According to the information I was given, I will have to choose from my animals only for my application this year. All of these are oil on canvas, and they are the ones I’ve picked. You can help me narrow it down to 5 if you’d like! (Please?!)

Things to consider:

Positive Impact. Which one(s) your eyes are drawn to first, which ones are you inclined to click on to see larger? (Oooooohhh’s and Aaaahhh’s are always nice. :wink:)

Materials/Technique. When you look at them, do any look more detailed than the others or do you think I’ve selected pieces that are consistent in my technique? That would basically be shading, furstrokes, eyes. If any look “younger” meaning you can see differences between then & now, I do not want to include those as I’d like to show a consistent growth and proficiency in my medium.

I think consistency and cohesiveness will resolve itself with eliminating any pieces that appear younger, since I’ve narrowed it down this far already.

So, wanna help? Wouldn’t it be cool if when I’m famous you tell your friends “Hey! I helped her get into her first gallery!” I think so. (Pinch me, I’m dreaming again, and I’m not even on the beach with a Corona in hand!)

You can click to see the larger image, but my gallery is still suckey at the moment and you may have to click “next” and “back” to get the whole image to load. Yea, I know, I’m working on it!! I’ll even add the number of votes they have next to their titles.

Update: I’m eliminating the ones with the fewest votes so far!
Update Again: Now they’re in order, highest to lowest, top five will be the ones that make it or break my heart again this year!

Lion – 12 Votes

Coon – 10 Votes

Tortie – 9 Votes

Ellie – 6 Votes

Sissy – 6 Votes

Nicki – 6 Votes

Sandy – 6 Votes

The above pic has nothing to do with my entry, but it does feel appropriate at the moment, so I’ll just let it speak on my behalf.

I received the application for consideration in the 2006-2007 exhibition schedule for MCFA. Last year, I applied but was declined, so this year I’m hesitant to apply. I didn’t realize that being “denied” by a gallery would impact me the way it did, and being a sensitive girlie-girl, it hurt my feelings. I’ve done just fine representing myself, so what do I need a gallery for?

A ton of reasons.

So do I try again? I select 5 examples of my work. The best of what I have to offer. I have many favorite pieces, but I have no idea what best represents my abilities and the quality of my work. (Meaning I don’t feel objective enough to make that decision by myself.)

I’m going to call them today and hopefully they will offer some counsel on the topic since I’m so unfamiliar with how galleries work, let alone the jurying process. I may even have to block a large period of time over the next few months to work on pieces just to have paintings readily available to hang. That is another dilemma in itself, because many of my clients and return clients order very early for Christmas and I’ve been booked through the Holidays before the Christmas decorations even go up in the stores, and we all know how early that happens.

So. Could you help me out with this? Please? Name 5 paintings that you think best represent my abilities.

You can view paintings from 2005 here, and my 2004 collection here.

Thank you for your input!!!!

I wondered if these would bloom, and how they would look if they did. Well now I know. Kinda looks like a face doesn’t it? NO photoshopping was done to this image. Scouts honor, these are growing in my front yard!

Yesterday was pretty cool, I met some really nice bloggers through Michele’s blog. She really inspires people to “get out” in the blogosphere and meet folks! So here are some highlights of the nice blogs I visited yesterday. Stop over at their blogs and say hi! I’ve added them to my blogroll, too, so you can check for updates here.

Terrilynn: Nearest Distant Shore
Terrilynn is a North Carolina blogger with a beautiful son and a great way with words. She gives good eye candy, too!

Phoenix
Pheonix & Carlo blog side by side, Phoenix is writing a novel (linked on the blog) that I’m going to get to reading very very soon!

Colleen : Loose Leaf Notes
Colleen has quite a way with words, her summer memories made me wish I lived next door to her growing up.

Paul : Writing from the Hip
Paul has some great stories to share, stop over & have a read!

Mystic Writer
Great eye candies, for one, and his writing will just draw you right in and make you feel like you’re standing right there.

Annie : One thing I hate about today
You just have to go visit Annie. Hafta.

I also visited A Mom and Her Blog, and ran into the Complimenting Commenter the other day, both new additions to my “read often” blogroll!

Yea, I surfed a little bit, hung out here while Lisa was gone fishin’, tidied up the house a bit and fired up the grill for both lunch and dinner! I made these super tasty teriyaki marinaded boneless spare ribs. I’m not quite sure I understand the methodology behind boneless ribs, must have been a really floppy pig I guess, huh?

Just one more reason to eat chocolate!

We were in the health food section of our new grocery store tonight and I found these! 10% of the profits are donated to protect endangered species. Now who needs a better reason than this to buy a healthy bar-o-chocolate? I picked three flavors. The Sea Turtle Bar is Dark Chocolate with Blueberries, The Panda Bar is Dark & White Chocolate Blend, and The Grizzly Bar is Dark Chocolate with Raspberries. Mmmmmmm.

Their website is www.chocolatebar.com, you can find a store that sells them near you.

I just returned from the post office, dropped off Taba’s Mousie, the Tater Couple and John & Ella. They’re on their way to their new homes (via USPS Priority Mail)!

I also updated my gallery with all my recent pieces, so if you’ve got a favorite, you can leave a comment! All comments etc. will be moved over into the new design some time in the next couple’a weeks.

The studio is clean, house is clean, Hubby’s home for the weekend, and phew! I finally have a little energy. I wonder why?? 😉

I’m finished with all of my commissions (for now) and will be working on other stuff here and there, things I’ve been wanting to paint, the 4×4’s, you know, non-commission type stuff!

Okay go check the gallery and surf a little. I found a few new places in my meanderings this week and added them over to my links (right column). One of them is a Stork webcam that Kris linked me to this week, it’s a close up of a storks nest over in Germany! Check ’em out!

Custom Portrait : John & Ella
10 x 10 Chalk Painting
Yarka Sauce Drawing Crayons (Grayscale Chalks)
Wallis Archival Sanded Paper
© 2005 Leanne Wildermuth
All Rights Reserved

Click “read more” for detail shot!

I’ve got a few things left to do, so I’ll finish up tomorrow on this piece. I did get a lot done on Ella this afternoon though!

Here’s the current status on this portrait, I will probably look back & forth between works in progress more than any of you guys, I already see a couple of minor little things about John that I’d like to enhance a little more (particularly the shadows around his face into his hairline). I’ll be working on Ella through the evening and may not finish until tomorrow now. I’ll update with another progress shot later on tonight.

Here’s where I stopped on their portrait yesterday, John is just about finished.

I’ll probably complete this later on today and send it off for my client’s approval.