PineShoreStudio/Paintings by Helen Harris

So where have I been? Long story,short answer...here is where I am!    Five years away from blogging but miles along my journey as an artist. I've studied, painted and exhibited watercolor, mixed media,acrylic and now oils. Many art shows later,cross country trips, 2 different homes ...5 grandchildren! I've landed in a place that has brought me full circle...wanting to share my work ,my techniques, my studio and experiences as a dailypainter.  I hope you will continue to seek me out . I'll be right here. Please take time to scroll through my older posts to get to know my work of my past to see where I now have come.The life of an artist is "Take Me There..." oil on panel 5"x7"   helenharrispaintings.com a wondrous journey if you choose to take the first step...walk with me ...again.

How do I express the many sights and  awestruck moments that I enjoyed on my trip West ? I attempted to keep a journal on my trip but quickly discovered that there were only so many ways that I could say "wow!' . Words simply failed to express the wonder of such immense, open land.  I tried some photographs and was more successful, but still felt that the 360 degree vision of clouds in a crisp morning air was lost in the flatness of the shot. I recorded the facts and now as I paint each day I am trying to convey the feelings that were present.  Little by little the images are beginning to appear as I sift through all that I absorbed from walking in this wonderland of mountains, plains and coast, through pines and sage and drought dried riverbeds.  As I prepare to paint larger canvases than I've ever tackled before, I decided to work out the images not only in my sketches but as small paintings.   My Etsy  shop  features  these "small wo...

SplitRock Falls has been a learning experience in painting as well as marketing.  Repainted, framed, almost purchased, unframed, repainted and now...finished! Such is the life of some paintings.They get placed against a wall for months even turned toward the wall in rejection only to be revisited from time to time because it nags the soul of a painter.The bare bones of the idea has always remained along with the vision and intent, but the painting took many revisions.  I've learned to hashtag my "works in progress" ( #wip) so that my customers realize that changes may yet occur while posting on social media. I must give credit to  the outspoken yet gentle critique from one of my collectors for pointing me in the right direction on this one. An early version of this painting attracted her interest. After visiting my studio, not realizing that the work was still undergoing changes, she passed on its purchase, respecting my need to pursue my approach to the work and not ...

Abandoned Introducing my latest original painting ....   Abandoned  is an original acrylic painting on canvas. The scene is set along the Jersey marshlands & shore area. Cast aside and broken down,these three rowboats at season's end have seen better days and now lay abandoned on the rocky shores. The original is currently available for purchase directly from my  web site  through Paypal and  prints are available through  Society6.com    

After a long absence I have rejoined  Saatchi Art .  The work that seems to do well on this site seems to be my more abstract work . Recently I have been working on a series entitled "Transitions" . This series was born out of an opportunity to explore my more painterly, acrylic work on canvas. Some have been mixed media, while others are purely paint. It has been an interesting departure from my usual watercolor/mixed media and more traditional landscape work that can be viewed on my web site . My complete fascination with trees has extended itself into this series and become the main focus. I hope you'll enjoy this artistic journey along with me as I post updates in this series. The second original work  in the series is currently for sale through  Saatchi Art  is entitled : FireLight original painting ,Transitions series-2/FireLight framed print by Society6 throw pillow Additionally I have made other products available through  Society6 ...

Recently I've devoted more and more time to my art marketing. I began Facebook ads and invested time and money to send more traffic to my web site , my posts on my business page , and my new shop site . I've joined a new art group  too. Do you know what? I stopped painting!!! There has to be a balance of time spent painting,and marketing . After all you can't market what you haven't produced.Emotionally I got myself into a tailspin and a litany of "have to". I have to do this,I have to do that ... hmmmmmmm something is definitely off here. So today I pause...... Washed out my brushes, squeezed out some new paint ...breathe, paint....center...there that's better.

As the snow flies...I miss being outside under my art tent participating in a show. What I miss the most is the conversation with the variety of potential customers and collectors that enter my "gallery". Over the years these moments of conversation have provided an education in my painting, marketing and understanding of what kind of artist I am in the process of becoming. What a valuable opportunity to engage with possible collectors of my work ...so why stop during these winter bound days? In 2015 I am asking you to engage me in  conversation about painting be it on FaceBook , Pinterest , or this blog .  I will answer you to the best of my ability and in a timely manner. I, in turn, will no longer hit the "like' button and scroll on without adding encouragement, comment or my own question. I recently joined a new Facebook group : ArtCollectorsandArtists led by artist Robin Pedrero and  have taken this wonderful opportunity to share with other artist ...and I ...

1st attempt  So each of us start out with that same clean canvas or paper. We attack it with all our gusto. Paint and brush fly to the rhythm of our music and ......blah. Does your canvas get relegated to a dark corner of your studio?  Do you actually convince yourself that it is an ok painting ....even frame it? Do I hear a mumbled  "Yes!" I know that I've sat staring at an unsold work on my living room wall debating ..leave it and just go from here, throw it out, hide it and pretend it was from your first year of painting....or learn from it. Unframe it, rework it, draw on it, wipe out whole areas . Use this effort to move forward and rejoice that you have come a long way ....at least far enough to be your own critic! This is YOUR painting until it is sold. Start out 2015 with a look back and then go forward. Grab an old canvas and use it as a starting point to prime the work to come......Happy New Year! .. ..Helen Getting there!

Whew! Today I am painting with a renewed energy. I have met my goals of completing all my commissions, placing work in new galleries/shops and stepping up my marketing before the holidays. Between now and the New Year, I'll be reassessing the hits and misses of 2014. Always my hardest critic is that little voice inside that will rip up, tear down all that I've done....but.... this year I learned to keep track of those little triumphant moments. The ah-ha of unexpected success to build on in the coming year. Today as I pick up my brush I feel a slowing down that comes with thoughtful intent of focusing on the present. Today I paint for me... a gift!

With summer 2014 officially over, it's time to get back to my blogging. The vacation was great! I may have been away from my blog but it was an art filled summer! Returning to the outdoor art shows was a real treat and an eye opener to the fact that I am older ( lugging equipment was harder!) and that I had to discover new venues to attend. Many of my old shows simply blew away with hurricane Sandy here in 2012 and the up and down economy simply ended many. Another surprising fact, returning to my full time painting brought a more adventurous outlook on my work. I made a deliberate decision to work in acrylics on canvas rather than the watercolor on paper for which I am known. I created many pieces landscapes, seascapes, florals and abstract in acrylic  with and without my signature textured papers. The results, I feel, were well worth the time and effort spent in the struggle of learning a new medium . The sales were encouraging also! Here are two  examples of my study....

My last entry showed the beginnings of this piece on the left. My exploration of a more sculptural approach with my textures on canvas was an exciting new study for me. Refining and defining the various levels of textures was challenging. Many glazes of watercolor were applied to add depth to the shadowed areas. The papyrus piers and birds anchored the abstract image in a suggested reality. I have been inviting many of my customers into my new studio space that I recently  inhabit and while working on this piece I received an offer of purchase....I accepted! This is the final version that was sold ."Sea Squall" is 12" x 12", an acrylic and  watercolor collage of rice papers ,papyrus, torn  300lb. watercolor paper and sea shells.

ACEO: Woven Moments is now for sale through my Etsy shop. This format continues to be a way for me to enjoy stolen moments of time to continue my work despite my busy schedule. Now, besides my bakery/cafe ,I am about to build & open an independent cinema . Time to paint has become precious and that was what inspired this textural piece.

There are days when my palette just sings clear & loudly with pure color. How often an artist adds just one last brush stroke and it muddies the piece. Not here! " On a Clear Day" presents bright blues, clear purples,rich orange and reds and a touch of green to create a rainbow that carries you into this miniature landscape. An original watercolor ACEO ( Artist Collection and Edition Original), this painting is signed and dated on the back and mounted on a coordinating colored mat board format of 2.5"H x 3.5" W, enclosed in acetate envelope it is available for purchase from my Etsy Shop

After one year away from my Etsy Shop ,I have reopened it with a listing of 4 ACEOs. In the past I have sold a number of small format pieces from this site. Since opening my bakery/cafe my painting time has been limited and the ACEO format has allowed me to quickly paint with my watercolors in small moments stolen away on weekends or evenings. I still prefer to sell my larger work from my web site and my prints from FineArtAmerica . I invite you to visit these sites, comment or make a purchase. It simply feels good to be painting again.

T'is the season......... If you click on over to my web site , you'll view many of the original watercolor/collage paintings that are available as gifts for this holiday season. Experience a random act of culture: buy a painting! Remember many of these works can be purchased as prints on paper, canvas or as a greeting card by visiting my FineArtAmerica site and customizing your selection.

I like to refer to the ACEO format ( 2.5" x 3.5" ) as "pocket art". As a grandmother I proudly carry around the grandbabies photos...but how many of my fellow artists "pocket" their paintings? It certainly makes more of an impression than flipping out the ol' business card! My watercolor/ collage techniques are right there to see & feel with my potential customer. "Buds" my newest ACEO featured at left is currently available for purchase through my web site

I find myself with a day off from bakery/cafe . I'm treating myself to some painting time today + I hope to revisit some of my art marketing information that I've neglected too long during this past year because of the bakery. These past few years while working daily at my painting I'd developed quite an extensive marketing plan that encompassed a number of sites where my work was available. Now I find after working 12 hour + days at the bakery my available time to market on the internet or @ shows is limited. How to best use this limited time and effort is now the question I face for the coming year. Do I simply keep what I had ? Do I scale it down & concentrate on 1 or 2 sites ? Which is most cost effective? How do I reestablish my presence after being out of sight this past year? hmmmmmm... back to the drawing board. The painting "Sugar Pines" at left is currently available as a print/greeting card . This makes a wonderful holiday card & currently i...

Moments stolen in this past week,sneaking in a few brush strokes created this new ACEO. If you are new to this format, let me explain. Artist trading cards (ATC) are miniature pieces of art that are traded around the world. When these pieces of art are offered for sale, it is referred to as an ACEO: Art Card Editions & Originals. The only criteria is that the dimensions of the card be 2.5" x 3.5". A trade mark of my work is that the image is adhered to a complimentary colored mat board presenting the image as a finished piece measuring 2.5" x 3.5". This work is currently available for purchase from my web site .

On October 31st, my new business venture The Cookie Cab celebrated its one year anniversary. Happily I can say it has been a success. In fact, it expanded from a bakery to a bakery /cafe, adding sandwiches & soups ! Celebrating the anniversary, we expanded to a second shop The Cookie Cab Retro Candy & Nuts that has been well received by the town. As I have stated in my blogs this venture has detoured my painting career..lol..I guess that's an understatement. Through it all I have hung on to the fact that the day would come that I would paint again ......and I am! Not as prolific as once before but the paintings are beginning to surface & I have participated in two shows. At The Cookie Cab , I created The Cookie Cab Gallery, where I feature the works of local artist. Part of our business plan is to "pay it forward". The Gallery wall is free of charge to these artist & all sales go to the artist 100% ..no commission is taken. A few sales have been made,...

I am ever hopeful of returning to my studio to paint on a regular basis. Towards that goal, I am hosting an Art Show & Sale @ The Cookie Cab which will include my work as well as 3 other talented local women artists. I invite you to join us.