Finding Inspiration

Misty Dawn
acrylic 20" x 16"
©Maggie Ruley 2015

 

Finding Inspiration

We have been having some really lovely sunrises lately and my friend Judy Pino has been taking some wonderful photos of them.  I'm always inspired by them when I see them on Facebook. Scroll down and see how she has captured those peach tones, just yummy. 

 

I paint a lot of sunsets, but somehow the sunrises seem softer, quieter.  So I glommed onto her photo and painted Misty Dawn. Inspiration isn't about copying something, it's about discovering something.  I'm going to say that again, in case you are just skimming through this.

 

Inspiration isn't about copying something, it's about discovering something.

 

Judy and I have been painting students of Jim Salem for years. He is hugely inspirational to all his students. I've talked about Jim's painting classes in the past, and if you want to be so inspired, do yourself a favor and click on his link.

 

Dawn photo by Judy Pino
used with permission
Thank you Judy!
©Judy Pino 2015
Judy is also an avid painter and world class fisherwoman.

 

My painting students are always looking for fresh ways to paint palm trees.  Palms are harder then they look.  I tell them the air around the palm tree, the negative space, is what makes or breaks a palm.

 

My students decided they wanted to paint the sunrise palm.  I gave them a quick demo (that sold before I got a photo of it) and off they went to create their own palm trees.

 

It was a very small class that day
students of Maggie Ruley
photo Maggie Ruley 2015

 

Note to Readers:

I've decided to post more often.  I paint all the time but I often don't  blog because I feel like I don't have anything IMPORTANT to tell you.  Well, that's the way studio life is.  You just keep painting and very often there isn't anything earth shattering about the piece.  You paint, you learn, and hopefully, grow.  I'll be sharing more of what I paint, but sometimes it might just be a picture and a short blurb about what happened that day. And some days I'll have some fun things to tell you.

 

#jimsalem

#acrylicpainting

 

 

The Connections Project II- A Mosaic of the Keys.

 

Here is the "call to artists" that went out from the Florida Keys Council of the Arts late last year.  400 canvases, each 6"x 6" were distributed to artists and art lovers throughout Monroe County

 

The Florida Keys council of the Arts would like to invite everyone in the community to participate in The Connections Project II- A Mosaic of the Keys.

We will provide one 6 x 6 inch blank canvas for you to create a piece of artwork. People of all abilities and skill levels are encouraged to participate. After all individual works are collected; almost 400 canvases will be assembled and exhibited as one project; featuring the talents, diversity and uniqueness of the artists and citizens of the Florida Keys. Then we will take our show on the road county-wide! With the support of our business partner, Royal Furniture, we invite you to join us at seven receptions.

We invite YOU to CONNECT!
Create a canvas.
Attend an opening reception.
Connect and collect: make a $40 donation at a reception or online to receive a randomly selected completed canvas in the mail!
Proceeds directly benefit artists and arts organizations in the Keys through our grant programs.

The canvases will be numbered at random and you will not be able to choose which artwork you receive. Each work will be accompanied by an artist’s statement that will provide insight into the origin of the work and the artist’s thoughts and inspiration.

 

 

To facilitate this process I gave a workshop at The Key West Art Center on 12/14/2013 for 26 artists.

 

FKCA provided the canvases, The Key West Art Center and I provided the paints and brushes, and the artists provided their enthusiasm.  I was assisted by Sue D'Antonio, FKAC board member and mixed media artist.



The group didn't mind the tight space and the sharing of paints.





Here is satisfied artist, Gary Young.





Everyone was having so much fun they were updating their Facebook status and posting their paintings.




Some of the artists had photos on their phones they referenced.







I brought in some of my rooster photos.



 

 

Last Light
6 x 6" acrylic on canvas
For the Keys Connections Project II
©Maggie Ruley 2013

 

Schedule of the receptions

THE CONNECTIONS PROJECT II: A Mosaic of the Keys
Opening Receptions throughout the Keys:

Join US! 5:30 – 7:30 pm - Refreshments will be served.

Key Largo - January 22nd – Royal Furniture

Key Largo - January 28th – Murray Nelson Cultural Center

Islamorada - February 20th –Islamorada Library Community Room

Marathon - February 27th - Royal Furniture

Big Pine Key - March 14th – Artists in Paradise Gallery

Key West - (new town) March 24th - Royal Furniture

Key West - (old town) April 4th - Gato Building

To make a donation for the Mosaic Project Click Here

The Monroe Council of the Arts Corporation dba Florida Keys Council of the Arts is an IRC 501(c )(3) organization and your contribution is tax deductible.

You will receive a randomly selected canvas from our project. We hope that you will consider joining the Arts Council if not already a member. Memberships and contributions support our programs and grants for all the ARTS in Monroe County.

 

 

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She Listens

She Listens, acrylic, 40 x 30



 

She Listens, has come back from the photographer and Giclee prints are available on paper and canvas.  My printer does a wonderful job and the prints on canvas look just like the original painting (without all the cost). The prints on paper are a very reasonable alternative.

You can find this Giclee and others on my website.  You do know I have a website, right?

my website

my Giclee page


She Listens is available $2,800.


Sailing on home, Day 13, 30 day challenge

Sailing on home, oil on paper 6 x 8"
day 12, 30 day challenge
$40 ©2013 Maggie Ruley



 

 

Well, when I realized I was a day behind in the challenge all of the palm tree starts I had been fussing about became a blessing.  I had a lot of framing to do today and still wanted to catch up with the group.  So I grabbed 2 of the palm tree starts and my oil paints and gave my self a time limit of 40 minutes each.  This is the first of today's 2 paintings. To see more of the challenge paintings click here. 

 

And read below to find out how to enter the drawing for this week's give away

I am having a give-away!

Here is how it works.  Leave a comment on my post and you will be entered to win.  I am going to give away one painting a week for the duration of the 30 Day Challenge, (the month of September, 2013). If you comment daily on my posts then you can be entered up to 7 times to win.  The winner will have their choice of any unsold painting of the week. 

Those of you who subscribe by e-mail to this blog can either reply to the e-mail, or comment and you will be entered.

Please note this drawing is going to be casual.  I am not hiring any fancy auditing company to do the selection.  It is going to be a plain old pieces of paper in a bowl thing.

If you are the winner your painting will be shipped to you after it has dried, which can take one to two weeks with oils.


Sultry and Soft

 

 

The weather in Key West was sultry and soft before I headed North.  Clouds would build up every afternoon, just threatening to rain, but not doing it.  Word is, after I left the rain started for real.  This scene is the little lagoon behind the Sugarloaf Lodge in my neighborhood.  I have painted this scene many times before and I never get tired of it.  The water is ever changing and those clumps of mangroves continue to grow. 

 

In this oil painting I wanted to incorporate those little flecks of light and activity that I like to use in my acrylic painting.  It was a soft day and I chose soft color and edges to reflect the mood.

 

This painting is 24" x 30" and a little too large for me to finish in one plein air session.  But I had a good handle on where I wanted to go before the light change was too drastic to continue painting.

 

 

Sugarloaf Lagoon

© Maggie Ruley 2013

oil on canvas

24" x 30"

$650

 

www.maggieruley.com