Derby Lady

Derby Lady

Love drawing and painting women.  We are all so different and I have wondered how much of who we are is affected by where and in what time period we have lived.  Culture, our age, our families, and social standards all play a role.   So many more options are open to women today yet we tend to romanticize bygone eras.   Maybe it was the clothing, or style that appeals to us.  Most of us assume that life was simpler.  While it is true that the women of the past did not have some of the same worries we have today, I think that they had many worries that never even come into our frame of reference.  Most of us do not worry about the weather and the influence it may have on crops or travel.  We do not have to set aside food for the long winter months.  Starting the evening meal is as simple as flipping a switch on the stove or pressing a button.  We do not have to chop wood, haul wood, light a fire, haul in water just to name a few chores that would have been required to provide a meal for your family.  I am grateful that I live in a time where I can pursue whatever it is that I want to pursue.  I am grateful to a mom and grandma that taught me many of the life skills I would need to survive but most of all loved me for who I am.  I have three daughters and they could not be more diverse and different from each other.  Something I celebrate.  Each has her own unique skill set and personality that makes our family a bit quirky and never dull.  As I worked on Derby Lady I wanted to stay primarily with sepia tones and have the background be a simple white.   She needed just a touch of color and I added in the blue.   Acrylic on Canvas.  16 x 20    Original: Etsy/Studio Quest, Prints; Fine Art America.  

Abstract Impressionism

Lady of the Mist

Abstract Bike

Abstract Impressionism is what I am choosing to call this particular style.  Are we allowed to make up our own name?  While the background is abstract, I did add in something recognizable (thus the impressionism part).  Our neighbors are such good friends and Randy is an artist in his own right.  Primarily creating sculptures and folk art.  I invited his wife Cheri over to play with abstract art one day and we pulled out canvas and paint and just dived in.  We had a wonderful time and she did a great job.  I ended up creating two different works.  I started with Lady of the Mist and used a pallet knife, lids, scraper and brushes to create the background.  Fortunately, acrylic dries quickly and while it dried I moved on to the other painting "Abstract Bike" .  The colors reminded me of traffic lights.  Once the back ground was completed I moved back to the first painting and started to sketch in the facial features.  I used a small detailed brush to complete the work and really liked the mysterious feel that began to develop.  Once I was finished with the piece I moved back to the traffic light background and did not feel that drawing a car would do anything for the work.  I remembered riding my cruiser in town and having to wait for a signal to change.  I sketched in the bike, intentionally leaving it a bit more primitive.   A few days later Randy stopped by and asked how much I wanted for the "Lady of the Mist" , saying that Cheri had talked about it and had a connection with it.   We decided on a trade of one of Randy's sculptures and he personalized the work by making a very unique custom frame for it.   It now hangs in Cheri's office.  Lady of the Mist Prints: Fine Art America.  Abstract Bike - Acrylic on Canvas.  16 x 20.  Original: Etsy/Studio Quest, Prints: Fine Art America.  

Simply Abstract

Shades of the Sea

Here it is, abstract, simply abstract.  I have finally been very happy with just leaving it abstract and not feeling the need to add anything in.  I love the textures and colors.  Having grown up in California and spending as much time as possible on the beach I came to love anything nautical and seaside related.  The colors are calming to me and while I went on in a previous post about not seeing a common thread in my work, I do see that I use these colors quite often.  I had so much fun creating this piece and made a "huge" mess.  I had paint in my hair, on my face, on the ground and even managed somehow to get a nice blue dot on my toe (I was painting outside in my flip flops).   I am not a neat painter to say the very least and desperately need a studio!   My grandson, Zane kept coming over and trying to "help" so he was covered in blue and green too!  The biggest challenge for me was determining when to stop.  I probably re-worked this piece at least 50 times until I was finally happy with the result.  Abstract Acrylic on Canvas.  Measures : 16 x 20.  Original: Etsy/Studio Quest.  Prints: Fine Art America.

I'm Back - Thoughts on a specific artists "look".

For all of you that have been kind enough to check in on me I am finally back.  This past year has been a bit crazy to say the very least.  My garden is now planted, all 25 trees are planted and some of the construction work on our home completed.   For those of you just checking in, we have begun to homestead a piece of property and I do hope to start a separate blog to record the progress.  This however is my "ART" blog,  so I will hush about the homesteading projects.  It isn't that I have neglected my art,  I have somehow managed to create during all the craziness, have been doing demonstrations, judging contests, had exhibits and art talks and taught classes.  I have had the most fun experimenting with some new styles and ideas.  Those who know me well, know that I have had a personal hang-up about creating abstract art.  I could never just leave it alone and had to put something recognizable in each work.  While I also enjoy adding the mixture of elements I wanted to be able to move past my own mental block.  I have finally done it and have created some abstract that has nothing obviously recognizable (although each piece does remind me of something).   I often look at other artists works and usually can see a common thread or "look".  It has bothered me that I can't seem to pin down a specific "look" that I have.  I have decided that I must be a little, yes, just a little, ADD.  I get bored easily and perhaps that is why I bounce around with so many different styles.  My daughter was so sweet and said, Mom, why fight it, celebrate the fact that you have so much diversity.   The reality is, if I try to create only one "look" I will probably get bored and not create as often.   Maybe my "look" will eventually emerge on its own, if so, great.  In the meantime, I will continue to follow my own flights of fancy and just have fun experimenting with different styles.   I am going to try to be more faithful in my postings, no promises, but will give it a good go.  If any of you want to share how you found your own personal style I would love to hear from you.

Playing with Abstract Art

Monet's Garden

I have always loved Monet's Impressionistic Style and the calming effect it has.  While traveling to Napa Valley a couple of years ago, one of the vineyards (Chateau Montelena) had this wonderful pond that reminded me of Monet.  It took me several years to finally paint it but here is it.  It much more "abstract" in feel than some of my other work and I was determined to not get too detailed.  I tried to stick with a variation of greens primarily and used both brushes and pallet knifes to create the work.  Acrylic /  Measures: 16 x 20 on canvas.  Original: Studio Quest / Etsy.  Prints: Fine Art America.

Update Jan. 2015

I realize I have been behind in postings.  We have purchased a piece of property and are in the process of homesteading.  I am planning on doing a blog to keep readers up to date on our progress.  As soon as I have all the pieces together I will include the blog detail information.  I will also include some of my art projects there.  Besides all the construction work I have managed to teach art classes at Sew Fancy, in Livingston, TX on the last Tues. evening of the month, 6:00 pm and now have some of my work in the new art gallery that opened here in Livingston called Across the Tracts.  For the month of January we are planning a European Hotel Watercolor and I am thinking of an abstract acrylic class for February. 

Mixed Media Art with Antique Postcards

Want to learn how to do this?
Art Class Scheduled on: September 14th, 2013    2:00 - 4:00 pm
30.00 per person (materials included)
Choice of 6 different postcards to choose from.
Where:  Frou Frou Galore 26420 Preston Ave, Old Town Spring, TX
Call today to reserve your spot (limited space)  281-459-0711
Artist/Teacher: Tamyra Crossley

The Sweet Life

Pearls of my Heart

No. 6031 Lady

No. 27 Lady

Mermaid

Gypsy Queen

Gypsy Girl

Farm Girl

Evette

Bird Watcher

Ballet Toes

Enchanted Wood

My newest Mixed Media works start with a vintage postcard (some I own and digital downloads can be found in my etsy shop; Ivory Coast www.etsy.com/people/ivorycoast,  others I have digitally downloaded from favorite etsy shops; French Kissed; www.etsy.com/people/FrenchKissed  , MDR Grafix Postcards; www.etsy.com/shop/MDRGrafixPostcards , just to name a few.  I use canvas, scrapbook paper, paint, stamps, ephemera and pens.  I start with a blank canvas (handboard canvas is easier to work with but you then have to frame it or glue on a ribbon and backing piece).  I mix 2-3 coordinating colors together and paint (acrylic) the entire canvas.  While it's drying, I will take my vintage postcard and start collecting coordinating scrapbook papers, stamps, bits of paper ephemera, etc. to add to the canvas.  I used just plain old Elmer's glue, clear, but you can also use a Gel Medium to adhere each layer.  After I glue the back of the sheet I use a plastic putty knife to work out any air bubbles.  I like to start with the largest piece of paper first then slowly build layers.  The last layers are the small ephemera or stamps and then I will either use a stamp and ink pad or hand write areas with a sharpie.  A fun project and great way to preserve some vintage postcards.  Originals for sale at; Frou Frou Galore, in Old Town Spring, TX http://www.froufrougalore.com/
Prints can be purchased at; Etsy, Shop Studio Quest, www.etsy.com/people/studioquest , or Fine Art America, artist: Tamyra Crossley , www.fineartamerica.com , or tamyra-crossley.artistwebsites.com