Fresh off the Easel

It's a Beautiful Day to Sit Outside
Acrylic on Wood, 12 x 12 inches
Copyright 2015 Mary Gravelle

I just finished my newest painting, It's a Beautiful Day to Sit Outside, Acrylic on Wood, 12 x 12 inches.

Last week the Sedona Plein Air Festival inspired me to paint this scene. I have been enjoying looking at it outside my window and wanting to paint it all summer.

I have been wanting to paint it all summer!

After coming home last week after the Plein Air Festival event at L'Auberge, I could not contain my aspiration any longer. I looked out my window while painting. So, it's a painting from life, not a photograph.

Visiting from Florida, Flat Stanley, became my painting student and assistant. I think he might have been a partial muse and influenced this painting somewhat. What do you think?

Flat Stanley with our finished painting.

It's been fun hanging with Flat Stanley, who arrived last week. He is a school project from my niece's son, Aidan. They are learning about reading and writing. Flat Stanley will travel the country visiting different friends and relatives. I was the first stop, being in Sedona, Arizona. You can find out more about the Flat Stanley Project for Literacy on their website. Or go to the main website.

Below are some process photos of this painting. Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Flat Stanley and I prepare for painting. 

Flat Stanley makes his first painting gestures.

The underpainting is finished.

The painting is coming together. Flat Stanley is super excited!

Until Next Week

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The handsome, Sir Kitty. Meow.

Mary Rae Rush with one of her large abstract paintings.

About the author: Mary Rae Rush (Mary Gravelle) is an artist and writer who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved assistant, Sir Kitty.

Her art can be viewed on her website.

Art for the Office

Desert Arteries, 24 x 48 x 3 inches, Acrylic on Wood.
Copyright 2006 Mary Gravelle. In private collection, Tucson, Arizona USA.

I recently sold one of my southwestern landscape paintings to be hung in a new office space in Tucson, Arizona. Desert Arteries is 24 x 48 x 3 inches and an acrylic landscaping painting on wood. It's a handsome piece, or perhaps, pretty, since it's pink.

There is a possibility that more of my southwestern paintings will be purchased for the same office. The person who bought this painting is a friend. Not only does she love my paintings, but also wants them to be seen by the international audience that will be coming through the office space. It's always nice to have a champion of my art go to bat for me.

Original paintings lend themselves to commercial spaces such as offices, lobbies, or healing centers as well as personal home spaces. The energy that emanates from the original paintings enhance and uplift the ambience of any space.

"Original works of art have certain energies about them that reproductions and mass-produced decorative items simply don't have. You know just by looking at it that another human being made it, and not a machine." – http://www.artbusiness.com/whatgood.html

Follow the link from the above quote to find many more reasons for owning art, especially in the workplace.

What are your observations about original paintings hanging in office spaces? Does it detract or attract your attention and interest in that office? How does it affect your time spent there?

To see more of my southwestern landscape paintings, go to my website.

Until Next Week

• Create art
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Mary Gravelle (Braylee Rush)

The handsome, Sir Kitty. Meow.

About the author: Braylee Rush (Mary Gravelle) is an artist and writer who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved assistant, Sir Kitty.

Two Paintings Now Showing at Yavapai College Sedona Center

Keep It Light, Acrylic on Canvas, 24 x 30 x 1.5 inches, painting continues around edges.
Southwestern acrylic landscape painting of Silver City, New Mexico.
Copyright 2008 Mary Gravelle.

Two paintings are now showing at the Small Business Development Center office at Yavapai College Sedona Center.

I hope to hang a couple more. In the meantime, these two are showing: Keep It Light and Paradise; both are southwestern landscape scenes, one from Silver City, New Mexico, the other from Oracle, Arizona.

Yavapai College Sedona Center, 4215 Arts Village Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336, (928) 649-4266. Find them on Facebook.

Painting purchase inquires, please email Mary@MaryFineArt.com. Find Mary's Fine Art on Facebook or on my website.

Keep It Light, Acrylic on Wood, 36 x 48 x 3 inches
Painting continues around edges. Copyright 2007 Mary Gravelle.
Southwestern acrylic landscape painting of Oracle, Arizona

Until Next Week

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Mary Gravelle (Brianna Rush)

The handsome, Sir Kitty. Meow.

About the author: Brianna Rush (Mary Gravelle) is an artist and writer who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved assistant, Sir Kitty.

New Work in Process – Acrylic Landscape Painting

Work in Process, Stage 3
Cathedral Rock Viewed from Bell Rock with Century Plant.
12 x 12 inches, Acrylic on Wood.
Copyright 2015 Mary Gravelle. All Rights Reserved.

I hiked up to Bell Rock last week with paints and a piece of wood. I scouted the best spot to sit with a view that intrigued me.

A towering budding century plant enchanted me as I caught a glimpse of Cathedral Rock in the distance providing me with enough inspiration to begin.

Still a work in process, yesterday, it began its communication by redirecting my paint brushes and colors in a slightly new direction. I wonder where it will end up? Stay tuned.

Work in Process, Stage 2.
Cathedral Rock Viewed from
Bell Rock with Century Plant.
12 x 12 inches, Acrylic on Wood.
Copyright 2015 Mary Gravelle.
All Rights Reserved.

Work in Process, Stage 1

Cathedral Rock Viewed from

Bell Rock with Century Plant.

12 x 12 inches, Acrylic on Wood.

Copyright 2015 Mary Gravelle.

All Rights Reserved.

I Have a Dream and Need Your Support

https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/b/49929

I have a dream for my art, publishing a book, and creating a new art hikes business. I could really use your support.

https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/b/49929

I need 250 votes by June 19. I have applied for a small business grant through Chase Bank. In order to move to the next step in this process, all applicants are required to attain 250 votes. If I don't get those votes, my application and all the work I did on it will be tossed out.

https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/b/49929

Please, if you could take about 30 seconds to vote that would be awesome. You will need to be logged into Facebook. They are not saving, sharing, using your information in any way except for vote collection purposes. I won't even know if you voted unless you tell me.

https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/b/49929

Come on, please, help support an artist with a dream. I would support yours in a heartbeat. I'm not asking for money, only a simple click and vote. Thank you in advance.

Watch this short video (1:40) for more information and a bit of inspiration while you are viewing.

Until Next Week

• Create art
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Mary Gravelle (Brianna Rush)

The handsome, Sir Kitty. Meow.

About the author: Brianna Rush (Mary Gravelle) is an artist and writer who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved assistant, Sir Kitty.

Works in Process

2 Works-in-Process

These two paintings are still in process. It seems like it is taking me forever to finish either one.

The one in the back (upper portion of the photograph) is a 36 x 36 inch painting, working with acrylic paints on canvas. I would like to use it as a book cover for my upcoming book.

The one in the foreground is an experimental landscape 12 x 12 inch painting. It is acrylic on wood. I built up texture with spackle and gel medium. As I painted it, a southwestern landscape evolved. I added a thick layer of gel gloss medium mixed with paint on top of it. I didn't really like that experimental layer as it covered over the paint strokes I had so deliciously spent time on. I have added gold metallic and violet interference paint which I will sand off in my next session.

I'll keep you posted either in process or when I complete them.

Until Next Week

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Mary Gravelle
(Brianna Rush)

Sir Kitty

About the author: Brianna Rush (Mary Gravelle) is an artist and writer who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved cat, Sir Kitty.

New Work in Process See its Beginning Stage

I finally laid some paint down on one of the three pieces of wood I have been lovingly preparing.

Yesterday, I worked with two layers. I was not sure how the texture I applied underneath would work out. It's looking like a landscape painting at this point. We'll see what happens as it progresses.

I really love the process of experimenting with process. The experiment on this painting is laying down the texture in the foundational stages.

The texture experiment was combining spackling (the stuff used to fill nail holes on the wall) with gel medium. I wondered if it would be like light molding paste. I think it has very similar texture. It is less absorbent. I painted gesso over it so the absorbency left somewhat, which I like.

The process part is putting paint on and then taking some of it off and repeating the process. It gives the painting a sort of worn feeling producing less predictable outcomes. I like that process and also love the results.

What do you think so far?

Until Next Week

• Create art
• Appreciate art
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Mary Gravelle
(Brianna Rush)

Sir Kitty

About the author: Brianna Rush (Mary Gravelle) is an artist and writer who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved cat, Sir Kitty.