What happens when you least expect it!

What happens when you least expect it? I guess I’ll have to lead with that.

About two years ago, I decided that I had put off something that, if I’m being totally honest, I was afraid to try. It was painting with oil paint. It’s it so totally different from what I’m used to painting murals with which is acrylic paint. I really struggled for months, just trying to do small studies which ended up in the garbage before I was even twenty minutes into them. I did a small piece of one of my grandchildren and realized I was fighting the wrong battle. I was trying to make the oils work like the familiar strokes of acrylic and it could never happen. I had that a-Ha moment, coupled with the fact that I had an entire box of aluminum leaf at my disposal, and I began the first of the collection you can find on my website called ”Reflections.”  Here’s the link to see them: www.LeichsenringStudios.com/fine-art-gallery. The first piece I painted was called “Considering”.

So, I’ve spent the next two years, still learning and struggling. I entered many art shows where I learned to grow a thicker skin. The term for, well, let’s not call it rejection-but it is-for not being accepted into a show is “not invited.” I was not invited to a lot of parties. But in that time, three shows did accept my work. The third show opened this week at the D’Art Center in Norfold, VA. I watched on facebook live this past Thursday and realized the juror, Jorge A.Saenz was talking about my piece.

Here is what he had to say about it.

My piece was awarded an honorable mention. It is one small step, but in my mind, I have climbed mountains! Here is a closeup of “Considering” and a detail as well.

Back to the world of murals, I recently finished the tiniest of powder rooms with an entire room painting that included the ceiling and all four walls. My client was looking for something exciting and had no fear of color. Her request, an underground scene with a mermaid. She had chosen a great color from Benjamin Moore called cat’s Meow and wanted to keep it as part of the sky. OK, challenge accepted. The trim and a little jewel of a vanity were going to be painted with a super-saturated color called Galapos Green.

Here are the layouts. One is a continuous strip, but I wanted to make sure the design would work around the corners, so you are looking at a scaled 3D mock up of the space.

This is what it looks like painted.

I couldn’t take better pictures until the plastic is taken off the doors, the vanity ,sink and mirror are installed and the exquisite light fixture hung. I promise more pictures. Lastly, here is a project that is definitely newsletter worthy which got lost in a busy workload. The space is a designer’s office. She wanted it filled with the favorites of glorious flower choices. The dynamic post-and-beam construction was such an excellent counterpoint to the flow of these flowers. Here are two of the layouts

I was thrilled my client trusted me to use a stylized graphic of a dahlia behind the peonies on the feature wall. Here are the results. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts about these projects, and keep your fingers crossed for me. Much as I adore my painting “Considering”, I hope to never see it again if someone purchases it. Putting that out for the universe….I’m looking for a red SOLD sticker.