Spring Cleaning

Well Finally Spring feels like it might be around the corner. I spent today cleaning my home, office and studio spaces. Many bags of garbage were disposed of! Today was a good day for me. I got alot accomplished here. I went through old sample boards, I tossed the ones that just don't sell. Like an old pair of shoes, if I have not worn them in over 2 years I toss them. With my sample boards if I have not sold it ever I tossed it. I recycled a few that I think might make interesting backgrounds for fine art type paintings. I organized my "inspiration" photo albums, and stacked my books and papers. The studio needed some tidying and the house was cleaned top to bottom including the cars! Taking inventory, and cleaning your work space helps keep you feeling in control and organized. For me it helps remind me of projects I found interesting a few months ago, and then unfortunately they may have been buried under the next "great project" added to my plate!For spring, its a good time to go through your ares, and re- establish your priorities. Plus it frees up time for gardening!

Learned Lessons in Reproducing Old Masters Paintings

As an artist I have many favorite painters, sculptors, and artists that I look up to, derive inspration from, and sometimes emulate. John William Godward is someone whose work moves me and inspires me. For many reason, I love his saturation of color his use of fabrics to convey form, and his incorporation of the often lovely female as the centerpiece of the painting. I had been wanting to incorporate my daughter into one of my favorite Godwards for a while. Over the last few months I gave it a go. I use these excersises as just that, an excersise in discapline, painting like someone else, as a challenge, and of course for my own pleasuer. My painting has a few lessons foe me. The lessons are positive and negative, I am very pleased with my renderings of the fabrics, shadows, marbles and girl. My dissappointment is that I have learned that not all paintings can be "morphed" successfully, my major failure in this painting is that my daughters face is not age appropriate to the original woman in the painting and that is why the painting looks a bit awkward. As artists we must learn from all endeavors, success is in everything because any lesson learned is of value, and all paintings serve as practice for your next Magnun Opus!

March 2009 Artist of the Month

The Faux Forum is my cyber home away from home. This is an online community where I have met and collaborated with artist friends from around the world. The Faux Forum is a place where I go for critique and help with my paintings while in progress, it's a place where I can ask questions when experiencing proffessional, or technical difficulties on a project. Faux Forum is a place where I can find out about upcoming events or plan to meet my friends at planned events. I have been honored with the Artist Of the Month recognition and I am in tremendous company. The artists recognized previosly is a long and impressive list, being added to this list is very special to me , being amongst such gifted talents, humbling. Take a moment to explore this wonderful online community, you will find some inspiring how to demo;s, some useful information on products and some interesting techniques. http://www.fauxforum.com

Sunday Sauce

Recently my husband has started taking an active interest in the house hold chore of cooking. Could it be because I burn everything? nahhhh We have been watching Lifeschool tv, and Stve Schirripa's "Hungry?" is our new favorite cooking show. He recently did a program featuring a Sunday Sauce. This is an Italian favorite and we decided to try the recipe for Dale's(my husband) birthday dinner. The recipre included Braciole, meatballs, sausage, cavatelli, and lotsa cheese! The recipe was shown on the show and made in a resturant in Littel italy in N.Y.C. We cooked the sauce for about 4 hours and the results were the hands down best sauce I have ever eaten,in fact the entire family agreed that the Irishman made the bets we Italians ever had! Thanks Steve! Here is the recipe, invite lots of friends over get some good red wine, and some home made canoli for dessert never does any harm! Braciole parsley, grated parmigiano cheese, sliced garkic, grated provolone, prosciutto fat, pignoli, raisins soaked in water, salt, pepper, chuck filet shoulder(pounded flat) mix your parsley (chopped) bread crumbs, chopped garlic and olive oil to a thick paste. Lay out each filet and put about 1.1/2 tbs of breadcrumb mixture in each slice. sprinkle cheeses, raisins, nuts, and place small piece of fat on top. wrap tightly with butchers twine. Braise in Olive oil on all sides. cook in sauce. Sauce 1/4c of olive oil and 2 cloves sliced garlic add 4 smashed shallots to pan and brown to golden. add 1/2 cup diced inions. 3 quarts of sauce(plain tomato) pinch oregano,lots of fresh basil , salt pepper to taste. add meat, braciloe, meatballs, and 6 sweet sausage. cook for 3-4 hours, add serve over cavatelli, with generous dallop of ricotta cheese! enjoy

Usinig "down" time to better our skills as artists.

There is no getting around the fact that we are in an economic down turn. For many of us in the Decorative Arts field, we are experiencing a slow down in work flow, as is the entire country and other fields. During slower times people can do many things to continue to help secure work, and market themselves. Today I would like to focus on bettering skills as an artist during a slower period. Maybe you have a few days here and there that are not filled. Can this time be used to paint a project purely for the sake of challenging yourself as an artist? Have you been wanting to try a different medium? such as pastels? Have you been thinking your landscape skills, or composition skills are lacking? This is the time to be painting, researching and planning for future jobs. This is a time when a painting a day, or week can really build upon skills you already have , or skills you would like to really fine tune. Libraries are free, as is internet resources such as ARC and Wikipedia, I find so much inspiration on these sights. Why not plan a project for yourself, today. I have come to realize that although I am slower than I would like in my business, I have never spent more time cranking out painting after painting these past few months. Once the creative juices flow, let yourself go! If you do start painting I would love to see what you are working on. I will be sure to share some of my newer inspirations. Have fun!

Kitchen Cabinets Revamped

Let's face it Kitchen cabinets are expensive, in a sluggish economy renovating a kitchen can work itself right off the "to do " list. If you have a kitchen that has wood cabinets, they can be finished in a ver affordable , highly durable, beautiful finish. We strip the wood, prime then and apply the desired finish. The finish can be a lovely faux wood, a warm cherry look or glazed oak. Some of our lovely finishes can include crackling, distressing, pickling, and handpainted designs. Our variety of samples also show various plasters, activated finishes and all colors.

Concrete Countertpos

There is an inexpensive quick, durable attractive way to get rid of ugly formica counter tops. A concrete over lay is a practical way to achieve the look you want for less. I have done quite a few of these over lays there are several manufacturers that make the concrete geared for this application. A products I have had great success with are SKIMSTONE from Modern Masters . Skimstone can be manipulated to give various looks on a counter top from poured concrete, travertine looks to granite and venetian plaster type looks too. The product goes right over the existing counter top and has a surface when dry that is rock hard. Skimstone can also be used for floors, patios and basements. The beauty of the product is that it can be made to look like stone.

Utilizing Home Show venues for Marketing your decorative painting Business

I have done several home shows over the years as well as outdoor craft, and art shows. All of the above mentioned have their benefits to Decorative artists. I like doing the larger home shows because they are usually indoors, and the traffic is heavy. The opportunity for potential clients to actually "see" what you do is very important, the booth gives you the opportunity to showcase some of your work as well as meet with and talk to people. Many of these shows attract designers and people in the industry that use artists . Craft and open air art shows are a great way to showcase your work, for a smaller fee and meet clients also. These shows are usually outside and the opportunity to bring an easel and paint in plien air is a terrific way to create a "buzz" around your booth.

Thank you Long Island !!

Once again the votes have been counted and the Long Island Press has tops in all categories. The Best Artist Honors have been bestowed on Arlene Mcloughlin Murals the studio is finishing in the top 3 and is very proud and gracious to all Long Islanders who took part in this voting process! To read more please look for the January 15 issue of the LONG ISLAND PRESS

Merry Christmas to all!

Happy Holidays to my friends and family from myself and the staff at Arlene Mcloughlin Murals .