"Atsila" Portrait in Expressionism style

I am really enjoying some practice with expressive painting. Expressive or Expressionism painting isn't about the actual expressions on a person or animal's face, but more about emotions of the painter,showing bold colors and strokes. This one is named "Atsila", which means fire in the Cherokee language. I have posted below a good defintion  about  the Expressionism style taken from About.com.

Definition:


Expressionism is a term used to describe a movement of the early 20th century (c.1905-20) that was most prominent in Germany and Austria. The aims of an Expressionist were to express emotions through the use of vivid colors and strong, distorted lines, rather than capturing a likeness or reality. Their work was characterized by intense, violent, and non-naturalistic colors, painted in a textural manner.

The first group of Expressionists, called Die Brucke (The Bridge), was formed in Dresden in 1905, by Ernst Kirchner, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, and Erich Heckel. The other major Expressionist group was called Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider).
Expressionism is the opposite of Impressionism, which emphasized painting what the artist observed. The work of Vincent van Gogh had a lot of influence on artists who are now classified as Expressionists.

I pray you all have a warm place to stay during this super cold weather, a hot cup of cocoa (or coffee) in your hands, and a warm heart for those less fortunate.


Blessings,
Sandra Reeves Cutrer

Chief Wannabee SOLD!

Chief Wannabee was painted from one of my many photos. This child, who happens to be my son, loved to dress up in his American Indian-style headdress and clothing that I had made for him. According to my parents, both sides of our family are descended from the Choctaw and Cherokee tribes of what is now the state of Mississippi.

Chief Wannabee is painted in oils on a 12"x12"x2" stretched linen canvas

If you have a favorite photo you would like painted, please contact me. I love doing commissions.

Have a blessed day,

Sandra Reeves Cutrer

sandrasart777@aol.com

Katherine Hepburn study

Today I am missing my friend, Doris Murrell. She passed away a few months ago after a short illness. Doris was a great master of portrait painting. Always in her studio, even when her hands would barely hold a paint brush, she painted,studied, and loved every second of it all. I painted this in one of her limited classes not too long before she became really sick. I will always wish that I was able to spend more time than I did with her.
 I am so blessed to have known such a fine, Christian lady and awesome teacher.

Blessings and Happy painting to my fellow artist.

Hats off to a great,warm Monday

Good morning! The weather in Lake Jackson will be in the mid seventies for this last day of January, but (according to my favorite meteorologist) by Friday snow is predicted! I am thinking this can only happen in the deep south.

We had traveled back home to Louisiana for our first Christmas after moving here to Texas. A new friend of ours called on Christmas day to say that it was snowing, about a foot deep, which was a big deal here in the deep south. We finished up our Christmas with family, grabbed our two granddaughters who would be staying with us for a week, and headed back to TX that night.We arrived at 1:30 AM. It was beautiful!The girls and I ran all over our front yard, playing,throwing snowballs and making snow angels, while my husband tried to quiet us a bit to keep our exuberance from waking the neighbors!The next Christmas Pop and Nana were not thinking about the snow from the year before, but it brought sad faces to our girls when we drove up.They looked out the window and asked us," Where is the snow?", thinking it snowed here for Christmas every year!

Have a blessed day and I hope you will enjoy my painting for the day: Day Lilies

Sunday

Rain,rain, and more rain.But I am finally getting around to working on my blog, which really needed some updates! I have several paintings that I hope to add soon. I don't get too much painting done on Sunday's, especially when it is so dark and rainy like today. My studio is my covered patio (don't worry, it has nice insulation and vinyl windows). When it is dark outside, it it really too dark on my patio/studio. I need lots of glorious sunshine to feel like I am painting the true colors that I want my paintings to express. No matter what lighting I use out there, there has yet to be any that compares to God's great ball of fire- Mr.Sun!
We don't really know how much we depend on the things that God has made for us until we don't have them! I do love the rain at times ( who could live without green grass,flowers, and drinking water to name just a few), but I am a sunny-day girl for sure!!!
Have a blessed day and happy painting,
Sandra

Friday

Wow, has this week passed fast or what! I got to paint a little this week, including the kind of painting that I am not to crazy about- as in painting my dining room. There are times when I really love my big house, and other times ( like when there is so much upkeep) I'd rather have a place for a bed,small kitchen, and bathroom with a BIG art studio. I am not sure how my husband would feel about that!
I am up way too early, but there are errands to run, then we are off to the Houston Zoo to catch their new African Forest. I love photography,besides painting.I am going to try out my newest digital camera and bring along my older one,also.I hope all of the animals will behave and pose graciously for me!
Blessings and Happy Painting,
Sandra
srcartavenue.blogspot.com

Tuesday

What a wonderful day today was! Filled with sunshine and a warmer temp!
I painted  some more on my bird painting, and finished the final coating on several other paintings that have been drying for awhile.And,  even touched up a few more of my works. It was so great to be out there, enjoying my CD's ( about the only time I have for listening to music) and my art work. Some days I just think my studio is my little piece of heaven- just me and my kitty, Ms Bella Rue out there... but there are still those days when everything that I paint looks awful and I wonder why I torture myself with art!!! Such is the life of an artist. Gotta love us! :)
Blessings and happy painting to my fellow painters!
Sandra