Renee's Artistic Journey

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

My first show in the US. Consider yourself invited!

I haven't had much time for painting lately, but the year is flying by and with it my goal to have a show within a year of moving back to the states. So, here I go.... June 3 at my house. Sure I wish that it were at a gallery, but it's a start and for now that's all I need.

Lots to do in the next 2 weeks, but I know I will manage to get it done. Once the invites have gone out, there's not turning back!

If you don't receive an official invite it's because you live too far away or I don't have your e-mail address. If you'd like to come, consider yourself invited!

Visit Event Website or RSVP

Monday, February 21, 2011

Chamard Wines

Although I still have many unfinished wine paintings to complete here are two that are done. I love painting wine, but sometimes I miss the quicker gratification of painting abstracts. These are both Connecticut wines from Chamard Vineyards.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Finish - Tall Merlot

Finally I finished the tall Merlot painting that I started a while back.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Time Out Kids Magazine - Dubai

I was looking to see if any of my painting images were showing up on a search on Google images and I found the article written about me for TimeOut Kids Dubai. I had completely forgotten about that. I thought I'd share...

http://www.timeoutdubai.com/print/features/13059-portrait-of-a-lady

Renee Hartshorn paints a pretty picture of life in Dubai...

Have you always painted?
I have, ever since I was a kid. I had a pony growing up and I used to draw and paint horses all the time and I did an undergraduate degree in art education. But then I was holding down a full-time job and raising kids – pretty time-consuming as you can imagine – so there was a period of about 15 years when I didn’t paint at all.
How did you get back into it?
We had a house in Connecticut with big wall space and art was expensive! Plus the girls were older, so I started again. Here, I paint a lot – almost every day.

Does it keep you sane?
Yeah, it makes the day better if I’ve painted. I went from a very busy lifestyle in the US – I was working full-time, finishing up an MBA, looking after the girls and my husband was working here in Dubai. To go from that to doing nothing was tough. I needed to have something to do. It’s funny, I thought I’d never get used to not working but now I’d love to open a gallery or a place like the JamJar when we move home. That’s the great thing about Dubai – it’s the kind of place that gives you the opportunity to try something new.
Do you find Dubai inspiring?
I do. I love painting mosques and figures, and the colours of the desert – the browns, oranges and yellows – inspire me too. I recently held a show and it was the paintings with an Arabic theme that sold. I think a lot of people felt my pictures reflected their experience here.
Is it east to be an artist in Dubai?
I did a painting course and a pottery course at the Dubai International Arts Centre (DIAC) when we first moved here. They were great and got me back into art again. I used to live near New York City and I think I would’ve found the art scene there extremely intimidating, but here it’s much more open. Supply-wise, I can get most things – Emirates Trading near the American Hospital is a great store – although the brand of paint that I like working with isn’t sold here so I have to bring that in myself.
Do your girls like your work?
Yeah, they think it’s cool. My youngest, Elle, is particularly keen. She loves artsy stuff and she has her heart set on becoming a photographer. I also invite the neighbourhood kids in to paint – not all of them! – but small groups of kids who are roughly the same age. They have a blast.
What’s next?
I haven’t painted the Burj al Arab, even though I can see it from my window. I’ve really got to do that…
Check out Renee’s paintings on her website www.rlhpainter.com or contact her on renee@rlhpainter.com.
By Time Out Dubai Kids staff
Time Out Dubai, 31 January 2010

Sunday, November 07, 2010

The touch

As an artist when I visit a gallery or museum I want to touch a work of art. I want to feel the brush strokes. I want to feel a Van Gogh some day. There are different kinds of paint and different kinds of strokes, like different kinds of snow, or now, after having lived in the desert, there are different kinds of sand. You feel it and know, oh, its that kind of sand. Paintings are like that too. You can feel the difference between oil or acrylic or full body or fluid. That touch breaths life into the painting.

But as my girls will tell you, I won't let them ever touch a painting or scuplture. Not mine of course, those they can touch all they want. Someone else's work of art has to be respected and preserved. I hope that my grandkids and their kids one day touch my paintings and feel my presence in those brush strokes.

Friday, November 05, 2010

Progress...

The birds are still progressing along, but this one is my favorite.

This morning I did one coat for the background on the wine painting too. Hopefully I will find more time to paint later this afternoon. Now I have to do some laundry, vacuum and get the old skis out for the ski swap tonight!

Birds

A bird ran into my studio/office window the other day... gave me the idea to do some birds. Picasso's dove popped into my head, a great image of peace, then living in the Middle East, etc. My head runs from idea to idea connecting them all together like a long paper chain. Here are some doves and an owl (which I had to throw in because we have some in the reservoir behind our house) in progress. I guess they are kinda hard to see. I'll do individual pics once I am finished.

Monday, November 01, 2010

Commissioned family portrait

This is for a friend in Dubai for her grandmother in Texas. Interesting to work in Connecticut for a person who lives in Dubai and wants the piece sent to Texas, very cool! Portraits are not really my thing, but I'm still proud of the output.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Horses!

I completed a few horses in red and gold. They turned out well. Next time I need to deviate from my usual palate.

Now looking for more inspiration from the woods and wildlife around our house.

Friday, October 01, 2010

New Subject Matter

Dubai had ready made subject matter at hand... mosques, wind towers, etc. Often people buy art to commemorate an experience they've had or cherish something they love. What do I paint in Connecticut? Big green trees and rocks, oh lots of rocks.... I've decided on horses for now. I started 4 new paintings today. They'll be abstract horse in different colors.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Changing times, changing site, selling art

As time passes so does our approach to whatever we do, hopefully anyway, I sure don't want to be stuck in the past. This blog was my original website, alas I created a new website and this will become a blog about creating my art vs showcasing it.

After recently moving back to the US from living in Dubai, I am at a cross roads, what to do with my life... something tougher to ponder beyond what to make for dinner. I love creating art, but is there a strong enough market for it here in Connecticut. Maybe yes, maybe no, but it would mean I have to come busting out of my shelf and sell my work. Selling your own art isn't like selling a product on a shelf. It's selling a piece of you, which is waaaayyyy harder to do. My inner insecurities always creep to the surface when I think about walking into a gallery with my portfolio. Art lies in the eye of the beholder. I've sold pieces that I've loved and pieces that I thought were crap, because everyone has different taste.

I've already e-mailed/called 3 places about showing my work. Every week I will call or visit more. It will come in time. Here's to today and moving forward!