Lessons learned

I recently discovered first-hand how much damage a sump-pump can do to your basement if it breaks, and how much artwork can be lost if you did indeed choose to use one of the rooms in the basement as your 'art room'. This seemed an ingenious idea at the time (it's cool, out of the way, I had my own space so I'm not constantly pulling things out and packing them away..). However, hindsight is always seen in 20/20 vision.

This incident unfortunately led to three inches of ackey covering most of my drawings done over the past 5 years, mostly but not limited to classwork. Hours and hours of drawings went straight into the dumpster. I am very, VERY thankful that most of my framed and 'finished' pieces are either in shows, in frames upstairs, or hanging on my walls or the walls of someone else.

Unfortunately, I discovered the most difficult way that all artwork should be stored in a very, VERY dry room (preferably on the third story or higher). Lessons learned. :)

Tom and Lily

As I mentioned before, I've been working on a painting for a friend. She wanted a painting of her boyfriend and his daughter together, to give to him for father's day.

I worked from a picture she had taken of them wrestling, because I prefer to work from spontaneous shots instead of ones where the subjects are posed, and are aware a picture is being taken of them.

It's always a little nerve-wracking working on a piece of art to someone's specifications. This is especially true with a good friend, because I wasn't sure if she would like it, and if she didn't I wasn't certain if she would feel comfortable telling me that she hated it. Nonetheless, I'm pretty happy with the results and she seems to be, as well. Here is the finished product:

"Lily beating up Daddy", Acrylic 2009.

Old work that I intended to post last time...

Apparently my blog titles have not corresponded with my actually posts lately... this is old work from the last semester that I INTENDED to include with the last post.

Blind contour drawings of hands (I love doing these):

30 minute self-portrait:

Class work, various updates, etc.

I truly apologize to my loving mother, aunt, and BFF Lauren, the three people that read my blog religiously (and I see them two of them nearly every day, anyway), that I have not posted anything new for roughly 6 weeks. I've been busy, tired, and just plain lazy. I haven't wanted to write a sentence since the end of classes, which thankfully ended well. I now am the proud owner of a BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS DEGREE, which I fully intend to use sometime in the future. FYI, 99% of graduates in the arts stop creating art within five years... and I do not plan on being one of those.

Despite the fact that I have not been painting or drawing as much as I should have been, I'm working on two commissions that are going well. One is based off of Munch's "Vampire" painting (see attached photo), and the other is from a photograph of a friend's boyfriend and his daughter, as a Father's Day gift for him. Photos will be posted ASAP, meaning as soon as I get out of my slump and finally have a great night of painting.

In other news, I've been offered a spot at Starbucks in Waukegan for the month of July, by a very kind friend. They have space available for 5-10 pieces. Hanging and promotion is up to me and only me. This will be the first time I've hung a show by my lonesome, and this is, in essence, a SOLO SHOW. This is quite exciting, despite the fact that this is not a "high-falutin' gallery" (as stated by said kind friend... she is an excellent artist by the way, and evidence of this is juliebaronart.com).

Until next time... hopefully sooner, rather than later.

heidikeyesart.com

The "seven deadlies" minus "gluttony"-- FINISHED!

Despite the fact that I presented my drawings nearly a month ago for my final class critique, I had not yet had the time to photograph or upload them, which I decided to do in the middle of a tornado/severe thunderstorm.
Here at last, for your enjoyment, are...

"Greed"

"Lust"

"Wrath"

"Gluttony"

"Vanity" (you made call it "Pride", if you wish, but I like "vanity")

"Envy"

...and "Sloth".

Thanks again to my gracious model and roommate, Jamie, for acting out the deadlies so that I could get reference photos! She's quite used to being dragged into all of my art projects by now..

Vanity/Greed: the seven deadlies continue

I continue to press onward with the seven deadly sin drawings, which are due in two weeks for the LAST DRAWING CLASS EVER of my undergrad. I've now completed 'envy', 'sloth'...

'vanity'...

...and 'greed'.

Heidi Keyes and Nate Gramse: Quick-Change Artists (the opening)

Nate and I had the opening for our very first show this weekend (actually, my very first show... he is more of an accomplished artiste than I), and to my delight, I was shocked at the turn-out. I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart everyone that attended, and especially those that contributed to making food, taking photos, etc. The wine was less than perfection, but we definitely had a delicious spread of food.

This is a photo of my awesome aunt with her 'favorite painting'. :)