Odds and Ends

As the year winds down, many of us try to finish up projects or prepare for new ones. I happen to be doing both. 

I am having a closet rebuilt to create more storage in my home studio. Plus adding a new set of shelving to the wall next to the closet and a nook below a window to house small canvases. This is all part of a new direction in the studio and getting organized, plus a serious effort to clean out our home and get clutter under control. 

The doorway to an overflowing studio closet. 

That means by early January, I have to clean out a significant portion of the studio to make room for the worker bees. So much stuff.Trash or keep.Tackling it all at once may take days, so I came up with a solution using the one-thing-in, one-thing-out theory of clutter clearing. Every time I go upstairs (where the studio is) I grab something to take back down to the trash. In one day I'm amazed at the progress. 
I'll be ready on time. 

In the meantime, I've also been working on a painting I'm giving to someone special for Christmas. So you only get snippets of it in progress right now. Acrylic on canvas. 

Gray Dawn

Another Tiny Little Sea Painting sold just before the Thanksgiving holiday to fellow artist, G-L U.  Thank you so much for your support of my work. 

"Gray Dawn"
6" x 6" Acrylic/mixed media on Canvas
©2015 Adele Castillo AllRightsReserved
$85 - SOLD

Splish Splash

I am tickled to have sold another Tiny Little Sea Painting. Splish Splash has gone home with Mrs. Alice G. Thank you! 

"Splish Splash"
5" x 7" Acrylic/mixed media on Canvas
©2015 Adele Castillo AllRightsReserved
$85 - SOLD

A few more have found their way to my display wall at Crossroads Art Center, and more will be joining them soon. 

Tiny Little Sea Painting Series
Acrylic with mixed mediums on canvas
©2015 Adele Castillo AllRightsReserved

Under Current

Another tiny little sea painting has found a new home. This is one of my favorites so far. Thank you Ms. GE for your purchase. 

"Under Current"
7" x 5" acrylic/mixed media on canvas
©2015 Adele Castillo AllRightsReserved
  $85 - SOLD

More tiny little sea paintings will find their way to my display wall at Crossroads Art Center. 

Purple Haze

This tiny little sea painting was snapped up out of the studio, freshly painted just this past weekend. Thank you Ms. CK. 

SOLD

"Purple Haze"
5" x 7" acrylic/mixed media on canvas
©Adele Castillo AllRightsReserved
$85 - SOLD

More tiny little sea paintings will be available during the

bi-monthly Open House and Art Walk at Crossroads Art Center, November 20, 2015 and into the holidays or contact me via adele(at)adelecastillo(dot)com.

Puffer Papa

"Puffer Papa"
©Adele Castillo Art 2015
Acrylic on Canvas
10" x 8"
$400

This puffer fish was completed a few days ago. It will be hanging in my annual student exhibit at Crossroads Art Center in Richmond, Va, opening November 20, 2015 along with about a dozen other fishies. 

Each of the past 4 years we've had a group topic for students to explore, which we display on one wall of the show. This year we chose fish, which gave us numerous options within a common theme. 

If you are available, I invite you to come see what my incredibly talented students have been up to this past year. Yes I'm bragging on them. Believe me, they keep me humble. 
In the Caboose Gallery, the exhibit is on display until 
January 4, 2016. 

More Tiny Little Sea Paintings (in process)

Back in the spring, I blogged about taking time for me. 

I'll get to Part II of that shortly.

In the meantime, here are more Tiny Little Sea Paintings. 

These are not finished by any means, 

but I know some of you like to see art "in progress." 

These are either 5 x 7 or 6 x 6, on 3/4" deep canvas.  

Tiny Little Sea Paintings

"Red Sand" ©2015 Adele Castillo 5x5 acrylic on canvas
available $65

A departure from my usual animal paintings, these small - 8 x 10 and 5x7 canvases - are in progress. Or maybe they are finished, I can't quite decide yet. 

Acrylic paint over Micaceous Iron Oxide as a base with some Coarse Alumina (both are Golden Paints products) sprinkled in for larger textural effects. I really love how the toothiness of the iron oxide allows the paint to blend under the surface. 

These two images show progress on the same painting. 

"Monterey Splash" early stages

"Monterey Spash"©2015 Adele Castillo
8 x 10 acrylic on canvas
available $110

Contact Adele using adelecastilloart at gmail to purchase. 

Sanctuary

This is Katie.
Unofficial class mascot who attends with her human painter mom. 

I teach art classes in my own studio at Crossroads Art Center, in a classroom at For Art’s Sake Gallery (both in Richmond) and in various other venues that schedule my workshops. No matter where I’m teaching, I’d like to think of that space as a refuge. A place where students can come in to let go of their day and simply exist with the paint. Many of my students joke about it being the cheapest therapy they can buy. One new student today told me she loved being in the class, that it was so peaceful and sweet. Another class of students have painted together for so many years, they can’t imagine not attending their weekly class and genuinely worry about one another if one is absent. 
Don’t misunderstand - sometimes the classes can get a little rowdy. There may be singing and dancing to music, a sharing of jokes, photos, the latest episode of a favorite show and how the day has unfolded. And yes, there is disagreement, questioning, and frustration in class. That comes with the territory, but it needs to be about the art or the process, not a person or event, and I try to flip any negative reactions to a more positive approach. There is also much sharing; of supplies, advice and supportive encouragement. I love it when two students rush to the aid of third who needs a tube of burnt sienna. Or when they critique one another's work with care and respect. Or when one gladly demonstrates how to paint whiskers on a cat. 

Monday night students working

Eventually and overall, there is a quiet settling when everyone is painting and the only energy is good energy, focusing on creativity. 
Sanctuary. 
As it should be. 

Time for Me - Part I

white dog in progress - untitled
acrylic on canvas

A while back I applied for a residency that I so hoped I would get. It offered nearly a month of working time plus access to a technical team and lots of supplies. Since I teach as well as paint, it was ideal. Sponsored by a company whose products I use AND recommend, I had nothing to lose by applying. The application process itself was an eye -opener and I had to scramble to get images sized and labelled, my resume updated, and write about myself. (ugh) I was not accepted, but I wasn't hurt. It was a grand learning experience and based on the artists who were accepted, I had no chance whatsoever. But that's ok. 

After the rejection notice, I decided to make lemonade. With the cost of the residency in mind, I decided that for the rest of this year I would take as many workshops and classes as I could. For a change, I'd be the student. So far, it's been a great decision and has cost me less than the residency. 

For my first bit of me-time, I chose to spend 3 weeks away from home in another property we own, with only my dogs and art supplies in tow. Two of the finished paintings are seen in a previous post. My husband decided to come along for the first week, but I insisted I was not cooking, shopping or care-taking, other than what I'd normally do on my own. My mister was great about it all, so while I didn't paint consistently, I was able to get to the easel most every day. Once he departed I spent a good 6 hours or more painting each day and with no t.v. there, reading at night from 9 p.m. until whenever. I haven't been able to do that in the last 5 years. I'd forgotten how much I love just painting. Turning on the tunes, dancing and moving while working, dealing with composition and technical issues, mixing the colors, having aha moments. This was a little bit of heaven I've been missing for awhile. I liked, very much, what was emerging. 

pups in progress
acrylic on canvas - 30 x 40

Here I am with one of the paintings in progress. Doing my best Vanna impression next to it (except for the studio tee and shorts - she obviously dresses better than I,) you get a sense of the size. 

I'll get back to Time for Me- Part II soon. 

Transformation

This is the work of one of my students who came to me nearly 2 years ago as a complete beginner. It was obvious from that first day that she is gifted. Meaning, she has an innate sense of composition and the natural ability to draw and paint quite precisely. Being an adult, though, she is like many adult students who wish for every single painting to be perfect upon completion, so she often finds herself quite frustrated. It matters not how perfect her work is, it isn't perfect enough in HER head, so we go round and round. 

Martine's Rose Before

Before I continue with what happened last night in class, I have to share that this woman is a surgical nurse with a fantastic sense of humor and fun. It makes sense precision is important, but in art class, she gets tense. Her biggest complaint from day one is "I don't know what I'm doing." And my answer always is, "Of course you don't, that's why you are here." But now we are reaching a point where I'll be answering, "Yes, you do, you just have to think it through." 

Last night in class, she turned her painting around, plopped down in a chair with her glass of wine (yes, we do have adult beverages in class if students wish!) and announced she hated her painting. No amount of praise from fellow students made a difference. So I instructed her to let it go and just paint crazy on it. Since she "hated" it and was likely going to throw it away, what was there to lose, Right? 

She didn't understand exactly, so I did what I sometimes do with frustrated students...I plopped out some bright, fun colors and grabbed a brush and made a few marks, changing up color, explaining as I went. Then I handed her the brush. 

This is what happened once she got back into it. 

When she was done, she once again sat down with her glass of wine. "I feel much better." 

Yes.  

Martine's Rose After

June 2015

I decided a while back to take off from my usual schedule and spend some time doing nothing but art. For portions of May and June, I went to my favorite beach spot, 3 dogs in tow - well, actually 2 dogs in tow, the third arrived later with my mister - loaded with art supplies, too many clothes and plenty of reading material. These are the first two results of a very productive month. 

working title "Ariana Singing"
acrylic on canvas
18 x 24 unframed
$750.00

"Kui"
acrylic on canvas
16 x 20
sold

Welcome

This is my new home for my art posts. I'll be updating in the near future. 
Welcome.