Tag: #prescottartist

Journaling my way to a book

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One of my practices is journaling each morning on my studio deck,  No matter the weather I am usually out there unless it is freezing or below. This morning it was cold but refreshing and beautiful after a lovely snowfall last night; so I sat quietly to take in deep breathes of the clean air and gather my thoughts.

This year I have felt a subtle shift in my being. I don’t know if it is because of the beginning of a new decade or just me moving into another season of my life; but I do know that it is God directed. I feel as though I am joined with everything. A wonderful oneness with my environment has settled over me. A freedom to be myself has loosened me up, and I feel loved.

This is the year that I have committed to writting my book and God has placed all the people and tools I need infront of me. I feel so overflowing with gratitude and love that I want to share this feeling with others.  I am like a waterfall flowing into a river and finally meeting the sea. I want others to be encouraged by my journey and find their own sea of joy and happiness. Please feel free to follow this journey with me, by joining my   e-mail list, as I share snippets of thoughts as I write my book. “Drawn by the Light, Finding Strength in Dark Spaces”

Blessings, ~Pam~

If you aren’t already on my mailing list and would like to get a free digital download of this beautiful painting and follow along with updates on my book, just enter your name and address below.SPRING GARDEN

 

Manzanita

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“Manzanita” 12″ X 9″ original acrylic on vellum paper, matted in white to 16″ X 12″   $75.00

One of my favorite things at the break of daylight is to look out my bedroom window at the wild Manzanita that grows in the rocky terrace of my hillside yard. I have this amazing view from my bed. It starts my day off being reassured that the wilderness that I love surrounds me and it brings me present with nature.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to live in Prescott value the scenic views that surround our mountain town. I love to capture small snippets of the views to create my paintings. These Manzanita bushes tell their own story of survival in this arid landscape. It amazes me how they can continue to blossom even when we come into draught. They radiate a message of hope, that when I am in a Draught of Creativity if I focus on the positive beauty around me,  soon I will find the answers.

This is the second painting of the 2020 year done as an “Early Morning Study” This painting was first started last year but never finished, set aside and abandoned. This year I chose to give it new life, new meaning, just as it’s real counterpart growing outside my bedroom window, it becomes a survivor. A reminder to me and you that no matter what, hope is always present. You just need to imagine it.

~Pam~

For more Early Morning Studies

Magical Moment

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“Magical Moment 18″ X 14”

I am getting ready for the next Les Femmes Show on July 13th in the Marina Room at the Hassayampa Inn.  So I decided to paint an old favorite, Thumb Butte with a magical twist.  I see this butte every day as I gaze out my patio door. Some nights in the winter celestial sky the moon appears to be right over the butte, with a little imagination I can visualize that now in the midst of summer. When the moon would not reach this point until I was snuggly asleep. You know how much I love colors, this bold, high energy painting brings them all together.  I invite you to see more of my new works at Les Femmes des Montage.

The Studio Tour is almost here.

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IMG_1914Just as the fall arrives, I know for certain that the Prescott Area Artists Studio Tour is just around the corner.  In fact, less than two weeks; so my studio is in complete chaos and the busiest time of year for me has come.  I have counted over 60 plus original acrylic paintings to display for the enjoyment of guests. Original acrylics on vellum are being matted, cards are being printed and inventory is being done.

The creek-side is being cleared of the monsoon debris so that it will be flowing for your enjoyment and my two guest artists are planning their own displays. Patricia Tyser Carberry will be back with me this year. She is an amazing glass jewelry artist who creates outstanding glass beads combined with other natural druzes and pearls. If you have never seen her work now is your opportunity.  She also creates beautiful felted silk and wool scarves.  Here is where you can check her out

My other guest artist, Carla Woody, is here for the first time and will be on the deck creek-side. She does beautiful mix-media art and exquisite beading. Her work has an indigenous flare mirroring her work with indigenous cultures in South America and the Hopi Nation.  You can check her out here.

The 11th Annual Prescott Area Artists Studio Tour on Oct. 5-7 from 10:00 to 4:00 each day is a celebration of local art. It offers you a special opportunity to visit many of the Quad-City area’s talented artists. There are 50 studios, with 80 juried artists , plus 3 art centers. There is even a Gala Pre-Tour Reception at the Elks Theater and Performing Arts Center Oct. 3 from 5:00 to 7:00.

Hope to see you during the tour. Stop by Studio #17 that is where you will find us.

To find out more information

If you haven’t visited my website you can check it out now.

 

 

5 Steps to Curating a Show… how I put my Best Art forward

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Deciding what pieces to show

When I do a show, which I do a couple of times a year, it’s an opportunity to meet new people who may have never heard of me or seen my work. It is vitally important that they see my up to date work and my best presentation.  So curating a show starts weeks and maybe months in advance.

  1. Create a body of work… Each January I set to work deciding what direction my art will go in the coming year.  I have many customers that come back year after year and they need new and fresh images to look at. So I sit down and map out what I might be painting seasonally.  This year I decided that I would do a Spring Collection that consisted mostly of floral paintings since I hadn’t created any in a few years. Now that summer has arrived I will be doing a series of new monsoon paintings, and as fall approaches I bring in a series of paintings that pop with reds and oranges and yellows.
  2. Paint in different sizes… When doing a show I want to have something in several price ranges from the seasoned collector to the new person just starting out  collecting my work.  So I have small painting 8″ X 8″ up to 30″ X 30″ or larger.  I also provide cash and carry items to bring the collector to the display, note cards and small prints are easy ways to start a conversation about my art.
  3. Hang paintings in the same color palette together… This year I found that many of my paintings have cerulean blue in them, it is one of my favorite colors, and also blends well with my other favorite colors, purple and teal.  When a person walks up to a display they want a cohesive feel and having a similar color palette will provide this.
  4. Have one large painting as the star… I make sure the painting is facing my audience. I need a focal point to draw in the viewer as they approach my space.. It maybe a jumping off place for conversation, or it may become the inspiration for a commission or help the viewer to see themselves with one of my paintings in their home.
  5. Make sure your paintings are ready to hang and displayed properly… I choose not to frame my pieces, instead I use 1 1/2″ gallery wrap canvas with sides painted in complimentary colors, and a UV coating to keep them archival.  The are ready to hang with D rings and wire. I also include a “Certificate of Authenticity” giving the copyright and medium and title of each piece. I firmly believe that every inch of your painting, front and back, should shout “I am a professional”

I am currently in the process of doing these exact steps as I get ready for the

Les Femmes des Montage Art Show and Sale July 14th

10am-4pm

At the Hassayampa Inn’s Marina Room

 

 

My #1 question? What’s yours?

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PRESCOTT SUNRISE, 16 X 16 ACRYLIC ON 1 1:2 GALLERY WRAP CANVAS, $320.00 BY PAMELA DUNMIRE

“Prescott Sunrise”   Learn more about this painting

Hi Friends,

Today is a question and answer session.  So I will try to answer the #1 question that people ask about my art and let you ask me some.

People always ask,  “Why do I paint what I do?”

Short answer is that it makes me happy, but the long answer is more complicated. My previous career was in Social Work; twenty years working with families, with a Masters in Counseling Psychology .

I saw that people who had broken spirits rarely picked themselves up. A single reflection of hope, in many cases, could be the trigger to make all the difference. Art became my solace after a long day of helping others who were stuck in a mire of self-destruction and hopelessness. It brought normalcy and hope to my life, so why couldn’t it bring this to others? If I were able to help a person move into a positive direction simply by viewing my art or teaching them how to create their own art they could look at life differently and change their lives for the better.

It is little wonder I try to find that spark of hope in all I do. As an artist the themes of hope and positive energy carry through all my work. I choose to paint art that is full of movement, positive-energy, and color to uplift my spirit and the spirits of others. Through my workshops I teach others to find wholeness through art.

So there you have it… I paint to heal grief, disappointment, and failure. I paint to give hope to others. I paint to help people have a joyous life.

So ask away, and then let me ask you how my art can help?  When it comes to picking art for your environment, what is your single greatest challenge?

Have a great day and continue enjoying life to its fullest.

Pam

 

Painting Flowers

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Spring Garden  12″ X 16″ Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas

One of my new students asked if I could show her how I create flowers, this is the demo I created during the lesson.  Basically this is hundreds of random strokes. One  layer upon the other, fluctuating between light and dark; building up one layer at a time to create color, energy and movement.  In the process a lot of texture is laid on the canvas.

This technique is the underpinning of all my work, layer upon layer, color upon color.  This leads to a loose contemporary feel.  I love working with students.  Teaching is really my superpower and moving an artist into their best creative self is a joy to me.

If you want to learn how to paint this way, in an intuitive style with lots of color energy and movement.  I have a great workshop in April in the beautiful Ponderosa Pines of Prescott, AZ. Seats are filling up, but there are still one or two waiting for you.  Check it out here

REGISTER TODAY

April Workshop

Two day acrylic workshop in the cool pines of Prescott. April 20-21 9-4 each day.

$150.00

Painting A Bayou… what I learned from my student.

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Moonlit Heron  20″ X 20″ Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Just so you know I am an Arizona Artist and have never visited Bayou Country nor stepped foot in Louisiana. However,  I do love all things water, and living on a lake in Michigan as a youth I did see my share of blue herons stopping for a bite to eat during their summer visit.

My talented student wanted to learn about painting with color, and movement so she suggested a bayou scene since she is from that part of the world. As for vegetation on the bayous I was remiss.  I had to admit I didn’t know what trees grew there, nor anything about the low hanging mosses. She taught me a lot when she brought in a beautiful photo-book of spectacular pictures of the Bayou.  I was hooked… and I had to paint that moss, and the heron and the cypress tree. This is why I love to teach, somedays I learn more from my students than they learn from me.

A total departure from my usual Southwestern landscapes.  I hope you like it.

Moonlit Heron

20" X 20" Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas

$500.00

Morning On The Mesa

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Morning On The Mesa

“Morning On The Mesa” 12″ X 13″ Acrylic on Gallery Wrap

Wow, this is my first post of 2018 because of six weeks working on a Wizard of Oz set for our local Youth Theater.  As their set designer I have been busy down in the basement of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Prescott, AZ creating a large, 7′ X 12′ story book that will be the backdrop (Center Stage) for the show.  But more about that on a later post.

So you can image how exciting it was to finally paint for fun today.  So I choose some of my favorite colors, purple and teal, and used their softest hue for each by adding white and formed a pastel palette.  Then I took my favorite subject a desert mesa and added a river (always wanting to quench my thirst) then drew my inspiration from memories.  A soft, dreamy painting of a sunrise, that mirrors my expectations for a new beginning to 2018; a year of possibilities in the studio for teaching, showing and selling art.

I am so glad to be back in the studio creating one panting at a time…

 

 

WHERE’S THE SNOW?

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MARCH OF THE TREES

March of the Trees 9″ X 12″ Acrylic on 150 lb. pressed paper

I love when the seasons change and right on schedule the temps are starting to dip as Christmas approaches. Now for a little snow to cap off the holiday events.  However I don’t think that will happen this year.  It has been dry, dry, dry in the West.  I see my friends in California watch as their houses burn this past week and it saddens me.

Here in the mountains of Prescott we should be having snow, but all we get are the dreaded winds and more draught. I hold my breath hoping we do not suffer what California is going through right now.

So I go on with the season praying that Christmas cheer will abound and that winter snows will come and that I get all my commissions completed in time for gift giving. As an artist I can paint as much snow as I want and surround myself with paintings of snow, but I am dreaming of making snow angels and snow ball fights.

Musing about snow, one painting at a time…

March of the Trees

9″ X 12″ acrylic on vellum paper, matted in white to 12" X 16" and ready to frame.

$75.00