Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Having a lovely spring

Spring has finally arrived here in the northeastern United States and it is most welcome!  I've been keeping very busy with commissions and giclees.  I'm all caught up on commissions right now and get to make some new art, yay!

It is so much fun to see my sold paintings get printed and come back into my studio, it's like old friends coming over for a visit.  I give them some TLC, varnish, wire, nice felt corner bumpers on the back, wrap and pack them up and send them on their way, just like an original painting.

You can see my new velcro wall in this picture, it's almost a year old already!  My husband and I (well just him, really) built it over Easter weekend last year.  It allows me to move my paintings around very easily while I paint.

On my painting table you can see sheets of rigid foam insulation.  They make a very forgiving surface while I'm handling the very delicate giclees before I get that protective varnish on them.  That is a giclee of "Touch Me Here" getting varnished on the table, and a new painting called "Big City".  The painting on the wall hasn't given me a name yet.

Thanks for visiting and Happy Spring!!

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Preparing a new giclee set

"Tumult in Teal" ©2013 Sally Trace
"Tumult in Teal" ©2013 Sally Trace


This set of giclees is from my original painting "Tumult in Teal".  These are actually bigger than the original painting which is 20x40 inches.  This giclee print set is 24x48, 1.5 inches deep.  It looks fantastic.  I'm so happy to be able to offer these.

I like to add extra varnish, some extra paint, corner bumpers.  I sign the front, sign and title the backs.  The printed surface is very delicate so I really lay on a good deal of varnish.  Here is this set of prints on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/167876361/canvas-prints-large-wall-art-abstract?ref=shop_home_active_2

Monday, January 6, 2014

Hello 2014!!

I'm very pleased to say goodbye to 2013 and hello to 2014!  It's already a great year.

Today I received a vintage 1970's electric carving knife that I bought from a seller on Etsy.  We already have a vintage 1970's electric carving knife in the kitchen, but I recently discovered that they are a good way to cut up corrugated cardboard for shipping!  Who would have thought?  I'm not sure yet if it's much better than the little Skil saw, but it's another tool in the arsenal when it's time to do battle with cardboard.



Here is a section of the painting I began last night....no name yet....


And just as I'm writing this post a lovely new customer purchased "The Quickening" on Etsy.  Thank you so much to a new collector!!!  I'll have a chance to use my new cardboard knife :)


Thursday, September 15, 2011

Unfolding

"Unfolding" my newest colorfield abstraction painting

Lots of wonderful texture and deep glazes of color.
Variations in the gloss/matte surface.
 
Click the link above to see more and to purchase.
Here's the video:


Monday, August 29, 2011

Monday, August 1, 2011

Alignment







Medium: Acrylic on canvas.

Dimensions: 36" high, 24" wide, ¾" deep. Very textured surface with many layers of color that impart a richness and depth. The sides are painted black.

http://www.sallytrace.com/2011/alignment.htm

Click the link above to visit this painting on my website and purchase if still availble.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Luna Moth



This beautiful Luna Moth greeted me in the FedEx parking lot this afternoon. He was flying erratically around a little tree next to my car, and flopping down on the blacktop. I tried to get him settled in a grassy area, but there was no dark place for him except under cars. He landed on my fender, I opened the door and in he flew. So we drove home together. He was pretty beat up and unfortunately didn't last too long. I found this article: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/luna_moth.htm and determined that he is male because of his big beautiful antennae. They don't fly during the day so something was wrong. I think it was just his time. Nice of him to spend it with me.

Update...he is still alive!! I just went out to check on him and he moved his little front feet like he's getting ready to take off. The heat of the day was bad for him, I think and it's getting cool now. So it's party time in Lunaville. Yay!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Friday, April 15, 2011

"Just Outside" Geometric original painting by Sally Trace


http://www.sallytrace.com/2011/just-outside.htm

Title: "Garden Variety"

Medium: Acrylic on canvas. Lots and lots of texture, a luscious surface. Very blossomy and colorful and springy.

Dimensions: 24" high x 36" wide, 1.5" deep.
The sides are painted black.

LOTS more pictures on my website.


Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Thursday, March 24, 2011

"Ancient Wisdom"


"Ancient Wisdom"

40x30x1.5" Acrylic on canvas

Click to see more pictures and to buy this painting, if it is still available:
http://www.sallytrace.com/2011/ancient-wisdom.htm


2011 Untitled Series #2, original abstract painting by Sally Trace


http://www.sallytrace.com/2011/2011%20Untitled%20Series/2.htm
Click the link above to see more pictures and to buy this painting if it is still avalable.
Title: "2011 Untitled Series #2"
Medium: Acrylic on canvas.

Dimensions: 10" high x 20" wide, ¾" deep.
The sides are painted brown.



Tuesday, March 22, 2011

2011 Untitled Series #4


Title: "2011 Untitled Series #4"

Medium: Acrylic on canvas.

Dimensions: 10" high, 20" wide, ¾" deep.
The sides are painted black.
Finished with a gloss varnish.

http://www.sallytrace.com/2011/2011%20Untitled%20Series/4.htm
Click the link above to see more pictures and to buy if it's still available

Sunday, March 20, 2011

2011 Untitled Series #5


Title: "2011 Untitled Series #5"

Medium: Acrylic on canvas.

Dimensions: 10" high, 20" wide, ¾" deep.
The sides are painted black.


Friday, February 25, 2011

How do I title my paintings?

One of my collectors just commissioned me to create a painting. In an email he asked me:

"You're amazing. This should be fun.

How do you name them?
Thank you Jesse :)"

Below is the answer. I thought it might be interesting to post my little essay for other viewers and buyers of my paintings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well usually the names come to me as I'm painting them. As you're painting, part of the mind is really focused and other parts of the mind just wander freely around like in meditation. Thoughts and associations float in and out. Then you see something in the painting that is very evocative of a memory, or something you've learned about life or something that is going on in your life and relationships. It runs the whole spectrum of emotions. For instance "the Next Chapter" was about my Mom in the nursing home and the transitions that she is experiencing. That is very personal for me, but for the viewers and buyers of the paintings, a title like that can also mean something very personal for them. And I hope it does. So I don't usually explain the title unless it's something overt like scientific and cosmic phenomena.

Or in the case of "A Thousand Beautiful Things", I just was so immersed in that song as I painted that there just was no other title that would do.

And then others are almost purely visual like "Fugue in Plaid". I just love the humor and the mind-bending aspect in the juxtaposition of those 2 seemingly disparate elements of music and visual pattern.

And then sometimes no name comes so I have to gaze at it for awhile and look for an association. My husband Chet has helped...he named one for me "Rose Meridian" which I think is an excellent name. Often the titles are about juxtaposition like that.

Now that I wrote all of this, I think I will put it in the blog. Thanks for inspiring me to explain the process.

XO Sally

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Spiral Galaxy, original painting by Sally Trace




Title: "Spiral Galaxy"

Medium: Acrylic on canvas.

Dimensions: 30" high, 40" wide, ¾" deep.
Four 30x10" canvases. The sides are painted black.