8 Thought-Provoking Paintings

Many pieces of art will take you on a journey... Some times the artist will purposefully lead you on this trek, while other pieces of artwork - take the artist themselves on an expedition as well.  They are exploring the nooks and turns, with each stroke of the paintbrush or dab of new color... much like you do when looking at a painting that seems to draw you in.

Like with this piece... I seen something that made me want to draw the person with the umbrella in a downward position...by the time I was done with it, I was moved to add a child.  Many people have commented about who these people are in the picture... and I have my own reflections.

This picture captured my attention from a friends photo of Tennessee sunset.  Within a day of me painting it, it spoke to someone, who bought it!

Sometimes it's color and/or action in a painting that may shout or whisper to you.  The picture of the sail boat with a backdrop of orange, whispers to me.  

To me... this reminds me of laying under huge trees looking up at the puffy clouds as a child.

Few paintings have spoke to me as this one...  At times I feel they... we...are on a journey.  Other times it makes me feel we are returning home.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog.  Leave comments or you can always email me at:  pjmartin2000@gmail.com.

Also, I would like to invite you to my Facebook page.  It is my personal page, so sometimes there might be a picture of my ultra-beautiful children and grandchildren!!!  :)  But, I try to everyday post a painting or other creative work on there.  Enjoy!  

My Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005579297506

Things Unseen

Clay by JGA   https://www.facebook.com/Claybyjga/

A few weeks ago, this sweet little girl (pictured above) came up to my table as I was vending, and asked if I had a painting of a jellyfish! I thought to myself... jellyfish are see-through... colorless.  The only one I had ever seen was in someone's hand... which I would have never seen - and only seen it because it was laying flat in the palm of a woman's hand!

The little girl went on to tell me more about why she liked jellyfish.  I told her I would work on a jellyfish, even though I had my doubts of how to really make 'see-through' much to paint or look at.

Well, Miss (Joci) JGA... here is my watercolor painting of a jellyfish!!!

A few days prior to the show where I met JGA, a really nice lady asked me if I had ever drawn a 'harness horse'.  I had only seen one harness race... as a kid.  All I remember were the long barns with stalls the horses where sometimes kept in.  The smell of the barns and the spectators as they smoked and drank beer.  Again, really, I was asked to draw something I had not seen.

I did my best, and this was the result.

Then it happened again at Disney World, when a man was looking over my paintings and asked if I had a shrimp! My mind scanned all I knew about 'shrimp' and all I cam up was already prepared shrimp! I really didn't know what they looked like!! I smiled at him and said, "No.  But I can paint you one tonight!"  He said if it was no bother, that would be great!

I studied the shrimp, and I drew 2.  One a bit abstract (bottom) and one a little more realistic.  He chose the realistic one.  After he bought it, he showed me a picture of him on his boat with a catch of shrimp.  

The lesson I learned - 

 look for the gems in things we might normally overlook...

 those things unseen. 

First Show In Disney World!!

Mickey is bagged up and ready to GO!

And Minnie too!!

This weekend (July 15 and 16, 2017) I will be selling my artwork inside

 Walt Disney World's Coronado Springs Resort!  

So, of course, I had to draw a few 

Mickey and Minnies for the show inside their home: 

I am very excited to be apart of this arts and crafts event

 in one of the most magical places in the world!  

ATC = Artist Trading Cards

An ATC is for Artists and Crafters to trade with each other.  On the front they could have any design or embellishment that the artist wishes to adorn their card with.  These cards are approximately the size of a playing card.

There are also some trading cards by artists known as ACEO; which stands for Art Card Originals and Editions.  The only real difference between the two is that the ACEO's started out as these miniture works of art for sale.  Eventually now, the two seem to have melded into one artwork with two names.  

On the back of eather of these cards, is where the artist puts their contact information.  Many artists, myself included, like to trade these as business cards with other artists or sell them.  My current price is $3 each, which is a common going rate throughout the marketplace.

The picture above shows how I have attached

 my business card on the back of my ATC.

These are my ATCs.  

If you have ATCs I would love to see them

 and hear if you sell, trade or both 

with your miniature creations!!