31-May-2009

Redirected

Please go HERE from now on. I beg you!
Sorry to all the blogspotters. I still use my blogspot avatar to comment on all of your wonderful blogs, but click on the link above to visit my new wordpress blog. I'm leaving this post up so that you can easily redirect yourself, so thanks for your patience and the extra click!

4-Oct-2008

I've Moved!

I have moved! I'm not with blogger anymore..
It's official, my new blog address is:
WWW.AMBERAS.COM/BLOG
Although it needs some design tweaks and some perking-up, at least it's done. For those of you who subscribed to my old blog, I've taken the liberty of re-entering your emails into the new subscription form. You'll get an email asking you to confirm...and I sure hope you do!

I also hope those of you who have me linked on your blogs, please do update the links to reflect the new address. Thanks blogging buddies!



13-Sep-2008

What the ????????

What in the dickens?? Get a load of this.
Someone doesn't like my blog. Or, shall I say, someone doesn't understand the HUGE and important difference between nudity and a nude. Or, nudity and art? I am so upset right now. For regular readers of this blog, you may have already noticed the flag that comes up when you try and visit: my blog supposedly contains objectional content. It must have been the most recent post. Heaven forbid someone sees a nipple. Nevermind the fact that it is a PAINTING. Or perhaps it was the post about cat turd? I had no idea it was this simple to offend someone.

This bothers me a great deal. My blog is a source of income for me: paintings are posted for sale here, it's my ONLY source of income, and when a new visitor, unfamiliar to the blog is introduced by a nasty sign that says the content is "objectional", wouldn't you say that's a turnoff? A vague flag like that scares readers away, it more or less gives the reader an impression that they might run into porno and obscenity. Even more infuriating is the total, utter ignorance it takes for someone to be unable to distinguish nudity and art. ARG! This is the blog of a landscape and portrait painter!!! Please forgive the rant. Help: I've just spent twenty minutes cruising google and blogger without finding a single contact who can help me sort this out and remove the flag. Advice would be very appreciated, I find this so unjust.

29-Aug-2008

Rufus the Terrible


Disclaimer: we LOVE this cat. He's the cutest orange thing ever, and has a mischievous streak...
This, is Rufus. We've been cat-sitting him for our landlords for the past week. Having taken care of him before, we should have known what to expect this time around during his stay, but once again I was shocked by what a terror he can be. (And terribly adorable, too) The last time he was here, Rufus, for whatever reason, found it fit to climb up on top of Olivers desk and throw up. Right next to his computer. Later during the week, he peed, in the middle of the kitchen floor, then pooped right next to the pee. He knows how to use his litter box. I think he made a conscious decision to poop and pee where he did. I don't think he likes me.
During the same week, he climbed out the second-story bedroom window and ate the rosemary Oliver was growing in the boxes. He trotted into the studio, I picked him up, and the scent of fresh rosemary was wafting off of him like steam. He also ate our market sausages, I forget how he got them.
So this time around, he's been sleeping on the shoes and hand bags in the hall closet. I was rooting around on the upper shelf the other day, and, standing on tiptoe, squished my feet into something that might've been turd or barf. I still don't know which it was, but it was cold, wet, and looked like a hot-dog shaped piece of rope, woven of cat hair and coated thickly in slime.
This is a charcoal drawing I did of Rufus for his owners, they've been asking for one for a while now. If they're reading, don't worry, we love Rufus!! He will always be welcome, wherever we are... he's given us so many funny stories.

17-Aug-2008

Portrait of John


20" x 16" Oil on Canvas, Private Collection
The first photorealistic portrait I've completed in quite a while, and I can't say I miss doing them. This was for a friend though, so I didn't mind, and they requested that it be more painterly than what I usually do.
A close friend of mine is very pregnant, and has agreed to pose later this month for a portrait, before school starts...very exciting!

6-Aug-2008

New Painting: Storm Passing


Storm Passing 20" x 20" Oil on Canvas $495.00

August is a mad rush to finish up commissions before school begins again. I have portraits, landscapes and cityscapes on the go. This painting is for an upcoming group nautical exhibit later this month. I'm starting to feel a little dried up right now, creatively. I am looking forward to getting back into classes so much. School really fed my brain, being around a bunch of other artists was a major learning experience. Less than a month to go, I can't wait.

29-Jul-2008

Exhibit

Here are some photographs from the exhibit at the Black Duck Gallery. The show was a great success, a lot of people were there, and everyone was in good spirits. Sorry to those of you who's blogs I usually comment on, we didn't have internet access in San Francisco, and after I got back, my sister was married, so I haven't had any time for blogging. I'm on my way out of town again today to a cabin by a lake, but will post again soon..

10-Jul-2008

New Painting: Transience



Transience: 30" x 40" Oil on Canvas $1600.00
I think transience sums up the meaning of this exhibit. For me, the sky has always personified the fleeting nature of our experiences. Clouds have the capacity to connote every emotion and mood, which never last long, but are nonetheless powerful when they occur. Much like a portrait captures the mood of a sitter, each of these paintings describe a different emotive quality, be it anger or anguish, joy or content. Within these works is an appreciation for transient moments, and comfort in knowing that they pass.

Piles of Paintings


My Mom and I drove to Lunenburg two days ago to store the paintings at the Black Duck until setup on Saturday. I had bad dreams last night that all the paintings melted in the heat, and I was frantically trying to wipe things back into their proper spots, to no avail. I think this means I have the jitters! Three days until the opening...

4-Jul-2008

New Painting: Plume

Plume 20" x 20" Oil on Canvas $750.00 SOLD
That's it folks! Stick a fork in me.

28-Jun-2008

New Painting: Sturm & Drang


Sturm & Drang 30" x 60" Diptych, Oil on Canvas $2400.00 SOLD
This is the second last painting of the exhibit. One left to go!
The exhibit is at the Black Duck Gallery, in Lunenburg NS. July 13th-August 8th. Opening reception, Sunday, July 13th from 2-4pm.

Also, Charley Parker has featured my work on his blog: http://www.linesandcolors.com/
Thanks Charley!

18-Jun-2008

I Need Your Help

I'd like an opinion on which painting I should use to advertise my upcoming exhibit with. I've narrowed it down to five choices. If you could leave a comment, or vote (if I get my polling application to work), that would be awesome. They are, in order of appearance below, Lift, Clouds Building, Collision, Devil's Paintbrush, Storm Clearing. Thanks everybody!

12-Jun-2008

New Painting: Dawn


Dawn 22" x 28" Oil on Canvas, 2008 $950.00

11-Jun-2008

New Painting: Dusk


Dusk 22" x 28" Oil on Canvas, 2008 $950.00
I'm excited about this painting, as soon as it was finished I couldn't wait to post it. Very Nova Scotian, very Group of Seven-ish. It's definitely a new favorite for me.

10-Jun-2008

Breakaway II

Breakaway II 24" x 18" Oil on Canvas, 2008 $750.00 SOLD
The second in the breakaway series. I like the fact that paired with the one below, these paintings appear as two studies of the same place. To me the cloud movement suggests time passing.