meanwhile the wild geese, acrylic on cradled wood panel, 40×48, available at J. Rinehart Gallery
Sky Becomes Water, my 3rd solo exhibition with J. Rinehart Gallery in Seattle opens for a Collector’s Preview this Saturday, August 2nd 2-4pm and an Opening Reception during Pioneer Square ArtWalk next Thursday, August 7th 5-8pm.
Rather than being “inspired” by a particular theme or event, for this body of work, I began with how I wanted these paintings to feel– poetic.
Lyrical, dreamlike, beautiful in an unconventional way– perhaps incongruous or a bit illogical. These aren’t direct representations of landscapes (none of my paintings are) but interpretations of an emotional response to landscape.
my being was a swan, acrylic on cradled wood panel, 40×48, available at J. Rinehart Gallery
Continuing my pursuit of intuitively formed landscapes, I found myself often turning the panels upside down, so that the sky became water and water transformed to sky.
As the fluid pigment runs down the surface, from sky to sea or lake and then back again, I’m reminded of the way water is connecting us all– to the earth, to our source, to every living thing.
tasting of bread and salt, acrylic on cradled wood panel, 40×60, available at J. Rinehart Gallery
You can get a sneak peek at the rest of the work in the show here ! If you see something you’re interested in, you can shoot the gallery an email at judith@jrinehartgallery.com.
In addition to the receptions listed above, there will also be an Artist Talk in the gallery Saturday, August 16th at 1pm.
I’ll be sharing more from the show in the coming days and weeks. I’m excited to show you!
Last Fall, custom wall covering company Area Environments debuted four designs featuring my work in their Collection VI. You may have seen me post about this new collaboration on social media and I’d planned to post here much sooner but, well, life happens!
AE and I had been following each other on social media for awhile and I was regularly blown away by the stunning designs they were putting out by favorite artists of mine like Carlos Ramirez and Andrea Pramuk. So when they reached out to see if I was interested in publishing with them, the answering was a quick and resounding YES!
luckless romance
We tried out some of my acrylic paintings and watercolor sketches but overwhelmingly agreed that the watercolors were absolutely the way to go. To give you a little hint as to the magic AE produces– most of these watercolors began as 5″x7″sketches and can now cover a full wall.
AE can create custom wall coverings for your space, whether you want one big statement wall or to fill an entire room (which I think would be AMAZING, especially with my watercolor forests!)
colors and promises
gravity
Statement wall coverings are definitely having a big moment in the design world (check out my Artsy Dwelling Pinterest board where I’ve pinned some favorites!) and AE’s wall coverings can be specified for residential AND contract design. I mean, how beautiful would these be in a healthcare environment?!
Pantone announced its Color of the Year for 2019 as Living Coral. I’ll admit, at first I was a bit disappointed, as I felt like the representation of the color I was seeing wasn’t really one I could relate to. It felt over saturated and a bit brash, which, if I’m being completely frank, most of the Pantone COTY seem to me (sorry, Pantone!).
But then, I began to look around– at my Pinterest inspiration boards and in my own paintings. And I realized that shades of Living Coral were everywhere!
How do you feel about Living Coral? It’s always interesting to see how much influence Pantone’s COTY has on the art world, whether directly or subconsciously. I won’t be purposefully adding it to my work, but you never know how things sneak in!
Every year at this time I like to take a few moments to reflect back on what has transpired in the past twelve months. This year was crazy busy personally and professionally and I’m ending the year with several goals met, some hard lessons learned, and a long To Do list already in place for 2019. Care to take a walk down memory lane with me?
acrylic paintings completed 75
Wow! I was definitely a busy girl this year. I continued my ECHOES and LEMOLO series in 2018 and began revisiting my VENTERS seascape series, thanks to a show in January inspired by Florida and the inspiration found at our new home on Camano Island in Washington. This year also saw the beginning of a new series, IMMERSIONS, which I’m still excited about though I pursued the idea more in new watercolors on panel, I hope to explore more in this series in acrylics in the new year.
watercolor paintings completed 42 plus loads of sketches
My love affair with watercolor continued this year, especially after discovering the joy of painting large scale watercolors on canvas! My IMMERSIONS watercolor forest abstractions were especially popular and I have a feeling there will be more to come in 2019.
Again this year, I upped my commissions completed, increasing from 3 last year to 5 this year (goal met, check!). I’m still learning what works best for me when doing commissions and I won’t lie, they can be a struggle. My painting process has evolved to where I work very intuitively, allowing the composition to emerge over time and with commissions often based on previous paintings, it can be difficult to retain the same sense of spontaneity and layering that is inherent in my work.
commissions completed 5
A goal for any commissions in 2019 is to paint without expectation of the outcome– to try to let the commissions evolve more naturally. A lofty goal, for sure, for a people pleaser like me.
This year I said yes to as many opportunities as I could, and learned some really valuable lessons along the way.
I’m sure this is different for every artist, especially depending on how one measures success, but the past year taught me that, for me, investing time and inventory in “shows” in which the venue or organizer does not have a substantial financial stake in either the sale of the work or the success of the exhibition leads to a whole lot of work and financial investment on the part of the artist with little but a pat on the back and a line on your resume in return. I usually think of these types of shows as “resume builders” but I’ve reached a point where my work is selling so well through my galleries that tying up work in shows just doesn’t make sense for that line on my resume.
exhibition/show participation 6
My work is selling well through my wonderful, hard working, committed galleries and representatives. And while I’m excited to participate in gallery shows, in 2019 I will only pursue non-gallery exhibitions that make sense for me financially and professionally and will be very careful about to whom I entrust my work.
Which leads me to the biggest womp womp of my year..
paintings lost or damaged 15 (cue sad music and crying)
The paintings pictured above were all damaged to the extent they required hours of work to recover/repaint completely or lost in shipment this year. There were 5 more that had smaller damage while in someone else’s care and there are three more that may or may not be sellable due to shoddy craftsmanship by a vendor I’ve used extensively in the past.
I think 2018 will go down as the year I learned some very hard lessons about how to know my worth as an artist and the worth of my work and that I must under any and all circumstances treat it as the important and valuable commodity it is and expect others to do the same. And if they do not– I will not work with them again. Period.
But on to happier topics! One of my goals for 2018 was to increase my streams of “passive income” by having some of my work published as prints and I’m thrilled to note that my small selections of my work are available as prints through Wonderwall Studio and as custom wall coverings through Area Environments.
2019 will bring more print publishing opportunities, as I’ve just signed a contract with Grand Image and (hopefully) will launch my own print shop on Minted. I’m not looking to become a print artist (original work will always be my focus), but it is my hope that by offering some of my work as prints, it will broaden my reach as an artist.
In other news this year, the Mr. and I did lots of hiking, explored territories both familiar and new, including over a month spent exploring the Southwest.
But perhaps the most exciting event of 2019– officially moving our residency to Washington! We’d decided in 2017 that we wanted to settle for awhile (maybe forever!) in Western Washington this year. So when the Mr. landed a travel contract in Everett and we found a lovely little apartment on the water on Camano Island, we were thrilled. Little did we know that we would fall hard for this little island and George would land a full time permanent job in Everett.
one of many beautiful sunrises from our bulkhead
So we’re here to stay in this place and I’m looking forward to the new year and getting back to business!
I’ve already mentioned a few things to look forward to in 2019, but mark your calendars for May 3, 2019, when I will be opening a new show at Art & Light Gallery in Greenville alongside the wonderfully talented Alicia Armstrong!
Goals for 2019:
Expand my gallery representation in the West/Northwest and beyond
Expand representation for corporate and healthcare artwork placement in the Pacific Northwest
Build a new website (ugh! this needs to be done but I am SO not looking forward to it)
Merge this blog into the new website
Explore more IMMMERSIONS work in acrylic
And of course, I will be creating new work in all my current series– so many ideas to get out of my head!
Thank you all for continuing to follow along and join me in the journey. See you in 2019!
I always think of this time of year as the season of sparkle– everything from the twinkle lights to the frosty morning dew feels glittering and special. I’m honored to be a part of the Small Gemsshow at Elliott Fouts Gallery, a showcase of small works perfect for gift giving!
new ECHOES 12×12 paintings now at Elliott Fouts Gallery
Living on the water in the Pacific Northwest, each day is spent gazing out and seeing how the water’s surface shifts and changes with the evolving light throughout the day, from the pink light of early morning to the glittering of evening lights across the water.
gold spirit, acrylic on canvas, 12×12
midnight moon, acrylic on canvas, 12×12
If you’re near the Sacramento area, you can see these and the other works in the Small Gems show at Elliott Fouts Gallery now through the end of December. Or just click over to their website to see them all online!
October and November were a couple of crazy busy months for me in the studio, as I fielded requests from galleries for lots of new, smaller works in time for the holiday gift giving season. They’ve been so good to me, I couldn’t dare let anyone down!
The autumnal season has always been a favorite time of year for me, so I let the palette and feeling of Fall in the Pacific Northwest inspire and guide new LEMOLO and ECHOES acrylics and watercolor paintings.
What began with more vibrant tones of early Fall, grew into more desaturated hues as the colors began to fade. Those late Fall colors have always spoken deeply to me, with their velvety, jeweled colors, less bright and brassy, more elegant and quiet.
painting- Land I Grew In, acrylic on canvas, 12×6, available at Lark & Key
painting- Ramble I, watercolor and cold wax on cradled wood panel, 14×11, available at Art & Light
painting- My Heart in Tow (detail), acrylic on canvas, 12×12, available at Elliott Fouts Gallery
Despite being two different mediums and different series, these new works all feel like a cohesive collection and a time capsule of this wonderfully sparkly time of year!
If you’re in Greenville, Charlotte or Sacramento, I hope you’ll check out each gallery’s offerings in person or peruse my website for all the new beauties!
I set out on our Southwestern road trip determined to finish 2 books I’ve been stopping and starting for a while now. I was making good progress until we got to Ghost Ranch and I saw their library! One of the best selections I’ve seen of books on Georgia O’Keeffe and art in general, I found myself wishing we were staying longer. I only had 6 days at the ranch, so I chose 2 small books I knew I could finish in that time frame.
I began the tiny Some Memories of Drawings within a few minutes of checking it out and quickly devoured it. A beautiful little collection of drawings by O’Keeffe accompanied by her reflections upon each drawing. Some of her observations are very open and insightful, while others retain some mystery, and I personally like it better that way. We don’t need to know every little thing she was thinking about every little thing she created. It is a lovely little treasure of a book that I’ve added to my Wish List– would be a wonderful thing to just pick it up and reflect on her words about these drawings from time to time.
page from Some Memories; I remember doing a master sketch of this drawing in college
The other book, Painting with O’Keeffe by John Poling, intrigued me with its title– I hadn’t been aware that O’Keeffe had ever had the need for studio assistants to help her with painting later in life and I began it eager to learn any insight I could into her studio process.
O’Keeffe lost much of her eyesight in the early seventies and had stopped painting almost altogether. According to the book, she’d tried painting with her secretary/studio assistant, Juan Hamilton, but neither had found the process enjoyable or successful. Hamilton hired a young John Poling in 1975 to paint trim at the Ghost Ranch house and he soon found himself doing other errands and chores, eventually striking up what seemed like a genuine friendship with O’Keeffe. From his account, she seemed comfortable with him and he, not being an artist himself, was eager to please and very teachable.
I greatly enjoyed his descriptions of the days spent painting under O’Keeffe’s direction, gaining insight into just how very meticulous and thought out her work was– something we don’t often associate with abstract painters.
His painting work with her was completed while Juan Hamilton was away in New York on business, and according to Poling, the relationship fell apart upon Hamilton’s return. He attempted to assist O’Keeffe again, but claimed it was not the same “collaborative” type of exchange it had been the first time. When the completed painting was shown, Poling was upset that there was no acknowledgement of his involvement. This is where I’m afraid the book gets a bit whiny and self-involved, showing Poling’s lack of understanding of how artists and their studio assistants have functioned for centuries. He thought he was due credit as a collaborator, where O’Keeffe saw him as “merely a tool”– she only used his hands and eyes because of her unreliable eyesight. His continued insistence on “the truth” being made known comes across as petty and petulant, I’m afraid, although he claims it is with completely altruistic intentions that he wanted his involvement made known. It did seem, though, that he genuinely cared for O’Keeffe and was deeply hurt by what he saw as a betrayal by her and Hamilton. I know there has been much made of her relationship with Hamilton, and admit I haven’t read much about their relationship until now. I usually prefer to stick to accounts of artist’s professional lives, especially studio processes, and that part of the book I enjoyed immensely.
If you happen to see this little book for sale or at your local library, do pick it up, if only for the look into O’Keeffe’s process and her way of life in her later years. If you’ve done the Abiquiu house tour (my account of that to come soon!), it will especially help bring to life the descriptions of her home and studio.
Art & Light, my representing gallery in Greenville, SC, is celebrating 12 years this week!! In celebration, I created two new paintings from my LEMOLO series for their Anniversary Show, opening tonight, August 16th.
dreams and intentions, acrylic on canvas, 20x20x1.5, $350
whispering secrets, acrylic on canvas, 20x20x1.5, $350
When creating these new LEMOLO pieces, I was thinking about the lovely days I’ve spent in North and South Carolina, places that will always hold a special place in my heart, Southern girl that I am. I also tried to channel the warmth of the light and atmosphere that is present at Art & Light— housed in a beautiful old house in Greenville’s historic “Village”, the gallery is fresh and modern while also feeling rustic and worn and welcoming. An absolutely enchanting combination!
In addition to the new LEMOLO paintings, there is also a brand new crop of watercolors on panel and canvas that I’m super excited to debut at A&L!
You can check out the entire collection of watercolors on my website or if you’re in the Greenville area, I hope you’ll stop by Art & Light for the opening of the Anniversary show tonight from 6- 8pm!
Art & Light is located at 16 Aiken St, Greenville, SC. You can contact the gallery by calling 864-625-0695 or emailing art@artandlightgallery.com!
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, 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.
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.
