Painting #110 Deck the Sky With Festive Songs

And... here it is!  My gift of gratitude to my grandparents for their lovely gift to me... and one of the cutest paintings I've featured here!  I just love creating collages...  they feel so complex, yet relaxed with their many layers and textures and shapes.  This collage was especially enjoyable because it's just so happy!  Two little care-free birds signing together on a decked-out cheerful set of electrical wires.  I added the black and white border to give the painting a bit of weight and to add a little drama.  

I used watercolors paper, watercolor paints, pen and ink, a variety of fine papers, and some shimmering vellum paper.  

What do you think?  I would like to do a few more paintings in this style, so if you have any ideas, please let me know!  

Don't forget to check back tomorrow morning (not too early of course...) for three darling, little, paintings that will fit in any budget and decor perfectly!

I know this blog isn't about Annalisa....  but she's just so cute and photogenic.  It's hard for me not to include her in EVERY post, so I don't feel bad about slipping a few photos in every now and then...  besides, she helped me with this collage.  She crumpled up the paper I wasn't using.  Thanks, baby!  

She's got her "puffs" snack.  Life is good.  

Painting #96 Little Elena

Exciting times: there are two paintings today!  One for yesterday, and one for today!  I actually painted this beautifully sweet portrait yesterday, but didn't have time to post it.  We had some dear old friends who just moved here from Cali at our house for dinner.  We had a great time with them, but I was to worn out at the end of the night to blog.  I'm sorry!

The first painting is so sweet.  It brings back precious memories of holding my new born baby.  I really don't think there is anything sweeter than having that new life asleep in your arms.  I painted this 8x10 portrait using many, many ink washes.  I wanted it to look soft and intimate, but have a lot of contrast.  And I wanted those little eyes to shine!  

Julie, I hope this is a painting, and a memory, you will cherish forever!

And the second painting.... coming right up!

Painting #66 Burtonsville, NY III

This is yet another painting of Burtonsville, NY. I decided to paint it in a conglomeration of watercolor, ink, and charcoal. I had a lot of fun combining mediums and playing with the various shades in this old black and white photograph. My mother looked at this painting, and immediately knew that it was a particular home in Burtonsville, by just seeing the house’s front porch. I can’t really imagine life as it was 100 years ago. What would I be doing? Would I be married? A school teacher? A writer? I would like to think I would still be an artist… it just seems to be in my blood. I would probably know how to knit… I’ve always wanted to learn, but just never have!

Can you imagine spending long, quiet hours sitting on the front porch, in a rocker, just enjoying nature and the people around you? I have a hard time sitting still long enough to sketch out my paintings! Even then, I have an audio book or the radio going in the background!

I’ve included a few photographs of a floral conglomeration I did on our dining room table. I love hiding little arrangements under glass, and creating “living” center pieces. A few of these plants are actually planted in little tiny mugs. So cute.



Please stop by my Etsy page if you are interested in seeing more of my work! EmilyJeffords.etsy.com

Also, I am still taking commission requests! Bring it on!

Painting #49 black and white beauties

I spent part of today dreaming about one of my favorite cities… Savannah.

It seems that this city, more than any I’ve ever been to, combines, art, culture, sunshine, beach life, and that indescribably unique (slightly ironic) style beautifully.



Places I want to go and things I want to do:
The Paris Market
Scad’s local art shop
Take a cooking class at 700 Drayton - followed with an amazing meal
Spend a couple hundred at 24E
Stay in a beautiful home on Taylors St.
Visit the art museum for hours and hours (mostly admiring the architecture)
Walk along River Street eating a champagne truffle.

Someday, I’ll be there, enjoying all these things, as well as basking in the sun, and enjoying all the oh-so-southern beauty around me. If you’ve never been to Savannah, it needs to make it’s way to the top of you list!

Ok, so this painting doesn’t really have anything to do with Savannah at all, however, it is lovely, dramatic, romantic, and also holds that “indescribably unique style”… sort of. It is a black and white, ink and charcoal painting of a few amaryllis flowers in full bloom. I love the play of light and dark in this painting. It is listed on my etsy shop, so you can feature this little bit of beauty in your home! Let’s be honest, there is not one room in your house that would not benefit from a piece of black and white artwork. It’s classic.