New Original Watercolor Painting - Great White Shark Art!

This is my newest painting available for sale on Etsy. I've been wanting to do something a bit edgier than cats, so I thought a shark would fit the bill : ) I hope you all like it!

Both the prints and original are available HERE.

My Art Vlog

Unique Christmas Gifts - Come shopping at Rachel's Studio!

I've added some features to my newer listings on Etsy, and am working on changing all my listings.  Now, you can choose different sizes and types of prints, including poster quality, giclees, digital files (with which you can make ANYTHING, from wallpaper to clothes to unique prints).  Come check me out for your Christmas shopping : )  For the month of November I'm offering my social media followers BOGO on my $25 prints!  Just message me and say you saw my BOGO offer on my social media.  Click on the picture to peruse my Etsy shop.

Where can you follow me on social media?  Let's count the ways!

etsy.com/shop/rachelsstudio
rachelsstudio.com
facebook.com/rachelsstudiodotcom (friend me!)

pinterest.com/rachelsstudio

twitter.com/rachels_studio

learnwatercolor.blogspot.com 

Snapchat - rachelsstudiodc

Instagram - rachelsstudiodotcom and travel4zen  

WIP Little Girl Watercolor Painting for a Commission Work in Progress

And here's the final piece...

Work in Progress of a Tabby Cat

Here are some commissions I'm working on...

 

 

 

 

Holstein Cow Art - My newest print offering

Here's my latest painting that I'm going to offer as a print on Etsy.  It's a Holstein Cow : )  I luxuriated in unabashed studio time on Labor Day - normally I work so I took advantage of the day off to get a bunch of art things done.  It's such a luxury to have a whole day to putter about in the studio.

Click Here to view on Etsy

Here's a close up:

Two watercolor portrait paintings I just finished...

Here are two commissions I just finished...

Artsy clothes - clothes and purses with my paintings on them!

I'm so excited about putting my art on clothes and bags - I got a ton of good feedback on my facebook account. I wore my dress to work yesterday and got a lot of compliments : )

The eyes are a bit awkward, lol.  I just redesigned these with the face lower and smaller so stay tuned : )

Watercolor Painting of New York City's Museum of Natural History and more news

I haven't written in quite a while. I'm very active on Facebook - you can friend me at www.facebook.com/rachelsstudiodotcom and also as rachelsstudiodotcom on Instagram. My travel blog is travel4zen.blogspot.com, and travel4zen on instagram.  I have lots of other accounts on twitter and pinterest, so if you search for me you'll find me!  And of course there's learnwatercolor.blogspot.com and my youtube channels www.youtube.com/user/travel4zen/videos and www.youtube.com/user/rachelsstudiodotcom/videos

Below is a painting I've been toying with over the years, and I think it's finally ready to see the light of day.  I like to play with blurred images of people in motion, and I think there is something poetic about this scene - a living human, himself ephemeral, observing taxidermy Gemsboks in New York City's Museum of Natural History.  There's all sorts of symbolism in this image, which I will allow the viewer to ascribe themselves.

I've started a new weekly schedule.  Every Sunday I list a dollar auction on eBay.  Here is the link for the painting below...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171417095188

And for the nitty gritty for those of you interested...It's been a crazy week - my summer is officially over and I have started back at my 9-5 job as a school social worker.  Last week's focus was getting food out to needy families and finding resources for school supplies.  Next week will be back-to-school meetings, more meetings, and more meetings.  

With my art, I've been trying to post more on my Instagram account, which is rachelsstudiodotcom.  I'd love to see you on there!  I also have a goal of painting for a competition, so I need to figure out a good subject and decide which competition I'll enter.  I'm COMPLETELY overwhelmed with commissions, which is a good thing.  I've been sharing progress on Facebook, so friend or follow me there if you're curious.

I have some fun things coming up too.  In December, I'm attending Art Basel in Miami, something I've wanted to do for a long time.  If anyone has Miami/Art Basel tips, please do share!  I post my travel pics on Instagram at travel4zen, so I'd love to see you there too.

I'm having so much fun with these dollar auctions - and some are busts and some have been great, but I think what I like best is the behind-the-scenes interactions I have with art lovers all over the world.  So feel free to email me or say hi online : )

If you'd like to watch me paint, check out my blog at www.learnwatercolor.blogspot.com.

How is your summer going?  Thank you for visiting my blog : )

$1 Auction for an Original Landscape Painting of Saluda River in Saluda Shoals Park, Columbia South Carolina

As a thank you to my wonderful buyers and online friends, I'm offering this original watercolor of Saluda River up for a $1. I hope everyone has fun bidding!

Click here to bid!

New Watercolor of Arles France

I've had so many commissions lately, I haven't had time to paint what inspires me, but after working on this over a year, I squeezed some time in to complete it.  I've never been to Arles; this picture was taken from google street view (which I can spend hours on).  I got the idea from participating in the  Virtual Paintout  blog forever ago.  Van Gogh was a big fan of this town, btw : )  As usual with my originals, before I post them publicly, I offer them to the highest acceptable bid in the next 48 hours.  If I don't get one, I'll post it on Etsy.  Prints are also available in any size.   Email me with your highest bid if you're interested in this painting!

The Amphitheatre is the 20th largest Roman amphitheater in the world. Converted into a fortress to resist the invaders during the Middle Ages, soon a village was built inside until the authorities finally decided to destroy the houses and restore the building as it was during the Roman time.

Van Gogh spent a year and a half in Arles and completed many paintings under the bright light of the Provence sun. He rented the Yellow House and spent a lot of time there with his friend Paul Gauguin. There, he painted Sunflowers and "Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear" after he got in a violent fight with Gauguin. 

WIP Leopard original watercolor painting

Here is the progression of my latest watercolor "Giovanni's Leopard"  11x14". If you would like to 'watch me paint over my shoulder' visit learnwatercolor.blogspot.com!

I start with the first wash after I apply masking to the eye highlights and whiskers.

2nd wash.  The more of the tones you can get in during the first wash or two, the better!

Time for some dots!  I wet the paper then used very thick black paint to create soft edges.

Here I added some eyes.  I treat eyes as paintings within paintings.  I work in several layers; wet in wet first to get the color in, then wet on dry when I put in the pupil.

More details added here

The final painting!

Click here to view the print on Etsy

Friesian Horse Art - My Newest Watercolor Painting!

Hi all, it's been so crazy with my art, I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while!  I'm doing a special promotion for Cyber Monday.  Just go to my etsy store and you can get any $25 half off by entering the coupon code HOHO4U!

Here's one of my latest paintings....

Click here to view on Etsy!

You can go on Facebook if you'd like to see more of my art, works in progress and adventures at www.facebook.com/rachelsstudiodotcom

African American Art - a watercolor of a St. Thomas Couple

 This is the second time I've painted this couple - I saw them near the beach in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands where my brother got married. Click here to view the original on Etsy.

Cross Eyed Siamese Cat Art

Heee Heeeeeeeeee Doesn't this guy make you laugh?  I used to have a cross-eyed Siamese so I have a soft spot for them.  And lately, with all the challenges in my life, I need some levity.  My Smoky would one up this guy though - he would have his eyes crossed AND his tongue hanging out.  Hilarious.

For prints, click here

Aaaaaaaaaand my last days of summer

Here are the paintings I'm working on right now...

For a special project I'll let you know more about as it unfolds...

I'm on a 'painting cross-eyed siamese' tangent right now.  I think it's because there have been several upsets in my personal life lately, so it really helps to have something to laugh at.  I hope this guy makes you laugh too!

This is a commission

This is almost done I think!

Gotta have fun with an abstract once in a while.

New "Great Tit" Painting - Watercolor Art

I just finished this "Great Tit" bird watercolor painting.  I am back working in the schools as a social worker - my summer is officially over.  So now I'll be burning the midnight oil to get my painting done. Also, my dad just had surgery AND my water heater blew a gasket and flooded my kitchen floor.  So my house is completely torn up.  And yet, I paint.  It's been a crazy July!  So much so that I took a little trip to the North Caroline mountains.  Visit my travel4zen blog to see some pics!

Click on the painting to see the listing on Etsy.  If you would like a print, click here.

Be sure to follow me at www.twitter.com/rachels_studio for tips on how to pick good pictures for a reference photo!

I also offer an online "Learn Watercolor" blog.  It's $30 for 3 months and it's mostly videos.  It's like watching me paint over my shoulder as I explain my process.  Message me if you're interested in joining!

My first day of summer = a perfect painting day!

It's official: my summer has started!  I work as a school social worker, so I have the summers off.  While I LOVE my "real" job, it's so wonderful to have a change of pace and completely focus on my art, family, and fun!  Today, I'm working on two commissions, a cat painting for a special project, editing my videos for my "Learn Watercolor" blog, planning for a trip to Hot Springs, Virginia, and playing chase with my cat.

This painting is for a special 'secret' project.  If it works out I'll share more details!!  I've been videoing the entire process.

This is for a commission.  I've videoed the entire process of painting this guy and will be putting it on my "Learn Watercolor" blog.  I've got three other paintings videoed in their entirety, complete with my explanations as I go, posted there.  If you're interested in joining, message me!

Another cat commission, newly started!

I recently complete this guy, and videoed him for my "Learn Watercolor" blog too.

Be sure to follow me on twitter to learn tons of watercolor tips, art resources, and see latest creations!

Here's one of my upcoming adventures; I'm going to the "Jefferson Pools" in Hot Springs, Virginia.  Thomas J himself took the waters here, and I will too, soon!  It looks much the same as it did in his day, and although it's not fancy, it's a fun way to experience some history.  To follow my travels more closely, come visit me on Twitter at travel4zen.

My trip to Japan...

As many of you may know, I recently went on a trip to Japan.  If you didn't know, you should follow me on Facebook or on my two Twitter accounts Rachels_Studio or Travel4Zen!  To watch all the videos of my trip (and there are more coming) visit my Travel4Zen blog!