Sunflowers! Celebrate August Joy

Sunflowers by Kath Schifano

Sorting the studio and moving artwork I discovered that by painting every year at the sunflower fields means I have sunflower paintings to brighten my shelf. I do love being at Sunflowers of Sanborn for hours, among happy visitors and surrounded by (smiling) yellow and orange flowers. 

Top Row-I've Got Secrets, Wind Dancing,  Conversation, and oops, Niagara Falls, 'A Peek at the Plume'

Middle- Faces in the Wind, Truckin' in Sanborn, Some Rise Higher (which will have a mat, glass and frame), A Model in Austin

Bottom- Another View of the Sun, which is colored pencil a picture before the sunflower farm opened.

Just another August weekend

Lightened the car load and brought fewer framed paintings to the Lewiston Art Festival this month. I like when my clients choose their own frame with local framers. Displaying a variety of affordable unframed works  means more people can own original art. Painting with standard sizes means they can also purchase ready made frames if they like.

With so many events cancelled this summer many more people came to shop at Lewiston Art Festival, all of the artists expressed 'a better weekend' plus it DID NOT RAIN!

Grace Millar Knox Mansion

The Junior League of Buffalo Showhouse is presented biannually in a different local mansion. Decorators transform each room and artists contribute paintings making the house an amazing collection of talent and beautiful ideas. The money raised is used to support local charities and organizations.

I am thrilled to have been invited to exhibit ten paintings in this former home, soon to be the offices of Cellino Law.

EDIT-10/3 Although paintings are hung throughout the mansion, there is also an Artist Gallery, shown here. Paintings are available to purchase right away. I am pleased to have had four large works sold as well as several small paintings sold through the gift shop.

Only 4 are mine, can you tell which ones?

Summer and Pastels in Buffalo

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is a prime painting spot all year long.

The first problem is choosing a site, followed by some housekeeping. Will I be in the way of visitors? What is the best view of an artist on site? We have to choose how the scene is viewed, is it on the side of the canvas or over the top? Considerations include keeping the sunlight off both the canvas and colors on the palette. In this instance I was under a dense tree, keeping cool on a hot Buffalo day. With the easel set in a lowered position, some of the foreground was blocked for me. It had rained and the greens were brilliant and flowers were blooming freshly.

South Side Garden at Botanical Gardens

Every corner and garden is fresh whenever I go back to visit or paint. These flowers are as large as dinner plates and the whole plant is taller than I am.

 

Art on the River

Two days before the Lewiston Art Festival the Youngstown Yacht Club invites some artists to display and sell. It’s just a few hours, a lot of fun and a way to check all my supplies for the weekend. 

Usually I paint the sailboats or the lovely restaurant but I decided to chat and enjoy the evening as I had painted earlier in the day. Laurene visited with me and brought the wine. What a great idea! 

Always Carry a Sketchbook

It looks precarious, but the hill isn't as steep as it seems, and it is raining lightly. Between my sun umbrella and the willow tree above I stayed fairly dry. This is on Lake Ontario, a lovely day spent with Laurene.

 This is my final Urban Sketch, but out in Niagara County, about 6x8" in my trusty sketchbook. It is a watercolored ink drawing. Some of these campers will live here until the weather turns and they leave to southern homes for the winter.