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  • Living. Camano Island.

    Living. Camano Island.

    We’ve been here 5 months. We’ll be here at least 3 more. We visited Camano Island for the first time on a drizzly Saturday in 2016 and honestly, we weren’t terribly impressed.  I mean, it was pretty, as almost all of the Pacific Northwest is, but it didn’t blow us away. But when hubby took a contract doing home health out of Everett, WA and we were faced with the choice of a little apartment on the water on Camano vs. a little, more expensive apartment in Everett, we decided to give it another shot.

    And boy are we glad we did.

    These past months have been filled with beach walks, whale sightings from our living room (!!!), watching for bald eagles and sea lions, glorious sunrises and sunsets, and more fresh crab than we’ve ever had in our lives. (thank you, kind & generous landlords!)

    There has been so much to inspire me artistically that I can’t paint fast enough to get it all out.

    I’ve filled an entire Moleskine watercolor sketchbook with seaside inspired abstract sketches and used that as inspiration to create a special series of large watercolors on canvas inspired by Camano.

    We’ve been here long enough to watch Spring emerge and fade, and Summer is now in all its glory.

    I can’t wait to see what Fall brings as the seasonal houses close up and everything goes quiet again.

    You can see more from our life on Camano by following my Instagram stories where I post tidbits of what I’m seeing around me daily.

    All images by me.

     

     

  • Showing. BIG Watercolors in Seattle!

    Showing. BIG Watercolors in Seattle!

    You guys, I’m sorry. I’ve been so neglectful of this space lately! I won’t pepper you with excuses.. we are all busy, right? Keeping up with blogging just keeps getting pushed down the ol’ To-Do list as things come up.

    The things coming up have all been good, though! And I miss sharing more in depth here. So I’m going to try more, truly I am.

    You may remember that ever since experimenting with watercolor for The 100 Day Project back in 2016, I’ve been trying out bigger sizes and different substrates. I hadn’t quite hit on that perfect combo.. until now!

    rhodies, watercolor on canvas, 30×30, $750

    When I heard the lovely folks at Lindsey Runyon Design wanted me to be a Featured Artist in their showroom, specifically requesting watercolors, I saw it as my opportunity to go big in watercolor. But due to the hanging limitations of their space, and that I would be installing on my own, I needed to go big AND light. I’ve done some experimenting with watercolor on canvas in the past, but hadn’t quite gotten the hang of it..  Until now!

    Clemantis by Lesley Frenz

    clemantis, watercolor on canvas, 30×48, $1200

    A few coats of watercolor ground added to gessoed canvas creates the perfect surface for watercolors– the paint blends and bleeds beautifully (and easily, requiring a delicate touch!). Once dry, the paintings are sealed first with multiple coats of fixative and then with two coats of UV spray varnish to make sure the surface becomes permanent and impermeable. No glass needed!

    watercolors on canvas showing at Lindsey Runyon Design

    You can check out all of these new watercolors on canvas online on my website .  If you are in the Seattle area anytime now through November 16th, you can stop by LRD in downtown Seattle (near the Space Needle!) to see these beauties in person.

    Lindsey Runyon Design is located at 222 Queen Anne Ave N, Ground Floor, Seattle, WA 98109.
    Their phone # is 206-914-5241 or you can email chloe@lindseyrunyondesign.com for info and directions.

    If you make it to see the paintings, snap a photo and tag @lesleyfrenz on Instagram! And if you’d like more information about these or any of my available work, please email via my website Contact form.

    All images by me.

  • Showing. New Work at JIA!

    Showing. New Work at JIA!

    Excited to be showing in my hometown! A group of new paintings from my VENTERS, ECHOES, and IMMERSIONS series are now on view in The Haskell Gallery at the Jacksonville International Airport.

    The paintings are part of the Spring in Northeast Florida show alongside works by artists Lyn Asselta, Eve Albrecht, and photographer John E. Adams.

    Silent Reverie, acrylic on canvas, 60×48

    Sweet Madness, acrylic on canvas, 48×48
    From the Highest Swing, From the Highest Tree, From the Highest Wing, acrylic on canvas, 24×20 each

    While the initial inspiration for these paintings were the theme of Spring in Northeast Florida, it was the springtimes of my childhood there and memories of my mom that informed each piece. During the painting process, I would often look back on old home movies from my childhood, allowing the muted colors and blown out style to inform the palette and overall feel of these pieces.

    my brother, my mom, and me, easter 1976 and Weightless and Maybe, acrylic on canvas, 12×12

    I plan to share more of the stories and inspiration behind these works with you over the coming weeks, so please stay tuned!

    Meanwhile, if you’re in the Jacksonville area, I hope you’ll visit JIA to see these new paintings. The Haskell Gallery is located pre-security, so you don’t need to be traveling to see the show!

    You can also see all of the work in the show on my website.

     

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  • Opening! A Winter Exhibit.

    Opening! A Winter Exhibit.

    Hello friends! Popping in to tell you about a new show featuring my work, opening today!  A Winter Exhibit, a three person show featuring work by Seattle area artists Mya Kerner, Najia Omer, and moi, opens today at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center gallery.

    The show features work from my ECHOES series, including 4 new paintings created just for this show. If you’re not local to the Seattle area, you can see the work from this series, including the new paintings on the ECHOES page of my website.

    There will be an artist’s reception this Thursday, January 11th from 6:30pm to 8pm. Unfortunately, since we’re currently in Spokane for hubby’s work contract, I won’t be able to attend (I’m so bummed!!). But if you’d like to see the show, please do go and meet the other 2 wonderful artists!

    The gallery is located at 8236 SE 24th St, Mercer Island, WA. Gallery hours are M-F 7am-9pm, Sat 8am-9pm, and Sun 11am-5pm.  The show will be up through February 23rd.

  • Locality.

    Locality.

    We enter 2018 settled for a bit in Spokane, WA. Doing this travel thing for the last (almost) 7 years has been a strange sort of life for a number of reasons. Since the contracts are usually at least 3 months long, often extending longer, we have the experience of not just visiting but truly living in each place for a time. Of becoming “a local”.

    Let It Wash Away by Lesley Frenz in Edmonds, WA

    But even on the longer stays, we always know it is just temporary. We aren’t truly local, just visiting.

    We often talk about how weird it is to stake a claim in one place– especially if it is a place you were born into, that you didn’t choose yourself. How strange that governments and principalities decide where lines are drawn on a map and we swear allegiance to the lands between those lines. We want to truly choose where we decide to call home.

    One thing traveling has taught us has been that you can make a home, make a life, wherever you decide to be. We’re looking forward to finding ourselves in one such locale, wherever it may be, in 2018.

     

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  • Review 2017.

    Review 2017.

    Another year is nearly in the books, ya’ll!  This year was one of the most “settled” we’ve had in our nearly seven years of traveling– we were in Tacoma until the end of November and I had my own little dedicated studio space for all that time.  It was very good for my creative energy  and artistic well being!

    As much as the travel and new places fuels my inspiration, the stability of being in one place helped give me the time and space to work out lots of ideas in the studio!

    Lesley Frenz ECHOES Lesley Frenz ECHOES Lesley Frenz ECHOES Lesley Frenz CAESURA Lesley Frenz SCINTILLA

    acrylic paintings completed 38

     While the number of completed acrylics this year was lower than last, I explored abstraction more than before and felt more emboldened to try out some different ideas.  I found my groove in the reflection inspired ECHOES series, completed a second round of the tiny SCINTILLA series, began a new wilderness inspired series LEMOLO, a conglomerate of my CAESURA explorations and my earlier LATITUDE series.

    Lesley Frenz watercolors

    Lesley Frenz watercolors

    Lesley Frenz watercolors

    watercolors completed 40

    2017 found me diving more into watercolors after my #the100dayproject last year. I explored a range of techniques and forays into abstraction with watercolors this year. In addition to the larger watercolors, I continued my almost daily #watercolorsandcoffee practice.

    A goal of mine for 2017 was to increase my experience with commissioned work and I’m proud to have completed 3 commissioned pieces for clients in Florida, Boston, and Vancouver, BC.

    Lesley Frenz commission

    28×36 acrylic commission

    Lesley Frenz commission

    36×44 watercolor commission

    Lesley Frenz commission

    60×36 acrylic commission

    Be on the lookout for a new Commissions page on lesleyfrenz.com with more info on past commissions and my process for working with you on a commissioned piece!

    This year was busy with shows and events, too– Enormous Tiny Art #21 & #22 at Nahcotta in NH, ICON at Lynn Hanson Gallery in Seattle, and a Pop Up with Seattle Art Source.  As well as new representation with Seattle Art Source and Stellers Gallery Ponte Vedra.

    I’m in the throes of beginning a new series and am excited to see where this new direction and new year will take me!

    Lesley Frenz #watercolorsandcoffee

    See you in 2018!

  • Holiday.

    Holiday.

    Frenz_Sanctuary VIII_watercolor and cold wax on cradled wood panel_10x8x1

    Christmas greetings from snowy Spokane, Washington!

    Wishing you all the loveliest of holidays!  

  • Dreaming. An Art Studio Reading Nook.

    Dreaming. An Art Studio Reading Nook.

    It is with the reading of books the same as with looking at pictures; one must, without doubt, without hesitations, with assurance, admire what is beautiful.”

    – Vincent Van Gogh

    What to do while the paint is drying?  If I have a comfy spot, I’ll grab a book and catch up on some reading. 

    As I’m daydreaming (a lot these days) about what my permanent studio will look like, I’m definitely conjuring up a cozy reading nook tucked in amongst the paint and canvas.

    4d37473ba3ed098fc5c054aedafc3898image found here

    Here’s how the perfect studio morning would go– I step out my backdoor and take a leisurely walk to my studio among the trees. 

    a94fd3351d59d57301b88115ccf3c04fimage found here

    After painting for a few hours, as I wait for the paintings to dry, I make a cup of coffee and curl up in my reading nook with a book.  Maybe an artist biography (this Joan Mitchell bio is so good) or maybe I’ll just flip through a book of work by a favorite painter, like this book of Georgia O’Keeffe watercolors.

    Of course, I dream about what that cozy little space will look like!

    Studio nook collageimages found here here and here

    Light walls, wooden floors, fresh, cozy, textured, warm.  A place with plenty of natural light (good for reading and painting!) and an atmosphere of sweet calm. 

    Since I’m daydreaming, why not be specific?  So I spent a little time on the Arhaus website and put together the elements of my dream studio nook!  PS- Make sure to check out all their lighting options— so important for good reading! AND during their storewide sale this month 10% of the purchase price of all lighting and accessory mirrors will go to Global Dental Relief. 

    Arhaus collage finalI think if you can’t go just a bit funky in an art studio, well, where can you?  And a few of these may be a bit too nice for studio life, but a girl can dream right?!

    1. Painting, Shadow On the Wall by Lesley Frenz. Must make sure furniture matches the artwork!
    2. Rug, Zayne 8×10 Grey Rug by Arhaus.
    3. Chair, Dori 31″ Upholstered Chair in Madeline Gold by Arhaus. For guests, but more likely the cat.
    4. Light, Wooden Prism 22″ Chandelier by Arhaus. Don’t forget, buy this baby & that’s almost $70 to GDR!
    5. Pillow, Boho Ivory Applique Pillow by Arhaus.
    6. Sofa, Fiona 97″ Upholstered Tufted Sofa in Brussels Rosewood  by Arhaus. I dream of velvet tufted sofas!
    7. Chest, Teal Ming Cabinet by Arhaus. For book & blanket storage, obvi.
    8. Ottoman, Gentry 50″ Upholstered Bench in Aliz Indigo by Arhaus. Somewhere soft for the tired footsies.
    9. Mug, Black & White Tumbler by Studio Joo. Coffee tastes better when sipped out of something beautiful.
    10. Throw, Faux Fur Brown Feather Throw by Arhaus. Something extra cozy for cold days in the PNW!
    11. Pillow, Stone Washed Velvet Rectangular Pillow in Stone by Arhaus. Never enough pillows in my world.

    Just thinking about this space and doing this exercise has me so very excited to settle into a permanent studio next year! I have no idea what it will look like or where it will be, but there will be books and coffee and pillows. Oh yes, there will most definitely be!

    Image sources linked above.

     

  • Wearing. My Studio Style.

    Wearing. My Studio Style.

    Every artist has their own style, not just in the work itself, but in the way they work.  What we wear in the studio has as much to do with our personal style as it does with our working style.  Messy painters and sculptors probably don’t wear precious clothing or jewelry in the studio!

    My own personal studio style is an extension of what I like to wear every day.  I don’t like changing clothes throughout the day and since I work freelance from home, I can pretty much wear whatever I like.  I do, however, like to feel “ready” to work– I never roll out of bed in my pjs and get to work.  Putting on my studio clothes is as much a signal to get down to painting as putting on my favorite music.

    So what do I wear in the studio?  Comfy clothes and shoes for a start.

    My favorites are a t-shirt or tank under an oversized flannel or chambray with stretchy leggings.

    336b8c1a2fb1f77654df698694127d9f

    I layer up because mornings here in the PNW are usually chilly but if I’m working hard, I’ll soon need to strip off that top layer. Fashion faux pas or not, leggings let me move easily and comfortably and they are my fave.  I buy the cheapies from Target so I don’t feel guilty when they end up with paint on them. 

    Since living in the PNW, I can wear my most comfy old boots in the studio for most of the year.  

    Photo Sep 22, 2 22 12 PM

    In the warmer summer months, I opt for cheap flip flops I don’t mind getting paint and medium all over.  Although, this year I’ve noticed a difference in the way my legs feel after wearing the flip flops in the studio all day so think I need to find a more orthopedically friendly choice.. ugh. Getting old is for the birds, ya’ll.

    2053cac2ca6e37bcfd0b8db7361bf414

    I always wear an apron in the studio– since we’re traveling light, my clothes need to be able to do double duty, so I can’t really have a set of clothes just for the studio.  A sturdier apron works best for me, since I tend to use a lot of glazing medium, which has a heavy, glue like consistency and will go right through thinner aprons (which I discovered the hard way).  

    eb07634d7660054484ca29519800eb0e

    I rarely remember to remove my rings and watch before I start working, but find that acrylics clean up off them easily enough if I get super messy. 

    7b6595ed16b6aff46b7e6a26fe173a58

    How about you? What’s your best get down to work wear?

    Side note: All those artists I see on Instagram painting in bikinis or cute dresses and heels? No way you’re actually painting in that.  Let’s be real with ourselves and each other.

    All images by me.

     

  • Finding ECHOES. The Soundtrack.

    Finding ECHOES. The Soundtrack.

    Subtle. Melodic. Mellow. A few of the keywords describing one of my favorite songs to listen to when painting my ECHOES series. 

    Photo Sep 12, 12 59 14 PM

    Music plays an important role in my creative process.  Putting on my favorite Pandora station triggers my brain that it’s time to paint.  Listening to music that suits the feeling of the work I’m creating helps me get lost in the act of creating, to find that state of flow. 

    I wanted my ECHOES work to be peaceful but luscious, deep and mysterious.  The music I listen to has a lot to do with how those pieces come to be.  Here are a few of my favorites that help me realize just the right atmosphere to create an ECHOES painting–

    If you’d like to create a similar station on Pandora, I began with Wailin’ Jennys as my first artist, weeding out anything too twangy/country/corny and opting for softer, more melodic folky music.  Other artists I love on the station in addition to the ones above– Patty Griffin, Crooked Still, Norah Jones, Dar Williams, Dixie Chicks, The Duhks, Grace Potter.. I could go on and on! 

    I’d love to hear what music you listen to while creating and how it influences your own work.  Tell me all about it in the comments!

    Fun fact:  The titles for my acrylic paintings are all song lyrics.  See if you can figure out where your favorites come from!

    sweet peace I & II, acrylic on canvas, 36×36 each