Jelaine Faunce Studio

Now with even more "Filler" - In Progress

2008-05-15T18:49:00.001-07:00

An update on the family portrait consisting of each family member's favorite dessert (isn't that just the cutest thing ever???). I decided to work on the background and plate details first, knowing the swooshing of the brush across these surfaces might spread some paint onto the desserts themselves. I didn't want the task of cleaning that off or painting over it in areas which will have a much higher concentration of detail than the plate/background. I am, since this photo, on one last pass over the plate and background to add the last of the details. There are so many more colors in this white plate than the eye normally notices with just a glance. I want to capture all of that to bring the most life and vibrancy I can to this painting. This weekend, I'll be tackling the details in the desserts. As I told the client, I'm going to have to stock up on goodies to eat to take the edge off. How do you paint a 10" tall chocolate covered cream puff and then NOT want to consume one?

Dejeuner Study

2008-05-14T17:21:00.001-07:00

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6" x 6" - oil on canvas - daily painting
Click here for purchase information
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European lunches, consisting of cheese, grapes, crackers, a little wine and crudites, there's something so wonderfully refreshing and romantic about them. I painted this while relaxed in my studio, listening to Jack Johnson songs, the sunlight through the windows warming my shoulders. It's a beautiful Spring day, and I feel so much love and contentment with what I do for a living. So, I wanted to celebrate that with depicting a sensory experience that brings those same feelings forth. The kind of meal you'd have on a picnic for two, somewhere out in nature, with nothing but the sound of the breeze through the trees and the lovely patterns scattered clouds make in the sky above. (sigh)

Inspiration

2008-05-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

I don't have a finished daily painting to post today. It's been filled with errands and paperwork. Oodles of paperwork. So, I thought I'd post a sweet email I received the other day, one that nearly brought a tear to my eye:
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"Just thought you would like a smile. My little daughters - ages three and five respectively - took such delight in your paintings! Especially the ones of the delicious sweets and goodies! Your art captured their imagination - they look forward to sitting at the computer and looking at paintings. Your sweet paintings inspire them to create their own little works of art! They look at the world differently now - they draw and paint what they love to look at and what they love to eat (we also get inspired to bake delicious treats for dessert!) When you paint, know that your gift is bringing joy and delight to the world, one painting at a time!"
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When I was a little girl, my favorite thing to do was to lay all my crayons, pencils and colored pens out on the table before me, along with paper and coloring books, and create to my heart's content. Recently, I had the opportunity to contact my former college mentor to thank her for sharing her time and her talent with me, that I carried with me her teachings to this day, that she inspired me and that I hoped to do the same for others. Receiving this email today reminded me of both my childhood fascination with art and my mentor, and I felt a certain blessed privilege to be a part of the domino effect of joy that creative expression can bring. In one moment, I was both the student and the teacher combined, and it was like an out-of-body experience, a delight to the senses that nothing else can bring. I am humbled and grateful.

New Plate Study

2008-05-12T19:01:00.001-07:00

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6" x 6" - oil on hardboard panel - daily painting
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Oh, the dreaded hardboard panel. I'm giving it a chance. We'll see how it goes.
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Click here for purchase information.
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3 of 4 Completed - Private Commission - NFS

2008-05-09T17:36:00.001-07:00

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6" x 6" - oil on canvas - private commission
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And here we have the final product. I'm not leaving this one out for the landscapers to do a repeat of last weekend. It is safely tucked away in my studio, near a sunny window.

Once completed, the heavens parted, angels descended from above, playing their harps and sprinkling gold dust around my head. Then I stepped out to Coldstone Creamery. On my way there, I saw some landscapers get out of their truck along the side of the road. I resisted the urge to mow them down in a bitter rage. But I THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

Still Working on It - 3 of 4 Redo

2008-05-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

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A slightly detailed piece, no? I have one more round of details to go. I had hoped to finish it today, but needed just a little longer drying time between layers, so I missed my deadline. But, tomorrow it will definitely be done as I am down to the last layer. And then I'll go celebrate, probably with frozen yogurt. Sprinkles, too. Chocolate sprinkles. And fudge. Maybe some whipped cream?

4 of 4 - Private Commission

2008-05-07T18:28:00.001-07:00

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6" x 6" - oil on canvas
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So, in all the uproar with my destroyed painting #3 this weekend, I drafted and then forgot to hit 'send' on the email of the 4th of 4 paintings to the buyer. I was waiting to hear from her on what she thought of this piece before posting anything to my blog. Then I realized, after several days had passed with no word from her, that maybe something went wrong with the email. I checked my 'sent' items folder to see that, oops, it never went out. Cuz I'm perfeshinul, apparently. So, I pulled it out of the draft file where it had been collecting dust and feeling lonely, and sent it along. And now I'm posting it here for you to see, too.

If you've followed my paintings in the last year, you might recognize this cup and saucer. It's the inspiration for all my Depression Glass pieces. I've just never added all the design details that are all over the set. When the buyer commissioned 4 highly detailed cup paintings, I figured it was time to get over my fear of that cup and saucer and just get on with it. So, I did. And this was the end result. After all my fretting and worrying, I rather like it. I won't be painting it again any time soon, at least not with all that information on it, but I'm glad I did it this time.

Okay, now to go finish the 3rd piece for tomorrow, landscapers be dam*ned.

"Filler" aka Painting in Progress

2008-05-06T18:39:00.001-07:00

After this weekend's painting debacle, I had to do some reprioritizing. The daily paintings I had planned to work on and list this week were put on the back burner while I began the teacup painting all over again. I won't lie. It's been a painful couple of days where that painting is concerned. It was the most complicated piece. Second time around, it still remains the most complicated piece. In case anyone was wondering if painting something twice is easier on the second pass, the answer is NO.

I am trying really hard not to leave the blog blank for more than a couple days at a time. Seeing as I don't have any daily paintings to list, I decided to post the base layers of a 24"x24" commission I'm working on for a lovely little family. Rather than have their portrait done, they decided to represent themselves as their 3 favorite delicacies from the local bakery. When I call this "Filler", I mean it in every sense of the word. While working on this, even in the infant stages seen above, I spent my time ogling larger than life desserts with drool trailing down my chin. I have this overwhelming desire to eat croissants with butter and jam and chocolate for dinner. I smell sugar when I should be smelling paint. It's amazing.

I'll post more as it progresses. Hopefully you'll gain weight, too. Misery loves company.

Playing Taps

2008-05-03T18:59:00.001-07:00

This evening I was going to post the 3rd of 4 commissioned tea cups for your viewing pleasure. I had set it out in the back yard to dry in the warm sun this morning, planning to add a few tiny details this afternoon before photographing and revealing it. But the landscapers came by today and decided to check on the back yard. Kindly, they cleared excess weeds from the rocky areas. Not so kindly, they knocked over my painting and, it appears, trampled it. Face down. On the rocks. Gouged. Scraped. Ruined.

This is me having a mild heart attack.

Early Grey & Egg

2008-05-02T18:26:00.000-07:00

10" x 10" - oil on gallery wrapped canvas - sides painted black

I'd like to say I'm listing on a Friday because I'm a rebel who thumbs her nose at authority, daring the online art buying gods to challenge me. It sounds romantic. It's also a total lie. This painting was supposed to be done Wednesday, then Thursday. But, like life, there were more things to be done to get it just so. After fussing with it all day, I finally felt satisfied and ready to list it. It's up for a 10 day duration so that it won't end on the dreaded Friday night as it was started. Fridays - good for going out, bad for listing art.

But isn't it a perky little thing? A variation on the private commission I did a while back, without the tea kettle. I liked the freedom to mess with details that painting on a larger canvas gave me, although the extra fussing was not so pleasant. But that's my own fault, not the painting's.

Click here for purchase information.

Maui Ranch Cattle

2008-04-29T15:44:00.001-07:00

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6" x 8" - oil on canvas - daily painting
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A little change of pace now and then does an artist good. On this fine spring day, I've decided to paint an outdoor scene, a cattle ranch on Maui's eastern shores. I took the photo for this painting on a trip to the islands back in 2005. Gosh, has it been that long??? The other week, another artist commented to me that they'd seen me paint just about everything, but where was the beef? I'd painted beef before, a scene from one of the photos in this series to be exact, but the cattle were quite far away in the image. So, here I am again, painting cows for John (the artist who inquired). Okay, John! Here's your beef! ;o)

Click here for purchase information. (available beginning at 6pm Pacific)

Erlich Gallery

2008-04-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

I have been waiting a month to say anything until I knew for certain, but have just received word this morning from the Erlich Gallery in Marblehead, MA that samples of my work sent for review to the owner were well received and they wish to add me to a group show featuring florals in June. As the show nears, I will post again with works of mine which will be included. I'm truly flattered. :o)

Egg #10

2008-04-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

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6" x 6" - daily painting - oil on canvas
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The ever captivating egg. I never tire of painting these. The smokey deep auburn shell, the warm golden glow of the yolk, and a setting with lots of side cast light and shadow. A perfect composition to quiet my mind and invigorate my creative soul. Then I scramble the darned thing and call it breakfast.

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Click here for purchase information.

Numi Rooibos

2008-04-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

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6" x 6" - daily painting - oil on canvas
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Earthy Vanilla Healer. That's what it says on the box. The box is not kidding. This week has been eaten up by business stuff. Lots and lots and lots of business stuff. I've had 3 new daily paintings in the early prep stages since last Sunday, ready and waiting to go, but could not find the time to complete a single one of them until today. I stopped dead in my tracks with all other business stuff and spent this afternoon painting a picture of my new favorite tea. The experience was almost as refreshing as the drink itself.

Click here for purchase information.

San Juan Mission - Private Commission

2008-04-20T16:00:00.001-07:00

24" x 18" - oil on canvas - private commission

These are the last 4 main steps in completing San Juan Mission. I have listed them backwards, the finished product at the top, the the previous 3 steps below it.

You'll notice the tree stumps which had been painted in the earlier steps have been eliminated and replaced with blue sky, clouds, and more bougainvillea. There was a step in between the two shown above where I'd filled in the area with leaves (the tree is a gigantic weeping willow), erased them, tried again, and finally just eliminated the whole thing. It was lovely in the photograph, but completely distracting in large scale painted form. In erasing the trees entirely and lightening the sky, both I and the buyer got a much better feel about the painting. Our eyes were drawn to the bougainvillea which is what she wanted to begin with. Yay!!!! Just one more viewing by the buyer, whatever small changes she thinks need to be made, and then this baby is done.

Rose Macaroon

2008-04-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

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6" x 6" - daily painting - oil on canvas
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Raspberries surrounding a healthy dollop of vanilla creme sandwiched inside a strawberry flavored macaroon. On top rests a white chocolate disk, sugar gel teardrops and a sugar crusted rose petal. Cellulite as art.

Please contact the artist about availability at jpfstudio@yahoo.com .

2 of 4 - Private Commission

2008-04-15T11:46:00.001-07:00

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The second cup and saucer, the turquoise one. Yummy. Love it. Want to keep it for myself. My optometrist would like to thank the buyer for choosing this painting, thus ensuring that I'll be back for regular visits to have my prescription increased. (kidding)

2 of 4 - Step by Step

2008-04-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

Before the official post above, I thought I'd take a moment to post the steps of this latest piece in a series I am doing for a private commission. The image is full of detail, the kind of detail that might turn people away from attempting to put it to canvas. It certainly intimidated me, but I wanted the challenge. I like challenges, so help me God. Below I've posted the 4 main steps from blank canvas to gold detailed turquoise cup and saucer.

Floral Study #2

2008-04-13T17:32:00.001-07:00

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8" x 10" - oil on canvas - daily painting
Click here for purchase information
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Took me long enough, didn't it? How long have I been threatening another floral study? Well, here it is. And one of my favorite flowers, too. Tulips are so simple, elegant, clean. I love to admire them and pay them homage with paint to canvas.

Prosperity: The Other White Meat

2008-04-11T17:05:00.001-07:00

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6"x6" oil on gallery wrapped canvas - SOLD
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Because who doesn't need a painting of Chinese themed piggy banks??? This is from my little Asian Influence series which encompasses more than just sushi paintings, though sushi was my primary motivator in starting it. Actually, my primary motivator was this large stack of gallery wrapped 6"x6" canvases I had sitting around for over a year. I paint the sides black, you see, like the paintings were encased in little black lacquer boxes. And with this theme I have the ultimate excuse to go completely apesnot with my color palette. Primary colors and nearly electric pastels everywhere. Can't beat it.

I picked these up at Pier One late last year. One of the many cute little collectibles that graces my studio shelves. I don't keep money in them. They just sit and stare at me while I cuss and grunt over paintings. Now, I could very well be wrong, but I don't believe the characters splashed across their foreheads actually reads "prosperity". From what I could research, it looks like a hybrid between "prosperity" and "fortune". That said, it's not as if there is just one script used in China, or one dialect. There are many, so maybe in one of them this symbolizes "prosperity". My suspicious side thinks it probably reads "gullible" as in how gullible is the silly American who bought 3 of the same piggy bank because they were shiny and pretty? Shouldn't she be saving up for her next tank of gas? Or something like that.

Napoleon Cubed

2008-04-08T18:11:00.001-07:00

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6"x6" - oil on canvas - daily painting - SOLD

I was going to post a few words about this new piece last night, but there was this weather system that moved in yesterday afternoon. The barometric pressure dropped rapidly, and when that happens, I become very cranky and uncommunicative. I holed up in the studio like a hermit instead. It's better that I did because I would otherwise not be able to tell you how awesome it was to find these lovely desserts while on a date with my hubby.

Three napoleons we discovered in a patisserie at the Bellagio while on our way to see an American Modernist exhibit taking place there. Yes, right in the middle of the slot machines and buffet lines is an art gallery. I know. That one still hasn't sunk in yet for me either.

A few years back I wanted to enter a local contest on Vegas themed art. I was going to photograph and paint the Bellagio street sign which read "Gallery of Fine Art", located near more Bellagio signs advertising their other attractions such as Seigfried and Roy and some Cirque de Soleil show. I was going to put it in a bright gold gilt frame and have a little plaque attached at the bottom which read "Two Drink Minimum". I totally would have won that contest if I'd entered it. I didn't have the time, so the prize went to someone who ripped off an Elvis poster instead.

Okay, so back to the yummies. The strawberry one is Tutti Fruitti. The other two are Chocolate and Raspberry Lemon. I like to call the Chocolate one the Lincoln Log Napoleon. That was about the size of each little roll, and it brought back fond childhood memories.....right before me and the hubby tore into it.

This patisserie is LOADED with exotic delights, some of which are even sugar-free and totally delicious. I've taken several shots of the three above and intend to explore them in painted form again. I also plan to make more trips to the Bellagio until I've bought and painted each and every one of the desserts. Because I'm dedicated.
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1 of 4 - Private Commission

2008-04-05T18:05:00.001-07:00

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6" x 6" - oil on canvas - private commission
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Hey there! Remember me? That girl who used to post paintings to her blog with semi-regular frequency? Ya, that's me! Hidden away in my studio focusing on those commissions, I thought I'd come up for air to post one of my favorites.

This is one from a series of four very intricate tea cups I'm painting for a client. I'm enamored with these cups. Lots of work. This piece had seven phases. Taking my time layering color on top of color, getting that smooth, creamy, sensual consistency in work really takes me to a whole other place. Pieces like this remind me why I am in love with what I do. Wait until you see the next one. It has lots of turquoise (drool).

Egg & Tea Study - Private Commission

2008-04-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

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10" x 10" - oil on gallery wrapped canvas - sides painted black
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Along with the little red hen piece I did a few weeks back, I wanted to try a study like the one above, placing my focus on the shadows and how rich with color they truly are. I'd like to paint this piece at a larger size at some point, possibly at 24"x24", and dive head first into the rainbow of color I found present in these objects.

I remember one of the first things I learned in college painting class, that there is no such thing as black in the real world. I was taught that black was actually several colors combined, moving subtly into and out of one another. I carry that with me to this day, a firm believer, always looking for new ways to paint a dark space.

Cherry Blossoms 3

2008-03-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

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6" x 6" - oil on canvas - SOLD
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The tree outside my house (a plum tree) has just finished its cycle of blossoms turning over their post to deep red leaves. Ah, shade. With our hot summers and the western facing bay windows in my studio, that tree is a perfectly placed savior. The blossoms were lovely to watch, though- one of my favorite 2 week stretches of each year. While I don't have any cherry trees (yet), the experience was a perfect time to revisit my favorite cherry blossom dish.

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Welcome to Spring, everyone!!!*
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*A week late, but it's the thought that counts.

Best Seat In The House - Private Commission

2008-03-22T19:55:00.001-07:00

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6" x 6" - daily painting - oil on canvas - SOLD
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Looking down from a balcony view above Waikiki Beach, I watched the people below like little ants. Immobile, coconut oil covered ants. I thought this scene was funny. A young boy, probably just entering his 13th year of life, fresh from a snorkel, plops down on his towel and spends a good long while gazing at the bikini clad beauties all around him. I wondered if he imagined himself the luckiest guy on the planet.

In the far distance was one lady on her towel, convinced she'd had too much sun, who draped a t-shirt over her face while the rest of her continued to cook. I don't know what it is that possesses people to smother themselves on the beach. Any shirt your throw over your face will just get hot and cause your skin to feel even more fried than it did before. A hat, sure. A hat would be fine. But a t-shirt? No. Never worked for me. It's a cool-air-circulation issue.