fine art

recent Wedding Paintings

July was a busy month for LIVE paintings on canvas at weddings in the Bay Area!

Above is the finished piece for Yoona and Glen. This couple has a great sense of humor, as I easily discovered at our initial meeting months before. Glen is from Australia and requested that a kangaroo and a jar of Vegemite be included in the painting. I was glad to oblige. Most of the piece was painted on location at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael, CA. Finishing touches were added in my studio.

This large canvas (24 x 36″) was created for Sarah and Andrew at the Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa. The Mother of the Bride commissioned it. I presented it to the couple and the bride’s parents on a busy street in San Francisco, just before the family went to the theatre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the final painting for Joe and Alea, celebrated at the San Jose Marriott. I did not have to exaggerate the height difference between this couple…she is five feet nothing and he is 6 foot 8!

A wedding painting for Ryan & Trisha

Here’s my most recent wedding painting. It’s 18 x 24″ and features Ryan and Trish, accompanied by friends and family. Trish’s two sisters are wearing purple, while her best friend is raising her glass to toast the happy couple. I even included the fellow who caught the garter!

The ceremony took place in a gazebo decorated with wreaths. Signage for “Bella” and “Notte” is a reference to R & T’s favorite Disney movie—Lady and the Tramp. The couple was thrilled with the finished painting, which I presented to them just before they left on a honeymoon trip to…..Disneyland!

Palo Alto Wedding Fair

This blog will now include images and info on my LIVE event painting.
I was a vendor at the Bay Area Wedding Fairs (BAWF) show at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sunday. In five hours I completed a 22 x 28″ acrylic painting of a traditional Indian wedding, using photo references. Meanwhile, I was able to connect with many engaged couples who watched me develop the painting. Next step is to confer with each couple about the venue, size of canvas, color scheme and theme.

I have signed on for two more BAWF events this season. The next one is at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, on September 25th. I’ll attempt to complete a wedding scene, once again, while networking with other wedding professionals and acquiring clients. The theme? Maybe a traditional African ceremony.

As I research the variety of ethnic and national clothing, ornament and symbols, I am increasingly fascinated by alternatives to the “white wedding” traditions here at home.

Reinterpretation….recombination

Our Thursday afternoon sketching Fast & Loose workshop Lois Falkirk1Lois Falkirk2 went on location yesterday to the ceramics show at Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael. The theme of the exhibition by the Terra Linda Ceramics collective was “unleashed.” And we took it one step further, by freely reinterpreting and combining some of the pieces on display. Sketches here are by Lois Donaghey and Anne-Marie Dana as well as myself.

AnneMarie Falkirk1Rhoda-Falkirk1AnneMarie Falkirk2

Jenny x2 Q9

“Naked, naked, naked!”

Five of my 16×20 nude acrylic paintings have been selected for two exhibitions in Astoria, OR in March. One of them, Jenny x2-Q9, will be displayed in a frame shop during the “Nudes Downtown” event that runs concurrently with the Au Naturel juried show at Clatsop Community College. (My 36×36 painting Big Sarah with Graffiti #2 was accepted for the Au Naturel show.) The other four paintings will be part of the VDAY (“V” as in Vagina Monologues!) events at Clatsop College Performing Art Center.

two female nudes in similar poses, arms up and shootidng out past the upoper edge of the canvas.
Two Women, arms up
quickk sketch of Delft, Holland market square

Rhoda Draws Europe! Exhibition

Six of my travel sketches, created on recent trips to central Europe will be on display at Gallery 305, 305 Bell Lane, Mill Valley, CA. Exhibit runs January 15 through April 15, 2013. Gallery hours Mon-Fri. 11am-4pm.

These sketches were created in ink and aquarelle pencil on location in Belgium, Germany, Holland and the Czech Republic. They are 6×9″, mounted in 11×14″ floater frames and priced @ $150 each.
Rhoda in the Rhineland, licking a life-size ice cream Sundae

Year in review

Looking back on the events in my artistic life for 2012, I will count taking another bite out of Europe as a high point! It was a concert tour with i Cantori, a choral group based in Carmel, CA. In additional to the thrill of singing in some of the most awesome venues in Poland, Germany, Belgium and Holland I also produced some satisfying sketches of street scenes and town squares. Those drawings led directly to offering sketching workshops in San Rafael.

I added a few items to my art resume, including online representation by Xanadu gallery of Scottsdale, AZ. One of my Big Sarah paintings was accepted for “Au Naturel”,  the annual nude art show in Astoria (Oregon) scheduled for early March. Even more exciting, and closer to home, is an invitation to prepare a solo show (my first!) in Pacific Grove, CA. That is set for May.

So, 2013 is already looking like an excellent year for exhibitions. I will continue to look for more opportunities to show (and sell) my artwork. The sketching workshops are beginning to develop a following, and might lead to a book project. I won’t call it a New Year’s resolution, but I intend to work on paintings, sketches or other art projects at least 4 or 5 days a week. As for Rhoda Draws A Crowd, I plan to generate more caricature gigs and follow up on convention and event leads once a week or more. Did I mention losing another 20 pounds?

I wish all who are reading this a very happy New Year.

 

full-figured nude surrounded by colorufl scribbles

Winter Open Studio

Sunday, December 2nd – 11am to 6pm.
I invite you to see my latest acrylic and mixed media figure paintings in studio 306 at the historic Industrial Center Building (ICB) at 480 Gate Five Road in Sausalito. I will exhibit only new work, created this year!
Digital painting demo at 2 and 4pm.
About 70 artists will throw their doors open for visitors that weekend. I can ONLY be there on Sunday, due to a prior commitment on Saturday (as Rhoda Draws A Crowd, I will be creating caricature entertainment at a wedding reception…gotta pay the rent!)

“Naked Ladies” show in Oakland

I arrived at the SOMAR opening for the “Naked Ladies” exhibit, and was delighted to see my “Two Zaftig Rachels” hanging in an excellent spot. Femily and Christine from Femme Cartel  were  very enthusiastic about my work, and introduced me to a number of patrons who also showered the painting (and me) with praise.

If that wasn’t excitiing enough, I strolled through the “art Murmur” street fair, and stumbled upon a van that could ONLY be inhabited by Android Jones, creator of this Painter 12 signature artwork.

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