Getting Ready for Spring

Spring is such a beautiful time of year. Full of promise and new life. Also filled with art! Here in Columbia, we will start the season off with “Columbia Open Studios,” presented by 701 CCA. I know many of you are not in my area, but many of you are! Open Studios is such a great way to visit with the artists. When you come to Stormwater Studios you get to visit with 8 at one time – including moi!

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Stormwater Studios Wildlife Series

Welcome to my home studio. It has been a busy place this week. Two more paintings in my Stormwater Wildlife series have been completed.

This week found me working in my home studio. My Stormwater Studios Wildlife series is going great. I am inspired by all we have been doing on the grounds (i.e. pollinator garden and observation deck). To be in the middle of the city, it is so cool to have such a vibrant ecosystem.

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Fresh Canvas

A cute face and a fresh start. A new painting of a River Otter begins.

The home studio is crawling with artwork. My metal leaf series is coming alive with fresh critters all the time. Channeling my inner Beatrix Potter. This friendly River Otter makes his first appearance on the easel.

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Finishing What I Started

"Flora," 12x12, oil on silver leaf - this little honey bee needed a few details. Now, she is ready for the world. Say hello to Flora.

Finishing what I started this week. The paintings laying around my studio that need final touches have my attention. They need to be finished so that my new work can have all my attention. Hope your week will be buzzing with creativity. I’ll be painting.

Thank you; I appreciate your being here.

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Variations on a Theme

Four shows in 2024. One theme. Nature can soothe, and it is available to everyone.

Busy painting in the studio. Two finished this week. Can I keep the pace? We shall see.

First I am working on paintings for Artista Vista / Art Day at Stormwater show. April 19-20.

The variation on my theme here is the little lives that surround our studios in our oasis. As Karen Murphy plants with these little ones in mind, we see more and more feel comfortable in our gardens. I am painting the animals I have seen on our grounds. This week, a cicada with wings spread.

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The Tortoise and the Hare

This year, I have 4 events coming up that I want to be spectacular!

So, I organized my thoughts around them, chose a series of paintings for each, and began to paint.

First up will be Artista Vista and Art Day at Stormwater Studios April.
My series idea was to get inspiration from our new pollinator and native plant garden. The series planned is to celebrate / elevate the small animals that live (or visit) the Stormwater Studios campus.

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Back in the Saddle at a Gallop

Gold Leaf with green undertones support the delicate asparagus as the spring up out of the ground.

Artista Vista at Stormwater Studios – Resident Artists put up their annual Spring show. Art Day (April 15 / 10-3) is sponsored by the Vista Guild and Stormwater Studios each year. “Spring Up” will debut in this show. But, you get to see it first here. I have not been able to perfect getting good photos of my paintings on metal leaf surfaces. It will be worth a look if you get to the show. It is interactive to its surroundings.

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Springing Back into the Studio

A beautiful bouquet of homegrown asparagus was gifted to me this week and was immediately inspiration for a new painting. I got right back to the easel, and began to reflect on the beautiful shapes and colors. Asparagus is a sure sign that Spring has arrived.

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Metal Leaf Mania

Good afternoon! Is it still Sunday? This is coming to you a little late, because Robert and I tried to learn how to do a video for you. It was easier than I thought to make it. Here are the results!

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Big Blue and Something New

Michel McNinch paints on metal leaf

The weather has been beautiful, and I have been painting.I have been painting animals on metal leaf for a couple of years now.  I knew that a landscape would look great on this surface as well. These paintings are almost interactive.  There are subtle changes that reflect their environment.  Where they are placed and what light they receive give the paintings to chance to glow.  

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