article

woohoo!
Faith is in a North County Times article!
(mentions Studio 2nd Street too!)

click here and then scroll down about half way or so.

Live Painting @ Bar Basic

Unite & Dash, oil on canvas, 36"x48"
collaboration by Vanessa Lemen and Faith Lindley

well, it's been a couple months since that last post,
and things have definitely changed since then.
It's great to have you back around again at the studio!

Here are a few pics from painting live @ Bar Basic.
Really loved the place and the peeps. Hope to do it again.
..and especially hope we collaborate again too.

..some snaps of the painting in progress..

This pic shows the initial lay-in of the portraits:























This is Unite with the painting in progress:





















And here is Dash with the painting at the end:





















And here we are again :)

















oh.. also.. wanted to answer a question that I heard a lot by people who saw the painting afterwards: Who did which portrait?
We both worked on both - or really, all parts of the painting. I worked out an image in PS ahead of time, not knowing what the event would be like in terms of set-up and lighting etc. Ron and I have done some photo shoots with Unite and Dash previously, so we had some cool images to work from. I prepped the canvas ahead of time with the red, yellow, green stripes in acrylic so it dried fast and we worked in oil on top of that. We were told that we would be able to work from life, but realized when we got there that the venue isn't really set up for that. We were going to be painting the dj's from life. Unite and Dash were dj'ing in the back and it was really dark there. The area that was set up in the front for the art was great - good lighting, good amount of space - and the dj's were around the corner. So, having the image to work from worked out perfect. We were prepared for anything, both of us work from life every day - which really helps with situations like this, dealing with time constraints and changing circumstances, and we know how to work together in terms of constructive criticism and knowing each other's temperament, etc. It was a really great time, and we hope to do it again soon!

hello!..see you soon!

I kept meaning to take a photo - we'd even be in class and say 'okay now we should take one so we don't forget' but alas, somehow each class just got past us... but here are four hoodlums you may remember. ;) everyone else says hello too. :)

I wanted to get back to you real quick because 1) I meant to post sooner (still have some words about the last post), and 2) you mentioned getting some feedback on your last image. I don't really know the story behind the image and how you intended to treat each character, but my advice is going to be more from an aesthetic perspective. You might try looking at the piece as a whole as far as bringing it up in dimensionality and/or graphic read, and color. Do you intend to have bits of realism and bits of a more linear feel? If so, where should the mixed elements be, and how can you find a stronger balance between the two? For example, the skull is the most 'rendered', the girl is more graphic, the rest is more linear/graphic. And the background and the foreground are not integrated accept in areas like the hair a bit. All of the foreground elements, though they differ in dimensional quality, are essentially black and white, and could benefit from some the background color being integrated into them more. Take a look at your piece with the whole picture in mind (even squint too maybe), and see if this makes sense or if you feel any changes are necessary... it's in a short amount of time, I suppose - if by tomorrow, I mean. so... Most importantly.. Be selective. Observe. Don't fuss. Hope that helps and/or makes sense. :/

Our new class list is up on our site. no images yet, but the descriptions are there on the pdf to download. The new session starts March 24th. Also, we'll be having a show this Friday night coming up. March 14th. Along with the galleries next door - Off Track - their grand opening - they're on the corner, sort of next door - 2nd and D), and Winged Light Gallery (in the courtyard with us).

when are you back in Encinitas?

more very soon.

one down!

I believe this is finished. . . hanging on to it a little longer in case I change my mind, but I have to give it to my friend by tomorrow, any input?

Getting There

I love the new paintings! the one with the pipes is awesome. seems like a good way to come out of a funk. I also reeaally love the sketch from Steven Assaels workshop, so rad. That Lion reminds me of the good ol' days. Can't wait to take classes! I'll keep on the look out for the new ones getting posted! woohoo!
Congrats to Ron, thats awesome! :) Sounds really cool but to be honest I don't really know exactly what that means? what happens now that he's on it? eek i should totally know this, sorry :/
The Library looks cool too, hope they get some good art related books in there.
As for my midterm he didn't give me the book back yet but he left me a note in my mail box. Totally bombed it he hated it so much he said he wasn't going to give me any credit for it. oh well, saw it coming and I enjoyed making it.
ok Here's what I've been working on!

Some stuff from Erics Beltz's class . . . the GOOD class

The start of a painting I'm doing in Gauche and Ink as a part of an art swap with someone. The idea for it was actually inspired by a painting you showed the teen class back at Watts. a painting your friend gave you with the praying mantis ect. . . well in this painting theres Antler girl (my thing ) and Polar Bear Skull man (my friends thing). They're havin' a chat. =P

This is a replicating assignment for Dans Painting Materials class. I think I told you how I had to really fight to get to do this painting in the first place. I'm sure you know but It's by Sam Weber. . . former illustrator for I.e. Time magazine. So obviously Dan doesn't like it because illustrators aren't REAL artists.
In any case I brought this in for a sort of half way point crit. I had to present what I had learned so far and explain what i was learning bla bla bla. . . mid presentation Dan decides to add, "You know Faith, You had a banquet of works you could have chosen to replicate and this choice was like deciding to go to McDonald's instead."

. . .wow.

emerging from submerging

...up to the same, pretty much – drawing, painting, teaching, etc. And getting our new session’s schedule worked out, the studio website stuff (hopefully posting soon!).. Here are a few random images of some recent paintings/drawing…

A new machinery/pipes and head painting, ‘Submerged’
oil – from imagination
A drawing in my sketchbook during the Steven Assael workshop
from life/imagination
A painting of a lion head mask hanging on a board
oil - demo from a still life
A painting of a clown doll head
oil - demo from a still life.
1) the underpainting, and then 2) I added more color with a combination of glazes and opaque paint in the lights (sorry about the glare on that one).

The short story picture book sounds cool. My sis and I are talking about an idea/project/blog that might be kind of similar. Anyway, I’d love to see your project – of course! You might be surprised on the grade you get, I bet. Unless you started and finished it on the night before it was due. heh.. but you never know. sometimes that's when it comes together best.. but anyway, good that it felt fulfilling. It’s also good to hear some positive things about this one teacher you have, and that you’re seeing a difference in your drawings as you’re learning more anatomy. I’m looking forward to seeing your drawings. Just take pics instead of scanning… Yay for Devotchka! I’ve been listening to some new random stuff. When I painted the Submerged painting, I listened to Eluvium a lot. And the Bob Dylan poem Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed at the time, and that painting is what came out. And for now (since painting it), the funk is out of my system too. Oh yeah, and I went to the opening of the new library in Encinitas yesterday (and it was packed!). It’s really nice. And the view is awesome too, overlooking downtown Encinitas and the ocean.
oh!... and Ron was voted onto the Arts Commission for the city of Encinitas last week. :D

...post some of those drawings soon. :)

Ratatouille!!!

oh man what an awesome comparison! I liked that movie but I never would have made that connection. . . its all so true.
I'm still felling impatient about coming home, especially since I've been having midterms for the past week or so. yuck.
Sorry the last post was hard to follow =/.
I've been listening to DeVotchKa quite a bit lately, it reminds me of you and 2nd st....awww.
Eric Beltz's class has been going well and I've been applying most of my time to it. Oh man, he's teaching the coolest class next quarter! Drawing monsters! how fun right?! unfortunately not fun enough to make me want to stay lol.
Mainly what I've been working on has been lots of homework for the drawing class. I'm learning some anatomy and i think its starting to help.
I'm coming home this weekend, if you aren't too busy maybe we could catch up and i could show you my sketch book? then you can see what I've been up to. Unfortunately i can't figure how to get my roommate's scanner to work with my computer. If I could then I would just post some drawings here.
Oh! almost forgot! I wrote the most ridiculous midterm essay for my art theory class. did I tell you about it already? In any case it turned into a short story/picture book. rreeeaalllyy strange. kinda funny but mostly strange. It was written in a rather sleep drunk state, you know one of those papers that sounds awesome as you're writing and then the next day you read it over and wonder who wrote it... yeah one of those. I haven't heard back from my teacher yet but it will be interesting when he does get back to me. I'm not really expecting a good grade, and since the class doesn't matter much anymore, I figured I would just do something that felt fulfilling to me and not really worry about grades. Hopefully my teacher will get it back to me before this weekend so I can take it home for some show and tell =P
How bout you, what have you been up to?