Reserved: the process

Reserved 30" x 30" oil/sold

 I recently finished "Reserved".   I worked on this oil painting commission for many months.  My client had an idea for a painting that she wanted for above her fireplace. She really like my painting "Recharge" but decided to commission me to paint  an original oil of exactly what she had in mind. 
 She provided a good reference for Longs Peak (taken from the Peak to Peak Highway in Colorado adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park) but wanted to include the Adirondack chairs that I have painted frequently.  I composed the two chairs with the Longs Peak Autumn photo and painted the small "Table for Two".  I included the bottle of red wine and two  wine glasses to make the painting that much more inviting.  I wanted to make sure I was portraying what she had in mind before I went to the actual large square format.  She loved the small painting so I started "Reserved" on oil primed linen on gator-board (my favorite surface for oil).  I was pleased with the outcome of the painting and more importantly my client absolutely loved it.
"Table for Two" sold recently at the Grand Lake Art Gallery.     "Recharge" is still available for purchase.  To inquire about current availability, contact me.  Fine art prints and giclees of  "Reserved" can be ordered through Fine Art America.

Recharge  24" x 30" oil

Table for Two  10" x 10"  oil/sold

Longs Peak reference photo

You can see more of my artwork online:
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(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

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Sweet Art Show

Retreat

 I recently rejoined the Lincoln Gallery in Loveland, Colorado.  This co-op gallery is run by the Thompson Valley Art League.  Every February they sponsor a members show called the Sweet Art show.  (Valentine's Day is a big deal in Loveland every year.) I entered two oils and "Retreat" won 2nd place for oils.  I love this scene of an Adirondack chair sitting beside a peaceful alpine lake with  the rugged Rocky Mountain peaks surrounding it.  I found this scene near Fernie, British  Columbia at Island Lake Lodge.  I added the red glass of wine to make it that much more inviting.  This original oil is for sale, contact me for current availability.

A possible companion piece for "Retreat" is "Recharge" which is a larger (24" x 30") original oil painting with two Adirondack chairs with two wine glasses and a bottle of wine.  "Recharge" is more impressionistic with some impasto.  Both paintings give me peace of mind. 

Recharge

You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Western Spirit Art Show 2015

Homespun

 My original oil "Homespun" was accepted into the Western Spirit Art Show in Cheyenne, Wyoming with an opening on March 7, 2015.  I painted this oil plein air in my backyard last summer.  I was participating in Plein Air Rockies which had a 50 mile radius of Estes Park.  My backyard is well within the parameters so I set up a favorite homemade log cabin quilt on the clothesline and captured the late afternoon light of the Front Range in Colorado.

Shades of Spring

 The other two mini oils of mine in this national show are "Shades of Spring" and "Perch".   "Shades of Spring" is a pallet knife plein air oil painting from last Spring when the lilacs were just blooming.  This painting has a fair amount of texture in the impasto swirls.

"Perch" is also a plein air original oil I painted while participating in Paint the Poudre Plein Air 2014.  I set up my pochade box on a hilltop above Horsetooth Reservoir and captured a gray, but atmospheric day in Northern Colorado.

You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

 

Perch

Loveland Museum Gallery Adult Art Classes 2015

These are my Winter and Spring art classes for adults that I will be teaching for the Loveland Museum Gallery.  All supplies are included and no experience is necessary.  These small classes fill quickly.

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sold

 

Watercolor Blooms

Thursday, January 15, 4 – 6 pm

Learn how to glaze with watercolors that will create colorful depth in a flower bloom painting. Instructor: Mary Giacomini 

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Neon Poppies

 

Botanical Watercolor Painting

Thursday,  January 22, 4 – 6 pm

Discover how to draw and paint what you see using a purple underpainting. 
 Instructor: Mary Giacomini

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Altitude

Paint the Rockies

Thursday, February 26, 4 – 6 pm

The Rocky Mountains will serve as our inspiration as we learn how to create distance in acrylic landscape paintings. Instructor: Mary Giacomini 

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sold

 

Georgia’s Poppies

Thursday, March 12, 4 – 6 pm

Recreate one of Georgia O’Keeffe’s masterpieces with soft pastels.
  Instructor: Mary Giacomini

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For Vincent

 

Starry Night Impasto

Thursday, April 2, 4 – 6 pm

Create swirling skies of your own Starry Night using thick acrylic paint and a palette knife. Instructor: Mary Giacomini  

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sold

Paint a Moose

Thursday, April 16, 4 – 6 pm

Learn a simplified technique to paint an acrylic moose and have fun with thick paint and palette knife swirls. Instructor: Mary Giacomini

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Winter/Spring 2015

Register by calling the Museum at (970) 962-2410
All classes suitable for any skill level and all materials are provided unless otherwise noted. Pre-registration is required at least one week prior to each class. Ages 16 and older.
Fee: $40 each ($32 for museum members)

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Bad Santa 2

I attend a weekly life drawing/painting group.  Besides challenging ourselves to paint from life in a few hours, we occasionally  have a 'theme' or costume for our models.  We have had a "Bad Santa" duo several times now.  This "Bad Santa" was painted late 2013 in oil.  This is all in good fun with a challenge to boot.  Contact me for current availability of this piece.  Prints can be ordered through Fine Art America.

You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Plein Air Tuscany: traveling with oil paints overseas

 I had never flown overseas with oil paint so I had to do some research on how to go about the planning.  First of all you must know ahead of time what is allowed for airline travel.  Solvents and flammable materials are not allowed.   Look up the current regulations at a TSA website.  Experienced artists have found that including the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet-found online at various manufacturers websites) for each product and highlighting the flash point for each product can make travel easier for artists.  I put each color in a clear bag with it's MSDS sheet highlighted.

 I've always liked Gamblin paints but found that their MSDS sheets are the clearest for explaining their product's safety.  One thing I've been warned of is to not refer to your oil paints as "paint" but as "artists colors made with vegetable oil".    I used Gamblin's Quick Dry White which has a lower flash point than regular alkyds and would help my plein air paintings dry faster.

 Gamblin's Solvent Free Gel was the only 'medium' I found with flash point low enough to be allowed in cargo.  This product not only speeds drying time but can also be used as a brush cleaner.

 To save precious packing space I brought linen canvas sheets that I toned ahead of time.  I clipped that day's painting to foamcore.  I later mounted each of the plein air paintings to foamcore.

I packed my "M box" (11 x 14) in a makeshift bubble wrap sheet with bungee cords to keep the weight light and to protect my precious pochade box. I packed this in my carry on since I knew it would be impossible to replace once overseas.  I also packed my tripod, brushes, an apron, rags & a few paper towels in my checked baggage.

I brought a small portable clothesline  and used it inside to clip my wet oils to.  The day before we had to pack up, Mary Landis and I laid our almost dry oil paintings on a clothes drying rack in the sun to bake a bit more.   After I photographed each painting, I stacked the paintings in between wax paper with a foamcore  top and bottom clipped together.  Only one painting smudged slightly and was easy to fix.

We shipped our art supplies back to Colorado to make traveling a little easier.  If it had not been for a wonderful young woman we met at the post office in Murlo, this wouldn't have been possible.  Our Italian was pretty limited, but this woman helped fill out the forms required-in Italian.  The boxes we purchased at the Italian post office were quite flimsy but they managed to make it back with the outsides shredded-but everything inside intact.  What a relief to get my art supplies back!

You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Plein air Tuscany: Lavendaria

"Lavendaria"

 On my last day of plein air painting in Tuscany I was in the quaint little town of Buonconvento, near Sienna.  One thing you see all the time is laundry hanging out to dry.  I personally would like to see more people not wasting electricity and loved the hanging laundry everywhere.  
I was just outside the walled city when I decided to paint a scene of clothes out to dry against the historic building.  A woman resident periodically watched me so I decided to include her in my painting. People watching is popular for Italians and tourists.

plein air painting Buonconvento

Since I was in public, I had quite a few people stop by to see what I was doing.  When they saw I was painting someone's laundry they got rather quiet.  This just made me smile even more.
My plein air Tuscany adventure is over- for now.  What a wonderful experience I had.


You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Toscana: plein air

Toscana

 The next painting day I painted alla prima (one sitting) just down the road from the agriturisimo I was staying.  I had been drawn to a single tree on a hilltop and decided to paint it.  For some reason I felt inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe that day.  I simplified my oil painting into interesting shapes and came up with "Toscana", a 10" x 8" original oil.  I will paint this one larger but will keep the simplification of shapes.

"Toscana" on my M box on location

You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Plein air Tuscany: Fuligni vineyards

Brunello De Montalcino

Plein air painting in the Fuligni vineyards

 We decided to venture into the countryside after painting several days at the Fattoria Armena.    We weren't sure how it would work to be able to paint in one of the neighboring vineyards since our Italian speaking skills were minimal.  We headed towards Montalcino.  We visited several beautiful vineyards but were welcomed with open arms at the Fuligni vineyards by the manager Mike Motiu.    We returned the next morning ready to plein air paint.  The grapes were just a few weeks away from picking and absolutely succulent.  I settled in to paint the vineyards and the 'tasting room' and cellar, which was once a monastery.   The difficult part was deciding what to paint as everything was beautiful.
We brought some snacks for lunch and were served their award winning Brunello wine.  When the light faded after lunch,
Mike took us on a complimentary wine tour of the Fuligni vineyards. We tasted and purchased several bottles of their wine.  This is the best wine I have ever had.

In the late afternoon plein air session I painted "Vista" of the patchwork
Tuscan views surrounding me.
I am currently working on a large version of "Brunello De Montalcino" oil painting.  When studio painting I combine photo references with my plein air studies to bring back the essence of my inspiration.
This was the best painting day I have ever experienced, along with the best wine and nicest local Italian we met on our trip.

Brunello plein air

Vista (sold)

You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Plein Air Tuscany: Fattoria Armena

Fattoria Armena

on location in Tuscany

 On my 3rd day of plein air painting in Italy this past September I decided to paint the arches in the courtyard of Fattoria Armena.  There were plenty of pots with flowers and I decided to include the large geraniums in the foreground. .  The spot where I painted was just steps from the apartment where I was staying.

The arches, bricks and flowers were reminiscent of the 70' mural of the Lincoln Gallery that I painted with three of my friends in 2001. I felt like I was painting in our mural-very dreamlike. 

To conserve on space I oil painted on sheets of 9 x 12" linen which I clipped to foam core. I had toned the linen before the trip so I would not have to work on stark white surfaces.   After the paintings were dry I could layer them between wax paper to bring them home.  I later mounted them onto archival foam core to put into frames.
This original oil painting is for sale, please contact me for availability.
You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

The mural for the Lincoln Gallery, Loveland, Colorado.

Plein Air Tuscany: Fontana

Fontana 9" x 12" oil

My third painting and second day of plein air in Tuscany was of an old fountain not far from the front door of the Fattoria Armena apartment in which we were staying.  I loved the patterns, the flowers and the shadows created by all of the trees.  I painted all of my September 2014 Tuscany paintings alla prima en plein air.  As an avid outdoor painter I had dreamed of painting in Italy one day.  This was plein air painting at it's finest: peaceful settings, comfortable temperatures with inspiring historical buildings and landscapes to capture. This original oil painting is for sale, please contact me for availability.
You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Plein Air Tuscany: Vigneto

Vigneto 9" x 12" oil

Vigneto on my M Box

Inspiration

 The second  oil painting I completed in my Tuscan plein air adventure is "Vigneto" (vineyard in Italian).  The morning fog was still working on lifting when I started this scene of vineyards and olive groves.  This is on the property at the Agriturisimo  I was staying at in September of 2014.  I was situated on top of one of the many Tuscan rolling hills and had a wonderful distant view once the morning fog lifted.  This original oil was painted alla prima, on site.  I used 9 x 12" linen sheets that I later mounted onto acid free foamcore.  This significantly cut down on the amount of space the finished painting would take in my luggage.  There is something about painting under grape vines where you can occasionally taste a sweet grape that remains a  lovely vivid memory. 

This original oil painting is sold.
You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Tuscany: plein air 2014

Hide and Seek

I had the trip of a lifetime this past September.  I had the chance to plein air paint in Tuscany, Italy with another artist friend.  We've talked about it for years and decided to make it happen in 2014. It had been a dream of mine to paint the vineyards and rolling hills in Tuscany.
On our first morning of painting we walked out the front door of the agriturisimo we were staying south of Sienna. There was a thick fog but occasionally the hilltops with villas  emerged from the mist. I set up my pochade box, photographed my scene and started oil painting.  Not long after I started "Hide and Seek" the fog completely covered my scene.  I tried working from the image in my digital camera between glimpses of the villa in the fog.  My goal was to capture a moment and instill a memory which was successful.  This original oil painting is for sale, please contact me for availability.
You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com