Mellanie Collins, Artist

The High Point of 2015: The Big 500 Show

This winter I was invited again to show my work in the the Big 500 show in Portland, Oregon put on by Peoples Art of Portland . It’s a yearly fundraising event benefiting the Oregon Food Bank. Each artist is provided with 8″x 8″ panels and creates art that sells for $40. A portion of the proceeds of art sales from this one show provides several shelters with food for a few months over the year.

I received my invite in mid-October and managed to create 9 paintings by the December 6 deadline for submitted artwork. I’ve never painted so quickly! I painted four more paintings than I did for the show last year.

Girl with Blue Headband 8" x 8" acrylic on board — Girl with Blue Headband
8″ x 8″
acrylic on board

The show ran from December 13 through January 11. Five of the paintings sold. One of the sold paintings is this portrait of a young woman wearing a blue headband. It was my favorite and I kind of hoped that I would get it back after the show, but I had the feeling that someone would snap it up.

I’ve been taking a break from painting this winter, but now that spring is almost here I’m getting my sketchbook out again. We’ll see what happens in the coming months.

So Many Days, So Many Dead Show

8″x 10″ acrylic on canvas by Mellanie Collins

8″X10″ acrylic on hardboard by Mellanie Collins

In September, I was invited to submit a few painting to the Fall opener at People’s Art Gallery. The October show is called “So Many Days, So Many Dead and its a mash-up of Halloween, Day of the Dead, and anything creepy, dead, or undead.

I was so excited when I received the invite, but then I saw the deadline. I had about 10 days to make a couple of paintings for the show. My first impulse was to give up and not do it. I’m a slow painter and the theme is not something I usually connect with. But then my instinct told me that I should stop being a coward and just try. It would nag at me if I let a chance to exhibit go just because I was lacking in confidence.

So I knuckled down and started to paint. I started with a classic Karloff type mad scientist and started having fun. Then I decided to try an undead woman. I didn’t want to do a zombie. I think they’re ugly and it would have been too much work. I just figured I’d make a sort of vampire woman. After agonizing over what to do, I kind of seized up again. I just didn’t know how to approach the painting. When I make my faces, I work so hard at making the eyes look alive. With this painting I had trouble figuring out how to make someone look undead, while still making a portrait that would make me happy. I struggled, swore, muttered to my muse and eventually I ended up with something I was pleased with.

So yay! I managed to get my paintings finished, framed (my husband made them up for me – sweet man!), and dropped off at the gallery with a day to spare.

The show will be over soon. It closes on Sunday, Nov 15. Now I’m working on paintings for another show in December. Yes, I’m doing the Big 500 again and I’m so excited!

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

2015 is Another Great Art Year

Ask me again, acrylic on board, 8X8″

Not hipster enough 8″ X 8″ acrylic on board

Why Am I Threatening? 8″ x 8″ acrylic on board

Don’t tase me bro, acrylic on board, 8X8″

Burroughs 8″ X 8″ acrylic on board

When I last posted, it was January and the Big 500 show had not ended. I was looking forward to a year of no goals or plans besides just continuing to try new things with painting.

Well, this year has been even better than last year! I sold every piece that I submitted to the Big 500 show, and in June I was invited to participate in a show called 88 Strong at The Goodfoot Pub & Lounge, featuring 88 artists and 88 themes. I made the five paintings above for the show.

I’m loving the challenge of quickly making paintings for shows, especially since I don’t really have a firm process. I learn with each painting and I’m loving it.

I haven’t been doing much drawing. I miss it sometimes, but I’m getting more satisfaction with painting right now. But I’m sure at some point I’ll return to my old drawing practice.

I’m currently in another show this month. But I’ll save that for another blog post.

Btw, stay turned for changes around here. Thanks for continuing to follow along this winding creative path.

Cheers!

I update a lot more regularly on my Facebook artist page. Check it out to see progress pics, show announcements and more!

Happy New Year! Welcoming 2015

Happy New Year! Looking back, 2014 was my best year ever in terms of art. My drawing seemed to take a leap. I got back into painting and figured out how to make portrait painting in acrylics an enjoyable experience. The year was topped off by my first art shows and my first art sale at a gallery! So far I know that the Tesla painting I did for the Big 500 sold. I know that because my mom bought it!

Here are all five paintings I did for the big show. My best paintings to date I think. When I took them to the gallery I was almost a little sad to part with them. But if they sell I will feel good and if they don’t I’ll be happy to get them back.

I have no plans or resolutions or programs for my art in 2015. I’m going to just go with the flow and work on just painting what I like. Last I had goals of drawing every day and filling up a certain amount of sketchbooks. I didn’t do any of it. I’ve striven and hectored myself long enough. Being critical with myself has only hampered me creatively.

This year has shown me that if I take it easy, have fun, and be interested in what I’m doing I will get wonderful results. So this year I’m taking the slacker road. I’m going to focus on the fun and challenge instead of trying to make my work better.

Do you have any goals for your art in 2015?

Another Show! Bill Murray-Themed Art Show at Good: a gallery

I’ll have a painting in the Bill Murray-themed show at Good: a gallery in Portland, Oregon. The opening is on Friday, December 5 from 7 pm to 10 pm. If you can’t make the opening, the show will run through Sunday, December 28.

Here’s my acrylic portrait for the show. There will be so many great pieces at this show. I’m looking forward to it. Here are the show details and the event page on Facebook.

Acrylic Painting: My Final Big 500 Painting

acrylic-portrait-painting-process-final-stage — Hidden Strength
8″ x 8″
acrylic on hardboard

I finished my last painting for the Big 500 art show opening on December 13 and running through January 11. This painting and all art in the showing is priced at $40! You just take it off the wall, pay, and take it with you. Great opportunity to get some special gifts, support local art and the Oregon Food Bank. Win -win-win!

So if you are in Portland, Oregon come on downtown and check out the show.

I’m posting more process photos and other things on my FB page. Check it out

Acrylic Painting: Wistful w/ Process Pics

acrylic portrait of young girl wearing a beret

Here’s one of the paintings I made for the Big 500 art show I mentioned last week. Thought I’d include a few process pics too.

I love looking at process images. I confess that I never read the descriptions of the process when artists include them. I just like to look at the pictures for inspiration and see just how much a painting can change from beginning to end. I enjoy seeing how painters (especially acrylic painters) handle the awkward phase of the painting, work through it and make it a success. I suppose I don’t read descriptions because when I’m painting I like to sort of my own problems. Part of what makes painting fun is working through some muddle I’ve gotten myself into.

When you look at artist’s Do you like to read about the process or do the photos stand alone?

A Few Big 500 Paintings

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been invited to be in The Big 500 show in December. The organizers have presented us with our wood panels last month and I’ve been painting furiously to have all of my five panels ready by the show deadline. I have four of my five paintings done, but I may fiddle with them a bit.

Each of my paintings will be will be scattered about among the other 5000 works that will be for sale there. No labels or any notation is used to identify the artists so each work will be sold on it’s own merit. This is an excellent first art show for me. It’s great to be included in such a great venue with so many fabulous artists!

Gearing up for Portland’s Big 500 Art Show

I’m thrilled to be invited to have my work in the Big 500 show in Portland, Oregon this year. This event is huge! There are over 500 artists showing over 5000 works. All the works are 8″ x 8″ and selling for $40! I went to the show last year and it was incredible. So much diversity, beauty, and expression. It’s a truly a celebration for the senses.

The show is a fundraising event benefiting the Oregon Food Bank. The food collected at the food drive at the opening and a portion of proceeds of art sales from this show alone provide several shelters with food for a few months over the year.

So if you live in Portland, Oregon or just visiting for the holidays, come by and check out the show. It runs from Saturday, December 12 through January 11. It’s a great way to pick up some extra special holiday gifts and help out a worthy charity.

So here are the details:

Art Opening
Big 500
Peoples Art of Portland
Opens Sat Dec 13th at 2pm – until 9pm
show runs threw Jan 11th
500+ Artists
5000+ Pieces of art
ALL ART IS $40
Cash / Credit and Carry

Bring a can of Food for Free entry . . Food Drive for Oregon Food Bank

Peoples Art of Portland Gallery
700 SW Fifth (3rd floor) People’s is Suite 4005
Pioneer Square Mall, downtown Portland
open Thurs-Sun 12-6pm
http://www.peoplesartofportland.com/
Peoples Art of Portland Gallery: For Artists. By Artists.

Mixed-Media Poe Painting

Poe-image — by Mellanie Collins
8″x10″
acrylic over paper on hardboard

Another acrylic painting! The Poe fest continues with this 8″x10″ painting. I took some pages from the poetry section of an old book of Edgar Allan Poe’s works and pasted them onto my hardboard and got right to painting. As I did with my Albert Einstein painting, I put down many thin layers to get a blended effect.

Here’s an image of the work in progress with my reference photos and preliminary painted sketch. I like how this painting turned out. I was going to put it up for sale, but I just can’t part with it. At least, not right now.

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I update a lot more regularly on my Facebook artist page. Check it out to see progress pics, show announcements and more!

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