Stir Sticks Collages

Hey all!  I had a ton of fun in my studio this week creating these stir stick collages....I had a custom order and decided to make a few more while I was at it.  I knew my laziness (ie  not cleaning off stir sticks after they are used) would come in handy someday. I LOVE these!  I love the idea of making art out of stuff you have laying around in abundance....and painty stir sticks, I have many.

"Brights"   9x 11

"Black and White"  9 x11  (also has lots of sparkley silver!) 

"Blues and Greens"  9x11

These three are for sale ("Brights", "Black and White" and "Blues and Green") through my  facebook page.    Punch & Sizzle.  Each 'painting' is 30.00 plus shipping and is framed without glass.    While you're there, I'd love it if you would like my page (if...of course, you like what you see!)  

You can even commission your own colorway!  Custom colors are 35.00 (plus shipping)  and are framed without glass.  

Finally painted some Chevron!

Finally had an opportunity to paint a Chevron feature wall, I've been waaaaaaiiiiitiiinnggg!!!
One of my bestie bestest friends is expecting a baby girl in October and we will be Chevroning her nursery soon, but yesterday I got to chevron another baby room, in 2 shades of yummy pink!

There's all kinds of info all over the intertubes about how to do this, but I think you should let a professional do it for you. It's really mathy, and worky. So....just call someone who knows what they're doing.  Here's the during, ready to be painted up!




And...AFTER!!!!
Can't wait to receive photos of the room assembled.

Sometimes things need to be said....

Being a professional artist isn't for wimps.

HERE'S THE DEAL:

Many decorative artists have learned what they do through years and years and years of trial and error. Many of us have college degrees in Fine Art, or Applied Arts, Interior Design or Graphic Design.  Oftentimes we have paid thousands of dollars to take product specific classes, thus keeping us informed on the latest and greatest techniques available for your beautiful home. Our entire lives are devoted to the pursuit of seeing beautiful things, filing away ideas for someday. Often  our studios are filled with products just waiting for that perfect situation. Our bodies take a beating, plaster is heavy, ceiling work is difficult. Assembling scaffold is not for the weak. It takes an extraordinary amount of time to stay current on design trends. We swallow our fashion pride on a daily basis, to be covered in paint for you.  Many of us have invested huge amounts of our lives to building a business, trying every type of marketing there is just to get that ONE job.....
And now we have to maintain webpages, fanpages, write blogs, pin photos. All of this takes time, ....all of this costs money.
There is a price for admission into our world, and although our work is oftentimes magical....we do not just wave a magic wand. This job takes knowledge, unbridled creativity, guts, know-how,confidence,stamina,about a bazillion tools, and plain old HARD WORK. And sometimes MATH is involved! I know I made it LOOK easy....that's because I know what I'm doing!!!!!

I'll never understand the client who wants a professional artist to come into their home, but wants to pay no more than pennies a square foot. Flooring is many dollars a square foot, so is wallpaper, granite, cabinetry.....
CUSTOM means 'that's going to cost a little more than something you can just go buy in a store'.... Why are some people surprised by this? 

That's why we make you sign on the line, to be sure you understand exactly what you are asking for.

Yes, yes, there is that small percentage of the 'artistic' population who does think they can just smear a little glaze around and get paid a bunch of money for it.
But most of us are busting our asses! For you to have the prettiest...whatever...We take pride in a job well done, we live for your approval! It may not be brain surgery but it matters to US!!! And we know it matters to you, or you wouldn't have asked us here in the first place.


I JUST WANT TO PAINT PRETTY THINGS!!!!.....but I also want you to care. 

Bird Song Paint Like Me! class

Well, due to overwhelming demand for a shorter, less 'serious' Paint Like Me class, I've added this canvas "Bird Song" to the class schedule.  This canvas will be taught on Tuesday evening, June 11  from 6 to 8 pm
in the art classroom at The Perfect Pair. The cost of this class is 50 dollars and includes all materials and the canvas (18 x 18 ) and 2 hours with Moi!

Students will still get to create a high end looking masterpiece using unusual products.  Such as (one of my favorites...MICA FLAKES!, shown below )

This canvas can be customized to be butterflies or dragonflies instead of the bird.

Again, you do not need ANY ARTISTIC ABILITY to excel in this class.


For our Tuesday evening classes, students MAY bring beer or wine  and snacks of their choice.  We will provide the cups, plates and ice. Yes, you will have to prove that you are 21!!!

All materials for this class are included in the price.

Students must bring a hairdryer to class.
The cost of the class is for you only, no guests or children will be allowed, NO EXCEPTIONS.

Call "The Perfect Pair" to sign up for this class at  217-672-8822
The Perfect Pair is located at 266 N State Route 121  in Warrensburg, IL.

Stay tuned! I will be adding other Tuesday night canvases!
You can also book a private party for you and 11 of your closest friends!

Circus Style

I love hot pink and red together. I really need to get some new sofas in my living room, and while it is pretty low on my list of priorities right now, a girl can dream! I would LOVE  to purchase a pair of   hot pink velvet sofas  like this one!  (this one is from firstdibs, so probably a one of a kind).  Being the owner of 3 male  dogs, I love that the bottom portion of this sofa is unupholstered...(hope that's not oversharing, but boy dogs suck.) 
In my dream with the hot pink sofas, I also have black and white striped curtains and a gigantic marquis letter that really lights up! 

I also love chandeliers in a family room...I am loving this one by Ikea. The only problem I have with Ikea lighting,is usually the bulbs are teeny tiny.  My FAVORITE exploding flower chandelier has one tiny fluourescent bulb in it. Totally useless for lighting the room.  It's really more of 'ceiling sculpture'. But that's ok with me. That's what lamps are for!

Rounding out the scene is a funky watercolor   by C Galla Fine Art on etsy.   I love that painting, it's whimsical but still has a little tension to it. 

And of course in my dream, I have a new  non leaky puppy named Jinx.  

Happy Monday! 

Kitchen 'AFTER'!!!

I finally got my kitchen all put back together and I am LOVING the results.  It's so bright and happy in there, it *almost* makes me want to cook!

The uppers are SW Antique White and the lowers are SW Jet Stream, but I had them darken the color up, so I'm not really sure exactly what color they are now.  You  might notice the ceiling is painted a pale blue too.  I really like how painting the soffit and the cabinet the same color really raised the ceiling.
Remember the 'sad before'?  It was all so chopped up and busy.....

I also got a  super cute new rug ( which my dog is blending right into in the 'after' photo..)  that is made out of recycled plastic water bottles. I love it, it's so easy to clean. The only 'caution' I would add is to not apply aerosol sun screen while standing on this plastic rug, unless you want to slip and fall and break your elbow.

~xo E

paint like me

I am super excited to announce that beginning on July 13, a dream of mine will come to fruition...I will begin teaching canvas classes for people who think they have some,little, or no artistic ability. If you just want to create some great art, these are the classes for you.

The Perfect Pair Antiques and Salon, In Warrensburg, IL has a huge new class room where I will be teaching. 

I am going to be doing things a little differently from the typical learn to paint school or party.
First of all, student will create L A R G E canvases...24x30 in most cases. And not only that, we will be painting on the thick 2" gallery wrapped canvases. That's the kind you see in a gallery and what distinguishes a professional from a hobbyist.

The old adage of 'the end result is only as good as your basecoat' applies here too. So we are starting with hefty, high end canvases to work with.

Most of the products that I will be teaching, will be products you've probably never used before. Things like Venetian Plaster, Wax, Leafs and Foils, Crackle paste, tiny glass beads, mica flakes  and so on.
To have the best results, we will be using only the best products.

You do not have to have ANY artistic ability...just a desire to create. I will take you step by step through each process as I show you how to use trowels, combs, and at times just our fingers.

The cost of each class is 195.00 per student and all you need to bring to class is yourself, dressed in your fabulous paint clothes, and whatever snacks and drinks you would want. We will provide the ice, cups and plates. (There will also be snacks available at an adjoining business, Board Knight, the game shop on the premises.)
If you want to take both classes, there is a 25 $ discount for both.

Ok so here are the 2 classes being currently offered.

1.  "Trees"

This class will employ the use of metallic paints, foils, Lusterstone and crackle paste.  Students will learn how to paint simple and elegant trees with a flat brush and a ruler. Finger-painting will be involved.

This canvas has beautiful underlying texture and lots of shimmering, rich colors. 

Detail of the texture.





2. "Abstract Chevron"

This class will create a gradient chevron design in neutral colors with Venetian Plaster, Lusterstone, Silver and GoldLeaf, Mica Flakes and tiny glass beads. 

Class schedule is as follows :

Trees...Saturday, July 13  from 10 am to 1 pm

Abstract Chevron....Saturday, July 13 from 2 to 5 pm

Please email me at chicpaint@gmail.com  if you want to be included in either class ( or if you're a fan on facebook, contact me there.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Punch-Sizzle-LLC/48273974042?ref=hl

A deposit of 75.00 is required to hold your spot.  No guests or children will be allowed in class.