New oil

Finally got a start on a new oil, 20 x 20 sides painted, no frame needed. Lord I love these canvas. Titled "Otter Woman", painted in mostly shades of brown and beige except for the red feathers in her hair, couple more days of work on this one. Back in the southwest images, they never stray far away, an image will start to nag at me, I end painting it in my mind before I ever get it on paper or canvas. I will post an image when it is finished.
Weather is wonderful, flowers are popping up all over, got some Fairy Lillies I ordered today, so planting tomorrow. Gurney's has shipped my trees we ordered too, they should be here about Monday, 2 more Quaking Aspen and a Red Oak.

Finally I get to paint again

While Bill works on the taxes I hide at my drafting board and paint between the "What's This and Where's This"

Working on smaller images some 2 x 2's. I did finished a 5 x 5 watercolor of a Native American lady. I love and read all I can on shamanism and magic, my world would be very dull if I thought magic did not exist, so I keep my eyes open and my heart and hope I get a small peek into this other world. I hope the mystical element shows in my work, people seems to really like the magic it brings to their lives.

I have a native gal nagging me to paint her, they walk around in my mind until get them on canvas or paper, as soon as the taxes are finished I will start to work on her, she is calling for a big oil, so I am looking forward to painting her. Check out my website http://www.kaymurphysstudio.com/

Chantilly show

We have just returned home from our show in Chantilly at the Expo Center, I will be so very glad when the 2008 show season is over, buying customers are few, more buy-sell retail people invading the last of the real art/craft shows. I see more of the old-timers retiring from the circuit. Bill and I love what we do for a living and I really hate to see a way of life that we have done for almost 30 years go down the drain because people can no longer afford to pay for a home, put gas in a car and buy nice paintings and crafts to decorte their home. I wish we could get rid of the greed in this world we live in.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday has been very quiet and peaceful, we have had the same yellow cat visiting us every so often, he's fat and frisky and plays like a young kitten so we kind of think he's one of the kittens a stray cat had under one of our yard barns last summer. He's a joy to watch and I'd love to make a pet out of him but who would feed him when we are at a show? I figured if he's meant to live here it will happens but for now we'll just enjoy watching him and talking to him.

Spring in Tennessee

Here we are with spring-like weather, Bill is mowing the grass along with a haft dozen other neighbors. Pear trees are blooming, red-buds are starting to peep out. What a great time of the year. Our Aspen trees we planted have leaves coming out Yeah.
Our next show is in Chantilly, hope its better for all of us than the last show. Not much to mutter about.

Working on getting the ACEO's packaged

Spent most of the day in Knoxville but one good thing I got to see a bald eagle up close and in fight. How pretty. I was setting in the truck on UT hospital parking lot waiting for my husband, when this great bird flew really close. All the photos or paintings in the world does not this bird justice as to see it in flight. We once had a Red-tailed hawk fly with our truck arms length, eye level beside the driver's window for about a mile, talk about a thrill for both of us.
I have worked most of the evening packaging my aceo's, at least I could watch the tely and do this. I am looking forward to getting on the road again, seeing old friends but most of all making some money.

Storms today

Today has been a mixed bag, rain, high wind. Thank Goodness it did not last very long. We are still trying to finished up framing for the show, boy are we out of practice.

Is the rest of the artist's on the show circuit getting just a little bit worried about how this season will be? We have been though some tough years on the circuit but this one with the high gas prices, hotel prices and food is really going to take a toll in every one's profit.

At the right is a sheet of Horse Head ACEO's New for this season and uncut sheet sells for $90.00 single images are $9.99 each. Back to the drawing board...

More Aceo's

I grew up with horses so I guess most of us paint what we know and love best, this one is titled Beauty. The other one is titled Goldie. Both are from acrylic paintings. they are 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

No snow today sunny but cold, good day to work, so I will be cutting and signing the backs of the ACEO's.

Looking forward to the first show of the season, if any of you are in Richmond at the Carolina Craftsmen Spring Classic stop by our booth and say Hi.

Just a little snow

Well fooled again by Mother Nature, just a skiff of snow and today snow showers. Gatlinburg and the mountains have a few inches tried to talk Bill into driving to Gatlinburg to play in the snow but that didn't work. So here I sit working on mailouts
for the spring shows and my blog..

One of my new ACEO's acrylic on canvas Blue-Eyed Paint
at least I do have 15 new aceo's to start the shows with this
year, originals and matted and framed Giclee prints. I do my
giclee's on 60lb Polar White paper.

It has been a trip painting these little guys, been a while since
I have painting this small. It has been a trip for Bill too figuring out how to cut molding this small. They look great!

Snow tonight

Golly Gee, waited all winter for it to snow, here it is, snow always puts in the mood to paint a quiet, peaceful snow is falling kind of painting. Just hope it really does snow. I still have a bunch of printing and matting to do, so Bill can finish up on framing. So goes today.

Sort of like this one. Be sure to check out my web-site lots of Giclee prints paper and canvas for sale www.kaymurphysstudio.com

Monday

We have worked most of the day, me at the computer, Bill framing. Wheeee! Ready for something to eat, got the paper prints printed on my NEW Ravens and Apens trees trio..

One more illustration finished, had a ton of fun with this piece, tore up the first one and finally got it where I wanted it to be. Unusual colors for me, but works.

New Illustration image

The Fairy Tree, I have a thing about faces in trees, I have painted several over the years, this the first time I have visualized a fairy in my paintings. I will have giclee paper prints on this image. This is a mixed media, I used everything but the kitchen sink to complete this one.

It''s getting closer and closer to my first show the season. Lots of printing, matting and framing to yet be done...Hurry! Scurry! is the way I feel about now.

Feb 15

New Illustration finished, now working on a red fox, need to work more as show season is coming up fast, lots of matting, framing and printing to be done before the middle of March. Thank goodness for a hubby who does my framing, packing and backing the cargo trailer.

Well back to the old graphic table. happy painting!

I hope that I learn to do this right, I am an on the road artist showing and selling my art at juried shows and festivals in eastern US. I have over the years licensed my art to several greeting card publishers and now after close to 30 years on the road, I am doing more free-lance work.

Last November I self-published 2 childrens books which I sell on my website and at the shows.

No, I was not raised by a pack of dogs, Dad was an avid bird hunter and raised setters and pointers, so I grew up with a bunch of four-footed friends.

My mom was a week-end artist, so to keep me out of her paints, I had my own box of oils early in life, so I guess you say I have just a little turpentine in my blood. I am a member of SCBWI, which is great society for childrens book illusratators.

Tomorrow is my birthday so no posting on that day, I will be adding some images of work so you may seen my style, hope to make other artsy friends along the way with this blog.