Tag: postaday2012

Featured Artist… Stefan Pastuhov!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
One Red One by Stefan Pastuhov / Image: BayviewGallery.com

Artist to watch… Featured Artist… hmmm… I originally called these posts ARTIST TO WATCH, but I don’t want you to think that they’re all up and coming artists since some are well (very well) established… so I’m changing ARTIST TO WATCH to FEATURED ARTIST… I enjoy featuring both types of artists, since some of the newer ones can be equally amazing! Now… on with the post…

Stefan Pastuhov is an artist who’s work i’ve admired for a long time now… it’s magic how he can simplify a scene and make it so wonderful. I am captivated by his subject matter, since it’s a place I hold dear to my heart. Maine. Say no more…

Stefan shows his work at Bayview Gallery (located in Camden and Brunswick, ME), here is a little blip from their website:

Descended from Russian grandparents who fled to America in 1917, Stefan Pastuhov is a devoted outdoor sportsman and a plein air artist whose paintings capture the landscape he loves.

He has more information on his website as well as some pretty fantastic paintings… check it out!

One more for your viewing pleasure… Catch you back here tomorrow!

Burnt Cove Lobster Shack by Stefan Pastuhov / Image: BayviewGallery.com

Artist to watch… Logan Hagege!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
Drying the Net by Logan Hagege/Image: EgeliGallery.com

Logan Hagege is an artist with a style all his own. Each piece truly is a work of art. I love the way he captures scenes, the colors, the light, the shadows… whoa! Most of the work I’m familiar with is Southwestern. FABULOUS colors, intriguing subjects. This is a bit different, “Drying the Net” is at the Egeli Gallery located in Provincetown, MA. If you’re in the area check it out… otherwise check out their website! Logan was one of the uber talented artists that was in a cottage down from ours in Port Clyde, Maine several years ago. We were invited to the cottage the last night and the paintings that we saw were AMAZING! Every one of those guys painted their hearts out and it showed. Being art lovers we were in HEAVEN! If you’re interested in reading a bit about their Paintapalooza trip, Addison Art Gallery has a great little write up… click HERE to read…

Jerome Greene (sold) by Logan Hagege/ Image: LoganHagege.com

Another favorite of mine is a portrait Logan did of fellow artist Jerome Greene. I believe he captured him perfectly and I LOVE how he left the edges unpainted… Check out Logan’s website for gallery information and to see his paintings!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Alison Hill!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
Rope Shed by Alison Hill/Fred and Barbara Stroud

Alison Hill is an extremely talented artist and the nicest person in the world. They just don’t come any nicer. Her house is her gallery, and a fabulous one it is. Paintings fill it from floor to ceiling. If you’re on Monhegan you will undoubtedly see Alison set up somewhere painting, and several hours later she’ll be in another location. She is amazing. This painting is entitled Rope Shed. It’s the little building that you pass on your way through town, where people hang things they’ve found, or you can read about what’s going on where… and we think she captured it beautifully. Check out Alison’s website, it’s a good one! Here’s a blip from her website, catch you back here tomorrow!

Painting has become my way of moving through this world, responding to and expressing what I see and feel. It is my interpretation, using color, stroke, and line, to evoke the mood I am receiving, whether it is a landscape, a person, or a still life, i want to recreate what i am receiving.
Through some fortunate circumstances, i am now living on Monhegan island, Maine. In the summer i run a studio  gallery, and off season I spend painting, traveling, doing portraits, and other art related endeavors. Monhegan offers endless inspiration, no matter what the season, and I feel very fortunate to call this home.

Image from http://marshallgallery.net/

Now is the time to make your reservations for the Island Inn on Monhegan Island, Maine!

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVELLeave a comment
Island Inn, Monhegan Island, Maine

Ahhhh, can’t wait to get here! The Island Inn on Monhegan Island, Maine… it is the best place to stay. A wonderful breakfast, coffee that makes your smile linger a little longer and I highly recommend making dinner reservations EVERY SINGLE NIGHT! We were thrilled to be in touch with some of our friends that stay on the island around the same time every year. They have become like family to us… can’t wait to see them all again!

If you’re looking for that perfect place on the island, look no further… catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Brian Kliewer!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist8 Comments
Morning Walk by Brian Kliewer/ Image: KliewerStudio.com

Brian Kliewer. A nice guy and a fabulous artist. You can just feel the chill in the air in this painting, can’t you? Brian was a Facebook friend several years ago, and I truly enjoyed his posts, besides the beautiful paintings that he posted he would talk about life in Maine, show photos of the big snow storms and other various subjects. Brian is no longer on Facebook and I do miss his posts, got tired of all the FB changes I guess, heavy sigh… We also ran into his work at Mars Hall Gallery in Port Clyde a few years ago… as fabulous in person as it was on the Internet. Brian has a great website, I urge you to check it out, he lists the galleries he’s in, so if you’re in the neighborhood, pop on in! Here’s a little blip about Brian from his website:

Completely self-taught in painting, Kliewer began showing his work at The Pine Tree Shop & Bayview Gallery in Camden, Maine, in the autumn of 1988.  The following year, artist Edward Hergelroth saw Kliewer’s work for the first time and said, “It’s hard to believe that anyone this young and with so little formal training could produce such an incredible sense of drama and atmosphere in his work.” Collectors were soon taken with his paintings and the gallery dedicated an entire show to his work at its Portland, Maine location early in 1991. His show of Maine landscapes was a near sellout. In 1995 the Camden gallery offered “Brian Kliewer-A Full Perspective” to its audience and the show nearly sold out on its first weekend! Another successful show followed in 1996. In 2001, Kliewer showed in “Two Views of New England,” a two-man show at Mast Cove Galleries in Kennebunkport, Maine.  In 2005 the artist was selected by curator, Margaret Bodell, to have his first show in New York City.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Healthy whole grain “snack” that is addictive it’s so good! That’s Popcorn Indiana!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOODLeave a comment
Image: PopcornIndiana.com

Ok, so it’s not the cheapest popcorn you’ll ever find, but it is one of the very best out there. I grew up eating popcorn, so I’m somewhat of an expert on this subject. When you need a snack, that should be more healthy than not… what comes to mind? Carrot stick? Nope… POPCORN! Not from the movie theater but from your local store. It’s the popcorn in the red bag, it’s delicious, it’s PERFECT. If you haven’t tried it I highly suggest that you do, you won’t believe how good it is. Crunchy and perfectly salted, I like the “Touch of Sea Salt” but they have many varieties, that’s just my personal favorite! So if you’re craving something… give it a whirl!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Daniela Astone!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
Self Portrait in Studio by Daniela Astone/Image: AnnLongFineArt.com

I love paintings of artists painting, or of their studios. For some reason those kinds of paintings fascinate me. I love seeing into someones life. How they do things, are they organized or does the creativity flow without order? That seems to be the case for many artists. Maybe I spend too much time getting things the way I want them… then oops… time to make dinner… ha ha… I guess I need to lighten up, or maybe pick up a paintbrush. That’s on the list of things to do this year… didn’t really work out last year, but… Anyway, artist Daniela Astone painted a fantastic piece, a self portrait in her studio. Very nice Daniela!

Locally, Daniela has her work at Ann Long Fine Art in Charleston, SC. If you’re in the area, stop by and check it out, otherwise check it out online, they have a great website! Daniela has the most interesting blog, it’s like visiting Italy! She teaches near Florence, Italy and lives the the nearby countryside. Here is a blip about the artist from her website:

Daniela Astone was born in Pisa in 1980 and raised in the town of Porto S. Stefano in Maremma, Italy. She discovered her passion for drawing and painting at a very young age and thus began cultivating this desire. In 1997, after graduating from the Visual Arts High School of Maremma, her motivation for the arts initiated a move to Florence. The cultural city of Florence provided her with the opportunity to deepen her knowledge and love of the art by both challenging and motivating her. Daniela’s first experience in Florence was working in the illustration school. In 2001, she enrolled in the Florence Academy of Art, one of the most serious art schools of Florence. Upon graduating in 2004, she received the painting award, the highest honor of her class. Daniela’s accomplishments include participation in the exhibition “Realism Revisited” in the Panorama Museum, Bad Frankenhausen Germany in 2003 as well as two successful solo shows with Ann Long Fine Art in 2005 and 2007. Daniela currently teaches at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence and resides in the nearby countryside.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

A Monthly/Weekly planner to die for… big squares to write in, all from Blue Sky!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOMELeave a comment
Image from BlueSkyImg.com

It’s not easy finding the perfect monthly/weekly planner, you know, one you’ll stick with all year long. Last year my parents bought me the Barnes and Noble monthly/weekly planner which was VERY nice. I used every little bit of it for this blog, had notes scribbled all over. This year I read the reviews and saw how everyone mentioned that the monthly view that was always spread out on two pages was now squished onto one page, what?!! I went to the store to see for myself. They were right. Whew, crisis averted! Glad I read that review! So I headed to Target, and in 0.3 seconds found the planner of my dreams (ok, I like paper, I like to write AND I like to organize so I get excited about things like this…). It’s made by BLUE SKY IMAGES, and the one I purchased is called the EggPress Heartflower Monthly/Weekly Planner. It’s a great size 8.5″x11″, nice big squares to write in and a lined area in each monthly view for notes specific to that month. After the monthly view is the two page weekly view, which is fantastic. Also there are tabs for the monthly view which is AWESOME… I made tabs for mine last year. So if you’re looking for a fantastic planner it sells online for $16+, I bought it at Target for $9.99.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Happy New Year! I wish you the best…

On By Barbara StroudIn THOUGHTSLeave a comment

I would like to wish you the happiest new year ever! I hope that your year is filled with all things good… health, happiness and friends throughout the year!

I would like to thank my wonderful husband (Fred Stroud) in advance for all his help in coming up with new topics, helping to find new artists to feature, he has been instrumental when a topic eludes me! We have a big time sitting around a roaring fire brainstorming new ideas. The past year has been an adventure and I/we look forward to 2012 with you along for the ride! Thanks for stopping by…  Catch you back here tomorrow!

Image: Currier and Ives from MySunsetCoffee.com