Acrylic Art Materials

Using acrylic paints is similiar to using oil paints. Each has it own set of tools that are more appropriate for the material.

Since I have long switched over to using acrylic paints, I will share my own set up and the tools that are indispensable in my painting process. Maybe you use the same materials. Maybe you will be inspired to try something new.

I will show you with pictures and a video.

Golden Acrylic Mediums, love them! My favorites right now:
Fluid matte medium, acrylic glazing liquid, soft gel gloss.

Brush caddy on turntable holds all sizes of
brushes, and other stuff too, like scissors,
pencils, pieces of dried cholla cactus.
Brushes with soft synthetic bristles are best
for laying on the paint the way I like,
smooth. Flats are my fav.

A takeout lid sprayed with water and turned
upside down over my acrylic mixing palettes
keeps them from drying out until my next
painting session. They will keep like this
several days, spraying the lid everyday.

Styrofoam plates are my favorite paint palette,
mainly because I have a big stack of them.
Selected brushes, yogurt containers for water.

Paper towels, cotton rag, palette knife
Golden acrylic paints, and peeking out
from under the rag on the right is a
spray bottle full of water.

Painted glass bottle holds my brushes handy
at the easel. Small bottles of pre-mixed mediums
are easy to grab during the painting process.
Tip: paint the glass bottle on the outside
with acrylic paints.

Close up of acrylic paints, palette knife,
and folded paper towel.

What acrylic painter can do without a hair dryer?
Hurry, paint, dry!

Aluminum folding easel has a case for
mobility. It's super lightweight.

Until Next Week

• Create art
• Appreciate art
• Buy art

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

Sir Kitty

Making Big Art in Small Spaces

Reorganizing and cleaning my studio.
I think it needed it.

Do you have a small studio in which you are creating? Do you think you need a large space to create large paintings? Are you not creating because you are waiting for that large studio space? What size do you consider large?

I have been moving around since May 2012 and finally feel fairly settled in Sedona. I have been praying for a larger living space that would include a spacious, light-filled studio. Alas, after living in this small studio apartment for 1.5 years, I have no idea when that will happen. I have been making do.

It's actually not as hard as one might believe to create and paint in a small space. You just have to get creative and live the artist's life. What that means is surrendering to the fact that you will live, eat, and breathe your art. There is nowhere to put things away. It all has to stay out in open view. You have to live with the mess of your art supplies being seen in plain sight. This takes organization to the max and a new mindset.

Relocated my art supplies to a
shelving unit leaving my
tabletop free.

If your visitor's find this arrangement not so savory, they need not enter. Make no excuses. Your space is a sacred creative container. Anyone who does not understand this needs to stay away. Meet up with them in other places.

Inspired by last week's completed abstract expressionist painting, Transmutation, I undertook a reorganization of my studio. It's time to create!

My paintings and blank canvases are in storage about a half hour away from Sedona in Cottonwood, Arizona. The space is too crowded and too far away for me to get to my blank canvases easily. This had to change immediately, especially after my excitement of creating more large abstract paintings.

I spent the good share of Friday splitting my 10 x 10 foot storage unit into two 5 x 5 foot storage units. One of these units is now in Sedona. It contains my paintings for sale and my blank canvases. Phew! This feels fantastic.

Aha! Room for a blank canvas.

Saturday and Sunday I spent cleaning and reorganizing my space. My art studio area benefitted by a shelving unit that I brought out of storage. This allowed me to get art supplies off my table top. I have room for a 36 x 48 inch blank canvas! I'm so excited.

Relocating my studio spaces over the years has me comfortable in setting up my art studio anywhere. I also know that I love having my paints and other supplies in a shelving unit and close at hand.

Do you have your art space organization down to a science? Do you know how to arrange it so it makes creating art a breeze? Is your space large or small? How can you organize for either size? What size of art do you like to create? Can you accommodate that size no matter what size your studio or living space?

Talk to me about your thoughts and how you create in your studio space.

Until Next Week

• Create art
• Appreciate art
• Buy art

Mary Gravelle (Mary Rae Rush)

Sir Kitty

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

Studio Set Up on Vacation in Pinetop Arizona 2007

Temporary Painting Studio set up in Pinetop, Arizona.
Painting in process: A Commissioned painting for
Diamond's Gym in Silver City, New Mexico.
22 x 30 inches, Acrylic on Canvas.

I do love painting in a studio situation, whether in a permanent or temporary set up. Since moving to the southwest in 2006, it seems that most of my painting studio experiences have been in temporary spaces.

In November 2007, I wanted to see what Pinetop, Arizona had to offer. I had a commissioned painting to work on, so I took my paints and supplies and drove from Silver City, New Mexico where I lived at the time to the northern part of Arizona to settle in my beautiful vacation rental for a week. Pinetop, being in higher elevation is, as it name implies, a place to mingle among the pine trees. I have an affinity for pine trees so this was perfect for me.

I set up my studio in the kitchen so I could have access to water. To protect the surfaces, I covered the counter and floors with plastic and a drop cloth.

Temporary Painting Studio set up in Pinetop, Arizona.
Painting in process: A Commissioned painting for
Diamond's Gym in Silver City, New Mexico.
22 x 30 inches, Acrylic on Canvas.

I was painting a commissioned painting for the local gym I where I was working out. The owner gave me full leniency on what to paint. I really enjoyed painting in this location. It takes me no time at all to get set up.

Temporary Painting Studio set up in Pinetop, Arizona.
Painting in process: A Commissioned painting for
Diamond's Gym in Silver City, New Mexico.
22 x 30 inches, Acrylic on Canvas.

Would you like to commission me to do a painting for you? Contact me at mary@maryfineart.com to discuss the details. In the meantime, check out my websites to see paintings and prints that are for sale.

Original Paintings
Original Paintings and Prints

I would love to hear from you. Post a comment or question in the comments section below.

The finished painting. Helping me hold the painting in the gym it was painted for is my friend, Larry. This was my "black hair" period... lol... A Commissioned painting for Diamond's Gym in Silver City, New Mexico.
22 x 30 inches, Acrylic on Canvas.
Painted in a temporary Painting Studio set up in Pinetop, Arizona.

Until Next Week

Brianna Rush (Mary Gravelle)

• Create art
• Appreciate art
• Buy art

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.

The Completed Paintings in the Studio Views

Gold and Delicious, 54 inch triangle, Oil on Canvas.
Copyright Mary Gravelle.
Original painting is for sale.

As I was writing about my art studio setups over the past several weeks, I became aware that most of the photographs contained paintings-in-process. So, this week and perhaps over the next few weeks, I'll post the final paintings along with the studio set up.

Vernon, CT 2004

From my first post, Studio Setups Past and Present, the first studio set up I shared with you was from my basement in Connecticut in 2004. The final painting was from my triangle series, Seeking the Truth of the Triangle. This painting was a "female" triangle titled, Gold and Delicious.

Studio Set Up, 2004. Still Life.
Gold and Delicious painting-in-process.

Oracle, AZ 2006

Passage, 16 x 20 inches, Oil on Masonite.
Copyright Mary Gravelle.
Original painting is not for sale.

Studio set up at Rancho Linda Vista.
Oracle, AZ. "Passage"
painting-in-process.

In 2006, my first studio painting experience in the southwest was a two-week stay as artist-in-residence at Rancho Linda Vista Artists' Ranch in Oracle, Arizona. The painting to the left is the result of that visit. It turns out to be a transitional painting from abstract to the landscape. At the time I had never painted a landscape and had no interest in it. That was until I began a mutual love affair with the land of Oracle, Arizona.

Studio set up while painting
"Paradise".

Paradise, 36 x 48 inches,
Acrylic on Wood. Copyright Mary Gravelle.
Original painting is for sale.

Oracle, AZ 2007

After the landscape of Oracle, Arizona just absolutely wowed me, I had to paint it! The photo that was in the first blog post about my studio setup showed the eighth in a series of paintings of the southwestern landscape of Oracle, Arizona.

Collect My Art

If you want to buy a painting from me, contact me at mary@maryfineart.com to discuss the details. Thanks!

Until Next Week

Brianna Rush (Mary Rush Gravelle)

• Create art
• Appreciate art
• Buy art

Sir Kitty

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

Studio Setups Past and Present Part Three

2007. College Avenue Collection. Silver City, New Mexico.
Artist-in-residence painting toward a show.

Wow. In preparing to write about art studio setups, I took a major walk down memory lane. 

Since leaving the east coast in 2006 and moving to the southwest, I have painted in many different spaces from a "real" art studio on an artists' ranch to my own living spaces to friends' houses, to gallery spaces to house sitting gigs. Whew... it's been a trip to say the least.

Last week's blog post ended with two studio spaces in Silver City, New Mexico where I lived for six years. There, I painted in my own art studio and that of a friend I was house sitting for.

This week continues with more opportunities to see my studios of the past in 2007.

The first studio stop is a studio set up at a gallery location where I was artist-in-residence painting toward a show. Miriam Cwieka of College Avenue Collection took a liking to my work and went on to host two art shows for me at her gallery. And, that is where I'll leave you until next week.

Please leave a comment on anything in this article that may have inspired you.

This was her entryway which I made into my art studio.
Painting in process is Dawn's Light, 22 x 28 inches,
acrylic on canvas. It sold at one of those shows.
Prints are available. Now called, Dawn on Boston Hill.

This was her entryway which I made into my art studio.
Painting in process is Datura close up which I never finished.
30 x 60 inches, acrylic on canvas. 

This was her entryway which I made into my art studio.
Painting in process is Sweet Energy, 22 x 28 inches,
acrylic on canvas. It sold at one of those shows.
Original is available. Prints are also available.

Until Next Week

Brianna Rush (Mary Rush Gravelle)

Sir Kitty

• Create art
• Appreciate art
• Buy art

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

My Art Studio Set Ups Past and Present Part Two

My 1st Painting Studio in Silver City, NM.
The red toolbox belonged to my late brother.
It made a great place to store paints and brushes.

Wow. In preparing to write about art studio setups, I took a major walk down memory lane.Since leaving the east coast in 2006 and moving to the southwest, I have painted in many different spaces from a "real" art studio on an artists' ranch to my own living spaces to friends' houses, to gallery spaces to house sitting gigs. Whew... it's been a trip to say the least.

Last week's blog post ended with my studio spaces in Oracle, AZ. There, I painted at an artist's community during my first two weeks in the Southwest and in the middle of the desert while housesitting. This week, I'll share two different studio set ups in Silver City, New Mexico, where I lived for six years.

Silver City, New Mexico

My first studio in Silver City, NM was in my first apartment. What a perfect studio set up that was! It really was a beautiful apartment and studio set up for me. I painted the first six Oracle, Arizona southwestern landscape paintings there. The studio was attached to the apartment. All I had to do was walk through the door from within my living space. I miss that studio tremendously. See photo in the beginning of this article.

Wind Canyon

Wind Canyon, Silver City, New Mexico
Working on "Nature's Embrace"
22 x 28 inches, Acrylic on Canvas
Original painting is available as are prints at this link.

Wind Canyon, Silver City, New Mexico
Working on "Nature's Embrace"
22 x 28 inches, Acrylic on Canvas.
(see the completed painting top right of this photo)
Southwestern landscape painting.
Original painting is available
as are prints at this link.

Another house sitting gig for an artist friend and husband, found me setting up my studio in her studio space while she was gone. Their home was beautiful and located in the gorgeous Wind Canyon section of Silver City, New Mexico.

Wind Canyon, Silver City, New Mexico

The paint table, acrylic paints.

And, that is where I'll leave you for this week. Next week, more studio spaces in Silver City, New Mexico.

Until Next Week

Brianna Rush (Mary Rush Gravelle)

Sir Kitty

• Create art
• Appreciate art
• Buy art

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

Studio Set Ups Past and Present

Studio in my basement of the house in Vernon, Connecticut.

Wow. In preparing to write about art studio setups, I took a major walk down memory lane.

Since leaving the east coast in 2006 and moving to the southwest, I have painted in many different spaces from a "real" art studio on an artists' ranch to my own living spaces to friends' houses, to gallery spaces to house sitting gigs. Whew... it's been a trip to say the least.

East Coast–Connecticut

When I lived in Connecticut, I painted mostly in the wild woman fashion and taught that in my Wisdom Painting sessions. Those were held in Vernon, Greenwich, and Hartford.

I did, however, attend a local community college going for a fine art degree before I moved to the southwest. You can see a still life studio set up in the basement of my house above.

A medicine pouch I gathered along the way. I cannot remember
now where I got it. I most likely acquired the pieces while
driving cross country from Connecticut to Arizona. Now
that I see the word "Integration", it makes so much sense.
The first painting I worked on was called "Passage" and
integrated symbology and landscape. Little did I realize
at the time, I would begin painting the landscape.

Studio Set Up at Rancho Linda Vista Artist's Ranch, Oracle, Arizona.

Southwest

For the sake of this article, I want to focus on my painting studios while living in the southwest. My fine art painting really began in 2006 when I made that move and fully committed to my art.

Arizona

Studio at Rancho Linda Vista Artist's Ranch
Oracle, Arizona.

My first stop in the southwest was Arizona. In Arizona, I have painted in Oracle, Tucson, Cottonwood, and Sedona.

New Mexico

I moved to New Mexico after about four months in Arizona. When I lived in New Mexico, I painted in Silver City in many different locations.

And now, I'm back in Arizona, in Sedona.

Back at the Ranch

My first studio painting experience in the southwest was a two-week stay as artist-in-residence at Rancho Linda Vista Artists' Ranch in Oracle, Arizona. I was still painting in oil. I had a one person show at their gallery in 2007. What a great experience.

Studio set up at a house where I was housesitting.
Oracle, Arizona.

After leaving the ranch, I house sat for the summer in the middle of the desert in Oracle, Arizona. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I fell in love with the landscape there and began painting southwestern landscapes.

And... that is where I will leave you until next week.

And You?

What about you, if you are an artist, where have you painted? What's your favorite studio that you have painted in? Do you have a favorite way to set it up?

Until Next Week

Brianna Rush (Mary Rush Gravelle)

Sir Kitty

• Create art
• Appreciate art
• Buy art

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

My Home Art Studio

My Home Art Studio… July 2013… all organized and ready to go!
Tucson, Arizona. ©2013 Mary Rush Gravelle.

I recently organized a corner of a room in my home as my designated art studio. It is the room with the best light… not North, but the light is full-on my painting with no shadows until after 6pm.

My brother's tool box and a friend's hand-me-down shelving units help me get organized.

Ready to paint!

My late brother, Dave's tool box is now helping me keep organized
and bringing back cherished memories. He was a fabricator for
Nascar racer, Chad Little.  He painted cars and I paint pictures.
©2013 Mary Rush Gravelle.

My paint table right now as I paint my 2nd Phone Art to Canvas series
painting. ©2013 Mary Rush Gravelle.

My cat, Sir Kitty, keeping me company while I paint.
©2013 Mary Rush Gravelle.