HaPpY NeW yEaR 2o2o

Happy New Year my friends!! 

Oh my goodness! I can't believe it's been five years (almost to the day) since my last post! I've noticed a lot of people have been posting on social media what the last decade looked like for them and I won't go that far, but I can go back the last 5...

In January of 2015, my husband and I found out we were having a baby! Since then, we've grown from a family of 2 to 3, moved to 40 acres off grid with the view of heaven, and have been plugging along ever since. I've been on a 5 year sabbatical from creating any art. In between raising a little boy, running a business and keeping up around the homestead, I haven't made the time, but I'm determined to now! 

A few days ago I decided I wanted to get back to my creative roots and start painting again. I've missed making art so much! So here's what I decided to do...are you ready? I'm going to paint a painting a day and post it here on my blog. Every piece will be available for sale and once it has sold, it will say so. Here's the cool thing. They are all going to be super affordable! 

Today's painting is Llama. I've never painted a llama before and got the idea from a good friend of mine who loves them. For good measure, I decided to look up the symbolism for llama and this is what Google said:

As a totem, llama is a symbol of strength, perseverance, communication, confidence and often success. People born under the llama sign are people who know exactly what their goal in life is. You won't see them backing down from anything they set their minds on, and that is the only way they know.

I have found it ironic that I chose this animal to start my Painting a Day for the year. Today has been nothing short of amazing and now that I have my first painting finished, it's even better! 

It's late and I have no sun to take a good picture, so when I get a chance, I'll take a better one and upload it for you. 

Until tomorrow, have a great day or night where ever you may be! 

Peace and Love,

Stephanie 

Llama

8x10 canvas board

watercolor and ink

$50

moths + winter

siblings © samos 2014

I've been itching to paint for days now and finally had time to sit down. It's been awhile since I've posted anything new. Time is slipping away, but its all good...This has been one amazing and busy year! Seasons have changed and the snow is blowing once again.

Winter has always been one of my favorites. I love warm socks and slippers, sipping on a cup of hot green tea, listening to my favorite Pandora station...painting, drawing, glazing... Life couldn't be better.

moth ii © samos 2014

The other night I was checking out some other artists on Instagram, and found a New York artist that is just phenomenal! Anyways, she inspired me to look into moths and those native to Colorado. I found the Hera buck moth to be quite beautiful. I started out by painting the background in watercolor, drew the moth and then painted in the wings with white titanium acrylic. I then made a couple photo transfers of the same moth and strategically placed them around the first moth. And then added more texture and color. The second image is digitally altered, both are available on RedBubble. 

the beginning of a painting

Stay warm everyone! Winter is here!!! ~samos

painting in progress

in progress © samos 2014

I was inspired by a photograph taken by @felecool on Instagram. The painting doesn't look anything like the photo, but then again, its not supposed to either. It's a 16 x 20 mixed media (watercolor and acrylic) on canvas board. 

detail © samos 2014

another detail © samos 2014

I must be ready for fall...are you?

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend! ~ samos

what's new

I've been working on a couple projects...started a large new horse painting (4'x4') and getting into a new routine with my pottery. I'm hoping to develop some studio hours that I can stick to in order to produce the amount of quality work I'm striving for. 

Here's a sneak peek at how the painting is coming along. At first it had three horses, but the only one I liked was the middle one. As you can see, now there's one....

work in progress © samos 2014

In the pottery studio, I'm waiting for a batch of pots to dry. I've been thinking of new designs for this year and possibly changing brands on glaze. If I remodel the studio before summer, I may even start making my own glazes. Most potters do, but I really enjoy working with the commercial ones because of the brilliance in their colors. 

...in other studio news....

I applied to a sculpture art walk for Douglas County this year and entered Night and Day. I should know by the end of February if I've been accepted or not. In the meantime, I'm looking to enter a couple exhibits with a few more of my sculptures, paintings, and photographs. 

Until next time...Have a wonderful week!!! 

technology + making art

Technology is amazing these days. There is so much we can do on a computer! And now with all the applications that are available, anyone can create a "masterpiece". I think its wonderful that anyone can explore their creativity digitally and perhaps enhance their latest art piece. I, for one,  take advantage of certain applications while making prints of certain paintings I've made or while working on a particular piece that I feel needs a little pizazz. But I also state that a piece had been worked digitally when I list it for sale. I believe you should be upfront about that. What do think? 

Here is a painting that I altered with a  application called Sketch Artist. I like the contemporary look from the original watercolor. Its a colorful change.

©samos2013

Painting a Horse

I'll Always Be with You
© samos 2013

As an artist, one of the tricks to a good piece of work is knowing when to put your tools down and calling it "finished". I know I can always find something I want to fix or make look better. So in my reality, a work is hardly ever done. Here are a few images of my latest painting called I'll Be with You Always...

© samos 2013

© samos 2013

© samos 2013

 Can you see all the changes?

a tribute to Dempsey

dempsey © samos 2013

 

One of my closest friends lost her boy Dempsey today. We have three dogs of our own and I can't imagine when their time with us is up. I'm at a loss for comforting words and hoped this painting of him would express my deepest condolences.

 

R.I.P. Dempsey

 

 You are so loved and will be greatly missed.

PayPal vs Revolution Money Exchange

Most everyone I know that uses the computer has a PayPal account, myself included. A few months ago on Etsy, I was introduced to Revolution Money Exchange, a new way to receive and transfer funds online without the extra fees. I've been using PayPal for about three years now. And although they have been very good to me in catching people trying to get into my account and delivering my funds in a timely manner, I still get hit up for those small fees.

Say you sell a painting for $200. It goes to your PayPal account and then they take a small percentage of that. So when you transfer it to your bank account, you end up with less than $200. Now wouldn't you like to get what you asked for? I suppose that's how they make their money and stay in business and we should just start adding that little percentage to our artwork so that way we get exactly what the painting is worth.

Let's go back to Revolution Money Exchange. I'm still reading the fine print, but it seems that if someone purchases your work through Revolution Money Exchange and has an account with them, there are no fees and you get exactly what you asked for. The problem I see with this is that someone wanting to purchase your work through this newer company might not be familiar with it and shy away. They may also opt not to make the puchase because you will be rerouted to Revolution Money Exchange and be asked to start an account.

I'm going to do a little experiment. I will try and post two paintings for each new entry. When I do that one will be for sale through PayPal and the other through Revolution Money Exchange. I will do this until the end of the year and then tally the results and let you know the beginning of the year.

I would love to hear what you think about this and if you have any experience with either companies, good or bad that I should take into consideration for future sales. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

skeeter

My latest work is another watercolor on canvas board. A dragonfly this time. Did you know that a dragonfly symbolizes change, like the butterfy?

drag·on·fly

n. Any of various large insects of the order Odonata or suborder Anisoptera, having a long slender body and two pairs of narrow, net-veined wings that are usually held outstretched while the insect is at rest. Also called regionally darner, darning needle, devil's darning needle, ear sewer, mosquito fly, mosquito hawk, needle, skeeter hawk, snake doctor, snake feeder, spindle.

Dragonfly symbolism crosses and combines with that of the butterfly and change. The dragonfly symbolizes going past self-created illusions that limit our growing and changing. Dragonflies are a symbol of the sense of self that comes with maturity.

Suzanne's Lioness

original watercolor 6x18

enhanced

etsy etsy etsy!!!

my good friend chaanda invited me last week to join the interior design etsy group! i'm very excited but wasn't sure if the timing was right or not since we're in the middle of buying a house and moving. but what the heck! i'm dying to get back into the studio and paint, even if it's something small. so i'm going to make the jump and contact the administrator this morning and see what i need to do to join.

Etsy Buy Handmade samos

i forgot to mention i'm having a sale! from now until the end of May, everything in my etsy store is 30% off! i know it's a bit crazy, but we're moving!!! the less i have to pack and move the better! =)

White Grass

It's been quite awhile since I've created a painting that I really like. My newest piece, White Grass, is one of my new favorites. I was inspired by my friend Elayna and her gorgeous hand painted silks. To me this painting reflects the coming of spring, new beginnings, and peacefullness.



Yesterday my sweet hubby made me a frame for the painting. He's pretty new to woodworking, but is really enjoying it. So I thought I'd spring a new project on him. When I returned from church last night, he already had it hanging in the living room! It looks so good. Thanks sweetie! xoxo


...I found out this weekend that I need to renew my membership to BoundlessGallery. So, I'll be doing that today. =) I also want to continue with this grass series. The next one is going to be smaller, but hopefully have some key similarities.

Studious Suzie

Studious Suzie is a fun watercolor sketch of a doberman. I used to work at a place called the Pet Spa. People would take their dogs there to get groomed or board them. I only worked there for about six months, but I had a blast while I was there. I love animals, but I absolutely LOVE dogs!

This was painted on a 9x12 Canson 140 lb coldpress acid free watercolor paper. It is available at my Etsy store.

http://www.samos.etsy.com

reflect

Red Chili Peppers

A quick watercolor sketch for my dear friend who was needing some chili peppers for a pattern to sew. Not sure if this will work or not, but at least I broke out some paint today. I also stretched and gessoed a new canvas as well as worked on the newest commission. No more painting until Tuesday now. I have six classes to teach tomorrow! But I do have my lessons planned. =)