Spring Sale

SORRY, THIS SALE IS NOW CLOSED!

If you are still interested in a custom piece, please click HERE for details on how to contact me.  Thanks!

Original Post:

Do you know what is nearly here?  Father's Day!  Know what else?  High school and college graduations!  And guess what - lots of weddings, too!  Are you ready with all the gifts you'll be giving this spring and summer?

I have ten openings for graphite portraits and wood burned plaques in the next month.  Below are examples of what I am offering.  Subjects for portraits can be people or pets!

[caption id="attachment_995" align="aligncenter" width="140"] Wood burned surname 7x15.5 plaque, $30[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1331" align="aligncenter" width="126"] Single subject 8x10 graphite portrait, $40[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1335" align="aligncenter" width="150"] Two subject graphite portrait, $55[/caption]

You will receive an email with instructions to either send a photo (you must own the copyright) and/or information depending on the product(s) you've purchased.  I will work with you to insure your satisfaction and will email you at least once on the progress of your piece, allowing for up to one revision.

Your item will be shipped within two weeks of when payment is received. Portraits will be shipped flat, unframed.  There is a $5 shipping charge.

US only, please.

If you have any questions you can contact me anytime!

Art Update

[caption id="attachment_1283" align="aligncenter" width="436"] How does your garden grow?[/caption]

I'm making four of these pretty flowers and thoroughly enjoying figuring out the process.  One of my favorite parts of the mutli-dimensional and recycled art I make is the problem solving required.  When mounted and finished the overall size will be 48" x 48".

Art Update

I've been our Scouting unit's committee chair for the last year and a half.  In that time I have enjoyed watching these young men advance, both in rank and character.  Our program is growing and maturing and it is exciting to be a part of it.

Last weekend our unit honored its third Eagle; the second since I've been chair, and the first we've been able to have a Court of Honor for since then.

Chris and I have become close to the Slade family this year so I wanted to give them something special for this milestone.  So here's what I did during the first Presidential debate:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Slade Eagle portrait phase 1[/caption]

And what I did while watching the second debate:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="342"] Slade Eagle portrait phase 2[/caption]

 This is a great family and I really enjoyed the Court of Honor they put together.  I can't wait to see the great things this young man will accomplish in the future!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="320"] Myself with our newest Eagle and his parents[/caption]

...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="310"] completed Slade Eagle portrait, graphite on paper, 8x10[/caption]

...

 Congratulations!!

Wood Burned Name Plaque

The plaque I made for my parents with the wood burner.

Voting and an Invitation

Please vote for me for Visitors Choice Award! For the first time the museum has opened up voting online. Now you can still vote, even if you won't be in Salt Lake City this year!

To vote go to the online gallery, scroll through until you find me, and enter your email address. You can vote using as many unique email addresses as you have. If you have time I also recommend reading through the descriptions on the other pieces. The curators did a fantastic job in selecting a variety of styles and media and the artists' write-ups make the exhibit even better.

Thank you so much for all your support!

And now a personal invitation to the youth:
The deadline is nearly here for entries into the International Art Competition for Youth! The competition is open to youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ages 13-18. (Members must turn 13 by January 1, 2012).  Entries must be postmarked or electronically received via the website by Friday, June1, 2012.

If selected, pieces will be on exhibit in the Church History Museum at Temple Square November 16, 2012, through June 17, 2013 and will be eligible for one of the 20 Merit Awards and/or three of the Visitors Choice Awards.

So if you are or know a young LDS artist, please checkout the Competition's official website (linked above). On the website they have an in-depth interactive tutorial that will help walk you [or any artists, really!] through the creative process. It even includes a virtual sketchbook to keep track of thoughts, ideas, and inspirations as you go through it that you can print out at the end!
I'm slightly partial to the second example used in the "Symbols" section....

Good luck! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Art Update: "Return" is SOLD!

In related news . . .

"The sweep of Latter-day Saint artwork is large, and it has been advanced through these exhibits, held every three years since 1987. More than 1,150 artists entered this year’s competition, and 198 works are on display. The museum purchased 15 artworks, awarded 20 merit prizes, and will present several visitors’ choice awards. Museum patrons are invited to vote for their favorite piece at gallery kiosks and online."

(from the 'Make Known His Wonderful Works' exhibit home page.)

I hope you can make it to the exhibit opening.  I know I will be there!  OK, I know I said that last time, but we're not in the middle of buying a house this time.  So barring any other unforseen emergency, I will be there!!

"Award winners will be announced on March 16, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square. A reception will follow in the Church History Museum through 9:00 p.m. We invite you and your family and friends to attend both events."

(from the 2nd round acceptance letter)

Trust me, if you're one of my many cheerleaders (thanks, by the way!) you won't want to miss this!

< Get Directions >



Make Known His Wonderful Works

I know you probably can't read the text in the image so I've quoted it below.  That seems fair, though, since I couldn't see anything either after I read the first line.  I certainly wasn't expecting the reaction I had.  What a wonderful gift it is when we are so truley surprised and all-together joyful that we cannot physically contain our emotions!  I think I might be even more humbled, overwhelmed, and thrilled than last time!

"Dear Kristal,

I am pleased to inform you that the jury has selected your work of art for the Ninth International Art Competition and exhibit. Your work was chosen from among 1156 entries from Latter-day Saint artists around the world. The selected artwork was of high artistic quality and expressed a wide range of Latter-day Saint experiences and subjects.

Your work will be on exhibit at the Church History Museum from Friday, March 16, 2012, through Sunday, October 14, 2012. Award winners will be announced on March 16, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square. A reception will follow in the Church History Museum through 9:00 p.m. We invite you and your family and friends to attend both events. (Artists and their families who wish to travel to Salt Lake City for these events must do so at their own expense.) Those who are unable to travel to the Church History Museum can view the exhibit online at lds .org/ museum beginning March 17, 2012. Some entries will also be featured in upcoming Church publications, including the Church News and the Ensign and Liahona magazines.

A list of exhibited works and award winners will be distributed at the exhibit opening and will be available throughout the exhibit. A copy of this list will be mailed to artists who are unable to attend the reception

If your artwork is available for sale, we will provide your contact information and the listed sale price to those who inquire about purchasing your work so they can communicate with you directly.

We sincerely hope that creating and sharing your artwork has been a rewarding experience for you. The number of artworks, technical quality, range of styles and media, and creative development of theme represented in this year’s entries have resulted in an excellent exhibit of religious artwork. Thank you very much for participating.

Sincerely,

Robert Davis
Senior Exhibit Developer
Church History Museum"

Click HERE to see the piece to be exhibited.

Art Update: A Christmas Present in My Inbox!

Look what I received in my inbox upon returning from my workout this morning!!

"Dear Kristal, Thank you for entering the Ninth International Art Competition.  We are pleased to inform you that your artwork has been accepted to be juried in the final round of judging.  Many of the works in this final round will be chosen for the exhibit."

In case you've forgotten which picture was submitted, it was "Return". CLICK HERE to see it.

There are thousands of individually glued pieces of sand and rock on this piece and I am SO nervous to ship it.  Maybe I should drive it up.  Sounds like a good excuse for a road trip to me!  Doubt the hubs will go for it, though...

Art Update: Return

Last night I finished and submitted my entry for the art competition (click HERE to see where I started for it)!!!

I have lots of pictures of the artwork in progress that I had intended to post and keep everyone updated as the process went along.  Unfortunately, we've not been very computer fortunate lately.  So a BIG "Thank You!" to my friend, Kathryn, for getting my pictures uploaded for me.  And while I'm doling out the gratitude let's not forget Amy for the recycled wood, Lisa for being willing to try to understand what goes on in my head and always cheering me on anyway, and Chris and the kids for putting up with me this week!

"Return"

24" x 48" Mixed Media; acrylic, paper, rocks, and sand on wood and plexiglass

Artist Statement

and

detail images

first detail submitted of "Return"

"Throughout history salmon have been symbols of man’s mortal journey. Starting life in the peaceful, clean waters of their progenitors they are sent forth to the turbulent oceans to mature and eventually return, swimming upstream. Each salmon is naturally compelled to return and as they do their appearances change. They struggle but persevere, using the undercurrents to propel themselves on.

second detail submitted of "Return"

"We are each born with the Light of Christ to guide us back to our Father. Our trials will make us stronger and our countenances will reflect that Light. We are then able to help others recognize that the joy they are naturally compelled to seek after is in the Pure and Living Water, even Jesus Christ."

Art Update: Coming Soon...

It's that time again!  Five months ago I thought I knew exactly what I'd be doing for the Ninth International Art Competition.  Now, I keep getting artist's block.

The theme is:

“Make Known His Wonderful Works”

“Pray unto the Lord, call upon his holy name, make known his wonderful works among the people.”

(Doctrine and Covenants 65:4)

If you have any ideas, I'm open to suggestions!

Here's a reminder of what you may have seen from me if you visited the exhibit at the LDS Conference Center in 2009 or turned to page 43 of the September 2009 Ensign...

To see the whole picture again or read about the symbolic explanations, click HERE.

Art Update: Go Deo Muintir (Forever Family)

(pronounced Guh Dyo Min-cher; Irish Gaelic)

“The family relationships we have here on this earth are important, but they are much more important for their effect on our families for generations in mortality and throughout all eternity...

...The plan of the Father is that family love and companionship will continue into the eternities. Being one in a family carries a great responsibility of caring, loving, lifting, and strengthening each member of the family so that all can righteously endure to the end in mortality and dwell together throughout eternity.” Robert D. Hales, Oct 1996, The Eternal Family

This piece was specially commissioned for the Henderson (Neill) family. As a reminder of the temple and their ancestry the image is taken from a portion of the frieze along the upper architecture of the Mesa Temple. The frieze represents a grand parade of converts leaving their old homes and gathering to Zion.

The portion below shows an emigrant ship arriving in America. The figure at the rear is a Scotsman in kilt and tam o’shanter; the other three are Irish converts and are gathering their belongings aboard ship.  (Learn more HERE.)

In the background is a carved Irish eternity knot, shaped like an eternal family tree. The knot was carved from a single piece of wood, truly having no beginning nor end. It has eight points referencing the eight immediate family members of the Henderson family.

Kristal Coles art trivia: I messed up my own signature on this piece, making the "E" in Coles larger than I normally do!  Maybe someday that tidbit of trivia will make someone lots of money...

Art Update - Brothers Hand in Hand Forever

Here's the finished product for the Hensley family!  Mixed media collage/assemblage on 30 x 24 inch board. 

Jen gave me a few head shots of the boys and asked for a sketch of them with the words, "Brothers Hand in Hand Forever" on it - but not big like a title, etc. - and that they be holding hands.

It evolved into a heavily textured piece with the boys sketched out onto five planks of balsa wood and tissue paper with charcoal and the words repeated in several different fonts in the background.

Unfortunately, as I always end up saying, I am NOT a photographer.  My photos never seem to show how the paintings really turned out.  This photo's colors are a bit more severe than the actual painting nor does the photo show all the cool grunge detail very well.  But I am very happy with how it turned out and am loving playing around with this new style.

Art Update

Somehow amid all the "busy, busy" of my life lately I've been able to fit in a little art.  This is my second go-around of this piece.  I over-worked the first one and scrapped it.  But this one...this one is...well, I don't want to jinx myself, but I'm very excited!  It doesn't look like much now, but I've done a lot of prep work with layers and textures and once it's all put together I think it will be pretty cool.

UPDATED March 13, 2010:  To see the finished piece CLICK HERE!

Big Boy Boots

This is my latest painting. It is an 8x10 acrylic on canvas. I finished most of it a few months ago but needed to sign it. With our move getting ever closer I decided I had better get it done and posted - who knows when I will see it again!

Also, I wanted to get suggestions for new paintings. But not out-right suggestions - no, that would be too easy! Please leave as many comments as you'd like with TITLES of paintings you think I should do. I'll come up with the rest!

Art Update

The online exhibit is now open for the 8th International Art Competition,

"Remembering the Great Things of God."

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ONLINE EXHIBIT

I am deeply humbled. And not necessarily in that sweet, holding-a-newborn way. More like I just received a big reality check, slap-the-ego-right-out-of-you way. All the other art in the exhibit is so far above my level, I'm actually speechless {dare I say, even a little sick to my stomach}. I have no idea why the jury members decided to include my piece but seeing the others they also chose has left me in awe. I am confused and humbled, but very, very grateful.

If You Were Planning on Being There . . .

Last minute, we made the decision NOT to drive to Utah for the art exhibit opening on Friday. There were a few factors in this; just don't ask me for details or I might cry about it. Don't worry, we're all OK - nothing like that!

I am extremely disappointed I won't be able to attend my first opening, but my ego will get over it. I am more upset that we will not be able to see all the family and long-lost friends that were also planning to go.

I am so sorry to change plans on you all last minute! The exhibit goes through October so, hopefully, we'll see it when we are up there for a family reunion this summer. However, if anyone still plans on going to the open house Friday, I would be so honored and very grateful to know how it goes and to see pictures.

Art Update

YOU are invited! To what you ask? To the awards ceremony and opening reception for the 8th International Art Competition!

That's right, I made it through BOTH rounds of judging and my piece, Grafted In, will be on display in the Conference Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 20 until October 11, 2009!

I won't know if I won any of the awards until the exhibition opens, but I am so excited that so many people will see my work! Not only will it be in the Conference Center through two General Conferences, as well as other meetings, programs, and tours, but it will also be available for viewing on the online exhibit beginning March 21, and might also be featured in Church publications.

"This unique art competition, held every three years since 1987, encourages Latter-day Saint artists around the world to use their talents to express their spiritual convictions and religious beliefs. This year's exhibition features nearly 200 works chosen from [1149] entries submitted by artists from 40 countries."

-from the official invitation to the exhibit (IRI)

I was told in my letter that myself, my family, and my friends are invited to the opening so I am extending that to all of you. If you live in the Salt Lake area and have been following my progress, even more-so if you contributed to my original requests, I would love to see you there!

***

Friday, March 20, 2009

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The awards ceremony will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Conference Center Theater. Entrance to the theater is through door 2 or 3.

The reception and exhibition will be in the Grand Atrium Foyer on the Terrace (Second) Level. Entrance to the exhibition is through door 15.

***

I can't wait to see you there!

Art Update

Guess what I received in the mail today? I received the response to my entry, Grafted In, for the Eighth International Art Competition!

"Dear Kristal,

Thank you for entering the Eighth International Art Competition. We are pleased to inform you that your artwork has passed the first round."

I now have until January 24th to ship the piece to the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City for the final round of judging.

Art Update

This summer I attempted my first portrait painting. This is an 8x10 acrylic on canvas of my oldest son, Brandon.

Acrylic paints dry extremely quickly making blending difficult. Because of this portraits are usually done in oils. I think I would enjoy painting portraits with oils more, but am pleased enough with how my first one came out considering the difficulty of painting portraits with acrylics.

This one took me about 4 hours painting overall.




Ironically, Brandon likes the study I did first best. I did this in about an hour - just experimenting with washes and such and not paying too much attention to anything else.

Z is for Zander

[zan-der] noun A common freshwater food fish of central Europe.