Gallery Representation

I am delighted to announce that my polo work is now represented by The Chisholm Gallery of Millbrook, NY. Jeanne Chisholm is well known for her forward thinking and creativity in  providing collectors with the finest sporting art and antiques. Please visit her website, http://chisholmgallery.com, and peruse the many talented artists in her stable. I am so pleased to be included in her roster...you will see that I am in really good company! To find my work, go to "Search Artists" on the right side of her home page, click on "By Name", and you'll find my name and my paintings. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Frolicking

This piece is a children's book illustration and is almost finished. Two doggies doing what doggies like to do best...play!

Frolicking

Here is the beginning of "Frolicking", an oil pastel on Claybord, 12"x24". Great fun! Also, ribbons at the Western Carolina State Fair, "Five Rabbits in a Forest" won a first, "Polo Picnic" won a second, and "The Andalusian" won a second.

The resin pourings are doing great and I'll post those next time. I'm back in the studio full time again, and will take time out to compete in the American Competition Trail Horse Asso. rides; the next one will be in December in Aiken. Can't wait...time to get the Connemara pony out of mothballs and get us both in shape!

New Pieces

"Playing by the Beach", is an oil pastel on board, approximately 18" x 24".  "Polo Down Under", a mixed media 18" x 18", is the final of Wax Spin seen in an earlier post. It has fish and other creatures swimming around with real shells, and the ball is being commandeered by a fish at the bottom left. It sold at the show in Middleburg, VA. "Steeplechase" is an 18" x 24", oil pastel on board.

New pieces to be posted

Here is Ruffles guarding the prints that have pencil illustrations at the bottom. Animals are always welcome in the studio and there are many cozy beds scattered around for snoozing. Also, here is a diorama called The Polo Picnic, and it measures about 14" wide and 10" tall. The background is from one of my paintings, and the foreground has many details and goodies: a little dog about to scarf down someone's unguarded sandwich, bottles of Gilbey's Gin and Chevis on the table, a cake, pastries, cheeses, Cokes and grapes underneath, and a bucket of carrots and apples on the chair with a halter, polo mallet and ball close by. There are plants, grass, a little fence, and a basket of watermelons. This piece will go on the website when I return from the World Equestrian Games in KY, but if you are interested in investing in this fun work that is guaranteed to make you smile, you may reserve it now for $500.00. More detailed photos from different angles are available.

Paintings in the Nandina window

The box for In The Sleepy Country has been built, I'll hand rub some white color into it, and then I'm ready for the resin pour. Meanwhile, Nandina, here in Aiken, carries my work, and here is a photo of their current window with four of my paintings. Nandina offers fine home furnishings and design services, especially for the growing polo community that is establishing polo playing and breeding farms in and outside Aiken. We now have, at last count, forty eight polo fields!

In The Sleepy Country

Here is In The Sleepy Country, a very mixed media piece of paper, wax, oil pastel, crayon, ink, fabric, plastic, canvas. It is 12" x 24", and is the experimental piece to embed in resin. I hope it works. Ah, what fun!

A question for you

I've just completed a piece that is encaustic (molten wax) and mixed media (plastic, oil pastel, paper, fabric, pen, etc.), and I'm wondering if any of you know about encasing encaustic in resin? I'll post the piece next time...drumroll in anticipation...before I ruin it by experimentation. Resin, while it cures, becomes very hot and that could lead to some pretty undesirable melting effects with wax! Maybe I could put a thin skin on it first which wouldn't heat up the piece too much, and then the work would be protected for the next pouring of resin. Just thoughts...any advice?
It feels good to get back in harness again in the studio. Life is good! I'm reading a really interesting book called The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin. She dedicated a year to figuring out how to be happier; it's a wonderful and instructive read guaranteed to make you thoughtful, in a happy way, about your own life.
A little chuckle for you: my sister recalls seeing a garbage truck many years ago driving through the little town of The Plains, VA that stated on its side, "Satisfaction guaranteed or double your garbage back". Have fun today!

I'm back

Hello, everyone, I'm back from a long time out. I had a month long show at the Byrne Gallery in Middleburg, VA and then another month's show at the Lombardi Cancer Center in Washington, DC.

I was asked to provide awards for the winning team of a 20 goal polo match, also in VA, so four large prints, with unique hand drawn illustrations at the bottom, were given to the victors.

I am switching everything over to my new website, so if you are on littlehouseart.com, please go to louisemellon.com and see the new pieces that have ben added. Very soon, the switch will take place completely. This blog is available on both sites.

I have been busy taking encaustic workshops working in molten wax and producing pieces in that medium. Several mixed media pieces were sold before I could get them on the website. I was so exhausted from the three shows, one here in Aiken, one in VA and one in DC, that I had to take a break. But, I'm back at work in the studio again and producing fun pieces very suitable for Christmas presents.

Margueritaville is once again pumping out on my stereo, and I've got renewed energy to "get on with it"!

Wax Spin

What an experiment! This is an encaustic piece, painted in wax and oil pastel on board. I hope to finish it tomorrow. It is a challenge painting on such a rough, textured surface, but I need to keep challenging and pushing myself to grow as an artist.

Handy

This piece is a 20"x20" oil pastel on wood board. Hopefully it will be finished tomorrow. I have several pieces "resting" and waiting for the paint to set a bit before finishing.

Mare Mumblings

This is an oil pastel on wood board, almost finished, and about 20" x 20". The title is: "Mare Mumblings: Oh, Good Grief...Would You Just Look Down?"

Tanglewood

This is one of the candidates for the program cover of the Tanglewood Steeplechase.

show at ACA

Here are photos of the show that just ended at the Aiken Center for the Arts. Six pieces sold.

Show update

The shows at the Aiken Center for the Arts have gone well with two pantings sold at the previous Sporting Art show, and six sold so far at the current show. I'll photograph the show and post it soon.

Best Buds

Here is the final for Best Buds, which has been framed, and is going to be delivered to the Aiken Center for the Arts as part of my show that opens Thursday. I sold two paintings at the Sporting Art show here, Summer Afternoon and Bareback.

I Think I Can and Best Buds

"I Think I Can" is an experiment using colored pencil and oil pastel on an 8"x 10" Clayboard. This little pony is going to make a mighty effort to grab the apple! It would make a great children's book illustration."Best Buds" is an 8" x 10"oil pastel that was given a first coat of acrylic to seal the paper. It was started on a large piece of paper and will come down to the 8" x 10" size when finished.

Before the Race

This piece is now finished. I had to wait several weeks for the paint to set up somewhat, although oil pastel never fully dries. This is a portrait of Pal's Pride, owned by Kevin Pallister of Camden, SC.

Head and Head

Here is the final for Head and Head. It looks much better in person than my photo.

Bay and Gray

This is the midway point in Bay and Gray. More layers to come.

This piece is coming along and I hope you feel the action of the gallop!

Polo 1

Here is the midway point on this polo piece. I've had requests for more polo, so here is one of several in the works. This one is oil pastel on canvas, and is 30" x 40".

Cover Me 5

Here is the finished piece and the final title is "Puppy Pranks: 'Cover Me! Grandma's goin' in the Pool'!" Maybe someone could give me the correct punctuation for all the quote marks and exclamation points.

Cover Me 4

This is almost finished and now you can see what's going on. The new title is "Puppy Pranks: 'Cover Me! Yeh...Granny's Goin' in the Pool'!" I love being an illustrator and telling stories with my art. I hope this one made you smile!

Cover Me 3

What do you suppose Grandma and Auntie are looking at so intently? Tune in tomorrow to see!

Cover Me 2

Now can you see what's happening? The full title is "Puppy Pranks: 'Cover Me! I'm Goin' In To Bite Some Butt!' ". Grandma and Auntie have no idea what the little brat is up to this time! Stay tuned!

Cover Me 1

This is going to be a surprise for you! It is an oil pastel on canvas, 24" x 36". Watch what happens!

The Andalusian

Here it is almost finished. I have had a lot of fun painting this one, even though there were major holiday delays. I've had suggestions from all who have seen it to leave the background white, so I've done that and I like the simplicity of it. The next painting is for The Corgi Family's Afternoon at the Pool book. Yipee!