Nancy Michaud: wannabe artist.

And here comes the trickle...

2010-10-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

I've been exploring abstract work, which for me, requires a lot of restraint. I tend to overwork my paintings. I tried allow the paint (and gravity) do its thing with little intervention on my part.

Mainly, I'd apply a layer of paint, manipulate it a little, then walk away. This is a very slow process, since paint requires time to dry, but the time allows me a chance to really step back and look at what I'm doing and where the paintings are going. Perhaps, if I wanted to delve deeper, waiting for paint to dry has given me time to look at where I'm going as a painter, or as a person, for that matter.

...And where am I going? Good question. I think it will take a lot more layers of paint to find that one out...

"Slip into the forest"

"The moon is out"

Gravity

2010-09-17T17:02:00.000-07:00

No pictures yet, but I am very excited about some new pieces I've been working on. They're almost done, and will be posted soon. Gravity is involved in some way, hence the title of this post. And paint, of course.

I Dream of Alaska.

2010-08-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

"I Dream of Alaska" Acrylic on Canvas

I just finished this earlier today.

I obsess. It's a bad habit and I've been working on breaking it. I spend far too much time on the details of paintings, focusing on one square inch after another to the point where I can't see the big picture because my nose is glued to the canvas, or bristol board, or whatever the heck I'm working on.

The last thing I experimented with before my "sabbatical" was the dripping of paint. I thought it would help me loosten up. I placed a canvas on an easel, spread a watered-down wash of paint all over the top, and let gravity do the work. After a few layers of this, I worked on the lines formed randomly and tried to work with them. For a while, I worked against them until I placed the canvas on its side. I saw a landscape, so I went with it.

In spite of its questionable politicians, I have always wanted to live in Alaska. Not that I'd ever move there - its so far from all my family and friends - but it's a nice dream. This landscape isn't based on any specific place, but it's what I see when I dream about Alaska (in the summer, that is).

2010-08-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

This is a painting that I donated to the New Britain Museum of American Art annual Summer Art Auction on August 30. It was on August 20. I wasn't able to go this year (again), but I hope to make it next year because it seems like a good time.

Sorry.

2010-08-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

I've been bad. I have not posted any art on this blog for a year. All of the wonderful people who taught and mentored me over the years must be deeply disappointed in me and my dust bowl of a dry spell.

I consider this time I had away from art a "sabbatical", a time to pause and reflect...a time to really think about where I was going instead of running with my eyes closed, playing "Marco Polo" with a career in art. Mostly, it has been a time for me to enjoy my life, something I hadn't been doing for far too long.

I needed to stop for a while because I was spending too much time thinking about how to market myself as an artist, and not enough time on the actual artistic process. The result was a bunch of work that wasn't bad, but wasn't great either. I tried to paint what I thought other people would like - and buy. I forgot that if I just worked on my skills, and painted whatever I wanted, people would probably like it anyway because it was good. Plus, I wouldn't be stifling myself as an artist.

I work full time. A fact that I can't change. My job is very rewarding and interesting in many ways, but it is time consuming and tiring at times. When I turned making art into another job, one that made very little money for the amount of work I put into it, I felt like I was working 80 hours a week...and I was. Slowing down - and exploring other interests - has been rejuvenating. Though many people in my life kept telling me they wished I would paint again, I needed the break, and I think the has taught me how to pace myself in the long run.

I want to paint for as long as I can hold a brush and see what's in front of me. I want to be good at it too. I don't want to be a hack that hawks garbage. Even if no one buys them, I want to paint great paintings.

I know I've neglected it, but I promise there will be new art up on this blog soon. Actually, I have something to post now (next post), and it's not bad for a lady who hasn't painted in a year. Thanks to whoever might still be reading this blog (anyone?) and I'll keep you posted, I promise. Just don't expect a flood, because you'll be getting a trickle.

Trip out West

2009-06-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

This month, Marcin and I had an adventure. We flew out to Portland, Oregon to spend time with his sister, then drove around Olympic National Park for a week, and met up with his sister again in Seattle, Washington. While we were travelling around the park, I drew in my sketchbook. Here's what I saw:

The Pacific Ocean

(there were tsunami cautionary signs all around)

Rock formations
(it was very windy and cold,
it was hard to hold the pages of my sketchbook down)

Our one-day duck friend

(Marcin is afraid of ducks)

A boat launch on an oyster-filled beach

(there were massive amounts of tiny crabs under the rocks)

The ferry ride to Seattle

(I'm always paranoid about loosing my sunglasses)

Rats!!!

2009-05-23T13:09:00.001-07:00

I have been painting on canvas for a change. And I've really been enjoying the texture of the canvas, which seems to usurp the texture of the many layers of gesso I've been putting on it before I start painting.

I've also become infatuated with painting and drawing my rat, Chunky. He's quite the ham and seems to enjoy me putting a camera in his face daily. I wish I could draw him directly from life, but he won't sit still for a second. If I try to catch him while he's sleeping, he senses my presence and proceeds to sniff at me and get excited. He's very cute, though.

This is my rat.

This is a painting I did of my rat.

His face.

His foot.

Beer at City Steam

2009-04-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Marcin, some friends, and I went to City Steam, a brewery in Hartford. Everything was good - except for the service. While we were waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for the waitress, we became very artistic.

My drawing (right), many monkies drawn by several people (left) and Marcin's "Goat Lady" (Bottom Left).

Close-up of Marcin's "Goat Lady"

Marcin's Monkey

Cute

2009-03-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

My cat is so ridiculous.

This is Senior Tuxedo and his rat friend, Chunky Soup. Tux likes to lay on top of the cage and be cute. The rats don't seem to mind too much.

I try to only post creative stuff, but this is too good not to share!

Full Circle

2009-03-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

Last spring, I painted this picture (it was called "Vive Printemps", but now is simply called "Spring"). This year, on the first day of spring (March 20th, in case you were wondering), it will be on display at the Jonathin Trumbull Library in Lebanon, CT, for their annual Equinox and the Arts Show. The show is invite only, but will be up all month and can be viewed during normal library hours. I'll post pictures after the show!

2009-03-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

I made two types of balloon pigs for a "Hog Wild" party at work. Why? Because it's National Pig Day.

By the way, I'm a recreation director at a nursing home, not an annoying cubicle neighbor.

Revamped Christmas Masks

2009-02-26T18:04:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I go to thrift stores, craft stores, or rummage through garbage to find items to paint on. These masks were a craft store clearance item (I think they cost $.45 each). They're my homage to Frieda Kahlo, an artist whom I really love, but can't seem to find many books on. She loved her pet monkeys so I made a monkey to go with her.

The idea sprang from a brainstorm. The masks were pre-cut and pre-drawn. The monkey was a snowman and Frieda was a reindeer (can you tell?). I traced the outlines and drew face after face until the idea for a portrait of Frieda Kahlo sprang out of my brain and onto paper. The monkey, of course, followed shortly after.

Adelaida: A Cuban Cinderella, now available

2008-12-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Adelaida: A Cuban Cinderella, is now available at the Barnes and Noble website. This a version of Cinderella with a twist, and was a lot of fun to work on!

Moonbeam Children's Book Awards results are in!

2008-10-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

Moonbeam Children's Book Awards 2008 results are in! And Corazón de Piedra (Heart of Stone in Spanish) won a medal!

Spanish Language Book

Gold (2): Ensonacion y el Jardin de Suenos/Dreamygirl’s Field of Wishes, by Jorge Betancourt Polanco (Stephens Press) and El tirburón que me enseñó ingles/The shark that taught me English, by Michelle Markel; illustrated by Bo Young Kim (Lectura Books)

Silver: Piedrin y Goliat: El Verdadero Heroe/Stony and Goliath: The True Hero, by David P. Alcorta; illustrated by Jill M. Schmidt (Book Publishers Network)

Bronze: Corazón de Piedra, by Ana Monnar; illustrated by Nancy Michaud (Readers are Leaders)

What an honor to have taken part in the making of an award-winning book!

Flower Dunny

2008-10-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend, Marcin is practically obsessed with Dunnys: vinyl toys made by Kidrobot and designed by hip artists. Lots of Dunny aficionados like to customize Dunnys by painting them. This is my third, and most successful attempt.

Art Show at The Investors Center

2008-09-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

I recently had an opening for a solo show I had at The Investors Center in Avon CT.

I'm in the background talking to Jim Wagner, another artist who has had a show at The Investors Center.

Mural at Beechwood

2008-05-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

Me standing in front of the finished mural

I just completed my first solo mural project at Beechwood Rehab & Nursing Center in New London, CT. The Therapeutic Recreation Director there, Michelle Behr saw the mural Allison Valentine and I did last year and decided to offer a project to us. I ended up taking up the project solo, and after about a month of emails and sketches, I came to Beechwood and started the installation.

A close-up shot

It took about a month of painting, but the final product is pretty nice. The room is small, and the mural spans the length of it. It makes you feel surrounded. The residents at Beechwood were very pleased (they would often visit me while I was working and root me on).

Michelle decorated the room to match the mural, and created a little sanctuary for the residents at Beechwood. She really did a great job bringing the whole project together, and I'm so glad that she decided to have me work on it.

Lebanon Library Show Pictures

2008-04-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Marcin is making me laugh, but I don't remember what was so funny....

Equinox and the Arts XIII went very well. The opening was very enjoyable, and the show is still up until the end of the month.

To view the show, come to the library during normal library hours. They are posted on the library's website.

Jonathan Trumbull Library
580 Exeter Road
Lebanon, Connecticut 06249
http://www.lebanonctlibrary.org/

More Rabbits

2008-03-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

"The End of our Bunny Friend" Acrylic on Bristol Board, 2007.

This is another bunny painting I made almost a year ago. It is interesting to compare it with the bunny painting I finished yesterday. Which painting is more interesting? The superhappy springtime bunnies, or the dead one?

I don't know, I just thought I'd post it.

Happy Spring!

2008-03-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

"Vive Printemps"

Acrylic on Bristol Board, 2008.

Happy Spring!

While I love the winter, I am very ready for spring.

Yesterday was the first day of spring and it did not disappoint me. I was lucky enough to have the day off, and I took a (very) short walk. It was windy, but the sun was warm and the clouds were tall and puffy. I couldn't quite smell the grass growing yet, but I knew it was only a matter of time.

I finished this painting yesterday. I chose rabbits because they are a sure sign of spring. In the spirit of celebrating rabbits, I looked around youtube to find some cute rabbit videos. Here is my favorite video:

Two Chickens Break up a Rabbit Fight

Enjoy!

Equinox and the Arts XIII

2008-03-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

"Salamander Love" Acrylic on Oak Plank, 2006

I will have "Salamander Love" on display at Equinox and the Arts XIII at the Jonathan Trumbull Library in Lebanon, CT.

The show will run from March 29th - April 25th, with a reception for artists and friends of the library on March 28th. Sorry that it's private, but I'll post pictures if I take any good ones.

To view the show, come to the library during normal library hours. They are posted on the library's website.

Jonathan Trumbull Library

580 Exeter Road

Lebanon, Connecticut 06249

http://www.lebanonctlibrary.org/

Uconn Alumni Show Picture

2008-02-09T16:07:00.000-08:00

The alumni show was great. It was nice to see some of my former classmates, as well as a few new faces from the Uconn Illustration Department.

YAY!

Fun with clay

2008-01-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

A bunny and a kitty, yet to be titled

My boyfriend, Marcin, and I made clay figures today. These are the ones I made. My concept was "skeletons dressed up in cute costumes". I was a lot of fun.

Corazón de Piedra (Heart of Stone in Spanish)

2008-01-21T19:06:00.000-08:00

Cover art for Corazón de Piedra (Heart of Stone in Spanish)

My first book Heart of Stone, written by Ana Monnar, is now available in Spanish!

Corazón de Piedra, translated by Myriam del Castillo, is now available on the Barnes and Noble Website.

Check it out!

Uconn Alumni Show

2008-01-21T18:12:00.001-08:00

Undead Fishes

Acrylic on Bristol Board

I will have artwork at yet another show in this month:

Afterlife: The first annual UConn Illustration Alumni Show 2008.

January 23-February 9, 2008.

Student Union Gallery

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT 06269

The Closing reception will be on Thursday, February 7th, 6:00PM - 8:00PM.

Poster by Liz Gibbings

My submission, "Undead Fishes" is my interpretation of the afterlife.

My beta, Imposter Foster (the red fish), was found dead twice. The first time I found him dead, he was laying on the floor. He had jumped out of his bowl and was sticky dry, stuck to the floor. I peeled him off the floor, put him back in his bowl, and begged him to live. He twitched, swam sideways awkwardly, and eventually, he revived himself.

The second time I found him dead was when my apartment lost heat overnight. I wasn't home at that night. When I arrived at my apartment, Imposter Foster, and his two new friends, Greta (the silver fish) and Hazel (the dead fish that once was a suckerfish) were floating in the water, with the "death haze" that fish get when they die. I placed their jar in front of the space heater, and hoped. After a few minutes, Imposter Foster began to gasp. I was running late for work, so I left them. I knew Imposter Foster had a chance to live, but I doubted the other fish would make it.

When I came home, Hazel was still dead, but the other two fish were ALIVE!

That is it, my story of "Undead Fishes".

Enjoy!

Show at Cragin Memorial Library

2008-01-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

I will have work up in the meeting room at Cragin Memorial Library in Colchester, CT for the month of January. The address is:

8 Linwood Avenue

Route 16
Colchester, CT 06415

Come check it out if you have a chance!

Craft Fair this Saturday

2007-11-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

FYI: I'll have a table at the Harrington Court Annual Craft Fair on Saturday, November 17th (this Saturday).

It will be from 9:30-3:30

59 Harrington Court
Colchester, CT 06415
Directions

There will be raffles, a bake sale, a lunch sale, many crafters,
and Santa will be there from 10:00-2:00!

Come on and get a head start on your holiday shopping!

Cat Scans

2007-11-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

"Holding Hands"

In a previous entry, I scanned my kitten, Tux. I was really just fooling around, but I liked the way it turned out, so last night, hopped up on too much caffeine, I began scanning away, much to Tux's dismay.

Actually, he didn't mind too much, and he was given lots of treats as payment for his contribution. I included myself in this series of images...so it takes on a sort of narrative. Boy, either I like cats way too much, or I have too much time on my hands...I think it's a little of both...

Enjoy!

"Powerful Paws"

"Sea of Polka Dots"

"Cat Kiss"

"Bouquet"

"Curtain Call"

"Creation"

"Watching Over Them"

"Cat's End"

I've gone to the dogs.

2007-10-31T18:12:00.000-07:00

This month, some co-workers and I created a scarecrow display on the Colchester town green for their 8th annual scarecrow contest. We won 2nd place in our category!

This collaborative installation is based on the oh-so-tacky, yet wonderful work of C.M. Coolidge (dogs playing poker).

My father has a whole series of Arthur Sarnoff prints (dog playing pool) in his basement all around the pool table, so this idea really struck me as we were brainstorming for our theme. I love that sort of kitchy stuff. Like the crying Elvis Presley on velvet, or the unicorn flying through space, it's a classic tacky finished basement art. I love it!

Halloween Party

2007-10-31T18:06:00.000-07:00

Although Tux, my new kitten has come in between me and my artwork, primarily by attacking everything that moves, including brushes, pencils, and artist's hands, I have managed to complete a full-scale work in between kitten naps. I couldn't resist inviting Tux to the party.

In case you're wondering about the "thumbs" on the kitty, that's Tux's double paws. I'm sure there will be a vast future of double-pawed cats in my artwork. Something for all of us to look forward to!

Boo!

2007-10-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

Some friends, family, and others may find a little spookiness in their mailbox soon. I made these ghosts for a Halloween care package. Inside the package is a little card that reads:

A ghost and some candy
to brighten your day

Until the sun sets
and the light gives way

To ghosts and goblins
and witches and ghouls

Who hunt little children
and all grown up fools

I was only able to make a few this year, I may plan far sooner for next Halloween. Just think, if I start in January I could make HUNDREDS!! Wha ha ha!

(I know I'm getting way to excited about this...)

Senior Tuxedo

2007-10-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

I got a kitten!

His name is "Senior Tuxedo", "Tux" for short.
He is very sweet, and playful. Aside from his fascination with peeing on my closet curtains, he is purrfect...pardon my pun...

His front paws are double. He has a sort-of mitten look to them. I thought scanning them would be a good way to document them. I also think it looks pretty interesting. Tux was a good sport about it, although the sounds my scanner made were a little scary to him.

Below are a couple of sketches of him. I will admit, it's been hard to draw him. If a pen or pencil is moving within a 5-foot radius of Tux, his attack instinct kicks in, and my drawing is ruined. Tux is a pest sometimes, but he sure is cute!

Tux playing with a balled-up piece of paper.
Notice the wiggly lines from his attacks.

Tux sleeping.
I tried to be very quiet while drawing him.

A "Peach" of a Beach

2007-08-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am a lucky girl. While I don't yet make enough money making art, I do LOVE my day job! I am a "Recreation Aide" at Harrington Court, a health care facility in Colchester, CT.

It was this job that provided me with the opportunity to donate a mural, something I've been wanting to do for a while (you'd be surprised how many people will turn down a free mural).

Allison Valentine, a fellow graduate of UCONN and artist, was also looking to donate a mural. She recently started her own mural business, Artistic Visions, and wanted to gain experience and references. Ahh the stuff young artists will do to gain recognition!

Long story short, she and I painted the mural last week. I think it came out quite nice. Below are some pictures of the different stages of execution. Enjoy!

Blank wall, all taped up and ready to go.

Allison and I painting...

Further along...

A big mess...

Almost finished.

Some final touches...

The completed mural.

I want to thank Allison Valentine for her expertise in mural painting, her hard work, and for her long drives across the state to make this mural happen.

If you are interested in Allison's work, her email address is Allison.L.Valentine@gmail.com

Article about me appears in UCONN Magazine

2007-08-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

Portrait of a Tired Lady

2007-07-31T16:15:00.000-07:00

I painted this a few days ago. It's a departure from my regular style, but I like it. I painted it in about a half hour at work while running a painting program. It makes me think of Van Gogh...although I don't have much business comparing my work to his.

A June Bride

2007-06-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

Not much to say about this piece except "opposites attract", I guess...

Writer's Block

2007-06-08T05:15:00.000-07:00

Since I'd like to write children's books as well as illustrate them, I have been making a point to write more. I hadn't set any timeliness for myself until a couple of days ago. My goals as a writer are:

-Write one short story a week (hopefully one GOOD one a month).
-Write one poem a day.

Last night, I had a hard time writing something. This is what I came up with:

I am writing a poem,
poem, poem, poem.
It rhymes, so like it!

I can't expect it all to be gold!!!
I'll write again soon...

-Nancy

Artwork up at the Jonathan Trumbull Library

2007-06-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

It has finally come! My artwork will be up at the Jonathan Trumbull Library in Lebanon CT for the entire month of June. Please stop by during library hours if you'd like to see it. The hours are as follows:

Monday 9-8
Tuesday 1-8
Wednesday 10-6
Thursday 1-8
Friday CLOSED
Saturday 9-2
Sunday CLOSED

Hope you will be able to stop by!

Jonathan Trumbull Library
580 Exeter Road
Lebanon, Connecticut 06249
860-642-7763
http://www.lebanonctlibrary.org/

Me in front of "Sad Bear", 2005

For a larger view of the painting, click on the following link:

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7577/3861/1600/sad%20bear.jpg

"Owl", 2007 (top of page).

"Seals" series, 2007. For better look at the paintings, click on the following link:http://nancymichaud.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html

Happy Memorial Day!

2007-05-26T13:30:00.001-07:00

Let's hope for peace...

I know 10,000 years of civilization

hasn't brought peace, but we can hope can't we?

Enjoy the parade...

Posters and Post-its

2007-05-22T17:39:00.001-07:00

Today was a little scary, my first public speech in a long time...I went to my old high school (East Lyme High School) to talk about my role as an illustrator for "Heart of Stone" as part of an alumni lecture series. Fifty students were signed up, and most of them came (eeep!). They were surprisingly mature and attentive, however, which made the whole thing easier for me. They asked questions, I answered. Everything went without a hitch...except I forgot to bring my camera.

A friend of mine is a French teacher at East Lyme, so I visited her classroom and played French pictionary with one class, and sat quietly during another class and drew the students on some post-its. Here are the drawings:

So, at least, I have something to remember this day. One of [I hope] many more opportunities to talk in front of a group of young people.

That is all for today, more work is coming soon...

Where have all the bumbles gone?

2007-05-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't noticed, the honey bee population is way down. There is a 30-90% decrease in wild honey bees this year, something that has been years in the making. I've read a bit about it, the causes could be pesticides, bio-engineered crops, development, and even cell phones (the cell phone signals supposedly interfere with the bee's 'navigation' system, making it impossible for them to find their way back to their hives).

Bears everywhere are distraught, as am I!

I wrote a poem about bees. Here it is:

Bees buzz
Buzz those bees
They build their hives in bumble bee trees
They shop from flower to flower, so pretty
Then, fly home to their honeycomb city
Bees buzz
Buzz those bees

I hope the best for these guys, and I will keep up with the research. If it turns out cell phones are killing them, I am getting rid of mine (oh don't take the crack from me!). A cell phone isn't a necessity, but food is, and without bees to pollinate our crops, food might actually become scarce...very scary.

If you want to read more about this, here are a few links to different publications that have written about this. Different opinions on the subject, but they all agree, the bees are dwindling...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/10/1005_041005_honeybees.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1552024,00.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6299480

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/04/22/vanishing.bees.reut/index.html

Tomorrow sometime, I'll have to pollinate my strawberries by hand (a feather and some patience will do it). Boy, do I miss them bees!

New artwork...YAY!!!!

2007-05-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

Below are two paintings on oak of some sumac bushes on a grey spring day in a park near my home. I've been working on about seven pieces, these two so far have come out to my satisfaction. Hopefully, there will be more soon (among other things).

These started with some black and white photos I took that day. This was a one-of-a-kind day. That day, the veins of the forest opened up and the melting snow flowed through. The river was full of whirlpools and chunks of ice. It was a beautiful day - the first warm day of spring.

Some of the pictures I took...

Now, the grass is all green again, I've planted my garden. All that is left of that day are some photos, these two paintings, and five others in progress. The dust has collected on that day, I won't see another like that until next year.

Well, enjoy! It's some artwork on my blog, at last!

More pictures...yippee!

More press?

2007-05-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a blurb about

Heart of Stone in Lebanon Life,
a local free newspaper in my town.

Oooo I'm so famous!

I will post artwork soon, I swear it!

Link to Article

2007-05-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

I was Google-ing my name (coming up mostly blank as usual), but I did find a link to someone else's blog, and they posted the whole Norwich Bulletin article...with a color picture (where did he/she get it from?). Who knows? Here's the link:
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007704200325

Norwich Bulletin - Nancy Michaud in the press!

2007-04-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

An article about me in the Norwich Bulletin.
This was printed on Friday, April 20th.

Deboulie Mt.

2007-04-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

Every summer, if I can help it, I visit Eagle Lake Maine for a week. This is the town I am originally from, and lived in until I was six. It's a place that always feels like home, but will probably never be my home again.

Below are paintings of a day trip to Deboulie Mountain I took while in Eagle Lake last summer. I recently found the photographs and wanted to paint some of them...so here they are.

The dirt road in.

The lake (the mountain is in the background).

The tower on top of the mountain...

aka, the scariest, windiest place on earth.

My little cousin, Jared, kissing a trout he caught (the kiss of death, my friend).

I like these pieces, although they are a bit of a departure from the direction I've been going in. They've got sentimental value, which means a lot in my book. It was also a nice day, it was fun to revisit that day.

I got more work online!

www.coroflot.com/nancymichaud

www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Tee shirts, mugs, and other fun stuff:

www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

The Birdzzzz....

2007-04-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

Ahh...we have finally been able to enjoy a few nice (but wet) days of real spring weather, and the birds have all come back...actually they've been acting like it's been spring for over a month now...what a tease!

Anyway, I have been experimenting a bit, painting mostly blackbirds. Above is my most successful blackbird painting (gosh I'm stuck on purple lately), and below is a triptych, of sorts, of some chickadees.

That is all for today!

Happy spring!

I got more work online!

www.coroflot.com/nancymichaud

www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Tee shirts, mugs, and other fun stuff:
www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

Some news...

2007-03-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

Hello cyber-space!

FYI:

I have one hand-carved "Home is Where the Heart Is" sign ($20), "Window Cat" print ($50, see image above), the original "Salamander Love" painting ($60 - an awesome price for original artwork), and four signed copies of "Heart of Stone" ($11.99), as well as some free pens and postcards at The Crown and Kringle in Wethersfield, CT. Oh, and some lovely glass magnets: Music Notes, Red Ladybugs, and Copper Ladybugs ($.75 - Small, $1.50 Large). I'll post images of those soon.

By the way, buy some coffee while you're there. The coffee is WAY better than Starbucks, and they have danishes imported from Denmark. Plus, very reasonable prices. It's a nice place.

Here's the address:

Crown & Kringle

251 Main Street (Next to Comstock & Ferre)

Old Wethersfield, CT

860-529-0753

I got more work online!

www.coroflot.com/nancymichaud

www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Tee shirts, mugs, and other fun stuff:

www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

Salamander Love

2007-03-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

This is a piece I made this past summer. I used to hike in a state forest in Salem, CT where there were many of these orange salamanders living under the rocks and leaves. They were really quite cute. Soon, a highway will be built right smack dab in the middle of this forest. I hope these little guys make it...

I painted this on a piece of oak. I am lucky enough to be able to get small scrap pieces of oak for free. If you can get a hold of a piece of oak, I highly recommend painting on it. It is a wonderful surface, especially for glazing.

I got more work online!

www.coroflot.com/nancymichaud

www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Tee shirts, mugs, and other fun stuff:

www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

Heart of Stone now available!

2007-03-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

Heart of Stone is now available for purchase at Amazon.com! Here's a link to purchase the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Stone-Ana-Monnar/dp/0976803550/ref=sr_1_10/103-5971348-4766239?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174008236&sr=1-10

I got more work online!

www.coroflot.com/nancymichaud
www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Tee shirts, mugs, and other fun stuff:

www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

Lot's O' Links today I guess...

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

2007-03-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

So I've been doing more photoshop work. These are all tee-shirt designs of anthropromorphic vegtables for my cafe press site. I think they're cute. I like cooking, I like gardening, I like eating, I like these guys and gals!

I'm not sure what I'll do next with photoshop. I think I may challenge myself with some compositions that include landscapes or interior spaces. I don't know.

All I know is, this is fun! I didn't realize how fun art can be when you just do whatever you want...I know soon, I'll be doing more work for clients, and I'll be doing what they want me to do...until then, I'm going to make lots of artwork, just for fun. Why the heck not?

Seals, vegetables, the thing I'm working on now are blackbirds. They've come back for the year (I seen 'em). Spring is coming, I just know it!

I've got more work online!

www.coroflot.com/nancymichaud
www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Tee shirts, mugs, and other fun stuff (You can find my veggies there):

www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

Seals, SEALS and more SEEEAAAALLLSSS!!!!!

2007-02-22T15:59:00.000-08:00

As promised in a previous entry, I've created a painted version of "Sad Seal" which is now titled "Indiferent, but slightly happy seal". I also painted three more seals, a "seal series" of sorts. Here they are, those slippery, fat, fuc...I mean suckers...

Indiferent, but slightly happy seal".

"Crazy Eyes, the Seal"

"Ticked Off Seal"

"Playful Fool"

Sketch for "Playful Fool"

I hope you enjoy them...

By the way, I have work posted on two more sites:

Coroflot.com:

www.coroflot.com/nancymichaud

Creative Hotlist:

www.creativehotlist.com/nmichaud

And, of course links to my other two sites:

Portfolio: www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Tee shirts, mugs, and other fun stuff (Updated with new products today!!): www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

I did it!

2007-02-16T16:10:00.000-08:00

Finally, I finished the illustrations for my first illustration job: Heart of Stone, written by Ana Monnar. The book will be released soon, I will formally announce it as soon as I know when. Until then, enjoy this illustration I made, one of 12 for the book:

By the way, I've been getting some emails from more than one person telling me they can't post comments on my blog, because they don't have blogger accounts. I have changed the settings. Just click on the "comments" link. Under the comment box, click on the bubble that says "other" or "anonymous", and post away! Yippee! I am looking forward to your comments.

I got more work online!
www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Tee Shirts, Coffee Mugs, and other fun stuff:
www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

Ana Monnar's website:
http://www.readersareleadersusa.net

Tall buildings surrounding a not-so-tall girl...

2007-02-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, my older sister and I went to New York City to look at art and wander around. I had never been to the New York without a clear purpose. I've only been to New York for school field trips, checking out the tourist areas with my parents, etc...

I think I've only been to New York six times, including this visit. One of the times I went, I was on a chorus trip. We were dropped off at the theatre we were to sing in, we sang two numbers, and got back on the bus (what a let down!). But, I digress...

It was nice to walk the streets, especially since my sister knew where we were going, and it was nice not to have too many plans (except going to the Brooklyn Museum at 5:00 to meet a friend). I especially liked avoiding the tourist spots, where people walk sluggishly, constantly taking pictures.

I, myself, took a lot of pictures, whenever I saw something intriguing...Except on the subway. There were a lot of interesting-looking people on the subway, but I didn't think they'd appreciate me taking pictures of them...So I didn't.

Here are the pictures I took last weekend, starting in New Haven, and ending somewhere in New York...In no particular order...

My sister's tiny cat, Miggs. Isn't she cute?

The remains of the New Haven Coliseum (just recently knocked down).

The remains (from another angle).

Some damned kid wrote graffiti on this building. What a disgrace!

I like the copper fire escape.

A splash of paint on a New York street, how "avant garde"...

The natives used to call the colonists "the people who lived in squares and rectangles".

My feet...Shortly after I was struck in the head by a rogue pigeon poop. This was the second time in two years that I have been pooped on by a bird. Apparently being pooped on by a bird is good luck. Seriously, I don't understand why.

White is not quite white.

This is one of the "nice" buildings I saw. A lot of the buildings seemed "boxy" with almost no architectural interest. This building not only has architectural interest,but also lots of graffiti, which I love.

I love to see a tree slowly win.

Concrete cobblestone. Neat.

What a beautiful blue sky!

So that's it for my trip to New York...I know, maybe not the most exciting stuff in the world, but I had fun. I had nice drinks, really good eggs benedict, I saw beautiful art for free, saw a friend I hadn't seen in months, and I got crapped on by a pigeon. Who could ask for a better New York experience! Oh, and my sister bought me a hat...

Does this scare you???

2007-02-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

Gosh, I'm glad that I was too busy working and running to an evening class yesterday to see this on the news. I heard a someone mention the so-called "bomb scare" in Boston during my work day, but I disregarded it. In this "post 9-11" world, the media jumps on the slightest threat of terrorism, whether it be real or not, and blows it up to 9-11 proportions. I have decided to not care about "threats" anymore, the media has cried wolf far too many times.

When I saw an image of a Mooninite flicking me off on the evening news tonight, and heard that a publicity stunt for Aqua Teen Hunger Force was responsible for this scare, I couldn't help but laugh a little. I guess some battery powered signs that depicted different characters from the show were viewed as "sinister", and some people got scared. I can't help but wonder who's to blame for shutting down the city of Boston for a day; was it the ad agency that was so insensitive to put up "suspicious" objects all over a major metropolitan area, the Cartoon Network, the media, the police?

This is what the police had to say:

Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis called it "unconscionable" that the marketing campaign was executed in a post 9/11 era. "It's a foolish prank on the part of Turner Broadcasting," he said. "In the environment nowadays ... We really have to look at the motivation of the company here and why this happened." (a link to the source:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/31/boston.bombscare/index.html )

And the people who were arrested for this incident:

Berdovsky, an artist, told The Boston Globe he was hired by Interference and said he was "a little kind of freaked out," by the furor.

"I find it kind of ridiculous that they're making these statements on TV that we must not be safe from terrorism, because they were up there for three weeks and no one noticed. It's pretty commonsensical to look at them and say this is a piece of art and installation," he told The Globe. (a link to the source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-01-31-boston_x.htm ).

Everyone is pretty ticked off (and rightfully so) about this whole situation. I can't help wondering, however, why people go so scared of some little lighted signs. When, if ever, are we going to stop being a frightened society? Isn't life hard enough to deal with without factoring in the possibility of terrorism? Where is there room for happiness in a society that terrorizes itself? How many more open-ended questions can I come up with in one night?

I try very hard to remain objective when things like this occur. I certainly don't want to point my finger at anyone and blame them for what happened. I will say this, however: there are people in this world, both in our country and abroad, who benefit from Americans being scared all of the time. We have the right to think for ourselves, we have the right to protect ourselves, we have the right to feel secure in our own homes. I believe, the only we can guarantee that for ourselves is to turn off the TV every time we hear the word "Terrorism". I think it's what our founding fathers would have wanted us to do.

By the way, I do have a slight bias, Aqua Teen Hunger Force is one of my favorite shows on TV. It is not only funny, it also is 15 minutes long, with no commercials. Adult swim is great about keeping commercial breaks to a minimum.

Take that, corporate America!

#1 in Da HooD G!

By the way, if it's not obvious, the images I use for this blog are not mine. These are images from the series "Aqua Teen Hunger Force".

Another pair of jeans...ruined....

2007-01-23T12:18:00.000-08:00

I'm getting closer to my deadline for the illustrations for my first book. I've been painting since 9:00 this morning, taking only one break to walk the dog and eat lunch. When I looked down, my jeans were covered in paint (I've been wiping my brushes clean on them). I thought it would be a good idea to post my progress so far. I am a tease, I know, but I hope that teasing will help sell a few more copies of the book when it is available for sale.

The hope is, people actually look at this blog and are interested in what I've been doing. I'm sure at least my dad cares...Dad, would you please buy this book when it comes out? PLEASE????

Here's

Me

Painting

And this is a snapshot of a couple of illustrations. I'm still plugging away, but they're coming together. Soon, there will be people painted in....OH JOY!!

Yes, I am a tease, but my intentions are good, and I think the book will be good too. When the book is finished, I'll be sure to make an "official" announcement, both via blog and email, maybe even a press release and postcards....Who knows?

Shameless plugs:

Tee shirts, coffee mugs, and other fun stuff:
www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

I've got more work online:
www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Technology: one of many things that keep me from having a social life.

2007-01-17T16:32:00.000-08:00

"Technology Rules!"

It's about darn time I posted something new!

I've been busy plugging away at the illustrations for my first book, but I still have managed to find the time to print new postcards and send out yet another mailing. I've also spent a lot of time creating new work for my cafe press page.

When I set up my new computer and scanner earlier this month, I was so excited, I got about 4 hours of sleep over the course of three days. I'd work all day, come home and eat, then stay up into the wee hours drawing and coming up with new ideas. Oh what fun!

Below are some examples of my new Photoshop work. I am still getting used to the whole coloring process, but I am actually pretty happy with the way it's progressing. If I continue to obsess at the rate I've been, maybe I will be a "master" at Photoshop illustration in a year. Who knows?

By the way, to see more Photoshop work and other fun stuff, visit my cafe press page at: www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

"I'm Loony for Loons"

"I Miss You"

Two Drawings of Audrey Hepburn's Character, Holly Golightly, from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.

"Sad Seal"

By the way. I am currently working on a painted version of "Sad Seal". Instead of saying "Arf" however, he'll be saying "Art". Yes, I seriously need to get a life.

Instructions for a Paper Quilt

2007-01-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

List of Supplies:

-Good-quality drawing paper, such as Arches, Strathmore, or a nice quality watercolor paper. Must be 100% rag, and be thick enough to sustain being sewn. Cut one base piece to the desired size of the completed quilt.

-Quilting pattern pieces.

-Collage materials (I used pages from an old hymn book for this project), cut to desired sizes.

-embroidery floss and needle.

-A small awl.

-Gesso

-Acrylic paints, assorted colors.

-Paint brushes, ranging in sized from very large to small.

-Scissors, a rotary cutter, or utility knife.

-Mod Podge, or decopage glue.

-Pencil.

-Acid free glue stick.

-Rags.

Step one: Start off with a quilt pattern. You can make your own, or use a pre-made pattern. Just remember: quilt patterns have a 1/4" extra added to each edge for seam allowance. Be sure to remove that 1/4", or your pieces might not fit together correctly.
Trace and cut out pieces.

Step two: Prepare the base piece. You may skip this step if you'd rather paint the whole quilt. Using Mod Podge (a decopage glue), thinned out with a little water, coat the base piece, in small sections. Apply your collage materials, and brush another coat of Mod Podge over the top. You may need to apply another coat once the base piece is dry.

Step three: Once the base piece has dried thoroughly, trim the edges (you may use a rotary cutter, scissors, or a utility knife).

Step four: Draw guidelines (in pencil) to determine where to place you quilting pieces. For this quilt, I drew two perpendicular lines that intersected in the center of the base piece. Place your pieces, using an acid free glue stick.

Step five: Using an awl, punch all of your stitch holes.

Step six: Stitch on pieces. If preferred, you may use a sewing machine set on a zig-zag stitch. However, this may cause damage to your sewing machine. If you choose to use a sewing machine, skip step five.

Step seven: Gesso the sewn-on pieces. One to two coats should be enough. Don't worry about gessoing over the embroidery floss.

Step eight: Apply a ground to all of your gessoed pieces. I chose lemon yellow for this particular quilt.

Step nine: After the ground has completely dried, apply a flat coat of color over the ground. Apply the paint thinly enough so that the ground shows through a little.

Step ten: Add in highlights, blending in for a smooth transition.

Step eleven: Using a thinned down mixture of blue and brown, paint in shadows to emphasize the edges of the sewn pieces.

Step twelve: Once entire painting is completely dry, apply a very thinned out layer of the same blue and brown mixture all over the entire painting. Using a large, dry brush, lift up excess paint. Using a dry brush, and a rag, continue gently lifting up paint until desired effect is reached.

To see more examples of paper quilts, click on my previous blogs: "Waste Not Want Not", and "More Quilting Action".

If you have any questions or comments about this project, or my other work, please email me: nancymichaud@gmail.com , or post a comment on this page.

I've got more work online!
www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

Tee shirts, postcards, and other fun stuff!
www.cafepress.com/nancymichaud

A day I didn't believe was real.

2006-12-18T12:09:00.000-08:00

I feel as if I need to post actual pictures of what I saw this past weekend. I wanted to just post my watercolors, but as I started to put together this most unfortunate blog, I realized how unreal this whole event was. I hardly believed it myself, and I was there.

At the memorial mass of Captain Jason R. Hamill, there was a group of protesters. This did not surprise me, but the nature of their protest did. As I walked to the road, I saw what was written on their signs and I couldn't believe what I saw: "God Hates Your Tears", "Fags Doom Nations", and "The Only Good Soldier is a Dead Soldier", among other nasty sentiments. They stood there, singing the most awful songs, screaming the most hateful chants. Who were these people? Why did they come?

As I stood there, in awe, cop approached me.

"I'm just looking," I said.

"Are you related?" he asked.

"No I knew his brother."

I tried to say "this is awful," but instead I burst into tears.

The cop told me he was in the marines for 10 years, and his son was in Iraq. He was pretty upset too. I tried to say something, but instead, I hugged him, sobbing. To my surprise, he hugged me back. An act of defiance.

There was also a group of High School kids, standing with a big flag and signs that said "Peace" and "Love Our Troops". I thought they were cute and idealistic. I remember feeling like I too could change the world. I stood next to them, waiting to see the motorcycles. I knew they were coming and I wanted to see.

They came like a thunder storm, and for a few minutes, the sound of about 100 motorcycles drowned out the awful chants and songs. They parked their bikes and stood around the entrance. They called themselves the Patriot Guard Riders.

I walked up to them and asked them where they were from. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, they came from all around to deflect these awful people. They were a tough looking bunch, all in leather, some missing limbs (probably from Vietnam). I wasn't afraid of them though. I thanked them for coming. I then walked down to the Memorial Mass. This is what I saw on my way down the driveway:

I sat through the mass, my mind racing. I decided to paint some pictures. I hurried through them for the next couple of days. There has been an urgency about this whole group of paintings. I needed to finish them fast, and put them behind me. Can you tell it's been a a while since I've painted with watercolors?

Here they are:

By the way, if you'd like to know more about the protesters across the street, I will be happy to send you a link, just send me an email (put "protesters" as the subject). I will only reply to people I already know. I chose not to mention the name of the protesters on my blog, for fear of harassment - they are a nasty bunch, and I don't know if they seek out web pages that mention their name.

Also, here's the website of the Patriot Guard Riders: www.patriotguard.org - they'll come to any funeral they're invited to.

A drive around Lebanon

2006-12-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

Inspiration is fleeting. Especially when there are distractions in life, pulling me away from making art, causing me to pace around the house like a caged lioness instead of sitting and focusing.

I've been wasting most of my day, nervous and upset, debating whether or not to go to an acquaintance's funereal this weekend. I barely knew him, my sister was friends with his twin brother. He died in Iraq, a roadside bomb, on his way to go home. I'm sick to my stomach.

I decided to take a drive around town, and visit the places that sooth me. I took pictures. I really don't know what else to write, this all seems so pointless, but here's they are:

There is an oak tree in Lebanon, CT, that used to have a metal yellow ribbon tied around it. It was put up five years ago. Now, all that's left is a small piece of metal and a dark band across the tree's trunk. After five years, the tree outgrew it

I think there was a purple ghost following me around today. It kept showing up in my pictures. This is a three-way stop. I really don't know why I like it.

There are a lot of pretty views of Pride's Corner Farms around town. The hundreds of greenhouses look like snow on the hills. There are thousands of plants in that place: azaleas, rhododendrons, Japanese maples, andromeda, dwarf alberta spruce, naming the plants somehow helps, I think...

I've almost hit that tree many times while driving too fast. It's always full of crows. I think they like to look out at the corn.

The corn is all done for the year. I can't believe, in the middle of December, how green the grass still is...

Over the hill, among the power lines, there is a dirt farm. Yes, they do actually exist.

I don't know what business this is. Maybe an orchard. I think it is both funny and sad that they're closed this season due to poor pollination. Farming is a fleeting and difficult profession. I respect it.

Happy Holidays! (The Making of Mr. Fish)

2006-12-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

About 5 years ago, I caught my first bass. It was a tiny bass, just a baby, and it had a big chunk on his back missing (a long-since healed battle wound probably from a snapping turtle). I looked at its ridiculous face, huge, gaping mouth, fat, portly body and thought, "you're the cutest fish ever!"

I threw it back, and cast again. I wanted to see another one.

"Mr.Fish" is no particular fish, he actually seems a little whale-like. But he is a fish (I didn't draw lungs, did I?) and in this case, he's cold. As am I.

Here is an over-wordy description of how I painted it.

Each painting I make starts with a pencil sketch. I start with light pencil lines, building up to darker, more definitive lines, and then traced over with black pen (to show the sketch who's the boss). I then transfer the drawing to my painting surface (usually bristol board, but in this case, canvas board).

I then paint a ground onto my painting surface (fancy term for painting the board all one color). I chose lemon yellow for this ground.

Once I have a ground down, I can start to paint. I chose a color triad this time: blue-green, red-violet, and yellow-orange. I start with the background first, working my way towards the foreground.

Once all of the basic color, shadows, and highlights are down, I create deeper shadows and slight outlines on, and around the fish. I use a pre-made mixture made of blue and brown, watered down.

This is the final result. I left out the ice fisherman from the original sketch. I decided I didn't need him. Sorry, man.

I got more work online! www.portfolios.com/nancymichaud

And now, for something completely different...

2006-12-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

It has been a long while since I've posted something new. I have been in a sort of suspended animation, carefully planning and thinking out my next project: my first paying illustration job! Gasp...

I wanted to post a few of the thumbnails I've done, I am about spring upon the real meat of the project: final sketches and paintings. So I guess this is all a tease, a teensy preview of what's to come.

In future entries, I'll show some artwork that's further along, and write more about the book itself.

Here's a link to my (first) client's website (and yes, she is aware of this blog).
http://www.readersareleadersusa.net/

A Child’s Illustration

2006-11-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

The story of these paintings begins in two places: Eagle Lake, Maine, and Lebanon, Connecticut.

I have very little possessions left from my childhood. Between having a large extended family to pass things down to, and several moves, I lost every drawing, every toy, every item of clothing.
There has been one item, however, I have managed to keep all these years: a small, red book. The book itself doesn’t matter all that much to me. The drawings on the endpapers, however, matter very much.

I was about five years old , living in Eagle Lake, when I drew them, during a commercial break for “You Can’t Do That on Television”. I still remember the epiphany I had that inspired these drawings. I’d realized for the first time, how movie film worked, and I decided to “illustrate” it for future reference. Hence, the worm eating an apple. The keys were an homage to the person who wrote the book I defaced, Frances Parkinson Keyes.

I’ve cherished this book for twenty years, as a reminder of the dream I have had since then: to be an artist.

The part of the story that begins in Lebanon starts, innocently enough, at an estate sale. My mother and I were returning from dropping off my car at the shop on a Saturday afternoon. We saw a sign for an estate sale and decided to check it out. My quest was to find picture frames, my mom’s quest: craft items.

We found ourselves in a house, ransacked by time and years of not dusting. There were collections everywhere: collections of Avon perfume bottles, magazines, and books. The most striking collection was a collection of hundreds of owls. They were all grouped together on a wall, their hundreds of eyes staring at me. It was quite intimidating.

But I did find some frames, a whole box of them, and I bought it for $3. Many of the frames were too small, and I was tempted to throw them away, but somehow, the dead person who collected all those owls haunted me, and I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

So I did what I have thought about doing for a long time. I traced my twenty-year-old drawings, and painted them, special for those old, tiny frames. I repainted the frames, so they would look a bit more sophisticated (as sophisticated as cheap brass frames can look), and I adjusted the backs so they can be hung on the wall. Voila!

Thank you, dead pack rat, for haunting me and forcing me to use your old frames.

Thank you five-year-old Nancy, with your painfully introverted personality and your funny northern Maine accent, for drawing such fun pictures.

More Quilting Action

2006-10-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Three more quilts...The more I continue on this little project I've made for myself, the more I like it. The whole process for me has become very meditative.

Actually enjoying painting with oils is a very new experience for me. In college, I associated any painting class with frustration and headaches. Frustration came mostly from the extremely slow drying time of oil paints. I can be very impatient when making artwork, that's why I don't like making computer artwork. The headaches came from the overwhelming smell of paints, mediums, and mineral spirits. The other students were often careless, leaving jars open, spilling things on the ground, plus the ventilation was terrible. I hated painting with oils.

Working by myself, in my basement, has proven to be a much more comfortable way for me to make artwork. I keep my workspace clean, I can watch TV as I work, and there are no distractions like gossip, complaining, or techno music.

The top painting is titled "Green Quilt". It is a study of contrasting colors. Red and green are tricky colors to work with, since they have a strong association with Christmas. I hope I did okay. The middle painting is titled "Sunflowers", and is an abstract study of the sunflowers left in my garden - as well as a study of the color yellow. The bottom painting is called "Stars" and is made from both recycled paintings and some pages from a hymn book. I have been hanging on to those pages for over a year. I am so glad I found a use for them. "Stars" is a study of the color blue.

New Craft Work At Wild Geese

2006-10-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are a few samplings from my second batch of signs for Wild Geese, a gift and home decor shop in Colchester, CT.

I am now working on my third batch, which will include some more "rustic" pieces. I recently acquired some heavily weathered wood from my local lumber lard. It seems they had quite a bit of wood sentenced to death by burning. I saved what I could, loaded it in my Hyundai Accent, and took it home. I will do my best to see to it that these pieces of wood will find good homes.

Meanwhile, I have also been working diligently on my paper quilts. I have three new pieces to post. As soon as I have taken some decent pictures of them (and decided what else to write about them), I will post it on my blog. Oh, how seemingly important this all is!

Waste Not Want Not

2006-10-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

Being a recent collage graduate, I am accustomed to not having much money to spend on the things I’d like to have. Being a bit of an art dork, all I want to spend my money on is art supplies. But with more pressing expenses, such as my big fat student loans and my car loan, I must resist the urge to spend every Saturday at my local art supply store, buying expensive papers and paints, tools and gadgets.

I have been focusing my time trying to make money off of my hard-earned education. Making artwork, however, costs money, and the prospects of making money from your artwork when you’re a lowly twenty-something with no connections or artistic reputation is somewhat bleak. I have one solo exhibition lined up for next June (oh so far away!), which will be at the Jonathan Trumbull Library in Lebanon, CT, and I’m working on setting up another solo exhibition in Avon, CT. At the Crown and Cringle, a coffee and pastry shop in Old Wethersfield, CT, I have two limited edition prints for sale. I haven’t made any money from my signs at Wild Geese, in Colchester, CT, but it’s only been a short while. Throw in a few small commissions, and I’ve made a few bucks here and there, but not all that much.

Long story short, my artwork is not making me nearly as much money as my day job. I must be frugal.

Here is where the “quilts” project came into play. I wanted to do a study on pure color, and I have been fascinated with American quilts, primarily Amish quilts. for the past few years. I wanted to make a few abstract pieces where I could look at different color relationships, in the hopes of improving my illustration skills. I didn’t want these painting to be just color studies, however, so I decided to piece together quilts from paper.

In the spirit of American quilting, I used “recycled” materials: my leftover figure paintings from my figure painting class last fall. Out of a whole semester of paintings, I really only painted two or three that I wanted to keep. Rather than throw them away, or let them collect dust for the rest of my life, I gave them new life, by cutting them up and sewing them into quilts. Once sewn together, I painted over them with oils. The translucent quality of the oils allowed the figures to peek through and the layering of colors brings another aspect of texture to the paintings.

I’m not sure how far I’ll push this project, but I’ll let it develop organically and see what happens. The nice thing is, it doesn’t cost any money, and my old artwork is not going to waste.

Squirrels on the loose!

2006-10-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

This spring, I had the opportunity to create three sample black and white illustrations for a possible book deal. While the book deal fell through, I did create some nice black and white illustrations, an area that I do not specialize in. I later decided to re-paint my favorite illustration in color. This illustration, titled “Persistence” demonstrates the clever persistence of our little gray furry friends; squirrels. If you’ve ever had a bird feeder, you have seen it. A squirrel’s determination is only surpassed by its cuteness.

More Sick Day Nonsense

2006-10-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

This may be a bit too personal, but last night, I sketched the teeth I had extracted last week. They were quite interesting, almost anthropomorphic. It was like being in a figure drawing class again.

My original intention was to look at the teeth and then throw them away, but I may hang on to them a little while longer. Perhaps they might inspire a series of watercolors...

Aside from sketching bloody teeth, I also worked my next collection of signs for Wild Geese, which I will post soon.

I also continued working on a project I have been toying with for a while: paper quilts. They are recycled from my figure drawing and painting classes - the work that was not up to par for a portfolio, but was on nice paper. It seemed a shame to let the paper go to waste, so in the spirit of "waste not want not", I conceived this project. I hope to finish in the next month or so.

Sick Days

2006-10-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday, I faced something that I have avoided for five years - getting all four of my wisdom teeth pulled. The actual act was not as bad as I thought it would be, but the pain afterwards has been pretty debilitating. I can’t drive, because of the pain pills, I can’t do anything too physical (I almost fainted doing laundry). Bored out of my mind (and somewhat foggy in the brain because of the pain medication) I have taken up two temporary hobbies: pumpkin painting and soup making.

I actually found that I am good at making puréed soups, and the dread of eating everything out of the blender for the next week is no longer crippling. My pumpkin painting skills, however, have proven to be a bit less adept. I think the combination of pain, vicodin, and insomnia was not the catalyst I needed to create a successful composition on a giant, orange vegetable.

Oh well...

Nancy Michaud's Craft Work Accepted at Gift Shop in Colchester, CT

2006-09-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

Starting this week, Wild Geese Gift Shop in Colchester, Connecticut will be carrying my hand-made signs. They are country-themed signs, painted with acrylics on wood with hand-carved lettering. They are sealed with an oil-based polyurethane for durability. These charming signs are very affordable ($8.99-$24.99) and one-of a kind. If you happen to be in the Colchester area, Wild Geese is a worthwhile stop - it’s a very lovely shop!

I will post my next collection of signs as soon as they're done (probably in about a month). Also, Wild Geese is located at 191 Broadway Colchester, CT 06415. For directions, go to www.mapquest.com .

2006-09-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

This image is titled: "Sad Bear", I painted it this past winter as an homage to my hibernating friends. While I have only seen a wild bear once in person (only briefly while riding in a car), I feel a strong connection to these incredible, intelligent animals. Perhaps I was a bear in a past life. I am obsessed with salmon, and I prefer to eat it raw (mmm...salmon...).