Latest from the studio of Eva Hunter, Art

Hello again! I am happy to see that as I begin this month’s blog post; it’s not snowing this time! I’m pretty sure I haven’t jinxed us all too, June seems like a fairly safe month to not have to worry about that cold, white stuff. So, here’s the latest news from the studio….

My solo show is up and doing great! Haven’t seen it yet? Well; get yourself to the Marcellus Library and check it out. It’s up until June 29th. When I set it up, I was happy to see that the library has a dedicated hanging system for art and a very large space to accommodate several pieces of art. With that in mind, I am showing a large collection of works never shown in public before.

Classes have been going well too and selling out fairly quickly. I thank you for attending them and for all your encouragement! It’s been great sharing my techniques and knowledge with you all. The pictures you’re sending me of your finished pieces have been wonderful. I’m so proud of you!

Here’s where to catch me next….

Saturday, June 15th 9:30am-4:00pm I’ll be bringing a collection of small works, jewelry, bowties, ties, scarves, prints and cards to the Crazy Daisies Summer Art Market event. Please stop by and check it out. They have a wonderful set-up, great food and beverages, beautiful flowers and live music!! In honor of this being my first time as a Crazy Daisy vendor; I created a new painting. It’s not only a new painting, but also in a completely new style and technique for me! So, because I love all you wonderful Eva Hunter Art Fans all so much, here’s a sneak peek at it…

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Saturday, June 29 10:30am-2:30pm I’ll be teaching a painting class that will show you how to use my technique of using alcohol inks and oils together in a painting. Held at The Art Store 935 Erie Blvd E There’s only a few spots left, so sign up soon. All materials provided! Here’s a link for you: Register Now

Stay tuned for more info regarding my new class to be offered at The Everson Museum of Art in July!

As always, please reach out to me via email or phone if you are interested in any of my art or lessons with me. Please note, if I don’t pick your call up it’s because I’m most likely giving a private lesson or am up to my armpits in paint. Leave me a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I clean my brushes.

I’m off for a visit to one of my most favorite places on Earth (Colorado) and will be soaking up as much inspiration as possible. Enjoy your days, weeks, and month. Get outside and paint something (I know I will!)

On A Cold Winter's Day

Hello, it’s me Eva; Happy New Year from the studio! Ever wonder what I do on cold winter days? You know, the kind of day where you just can’t make yourself go outside in all that white stuff? I hear yah and totally get it. Even if it meant I’d get to go to my art studio and make art; my heart says yes but those freezing fingers and toes say no way. Leave the snow scraping for another day! The studio is warm and dry and conveniently connected to my home. Every winter when we get our first real snowfall, I am so thankful for this wonderful space. I am thankful for all of you too and looking forward to another great year of art, classes, shows and events!

I’ve spent a few days updating my website, adding classes, New Art on my shop page Prints and notecards. I’m excited to share with you that I’ll be offering a new subject this year: Intro to Color Theory! Everyone can benefit from understanding color theory, no matter what your medium or experience. There is also a new Weeknight Painting Group being offered, and some surprises TBA. Register for these new offerings via the Classes page.

Winter in the studio gives me a chance to regroup and organize for the coming warmer months. Like taking care of techie things, which I tend to put off and am finally able to check off the to-do list! Love that feeling. It’s also a time of re-stocking items for shows and festivals that I’ll be participating in.

Oh but what about art making and actual painting you ask? Well, that never ends. There are currently five paintings in the “work in progress” stage on my easel. There’s also a list of painting ideas that I want to create. This list is added to on a regular basis. It is a practice that I highly recommend to all my students and art friends…

Make a list of the projects you want to create. Do it in a sketchbook! This way you can add notes like details, color, and your inspiration. Draw several compositional studies of your idea. This will help you with placement of the components that you want to put in your piece. Do color swatches and test out your palette colors. Sometimes the colors we think we want to use don’t actually work when we start painting with them. Save yourself the frustration and cost of making color mistakes (yes, that was a shameless plug for Intro to Color Theory class)

Cold winter days in the studio are filled with artistic activities. By keeping busy and continuing to create; I know that I’ll have whimsical art that brings you joy. And that my friend brings warmth to my soul. Happy painting!

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.