New focus, same partnerships!

 

Marion Corbin Mayer

Jacqueline Sullivan

Nancy Turner

We are still partners & sharing space in Studio 231 at Essex Studios, Cincinnati.

Jacqueline has a vibrant offering of classes both online & in person. 

See www.jacquelinesullivan.com for details.

Both Marion & Nancy have been traveling as their creative focus.

New artists, New ENERGY!!

Jacqueline Sullivan, Marion Corbin Mayer, Nancy Turner & Hans-the-Adorable

Announcing the new residents of Creative Catalyst Studio (#231 in the Essex Studios complex, Cincinnati). As of tomorrow Jacqueline Sullivan, Nancy Turner & I will be sharing the studio with Hans-the-Adorable, Nancy's wonderful canine companion. Once the dust settles we will host an opening party. Classes are coming this fall so stay tuned!

Updates will be added to our classes page as we invent them. It's exciting to be starting a new phase in our space. Jacqueline is an abstract artist, Nancy does silkscreen printing on fabric then creates wonderful items from that fabric & I continue to offer pet portraits and landscapes. 

What are you passionate about?

Colorful, Expressive, Whimsical Paintings by Marion Corbin Mayer

Everyone starts out creative!

Hey, it's 2019, y'all! What fires you up creatively? I am pondering this.  What are you passionate about creating? I know I love to paint. Heck, I love art supplies! So much potential. So colorful! But there's that darn blank canvas or paper... This image is my inspiration for 2019. Just use that darn art stuff!! 

I meet with a group of other creative folks on Monday mornings to share stories and support. We are all pondering a word for the year to help us focus.  "Focus" could be that word. Last year my word was "Whimsy." My goal is to release my work from the bonds of realism and create colorful, expressive, whimsical paintings no matter the subject.  

This year I have chosen two words: DAILY PRACTICE.  No matter what, I get to do something daily for creativity. It could be a walk. It could be my fitness session(s). It could be playing with acrylics, completing a pet portrait or doing some urban sketching.  What's your word for 2019?

Sunrise

I love sunrises & sunsets. I clipped this image from someone's vacation shots on Facebook. If this is yours, please let me know in the comments & I will give you proper attribution. Same goes for the above image of that darling child painting. I swiped that from another post on Facebook. I get so much inspiration from other people's posts. When I am stuck for a painting subject, I do a sunrise or sunset seascape. It makes my heart happy.

For the Bees, 12x16", Pastel by Marion Corbin Mayer

I am passionate about travel. I love the Pacific Northwest have been returning there since for over 40 years. This painting is my latest pastel, created from an image I took in 2015 while visiting the Washington Lavender Farm just before the Sequim Lavender Festival.  The photos I take while traveling are mostly painting references. Very few images of family posing in front of some landmark. Just beautiful scenes that catch my attention. I could paint the rest of my life and never use up my accumulated reference material. But I still love to visit new places and see new things. How wonderful hat we no longer need to buy film!

In 2018 I was lucky enough travel almost monthly. It's my husband's evil plan to delay me from getting another dog. We saw beauty everywhere we went. May 2019 hold more juicy travel adventures for us all.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today!

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

Colorful, whimsical paintings that touch your heart! Year end posting.

Lobstah! Watercolor travel sketch

In 2018 I have focused on adding more colorful, whimsical oil and acrylic paintings to my work as well as Urban Sketching and watercolor travel sketching.

This past summer I was blessed to be able to travel to New England with my husband. We like to do long car trips together & we ended up in Portsmouth, NH. One of our favorite spots is Newick's Lobster House. It's always a fine, if messy dinner. I created a small watercolor sketch the next morning. I really liked the juiciness of the paint and the black ink lines. One of my goals for 2018 was to add more whimsy to my paintings and I think this captured it.

Lobstah II! 12x12" Acrylic

 Recently (December 2018) I decided to create a larger painting inspired by the small watercolor. It was fun to experiment with acrylics and use a stencil for the checkered tablecloth, moving a bit away from reality & towards that whimsy. I am continuing to develop this painting and will post another view soon.

Lobstah beginnings

 While in Portsmouth I was really inspired by the work of Ann Trainor Domingue. (click to see more of her works) She starts her paintings sometimes with a bold outline, so I decided to experiment too.

I started with an underpainting of yellows to create a glow. Golden has such a nice line of acrylic paint in heavy body, fluid and high flow consistencies.

Now it's Christmas Eve and I'm working on updating my blog. Just wanted to share a recent painting with you. 2018 was filled with travel for me & I expect more paintings to emerge from the hundreds of images I took. Stay tuned.

I hope 2019 is filled with beautiful moments, good health and prosperity for us all.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today!

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

Monkeying Around, 30 of 30

Monkeying Around, 6x8" watercolor, 30 of 30

Today I spent the morning at the Cincinnati Zoo acting as a Mentor for the Highschool Paint Out Competition sponsored by the Cincinnati Art Club. I was really impressed by the independence, maturity and talent of the participants.  While hanging out at the Japanese Macaque Monkey Island with my group I managed to also sketch these colorful creatures.  At least their faces and rears are colorful! Also known as Snow Monkeys, click the link for a short video of these fascinating animals in their natural hot springs.

I am really thrilled to have completed the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.  Tomorrow, October 1, marks the beginning of INKtober. A daily drawing challenge. Today's painting can work for that as well! Here's the link to the suggested prompts for INKtober2017 . I'm probably just gonna wing it...

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the upcoming Essex Studios Art Walks. We are open to the public the first Friday & Saturday (6-10 pm) of October, November & December.  I am in Studio 231. Come on out and explore the diversity of local arts talent available at Essex. 2515 Essex Place, Cincinnati, OH 45206

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today!

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

Struttin', 29 of 30

Struttin', 10x8" oil on panel. 29 of 30

Today I continued my theme of Key West Roosters to celebrate the Keys being open to tourists starting Sunday. I have spoken with the landlord of the house we rent in Key Colony Beach (Marathon) & he expects to be back in business by early November. "Only 2 FEET of storm surge went through the property. He seems to be doing well over all.

My husband says this one has "roostertude". I can claim that...

Transparent underpainting

Blocking in...

adding details

I am really pleased to have done so well on the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge this month. One more painting to go!  I'm heading back to the zoo to mentor some Highschool students who are participating in a paint out sponsored by the Cincinnati Art Club tomorrow.  stay tuned...

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the upcoming Essex Studios Art Walks. We are open to the public the first Friday & Saturday (6-10 pm) of October, November & December.  I am in Studio 231. Come on out and explore the diversity of local arts talent available at Essex. 2515 Essex Place, Cincinnati, OH 45206

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today!

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

Belle, 28 0f 30

Belle, 8x8" oil. 28 of 30

Today I wrestled with an ewok.  At least this pup stayed very ewok like for most of the day. It was a struggle and the client loves it. Whew!

I paint wet-into-wet, starting with a transparent layer that may or may not reflect the final colors. 

Transparent layer.  Lots of "uglies" goin' on here.

I then start adding the opaque paints. The eyes still look spooky.

It's always better when the eyes start looking right.

Belle, 8x8" oil. 28 of 30

As you can see, Belle has her very own leopard print doggie bed upon which to recline. She lives a blessed life. As do we all...

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the upcoming Essex Studios Art Walks. We are open to the public the first Friday & Saturday (6-10 pm) of October, November & December.  I am in Studio 231. Come on out and explore the diversity of local arts talent available at Essex. 2515 Essex Place, Cincinnati, OH 45206

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today!

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can