 Commissioned painting in progress Commissioning a piece of art is a wonderful way to get exactly what you want. Sometimes a collector has a specific request. For the past several weeks I have been working on completing a commission that was requested by someone who knew exactly what he wanted. When Mark (name changed to protect the innocent) saw one of my paintings in my studio, he fell in love. He would have walked out with the piece, but it simply wasn't big enough for his space. So, he asked me if I would make the painting again in a specific size. Now, I know that many artists would likely say no to such a request because they would not want to repeat a painting that was already completed. I saw it as a challenge that I wanted to tackle. Also, Mark really loved the painting and I wanted to bring joy to his life.
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 Verdant, 24x36 inches, Oil on panel with maple sides, © Lynn Goldstein $2100 As you, my dear readers know, my mission in life is to try to help people feel peace in a difficult world. Here's the rub. Lately, I have had a tough time finding that calm myself. As a result, I have been searching for ways toward equilibrium. About a month ago my husband sat down next to me, fired up the television, and surprised me with one of my all-time favorite feel-good films. He knew I would be touched by the gesture, and I was. As a result of the success of that evening, we have been looking for some old favorites that will uplift our spirits. Hopefully, this list will help you to feel good too. I couldn't be more happy to offer my first online course, Build Color Confidence using only 6 pastels. Sometimes less is more! With this course, you will be using a very limited palette to help you with all your paintings in the future. You will have a clearer idea of how to use a color wheel and select color schemes for your paintings. Take a look at the video below that will explain all you will receive by enrolling in this class. If you would rather not watch the video, head on over to my course page to see all that is included! To see that page, click here. Hope to see you soon! "Thank you so much for your pastel workshop. I'm appreciating the information and quite excited to be trying the first exercise. You are making it so enjoyable and I'm feeling I'm in the room with you. " Pauline Johnson So happy to share with you that I sold one of my all-time favorite paintings recently. See below. The collector is thrilled with it, and I am thrilled that she feels such happiness. This sale has made me think about my own art collection, and the joy that I have derived from the art that I have collected over the years.  Several years ago, I read an article written by an artist who wanted to know if fellow artists purchased original artwork.
After I got that particular question stuck in my bonnet, I had to go through my house to check the original art that I had in my home. This was to ensure that I was indeed supporting the arts in the best way that I knew how. By looking at what I had under my own roof, I realized that not only did I buy original art, but I had work that I had purchased decades before. I have been buying original art since I was in my early 20s. The work that I have collected over the years has been varied, but all of it holds a special place in my heart. I have collected glass, ceramics, painting in all kinds of media, and woodblock prints. These are treasures that I have moved from place-to-place and have helped to make happy spaces throughout my home. We all need a little joy now and then. Since I usually show you my own work, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites by others. These pieces brighten my life every day. I stop to look at them often. I like to put them in groupings that may give you some ideas for your own happy spaces. Hope that you enjoy them too. Please let me know about some of the art that uplifts you in your home. I would love to know in the comments below.  Ataraxia, 30x30 inches, oil on panel, ©Lynn Goldstein, $2600 Available for purchase Studies have shown that living with art makes you happier. How great is that? You benefit whether you are making your own art or whether you are enjoying someone else's creations. These positive results were not what I was looking for when I realized that I hadn't taken enough time out of my studio to see art in other settings. But I can tell you that I definitely felt the uplift when I went to the opening reception of the new exhibition: John Singer Sargent—Portraits in Charcoal at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. To bring that joy to you, I have included some of my favorite pieces from that exhibition. See below:
 Ongoing Ritual, 36x36 inches, oil on canvas, $3100 ©Lynn Goldstein Painting is like golf. Bear with me. This will make sense.
My father was an avid golfer. He played as often as he could and was always happy when he got time on the links. While gathered around the dinner table, we would always ask him how his day had been when he returned home after playing a round. I remember, with great love, the smile that would spread on his lips as he responded, “It was great, I think I have finally found it.”  Waving, 12x9 inches, pastel on paper, ©Lynn Goldstein more info here So, do you feel like you are living inside a sci-fi novel yet? Trust me, I am not making light. With the supermarket aisles devoid of canned goods, meats, produce, and TP, not to mention anti-bacterial gel and wipes, it feels pretty eery. That, coupled with all the news that is coming at us every day. I have been pretty anxious.
Music has always been my go-to when I feel upset. Putting on some music has helped me since I was a little girl and I listened to 45 rpm records of Walt Disney musical hits. (I KNOW! I am aging myself) Music has also been a constant while I am making my paintings. I have certain go-to music for my different moods. I also use music if I feel that the work is getting less lively and I want the art to project a lively, upbeat feeling . I bet you can figure out from the list below which music I use to bring more life to my art. Interestingly, I think that some of the art that I make has a musical rhythm in it.  The month of December was a trip... literally. My hubby and I visited the Galapagos Islands and Peru. I had expected to be wowed by the animals in the Galapagos, and was. That said, I was truly blown away by the stunning and breathtaking beauty of the Andes Mountains. I can't seem to get over the feeling of flying while having my feet firmly planted on the ground in the Cloud Forest.
Our experiences influence our art, and I suspect that my work will be changed by the experience in ways that I may not even realize yet. Stay tuned. To share the journey, I have compiled some of the most gorgeous or interesting things that we were able to see. Let me know which is your favorite in the comments below. Enjoy! One of the things that I love about living like an artist is being creative, but not simply in my art-making. I also love thinking creatively when it comes to the tools that I incorporate in my studio practice. Here's a video that shows 2 new tools that I recently discovered. One is used to help clean my brushes thoroughly and efficiently, and the other is used to apply paint in a new way. Check out the video below. Now that my solo exhibition is behind me, I can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy a relatively calm interlude.
I was pleasantly surprised at the turn-out on a rainy Wednesday evening. Here's one of the reasons for my surprise: I was really happy when the Nationals won the 6th game of the World Series. After shouting with glee at the television on Tuesday evening, I realized that their win meant that the FINAL game of the World Series would be taking place during my reception. So, when I say that I was surprised at the turn-out, you may understand why! I am going to dispense with writing much more, and let the photographs tell you the story about the evening, which was an absolute delight. If the slideshow of the photos doesn't work, simply click on the arrow, or the thumbnail photos. Many thanks to my dear friend Mark Bare for taking these pics. |
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