Dynamic Duos

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The oversized postcards for Dynamic Duos Celebrations Gallery arrived and they look great. Many thanks to Jackie for putting my collaborative piece with Robin Maria Pedrero "A New Take on Cake" on the top left!

Robin and I shared our detailed process and the works here on the blog and on facebook. One of several collaborations, but our first time to actually have worked on the sames pieces.

 

If you live anywhere near Pomfret Center, please stop by the Gallery and Shoppes, they have recently opened a beautiful tea room on the premises where you can sample some unique blends and sweet treats. They are offering monthly themed afternoon teas from 2-5pm and reservations are required.

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Collaboration for Celebrations Gallery

"We Stick Together", Robin Maria Pedrero and Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson

Robin and I have worked together in the past, and this year we decided to do it again as part of a collaborative show at Celebrations Gallery and Shoppes in Pomfret, CT. Ironically, Robin grew up in CT and now lives in FL, I grew up in MA and now live in FL. Robin and I have been friends and fellow artists for years, in fact it was her encouraging the folks at Celebrations that got me in the door!

We started out the birds piece with Robin taking the blank panel, painting a layer of her resist technique including branches, leaves and two silhouetted birds, and then handing it over to me. I added two more birds and branches in collage, some flowers and some postage stamps, and gave it back to her. She was then inspired to add more leaves, fruit and even a very subtle house in the far background. I love it! She gave it back to me and I was so happy with it that I just photographed it!

"Let Them Eat Cake", Robin Maria Pedrero and Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson

The Cake piece was started by me with a blank panel. It was Robin's idea to lay out a grid and have us each work in every other square. I covered the background with old recipes tinted with acrylic stain before laying down a pencil sketch on top of that. I did my underpainting of the cake in all of the squares, but I only collaged in every other. I then handed off the piece to Robin who added paint, charcoal, birds and branches and painted her panels to be harmonious with mine, forming a complete cake image. She mimicked some of the collage patters in her squares to keep the continuity, this work super because the piece looks like a complete image and not a checker board. Our work is interacting with each other!

I truly enjoy working with Robin, it was fun collaborating and even having lunch once or twice to discuss the project! 

Collaboration for Celebrations Gallery

©Robin Maria Pedrero, stage two

Robin Maria Pedrero and I have embarked on yet another collaboration! I'm very excited because last time for "Chalk, Paper, Scissors" we both created the same artwork image in our own style and medium and they were exhibited side-by-side. We were also in a two-woman show at Seminole State College Fine Art Gallery. For the SSC show we produced a catalogue that is still available on Lulu.com

Robin and I are great friends and we are both from New England. Robin introduced my work to the folks at Celebrations Gallery in Pomfret Center, CT and the rest was history. Now, not only are we both represented by this lovely gallery, but we are ready to jump in and participate in their call for artists to create a collaborative art project!

Over a Greek lunch, we decided that we would each start a piece in our own style on a 18x24 cradled birch panel, and then we would swap and finish each other's work. Robin's stage two is so beautiful that I'm afraid to touch it!

©Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson, stage one

Here is my stage one, it's cake recipes glued down to the wood panel which was primed with clear acrylic polymer. This is a different way of starting off for me, I'm experimenting with our project. I plan to put some brown stain over this to tone down the papers, prime it again with clear gesso to give it tooth, and then sketch a birthday cake on top of the recipes. Robin and I once had mirror images of cupcakes in our "Chalk, Paper, Scissors" show,  but this takes the cake.

Cupcake Commission

©2010 St.Hilaire Nelson

Beth from A Little Something Bakery in West Hartford, CT purchased five of my 12x12 cupcakes from Celebration Gallery and Shoppes in Pomfret Center, CT when she first opened her sweet shop.

Last month Beth asked me to create a custom cupcake piece for her to compliment the others. This Memorial Day Weekend I spent a LOT of time in the studio. I was day dreaming about cookies, cakes, cupcakes and more.... all being made from scratch.

Beth had an idea for this piece. "Keep Calm, Eat A Cupcake." this will be added in magazine letters to the top right corner, near the cupcake that has fallen off the wagon!

As usual, my piece started with a pencil sketch on clear primed birch panel. The second image is the under-painting done in fluid acrylics over the sketch. I always work the background first, the third image is the background working around the cupcakes and leaving some natural wood grain at the top. In the background I wove in "Pat-A-Cake" nursery rhyme and some line art of the cake marked with a "B" I thought this was fitting for Beth being the baker and all... Next I tackled each cupcake individually, leaving the fallen one for last.

My next step is to add the lettering and apply the varnish for an even sheen. Stay tuned!