It's that time again, switching out artwork at The Corner at 216.  I'm hoping people will want to buy these to put in their "grandkids room" when they visit!  It could happen!!!!

I love this vineyard.  Love the family who own and run it.  Love the wine.  Love that they are having huge success with their many, many events being held in the big beautiful barn!  Gave this painting to Ren Hite because she does so much to help the vineyard and plays major park in keeping it so beautifully decorated!!!

I follow a page on Facebook "Free Reference Photos for Artists".  They have fabulous photographers submitting photos all the time - I broke my own rules of only painting from my photos and I used them for my "Bugs Island" series and my "Animal" series.  

Anyway, they had a contest to paint their winning photo for January and I jumped in:

These are ready for the next time I change out artwork.  Have been trying some new things - landscapes, animals, bugs....it's been fun and I've learned a lot.  It's time for me to paint slowly as if I am entering juried shows and be the best that I can be again.  Painting for clothes was a wonderful experience - no rules, judges, etc., - just fun designs for clothes.  Need to get back into the "game".  In the meantime, I'm hoping these animals might be a welcome addition to children or grandchildren and their bedroom walls!

Le Galeriste took one of my paintings "Mother Nature's Masterpiece" and printed it on fabric and sewed the clothing to be modeled for their Fall photo shoot!  It's also the cover of their facebook page, and the cover of their website:  www.legaleriste.com   And if you scroll down, you will see I'm also the Artist in the Spotlight!  Just stoked!!!  I absolutely love this company!!!

I'm so happy to be painting what I love again.  Not that I haven't enjoyed painting for clothing with Le Galeriste - I will continue to do that, but not as hard and heavy as I have been.  New Fall/Winter wardrobe is up and running on website www.legaleriste.com/andrea.burke with a permanent sale of 20% OFF. I have enough new designs to update Spring/Summer wardrobe onto my storefront when the time comes.  And next August, I will decide if I will continue to do it or not.  I will never be sorry I did it and have a closet full of clothes I just love to wear!  (advertising, I tell my husband! :-) )  

Anyway, here are the new designs I'm working on for my "debut" at The Corner at Two One Six!

My dear Friend, Linda Davenport, owner of The Galleria on the Lake, here in Clarksville, passed away suddenly earlier this year.  She had sold the building before she passed, and the new Owners and Managers have done a fabulous job turning it into "The Corner at Two One Six" art gallery and gift shop and "216 Virginia Ave" - Airbnb on the top floor!  Linda is up in Heaven doing a happy dance and beaming with pride.  

I decided to do a painting of their new establishment and give it to them as a gift.  And, I'm so thrilled to say, I will be selling my paintings in their new store, too!

Here are some photos of the clothing that I've ordered created from artwork I have submitted to Le Galeriste!  I am my best customer - hahahaha!  I just love wearing these clothes - wrinkle free, throw them into washer with cold water, hang to dry and they are good as new.  Fabric is fabulous and workmanship superb!  See all my clothes at my storefront:  www.legaleriste.com/andrea.burke
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Lakefest comes to Clarksville every summer and the streets are filled beyond capacity with vendors and visitors!  It's so much fun!  This year I got there early, as I always do, and went on the bridge in hopes of capturing hot air balloons flying by.  For the first time in the 8 years we have lived here, they actually flew over the lake!  I was just beside myself with anticipation.  

Anyway, they led me to paint some paintings from two of my favorite businesses here.  Woodbine Vineyards and Buggs Island Brewing.  

I submitted these three paintings for consideration in the upcoming juried VA Watercolor Society Show in Portsmouth, VA!  I'll let you know if I get in or not!!!

I did a 30 day challenge on my facebook page to paint every day and post my progress every day for 30 days.  I'm very glad I did it!  It got me painting again and felt wonderful.  I have a commissioned painting to do and I'm entering a contest for new town logo.  I will post both when delivered!  Here are the paintings I completed on my challenge:

"We are thrilled to inform you that your painting has been accepted into the Northwest Watercolor Society’s 80th Annual International Open Exhibition! Our first ever online International Open Exhibition has been extremely successful with 324 entrants submitting 674 total paintings, from 38 states and 12 countries. Juror Ron Stocke has selected your painting as one of 75 to be featured in this prestigious exhibition. Well done!"

Here is the painting that got accepted.  "Pearishable"  15 x 22 watercolor

I have so much fun painting with this style that I decided to do some of our friends for Christmas Gifts.  They don't check my website, so they are safe here!!!

I am currently enrolled in an 8 week online class, again with Laurie Goldstein Warren.   In this class we are learning to pour paintings, and more importantly how to market, promote, brand, get published and how to get into national and international shows.  The information is mind blowing and Laurie is just incredibly generous with all her information.  

I am struggling with the pouring process.  I've painted "realism" for 20 years now and these colors based on black and white values are just overwhelming for me.  I'm so anal retentive - all black and white - there is no grey in my world.  But with all this struggling comes great lessons and I'm all for that.  I will not give up, and with each try I get a little better.  Here is what I have painted so far - no keepers yet, and that's ok!

I just can't seem to stop painting using this process!  It's so much fun!!!!  Here are my latest paintings - these are all from the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade taken in DC several years ago.  

This was the best class I have taken in a long, long time!  I learned so much and just had a ball!  And now I can't seem to stop painting with this process!  Here are my latest endeavors!

What an ordeal this has been, hasn't it.  My biggest fear is that if it comes back again, are we going to go these extremes?  Small businesses are closing, many have lost their jobs, I feel for the parents of young children in school that have had to adjust their careers to homeschool their kids.  I fell for the people who have to work and put themselves at such a high risk.  I feel for the elderly, but then I always do.  So many takes on this thing, political and not so political.  Who do you believe??

I know one thing for sure, I've had a lot of time to paint!  I have been working on a dolphin series after buying this cute little guy.  The series is called "Fun with Flipper".  I think #3 is probably the best representation of this cute little guy.  Have until August 1st to come up with 3 good ones to submit for VA Watercolor Society Juried Show!