weary of chicken

food can be evil...especially when it poisons you. ugh. i spent this past weekend sick as a dog, but i'm feeling better now. trying to be productive in all aspects...work work, design work, art work. made two new versions of my business card yesterday, hopefully they'll come in before the show.

about ready to finish up a painting and start on a big one. i think i want to do another night scene but use a lot of colors. it doesn't need to be as smooth as some of the transitions are...i don't want all transitions to be to soft or easy, i want to give them some resistance and static, something that makes your eye constantly move. i've been looking at photos of my art from WVWC and JMU and i want to revisit some styles and see what i do with them now. i also have an urge to just draw...graphite and charcoal drawings of real objects as well as abstract spaces. lots of ideas in my head!

one idea was to combine my landscape drawings with my abstract drawings. here's the first attempt. it's after a photo of the sunset over the water. i think i'll continue on this path for a bit and see what happens. drawing is much easier with my new drawing table and my space is much more organized.

i'll try to get a lot done before my temecula show. i leave next thursday to stay with my friend/artist jami tobey and meet up with my mom, my aunt and long lost family for a day in san diego. i'm so excited...i definitely need an adventure! saturday will be hanging out with jami and my art rep, brad, followed up with my show. looks like it's quite the event with a live band and wine tastings. can't wait!

namaste!

busy little bee

Red Night

40x16, oil on canvas

Glow

8x8, oil on canvas

wooohaw! getting stuff done today! it's great seeing everything happen! website, check. twitter, check. blog, check. facebook page, check. i feel so productive! next step will be that elusive newsletter i've been talking about. with the holidays and my shows, i haven't had much time. today was my first day really delving in. my focus will also be on creating new work and trying to get some new shows. i also want to get a whole new series up at max's restaurant.

my work arrived in temecula safely and my show will be hung tomorrow. i'll post pics if they send any to me. looks like i'll have a little family reunion at my show. my mother from pittsburgh, my aunt from chicago, and some long lost greats and 2nd and 3rd family members that live near temecula will be on hand for my january 22nd artist's reception. very exciting!

so here's the site i worked on all day...at times i was super frustrated and wanting to throw my computer out the window or convincing myself that i should shell out a ton of money to let someone else do it. someday i may still do that so i can have a really funky cool site, but right now it's simple and classy. works for me! so go to www.sarashawger.com and check out my fresh new page!

so while i try to wind down, happy new year and namaste!

blue shadows

one of the first things i fell madly in love with in new mexico was how bright even the slightest sliver of a moon could be. i could take midnight walks without a flashlight, the desert was glowing blue and it was magical. the last few nights the moon has been slowing fattening up. it doesn't have the same effect here in town that it does out in eldorado where every pinion and chamisa has a long blue shadow. we're also right in the high time for the geminid meteor shower. i've seen one so far, but the lights of town drown out all but the brightest of stars. hopefully one night i'll be awake enough and not frantically painting so that i can drive out somewhere quiet and and feel the moon light.

white out

looky at all those pretty white canvases just waitin' to be painted....it's a three day painting marathon folks! hootie hooo!

thanks to everyone who came out to my show at miklo's! i had a good crowd (pretty good for a coffee shop opening in my opinion!) and even sold a few pieces. at some point in the next day or two i'll take a painting break and post some pictures from the event as well as images of some of the newest drawings. look for a new facebook page just for sara shawger studios, too.

winter inspiration

getting ready to hang my show in the morning...still have on drawing to finish, an artist statement and a pricelist to do. here's a new little tiny, 3.5x5.5, which i call "Winter's Message", and a few steps leading up to it.

just got my postcards in for my show in temecula! i'll be sending those out in the next week or two. if you want one, even if you can't come (you can put it on the fridge!!), send me an email with your mailing address.

who needs sleep anyway

no pictures right now, i still have to photograph the latest work. not to mention, i'm saving them for my show as a surprise! i hang my landscape drawings next wednesday, and then i can shift my focus to my show in temecula. i've got several canvases and plenty of ideas, just lacking in time. i'm even taking a few days off of work so i can spend them in the studio!

so don't forget, my opening for all of you locals is next friday the 3rd from 5 to 7 at miklo's coffee house, 6005 jaguar drive. and if anyone is around the temecula, ca area, i'll be at lorimar winery on the 22nd of january showing my paintings and drawings, a little mix of everything. i'll have postcards for that show to send out next week. please email me if you would like a postcard. once the shows are up i will post pictures of the work and the events. hope to see some of you in the next couple of months! and i hope you all have a great holiday!

namaste!

i can't think of a blog title right now

art dork

End of the Road, 24x48, oil on canvas (sold)

end of the road is based on my visits to eldorado checking on my aunt's house. if you take avenida eldorado alllll the way to the end, it turns into a dirt road. a little further ahead is the end of the road with a big warning sign not to go any further. it's kinda hard to with the barbed wire fence and all, but i guess they had to make it clear. this is an awesome spot to watch the sun set in the west over the ortiz and sandia mountains and then turn your gaze skyward and star watch. perfectly peaceful with a touch of coyote howling to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. far enough from the lights of santa fe that you can see the stars all the way down to the mountain top silhouettes. this place will always be a warm reminder of my aunt and a new beginning for me.

in the other picture, if you look through the dorky artist wielding her brushes, you can see the piece in progress. hmmm, maybe for my next painting i'll take pics all the way through and post them in order so you can watch how it comes to be?! sounds fun doesn't it?! anywho, this piece is actually going to my biggest collector, so if you want to see it in person you'll have to go visit my brother in maryland.

also, i've set the date for my artist's reception at the lorimar winery shop in temecula, ca. it will be on saturday, january 22nd. i'll get more details up later.

back to work for me! namaste.