Author: Barbara Stroud

I started the ArtFoodHome.com daily (now 4 times/week) blog 1/1/11 (easy to remember, right?) and have kept it going since then. Come back each day - I share with you: ART: featured artists, art events, workshops, etc. FOOD: recipes, restaurants, and good finds along the way HOME: house plans, home design, places here in Charleston... On year 14 of artfoodhome.com - share this site with anyone who you think might enjoy it!

Featured Artist… Dan Beck!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“A Warm Breeze” by Dan Beck – Gold Medal Award Winner 2011 OPA Nationals

Isn’t this an absolutely beautiful painting? I love everything about this painting! The woman in this painting reminds me of one of my very best friends growing up. This looks like it could have been painted long, long ago, or just yesterday. I love it when paintings are ageless. I like the ruggedness of the trees and the sticks in the foreground. That coupled with the softness of the horizon works so beautifully. Take a minute to peruse through the many fabulous paintings Dan has on his website. The man can paint and that’s an understatement. If you’re a Facebook friend of his you may notice that he’s been posting some older pieces on occasion which are STUNNING. He stays true to his style. If you aren’t familiar with his work check it out!

One more… talk about timeless… whoa! Just look at how loose, yet how detailed this is! Wonderful work!

“Many Trails” by Dan Beck – Images from DanBeckArt.com

A blip about Dan from his website:

Wanderlust was Dan’s primary motivation in the decade following his graduation from high school.  Dan took to the road, working jobs that included ranch hand in Arizona, construction on the beach of Florida, refinishing furniture in Louisiana and four years in the infantry, including a two year tour in Germany.  Wherever he went, Dan filled sketch books and journals for his own enjoyment. Then in Colorado after a couple of years in college, he realized the thing that meant most to him was his sketch books. So he quit his job and college, sold everything he had and decided that commitment to one path was where all the previous had led him.

 Now Dan Beck is an award winning artist and sought after teacher.  His paintings have found collectors in both the private and corporate world on a national level as well as from such diverse places as Canada, Japan and the Middle East.  He is in the permanent collection of the Littleton Historical Museum and has exhibited with the Phippen Museum, Prescott, Arizona.  He has been invited to show in several national invitationals including the annual American Miniature Show at Settlers West Galleries, Tucson, Arizona and the annual “Fall Classic” in Hamilton, Montana.  Dan’s work has also been featured in “Southwest Art”, “Art of the West” magazines and “Art Talk”. He is a member of Oil Painters of America.

 Equally adept at figurative, still-life and landscape, Dan paints both oils and pastels and fees he is firmly rooted in the tradition of Impressionism. His love of nature and a deep respect for the tradition of art serve as both guide and inspiration to his goal of “making a contribution” to the world of painting. Dan’s paintings evoke a timelessness and dignity that are the underlying themes in whatever he paints.  As to his working methods, Dan works quickly and loosely in the beginning, covering the whole surface to establish his major shapes and drawing.  Then he slows down and lets the emerging image dictate the way the painting will be finished.  

 “Painting is a balancing act between opposite ideas – direct observation and instinct, control and spontaneity, even between the literal and the symbolic.  It seems to me that although a painter is deeply involved with his own private investigation, his real aim is to communicate something that only the person looking at the painting really understands.”

 Dan now lives in Lakewood, Colorado with his wife and two daughters.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

G-O Logic Homes! $0-$300/year in heating costs… fascinating!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME5 Comments

How would you like to build a new house for around $160/square foot AND have your heating bill for the entire year be $300 (or pay $0.00 if you opt for the net zero upgrade!). Crazy, right? Not with G-O Logic Homes. These homes have great design with every single detail well thought out. They have a fabulous website and have won award after award. By using solar, great insulation, the best windows, and a host of other tricks, they’ve configured homes that can be heated with a small heater at the cost of $300/year IN MAINE! I’m telling you to check these out because they are phenomenal!

Fred and I hope to one day be on the happy trail to Maine… once there it would be ideal to be situated on a piece of land near water (water view would be optimal, but we’ll see). Fred likes land, woods, creatures. I like to be able to walk to a general store, a library, and ideally a bakery (hee hee) and NO CREATURES, ugh.Where we end up will be hopefully somewhere in between! We love Charleston, SC and all it has to offer, we have just fallen in love with Maine. Where do you hope to end up? Thoughts please! We have time, we’re not ready to move yet! Would love your thoughts and opinions! Right now, after 30-some days of 90+++ heat, I’m thinking more along the lines of the north pole! However, just thinking about Maine, in the winter, in one of these architectural gems puts a smile on my face!

I’m telling you, you’ve got to check out this company’s website… and the quick video tour that explains things (click on link, then scroll to bottom of page and you’ll see the video, you won’t believe it!) From the GOLogic website:

In Maine, the standard for green design and construction has been officially raised with the completion and certification of The GO Home in Belfast, which is the first Passive House Certified Home in Maine and only the 12th Passive House in the entire United States. This smart and small 1500 square foot, three-bedroom residence packs an elegant design punch, while achieving super energy efficiency at construction costs comparable to a standard home.
 
As a passive house, the homeowners will see a 90% reduction in their heating bill, resulting in a cool $300 dollars per year for space heating, while enjoying all the comforts of the super insulated building shell during the winter months. With an additional investment in solar panels, The GO Home has been made net zero, creating all the energy on site that it needs to provide heat, hot water and electricity for the home owners who will not see an energy bill for the next 25 years.
 
GO Logic, the architectural design build firm that created The GO Home, conceived of the project to bring design and energy performance in line with affordability- which they have at the construction cost of $160/ SF. Combining the traditional good looks of the Maine vernacular with contemporary design and details, The GO Home is comfortable in its rural setting, but does not forgo the pleasure of great design. With beautiful wood/ aluminum clad windows imported from Germany, a timber frame from Thorndike Maine and cabinets from local woodworkers, the interior is well crafted and timeless. In addition to being the first certified passive house in Maine, The GO Home will round out its sustainable building credentials with LEED Platinum rating, the USGBC’s highest rating for environmentally sustainable buildings.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

 

Featured Artist… Paul Bachem!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“The 5th of July” by Paul Bachem 

I think this is the sweetest painting… of course, those of you who know me, know I LOVE a flag in a painting, it truly makes it pop! I love the shadows and light in this painting, and that front porch is amazing! Paul Bachem, now that’s a name that those of you who are familiar with Plein Air Easton 2012 will recognize. He won the Utrecht award for Best Use of Light in his painting entitled “Moored at Dawn”. Very nice! I encourage you to take a look at his website. Very nice paintings, and WOOHOO for the Plein Air Easton award… not easy!

“Fresh Seafood” by Paul Bachem

Here’s a blip about Paul from his website:

Paul Bachem was born and raised on the North Shore of Long Island, east of New York City. He studied with Harold Ransom Stevenson and Alma Gallanos Stevenson from 1975 till 1977. During that time Paul was a member of the Stevenson’s Atelier program which was a two year period of intense study of the traditional craft of drawing and painting. 

Upon leaving the Stevensons, Paul began a long career as a freelance illustrator. He has worked for clients in New York City, across the country and as far away as Sydney, Australia. A partial list of clients includes Random House, Simon and Schuster, Scholastic Inc., Weldon Owen Pty, Ltd., The Pleasant Company, Coty, Field and Stream, Forbes, and numerous advertising agencies. He was awarded a certificate of merit at the Society of Illustrators 35th annual exhibition. Paul’s work is in the permanent collection of the Forbes Gallery in New York. 

Over the past few years he has spent more and more time pursuing his passion for plein air painting. He is an associate member of the New York Plein Air Painters and a founding member of the Long Island Plein Air Painters Society.  He is represented by Gallery North in Setauket, New York, LaMantia Gallery in Northport, New York (where he was named Best in Show at the first annual Northport Plein Air Event) and Robert Paul Galleries in Stowe, VT.  He has been selected twice for inclusion in the Greenwich Workshop’s Small Works North America Exhibition and Sale. His painting “Wild Sweet William” was awarded with inclusion in the Top 40 of that exhibition. Paul was also the featured artist in “Informed Collector” magazine in April of 2009. He has been included in the FAV 15% of the Fine Art Studio Online Monthly painting competition ten times, most recently in March of 2011. Paul has participated in numerous East Coast Plein Air events including Plein Air Easton 2010 and 2011 as well as the Wayne Plein Air event in Wayne, PA and Cranford, NJ “Paint the Town 2011” where his painting “Greetings from Asbury Park” was awarded 3rd prize.

Aside from painting, Paul enjoys playing classical guitar and chess. Of the two he is considered to be a very talented painter!

He lives and works in Locust Valley, New York with his wife Janice, herself a talented painter and sculptor.

Great work Paul, I wish you much success! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston SC Photos: Gardens of Charleston

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME1 Comment

It is the exception, not the rule to have a large yard when you live in downtown Charleston, SC. For the most part the yards are very small. However, there are a few homes that have extensive yards that are just breathtaking. In the shot above my lens was poking through a fence so I was limited as to what I could snap a photo of… GORGEOUS!

Look at that! Magnificent! Someone stays very busy keeping that looking so perfect. What a treat for the eye!

What a great size yard! Especially if you have someone to maintain it!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Photos: Doors in Charleston, SC…

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME6 Comments

Fred and I took a walk around downtown early one Saturday morning and I brought along the camera (of course!). You can loose yourself taking photos downtown. THERE IS JUST SO MUCH TO SEE! For the most part it was a cloudy morning, but the sun peeked through for a few shots… I love how the sunlight hits this beautiful wooden door. The quality of the homes downtown just cannot be beat. They are absolutely gorgeous!

I love the newspaper still on the step… and the carriage step from days gone by… it was a nice quiet morning… then the sun stayed out and it was a tad humid (understatement of the year)… it was nice while it lasted!

Everything is just. so. GRAND. Lovely!

Stay cool and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Colin Page!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist10 Comments

“Underneath” by Colin Page – Image: DowlingWalsh.com

I’ve featured Colin a few times over the past few years. His work is outstanding, and now… some of his paintings have a new twist. Edgy. I am really liking his new work, I love this painting, how you see “underneath”… its wonderful how he can mix a  traditional painting with some abstractness to come up with something totally unique, that works so well! If you haven’t checked out Colin’s website in the past, I highly encourage you to do so. Colin is an amazing person. He gave a workshop in Charleston, SC this past spring that was a huge hit, everyone loved him, and thought he was a fabulous teacher! Oh! I don’t want to forget to mention his JOURNAL. Full of great information, it’s a “must read” if you love art!

Colin’s show opens at the Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, Maine TODAY! The opening reception is from 5-8PM, so if you’re in the area, give his work a peek! You will be thrilled that you did. The Dowling Walsh Gallery is a nice place to hang out and check out some of the best art around. Colin’s show starts today, August 3rd through August 26, 2012. I hope every painting has a red dot!

Look at this piece… (to me) it’s reminiscent of a painting done by Charles Movalli entitled, THE PATRIOT, oh how we loved that painting… if memory serves me correctly it was the stern of a sailboat, and an American flag, those two things I remember… it was big and it was at Bayview Gallery in Camden, ME many years ago. I’ll never forget that piece!

“Angelique” is one classy painting, with the dark hull, the dark water with pops of the sky and the pop of the flag… whoa!

“Angelique” by Colin Page – Image: DowlingWalsh.com

If you’re lucky enough to make it to the show, let me know how you liked it! It’s going to be fabulous! Read more about Colin on the Dowling Walsh website (fabulous website!), so much to read! Catch you back here tomorrow!

A quick and tasty dessert for a hot blistery day!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD2 Comments

How is this for a nice tasty dessert on a day that is so hot and steamy? The temperatures are brutal throughout the country… so once in a while you need a little treat… something quick and easy, and SOOO good!

I bought some fabulous ice cream cones at EarthFare, they’re organic, I bought these because I didn’t want all the other unpronounceable ingredients… these had REAL ingredients, and they are C H E A P, no sugar and barely a calorie!

That along with some good ice cream and WELLA! A treat that can’t be beat! Sometimes a little cone just makes the day even better! This is a fast and fun dessert that will make your tastebuds smile!

Enjoy!  Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured artist… Shelby Keefe!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“Alterations” by Shelby Keefe – Image: StudioShelby.com

Best Painting with an Architectural Subject
Easels in Frederick (MD), Painting Competion, June 2012

Isn’t this a fabulous painting? The fabulous architecture, the shadows on the building, the reflections in the window, the vibrant blue facade… gorgeous! Check out Shelby’s website, she’s a fantastic painter. I really enjoy her work!

Here’s a blip about Shelby from her website:

Impressionist Oil Painter

Shelby Keefe is a contemporary impressionistic painter, teacher and performance artist. Born in Whitewater, WI in 1958, she graduated in 1981 with a BFA from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI.  After retiring from a career in graphic design in 2005, she operates her own art studio and exhibition space in Bay View, on the south side of Milwaukee. Her award-winning urban landscape paintings have earned her participation in prestigious national juried shows, plein air painting competitions, and arts festivals as well as garnering commission work for a variety of corporate clients and private collectors. Her oil paintings are found in collections such as The Bradley Foundation, Acuity, Northwestern Mutual, Ozaukee Country Club; WE Energies; University School of Milwaukee; and other businesses around Milwaukee, and in private collections in Wisconsin and around the country.

Artist Statement
“I am influenced by Impressionism and the brighter Fauvist palette and generally specialize in urban architectural subjects. I use my own photographs as reference as well as painting “en plein air”. My creative intentions are to put the viewer in the scene; transporting them to the location and transforming their mood through color and composition. I’m attracted to scenes where the subjects are dramatically lit, which adds a vibrancy and a sense of immediacy to the paintings. I like to apply the oils freely and liberally over brilliant acrylic underpaintings, creating a juxtaposition of contrasting colors that vibrate and illicit emotional engagement as well as excite the eye. I believe that a work of art has a longer lasting, “multi-generational wall life” when the viewer continually finds something new in the work, and the paint, itself, is allowed to do the “talking.”

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Homemade BBQ sauce, easy and so much better than store bought!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

BBQ Sauce ready for the chicken on the grill!

This is a quick and easy BBQ Sauce that is so delicious you simply will not believe it! Recipe from Cooks.com!

These are the ingredients that I used:

I found this recipe on Cooks.com, and I pretty much used it as it was written, omitting one evil ingredient… Worcestershire Sauce. (I had to avoid soy (one alias is ‘natural flavors’) it was so good without it that I still don’t add it… Here’s the link to the BBQ SAUCE recipe on cooks.com (as shown below) so that it’s quick and easy to print (or read below):

BBQ SAUCE 
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. water
1 c. ketchup
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
Melt butter. Saute onion until soft. Add remaining 9 ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes. Makes about 2 cups of BBQ sauce.

I make this recipe, then I split into smaller batches (1/3 cup is about how much we use on two chicken breasts). I freeze each serving in a labeled freezer bag, then flatten out and refrigerate. Once cold pop into the freezer. Then next time you need it you can set it out for a few minutes and it will thaw, then snip the corner and squeeze contents into a dish. Too easy!

Here is the final result… let me tell you, Fred cooked this chicken on the grill to perfection. It was awesome! There is nothing like barbecue chicken on the grill, fresh corn on the cob and a nice crispy salad!

What are YOU making for dinner? Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… David Santillanes!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“String Lake” by David Santillanes

Don’t you just feel as if you right there on the edge of the water, overlooking the lake? This painting brings me into the moment, which is pretty cool! “String Lake” received an Award of Excellence at the 2012 RMPAP (Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters) Plein Air for the Park in Grand Teton National Park. I especially love the reflections in the water, the hazy trees on the horizon and the more vivid foreground. Very nice! 

Here’s a blip about David from his website:

As my painting style continues to evolve my goal with each piece is not a literal rendering of the scene.  Instead it is to capture and convey its essence.

In terms of composition, I look for simplicity.  I’ve found that there are many opportunities to simplify a scene without compromising its sense of ‘place’.  Therefore I’ll seek out the big abstract shapes in the landscape and  use them for the underlying design concept.  And because I’ve departed from a literal interpretation, I’m free to rearrange elements to fit this concept.  In this way I am able to describe the scene in my own “words”.

Finally, capturing the essence of a landscape involves a realistic rendering of color, light and atmosphere.  This requires direct observation and is why most of my paintings begin in the field with a plein air study.   But studying the physical aspects of nature isn’t the only reason I paint outdoors; for me, the sensory experience of being there is equally important. There’s no better way to get to know a place on earth than to sit for a couple of hours and contemplate it while painting. This intense observation brings a spiritual intimacy with the scene that can’t be achieved in mere passing and allows me to “speak” with complete sincerity in each painting.

Dave Santillanes
Fort Collins, Colorado 2011

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Image: David Santillanes Facebook

Photo: Ahhh, the way life should be! Relax and enjoy!

On By Barbara StroudIn THOUGHTS, TRAVEL2 Comments

Now don’t you think this is the way life should be? Like a nice summer vacation. Where there is time for sitting and reading, or sitting by the river and watching all there is to see (it can be more entertaining than television, that’s for sure!). My parents live on the St. Clair River in Algonac, MI… the views are amazing… the sunsets are out of this world! My dad made these adirondack chairs, they have nice fluffy cushions, and it makes a great place to sit.

Wouldn’t you like to be sitting in that chair right now? Me too! These chairs remind me of the Island Inn on Monhegan (Maine). Nothing like sitting and reading or watching the water!

Monhegan Island, Maine – Island Inn Adirondack chairs… Fred reading while he waits for me… 

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Photo: Italian Cypress Trees = Dramatic Photo

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME1 Comment

Dramatic, eh? Photo taken while walking around downtown (Charleston, SC)…

I need to get up and go take photos early or late in the day… this was more around noon judging by the bright light, but you can still see what a cool place Charleston, SC is… everywhere you look there is a photo to be taken! If you are affected by heat, come in the winter! That’s when I really love Charleston! I wonder how many artists have painted this scene?

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Katie Dobson Cundiff!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist1 Comment

“Merriewoods” by Katie Dobson Cundiff

I just love this painting for so many reasons. The cabin feels rustic and like something that fits within a perfect vacation, the trees are loose and full of character, the shadows are amazing and the clothes on the line, whoa! Those nicely added pops of color just make this painting extra special. This was one of the paintings that Katie had done for the Cashiers Plein Air Paint Out (Cashiers, NC) that just ended on Saturday. What a delightful time that must have been. How great to be a spectator in such a beautiful location full of fabulous artists!

Another painting that I just love, also from the Cashiers Plein Air Paint Out:

“Toll House” by Katie Dobson Cundiff

I absolutely adore how the underpainting shows through, it just adds so much! The little bits of light on the house, the cool picket fence and gate, the bright green sunlit grass and the beautiful flowers in the foreground all make this painting what it is… fabulous!

If you happen to be in the Charleston, SC area, you’re in luck! You can see some of Katie’s work at Galerie On Broad… if you aren’t in the area, check out their website!

Here’s a blip about Katie from her website  (click HERE to read in full), she sounds like such an interesting person!:

I am primarily a landscape artist, although I enjoy painting many different subjects including portraits and figurative, animals, still life, rural landscapes, boats, and urban scenes.  I think my work differs from that of other artists because of the influence and instruction I received from my father.  As a child, I loved to sit and watch him work on his illustrations, and would often pose for him.  He would let me look through his art books and by the time I was a teenager, we had long discussions on art and artists.  He showed me the works of master artists Degas, Lautrec, Sargent, Sorolla, and Zorn (to name a few). Frequent visits to the Art Institute provided me the opportunity to study these and other great painters. This strong foundation in drawing and painting, and exploring the works of fine art masters has been the most important element in my journey and quest to becoming a “painter of life”.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Images: Katie Dobson Cundiff Facebook

A beasty birthday!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME, THOUGHTS5 Comments

The birthday boy, Charlie!

H A P P Y  3 R D  B I R T H D A Y  C H A R L I E !

It’s Charlie’s 3rd birthday today, boy how time flies! If you would like to be entertained by a funny blog accounting for the first year of LIFE WITH CHARLIE, click the link). Initially I created this blog because the only time Charlie would sleep is when I was sitting in my desk chair at the computer. He would curl up behind me and fall into a deep peaceful (for me) sleep… so I created a blog to vent entertain myself, then Charlie started getting people who wanted to know what was going on each day, it was a hoot… after a year he calmed down and I stopped the blog, but it was a great year!

Preparation for Charlie’s birthday hat photo shoot!

Charlie is going to have (another) good day! He’s been so much fun these past several years, here’s to many many more Charlie! May your birthday candles never blow out : )
Have a great day and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Robin Weiss!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“White House” by Robin Weiss

Artist Robin Weiss works magic with a brush! His subject matter is very diverse, which makes it so interesting to follow his career, see what he’s painting. This painting is so sweet. It is amazing. I absolutely love the light and how it hits the house, the picket fence, and plays with the shadows in the road. So much detail has been added, the gingerbread on the peaks, yet this is not tight… not an easy task! Robin clearly knows when to stop and not overpaint a painting!

 Images: Robin Weiss Facebook

I love it when artists post photos of the art as well as the location, so that you can SEE what they’re painting. Most of the time whatever they’re painting looks much better than the real life scene. I wonder if that’s how they naturally see the world… hmmm… interesting! The first painting above entitled “White House” won the poster contest for a plein air event sponsored by Gallery North… (Image: Robin Weiss blog: In Plein Air).

Here’s a blip about Robin from his site on Daily Paintworks:

I began drawing at a very early age. In the early seventies my high school art teacher , Louis Penfield , took on the role as my art mentor. We spent many hours collecting material for massive found art sculptures made of metal. We would draw and paint from life, in class, after school and on weekends at his estate designed by Frank Lloyd Wright . Wright also designed an art studio for Lou that was never finished . We hauled stone from the Chagrin river in northeast Ohio flowing through the property and worked on the studio. Then we would set up still life compositions and paint in watercolor.

After a stint in the US Navy I moved to Washington and started studying for architectural engineering. While attending Olympic college I began taking art courses and made the decision to focus on my art. At the time I was working in watercolor and started taking workshops from successful local artists. Deanne Lemley, and Jane Wallace were among them.

In 2006 , I joined the daily painters movement after reading about Duane Keiser and Julian Merrow Smith. I was desperate for more motivation to produce art and while I never actually achieved daily painter status , that is, completing a painting every day for an extended period of time, it was a good move for me to get involved with dedicated artists online. This resulted in a vast improvement in the quality of my artwork and I am now very thankful to be a full time artist.

Now working in oil I continue learning as much as I can from other professionals in the field. I have attended workshops with Darrell Anderson, Jim Lamb, Ned Mueller and others. 

I am currently painting and teaching at The Knowles Studio in Poulsbo WA. alongside printmaker and art instructor , Leigh Knowles Metteer.

My paintings are represented by The Directors Gallery on Bainbridge Island and Alki Arts gallery in West Seattle.

I have work published in, City Living; The Longborough Festival Opera, UK; Daily Painters, Color, Obsession and Joy; and others.

I have sold hundreds of paintings from my blog site and have work in private and corporate collections worldwide.

I wish Robin continued success, he is an amazing artist! I look forward to seeing his paintings in person one day!

Catch you back here tomorrow!