The Pencil Box - Featured Artists - March 2020
Corresponding with the art gallery that is featured each month in Ann Kullberg's COLOR Magazine, The Pencil Box blog series will give artists a bit more space to share insight and inspiration about their colored pencil art. Make sure to check out FB group links at the bottom of this post. Call for entry is posted every month in participating Facebook groups - join in the fun and your artwork could be featured, too!
United Purpose by Karen James
12" x 14" on Grafix Drafting Film
The glasses I used to create this composition were always displayed in my parents home in a shadow box with a mirrored back. The play of light and color always fascinated me. When I was old enough, I would rearrange the glasses to see how the different sizes and colors would look together. Now, I am the proud owner of these glasses, and I still play with their arrangement in my hutch! Looking at these beautiful glasses, I also think about the fact that they are all different sizes, shapes and colors, but they serve the same purpose. Hence, the title, “United Purpose”.
About Karen:
Karen James is a multi-media artist who specializes in contemporary realism. She chooses her subject matter based on what appeals to her both for its visual and emotional appeal. She is an Artist Member and instructor at the Warwick Center for the Arts and exhibits there frequently..
See more at: https://karenjamesarts.com/
Princess Heart Strings by Amber Marie Hunt
36x48 inches on custom wood panel
This piece was inspired by the idea that in order to find true love and happiness, one needs to be honest with yourself, to be authentic in what you are and do, in order to find the keys to unlock it all. The piece is highly symbolic and uses many things that are inspired by the model for the piece.
The crown on the head is a latter day saint (Mormon) temple, an homage to the model's faith. It is not solid, symbolizing how her commitment to it is not solid. The swan, a widely used animal to symbolize love, is black, to make it unusual, and not easily recognized. The tattoo on her chin is an homage to the model's Alaskan/Native heritage. The keys are mere shadows, showing they are there, but not yet found. Bees cover the heart, to show that there is work to be done, both inside and out. Where the arms are supposed to be, there are the vines. This about keeping connection to oneself through nature, through the earth.
This piece was given the honor of receiving the 2018 EXPY & CPSA Great Explorations Best of Show Award in the Explore This! 14 Exhibition put on by the Colored Pencil Society of America.
About Amber:
Born in Oregon, raised in Alaska, currently residing in Wyoming, Amber Marie started drawing when she was young as an escape from an abusive household. She now delves into dark surrealistic and symbolic portraits..
See more at: https://www.facebook.com/artistambermarie
A Helping Hand by William Leigh
18x24 inches on Strathmore board
This is my version of a famous image by M. C. Escher. I admire the way he played with the concepts of multiple planes of perspective occurring simultaneously, or in this case, an image creating itself. It was done using my own hands as a reference. I've always been drawn to surrealism, Rene Magritte in particular. Most of my images have something unusual to them in the way they combine otherwise mundane objects. My goal, ultimately, is to create something that, hopefully, no one has seen before. I'm not really sure how the ideas come to me. Sometimes long walks are helpful, or an especially odd dream.
About William:
I used to work as a graphic designer and illustrator, but now I'm concentrating on fine art without worrying too much about its mass appeal. I find that colored pencils are the perfect medium, since they can be layered to create a painterly effect.
Saul by Maria Jones
11x16 inches on Claire Fontaine mixed media paper
Saul is special to me as he was my first proper attempt at pure colored pencils. I had mainly only used Graphite pencils beforehand, and even that was very intermittent as sometimes I would literally do one drawing in a year (for example) so you could say that Saul got me drawing again. He also opened up a whole new world of color for me which I wasn't used to. When I initially started him, and being self-taught, I found him a bit overwhelming! So I had a ten-month break in between before restarting him and finishing him. Now I'm hooked. I absolutely love them.
About Maria:
Art has always been part of her life, from a child doing doodles with her grandmother to a career spanning 30 years as a Stained Glass Designer. A career change a few years ago gave Maria the chance to take drawing more seriously. Onwards and upwards.
See more at: https://www.facebook.com/Mo.s.ART.Pet.Equine.Wildlife/
These artworks are published in the MARCH 2020 issue of COLOR Magazine.
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Comments (1)
I am 65 years young, and I been drawing, painting and photographing nature for the past year.
Linda Stennis - Jan 20, 2020