Upcoming Classes and Exhibits

Hello from the art studio! As I sit here typing on yet another snowy morning, I can’t help but be excited for Spring to get here! Yes, I’m aware of how mild our winter has been, and I’m not sorry for wanting warmer weather. There’s much going on in the Spring and I’m excited to share some new things happening……………..

First please save the date for my SOLO Art Exhibit! I’ll be the featured artist all of June at the Marcellus Library. Woo-Hoo! I’m secretly hoarding images of my new artwork in case you’ve noticed a lack of them on my social media pages. I’ll have a ton of new work available during the show, be sure to stop in for a looksee!

Second, I’ve got new classes lined up at The Art Store on Erie Blvd. All materials are provided for the classes at the Art Store. Sign up in person or online at theartstore.com Classes being offered there are as follows…

#1: Ultimate Watercolor Masterclass Sat. April 13, 11:00-4:00,

#2: Basics of Watercolor Friday April 26, Noon-2pm

#3: Water Marbling on Paper Friday March 22, 12:00-2:00pm

New Classes in my studio are online now. Check em out here! We’ve got a small Weeknight Painting Group getting started, Color Theory workshops, Watercolor Painting, Pastel Painting and as always small and private lessons are available!

Coming up in the warmer Spring and summer months will be a class to dye a bathrobe! Be sure to keep an eye out for that one as space is going to be very limited!!

Eva will also be participating for the first time in the Onondaga Art Guild Fine Art Show the weekend of May 4th. More details to follow, but please save the date.

Stay warm and enjoy that white stuff if that’s your bag. As for me, I’m going to fire up my encaustics and warm up with a little hot wax painting.

Art As Meditation

A meditative state is when your body and mind are in a deep state of relaxation. It’s not about the absence of thoughts, but more about not getting tangled up in them. If you think about it, you might think that the process of creating art is rather stressful and completely NOT relaxing. I wouldn’t hold it against you if that’s what you thought; but I will tell you that you’ve got it wrong.

I’ve been working on a special commission piece for a client, (heck all my pieces are special; there I said it). At first it was a challenge to think about all the things that needed to go into it. Talk about getting tangled up in my thoughts! The process of creating new artwork begins with a discussion with the client. We discuss things such as: subject or theme, reference photos, specific requirements, budget, timeline, deposit, framing, etc.

After listening attentively while the client shares their ideas, I ask questions and take copious notes, look at their reference photos and thank them for the opportunity. This meeting usually takes no more than an hour or so. Then the fun begins.

Once I’m able to begin working on the piece, I go through a process of drawing quick studies of the subject and thumbnails of the composition/concept. This is where all those tangled thoughts start to really dance and tangle even more. Sometimes they get a little knotted and frayed and need to be weeded out. Too much of a good thing can be bad, and too much of a bad thing can be, well; bad. Then the color testing begins, and I won’t bombard you with that kaleidoscope of fun this time. Suffice it to say that there tends to be a few days of moving things around and making decisions. It’s all good though because something truly amazing happens. As I work through these processes, I find my awareness is heightened, decisions seem easier to make, I can “see” the piece in my head and that tells me how to bring it to light. Doing the actual work of putting brush to canvas fills me with a sense of inner calm and allows the clients’ idea to emerge through the tip of my paint brush.

The process of creating art is truly a meditative state for me. I’m in my studio most days 10-5 and am always surprised when my husband opens the studio door at 5pm to inquire about my day (and what’s for supper?) It’s not that my time has flown by, but rather that I was in each of the moments that make up my day so deeply that time seemed irrelevant. Now if I could only figure out how to apply that to those little lines on my face.

When you’re ready to discover your inner calm, consider taking a class with me. Art can be used to create calming environments too, take a look at the image below. Look how inviting and comfy that sofa looks. Soft blues and violet are soothing colors, swirls give the eye a place to wander in the painting, leading to a sense of peace and relaxation. The room looks cozy, and the poppy painting adds to the feeling of comfort and calm.

The Best Place to Hang Art?

Howdy and hello from the arctic snowy realm of Clay, NY. Today is a blustery day and cold reminder that winter is still here (even though it never really felt like it actually arrived). Wherever you are, I hope you are warm and safe.

As I sit here in my nice cozy studio trying to figure out what to write for this blog; I remember a comment made to me awhile ago. It was basically, “I love that piece of art! But, I can’t purchase it right now because I don’t have the perfect place to hang it.”

Whaaaat?

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard that comment. It’s a common observation at art shows, festivals, pop-ups and events. Always involves someone just ooh-ing & ahh-ing over a piece of art they just love. There’s usually a bit of excitement as they exclaim how much it’s so perfect and blah, blah, blah they just don’t know where they’d hang it….Many an artist friend of mine and even myself have been left wondering what the perfect place to hang art is for these people. I’m here to let you in on a little secret….

There is NO perfect place to hang art. I’m gonna give you a moment to calm down and think about that.

The secret is to purchase art you love and hang it where you will be able to enjoy it the most! Think about it. Is there a room or place where you spend the most time? Hang art there, because you’ll be able to enjoy it the most when you’re in that space. Art can help us create moods and enhance how we feel. When you’re looking at art that you love, ask yourself why you like it. How does it make you feel? Is it calming and relaxing? Buy it and go hang it in the room you like to chill in! That would be perfect!

Still need to know the perfect spot? Ok, here’s an idea. Look for places to hang art that you might not expect, like a small horizontal piece above a door or a tiny print at the dog’s/cat’s eye level by their water bowl.

Just buy art that you love, from local, living artists (the dead ones don’t need to pay bills). Be unique. Unlike the mass produced stuff you find at big box stores original art allows you to show off your personality and your own uniqueness.

Image above is a watercolor painting I did recently while staying in a cabin for an extended weekend. The bent birch trees where fascinating to me and I just had to paint them. It’s a smallish painting roughly 6 x 9 inches, done on Arches 300GSM paper. Where would you hang a piece this small? If it were up to me, I’d suggest matting it with a 1 1/2-inch mat board in maybe a blue-gray color mat, and popping it into a nice wooden frame. Now you’ve got a painting that’s roughly 10 x 15, which would fit almost anywhere. Hang it where you’d enjoy it the most. Perfect!

Where've I been? Good Question...

Yep, I know, I know; I did it again. Missed a month to post my blog. August came and went in a whirlwind of activity, and it was impossible to get to the keyboard. My apologies, really. I do appreciate you taking the time to read my posts and I know you look forward to them. Thank you for your indulgence. So, what’s kept me away? Plenty………………….

In July we traveled to Georgia to celebrate our grandson Leon’s first birthday. He’s such a cutie pie and you will most likely see him in a painting of mine before too long! We spent about a week or so there and although we loved spending time with family the blazing sun and high temperatures were a bit oppressive. After a few days rest back home, we packed up and flew to visit more family in Colorado.

Happy Birthday Leon! (Told yah he was a cutie pie!)

As you may recall, Colorado is one of my most favorite places on the planet. Tons of artistic inspiration!! Hikes are like eating eye candy for me! The western landscape with its reds and golds are absolutely stunning. Yes, I did some painting while there. Did a bunch of studies to use in studio as reference materials and worked up a few more detailed paintings. They’re not quite finished yet though, so you’ll have to stay tuned. Returned home in the middle of August and took a nap (LOL)

August was spent prepping materials for a fresh new batch of my funky bohemian style bowties. The whole process takes about two weeks and since I was sold out during Art Mart last holiday season, I wanted to get going on them. Before I can hand marble each tie, they need to be scrubbed and prepped with a mordant. While they dry, I whip up a couple 5-gallon buckets of goo (that’s what I call it anyways) the goo lets the colors float on the surface. I clean out my 7-foot marbling trough and poor in about 2-inches of goo. Once it settles, the fun can start! I add the colors one at a time, and manipulate, twirl and create designs into the paints. Then I carefully place the tie over top, picking up the design first on one side and then flip it to catch the design onto the reverse side. A quick rinse to remove most of the goo, and then they dry and cure for a minimum of 10 days. This is to ensure good adhesion of the designs. Then I wash them in a mild soap and add fabric softener, another dry on the line, a quick ironing and finally they’re ready! Once I take their pictures both tied and un-tied versions, I post them to my website.

I’m STILL taking pictures of this current batch. Not only did I do 36 new ties, but I also added 12 pocket squares and 12 lapel pins to the mix! Can I just say, they look gorgeous!

August is also the time when I hand paint glass bulb ornaments. These were also wiped-out last holiday season for which I am grateful. I really enjoy painting these and was happy to have the chance to refill my stock. If this is something you are interested in learning how to do, I offer classes both in my studio and at the Art Store.

So, now we’re into September and I’m still working on getting all those tie photos done, sealing ornaments and carding my jewelry. Oh, yeah, I forgot to add I’ve been making new jewelry too! Earrings, necklaces and bracelets, oh my!

September is also the time when my returning students resume their private lessons, and when I schedule new group classes outside my studio. SO, here’s your insider scoop on where you can catch me teaching

1. Alcohol Ink Painting Class on Sat. Sept 17, 2-4:00 at the Art Store, Erie Blvd. Call 315-474-1000 to register ($25 all materials included)

2. Pan Pastel Painting, a four-week seminar for beginner and experienced art enthusiasts, Begins Sat Oct 8th 10:30am-12:30pm, runs Oct 22, 29 and Nov 5th Classes held at the Art Store (See #1 for info) All materials provided, fee is $25 per session

3. Alcohol Ink Ornaments Sat Nov 19 Session 1 from 11am-1pm, Session 2 from 2-4pm all materials provided fee is $25, held at the Art Store

So, thanks for hanging in there with me, I had a lot of catching up to do. I appreciate you very much! Have a wonderful day!! Stay healthy and enjoy the rest of our nice weather before that white stuff starts falling!

Happy 4th of July!!

Creating art that explores our daydreams and the places we go when we need to escape is important to me. It’s one of the reasons I paint the scenes you see on my website. Daydreams offer us a way to escape reality for just a little while and can help us figure stuff out. Heck, I used daydreams extensively as a child and for different reasons do so now as an adult in my artistic practice. When you hang one of my paintings in your space it is my intention to invite you into my daydream, to explore the scenes and characters, to visit and stay awhile. Deciding which piece of art to hang on your walls can be a challenge. From office to apartment or home the art you live with can help you create a specific mood. You are always welcome to visit Eva Hunter Art Studio to see a piece in person. We can even bring it to you to try it out in the space you want (local Syracuse, NY area only).

Download and print this free greeting card just for being one of our favorite subscribers!

Don’t miss the Redfin article we’re featured in: “Make a Big Splash in a Small Space: Tiny Apartment Decor You’ll Love” As a renter there are different types of apartments that you can choose from and put your artistic stamp on. From custom art and handmade ceramics to glass art, you can make a meaningful impact in a small space that you’ll love coming home to each day. So, whether you’re renting a studio in San Diego, CA, or an efficiency apartment in New York, NY, you can find tiny apartment decor that represents you. To help you find artistic inspiration, Redfin reached out to us to share our best advice on picking meaningful decor for your tiny apartment. Find out what we had to say so you can create a space that you love. Make a Big Splash in a Small Space: Tiny Apartment Decor You’ll Love

As the fourth of July holiday looms closer and closer I find it impossible to ignore. Don’t get me wrong I like a celebration as much as the next person. I’m just not feeling it right now. The state of current events in the United States gives me a great deal of anxiety. Whatever your beliefs are, I respect your rights to have them, and I expect the same in return. Isn’t that what united means? (United definition- joined together politically, for a common purpose, or by common feelings.) Somehow, we seem to have lost sight of this, and it frightens me. Yes, I know I don’t usually get political here. Nor do I usually create political commentary art. So, when I do it’s because something pissed me off! Better to create art than yell and scream, or worse.

We all have our challenges in life, and I don’t need to go into the gory details of mine. Suffice it to say that a long time ago it was made pretty clear to me that my voice didn’t matter; that I should be quiet and do what I was told. Children react to the situations they find themselves in and I was no different. My rebellious nature helped me ignite my imagination and I discovered a way to get through childhood. Sure, I was very shy and quiet but, it took my pain and words and channeled them into color, pattern and whimsy.

It is still always difficult to express myself vocally; childhood memories shout, my vocal cords close up, my mouth clamps shut, and my face responds with wide eyed fright. My usual reaction of escaping into a world of daydreams is no longer my go-to-choice. Now the adventures, characters and scenes that once replaced stressful situations give me strength as I use them to fight through the chaos and speak the words in my heart.

Art helped me find my voice, it’s how I’ve healed and grown into the strong, independent woman you know. Finding the joy in life and letting it bloom in color on my canvas is one of my greatest loves (right up there with dark chocolate gelato)! Learning how to take my daydream escapes and turn them into art that communicates my love of life and everything about it is the best thing I ever discovered.

Enough of the Eva back story and semi political commentary; let me tell you about an invitation I received…In June I was contacted by a Content Marketing Specialist at Redfin. (Redfin writes a real estate blog offering tips and information about buying, selling and renting a home. Including topics relating to home improvement, life & style, local insights, finance, etc.) They asked me would I like to collaborate on an article about how to personalize your home or apartment with meaningful art. Of course, I said yes! Please take a moment to check out the article. Not only will you find my words of advice but the advice of a few other artists as well. Here’s the direct link to the Redfin Article

My voice does matter! People ask me to participate in collaborative articles. (Check out this article on Artsy Shark I am featured in also Artsy Shark article

Through the art classes I teach both in my studio and in local spaces my voice is sought out to help other artists improve their skills. You are reading my words in this blog, essentially hearing my voice. When you look at my art you are entering my daydreams and seeing my voice.

So yeh, our voices all matter. Let’s use them to re-unite this big ole world we live on. Happy 4th of July! Be safe and be kind.