Friday, November 18, 2011

Remaining Paintings for Sale!

After donating five paintings this year to various fundraising events, selling approx. ten paintings and loosing two to theft, I have only 19 works left for sale.  They are all posted on my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10150374328322861.356471.212049277860&type=3
with sizes and prices listed.  This collection represents my efforts from the past several years and will go into storage at the end pf 2011.  I need to make space in my little studio for new works.  I have lots of  ideas and ambitions for new work but my studio doesn't expand like my brain does.

As you begin thinking about your holiday shopping list, consider supporting a local artist, one you know!

Go ahead and take a look.  if you are not a Facebook user, send me an email and I'll respond with a file of the images.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Recent Commissions in Graphic Design


The second half of my summer was consumed with three commissions for t-shirt designs, all having to do with the same event....Reach the Beach NH Relay.  For the previous five years I have been designing a team shirt for a local running group.  This year I tripled my customer base for this event and designed three different team shirts.

The image above was sort of re-purposed from 2010 with one change to it and was placed on the front-center of the shirt.  The image below was placed on the back.  My husband, who has been running on this team for six years, collaborated with me for the back design.
 To see the other two team shirts visit my website.http://www.birchtreestudioart.com/graphics

Monday, August 15, 2011

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Currently showing 20 pieces of my work.  Up through August 31.  A percent of any sales will go to the Friends of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

Also, I am offering a workshop there on August 24 from 9am-noon on Drawing Birds.  $25 for the workshop makes this quite a deal!  For more details visit their website.  Contact me if you have questions or are interested.

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/parkerriver/


Thursday, July 7, 2011

New House Portrait


I'm still doing house portraits and donating a percent of my earnings to the Exeter Historical Society.  This one is the most recent.  It's a beautiful property in Exeter, lovingly and carefully built over the course of thirty years by the property owner's and their children, who are now grown with families of their own.

These two photos show the start and finish of the project.  Prior to beginning the drawing and painting phase there is a whole lot of photography and consultation with the client.  The biggest decision to be made beforehand is composition and I want the client to be fully involved in that.

In this case, the client wanted to show more of the property: a barn with horses, an expansive meadow which goes well beyond what is shown in the painting, and a large pond.  All of these features have been very important to the family throughout the years.

In order to create a composition that had all of
the above without shrinking the house, we did a little cutting and pasting.  I removed a chunk of the barn that was in the shadows and not an important feature of the barn, allowing the barn to move closer to the house.

We also wanted to capture the tallness of the mature trees that surround the home.  A clear blue sky with passing clouds is something else that was mentioned during consultation.

Go to my Facebook page to see more photos showing the progress of this painting.   http://www.facebook.com/mobileprotection#!/pages/Birchtree-Studio/212049277860

Now is a good time to consider a house portrait as a holiday gift.  Depending on a number of variables, a painting like this can take anywhere from two weeks to two or three months.  Mainly, people's schedules have the largest influence on the turn-around time.  Start your project by contacting me to discuss your ideas or just ask questions....no obligation.

Bidding is Open!


Bidding has opened on the adirondack chairs for New Outlook Teen Center's summer fund raiser!  So far, one bid has been made on my chair.  Don't delay.....go to www.biddingforgood.com/newoutlookchairs
to place your bid!  There are 14 unique chairs to choose from in a wide range of styles and talents.

My Saw Whet Owl chair is located at Exeter Lumber on Portsmouth Ave. in Exeter, near the Stop & Shop plaza.  You can stop by any time of the day or week to check it out.

To learn more about the New Outlook Teen Center click on the link to the right.  Good luck New Outlook Teen Center!  I hope this is a huge success for you! 

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Saw Whet Owl Chair

 My adirondack chair is finished!  What a task this was, too.  Approximately 15 hours of work brought me to this end.  And I still need to apply a couple coats of poly.

Composition was the toughest part.  Having a separation between slats made it tough to decide where to put the owl.  I didn't want him cut up.  So I was limited to the widest slat, which is the middle.  Therefore, I decided to put him to one side within that slat, so that he's not dead-center.  I made the same decision for the top of Mt. Washington in the background.

I can see this gracing someone's cabin porch or a beautiful woodland garden.

Once I know the location where this will be displayed, I'll post the information here and on Facebook & Twitter.  You do not need to be a local to place a bid.  Bids will be done one line through the New Outlook Teen Center's website (www.newoutlookteencenter.org).

Friday, May 20, 2011

New Outlook Teen Center fundraiser...Adirondack Chairs!

I am one of 14 artists painting an adirondack chair to be part of a fundraiser.  This isn't just painiting a chair in a pretty color.  It's a canvas for the artist to create a work of art.  The chairs will be displayed in various downtown locations for the public to bid on.  The coolest part of this is that a bunch of teen girls built the chairs under the direction of "Girls at Work", a NH non-profit dedicated to empowering girls through woodworking and carpentry.  My daughter was one of those teens.
I have in mind an owl and mountain/foresty scene.  After my husband painted two coats of Kilz, I painted two coats of gesso.  I'm now ready to begin the real painting....always an exciting yet frightening stage!
Stay tuned for an update at the end of the weekend!


Saturday, April 9, 2011

New Website is Underway!

Once again, my website is going through some changes.  I'm very excited!  It will be more efficient and more sophisticated and will have a few new FUN features.  If you want to be notified when it's complete, sign up to the left for notification via email.  I'll also send an announcement via Constant Contact in May.


Can't wait to share!!

Monday, March 14, 2011

February Show Round Up

These six images are the paintings that were sold during my show at the Exeter Hospital in February.  The group of images includes the two that were stolen.  I consider them "sold" because someone who liked them took them; my loss was covered by the hospital.  Therefore, I was compensated.  Not the way one likes to be compensated, but from a business perspective, it fits.

There is still time to make a purchase that will raise 20% for the Beyond the Rainbow fund.  I am offereing to continue donating through the month of March, even though I have no obligation to do so.  Go to my Facebook page and check out the remaining images.  http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Birchtree-Studio/212049277860

January Journal

I'm doing this backwards.  January should have been posted first.  Oh well!  Here's my January journal painting.  I'm doing one of these each month as part of my watercolor studies.  I'll be creating March this week so look for that one to be posted pretty soon, too.  Enjoy!



Welcome Spring!

I know, it doesn't officially start for another week, but if you know what to look or listen for, much has been going on for the past month in the way of transition.  And it's really here!

Here is a two-page spread from one of my journals.  I'm doing one for each month.  January's will be posted following this one.  I'll be creating March's this week.

Spring Peepers!

I just heard the spring peepers for the first time this year!  Unbelievably loud voice for such a tiny little animal.  Here is a link to more information about these critters: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/spring-peeper/.  Check it out.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Two recent sales due to attention from the thefts of February 14th.

I am happy to report that the traffic to my website has seen a massive increase in the last week due to the story of my stolen art having received so much attention.  If you're not already familiar with the story, please go to the link in the previous post.  One piece, titled "Colors of Ireland" was purchased by a woman in Scituate, MA and another piece, "Little Owl" was purchased by a woman in Hollister, MA.
These purchases would not have been made if not for the wide-spread attention this story has received.  As much as I'm still bummed about the stolen work, I am very grateful for these sales and the massive exposure I've received.
I'm also very pleased to report that the Beyond the Rainbow fund, the program which the art shows at the hospital benefits, has seen a flurry of additional donations due to this story.  In fact, one gentleman out of Boston donated $1000!!

In the spirit of giving and happy endings, I'm trying to sell 16 pieces from this show by Wednesday, March 2nd.  If this happens, almost $500 of additional donations would be raised for the Beyond the Rainbow fund.  I invite you to visit my Facebook page to check out the work and make your purchase.
All of my art is framed in an elegant and simple cherry-wood frame to museum quality standards and can be shipped anywhere.  You can get to my fb page through my website, www.brchtreestudioart.com.  Click on the icon at bottom of my homepage.
Have a great weekend, everyone.  And thank you for your support!

Stolen art hasn't been recovered | SeacoastOnline.com

Stolen art hasn't been recovered | SeacoastOnline.com

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The Plot Thickens

There may be a connection to a theft from Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital's Radiology/Oncology department. Apparently, two works of art were stolen from that facility one day before my works were taken. Working in the follow-up....will post any news as soon as it develops.

Thanks!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Art Heist!



Hello friends,

This week started off with a mystery and I need you to know about it. 21 of my paintings are currently hanging at the Exeter Hospital as part of a wonderful show that benefits a non-profit program, Beyond the Rainbow. Not only do I have the opportunity to display my work in a very nice setting, this program provides critical assistance to uninsured and under-insured oncology patients by funding needs like transportation, child care, heating bills and other essentials. 20% of my art sales goes to them.

On Monday, February 14th, two of my paintings mysteriously disappeared. The paintings are shown here, Beach Day and Newfoundland Fishing Shacks. Go to these links to read the story:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20110218-NEWS-102180412
and
http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2011/02/18/art_for_cancer_patients_stolen_from_nh_hospital/

I am reaching out to everyone I know in the community to ask for your help. The more eyes that are familiar with the paintings, the better chance I might have of ever seeing them again.

I could consider this a compliment, and on some level I do. However, this is a hit to my livelihood, as well as a "slap to cancer patients". I was in shock for most of the week. Now I'm just angry.

If you know anything abut their disappearance, please contact the local police department (772-1212) or the hospital (778-7311). As an alternative, I think you can leave an anonymous posting here.

Thanks for all of the support and positive responses I've received this week! Keep your eyes and ears peeled....