More About Textures, Art Friends and Sharing

Yesterday I was so excited, encouraged, and greatly inspired by every one's comments and suggestions about textures in paintings. Thank you all so much for coming here to talk about art with me each day.

Additionally, when I was making my "blog" rounds yesterday I was shocked to see two paintings featured which were so different, but so similar in textures. I love both of these paintings so very much and want to share them with you. The other exciting thing is they each have a very exciting story to go along with them. So go ahead, grab a cup of tea or a mug of coffee and sit back with I tell you about them.

First, many of you probably know San Meredith who writes the blog, A Life With a View. Yesterday San wrote about some women who were trying to renovate their homes after the hurricane, Katrina, wrecked havoc on their city of New Orleans. San tells of selling paintings, then being asked to donate a painting to help raise funds to build a school in Guatemala. San tells a warm and beautiful story on her blog, so please go there now and read what she has to say. Go ahead and then come back...

While you are there, take a very close look at the painting, Blossom, San did for the school fund raiser. Look at the beautiful texture and the lovely colors. Although the collage part appears Asian, to me, the texture is cross-cultural and speaks of the adobe textures of San's Sante Fe, New Mexico, USA. I find this heavy, architectural texture so very appealing and in San's painting the tension is just perfect with the application of the Blossom print. How do you like it?

But this is really just the ending of my story. Yes, I am telling you about it backwards (did you expect any less?). I have been watching, closely, my friend Fiona Long's blog. You see, Fiona, who lives in London, UK is interested in textures, too, and urban art. As an art student, she has many people always judging her work. Last week she was chosen, as one of fifty, to show her painting, The Wall, at the very prestigious Royal College of Art in the State of the Art Competition to benefit the Prince's Trust. The exhibit was on Monday, March 17, 2008 and was touted as a great success. Here is Fiona's painting, The Wall:

But this is what I want you to see. I want you to consider how these two very fabulous artists on different continents, stimulated by very different surroundings have used a similar texture in very different ways to great success.

Here is the very beautiful Fiona with her very beautiful painting.

I think both of these artists are incredible painters. They are beautiful people and have shared a lot on this blog, so I know they share a lot in their lives beyond here. I encourage you to read and comment on their blogs (and on this blog). Congratulations to you both for work very well done. It is an honor to know you both.

So do you find this kind of texture interesting? Would you have an interest in trying it?


Please note: You may wonder why I featured photographs here of Fiona's work and not San's. I do not take images from anyone else without their agreement. At the moment I know San is very busy, but I wanted to get this information out to you. Fiona offered the photos, so I chose to use them. The important things are you get the information and I have not used copyrighted images without permission.