Paintings, Workshops, Books, All Will Be Reduced For Holiday Shopping

My studio is filling up again, although I have had a great year for sales.  I am planning very  special offers for everyone on my mailing list. If you are interested in being included in this promotion, you must sign up for the mailing list. You will receive a free video of 60 years of my work and a monthly newsletter and the special sale. Only the people on the mailing list will be included. I promise not to fill up your inbox. My usual newsletter is one time a month.

There will be gift certificates for commissions, workshops and art; 30% discounts on existing paintings and free shipping the the States and Canada. Never have I offered this much. See the sign up on the right of this blog.

Check out my website: www.ezshwan.com and choose which painting you want for yourself or as a gift. A gift certificate can be sent to you if don't know someone's taste. Also I am offering 30% off my workshops.ezshwan.blogspot.com

Here is just a sampling of paintings that will be available. Something for everyone and don't forget I will include commissions in this sale, but you must sign up.

Sometimes It Is Really Difficult

Yesterday I began to think, "You can't paint anymore" I know that is negative self talk and serves no purpose. I had been working on a painting for many days and it seemed to be getting worse and worse. I painted over the first face. A day later I sanded down the face, each attempt at improving it was more depressing. Instead of following my own advice; "Put it out of sight and check it in a couple of days." I turned it facing the wall for a couple of hours and then couldn't leave it alone.

Today, I am feeling more positive and I believe I can finish it tomorrow.

What do you think?

Here is where I stopped today. The arm and background needs refining, but I am finally happy with the face.

First day. I liked the freedom of the brush strokes

Day 2. I thought I was refining

Looking back at this, it really wasn't that bad, but it had to be destroyed. I started to sand the surface.

This one was quite nice, but I was driven to get rid of it also.

I painted over the existing image and it really was terrible

Tried to improve it, but still it wasn't right

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

75 Paintings Made in 2015

 It's been a busy year. Even with suffering for 3 months with shingles, I managed to create a lot of work in 2015. Much of which is figurative., and one commissioned portrait. I thought the Women Who Changed the World series was finished, but I realized a couple of the images of the women I painted, were weak, and need to be destroyed and re-painted and I want to add one more woman.

I am happy with the 50 Faces, some of which I still have up in my home gallery. Sometimes, I look at them and wonder, "How did I do that?" I know that I get in a zone when I am working on a series and it is almost as if it becomes automatic painting.

Then there was The Messenger Series; Woman artists. All of these can be seen on my website, http://www.ezshwan.com

Now it is time to enjoy the holidays. I wish you all a happy and healthy season.

 Below is a link for a short article in an online event magazine for San Miguel.

http://loccal.org/articles/2015/december/ezshwan.php

Featured artist on Artsy Shark

I am pleased to have to have my work chosen to be the featured artist on the International Art Site, Arty Shark.
Here is the link to see the site. Please click on it to see the posting
http://www.artsyshark.com/2015/11/02/featured-artist-ezshwan-winding/

It is wonderful to be recognized .

Wow, Here is Progress

Last week's oil portrait

José Luis at work in my studio

Looks what he did in 3 classes - that is only 3 hours

I have a student that comes for a class ONE HOUR a week. He gets it! José Luis, has been painting abstracts for some time now. He has studied with a local artist and has created some interesting paintings with lots of texture; but José Luis wanted to learn how to draw and particularly figures and faces. He started coming to me in May. Just look what he has accomplished!

This and the one below are a couple of his first attempts of drawing faces.

An improvement

moving on to conté crayon

pencil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn't finished

This is one of paintings that challenged me. I walked away from it 2 days in a row. thinking "That's finished" only to walk into the studio yesterday and thought, "No, it is not" Probably wasn't a good idea to work when there is still a lot of pain. I wanted to work to take my mind away from this body.

Taking a Break From Our Studios

new encaustic work by Cynthia Hamilton

The art reception, and open studios, Sunday was fun for us. In spite of roads being blocked by Indignious dancers and some people not being able to get here in the usual 15 minutes, - (rather an hour and a half ) we had a constant flow of guests who came to enjoy the art, eat Cynthia's delicious food, (lettuce wraps and pasta salad) drink wine and talk about the portraits and Cynthia's encaustic process. The rain held off until 4 pm.

It took a lot of time and energy to prepare for the show and we are taking a break to go to Mexico City to refresh and inspire our creative spirits.

I only got a couple of photos when the first guests arrived.

Our first guests,(a coup;e of faces are missing, because they were purchased)

Marsha with her portrait.

Cold Wax and Oil

I made 6 more portraits, but not for the show. They are cold wax and oil. A very different process. I hadn't worked in cold wax for ages and I had to re-think the process. I haven't seen many (or any) portraits done in cold wax and oil, just abstracts.
If you know of any artists working figuratively in this medium, please let me know.

The rest of this day, I will be working in the studio, cleaning and arranging for the show on Sunday. NO painting. I need a break.

Both Cynthia (Hamilton) and I will have our studios open Sunday and there will be a variety of work, sizes, techniques and prices along with champagne and pop corn