Marsha Clements

I’m always having people ask me about teaching painting classes and I just hate to be tied down. But I’m going to let it happen. I know I’m a great teacher–Heck–I’ve been an educator for over 35 years! And I have taught art in the past. I want to have very small classes–any level from beginner to advanced. We will learn about painting techniques and the elements of art that make a good painting. I want to keep the class size at 4 or less because there is limited space in the studio. I will teach an evening class on Tuesday from 6:00-8:30 and on Wednesday afternoon from 2:30-5:00. These classes will start in September. If you are interested in being involved, give me a call (806 676-1733) or send an email (marsha@marshaclements.com) and I’ll send you a supply list, etc. You can paint in oil or acrylic, but I’ll tell you in advance that I prefer oils. I’m not a watercolor painter at all and I’m not trained in pastels, so we won’t be using those mediums.

This weekend is August Lites for 2010 and the artists at Sunset Center are gearing up for a big weekend. Lots of things are going on. At Sentosa–#102 in the East Wing of the Galleries at Sunset–I’ve been busy painting some small studies, some new windows and a pair of pink flamingos. The vintage windows have really been good sellers. They can be garden art or you can use them for shabby chic art in your house. I have a pair of sunflowers, a red poppy, a pink hibiscus, red and pink hollyhocks, and a rooster. They are fabulous!

This year our theme is “Birds” so I’ve got lots of roosters, a hen and chicks, a beautiful raku vase with a bird and I’m painting a window with a tree and birds in the tree! Several artists have painted and decorated flamingos–and there will be a special drawing for visitors that find all of the flamingos.

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, artists will get together in the garden to paint plein aire for a couple of hours and then their paintings will be sold at auction following the paint out. I haven’t decided if I’m painting–I’m pretty much a “fair weather plein aire painter”. I love to paint outdoors when the weather is perfect–not too hot or too cold, not too windy, no bugs, shade is always nice–I’m fair skinned and don’t need to sunburn (don’t want any new wrinkles or skin cancer)–so who knows if I’ll be outside painting. But I will be in the gallery painting. I’ve also been making pottery–vases, bowls, trays, garden bells, wind chimes, and a beautiful fountain! I’m having the best time and it really is turning out beautiful. Can’t wait to open the kiln tomorrow! I’ll take some pictures and post them tomorrow. It’s going to be a great time–August 14, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday, August 15, 1-5. You don’t want to miss August Lites–it’s for the “Birds!”

I recently got a call from a young couple that are expecting their first baby–a baby girl named Autumn will arrive in August and they couldn’t be more excited. The dad called to see if I could paint a tree on the nursery wall. It was exciting to meet with these two young people that are so excited to be starting the next phase of their lives. They wanted a tree, with their initials and a heart carved in the trunk, a crabapple or cherry blossom tree in spring with lady bugs and dragonflies and sunflowers to match their linens. The first flowers he had ever given her were sunflowers. It was really so sweet, especially that the dad was so involved in the process of decorating this nursery. I loved doing this for them. I personalized the tree with a fairy door with Autumn’s name and address over the door. The heart was carved into the trunk. Ladybugs are everywhere in the garden. Here are some pictures–but they really don’t do the room justice–it is precious–and I had a blast painting it!

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There’s nothing quite like watching a storm come over a mountain. You can smell the rain, then you begin to hear the rain and the leaves rustle on the mountain, and then you see the rain falling ahead of you, but coming your way. In northern New Mexico, showers come in over the mountains almost every afternoon in the late summer and early fall. This is the Taos Mountain and a shower is on its way in, but is not here yet. In fact, the sun is still shining on the chamisa and the mountain as the storm builds on both sides.

Spring is finally here–I think! It seems that we had the April showers last week, and now the winds are in full blast. I sat at two softball games this week, freezing to death in a strong north wind! You would have thought that a major snow storm would have followed it in. It has now settled to a brisk breeze, but I don’t think I’ve really warmed up yet! I am warming up to some garden art though. I haven’t quite got ready to plant flowers outside–I think we could still get a freeze, maybe a snow! but it’s not too early to plant art in the garden to brighten any spot.

This is a picture of one of the rooster windows that features a black copper maran cock.

I’ve also been painting old wooden windows with flowers and roosters to hang indoors or out. The shabby chic windows are beautiful hanging on your wooden fence or brick garden wall. They are a great way to brighten your garden while waiting for those annuals to fill the garden with beautiful blooms. So far I’ve painted a rooster, poppies, hollyhocks, and sunflowers. These paintings and bells are available in my gallery–Sentosa–#102 in East Wing of the Galleries at Sunset (3701 Plains Blvd, Amarillo, TX). I’m there most days, but you can call 806 676-1733 just to be sure–sometimes I am out working on a project or painting outdoors or at a ballgame–our grand-daughter Bailey’s softball team is in the playoffs. All of the galleries will be open Friday, May 7th for the First Friday Art Walk from 5-9 pm.

Studio Sentosa is really something to crow about. I don’t know when I’ve been so excited. Even though I’ve shared a studio/gallery with two artists at Sunset Center for about 3 years, I am so excited to have Studio Sentosa at #102 on the east wing of The Galleries at Sunset. I recently painted a series of roosters and chickens. I started with the big fiberglass rooster I saw at a flea market in Sedona. My friends thought I was crazy for painting it, but it was just for fun–and for the memories. As a child growing up in Amarillo, Myer’s Fried Chicken was a favorite restaurant for our family. When they moved to the big restaurant on Georgia, they had a rooster almost like this one–I took a little artistic license and this rooster is really crowing! As we drove into that flea market, I could smell the chicken, taste that yellow gravy they served, and remembered the flags we rose when we needed a refill from the waitress. It was a treat for us to go out to eat after church–I’m not sure our grandchildren see going out to eat as such a special occasion, but it was for us and this special rooster reminded me of those special family times.

I painted several vintage windows with roosters and chickens, and they had all been good sellers, so I decided to paint some canvases. My favorite might be this big black hen with her little black chicks, her big brown eggs waiting to hatch and the little yellow chicks and one brown one that she seems to be in charge of while their mothers are out in the yard scratching around.

The others are smaller paintings of Black Copper Maran roosters. One is perched on an old abandoned watering can and the other ran out in front of me on a trip to the Bahamas a few years ago. I was so amazed at all the chickens and roosters that ran wild all over the islands. I especially love the colors of these roosters–their black tails with the turquoise highlights contrasting the golden heads and saddles and red combs. I had a great time playing with those colors as I painted all the chickens and roosters. It just makes you want to move to the country and build a hen house! This series is really “Something to Crow About”.

Yesterday somebody said I was as excited about my new studio as a 3 year old seeing Santa at Christmas! And they are right. I don’t know when I’ve been so excited about something! Maybe when the grandbabies were born! But I’m pretty sure I won’t be getting any new grandbabies until the great-grandbabies start coming and that should be several years, so I guess the studio will have to do!

It is just wonderful–I love it! My husband, Gail found some young men to help move in the heavy stuff and with the help of Kenneth, I got the paintings all hung in time for 1st Friday Art Walk in March. I got the outside mall wall painted yesterday. When the signs are ready and lights all hung, it will just be perfect–but it’s pretty close right now!

I am just so excited about the things that are happening in my life as an artist. I am getting a new studio/gallery. For the last few years, I have shared a studio with two painting friends and I’m not moving because I’m mad or crazy, but I just want more space and i want the space to be all mine. I don’t really think I’m being selfish, I think they are as excited about me leaving as I am about me leaving. They are making our old space theirs.

A special artist friend, Barbara Weaving Lines, is moving from Amarillo to St. Helens, Oregon. I will really miss her when she’s gone. She’s got a great sense of humor and is so much fun to talk to. she was a teacher too, and we have a lot in common. But she has been a professional artist for many years, and now I am moving into her studio and taking on that role myself.

I hope Barbara will channel her energy and knowledge of art business to me. Even though I have every reason to worry a little about this huge leap of faith that I’m taking, I’m not even worried. My horoscope keeps saying that this is my year to do something with my career and my life–so I am! And I really have faith that it is going to work out! I am becoming a professional artist. I’m really taking this seriously. No longer is my art just a hobby that I do to keep myself busy–I’ve never needed something to keep me busy. My art has always been a serious endeavor, but now–I’m really getting serious–even have a business plan!

I will have so much more room, more room to show my work, more room to work, room to think, more room to store my important art stuff! I will have room to have all of my stuff at the studio where it needs to be. I will have a space for a small office with my art books, my computer, my stuff for selling online and shipping, putting my compositions together, and working on grants for the Amarillo Art Institute and Mission: Freedom’s Children. I am helping the founder put her foundation together. They will fund education and work to meet the needs of families and children of veterans as they return from Iraq and Afghanistan. This new studio will have plenty of workroom and room to be truly organized. As soon as I get moved in, I will post pictures and have a party–a grand opening with all of my new paintings.

I have been painting a series of roosters and chickens. I just finished a huge, bigger than life rooster strutting across a barnyard. Another painting is a black hen with her small gray chicks nestled around her with eggs peeking out from under her wings. Another group of little yellow chicks are around a small feeder. I have a few more small rooster paintings and a couple of windows with chickens and roosters.

sunsets are another series that I will hang. I have a trityptch that is a sky going from hot tumultuous clouds to a peaceful blue, clear sky with a few puffy cotton clouds. I have several landscapes that I have worked on this year and finished in the last few months. Finally I have a group of paintings with children. Some of my grandchildren and some of the children of friends. I want to promote my “genre” paintings of children that show the wonder of the moment–a slice of life in the day of a child or children. For years, children have been one of my favorite subjects and are found in many of my favorite paintings.

#102, studio sentosa is the name of my studio and gallery. “Sentosa” is a Thai word that means tranquility. Heaven only knows that I can use some tranquility and really nothing gives me peace like creating, whether it is writing or painting or knitting or stringing beads.

I hope that you will enjoy the tour of my new studio and gallery at Sunset Center in Amarillo, Texas as soon as I get moved in and take some pictures. Or better yet, come to the Grand Opening of #102, studio sentosa.

Any grandmother would love a portrait of her darling grandchildren, but any dog lover would love a painting of their best friend. When my kids were growing up, we had dogs and we loved our dogs, but I never loved a dog like I’ve loved them since my kids are grown and no longer at home. I never suffered from the empty nest because our kids were always close by. But there came a time when even though they lived close by, they weren’t here to give me a hug when I came home from a long trip. There’s just nothing like the welcome you get when you come in the door in the middle of the night and even if he had been sound asleep when the door opened, he was there in an instant, wagging the tail and begging for your love and giving that unconditional love that a person with a memory can never give. I have had 2 dogs during this time, and yes, I know they are dogs–but I also know that they love me like no one ever has! And I have been loved! I have paintings of our dogs in our home and I love the memories they evoke. I enjoy catching their personality in their portraits. Everyone needs a portrait of their “BBF”! And believe me–your dog will be your best friend forever.

Painting is like so many other skills, practice makes you better! I’ve realized that when I get to paint a lot, not only does it get easier for me, but my paintings really get better. I have been painting quite a bit lately and I think it shows. This is my newest painting. It’s a commission. I don’t consider myself a portrait painter, but I love to paint people doing things that they do–playing, working, busy with life. This client, the mother, gave me full control as an artist. A friend of mine who is a photographer and I both took pictures of these sisters one windy, summer day–out in the pasture, near a creek and a cabin. The mom never looked at the photos, told me to pick the one that I thought would make the best painting. She probably didn’t realize how smart that really was. But any artist will do a better job when given the freedom to make those decisions that make art. My goal for this painting was to capture this moment with Jordan and Maddy! We had been shooting for a while when one of them said, “Let’s have a conference.” And they put their heads together to plan a new way to sabotage that photo shoot (LOL)! Little did they know that it would be the shot of the day! I want the viewer to feel as if he/she is stepping into their world and sharing that moment with them. That was my goal. A camera can capture their likeness–but it takes an artist to capture the passion of that moment, the love between sisters, the excitement of the plan. But on top of that–it really does look like those two beautiful little girls. I hope this will be a treasured possession for many years to come! It brought joy and confidence to this artist. I’ve had many great art teachers since I’ve started painting. Each one has given me a different gift. Lou Hansen has been my mentor for over 30 years and has taught me so much about how to paint. Another of my favorite teachers is Marilyn Yanke. Just looking at one of her beautiful paintings is an inspiration. She is a very intuitive person and has such natural ability when it comes to design and color. She taught me to allow myself into each painting that I do. Developing a style of my own has become a goal for me. I’d like to think that one of these days, people would see one of my paintings and know that I painted it by the style, colors, design–just like when you see Marilyn’s work–you know she is the only one that could have done that particular painting.