Oil Painting - Who Needs a Reference Image?

"Driving Into Autumn"

Krys Pettit

Oil on Canvas

 8" x 10"

I have worked from my own images for decades. I have stacks of reference photos.  Files of digital images.  Books with painting ideas.  Sometimes is a just too much for my creative brain and I want to just paint. 

Artists rely on memory more than we care to admit. All those years of sitting in the car observing while my husband drove gave me a memory palace better than any photo file. "Driving Into Autumn" took about 90 minutes to do. Loose, impressionistic and fresh. It's that scene in the mountains in October I am looking forward to seeing which exists only in my mind.

Below some images of the progression of the piece:

Ready to paint after putting in some basic shapes and colors. Cotton candy colored sky not my fav.

Adding some darker colors in the middle and lots of orange and green for trees

Loving how the orange, green and red hint at fall leaves turning in the distance

Starting the finesse the mountains in the distance with cool lavender, blues and greens. Add more color to the sky for a mood -- sunrise or sunset?

Suggested more variation in the mountains in the distance, pumped up the sky a bit and added some colors in the foreground. 

And that's a good day in the studio.

Visit my website for a sampling of my work and custom house portraiture:

https://www.kryspettit.com

Wild Oats and Billy Goats is a great, eclectic fine art and craft gallery in Decatur, GA and I am thrilled be a part of their tribe:

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Etsy is a great marketplace for fine art and craft and I have had my store there for a number of years.  You'll find prints and my medium-sized oils, acrylic and watercolors.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrysPettitArtwork

Looking for art to fill your home and within budget?  I regularly put out studies, smaller works, and older pieces for auction at my eBay store.  It's fun to bid and win and I keep the work varied and fresh:

https://www.ebay.com/str/kryspettitartist

Exhibiting in Virginia Avery Memorial “Reflections II” Juried Art Exhibition

"Edge of Autumn"

Krys Pettit

Watercolor on Paper

14"H x 20"W

"Windswept"

Krys Pettit

Watercolor on Gesso-coated Paper

11"H x 15"W

I am very honored to have two of my original paintings shown above chosen for exhibit at the Virginia Avery Memorial “Reflections II” Juried Art Exhibition sponsored by the Art Committee of the Atlanta Branch of the The National League of American Pen Women. It was open to all Georgia Women Artists and exhibit dates are August 1~21, 2020. 


It is rare to have an actual physical exhibit lately in the Atlanta area because of the challenges of COVID so I am particularly delighted to have my work physically on display with a talented group of women artists. The exhibit is at the Bowen Center for the Arts in Dawsonville, Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta.

Visit my website for a sampling of my work and custom house portraiture:

https://www.kryspettit.com

Wild Oats and Billy Goats is a great, eclectic fine art and craft gallery in Decatur, GA and I am thrilled be a part of their tribe:

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Etsy is a great marketplace for fine art and craft and I have had my store there for a number of years.  You'll find prints and my medium-sized oils, acrylic and watercolors.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrysPettitArtwork

Looking for art to fill your home and within budget?  I regularly put out studies, smaller works, and older pieces for auction at my eBay store.  It's fun to bid and win and I keep the work varied and fresh:

https://www.ebay.com/str/kryspettitartist

New Work in the Gallery

"Wisteria Spring"

Krys Pettit

Acrylic on wrapped canvas 

11"Hx14"W

I just dropped off new work at the gallery that handles my paintings in Decatur Georgia. Wild Oats & Billy Goats is a fun, relaxed fine art and craft gallery just outside of Atlanta in the cool town of Decatur, Georgia. 

Kim is the manager over at WO&BG and she knows how to showcase the artists over there. She does a super job of curating all beautiful creations in the shop. Window displays and items constantly change and it's a delight spend an hour (or two!) in the Gallery.  Wild Oats has a great web site and Kim will be happy to ship my work to you.

Here are a few more of the new pieces I recently dropped off with Kim:

"Oaks and Azaleas"

Krys Pettit

Watercolor on wrapped canvas

10"H x8"W

"Red Buds in the Spring"

Krys Pettit

Acrylic on wrapped canvas

10"H x 8"W

"Still Working"

Krys Pettit

Oil on wrapped canvas

11"Hx14"W

Check out my other paintings available at Wild Oats & Billy Goats:

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Visit my website for a sampling of my work and custom house portraiture:

https://www.kryspettit.com

Etsy is a great marketplace for fine art and craft and I have had my store there for a number of years.  You'll find prints and my medium-sized oils, acrylic and watercolors.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrysPettitArtwork

Looking for art to fill your home and within budget?  I regularly put out studies, smaller works, and older pieces for auction at my eBay store.  It's fun to bid and win and I keep the work varied and fresh:

https://www.ebay.com/str/kryspettitartist

Watercolor in an abstract way

Picked this piece up after about 4 year. I avoided it -- too abstract for my style at the time. 

Now might be the time to get back into playing with color and shapes. Here is how it went to finishing it (and trying to remember what I had in mind those many years ago).

"Hiding in Paradise" © Krys Pettit

watercolor on paper, 15"H x 11"W

Visit my website for a sampling of my work and custom house portraiture:

https://www.kryspettit.com

Wild Oats and Billy Goats is a great, eclectic fine art and craft gallery in Decatur, GA and I am thrilled be a part of their tribe:

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Etsy is a great marketplace for fine art and craft and I have had my store there for a number of years.  You'll find prints and my medium-sized oils, acrylic and watercolors.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrysPettitArtwork

Looking for art to fill your home and within budget?  I regularly put out studies, smaller works, and older pieces for auction at my eBay store.  It's fun to bid and win and I keep the work varied and fresh:

https://www.ebay.com/str/kryspettitartist

Painting Happiness

"Nestled" watercolor of wisteria by Krys Pettit

11x15 inches

I have not been actively blogging for a while.  Taking classes, growing my online presence with my artwork devoured my time. Then COVID came along and altered the way art is shown.  

Many art organizations I belong to have stopped or limited on-site exhibits.  The gallery I am part of in Decatur, GA continues to thrive so my work is available there. I work available online in Etsy and on eBay and of course my commissions keep me busy. 

But like so many of us the personal contact and interaction is missing. That makes my job of communicating in person with collectors and art supporters basically not happening.  

I am filling the gap of non-communication with blogging once again. I've done a tremendous amount of work in the last 6 months and I'm happy to share it here.

 I will also be sharing works in progress, what inspires and motivates me. This will help me create more work and continue my growth as an artist. Some of my job is the craft and the technique.  And the evolution and challenge of getting the painting done are something I am happy to share -- we all need someone to occasionally complain to  :).

I tried to analyze why I paint and a big part of it is to bring something unique to a viewer and collector.  It may be joy, sorrow, contemplation, pride -- the emotions vary. In the end my job is to create something that resonates with you. I look forward to being on that journey with you. 

Visit my website for a sampling of my work and custom house portraiture:

https://www.kryspettit.com

Wild Oats and Billy Goats is a great, eclectic fine art and craft gallery in Decatur, GA and I am thrilled be a part of their tribe:

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Etsy is a great marketplace for fine art and craft and I have had my store there for a number of years.  You'll find prints and my medium-sized oils, acrylic and watercolors.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrysPettitArtwork

Looking for art to fill your home and within budget?  I regularly put out studies, smaller works, and older pieces for auction at my eBay store.  It's fun to bid and win and I keep the work varied and fresh:

https://www.ebay.com/str/kryspettitartist

One Heck Of a Year

Taking a chance, choosing a new road, mapping out a new destination for an art career--these things have filled 2019 to the brim for me. All are exciting, challenging and a bit daunting. Like the many paths we hike on there are easy ways, narrow and cluttered ways, and they always are going up (mountain hiking). Once you're at the top you find a remarkable reward, not unlike the above spectacular view in this photograph I took. The year's journey has been nothing but rewarding.   

I would like to share with you some of the paintings and locations where I have shown my work in the last 8 months in my new North Georgia home. I am truly blessed and grateful for the wonderful opportunities that have presented themselves to me. I am especially grateful to my followers, collectors, friends and fellow artists who have been along for this wonderful ride I have taken.  

Happy Holidays and joy to you all.

"Winter Woods" watercolor on paper

Exhibited at The Quinlan Visual Arts Center Member Juried Exhibition 

Gainesville GA

 "October Leaves and Grasses"

Exhibited at The Georgia Art League Color Theory Judged Exhibition and 

The Bowen Art Center Fall Juried Exhibition

Gainesville GA and Dawsonville GA 

"Coming Home" watercolor on paper 

Exhibited at The Bowen Art Center Fall Juried Exhibition

Dawsonville GA 

"Three Together" watercolor on paper

Exhibited at The Bowen Art Center Fall Juried Exhibition

Dawsonville GA

"Edge of Autumn" watercolor on paper

Exhibited at The Downtown Gallery Fall/Holiday Juried Exhibition

Cartersville, GA

"Remains of An Empire" watercolor on acrylic paper

Exhibited at Tannery Row Art Colony Juried Fall Exhibition

Buford GA

"Early Morning Meeting" watercolor on paper

​Exhibited in “Reflections” 2019 National Pen Women Juried Art Exhibition

Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA

 "Windswept" watercolor on gessoed coated paper

"The Red Gate" oil on canvas panel

Both Exhibited and awarded prizes 

Georgia Art League Color Theory Judged Exhibition 

Gainesville GA

"Market Day" watercolor on paper

"Rush Hour" watercolor on paper

Both Exhibited Gadsden Art Associational Juried Exhibition

Gadsden AL Museum of Art

"You Can Never Have Too Much Garlic" watercolor on paper

"Yellow Pears in a Blue Glass Bowl" watercolor on paper

Both exhibiting in venues in historic downtown Norcross GA

Too see more of my work please visit my website:

Krys Pettit Artist

Monet Didn't Do Housework (The Need To Focus)

I have a marvelous book in my collection, “Monet at Giverny” by Caroline Holmes. In addition to splendid photography of Monet’s gardens and work it has wonderful information about how he worked in his studios and outdoors in Giverny, France. 

The chapter “The mind of an artist” was of particular interest to me. It gave insight on Monet’s daily routine.  He rose early around 4 or 5 a.m.  His main focus was how the sky would look, thinking of how his work outdoors would be affected. He bathed, had a hearty breakfast at 5:30 a.m. and went off to paint with the assistance of family members (who no doubt helped lug the equipment).  Returning at 11:00 a.m. he insisted lunch be served promptly at 11:30. Coffee, plum brandy and a nap were next in order.  After that he would assess the day, working outdoors or in his studio. Dinner was served at 7:00 p.m. and he would turn in early.  Apparently any deviation from this timetable was not welcome and he was known to get a bit cranky when things swerved off their usual schedule.  I had the pleasure of visiting Giverny and Monet’s gardens and I imagined what it would be like to trudge along after the master when his day began, and what the meals were like in the rambling home. 

Of course, Monet did not do housework. At this time men were not known to take a turn at the stove, the dusting or the laundry. He had family and hired help to assist in the momentous task of maintaining a household, feeding a large family, and keeping up his gardens. Lack of domestic chores aside what struck me was his dedication to a schedule. He focused on his art, his method, the organization of his day and sticking to a rigid timetable.  

Domestic duties are typically shared by my spouse and myself in the 21st century. We both have our own creative businesses and respective studios in our home.  My husband is one of the kindest and most dedicated partners I could ever want, always willing to help, to assist with the chores. But when it comes to his work, he focuses. And yet I always seem to have a harder time keeping in focus with my  art work and schedule.

Distractions abound.  The dishwasher, the clothes washer, the dryer, house cleaning. Meals need to be prepped.  And what about the birds, someone has to feed them and gosh if its not done right away, they may just get feisty.  Oh my goodness it is getting colder (hotter) and I need to sort out my seasonal wardrobe. And let us not forget the house badly needs repainting and colors need to be picked. In addition throw in  the damning time sucking creatures of the internet and Social Media looming in the corners, tempting me.  What’s an artist to do?

How we focus on our art is a challenge with day to day duties even when you work out of your house.  Because connecting online can be so disconnecting the constant interruptions to my creative flow are in essence killing my work. Rethinking schedules and treating my creative and marketing business flow on a daily basis needs to be as rigid as if I were still in a conventional job, punching in a veritable time clock.  I am grateful and fortunate to work full-time in my art business. As disciplined and rigid as I am with my techniques I find I need to focus and “double-down” even more and concentrate on not being distracted. By anything. It’s a job, my job and I am lucky to have it.

As an afterthought maybe channeling Claude Monet and his reflecting on his schedule and body of work is a good way to focus on disciplining myself. A trip to France and Giverny probably couldn’t hurt — hey maybe I need to take a break and research air fares! (baby steps...baby steps...)

For more of my art and a look at my other blogs please visit my website:

https://www.kryspettit.com/trees--landscapes---buildings.html