Precious
Posted on February 4th, 2010
Precious by Amy Crook
Hidden in the abstract red-orange background is the faint outline of a woman looking at her cupped hands. She’s curled around whatever it is she’s holding, the precious object that gives the painting its title. The painting itself is a rich blend of reds and oranges with a loosely painted ochre ‘frame’.
I painted this many years ago, and it’s currently residing above the antique desk in my bedroom. I decided to list it now because the sentiment fit with the holiday season for me, and I feel ready to let it go to a new home.
Precious, 18″x24″, oil on canvas.
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces
Tags: nfs, red, sold
Commission: Mermaid
Posted on January 5th, 2010
Mermaid by Amy Crook
In the fall of 2008, my friend Jeff commissioned me to paint a gift for his wife, for a combination 5th anniversary and Christmas present. It was an interesting challenge keeping it a secret for two months, but the moment of presentation was a smashing success!
We wanted to take into account as many of her favorite things as possible, so not only does it have the mermaid as a central theme, we added in the sunken pirate ship, and of course a shark or two.
24″x30″, oil on canvas, not for sale (commission)
Click through to see the process, which was thoroughly documented to keep Jeff current on my progress. Read the rest of this entry »
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Completed Commissions, Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals
Tags: all rights reserved, commission, mermaid, nfs, shark
Zombie Head Stitch Markers
Posted on December 7th, 2009
Zombie Head Stitch Markers
Do you knit, or know and love a knitter who’s a little left of center? Or at least one who loves zombies.
This is a set of 5 handmade stitch markers fashioned from glow-in-the-dark polymer clay. I had a lot of fun giving each one their own personality, making sure there was a blond, brunet, redhead and even a bald little skull.
I packed them up in an old Altoids tin and filled it with coriander “earth” so your zombies will arrive safely buried and ready to eat… er, mark your stitches. They won’t really eat your brains. Probably.
Set of 5 Zombie stitch markers – sold!
See more details here. Read the rest of this entry »
Categories: Daily Art, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
Tags: nfs, sold, zombie
Consolation Squid
Posted on November 29th, 2009
Consolation Squid
During the long process of getting Nugget painted, Gretchen managed to break her arm riding her bike. I actually got to see her at a convention that summer while she was still en-casted, and since the kind concom provided a table of markers for its attendees to decorate Ducks (the con mascot), I decided to give Gretchen a consolation Squid.
We almost colored the whole thing in the pink glitter pen, but it really didn’t want to stick to the cast material, so he ended up with glitter highlights instead. The eyes were gold glitter pen (of course), and the rest is good old Sharpie marker.
Like all cast art, the Consolation Squid was ephemeral, but I thought I’d take a break from the for-sale pile and share him with you today.
Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles
Tags: cartoon, glitter, nfs
Handle With Care
Posted on November 16th, 2009
Handle With Care by Amy Crook
I did a lot of experimenting in my bronze casting days, some of which was more successful than others. Most of the failed experiments got reclaimed and melted down into new art, and these were one that I was just never quite sure about. They’ve grown on me over the years as they’ve acquired a softer texture with age and handling, and now I’m quite fond of them.
The original idea behind them was to make something that, while visually interesting, was best viewed with the hands. The experience of handing the heavy bronze objects, feeling their fingertip-size curves and interesting little deviations is entirely different from just viewing them, and one that’s hard to convey over the internet. They start out cold but warm to the touch, their surfaces hover on the border of smooth and rough — the ones with the turquoise patina seem almost enameled, while the plain bronze ones are softer almost like a raw silk. The smaller ones make interesting worry stones, while the larger ones are heavy enough to demand your full attention.
I created two different models in clay and made molds, then created these six pieces from them — you can see the similarities among the three moon-shaped curls, and then the largest one also has two smaller cousins taking different halves of itself. When finishing them, I tried to enhance any imperfections from casting, smoothing and enlarging them so that they added textural interest without any unpleasantly pointy surprises.
I keep them in this little pot from my distant past, with just the biggest one peeking out the top to intrigue people. I especially like the little hollow loop at the tip of #2 below, which is the right piece in the second row above.
Handle With Care, 6 pieces in bronze, various sizes from 2.5″ in diameter to 2.5″x1.5″, weighing 11 oz to 28 oz apiece.
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art
Tags: art for the blind, bronze, for sale
Thistle
Posted on November 13th, 2009
Thistle by Amy Crook
This tiny oil painting captures a moment in the blue-violet dusk. This image is the one that drove me to buy these canvases and their wee easels, the globe thistle seeming nearly white against the twilight sky, lit by the fireflies’ greenish glow.
I’ve had a really hard time capturing the subtle color with my camera, which is determined to make it bluer than it really is. Hopefully whoever buys it will find the true colors a pleasant surprise!
The edges of this little canvas are finished, the image wrapping around to the sides to add a little dimensions to this tiny bit of dusk.
Thistle, 2.75″x2.75″, oil on canvas, 5″ tall easel, sold.
Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
Tags: fireflies, nfs, sold, thistle
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Year of the Water Horse
Posted on November 13th, 2009
Year of the Water Horse by Amy Crook
One of the design projects I do every year is the Starcycles Calendar, a dayplanner-style appointment book with an astrological bent by Georgia Stathis. For me, the covers are always my favorite part, and something I look forward to every year. 2002 was year of the Water Horse in Chinese astrology, and at the time Georgia had a guest writer who contributed an essay to the book. We were still doing them in print with these three-panel coves that wrapped around, and so when I found this giant 18″x36″ canvas, I just knew I had to use it for that project.
When we were discussing ideas for the cover, I kept thinking of the various stories and legends of horses or unicorns born out of the foam of the ocean, and being the good sport she is, Georgia let me run with it. I first painted the sunny beach in blues and sandy browns with its white, foam-capped surf coming in, and then added the mysterious watery horses with soft pastels on top of the canvas, once it was dry.
Year of the Water Horse, 18″x36″, oil and pastel on canvas.
Above is a study I did of just the horses, and below you can see a photo of the painting before I put the horses in.
Categories: Floating Gallery
Tags: beach, horse, nfs, oil painting, sold, starcycles
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