pot for some variety.

Demo will be continued next week in class.

Aquarium Sketches

Last week Natalie was kind enough to get us easy access to Ripley's Aquarium to sketch for a couple of hours before closing.

These are the ones I did.  Quick sketches - the fish didn't sit still for us!

I did turn one into a postcard size watercolor for the TAE17 twitter exhibit & sale.

I used my artistic license and some other reference photos to make him a better painting.

Class Demo - Morning Sun

One morning I took a photo of the strong sun on my flowerpot on my windowsill.  I like the intense highlights on it.  I decided I did not want the entire window, just the flowerpot.

So I cropped the image until I had what I wanted to focus on.

I used chalk and sketched in the placement of the pot and windowsill.

I used my technique for painting glass.  Paint the background as usual - here the sky is a darker value at the top and lighter towards the bottom.  I added some shadow area that will be cast by the pot.  But mostly ignored the pot and flowers at this point.  I used a softer brush to get a smooth finish.  Glass needs to be smooth for the best illusion.

Then to make it look like glass, I streaked some very thinned white paint vertically to create the illusion of glass.  Don't get heavy handed or else you wind up with birdy doo-doo.  That's not good.  You can use more or fewer streaks to get the look that you are after.  The more streaks the dirtier the glass will appear.

Demo will continue next week.

WACG Feb Meeting with Janet Rodgers - Pastels

Pastel Apple

One of the things that I enjoy about being an artist is having a chance to hang out with other artists and learn something new.  Although lately I have missed many meetings, either out of town or sick, I like attending the Guild meetings.  Sunday was the WACG's February meeting and the guest speaker was Janet Rodgers.  She is a pastel artist and she not only shared her knowledge of the medium, she brought stuff for us to play with as well.  So we did an apple.  This is mine.  

The WACG meetings are free and open to the public.  Third Sunday of the month, 1:30 pm at the Myrtle Beach Art Museum.  Every month is different but always informative and entertaining.

Collectors' Event for Myrtle Beach Art Museum

6TH ANNUAL COLLECTORS’ EVENT

I have donated 'Farmers' Market Fresh' as my contribution to the event.

FEBRUARY 26 @ 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

$125

EVENT NAVIGATION

The Art Museum’s Sixth Annual Collectors’ Event
Sunday, February 26, 2017 5-7 pm (art preview at 4 pm)
Collector’s Café & Gallery – 7740 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach
$125/ticket

The Collectors’ Event is currently sold out. Please call the Art Museum at 843.238.2510 to add your name to the waiting list. 

Sunday, February 26, 2017 will mark the Sixth Anniversary of the Art Museum’s annual Collectors’ Event held at Collectors’ Cafe & Gallery. This fun, fast-paced event is a local favorite – and perfect for every art collector and enthusiast. Each ticket admits the ticket holder and one guest into the event, and one piece of artwork. Each ticket holder receives a “bid-number” that they will use at the event – from 1-100, each bid number is chosen at random. When your “bid-number” is drawn – you are able to choose any work of art that you would like; all originals and valued at $125 or more. “Bid-numbers” are drawn until each piece of artwork is spoken for, and each ticket holder goes home with a new, beautiful and original work of art. Be sure to purchase your ticket and go home with a new, original work of art! For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Art Museum at 843.238.2510, or purchase your tickets online.

New Display at The Art of Art

The Art of Art  - My Section

Yesterday I set up a selection of my art at the new Studio/Gallery: The Art of Art at the Inlet Square Mall in Murrells Inlet here at the Beach.

Thanks to Eugene Eubank for giving me the space to show.  I placed a selection of both my Body Language works as well as some flowers, landscapes and beach scenes.

The mall is trying to revitalize itself.  One of the ways is to offer studio/gallery space to artist at a reduced price.  Several artists have taken advantage of this.  While I have no desire to run a gallery/shop myself, I appreciate that others do.  Eugene has his set up as his working studio as well as shop & gallery space.  I make the 4th artist in addition to him, showing their work.

Go by and check it out!

Gallery Display with the Main Street 10

I have joined the ranks of the Main Street 10  at the William H Miller Studio & Fine Arts here in Myrtle Beach.  I have been part of group shows there and will be having my one-woman show in April there as well.  It is a group of very talented artists.  Come by and check us out.  

Currently the 'heART' exhibit is also going on.  A group of small works at just $50 or less, each with a heart/love theme - some more traditional, some very modern; plus unique cards.  If you want to do something special for someone special - here's your chance.

Room For Many

Room For Many   Acrylics  12" x 4"  

My latest painting.  The 'Myrtle Beach 10', which I am now a part of at the William H Miller Studio and Fine Arts on Main St in Myrtle Beach, is having a show featuring small artwork with the theme  'heART'  from Feb 10th (reception 6-8:30 pm) until 2/18.  

I wanted to keep within my Body Language series.  Mine represents that a heart is large enough to hold as many souls as you would like.  Doesn't matter if they are relatives, family, friends, specials...  they all can fit.

New Publicity Photos

Thanks to Carl Kerridge on Broadway here in Myrtle Beach.  We had a photo shot on Monday and Crystal helped me get this shot ready for my news release and other publicity that will be part of 2017 and my One-Woman Show Body Language.

It was a great experience and the results are outstanding!

--------------------------------------

Carl Kerridge Photography

"You don't need eyes to see, you need vision"

Web | Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Phone | 843.333.1212

The Official News Release for my One-Woman Show

I'm getting excited.  Good thing too because there is so much to do before the show.  However one of the first is to get the word out.  Therefore I am sending out my official news release.  Many thanks to Bill at the William H Miller Gallery for all of his help.  I could not have done as good as a job without him.

Please feel free to pass on this information to others.

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Jackie Stacharowski  at jackie@artistjackie.com

www.artistjackie.com   843-446-5749

Local Myrtle Beach artist Jackie Stacharowski is pleased to announce her One-Woman Show

Body Language at the William H Miller Gallery from April 5-12, 2017.  

This show will feature over 20 of her original paintings that explore both the inner-personal and inter-personal relationships we all experience. She uses color and symbolic imagery to capture emotions that are not usually given visual representation.

The William H Miller Gallery is located at 714 Main St, Myrtle Beach SC 29577   214-632-2809    

Gallery hours are from 1-5 daily. 

The Opening Reception will be held on Friday April 7^th from 6-8 p.m.  

Artist Jackie Stacharowski will present a talk about her work at the Gallery on Saturday April 8^th beginning at 2 pm. 

All events are free and open to the public.

Jackie is available for interviews.  A photo of Jackie and two of her paintings are attached; contact her for more options.

Jackie Stacharowski   -   Artist Statement

I fell in love with the Grand Strand the moment I laid my eyes on it and have made it my adopted home.  As a professional visual artist, my life includes: creating my art; teaching a painting Open Studio at the Myrtle Beach Base Recreation Center; belonging to the Waccamaw Arts & Crafts Guild; displaying my work at the Seacoast Artists Gallery at the Market Common and being part of the Seacoast Artist Guild. 

Always an artist at heart, my love and appreciation for art was fed with trips to galleries, art fairs and museums.  Without formal training, when given the opportunity, I could release the energy to create paintings with vivid colors and a spark of imagination.  Painting is the magic that happens when you apply color to the surface and create an image that mirrors the concept you have in your mind’s eye.

Curiosity steers me:  exploring this wonderful universe of ideas, concepts, objects, creatures and people; figuring out how things work; the fascinating interactions we have between each other; studying how we see ourselves in relation to our surroundings, our thoughts, our feeling and our emotions.  Things that have no easy visual representation.  Figures representing us all, no matter how old or young, male or female, rich or poor, black or white or somewhere in-between.  When you get to the inner gooey-ness, we are all the same. This I paint.

See my work at www.artistjackie.com  Read about my life as an artist at artistjackie.blogspot.com

​Attachments:

​PR_JackieS.jpg   -  This photograph of the artist by Carl Kerridge

PR_Family_Secrets.jpg   -  © 2017 'Family Secrets', Oil Painting by Jackie Stacharowski, 24”x 48”

PR_DifferentPOV.jpg   -  ©2017 'A Different Point of View'​, Oil Painting by Jackie Stacharowski,  24” x 24”

Website Has Been Updated! One-Woman Show in April!

It is now 2017 so I finally got around to updating my website.  After a few technical difficulties - technology moves ahead when you're not looking :) I got it done.

New paintings, new class schedule info, new gallery info...

The next big thing for 2017 is my one-woman show at the William H Miller Gallery on Main St in Myrtle Beach SC.

April 5-12  2017  
Reception will be on Friday April 7th from 6-8 pm.
On Saturday April 8th at 2 pm I will be giving a talk about my art and the show.

Everything is free and open to the public.  I would luv it if you would come.

Happy Holidays!

I have continued my custom of painting my own Christmas cards.  They usually feature my 'Little Crab' and their version of a tree decorated for the holidays.  This year I have highlighted the 'Four Calling Birds'.  If you have ever heard gulls call out to each other along the shore, you can appreciate how appropriate they are for this scene.  Little Crab knows they are looking for a holiday nibble so hiding behind the tree is safe!

I wish you wonderful holidays and a year full of great things!

SAG Member's Show

From Oct 3-18th at the SAG Gallery at Market Common on Nevers St here in Myrtle Beach.  Reception Saturday 10/8 from 5-7 pm, when awards are given out.

I have two pieces in the show.  'Spinning in the Wind' and 'A Different Point of View"

It's a great show.  Gallery is open from 10-6 daily except Sundays 12-6.

Come see it!

A Horse For A Friend

I did a project outside of my usual work as a favor for a good friend.  She had a basket in the shape of a horse's head.  I flipped it over and painted the horse for her.  It is similar to her sister's favorite horse.  I kept the basket natural.  

We both think it turned out very well.

Black & White

"Behind You"  Oils  12"x12"

"SILENCE!"  Oils  12"x12"

These two new paintings will be part of the "Black & White" show at the William H. Miller Gallery & Studio on Main St here in Myrtle Beach.

These are the first in my Body Language series that I have done in strictly black and white.  They are very textural.  I love color and usually have very strong colors in my paintings.  Since I was limited I did more knife work to create the texture.  I used warm and cool grays as well as the black and white.

"Behind You" represents those who are behind you in life.  Not only while waiting in line, but also those that have your back.  Family, friends, authority figures, sometimes even strangers support you.  You may not always realize how much they do so, but they do.  This support allows you to do so many things in life that would be harder if not impossible to do with them there.

"SILENCE!"  represents the times when we have no voice.  Whether silenced by people or culture or religion there are times where we find we cannot speak out.  We need to break that lock and find our voice and speak what we must say.

Reception is Friday 8/26 6-9 pm and will run through 9/3 1-5 pm  Gallery is open daily 1-5

Revision and Another Revision

Ensnared In The Lives Of Others has been brought back to life.  I did the original painting back in 2014.  I was never really happy about the results.  I studied it over the past 2 years and asked others for their thoughts.  

Finally I thought I had a plan and made some revisions.  It was better.  

I am taking a class with Alex Powers and as part of that class is a critique and on Tuesday one of the paintings I took in was this one.  I really like what I heard - not that it was great, but there were issues and a suggestion on how to fix it.

I took it to heart, picked up my paintbrush (again) and made more changes.  

This time I am very happy with the results.  Now I am done - really.  I have found a good place to stop.

first version

first revision

final version

Black & White - The Beginnings

William H Miller Studios is holding a show "Works In Black & White' from 8/24 to 9/3 on 714 Main St here in Myrtle Beach.

I have been toying with a couple of my 'Body Language' paintings in b&w so this is a good reason to get them out of my mind and onto the canvas.  

I had these 2 12x12' gallery wrapped canvases in my studio with abandoned paintings on them and really like the size and shape.  So I gave them a good cover of black and white.  Could not remember if I had done the earlier paintings in acrylic or oils - so I am using oils this time, safe to put over either base.

I used a knife and covered the front and all sides.  No real plan, but I like the what I have so far.

Back to work!

Ensnared In the Lives of Others

Another painting in my Body Language series.  'Ensnared In The Lives Of Others' (30"H x 40"W, acrylics) shows the way our lives are woven together with our family, friends and perhaps others in ways we can never really get away from.

I had originally designed and painted this in 2014 but was never very happy with it.  So after many many hours thinking about it, I finally reworked it and am much happier with the painting.

It has been on my to-do list for a long time.  I am glad its ready to go into the gallery.

Six Steps To An Abstract Painting

An abstract painting is like an instrumental song, even though there are no words the music still conveys mood and rhythm.  There is still structure to the song.  The same is true with an abstract painting - the principles of composition still apply to create a 'good' painting.

There is more than one way to create an abstract painting.  One way is to take an everyday object and remove the distinguishing features to use the composition, lines and colors to create an abstract painting.  You can use as many steps as you need to get to the end.  Back in school one project required ten steps using a chair as a beginning.

For this example, I am using a painting of a Teapot by Paula Zima as my start.  She has a strong composition, colors and lines in her painting.  By attacking one color at a time, I took her image and converted it to an abstract painting in six steps.