Monica Paints Milla

© 2011 Monica Dahl, sketchbook project and detail, watercolor

Yesterday I received an amazingly heart felt email from Monica Dahl who told me that she had come across Cherie's story via Kimberly Santini's blog when she did the painting of Milla, Cherie's cat. Monica wanted to do the same.

This is a watercolor study that Monica included in her sketchbook project. This little book and the portrait of Cherie's beloved cat Milla, will tour the country and be on display in five cities. Check out the project here: www.arthousecoop.com

Monica asked me to forward these images to Cherie, which I did through her sister Sue. I also wanted to share it with you. The kindness of strangers never ceases to amaze me. Whether it's Kim Santini mailing me palette papers I can use in my collage work, or Aurore Brunet sending me hand-painted papers, or all of you who have sent Cherie cards, notes, donations, and purchased or submitted artwork to Cherie's art book "Art With Heart" (click here to learn more about how to buy the book or donate).

Thanks Monica for sharing this with me, and with Cherie. Since Cherie just arrived home from Spinal Cord Rehab YESTERDAY, these images could not be more timely!

If you are interested in learning more about Monica's artwork, you can email her:
greyhound8@yahoo.com

Cherie's Progress

Cherie (right) and I, somewhere in Spain, 1984

Cherie is making the long trip home to Vero Beach today from Atlanta! She's all finished at Shepherd Center for spinal cord rehab. They are driving 10 hours, stopping every half hour for her to reposition. She is returning to her sister's house and I encourage anyone who'd like to send a hand-made or even a store-bought card to welcome her home! The family has used donated funds from www.cheriestannard.com and the book I produced, to help pay for a manual lift, installing a ramp, and widening doorways in their home.

February 2nd is Cherie's 43rd birthday, won't you consider sending her a note? I'm planning to drive down and visit her. I'm sure that embarking on this new year of her new life is overwhelming, and I know that our thoughts and cards can only help.

Thanks for caring about Cherie:

Cherie Stannard
c/o Sue Merrick
515 11th Court
Vero Beach, FL 32962

Girl Scouts Seek Inspiration and Perspective

Our local Girl Scout Leader Sandy Bloom contacted me again this year about helping her troop earn their art badge. Last year I went to their meeting, this year they came to my studio.

The girls were excited about my studio space, I heard a lot of "this is so cool" and "I want a room like this" and "I love to draw!" I told them the story of how the studio was a shed and that my brother and I built it together from the ground up on the old concrete slab.

We talked about art licensing, I showed them canvas print reproductions as well as my art on Flashbags. We talked about the fact that all the graphics and patterns on their shirts were designed by artists, the girls went on to other examples like wallpaper and fabric and books. I am always so happy to inspire kids about a career as an artist. When they come and see my studio and then I point out to them the addition on my home that is our graphic design office, I think it helps them to see that art can be a successful and fun career.

Then we talked about deadlines and pressure to be creative even when you don't want to, and juggling work and a family and how work comes and goes when you are self employed. A little reality never hurts! I reminded that that art is a job just like any other.

In the end I gave them some one-point and two-point perspective, this was part of their badge requirements. Overall, I hope the visit to my studio gave the girls a little MORE perspective than just about the vanishing points!

"Fine Feathers" a stop action animation

My husband Doug Nelson is a photographer and all around technical master mind. Lately he's been experimenting with stop-action animation and decided to set up a camera that would automatically click a digital image every 20 seconds in my studio. The result was 1300 photos shot in about a 7+ hour timeframe. As I worked on Fine Feathers in the studio, the camera clicked away. He later took the photos into his MAC and put them together in Final Cut Express where he also added the acoustic guitar solo by Jon Liebing entitled "Red." Jon grew up around the corner from and attended school with my London roommate Suzanne Miazga who died in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in 1988. I met Jon after the plane crash when I was visiting her family in upstate New York. I mention this because it is amazing how one event can change your whole life even 23 years later. Jon sent me his CD about two weeks ago and I listened to it while I was working on and filming the progression of this art! (hear more of Jon's original music here) If you have not yet seen my story on how these events changed my life, check it out on Growing Bolder!

Being a first attempt, Doug was not totally happy with the way the light of day dramatically changes the light on the artwork throughout the day. I have windows on every wall of my studio space and despite the fact that I had lights on in the studio, you can see it get much darker as the day progresses. Next time he plans to cover the windows and work solely with artificial controlled light balance.

I'm super happy with the results, I think it's a neat and interesting way to show the process from start to finish of this piece which is now on display at the Grand Bohemian Gallery Downtown Orlando. You can see the images of sketch, underpainting and finished collage in this previous post.

Artists Wanted

Artists Wanted is a collaborative project between several New York City artists and creative organizations working to build new lasting opportunities for emerging talent. We have experienced first hand the difficulties in breaking into the professional art world and it is our mission to make this process more welcoming, dynamic and open-ended.


Please check out my portfolio
http://www.artistswanted.org/StHilaireNelson

The portfolio with the highest of the number of votes and star rating will win the People's Choice Award and receive a $2,000 cash grant and an online feature of my work!

Fine Feathers

To create this extreme horizontal format my husband attached a 20x24 and a 16x20 set of American Easel Wood Painting Panels together for me. He use wood filler to smooth the surface on the front and used both screws and glue to adhere the panels together.

After the sketch was completed and the wood was primed, I completed an under-painting as I always do. I posted the underpainting to my Facebook fan page and had a couple of people ask why I would want to cover the painting with paper, because it was already so nice! I appreciated these compliments, but I try never to fall in love with my under-painting for just this reason.

"Fine Feathers", 20x40, collage of hand painted papers on cradled wood panel

Upon close examination of the final piece, I'm sure you will agree that covering the under-painting with my collage technique was still the way to go! I delivered this piece to the Grand Bohemian Gallery in Downtown Orlando and they are quite pleased with it. If you live locally, you can go downtown and see it in person!

Mixed Note Cards Available

Two each of five images, 4x6 glossy finish cards with matching white envelopes.