Ugh I Hate This

This Isn't One Of Those Blogs With A Depressing Subject Line, But When You Open It, It's Actually All Sunshine And Rainbows. 

I hate those "Gotcha, I'm actually really fantastic" emails and blogs (*eye roll*)

So here's the thing: this is hard. Duh. Anyone who's a parent of course already knew that, but here I was thinking I'd catch snatches of time to paint and work while Ean was asleep.

Ummmmm....between needing to sleep myself, clean bottles, eat and everything else, taking 20 minutes to set myself up to paint isn't realistic when he's going to start making noises 10 minutes after falling asleep.

But that's not what I hate (although this whole new schedule is truly exhausting and I'm so grateful for all the help friends and family have provided).

What I hate is this painting I'm working on (picture below)....I have this idea in my head and even after repainting this a multitude of times, it's not turning out how I want it to...

So I'm pressing on and reworking and repainting. Maybe I'll scratch it...to be seen.

What I hate is wanting to send out pictures and connect with people....but it has to take the backseat for now because of all things baby.

I know you get it.

The new paintings are coming...very slowly....but one day this fall they'll be done, and I'll look forward to sharing them then :)

In the meantime, if you're contemplating any custom work for holiday presents, please get in touch sooner rather than later since I only have a limited amount of space and time.

OH!! I just remembered that I also offer gift certificates so that you can give someone the gift of art, but they can choose what they want/order something custom themselves! (seriously, I just remembered lol...so tired)

xo

Hannah

"Bleached" In Progress

What a beautiful summer/fall day here in NYC! Ean and I took a shady walk up Central Park West with my Aunt Laurie, stopping in our favorite coffee bean store for a bag of the requisite pumpkin spice beans and looking in on the baby boutiques for fall and winter clothes. 

This week I'm looking forward to...(1) getting out of the house more and taking some walks, (2) as well as finishing up my Fall 2017 Collection of paintings entitled "Bleached" and inspired by my travels in Arizona and New Mexico.

Thanks for all the positive feedback on last week's Inspiration Blog ~ I loved hearing from you about what you found interesting or cool!

This week, as I've started actually painting, I'm getting inspired by these wedding and photo booth backdrops I've painted.

photo: Wandermore Photography

(PS These are SO FUN to paint and make really unique wedding/party decor - and a cool keepsake - so keep me in mind if you or someone you know is party planning :D )

photo: Clare Mullins Photography

I love the abstract water-colory look (even though they're all acrylic) and the gold accents.

I'm going to marry the approach and brushstrokes of the large backdrops with the colors of my Southwest inspiration to create this Fall 2017 Collection. And since I've been experimenting more and more with the heavy and aggressive marks of the palette knife, I'll of course be incorporating that technique too.

Below I'm sharing a few "in progress" behind the scenes shots of what I'm working on:

"Palm and Sky"

"Palm and Sky"

"Sun and Shadows"

 Stay tuned for how these and the rest turn out....and I'd love to know what you think so far!

xo

Hannah

Breastfeeding As Meditation And Inspiration...Fall 2017

As I Half Fell Asleep Breastfeeding In The Dark One Night, I Clearly Saw The Paintings I Had Yet To Create Come To Me One By One......

I'm Back!

Kind of....

Baby Ean was born on July 28th at 2:42am, totally healthy but rather small at 4 lbs 14 oz.

He's a month old now (!!!!) and already closing in on 8 lbs. We're all happy and healthy if not tired and stressed as new parents are. (Is he eating enough? Is he sleeping enough? Is he sleeping too much?)

Work-wise, I'm enjoying this break and the potential to be present with Ean. At first, I would put something on TV to wake me up and distract me during our multiple nighttime feedings, but more recently, I've kept the TV off, the lights dim and paid closer attention to the silence and Ean's soft noises (and sometimes really loud screaming).

It was during one of these feedings a few weeks ago when I was kind of dozing in and out that a wave of images washed over me gently. I could picture all the paintings I wanted to create for my Fall 2017 Southwest Collection.

The painting inspiration often happens like this ~ lying in bed falling asleep, or in some other half waking place ~ colors and compositions come to me and I can just clearly see what I should try to make. If I'm awake enough perhaps I'll jot down some notes and hope that I'll remember what it was in the AM. (Remember that Seinfeld where Jerry writes down a joke on a napkin in the night and then the next day he can't remember at all what the joke was supposed to be and in the end it was pretty much nothing? So true!)

For instance, this painting had been bouncing around my brain for at least six months before I actually painted it. And actually at the start, I was thinking I would paint it much much larger:
 

As I write up this email (after Ean has finished his 2am meal and is making soft sleep sounds in his bassinet), I'm filled with the happiness that comes when you are sitting in darkened silence with nothing to do and nowhere to be. Just breathing.

This week I'm going to start painting what's in my head and hope it translates from inspiration to canvas. I'm calling this Fall 2017 Collection "Bleached"...find out why and see some pretty inspiration photos over in this  post.

Okay, back to bed. Good night/morning!
xo,
Hannah