Today

TSL - acrylic study for an oil painting later

Today was one of those days I was tired, no energy.  Not just tired, but t.i.r.e.d - tired.  Like I am too tired to even tell you how tired I am.  So I will simply post this image for you, a quick 30 minute study for a later painting, and wish you and yours well.

The obvious is that which is never seen until someone expresses it simply. -

Kahlil Gibran

Loving Wax Seals

image source HERE

Ever the romantic, I still use fountain pens for letters (and drawing) and love a well written letter.  Email has taken all the fun out of letter writing, but I have a plethora of fountain pens and pen nibs, a couple bottles of ink, and one seal which I use from time to time.  

image source HERE

Quodlibet - 1675 - oil on canvas by

Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts (fl. 1660–1683)

Was he really just 15 when he painted this?

 I am so enamoured with the above painting and would love to know what was written in the letters.I just get a thrill viewing this still life, what better photograph could you get from 1675!

More information on sealing wax and this painting may be found HERE.

Anyone else still use fountain pens, bottled ink and seals?

Loving CDS



image Castro Design Studio, LLC

I would adore having some spaces like this to display art pieces. 

I've mentioned Rodolfo Castro, of Castro Design Studio, previously on this blog.

His calm spaces are such a respite from the fast pace world we live in.

This would be perfect for paintings, pottery, glass, iron, sculpture, etc.

The possibilities are endless.

 

Pin It

Loving Children

A precious child walked into the work area where I was concentrating on a nude subject.

It was too late to do anything about it.

She paused a moment, then enthusiastically exclaimed,

"I have a great idea!  You should draw people with clothes on like I do  

... I can show you how!"

And she did.

Haste

Warning Signs

Genius advertising for College for Creative Studies.

It is a mystery ...

 image source found HERE

... why old posts from this blog are finding their way into subscriber's in-boxes!  How annoying and embarrassing for this to be happening time and again.  My one consolation is learning I am not alone ~ I just read about this from another blogger apologising to her readers about the same thing.  I am giving serious consideration to blogging from my website in lieu of this blog, and if I decide to move forward with that at some point I will give notice here.  Thank you for your understanding.        

Peaceful New Year

Wishing you and yours

a new year of peace and abundant love.

(image via Pinterest)

Pin It

Living

I am eternally thankful for every second of my life, and for anyone who shared

 a moment with me, no matter how small.

  

Irving Penn



photo - Irving Penn

"A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it; it is in one word, effective."~ Irving Penn 

(June 16, 1917 – October 7, 2009)

Pin It

Black and White

TSL - chalk and charcoal on paper

The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter - often an unconscious,

but still a truthful interpreter - in the eye. ~ Charlotte Bronte

Art in Glass - Art in Nature



my mother's glass (above)

this evening's sunset (below)

art in glass, art in nature

 

Take a Serious Second Look at this Work - Merle Axelrad Serlin

"I create landscapes made from thousands of tiny pieces of fabric.  Fragments of woven color and texture are carefully arranged, layered, pinned and sewn together.  In my fabric collages, I distill a place to its essence, and to this end each piece of fabric is carefully selected to make an individual contribution." ~ Merle Axelrad Serlin  read more here on Merle Axelrad Serlin's artist website

"Merle Axelrad Serlin, a smiling, attractive, vivacious architect turned artist, works with fabric to produce landscapes of stunning color and texture, many of them employing thousands of tiny bits of cloth no larger than a quarter of an inch in size. Working from composite photographs and sketches, she spends hundreds of hours on each individual image, transforming what has been regarded as a traditional craft into a serious art from, through the application of a technique she's perfected over many years."  ~ via Artworks Magazine and writer James Cameron read more of writer James Cameron's Artworks Magazine article on Merle Axelrad Serlin's work here

Merle's work is exhibited in public spaces, museums, and collected privately.  Fabulous video (click HERE .)

Castro Design Studio

My mind this rainy evening takes me to the elegant and warm spaces created by Atlanta's Rodolfo Castro.  Ever since I've seen his work I haven't been able to brush the mental images from my mind.  I just feel so good when I view the images of his website portfolio.  Rodolfo Castro of Castro Design Studio, LLC, surely will always be an all time fave, so enjoy, and stay warm.

  Pin It

Evelyne Politanoff on Chiara Fersini



Chiara Fersini

Wonderful Politanoff article with images on Huff Post -

Read More HERE 

Friday Fun - Kristine Mays

View this video on Kristine Mays and see my Friday art crush.

Untitled III

 

Untitled III

minimal - may be vertical or horizontal

42x53 a/c

Do not be too timid and squeamish....

All life is an experiment. 

The more experiments you make, the better. 

 ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pin It

Untitled II

Untitled II

36 x 48 acrylic on canvas

may be vertical or horizontal

There is always a certain peace in being what one is,

in being that completely.

~ Ugo Betty

Pin It

Untitled I

Untitled I

24x48 acrylic on stainless steel

click image to enlarge

Be like the bird that, passing on her flight while on boughs too slight,

feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings.

~ Victor Hugo

Pin It

Mr. Bark

I couldn't sleep.  I decided to draw.

This is Mr. Bark.

Tina Steele Lindsey

I enjoyed this painting as part of a fun project I worked under for one of Atlanta's fave designers, Claire Watkins of Claire Watkins Interior Design.   

Claire will be featured in the winter on HGTV.

Commissions

The beauty of having a fine art abstraction piece commissioned is that is often wish it can be based upon a treasured object or colors in the home which inspire its owners. This residence is streamlined and contemporary, and the wish was for the painting to reflect the the feel of the room.

Sold 

Photographer Parish Kohanim, Atlanta

Parish Kohanim

Another fabulously gifted and graceful soul is Parish Kohanim. 

How exquisite and beautiful his work is. 

Click this LINK to get to his website. 

Just as it is ~

"One day you will ask me which is more important, my life or yours?  I will say mine and you will walk away not knowing that you are my life" - Khalil Gibran

In the middle of creating this painting, the individual who commissioned it came through the door: “Oh-my-gosh I just love this - it is perfect!”  I laughed explained I had not taken it to the place I was heading; a little punch up here, and a delicate movement there, and a splash of accent color there, etc. is where I was headed.  “No, don’t I love it just as it is!”  So I put down my brush.  :-)
30x40

Chestatee Commission - unavailable

From the House of Edward

One of the most charming blogs I've ever come across is hands down From the House of Edward  by Pamela Terry.
If you are not yet familiar with Pamela and Edward stop everything now and check out this beautifully enchanting blog; you will definitely wish  to join the throngs of people who follow this gifted writer.  Pamela is one of those rare individuals who received an extra dose of grace and talent when she came into this world, and we are so thankful she shares her gifts with us.  Art abounds on this blog, and so does Edward.  Edward?  Edward, too, is heaven sent.

Victor Denfrey Steele Impressionism ~ No Hard Edges

Victor Denfrey Steele

Next time you are in a gallery or museum take pause when viewing Impressionistic portraiture.  If you are not an artist and new to viewing art, here is an example of what to look for in this style painting. 

Click on this first image, it will enlarge and you will easily see what Impressionism is all about, there are no hard lines. 

Note the edge of ballerina Buffy Miller's leotard;  soft, not a hard line against the light blue background.  Note her skin against the background; soft, not a hard line against the background.  Paint is applied gently by rocking the edge of the loaded paintbrush back and forth along an edge.  

Victor Denfrey Steele

 Next view the lower image and note how the entire painting views at a distance.  Clearly there are no hard edges in the entire painting, including where the floor in the background meets the wall. 

I adore this painting, one by my dad, for its great examples of composition, value and ~ soft edges. 

Tina Steele Lindsey on Drawing Leslie Neilsen

Tina Steele Lindsey

 I always considered the perfect neighborhood as one filled with comedians to keep things lively. 

Leslie Neilsen would have to live in that neighborhood, not a week goes by I don't say, "~and don't call me Shirley."    I was thinking about Leslie Neilsen today and knew I just had to draw him. Laughter is the best medicine.Thank you, Leslie, for your good medicine.

For more information on Leslie and his wonderful

career, click HERE

Pencil and charcoal on paper. 

Tina Steele Lindsey on Drawing Gauguin

Tina Steele Lindsey

I drew Paul Gauguin from a photograph taken of him in Paris in 1894, from the book Gauguin, by Lesley Stevenson this morning while having coffee.   Black and white photographs are fabulous to draw from as light and dark values are so obvious.  For me my goal in a drawing is to capture the likeness and mood over perfection in realism, although the latter always a plus.  This was a quick study done with water soluble graphite pencil 
 

Gauguin - Paris 1894

Honoring Hironori Kawabata

As our hearts and minds are focused upon Japan and its people I wish to highlight sculptor, Hironori Kawabata.  You may find additional photos of his beautiful work HERE.  The link I've provided is in Japanese so I am unable to provide further information other than Hironori recently friended me on Facebook and you may connect with him there. There is no denying the timeless Japanese tradition of care and dedication to any task, great or small. I've made a habit whenever I've felt careless in my work to remind myself of their excellence in all things, and doing so is a great equalizer. Thank you, Hironori, for your gift to us all in your inspiring work, our thoughts and prayers continue for your country and its honorable people. 

Tina Steele Lindsey A Summer's Eve - Pastel

Tina Steele Lindsey

Longing for a summer's eve where the sky is darkened, and the breeze is gentle, and all things good in the deep south.

pastel blotted with damp paper towel
(unavailable)

Tina Steele Lindsey on Richard Schmid

photo credit and art Richard Schmid

I wish today to highlight the wonderful Richard Schmid.  As a lover of figurative work I am most especially drawn to his loose nudes, however a quick click to his website and you can see his landscapes, still lifes and other painting subjects are all rendered equally loose and lively.  Richard's work and style has been long admired and appreciated as one of the best in impressionistic realism.
"A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light." ~ Leonardo da Vinci

AH&L Issue

Thrilled this painting, Orange Mallow - 36x60, was included in the beautiful pages of the February 2011 issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine via the fabulous master bath created by Capella Kincheloe who invited me to do a painting for the space. 

(photography Erica George Dines for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine)

A Painting by the late Victor Denfrey Steele - A Christmas Wish

Victor Denfrey Steele

May joy and peace be yours and surround you and those you love this Christmas. 

Oil painting by my late father,  Victor Denfrey Steele

Tina Steele Lindsey - Secret Garden

Secret Garden - Tina Steele Lindsey

When I visited the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Christmas House a red painting was hanging in one of the beautiful rooms which reminded me of an older painting of mine, Secret Garden (ABOVE)   Look closely there really is a secret garden in this painting!  Due to crowds and having to keep moving I am at a loss to recall which room it was in, or know who the fine artist is that created it, but it was lovely, wish I had a photo to show you. 

Just a note that the last day of the Christmas House is tomorrow, Sunday the 12th, so if you haven't made it yet, make plans to attend, a lot of wonderful art pieces are hanging everywhere, so enjoy! I would love to hear from anyone who has been and what your thoughts were, and if you met Capella, Niki, or any of the other fabulously gifted designers! SOLD

Tina Steele Lindsey on A Journey Beyond

The Beginning*

To the best of my ability, when opportunity presents, I wish to paint portions of a near death experience which occured in 1978.  The red dot in the first painting symbolizes moving between two realities.  I will do  more paintings as I can between regular work.

Lower Image on Stainless Steel

Journey
24x48 on stainless steel
SOLD

Tina Steele Lindsey's Lost In Translation - Close-up

This is actually a 3x3 section of a larger painting (36x60) I have completely finished painting, I will post the entire painting later. 

Let's talk abstraction.  I am a fairly traditionalist artist, so when it comes to abstraction a more traditional approach does have its disadvantages.  Unlike mixed media or collage I do not have much to work with other than paint and a brush.  Painting this way is very basic and raw, moving paint around on a surface essentially waiting to see what comes forward that you can work with. 
All artists work differently, and I find I am NOT able to work abstraction out ahead of time on paper and try to reproduce. I worked Nocturne out on a small board, initially, and thankfully the larger painting was better working larger, and that was the only time.  Simply put, what comes spontaneously for me cannot be duplicated, something will be lost in translation. 
Here's hoping life is treating you well.  Until later ~

Camila, Claire, Amy, HGTV

Thanks to Camila Pavone, designer Claire Watkins, and the photography of the amazing Amy Herr, this painting is now on the HGTV website Combine Design Styles Like A Pro Use Abstract Art to Offset Classic Furniture.   We all know to be true, fine art abstraction is not just for contemporary spaces!

Tina Steele Lindsey - Courage (abstraction on reclaimed stainless steel)

There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right.   To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Oil on acrylic, on reclaimed stainless steel.

Train - Drops of Jupiter was my musical accompaniment during this particular painting.

Courge - SOLD

Tina Steele Lindsey - Perfection Does Not Exist

oil on canvas, Tina Steele Lindsey

Perfection does not exist.

To understand this is the triumph of human intelligence,

to expect to possess it is the most dangerous kind of madness.

~ Alfred de Messet

I've been in abstraction for a while and sometimes working back in the discipline of portraiture can be a transition, so I decided to have a little fun with it.  This painting represents to me the angst women can often have regarding their bodies.  We are what we are, at any given time, no matter who we are or what we look like, beautiful.

22x28 oil on canvas

Be happy and be well.

Tina Steele Lindsey - For Drew W. (abstraction on reclaimed stainless steel)

There are always two voices sounding in our ears,

the voice of fear and the voice of confidence.

One is the clamor of the senses,

the other is the whispering of the higher self.

~ Charles B. Newcomb

(Building from the bottom up, from clamor to a higher state of well being.

Here you go, Drew, a little more masculine as you like it.)

A Serendipitous Moment

My husband returned from a meeting this afternoon carrying a magazine. I knew something was up, he's not a magazine kind of guy. He began flipping the pages, stopped, and passed the magazine to me. To my surprise there was a photo at the top of the page. I laughed.  It was my photo, however this page is

is from a cover story, Expanding the Footprint, by Tyler Montgomery, on fitness mogul Michael Olander, in May 2010 edition of Club Solutions magazine. What is serendipitous is that I had just exchanged emails this morning with the designer I collaborated with a couple years ago on commissioned art pieces for this particular project who will be the next designer highlighted sharing how commissioned fine art is incorporated in her design and space planning projects. I won't mention her name just yet, but what a nice surprise to see this.