Welcome

This is an ever-expanding portfolio of my abstract art murals and paintings. Click on the photos for a larger view and to zoom in. Contact me if you would like a free estimate or to discuss an abstract art mural project you have in mind for your home or business. Feel free to leave your comments, and thank you for looking. All my artwork is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Mary Ellen

Mare_E_L_N@yahoo.com


Monday, October 25, 2010

Abstract Art Bookmarks Now For Sale - just $5 each

NOW you can purchase my colorful abstract art, in bookmark form. The real deal! - art I paint with a brush on heavy duty canvas - not printed reproductions. These bookmarks measure 2" x 5.5" (same size as a Ticketmaster concert ticket), plus satin ribbon (red, orange, aqua, or purple) through a metal grommet. Each one is unique, yet they are all 'cut from the same cloth' (the same painting). 

A brilliant gift. High quality, original art for about the price of a Hallmark card! 

Tie one on a package, in lieu of a bow. Around the neck of a wine bottle. Pairs well with book gifts. Makes a unique yet inexpensive stocking stuffer, hostess gift, book club gift. They fit in a standard size envelope so easy to include with your holiday cards or business correspondence. 

Limited availability, so buy yours today. 

$5.00 each (plus .50 shipping, within the US)
'Cool' daytime lighting. Click on the picture for close-up detail.

'Warm' night time lighting. Click on the picture for close-up detail.


Email me Mare_E_L_N@yahoo.com with any questions, if you want to order, or if you want to be notified of future bookmark collections' availability by email. 

Friday, October 15, 2010

Deconstructing a Mural

I'm about to blog my next artful endeavor. I came home yesterday with a huge roll of canvas, like a rifle,  propped on my shoulder. As of right now, it's 60 inches by 216 inches. 

Monday, October 11, 2010

Slideshow of Audience Mural at Wonder Works, Oak Park, IL - completed mural

Here's a 2 min, 30 sec (on medium speed) slideshow of the completed mural. Thank you to those who came out to Wonder Works yesterday for the Unveiling. I especially enjoyed the Q&A. 


A museum patron checking out how the mural feels.
See his mom's legs in the mirror - she's running
to tell him "don't touch" but it's ok by me!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Eight Color Entryway - Part 2, One Side of Vestibule - Finished


Plotting out the big shapes.
One coat of paint.  
Color swatches taped up for reference. 
1917 electric switches.
Yay! Two coats! Finis!
Notice my handy dandy mail slot. 
(I have heard of people who have to bike to retrieve their mail.)
(Today's mail.)

My Levi's jean jacket I've been wearing since high school.
Chair I picked up at an antiques shop in Oklahoma,  and painted, ages ago.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Eight Color Entryway - Part 1 -Taking Shape & Applying Color

I begin again by taping off areas - like you might put tape on the floor of an empty kitchen to indicate where the main things (like the cabinetry or the island) will go. Then I draw with pencil within my blue tape boundaries. It's easy to stand back to see the big picture in bold blue tape, but not so easy to stand back and see faint gray pencil lines. So here I go, using the 'oval within rectangle' shape that I used in the Audience Mural.
Here you see one coat of of each, rust color on the left, curry color on the right. The paint is still wet, folks. 
Now adding one coat of plum color to the left, a brown color on the right. 
Here is half of the vestibule painted with one coat of the rust, plum, curry and brown. I almost hesitate to show photos at this point because I admit these colors look pretty 'nasty' with just one coat (as do most deep-hued colors - particularly those with a lot of yellow pigment. Yellow tubes of artist paint are half the price of reds!). I keep color swatches of the 'true colors' nearby to reassure myself - as I would a client looking over my shoulder with raised eyebrows - that the final colors will be gorgeous. 


I'll show you the other half of the entryway vestibule tomorrow. The pink, red, green, blue side.



Sunday, October 3, 2010

Eight Color Entryway - The 'Before'


Excited about this project because it is an entryway, where first impressions are made- which hopefully will be 'Wow!' in a good way. 


It shouldn't take me long - not a lot of detail to the design which is a graphic pattern. (I am using one of the Audience Mural seatbacks/shirts as my inspiration.) The trickiest part will be not getting paint on the beautiful wood molding! I don't 'tape off' with Blue Painter's Tape because there is always bleeding. I just switch to a small brush and carefully draw along the edge. I know I'll need to do 2-3 coats per color because of how deep they are. I am only painting the four lower sections, which are each roughly the size of a door. The upper wall will be a shade of white to reflect light into the space. 


The eight colors, left to right, top to bottom, are  shades of: 


blue, orange, pink
green, purple, brown
red, yellow


There is a Part 2 to this project. The entryway (beyond this vestibule) where there are two walls flanking a coat closet. Stay tuned.