December 2018 Wrap Up

Here is a collage of 11 significant works created in 2018. They are significant because I had the privilege of stepping into another’s world which presented the challenge of doing my best to interpret my impressions into my art.

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Martha said, “The light is best at 5pm. Come then.”

For an hour on April 4th, I observed and received many wonderful photos. I say, “received,” rather than, “took” because it all seemed to be a gift; the golden light, the playful lambs, the protective sheep…

Back home, I began sorting through the photos. In April I painted the following three works. Beginning small with…

Happy To Be Here, 5×5

 

Golden Girl, 5×5

 

Della’s Late Night Snack, 8×10

In these April paintings, I’m trying to observe and better know the subject. I’m also experimenting with ways to suggest light and shadow, wool and straw. Martha told me Della had had triplets and could not get enough to eat. I loved the subtle heart shape on her nose. I gave the original to Martha, as a thank you gift.

 

In May, I wanted to introduce multiple subjects and movement…

On Our Way, 8×8

In June, I delved in with all I had and painted these four:

Lambs Unite, 8×8

 

Welcome To The Club, 8×10 – 2019 Calendar Cover

 

Gather Around, 12×12

 

The Guardians, 16×20, Juried in to NOAPS Fall Online International Juried Competition

I painted other subjects July-Oct, but in Nov., began to revisit the reference photos from that golden afternoon and felt a pull to paint..

Thankful, 5×7

 

Lambs First, 8×10

I had a bigger plan for painting Lambs First in November. It is from a cropped portion of a photo I had wanted to paint since April, but wondered if it was beyond my skill level. Liking the way Lambs First turned out, I set my intention to paint this grand finale in December…

Martha’s Place, 16×20

Martha’s Place, fresh off the easel, is still drying. Believe it or not, there are still reference photos from that April 4th day I have yet to paint.

You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery, and always challenge yourself to try new things. -Nate Berkus

Last Post

The content on this blog is being deleted and I’m starting fresh in the New Year. My new blog will be on my website.

If interested in continuing to receive my blog posts, you will need to subscribe on my website.

All The Best To Everyone in 2019.

November’s Bounty

November’s Twelve Paintings:

I created five alcohol ink dreamscapes, effortless, relaxing intuitive play. All created in a few hours one morning, with a drop of gold of silver added the next day. Have any aspiring artists on your Holiday Shopping List? Consider: Alcohol Ink Dreamscaping Guide and DVDs

I had three commission requests which were of different subjects other than animals. A fun challenge and reminder, it’s all about shapes, edges and values, not subject matter. The landscape was an additional stretch in that it was created with a palette knife.

The remaining four animal portraits anchoring the corners of the above image were from photos I took when visiting a nearby festival early October and on another occasion, a sheep farm.

The alpacas stole my heart. Happy Girl, shown upper left, sold within an hour of being posted on Instagram, (which is where I normally show my newest paintings first).

Chowtime!, upper right, could not get enough to eat.

Butterscotch, lower right, loved all of the attention she was receiving. Happy Girl and Butterscotch were painted from different photos of the same alpaca. She was a little charmer.

The painting shown in the lower right corner, is personally, the most poignant. I titled it, Thankful. I took the photo while visiting a nearby sheep farm this past April. I took many photos on that visit and have painted many paintings from that magical, golden, late afternoon.

As it sometimes works, I happened to see the owner, the Shepherdess, just yesterday and got to tell her how much visiting her sheep had meant to me.

Upon which, Martha smiled and said, “You can hug me now.”

And I did.

The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surrounds us.

-James E. Faust

 

 

 

 

 

 

October’s Seven

Here are the oil paintings created in October. Happy to have these to show. It was a busy month outside the studio.

I’m often asked, “How do you find time to paint?” I get this question a lot because I work full-time. My usual response is, “I get up early.”

I could also reply, “The same way I find time to eat.” Yes, painting is that essential. Without time in front of the easel, I would wither away.

November 2018 calendar image, Woodland Refuge, reminds me of the restoration in nature and how much I need solitude to replenish the creative tank.

Wishing each of us filled tanks for our journeys.

Check out: 2019 Art Calendar

View: Available Paintings

Thank you for considering June Rollins Art.

 

 

September’s Bigger Pictures

September Oil Paintings

When I look back on September paintings, I see how an approaching autumn is influencing my palette. While still fascinated by close-up expressions, there was also a desire to step-back and include surrounding settings, which required a larger panel.

Incorporating suggestions of skies, water, trees, leaves, fences, pastures and grasses was a fun challenge. Some of these paintings are shown cropped, to see them un-cropped, visit: June Rollins Gallery

To see paintings from previous 12 months that had the highest favorable feedback and views, visit: 2019 Art Calendar

 

 

Double Takes – August Review

Here are the oil paintings created in August. Can you find the double take?

I posted this painting that had been promised to a gallery representing my work and received an e-mail query from an interested buyer. Dilemma. It was newly painted and still needed 2-3 weeks dry time. There was time to paint it twice. Problem solved.

This fun challenge prompted me to paint again a couple of my favorites from several months past. The key factor in this experiment is I could not look at the earlier painting.

Painting from the same reference photo, I wanted to see if I was handling the paint differently, etc. :

(Top) Jeremiah 1 – December 2017 (Bottom) Jeremiah 2 – August 2018

(Top) Theodore 1 – Sept. 2017 (Bottom) Theodore 2 – August 2018

I see the variations yet remain pleased with the previous work and am equally encouraged with the current work.

It has been fun to compare the earlier and more recent interpretations. Similar to re-visiting past journal entries and experiencing a kind of endearment, I suppose.

Painting is just another way of keeping a diary. -Pablo Picasso

Enjoy the Journey,

June

PS: Free Shipping Offer Ends midnight EST Aug. 31 for – June Rollins 2019 ART Calendar 

I’m excited to share, just yesterday I received notice that the painting, Welcome To The Club, on featured on the 2019 calendar cover was accepted into the 11th Annual SAAG National Juried Art Competition.

 

 

July’s Work – Then & Now

July 2018 Oil Paintings ©June Rollins

I’ve devoted myself to working in traditional oils for a little over a year now. My approach has been to create one to three small paintings each week. When reflecting on July’s work, shown above, I thought it might be fun to compare it with the efforts from July 2017.

July 2017 Oil Paintings ©June Rollins

Painting is like keeping a diary. It was interesting to read what was important to me a year ago: July 2017’s Paintings

I definitely spent more time flower gardening last year as half of the paintings were from my reference photos from flowers I tended. The most obvious shift is subject matter, from flowers to animals. Maybe, a more subtle, mature handling of the medium from last year to this year? Not sure, but hope so. Always want to be challenging myself and making new discoveries.

NEW WEBSITE

Of one thing I am certain, is my continued, growing fascination with oils and creating expressive, animal portraits. This awareness has prompted me to completely revise my website. 

If you  visit it, you will also see my 2019 Art Calendar of which I am especially pleased as I feel it represents the heart of my work.

2019 June Rollins ART Calendar – FREE Shipping in August.

Thank you for your interest in June Rollins ART.

 

 

 

My June Brides…

…All Wore White.

I didn’t set out to paint subjects that were white in June, but after the first couple paintings with their accompanying challenges and discoveries, I did take it on.

Straight white out of the tube was never used. I love how subtle (and sometimes bold) hue, value and temperature shifts, make these subjects…read white!

This Little Piggy, you can pick her out ;), was the last work I created in June. I wanted the additional challenge of creating the illusion of light on white and black.

This Little Piggy, as are all my small animal paintings are for sale. They range in size from 5×5 to 12×16 with an occasional 16×20. If interested in seeing what’s available, visit: June Rollins DPW.

Or, if you’re in the area, visit, these fine craft/art shops representing my work in Southwestern NC: Mountain Nest in Black Mountain, Twigs And Leaves in Waynesville, John C. Campbell Folkschool Craft Shop in Brasstown.

To be among the first to see my newest paintings as they are posted, like: June Rollins ART

Thank you for your interest in my art!

 

 

 

 

 

May Oils & Inks

During May, I painted the eight above oils, plus,

…these five Alcohol Ink Dreamscapes.

While using different mediums and different approaches, the common denominator is all are small works, ranging from 3×5 to 8×10. All are also either sold or on gallery consignment.

Thank you to my collectors and patrons. You keep me painting. Literally 😉

Wishing Everyone a Thomas Edison Summer.

I never did a day’s work my entire life. It was all fun. -Thomas Edison

 

 

 

 

April Paintings

Here is a collage of April’s 11 oil paintings.

Some have sold, some are still drying and one is a gift to Martha in appreciation for giving me permission to photograph her sheep and precious lambs.

Doing my best to keep locations representing my work supplied: John C. Campbell Folkschool Craft Shop, Brasstown, NC, Twigs And Leaves Gallery, Waynesville, NC and Mountain Nest, Black Mountain, NC.

How can we not be inspired during this spring season of blooming flowers and prancing, baby, farm animals. Paint, paint, paint, as fast as we can 🙂

Happy Spring To All.

 

 

March Results

March was good for nine paintings shown above.

Three, painted early March, were larger than my norm. Happy to be notified that all three were juried into the Mountain Arts Association Spring Show which will be on exhibit at Brasstown Valley Resort. Opening Reception, Fri., Apr. 6th.

In the works…

Just planted zinnia seeds in our sunny window, hidden and hoping to be models in future paintings this summer.

Preparing for a beginning watercolor weekend workshop at John C. Campbell Folkschool late July.

Making time to take more reference photos.

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Hope I have something to show next month. Thanks for checking in.