Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Pendant Style, 1" Square

New Pendant Style

The Harvest Crows pendant is part of a new line of pendants in 1" squares.  Two crows, or ravens, watching the sun set as autumn leaves dance in the air. The sky is in shades of yellow, deepening to amber.  Offered as a handmade pendant from my original painting.

New pendant, "Dreaming of a Raven"

New pendant...Dreaming of a Raven A raven gazes at a lovely lilac point Siamese cat. Both are illumined by the full moon as bright autumn leaves dance in the night sky, which is in shades of muted plum and purple. This visionary landscape is part of the Dreamscapes series, which combines my original paintings with digital enhancements. The grunge texture and imperfections give the images a weathered, timeless feel.


Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Took the new camera to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (California, Santa Cruz Mountains). It was a cold day, but sunny. The camera did really well with the light rays, I thought:

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

New Jewelry Line = Big Savings!

Recently, I developed a chemical sensitivity to uncured resin and can no longer make the polymer clay/resin pendants.  I am switching over to a new line of jewelry using glass cabochons. 

While I'm busy doing that, I'm greatly motivated to clear out the old line of jewelry.  Most of it is either on sale or up for auction on eBay.  I have a couple accounts there, my eBay store or artbylaurali

Saturday, December 03, 2011

New Print - 'Ginkgo Leaves on Gray Stones'

Photography Prints
First official one from my new camera.  Took the photo out in my backyard from leaves I gathered on a walk.  Altered it a bit (also new to PhotoShop Elements 10--used one of the new texture effects on the stones).

Friday, December 02, 2011

I got a new camera! A Samsung NX100. Just got it out of the box, put it together, snapped a couple pictures and installed the software. Haven't downloaded the pics yet.

Once I get used to using it (this is my first not-strictly pointandshoot), I'll have to revisit everywhere to take new photos ;-).

I got it primarily to get better images of my paintings for prints but I'd also like to see how the photos compare and maybe do more with altered photos. Love the grunge/dark art style. I experimented a bit with it, combining elements from my paintings & texture layers, but I'm sure I can do much more with these photos as a base.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Catch a Falling Leaf sold and is off to its new home but prints are still available.


New pendant...Winter Peace

Winter Peace Pendant The full moon illuminates two red cardinal birds on snow-covered tree branches, arcing to form a peace sign. Snowflakes dance in the blue night sky.  The image of my original artwork was first baked onto a white polymer clay disk, set in a silver-plated circle, then sealed with hand-poured resin.

A black ribbon necklace is included so the piece is ready to wear. These have an extender chain that adjusts from approximately 18" - 21", closing with a lobster claw clasp. If you would like a longer length, an adjustable knotted cord may be substituted for no additional charge that will fit most sizes, typically 22" - 26" (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp--a great unisex option).

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Got in the larger circle pendant trays. I'd already printed out a bunch of images. I have 7 ready to be made into pendants.  I'll be remaking these two (that sold) in the larger size:



Thursday, November 17, 2011

Two new jewelry sets from the sea

New jewelry set of The Gift of a Red Rose:

And a jewelry set of The Coming Light:


Wednesday, November 16, 2011

New handmade necklace (I'm keeping this one :-)).

Necklace I created for my upcoming birthday.  The image is from one of my favorite paintings that sold quite a few years ago now.  The pendant is also available from my website, or, if you would like a beaded one similar to this, email me.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Went to see the Monarch butterflies today at the sanctuary at Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz, California.  They have a lovely, swampy area with eucalyptus trees where the butterflies stop to rest on their migration.  This year, the day was particularly nice (some years, it's been overcast and cold so the butterflies weren't active).  A couple photos from the day...






Sunday, October 16, 2011

They're barely gone but I already miss seeing cherry blossoms. Here's a collection from various artists: cherry blossoms paintings
FineArtAmerica has so many great artists who do dark art (one of my newer interests): dark art paintings

Friday, October 14, 2011

New painting in a fresh new series...

First painting in the Timeless series, Raven in Dark Autumn.  I have been so inspired with the new Dreamscapes digital painting series that I decided to try to achieve the same effect with an actual painting. I am hoping to do three others to represent the seasons (backgrounds are done--need to add the ravens and seasonal elements).

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Still creating new dreamscapes:

Art Prints

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

New pieces in the Dreamscapes series, in which I combine images of my paintings with digital techniques to produce a whole new work of art:
Art Prints Photography Prints Photography Prints

Monday, September 05, 2011

Started a painting from my visit to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park yesterday.  The underpainting is supposed to dry for a day so it will be all ready to paint tomorrow :-).  The working title for this one is "Pool of Light."


Friday, September 02, 2011

New jewelry set from my painting, Soul of a Rose:
Here are more views of the piece:
A woman takes a moment to take in the fragrance of a pink rose. Inspired by the Waterhouse painting, "My Sweet Rose," which was commonly called "Soul of a Rose" from Tennyson's Maude poem. This romantic floral landscape is offered as a necklace, handmade by the artist from my original painting. Due to the variety of vintage and modern beads, I nicknamed this one "Grandma's Attic" as I was stringing the necklace.
An 18 1/2" beaded necklace of vintage pearls, glass and metal beads, with a toggle clasp, completes this unique piece of wearable art. A bonus set of dangly kidney-wire with heart charms earrings is included.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Added a raven to the autumn painting today. Usually, I paint the branches first on these but, for this set, I thought I'd do the ravens.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Got the backgrounds done for the raven set (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter). Each one is an 11 x 14 canvas.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Finished the new painting. I should be able to get a print-worthy image tomorrow (it's still wet so I didn't want to mess around too much). This is the first painting I've done of that swan who hangs out at the Los Gatos Lake park (which is also where these pine trees are). Haven't titled it yet. I'm thinking of Swan on an Emerald Lake. Or maybe Contemplation of an Emerald Lake. Something with "emerald".

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Today's painting session was about defining the wood areas and doing some underpainting. Tomorrow, I'll glaze over it with brown and (hopefully) the white areas you see will show through as wood grain. For this piece, I'm using Golden's Open Acrylics. They have a longer drying time that traditional acrylics. This tends to give the piece a softer effect, more similar to oils. But, if you want to do something like this, you have to let it dry several hours or overnight. Otherwise, the white will just reactivate and mix right in with the brown, instead of the brown glazing over it.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Result of today's painting session. Really starting to take shape now.
That's pretty much it for the window & the stone path. I still need to do the woodwork, finish the cat, add a tree to the background, then a teapot & teacup to the wooden bench. And whatever else I missed ;-).

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Here's the result of today's painting session. I got a lot further than I thought I would. I spent hours previously planning out this piece so that helped move it along. There's going to be a cat in the window (Leroy is the model). The teahouse window is from a Japanese garden in San Mateo, CA.

Monday, August 01, 2011

New pendant of Chakra Meditation in the Redwoods, handmade from my original painting. Great for a man or woman :-).
The original painting and prints are available at http://zenbreeze.com/store/chakra2.htm

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Went to the Lose Mine yesterday. Well...that's what we call it because we got lost the first five times or so we drove there. It's the Almaden Quicksilver Mine in San Jose. When we left, it didn't seem that bad, heat wise, but I didn't take into account that it would be hotter there and that most of the trails (if not all) are uphill. We took two shorter walks from different entrances.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

New pendant of Mermaid at Santa Cruz:

A raven-haired mermaid with a green tail looks out to the Santa Cruz Lighthouse on a distant bluff. Seagulls glide through the soft gray clouds, which cast a silvery-blue hue on the ocean. This fantasy California seascape is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist from my original painting. Made from polymer clay with the print baked into it, then sealed with resin, giving the image a glass-like quality and providing water resistance.

An adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). As they go over the head, these tend to hang long. If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead (recommended for shorter or choker length), let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

The original oil painting and prints are also available at http://zenbreeze.com/store/mermaidsc.htm

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Got a couple more of the new pendants listed. Gingko leaves in swirling purple water:
And Blue Moon Tea:

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Started the next Annabel Lee painting. So far, I mostly have the moody sky done and the distant ocean:
In the foreground, there will be a bluff with Annabel going up a path.

If you missed it, here is the first painting I have done in this series, Her Tomb by the Sounding Sea:

Monday, July 25, 2011

Getting some new pendants listed.  First up is Kona Kat.


A black cat has leapt onto a table where coffee has been laid out, mesmerized by the steam rising from the cup and pot. The red hibiscus flowers in the background are echoed in the blue batik cloth on the table. The pottery coffee pot has a relief of palm trees crossed above a tiki and is an earthy shade of raw sienna. Behind it, palm trees sway and sea gulls glide in a glorious tropical sunset in shades of yellow, orange, magenta and purple. Tiki torches are aflame on the distant beach. This Hawaiian landscape is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist from my original painting. Made from polymer clay with the print baked into it, then sealed with resin, giving the image a glass-like quality and providing water resistance.

An adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). As they go over the head, these tend to hang long. If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead (recommended for shorter or choker length), let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

Saturday, July 02, 2011

New handmade jewelry set of Beside Moon Bridge:
A Siamese cat watches the koi pond at Hakone Japanese Gardens in Saratoga, California. In the background, twisted pine trees and foliage in rich shades of greens, teals, purples and blues. This zen landscape is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist from my original artwork. Made from polymer clay with the print baked into it, then sealed with resin.

A 20" beaded necklace of stone, glass, wood and metal beads in gray, plum and green, and stunning lampwork beads, with a rustic toggle clasp, completes this unique piece of wearable art. A bonus set of dangly kidney-wire earrings is included.

Size: The pendant is 1 1/2" x 1 3/4" (approximate, not including the bail, which is the piece that fits over the necklace). The necklace measures 20". If you would like the necklace longer or shorter, restringing is available at the time of purchase for no additional charge.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

New painting in the Lenore ghost series, And This Mystery Explore:
In a white gown, the ghost of Lenore drifts among the cypress trees, forgotten by all except the raven. He perches on her ivy-covered tombstone holding her necklace, which has a key dangling from the chain. The setting sun casts an eerie golden glow over the haunted abandoned cemetery. This Gothic fantasy landscape, inspired by the "The Raven" poem by Edgar Allan Poe, is an original acrylic painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the 3/4" sides are finished off in black acrylic)--no need to frame.  Prints also available.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Finished an ACEO (miniature painting, the size of a trading card) in the new chakra series. I'm working on a full size painting in this theme but I wanted to try an ACEO first. Great deal on this...the auction starts at only $9.99 and it's an original! Click here to bid or buy

Thursday, June 16, 2011

I've been working on a new painting. It's an entirely new concept, not one from the series I have going. My favorite guided meditation is chakra meditation, probably because I relate to the colors. It should be done in the next day or two :-).

Sunday, June 12, 2011

New pendant in the wood line, "Morning Cup of Tea":
This handmade jewelry line is a collaborative effort. My husband, Steve, cuts the wooden bases, which then have to be beveled, sanded and varnished, and the metal ring screwed in. I transfer the image of one of my paintings onto the clay, cure it, put on the resin. The result are these amazing and unusual pieces of wearable art.

Friday, June 10, 2011

We went on a pilgrimage of sorts to Portola Redwoods State Park.  This is one of the California State Parks scheduled to be closed in September, due to budget cuts.  I wanted to make sure to visit this incredible place again while I could (I have inner ear trouble that makes the winding roads leading to it difficult but it was worth it).

It's difficult to convey the magic of a redwood forest.  The trees are immense.  I remembered this place as being particularly wild and primordial.   It reminded me of those old gaslight authors, such as Blackwood, who wrote stories about Nature taking back over in such places.

While walking through the trees, we made our way along the stream, having to cross it now & then.  I still need to get a walking stick so we passed Steve's back and forth as necessary.
We chose the trail (coincidentally, the Iverson Trail) that led to tiptoe falls, a lovely waterfall cascading down a hillside (only the last section was visible to us but we could hear it). Resting a moment by this pool, you could imagine that, if the old pagan gods are still around, this is one place they are.
I'm looking through my treasure trove of photos of which ones to use as a basis for future paintings.  Look for them in my Land Gallery.

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

I am very excited to introduce the prototype for a new line of pendants. I had the idea for combining the beauty of wood with my earthy style of art. The wood base is handcrafted by Steve (my husband). The image is, as usual, transferred onto polyclay and sealed with resin. We're planning ovals, squares, etc. I'd love some feedback on them before we go into "production mode".
You can see my other jewelry on my website.

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Big Sale on Big Prints! I know a lot of you have been wanting big prints. Here are specials on giclee canvas prints (ready to hang) in larger sizes:
Fine Art Pendant by Laura Milnor Iverson
30" x 40"
only $149!
Fine Art Pendant by Laura Milnor Iverson
24" x 36"
only $119!
Fine Art Pendant by Laura Milnor Iverson
24" x 36"
only $119!
Limited time only! Other prints available at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/laura-iverson.html