On the Quest for "Mastery" and Being Stuck in a Chair

This week the American Masters Exhibition opens at the Salmagundi Club in NYC, and several of my dear friends are included in the show. I feel both happy for them, and somewhat introspective as I am being nudged to up my own game. Hopefully someday I'll be good enough to be included in a show of this caliber. I have been following with interest some lively discussions on social media about what it means to be a "master" in one of these prestigious shows. Many of the people involved in the debate are complaining that women are still very much underrepresented in exhibitions like these, while others argue that the art world has made a turn for the better and is no longer just an "old boys club". I agree that women are still marginalized in many ways, but I also tend … Read more »

On the Quest for "Mastery" and Being Stuck in a Chair

Welcome to the world, Baby Everett!

Baby Everett Anthony arrived August 20 at 2:40 a.m.. He was 9 lbs, 6 oz. (which explains the total misery towards the end of my pregnancy!), and came out with the cutest, most kissable cheeks ever.  I can't believe it's already been a whole month since his arrival! I guess that goes to show that having a second kid really does make for more than twice the work. We are still adjusting to our newest family member, but very much in love. Cecelia has shown no sign of jealousy; she is very proud of her little brother, even though she's disappointed he can't "do" more right now. :-) I am fitting in studio time wherever I can (family and sleep being top priorities for the time being), and there are more exciting projects in the works than I have time for. Meanwhile, enj… Read more »

Welcome to the world, Baby Everett!

All About Oil Painting Panels

If you are a beginning oil painter, the vast world of painting surfaces and substrates can be quite overwhelming, especially when your Instagram and Facebook feed are flooded with artists working on everything from acrylic-primed canvas to vellum and ABS plastic panels.  I take a fairly traditional approach to surfaces, keeping in mind both the archival quality of my chosen supports, and whether or not I actually enjoy working on them. Depending on your painting style, surface quality is everything . I am not a heavy-handed painter, and I like to make delicate, subtle strokes with my brush, so I've come to prefer surfaces that are quite smooth, but still have a bit of texture. So please keep that in mind as you read this post; I can only give examples based on my own experience and wo… Read more »

All About Oil Painting Panels

Home Stretch

Just a couple more weeks until we meet Baby Boy... and I am trying to work like crazy, while showing myself grace and patience. The weather here in Denver has been in the 90's for most of June and July, and it is slowing me down; it's like being in one of those bad dreams where you are trying to run but your legs are stuck in sludge. That being said, my body has required a lot more sleep during this pregnancy than it did with my first; perhaps it's because I have a very chatty four year old whose incessant talking--though adorable--wears me out. Or perhaps it's because I'm still doing Crossfit several days a week. Or... maybe it's because I said I would "slow down" in June and July, and that's not actually what happened. In fact, June was an incredibl… Read more »

Home Stretch

The Lincoln Portrait: An In-Depth Look at the Artist's Process

"The Second Inaugural Address" by Anna Rose Bain 48 x 38 inches Oil on linen 2018 Collection of Goldenview Classical Academy Golden, CO Commissioned by Hillsdale College On May 24, 2018, Goldenview Classical Academy celebrated the unveiling of an original work of art by Denver artist Anna Rose Bain, commissioned for the school by Hillsdale College. The 48x38” oil painting is a portrait of president Abraham Lincoln drafting his Second Inaugural Address. The unveiling was accompanied by some excellent remarks by Goldenview’s principal, Dr. Robert Garrow, and a narration of the entire address from memory by a group of the school’s 5th graders. Dr. Larry Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, was in attendance that evening and assisted with the unveiling.  The following contains the ar… Read more »

The Lincoln Portrait: An In-Depth Look at the Artist's Process