Amy Kollar Anderson - Painter

Announcement List : October

2011-10-24T05:27:00.001-07:00

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Ludo is just a sneak peek of the piece I have at the Thank the Maker ONE NIGHT ONLY show.

GALLERY LOCAL: Thank the Maker, a George Lucas tribute show on October 29th.

GALLERY COLUMBUS: Por Vida will be 10/29 and 10/30 this year with a second showing at the Salon Hotel Lily on November 5th.

ACCEPTED: Just got the results of OAL's Fall Juried Show.

INTERVIEW: A fabulous video interview by Marc A. Pitman complete with custom animations.

PHOTOS: Check out some shots from Mad Monster A Go-Go

NEW: I just updated the site with all of the Terrorium drawings and Floof paintings from the Mad Monster A Go-Go show.

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson
www.KollarAnderson.com

"Find the artists who are on your wavelength and continuously increase that list." ~Irwin Greenberg

"Artists cannot be micro-managed. We can take heart that everything we do is different than the last thing we did – or indeed everything that's ever been done. That knowledge is the key to sound mentoring." ~Robert Genn

"Mentoring is an indispensable requirement for an artist's growth. Not only are skills and experience shared, but there is value in the essential re-examination of one's own work and techniques." ~Jim Norman

"I've learned... that the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am." ~Andy Rooney

"Both mentors and tormentors have something to teach us." ~Stewart Wachs

Announcement List : April

2011-04-08T04:40:00.000-07:00

I purchased a button press! Check out the sets featuring images from my paintings.

GALLERY LA: My Wasp in A Wig Series: Keeping Check, The Millinery Studio, Fumage, Phyxiated, and Faceted, are moving on from The Hive to Create:Fixate in LA. The Messenger is joining them! Learn more about the event.

GALLERY DAYTON: I will have several pieces in the In-Sect show at 4FRNT Gallery and Special Edition Bug Button Sets for only $5! Opening Saturday, April 30.

The DVAC Auction is April 29. My piece Angela will be there.

Check out the mini fefes, among other pieces, at the Small Works Show 2011 at Rua Gallery, Dayton. April 23.

Bounce is showing at the Fitton Center. Opening reception is Apr. 10 from 2-4pm.

ACCEPTED: Weevil and Invidia were accepted to the Ohio Arts League exhibition. Opening May 12, 6-8pm.

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson
www.KollarAnderson.com

"Serious collectors that I know are focused on the art. They are not looking for a decorative item, or a good investment. There is some aspect of the work itself that has hooked them." ~Eleanor Blair

"To create is to relate. We trust in the artist in everybody to make his own connections, his own juxtapositions." ~Sister Corita

"When one buys some of my artwork I hope it is because they will wish to learn from it and not because they think it will match their drapes!" ~ Christian Cardell Corbet

"The longer you spend working on something – loving it into being, almost – the more you get attached. It's silly, but you do hope they go to good homes." ~Anne Desmet

2011-03-15T13:44:00.001-07:00

This posting has been sent to my Announcement List. Want to receive the monthly, easy to browse e-mail update about my art? Go to Contact to join.

Back from LA and Chicago....phew! What an amazing adventure, and I am so grateful to Nathan at the Hive Gallery for the experience, Mark for making everything run so smoothly during what could have been a crazy headache of a week and for being such a fun travel companion, Libby for the laughs and conversation at the Field Museum, and my Sis and Bro for their love support and of course, for my nephews! Over a week since I painted, but ready to hit the easel soon!

GALLERY: Pictures from the Alice in Wonderland 2 opening have been posted! The work at The Hive is heading to Create:Fixate, also in LA, after this show. More about that in the April Announcement List.

PRINTS: This is the LAST WEEK to get the special price for The Millinery Studio Prints. Available via PayPal Pre-order on my website. Deal ends this Friday!

SHOWING: Dandy Do and Kleodora at Brothers Drake in Columbus, OH until March 31.

BACK HOME: Green Coat is back from the Dirty Show in Detroit.

INSPIRATION: Finding inspiration in the collections of the Field Museum in Chicago, IL.

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson
www.KollarAnderson.com

"Let's work hard, but take the pressure off ourselves and have some fun with the process. Otherwise, what is the point?" ~ Gaye Adams

"It is so much fun exploring each new small advance. Magic happens with a series. It's wonderful to trust your inner instincts and turn off the brain chatter now and then." ~Jean Bradley

"There is a sort of mediated ecstasy that occurs when you actually do the "work" of painting. That is to say, you can't have too much fun." ~Brett Busang

Announcement List March

2011-02-26T07:24:00.000-08:00

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GALLERY: The info for Alice in Wonderland 2 has been posted. as you can see, they used my painting for the showcard! YIPPIE!!

RAFFLE: THIS Saturday, Feb. 26 - A chance to win one of my pieces or a work by another talented Dayton Artist, while supporting a good cause! INFO

PRINTS: The Millinery Studio Prints are now available via PayPal Pre-order.

VIDEO: Cheshire Tins mini-movie.

ONLINE NOW: My piece, The Millinery Studio is gracing the cover of Ragazine, and a write-up about my other stuff at The Hive.

ONLINE SOON: This coming Monday, February 28th, check out Artsy Shark for a feature about my artwork promoting the March 5 opening reception!

AWARDS: If You Please wins an award!

NEW: Newly added to the Wasp in a Wig Series, Dandy Do. In the studio I am working on another for the series based on the Queens of Clubs and Spades and a commission piece inspired by the band Devotchka.

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson
www.KollarAnderson.com

"Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." ~Miriam Beard

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." ~Martin Buber

"How far must we travel before we realize we are already there?" ~Peggy Guichu

2011-02-04T15:35:00.000-08:00

This posting has been sent to my Announcement List. Want to receive the monthly, easy to browse e-mail update about my art? Go to Contact to join.

PRINTS: The Millinery Studio Prints are now available via PayPal Pre-order.

LOCAL: Want to see my newest paintings before they head to LA? Two chances on Feb. 18th and 19th at the Heights Cafe.

TIME LAPSE VIDEO: New video of Phyxiated posted.

OHIO ARTISTS: My site was added to the Inner Art Guide to Ohio Artists.

NEW TO SITE: Phyxiated : Fumage :
Faceted : Keeping Check : Green Coat : Angela If you like Angela, you can place a bid on her at the DVAC auction.

ON DISPLAY: The Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery Presents Here's Looking at You: Portraits in Ohio January 27 - April 17, 2011. Green Coat at the Dirty Show, February 11-19.

PHOTOS: A photo shoot that I am calling Teal Erin and a photo shoot with Stephanie and Summer for the next "Alice" painting.

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson
www.KollarAnderson.com

"Failure to prepare is preparing to fail." ~ Benjamin Franklin

"It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." ~ Mark Twain

"There is no such thing as luck. It's a fancy name for being always at our duty, and so sure to be ready when good time comes." ~ Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

2011-01-31T14:51:00.001-08:00

Hurry and order now to get this special offer on The Millinery Studio print by Amy Kollar Anderson! Signed and Numbered Edition 11”x14” Giclée on watercolor paper. Use Paypal "Buy Now" button on my site to place your order.

Free Shipping!
Pre-Order Only $40
(will be sold at $50)

Special Offer Ends March 18
Prints Ship by April 8

Announcement List : January

2011-01-10T05:02:00.000-08:00

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OPENING: I will have five paintings at the Riffe Gallery in Columbus as a part of the Here's Looking at You: Portraits in Ohio show. Opening Thursday, January 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. More Info.

TIME LAPSE VIDEO: Just posted a new one for Invidia.

COMMENTS PLEASE: If you didn't get a chance before, please post a comment on my Featured Artist page. If I get the most comments, I will be virtually crowned the Artist of the Year for the Art and Art Deadlines page. Only one per person counts and the deadline is January 15. Thanks!

CATALOG: A virtual catalog for the Surreal Salon show has been posted. Check out my pieces and the rest of the work selected for the show.

SNEAK PEEK! I will be showing my Alice paintings at Heights Cafe two days in February with a super special on my Calien prints! More info on my site.

PAINTING MUSE: I have added images of the finished painting by Greg Dearth to my site. He is an amazing artist, and super nice guy! If you want to see more of his work, visit Gallery 510 in Dayton, where he is represented.

PHOTOS: Check out the photos from my session with Charlie Gast.

SHOWING: Green Coat is going to the Dirty Show.

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson
www.KollarAnderson.com

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." ~ Thomas Carlyle

"If you ask people what they've always wanted to do, most people haven't done it. That breaks my heart." ~ Angelina Jolie

"The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition." ~ Carl Sagan

"Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement." ~ Snoopy

Announcement List : December

2010-12-17T05:01:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidaze! Tis the end of the year, and I am still keeping busy...maybe a little too busy! The near future should bring more prints (specifically from my Alice in Wonderland series), an LA show at The Hive Gallery, and a show in Columbus, OH at the Riffe Gallery. More info about those to come, so for now, here are a few updates for December. Thanks again for following my artwork and have a happy and healthy new year!

VOTE: If you get a chance, please post a comment on my Featured Artist page. If I get the most comments, I will be virtually crowned the Artist of the Year for the Art and Art Deadlines page. Thanks!

GALLERY: My work has been featured in the Nightmares Before XMas show at Eclectix Gallery

Just got news that Bounce and If you Please will be in the Baton Rouge Gallery's Third Annual Surreal Salon show. Opening January 4th. More info.

INTERVIEW: Read my interview with Stamp Magazine

PHOTOS: Check out some shots from a November photoshoot with Acid PopTart and Mandalynn Rea.

Just modeled for Greg Dearth. Check out the beginning of the painting.

And some shots by Kidtee Hello with me as the model.

NEW: Four pieces for the Featured Artist spot at The Hive Gallery in March: Fumage, Faceted and Fixated and a piece about the Red and White Queens (title TBD)

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson

www.KollarAnderson.com

"It is possible that scientists, poets, painters and writers are all members of the same family of people whose gift it is by nature to take those things which we call common-place and to "re-present" them to us – the world – in such ways that our self-imposed limitations are expanded." ~Gary Zukav

"Personal transformation can and does have global effects. As we go, so goes the world, for the world is us. The revolution that will save the world is ultimately a personal one." ~Marianne Williamson

"I would like to recapture that freshness of vision which is characteristic of extreme youth when all the world is new to it." ~Henri Matisse

Announcement List Novemeber

2010-10-29T06:12:00.001-07:00

LOCAL: The Chrysalis Project canvases will be handed out on Friday, November 5 at DVAC. Hurry and purchase your tickets before it is too late! This is your opportunity to support two amazing local organizations and get original artwork for only $25!

MURAL: I finally had the opportunity to complete my mural at the Garden Station. Check out my site for progress images. That #*($&$ kicked my butt!

OUT: The Scion X-CHANGE crew was back in town. Check out some photos from the event.

NEW: Just finished The Millinery Studio for the show at the Hive Gallery in March 2011. Will post the finished piece soon. Prints a likely possibility. Let me know if you are interested. Also started Green Coat (Working Title) for the Dirty Show in February.

LECTURE: I will be giving a 45-minute presentation about being a working artist at the Leadership Dayton Arts Day on Novemeber 10.

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson
www.KollarAnderson.com

"Once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return." ~Leonardo da Vinci

"Do not fall into the error of the artist who boasts of twenty years experience in his craft while in fact he has had only one year of experience - twenty times." ~Trevanian

"Take your work seriously but never take yourself seriously and do not take what happens either to yourself or your work seriously." ~Booth Tarkington

"We have enough experiences in a day to make art for a decade." ~Eric Maisel

Announcement List - October

2010-10-01T04:24:00.001-07:00

Happy first day of October, the creepiest month of the year!

OUT AND ABOUT: The SCION X-CHANGE program is back in Columbus (10/5 & 10/6) to raise money for non-profit art orgs like the Madlab. I will be with the crew at Bernie's Bagels, hanging out and painting both days. Come spend Mad Hatter Day. October 6th, with me at Bernies! More info on my site.

INTERVIEW: I was interviewed for the Sublime Rush Online Magazine. They did an amazing job with the layout!

NEW: In order to complete Crude before my deadline, I spent last weekend painting in the woods during a camping trip with friends. Check out some photos from the weekend. I also recently finished Invidia, which will be my newest time lapse movie...more on that soon.

IN THE WORKS: I am about the start The Millinery Studio, the first of five Alice in Wonderland inspired paintings for a show at The Hive Gallery in LA in March. Also starting a piece for the Dirty Show in February.

I am very excited to learn that my mural space at the Garden Station will be sealed and ready for me soon. I will post when I know I will be out there, in case anyone wants to come say HI or see the work in progress.

NOW SHOWING: There is still time to see the Sangfroid show at the At Peace Massage and Wellness Center. The show ends October 29th.

SOLD: Body, Soul, Haunted

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson

www.KollarAnderson.com

"It is a miserable state of mind to have few things to desire and many things to fear." ~Francis Bacon

"The demons are innumerable, arrive at the most inappropriate times, and create panic and terror... but I have learned that if I can master the negative forces and harness them to my chariot, then they can work to my advantage.... Lilies often grow out of carcasses' arseholes." ~Ingmar Bergman

"Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have." ~Louis E. Boone

"I am the first to be surprised and often terrified by the images that I see appear on my canvas." ~Salvador Dali

Announcement List - August

2010-08-20T04:50:00.000-07:00

This posting has been sent to my Announcement List. Want to receive the occasional e-mail update about my art? Go to Contact to join.

ARTIST TALK: Join me on Sunday, August 29 for the Artist Talk at Gallery 510.

ARTIST PALETTE: I will be the featured artist at the DVAC September 4th Artist Palette. Reserve your space now!

TIME LAPSE: My newest time lapse is up on YouTube.

INTERVIEW: Ali Marshall visited the studio, then wrote a great interview for Dayton Most Metro.

SANGFROID: I am curating a show, Sangfroid, scheduled to open Sept. 11. Check out the details on my site.

NEW: I took a brief break after installing my show at Gallery 510, cleaned the studio, swapped some closet contents, and got right back to the easel. Three new pieces in the works, including another time lapse movie called Invidia. Other pieces are Crude and Intoxicating.

Thank you for staying connected!

Amy Kollar Anderson

www.KollarAnderson.com

"I would like my pictures to look as if a human being had passed between them, like a snail leaving its trail of the human presence... as a snail leaves its slime." ~Francis Bacon

"Painting is, literally, the primal impulse to mark. It's such a clear way of formulating what's inside one's head; it's the most direct way of communication." ~Anna Bialobroda

"Conversation in real life is full of half-finished sentences and overlapping talk. Why shouldn't painting be too?" ~Edgar Degas

This Friday! The Laboratory - Solo Show

2010-08-03T05:18:00.001-07:00

I am packing up for another day of installing my show at Gallery 510 in the Oregon District. Today I am working on the installation for the front window. My plan is to create a mini-lab in that space using many of the oddities from my studio, including my golden skeleton, Roger.

The show will include a presentation of my new time lapse movie, Bounce, which will be posted on YouTube soon. In addition to 13 Vivarium paintings, I will have 6 FeFe portraits, an installation of 49 small paintings, plus a few drawings.

In celebration of my largest Dayton show to date, I am bringing out my painted purses, Calien prints for only $20, Swarm Prints for $35, and postcard sets for $6.

And don't forget, if you can not make it to the opening, the show will remain up for the month of August and there will be an Artist Talk on the 29th. Hope to see you there!

The Laboratory by Amy Kollar Anderson
August 6 - 29, 2010
View Larger Map

Gallery 510
510 East 5th Street
Dayton, OH 45402
937.672.6717

Opening Reception:
Friday, August 6th 5-10pm

Artist Talk:
Sunday, August 29th 3:00pm

Announcement List - July

2010-07-23T05:02:00.001-07:00

SOLO SHOW: It is almost time for my show at Gallery 510! The opening reception is August 6th, starting at 5:00pm. There will be a lot of new pieces, including new Vivariums and FeFes, an installation of 49 5" canvases, a laboratory installation, and a new time lapse movie of "Bounce." More info on my site. Hope you can make it!

ONLINE: My drawing for Cultivate is available on the Nucleus Gallery Power in Number page. The sale will benefit the World Wildlife Federation.

NOW SHOWING: In the Shadows, No Ifs or Ands, Fumes, and Rings will be at the Russell Gallery from July 30 - August 15.

Earle is at DVAC until August 19th.

NEW WORK: Just posted Earle, Ixchel, and Bounce on my site.

PRESS: Check out some photos from the Scion x-CHANGE event in Columbus on Facebook. Be sure to "Like" them, cause they are raising a lot of money for non-profit art organizations, like the Madlab in Columbus, and they are great people!

ART LUNCH: The group meets every Thursday at either the Rosewood Arts Centre or the Dayton Visual Arts Centre. Learn more on my site.

The Laboratory

2010-07-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Laboratory by Amy Kollar Anderson
August 6 - 29, 2010

Gallery 510
510 East 5th Street
Dayton, OH 45402
937.672.6717

Opening Reception:
Friday, August 6th 5-10pm

Artist Talk:
Sunday, August 29th 3:00pm

Scion Event

2010-06-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

This posting has been sent to my Announcement List. Want to receive the occasional e-mail update about my art? Go to Contact to join.

SCION X-CHANGE: On June 15th, if you are in the Columbus, OH area, come out and wish me a Happy Birthday and/or buy me a beer at Bodega!!! I am the Columbus Featured Artist for the Scion x-Change event on Tuesday, June 15 and Wednesday, June 16th. Stop by Bodega to test drive a Scion and help raise money for the Madlab in Columbus. I will have paintings on display too! Learn more about the event.

NOW SHOWING: The Messenger is on tour with The Dirty Show in Chicago.

PUBLISHED: Check out some of my work in the online Photographize E-zine.

INTERVIEW: I was interviewed by the Innsmouth Free Press

REVIEW: Inside/Out at the Dublin Arts Council Gallery

RAFFLE: Want a chance to get one of my paintings for only $25? Raffle tickets for The Chrysalis Project canvases are now available for purchase, only $25 each! Every ticket wins!

VIDEO: An amazing new montage of video and still shots from the Art Splash event at United Rehabilitation Services (URS)

JUROR: I was one of the jurors for the Wassenberg Art Center Show. Check out a Review of the show.

"Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing." ~ Helen Keller

"Go and dare to create your own adventures." ~ Elana Lindquist

"Art must take to the road and risk all for the glory of adventure." ~ Lawren Harris

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." ~ Jawaharlal Nehru

"Make voyages! Attempt them... there's nothing else." ~ Tennessee Williams

Featured Artist for Scion x-CHANGE National

2010-05-18T12:34:00.001-07:00

Amy Kollar Anderson will be the Scion x-CHANGE National Featured Artist and MadLab has been selected for the Featured Nonprofit in Columbus, Ohio. Launching May 4, 2010, the Scion x-CHANGE Program will visit 30 cities around the country with two-day public fundraising events built around a geometric installation by Damon Soule. The x-CHANGE program, now in its second year, is designed to harness the passion for preserving creative opportunities and elevate localized action into a national network of nonprofits, artists, retailers and activists.

The Scion x-CHANGE Program connects people to causes with the goal of raising financial support and awareness for arts-based nonprofit programs in their area. This support provides the necessary workspaces, materials, educational opportunities and support platforms to the artists who drive the cultural identity of a city. MadLab Theatre and Gallery in Columbus provides an artistic haven for the creation and experience of original works.

In 2009, the Scion x-CHANGE Program raised over $30,000 for 39 nonprofits.

This year’s program takes localized action to the next level by focusing on fundraising and establishing ongoing support and awareness for the x-CHANGE Non-Profit Network. For 2010, Scion will be matching event donations dollar-for-dollar up to $30,000.

“Scion is a brand that stands for independent thinking and originality,” said Steve Hatanaka, Scion auto shows and special events manager. “The Scion x-CHANGE Program recognizes that brand awareness can be more than purchasing ad space. It can be a catalyst for community support and artistic expression.”

To make the event all the more exciting for me personally, the Columbus tour will kick off on my birthday, June 15. Check their site for details as we get closer to that date.

Mafdet : Studio Images : Updated 05:19:10

2010-05-18T12:33:00.002-07:00

This painting is 10"x16." In early Egyptian mythology, Mafdet (also spelled Maftet) was a goddess who protected against snakes and scorpions and was often represented as either some sort of feline or mongoose.[

Sketch transferred to canvas.

Glaze of color and adding some darks.

Building up skin tones and patterns.

Started adding scorpion tails to her braid. Mafdet is often represented with braided hair that ends in either snakes or scorpion tails.

Added more tones to the face, starting to blend the scorpion tails. The lovely Natasha is peeking at the progress.

Started pattern in the background.

View the finished piece, Mafdet.

Diana : Studio Images : Updated 04:28:10

2010-05-18T12:33:00.001-07:00

This painting is 10"x16." Lucifer loved cats. He slept with one on his bed every night. Through enchantment Diana became a cat and laid in his bed one night. This night resulted in the birth of Aradia, daughter of Lucifer and Diana.

View the finished piece, Diana.

The Laboratory : Studio Images

2010-05-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

This painting is 10" x 16"

View the finished piece, The Laboratory.

Announcement List March/April

2010-03-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

This posting has been sent to my Announcement List. Want to receive the occasional e-mail update about my art? Go to Contact to join.

Hold on to your hats! I have a lot of updates for March/April...

NEW PAINTINGS: Yes, I have been busy! New work posted on the site... A new Vivarium piece, In the Ring. A commission painting, Fructose. Two of the new FeFe paintings, Baset and Shasti, and an off-shoot of the FeFe series, Kleodora. Plus, the first nine paintings from the Petri Series.

SHOWS: April is looking to be an exciting month for exhibitions!
Kleodora is headed to the Hive Gallery Avatar Show in Los Angeles. Opening April 3rd.

I have two custom Baby Qees in the Toy2R 15th Anniversary Qee World Tour at Rivet Gallery. Opening April 3rd.

Six of the Nine Petri Series will be in the Cnote ArtShow in Columbus, OH. Opening April 10th, preview night April 9th. All artwork in the show is only $100 each and all money goes to the artists!

In the Ring, In the Shadows and Brocade are headed to Des Moines, IA to be in the Fly in the Land of Milk and Honey exhibition at Instinct Gallery. Opening April 10th.

SHOES!: - Yes, I love shoes, and I love shoes that help people even more! I will be helping people decorate their Tom's Shoes using various acrylic and collage techniques on Friday, April 9th. More info on my site.

One of the paintings from the Chrysalis Project will be at the DVAC auction on April 30th. More on my site.

I am working with two other artists on the centerpieces for the Kettering Mayor's Ball to benefit SICSA on April 24th. More info on my site.

IN PROGRESS: The fourth FeFe is taking shape, Mafdet.

Started third time lapse video of the Vivarium painting, Bounce.

COMMISSION: Getting starting on a new commission inspired by the Lithuanian folktale of Eglė, Queen of Serpents.

Announcement List : 02:10

2010-02-13T07:43:00.000-08:00

This posting has been sent to my Announcement List. Want to receive the occasional e-mail update about my art? Go to Contact to join.

SHOWING: The Messanger will be on display at Dirty Show in Detroit. Show opens on Friday, February 12th and runs through the 20th. The show is located in Bert's Warehouse Theater • 2739 Russell St. Detroit, MI 48207.

ON THE EASEL: Finishing up the details on In the Ring.. Check out the progress images to see! The finished piece will be posted very soon.

Picked up enough stretcher bars for 10 canvases, and began the FeFe portrait series. I started two. The first one is making quick progress, with gold foil and patterns, but still doesn't have a title. I attended the Group Shoot at C{Space on Jan. 31st, so now I have lots of reference materials to add to this series.

COMMISSION: I have started work on a fun, little commission, but as discussed with the individual, the progress images will not be posted until completion.

NEW MEMBER: I was just accepted to Gawker Artists, which is a curated online art community and exhibition program promoting the works of artists in all media.

"I do not paint a portrait to look like the subject, rather does the subject grow to look like his portrait." ~Salvador Dali

"A great portrait is always more a portrait of the painter than of the painted." ~Samuel Butler

"I have painted many portraits of people and I have painted many portraits of trees. Trees are more tranquil to work with, never demanding, never complaining their portrait doesn't look right." ~Cosbie

"Listen: if I am a painter and I do your portrait, have I or haven't I the right to paint you as I want?" ~Oriana Fallaci

The Messenger : Progress Images : Updated 01:10:10

2010-02-10T05:35:00.000-08:00

A new piece for the Dirty Show in Detroit. Opens Feb. 12, 2010. This painting measures 12"x44." Wanted to play with a female form and have her be both primitive and futuristic.

The sketch transfered to canvas.

A quick layer of color.

Still tweaking the anatomy.

Fixed the booty.

Started patterning the torso with stars.

Added variegated gold leaf to the background.

Detail of the gold leaf. I will paint back into it to incorporate it into the piece better.

Added glitter to the background and patterned the rock surface.

Added more darks and details in the skirt.

Detail of skirt in progress.

Detail of cliff in progress.

View the completed piece, The Messanger.

Nite Mare Time Lapse Video

2010-02-10T05:34:00.000-08:00

The new time lapse painting movie for the painting, Nite Mare, can be viewed on YouTube.

In the Ring : Progress Images : Updated 01:20:10

2010-02-10T05:30:00.000-08:00

This painting is 20"x24"

The drawing in progress with one of my reference photos.

I transfered the image to the canvas and began blocking in shapes.

More coverage. Looking kinda freaky at the moment. Almost like a ghostly biblical scene, but the piece is about child prostitution.

Glaze over the tree, and adding pattern to their clothes. I am not sure how I want them to look exactly. I know they won't be this brightly colored, but we shall see.

Ok, right now it looks like a cracked out Wonka's factory, but I am pretty sure it will get more subdued as it goes. We shall see!

Gash (aka Burger, Mashy Man, etc.) chillin' in the studio.

Starting to play around with the sky. Not really sure what I am doing with it since this is the only part of the design not planned out in the drawing phase. How about some happy little clouds?

Continued to develop the clouds and sun ring. Adding color to the interior of the jar to separate it from the background. I want to make sure the viewer interprets the interior as a "negative" environment, so the colors are going to be dirty.

Referencing a photo that I took in DC of a Chinese lacquer box, there will be a flower ball design in those floating orbs in the sky. Here they are just blocked in with blue for placement.

Added flower pattern to balls with purple. Good night and big balls...

After adding some blues and yellows to the balls, I went back in with white to make them pop. Also lightening the skyline and hazing out some of the clouds to get more depth.

Detail of balls in progress.

Been focused on making the tree come together. Starting work on the mushrooms soon.

Working on mushrooms in general, by fixing shapes and base colors.

Close-up of detail work in lower right corner. Still figuring out how I want the shrooms to look.

More changes to the shrooms. Just not sure where they are going, so I am going to leave them be for now and move on to the interior of the jar.

The mushrooms continue to plague me. I have an idea of what I want, "little gems," but not really sure how to make them the way I want. Starting to play more with the lighting as it is coming from behind.

Working some brights back into the shrooms. Playing more with the colors.

Brightened the background in the jar to make the shadowy girls pop a bit more. Really liking that effect.

Decided to abandon the shrooms for a few and focus on the contents of the jar, mainly the girls. Maybe if I have a better idea of how they interact in the space, the shrooms will start to make sense.

Starting the second girl.

Got her limbs blocked in and corrected some anatomy issues. Just to clarify, in case it is not obvious yet, these girls are dolls, hence the joints.

I kept looking at the girls with their sticks and wondering why the heck they had them. My initial thought with the presence of the sticks was to represent the question "Why?" by having them shaped as "Y"s but beyond that, who the heck knows. Then, after a conversation with my husband, it came to me...

There needed to be some creatures in the jar, so out came the snake, monkey...

and the cock. Real subtle, I know. ;)

The animals are blocked in after being transfered.

Blocking in details on the animals.

Working on lighting. I wanted the figures to be lite from behind so their faces are in shadow and they are glowing. Need to build up patterns now.

Detail of girls in progress.

I wanted the girls to look like they were being lit from behind, but ended up making them look like they were residing in the shadows.

I watched a TED lecture about the sex slave trade and realized that my image was way too safe for the scenario I was trying to present. I finally decided that the main problem was too much clothing. They needed to seem vulnerable and it also needed to be clear that they were dolls, so off came the clothing.

Starting to develop the doll shapes.

I finally broke down and took out one of the girls. She was getting lost in the composition and flattening the interior of the space. I am also bringing the "balloons" down into the lower portion of the piece.

The tree starts to take shape...again.

Planning to change the color of the shrooms and develop the girls more. The bubbles had to come down so the canvas was not divided in half. Much better.

The pinks and purples are working better than the orange/red shrooms. Also tweaking the shapes as I go.

Worked on the girls yesterday. Finally realized that the small brush I was using was not small enough. Love their faces now!

©POP Gallery Opening 05:02:09

2009-05-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

Me standing in front of "Artemisia, Artis Magistra (Mistress of Art)" by Isabel Samaras. I have admired her work for a very long time, but this was the first time I got to see one in person. Now I am even more enamored with her work and super excited to get her book, "On Tender Hooks."

Someone, NOT US, used the H.R. Giger ped as a resting spot for his beer, but we thought it was a perfect opportunity to show the scale of the piece.

Taking a bite out of ©POP! Just a sampling of the tasty treats provided. I also was a big fan of the edible shots in chocolate shot glasses.

Cheers! Great local brew by Motor City Brewery. REALLY good stuff!

Mark says "Hang Loose!" Fred says "???"

Mark and Jen in all her beautiful, baby glory!

"Blind Faith" next to Bask.

Colin and Jen using 3D glasses to check out a seriously freaky Eric White, 3D print.

Tom Thewes and The Pizz in front of The Pizz's piece, but close enough to spit on mine! Yes, I am a stalker photographer.

Amazing prints by Shepard Fairey.

My fav piece by Tom Thewes.

Mark's fav piece by Tom Thewes. "BÄDguys"

Work by Glenn Barr. Even more amazing in person! Got to see him, his wife and daughter, but too chicken to say hi. Gotta work on that. :)

©POP Gallery already has new occupants.

Winner for best signature, Laura Bernhard. (Her work is amazing too!)

Drooling over, around and under the work of Stephanie Henderson. "Non Omnis Moriar"

Ended the night with my head "deep inside" Jerry Vile. It smelled nice! Haahaa!

March News

2009-03-13T05:46:00.000-07:00

HELLO!

VIDEO: Exciting news! Remember the 3 second teaser for "Weevil?" Well, now you can view the full, high res version on my site or the low res version on YouTube. I already have plans to make another video using everything we learned during the making of this vid, so it should be even better! Many thanks to my amazing husband for his help and his MUSIC!

CD RELEASE PARTY: David E. Williams released his newest album, Every Missing Duck is a Duck Missed on Friday, February 28th in Philly. Check out his myspace blog for more info on the event. This is my second CD cover, Sleepybird's All Things Are Mine being the first. I am thrilled to be a part of both band's success. David's Cd is being reviewed in the UK's online zine called, Judas Kiss. Check back for the complete review, but get your dictionaries open and check out this lovely review of my work by Simon Collins...

"The cover artwork of Duck…’s digipack sleeve is by Amy Kollar Anderson. It’s a disturbingly detailed image of a seedy anthropomorphic duck in 60s psychedelic hipster drag, clutching a bottle of writhing worms, and it’s brilliant, even if I must admit to having pedantic ornithological reservations about the shape of the duck’s beak."

NEW MEMBER: I am a new member of two groups on DeviantArt, Painters, and Dark Art Asylum.

CURATE: In February, I worked with the Dayton Area MetroParks, during their Adventure Summit on a project called ARTventure. The gallery in the Student Union at Wright State was filled with amazing art inspired by nature. I am planning to help with this event next year, but create a call for entries, and open the event to more of the community. Check out pics from the event on my Lowdown page.

COMMUNITY: Do you like SALVADOR DALI? If you are in the Dayton area on Saturday, March 14th, Join us for the grand closing "Dali Costume Ball" (benefit for Justin King) @ 7 Timbers (next to second street market) on 32 Webster St. Dayton, OH from 8pm to midnight. For only $10, you not only get to view some rare Dali lithographs, you get entertained by Dayton's amazing band, Sleepybird, and a performance by the Zoot Theatre Company. Do some anonymous people watching from behind your Dali inspired costume, drink and be merry all while helping out Justin King. This benefit event will help Justin, who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis and is in need of a liver and double lung transplant.

Have a great weekend!

Amy Kollar Anderson
www.KollarAnderson.com

My painting on a CD by David E. Williams!

2009-01-27T04:41:00.000-08:00

Check out "Worm Wine" on the cover of "Every Missing Duck is a Duck Missed" by David E. Williams! Give it a listen, and purchase it from his site. Good stuff!!!

“Tragedy renders the monster human. Williams' 5th full length release is decidedly his most eclectic. Largely inspired by the grief and futility following the illness and death of his girlfriend, the album veers from somber piano ballads to nostalgic pop to at least one grandiose epic with virtuoso live drums, odd time signatures and dissonant tone clusters (while still remaining catchy!) Longtime cohort Jerome Deppe gets the longest guitar solo of his career as well as his VERY FIRST harmonica solo (in the deceptively titled hoedown "Kill Yourself in Cape May"). There are also 4 cover tunes and a witty Zevonesque take on the life of Idi Amin. A local and national cast of musical luminaries* fleshes out the sound of David at his most organic and confessional.”

No Ifs or Ands : Analyzed

2009-01-13T10:39:00.000-08:00

This painting is 18" x 22" and approx. 120 hours.

I created this set-up for the reference photo using the same doll and beetle from “My Best Friend.”

A quick sketch to get the placement.

Blocking in color. Trying some new Nova Color Paints. Emerald (pearlescent) in the background, Portrait Tone on the skin, and (I think) Indanthrone Blue on the ground.

Adding a “wash,” well, more of a scrap of blue over the emerald background, and defining some of the shapes and shadows.

Blocking in more color. At this point it is basically a play of complimentary colors. Mapping out the grid on the floor.

A fun chrysanthemum pattern in the background. I really like that element to the painting. The bold pattern gives the piece a lot of movement and energy.

Adjusting the flesh tones, added a little nose because his head didn’t seem to be facing the bug, and a vital part of the concept was the interaction between the doll and the bug. The basic idea was this bug lecturing the doll and telling him no “Ifs, ands, or buts!” This is a perfect example of my kooky sense of humor.

Oh, the dots…They really added a lot of texture to the background, and I really liked how the metallic emerald and the blue glimmer through the green dots, but man, those took a crazy amount of time, and I had to go over them several times to get the color built up to the level I liked.

I wanted the flowers to pop out a bit more, so I added an outline of metallic pink.

Gash and Ti hanging out with the painting in the studio.

Bringing some more color and reflections to the glass, and blocking in the ground tiles better.

I wasn’t so sure about the zebra coral pattern at first, but with a few glazes, I began to really like the effect. Also fixed some of the rocks in the jar to give them more volume.

Defining the jar more. As I have stated before, I have never been one for straight lines or perfect angles, but I enjoy a challenge, plus I think they are wonder metaphoric tools. Every time I work on one of the jars, it is a new adventure. In hindsight, I wish I had left the jar at this level, but I kept playing with the idea of a beveled glass, which I am happy with, but I think this phase was really nice and clean.

Baby boy get a pattern inspired by cherry blossoms. I love mixing the different patterns. I am trying to keep a balance between just enough and too much under control.

I had just picked up a jar with beveled edges at the thrift store, so I had bevels on the brain, but it created a whole lot of chaos. The addition of the plants soften the tiles and encourage the eye to move upward.

Still dealing with the glass. Adding details to everything.

The vine seemed like the perfect solution to hide a bit of the bevel craziness and add color and movement to the piece. I think it really makes a huge difference.

Getting rid of some of the flat, white glass, and fixing the details on the vine.

View the finished piece No Ifs or Ands

2008-11-15T10:51:00.001-08:00

VIDEO:I am currently working on a submission for theThe Dirty Show X in December. Instead of just photographing the progress, Mark (and Proffit!) helped me set up the video camera so the entire process will be documented. Right now, I only have about 10 seconds worth of video, but I am really excited to see it all come together. Check this SUPER QUICK, 3 second teaser on YouTube.

PURSES: If you are in Dayton, check out the Art to Buy gift gallery at the Dayton Visual Arts Center. I am selling my painted purses there until December 18. Lots of great x-mas ideas from talented local artists.

ARTICLES:If you missed the show, Under Glass,I have some excellent REVIEWS by Jud Yalkut and Pam Dillon on my site.

IN PROGRESS:In addition to the piece for the Dirty show, I have three new Vivarium pieces in the works; Cultivate, Chain of Events, and The Ups and Downs of Death.

Gallery Exhibit

2008-08-16T04:58:00.000-07:00

I will be showing the new Vivarium Paintings, some drawings, and a few surprises...

The opening is September 5, 2008
5pm-10pm

Goloka Gallery: Oregon Division
523 Fifth Street
Dayton, OH 45402

View Larger Map

Like a Hole in the Head : Studio Images : Analyzed

2008-06-08T04:45:00.001-07:00

This painting measures 24"x38"

Starting with a sketch. At this point, I want it to be a disturbing interior, surrounded by decorative elements.

So I spent a ridiculous amount of time painting on these flower silhouettes.

My original thought for this piece was inspired by the musical, Little Shop of Horrors, but in this version the plant is molesting the doll. Let me say at this point, that I love her shoes and they are the main reason it took me so long to fix this piece, because I didn’t want to loose those shoes! Silly! With the background, I wanted to layer another color with larger flowers and then play with the overlapping and negative space.

This is the point when all hell started breaking loose. I added the “peanut gallery” in the back, but I really don’t know why, perhaps to intensify the discomfort in the piece? Well, the main problem is that they can not logically fit in that terrarium. Apparently, I didn’t like the face or body, but I don’t remember why not. They definitely had the creepy factor.

It has begun….who is controlling this painting?

I was not achieving the results I wanted and the party had gotten out of control. Everybody out! Headless bug, you can stay.

The simple figure interacting with the headless bug and the solemn tree seems to express the emotions better. In the end, I think those rocks and the bug are the only original elements.

Working on the values.

The background, which was supposed to be the opposite of the interior, looked like “Swamp Thing” wallpaper. Argh! Maybe some cheery pink succulents will help?

No, that didn’t work. Maybe I should add some really tall blossoms? I am really digging the interior, but what the #$*&$# is going on outside?

I started the pattern on the doll. It is hard to see in this version, but the pattern is made of tiny skulls and crossbones. I had a critique were it was suggested that the patterns play a more obvious role in the narrative, and I liked that idea.

Developing the interior further and completely stuck on the exterior.

Patterns for the tree and insect. Oh, and have a mentioned I have a thing for red shoes?

I try a teal glaze on the background and start a pattern on the jar.

Those darn flowers. Now they had little pod people in them. It may be good to note that I was starting to freak out about the Indy show and whether I would finish this piece in time to show there. I think the added stress clouded my judgment on this piece. I am thrilled with the final piece, but I think I had something interesting in the beginning. That is when these progression images haunt me.

I have tried switching the flowers to pine trees and I am much happier with them, but the piece is still all-over gloomy.

Blue skies almost always seem cheerful and they help the trees stand out better. But gosh, all that work gone. I swear to myself at this point that I will start sketching and planning ahead better so I don’t waste so much time, but as you will see with “Brocade Barricade,” some pieces just have to evolve on their own.

Another issue I have been struggling with is how the exterior is represented in the interior. This element to all the pieces has been challenging, but I have enjoyed figuring them out.

There are a lot of changes between this version and the final, the main difference being the sky. In this version there are wispy white clouds, but they blend too much with the white pattern of the jar. I decide to bring in some hot pink/coral, which pops nicely against the blue sky. I also define the jar pattern more and bump up the colors on the figure.

View the finished piece Like a Hole in the Head

My Best Friend Painting Analyzed

2008-04-14T05:52:00.001-07:00

The doll I used for reference in this piece, was hand painted by my Grand Aunt Della, back in the 1980s. The dolls I use have either been passed down to me from family or acquired at thrift stores. I had no idea it would be so difficult to find small, all porcelain dolls at the thrift store, but I have been looking for over a year and have only found three that will work. The most recent find is a beauty with dark curls. She will definitely turn up in a painting soon.

Although this is the third painting in the Terrarium series, it is the first to showcase the doll side of the equation. I wanted this piece to really have a presence, so I stretched a 34" x 46" canvas and started by basically sketching the reference photo and blocking in a layer of color.

Next, I add some values and the background pattern.

Here I added a yellow/green glaze to spice things up.

The vessel was originally sitting on a table with squares that would become postage stamps underneath as a symbol of disconnected communication, and thought it would represent the loneliness I wanted to capture in this piece. The basic idea was to show that this neglected child was so alone that he befriended a beetle.

All of the doll paintings will have an insect companion. Personally, I find insects to be fascinating creatures and I have used their images in numerous paintings. Sure, I get freaked-out by the occasional spider, but I try to appreciate and respect their life and their contribution to this planet’s ecosystem. Insects are often treated as unwanted pests and instantly exterminated. The dolls represent the neglected and abused children, and although they are not “exterminated,” they are often treated as lesser beings.

I wanted the outside to be very lush and garden-like to contrast the interior’s desert-like climate.

I used the photo reference only as a starting point for the pattern. In the painting, I added blue, viney worm creatures to add movement and variation to the repetitive pattern. Even the little boy gets a pattern of yellow flowers, because I wanted every surface to be visually energized.

I have added another yellow glaze on the background. The colors had been getting a bit garish, and I wanted to unify them a little more. I also changed my mind on the table/stamp concept and went with a water garden instead.

I started playing with pattern on the glass, which was tricky, but something I want to continue to play with in other pieces. You will see there is a huge jump between this image and the next. Sometimes I get really into the piece and too distracted to document. One of the major changes you will notice is the face. I had been looking at the original doll, and brought that sorrowful look to this guy, but it just wasn’t right. At this point, my husband noted that he didn’t feel sorry for this creature and asked if that was my intention with this painting. It was, so that vacant stare had to be replaced with more personality and life. The final face perfectly captures the combination of sweetness and loneliness with a hint of madness. Well, that is what I see. Picture Ren’s voice (from Ren and Stimpy)…”Would you like to meet my best friend?”

So, at this point I had called the piece done…but the size of the piece seemed to call for something more grand and less static/repetitive. If you ask my Mother-in-Law, I should have stopped here and let it be, but I just couldn’t. Many people ask me how I know when a piece is done? That is a tough question for me to answer, because it is more about instincts than logic. When I look at a piece and I get lost in the beauty of the color, the flow of the lines and the story presented by the characters, I know it is done. When I am distracted by nagging conceptual questions, composition issues or unfinished edges, I need to do more work.

So I risked a lot by bringing the plants in the foreground. If they failed, I would have a mess and possibly a ruined painting on my hands. No pressure there! Why do I do this to myself?

The floating pods at the bottom seemed odd to me. Were they attached to the bottom of the pond or had they fallen from a tree? I decided I liked the tree concept for the pods, but once I got to this point in the painting, I hated them. They were static and dull. Oh, crap!

My thought was to encase them in a yellow blossom. Double crap! On the upper right you can see the start of the “Boo-Boo Berries” which became the solution to the pod problem or the cover-up for my “boo-boo.” As you can see in this shot, one of my cats is critiquing the painting…he gives really harsh crits.

So at this point, I was so concerned that I wouldn’t finish the painting in time for the Indianapolis show, that I completely forgot to take any additional progression shots. In the final piece, you can see I changed the berries in the water and added a reflecting pattern. Now the vessel is surrounded by the garden instead of placed in front of it, and I am quite pleased with the final results.

View the finished piece My Best Friend Signed “Kollar”

Contained Studio Images Analyzed

2008-04-07T06:48:00.001-07:00

The second painting in the Terrarium Series, measuring 24” x 34”, was inspired by Olivia’s sister, Sophia.

A quick sketch for placement. My original thought for this piece was to show a young girl that was perhaps too sheltered and protected and had almost outgrown her space. I wanted the tree to echo this idea with cramped roots and large branches.

Originally, I thought she might be standing in the jar, buried to her waist in the dirt. Then I realized that that seemed kinda gloomy, plus there wasn’t enough space, so I brought her legs out. In general, there are two basic themes to the Terrariums pieces: human children in pleasant environments surrounded by negative environmental issues and doll children in unpleasant situations surrounded by beauty.

Blocking in some color. I tend to start with the darker medium hue colors and build the lighter and darker colors from there. I wanted this piece to be a completely different palette from the first piece, “Blind Faith”.

My first thought for the clouds was to make them white and wispy. I knew I wanted the tree to work as a lid, but I didn’t know what shape I wanted, so I just started adding bunches of leaves.

I liked the idea of playing with pattern in the form of cast shadows on her skin and the tree, but I wasn’t sure how to make this work. At this point it just feels blotchy.

Bringing the pinks over the blue base in the sky is a nice way to make some variations of color that bounce between blue, pink and purple. The pink blobs inside the container were going to be lollypops. I kinda liked the idea of filling the jar with candy to echo the sugar sweet paint palette that was developing in the sky.

Layering up the leaves, still debating on the shape of the tree. The arched shape seemed to make sense, but... Changed my mind on the shadows on her skin, at least for now. It is easier to see the cocoon shape hanging from the tree. In the past, I have worked a lot with insect imagery and thought the cocoon might be a useful metaphor in this piece, but changed my mind. You will notice that only the doll terrariums have insects. I will talk more about that once I analyzed the next piece.

Candy canes and sugar drops started and I brought more personality to the figure. I also didn’t like the blah grass and thought a ring of rocks around the base would help convey the idea that she is trapped.

Some really nasty patterns added to the rocks. I think it was somewhere around this phase that I was starting to freak out that this piece was getting out of control. The elements were not working.

At this point, I also realized that the piece needed more depth and decided to bring some of the branches in front of the jar. I thought maybe it was the grass that was messing things up since it was supposed to be unpleasant outside of the jar, so I got rid of it and changed the pattern on the rocks. I also wanted to add something weaving in and out of the tree limbs to add some motion.

I am much happier with the rocks now and I realized that the candy was truly the problem. With all the terrarium pieces, I have debated what should go inside and outside and if it should always be natural elements. At this point, I am leaning towards sticking to the natural elements, but that may change. I also added the cool, drooping vines. I saw something like those a while ago, not sure where, but I liked the shapes they made and the strange pod forms dangling from them. Don’t worry, the ghastly yellow skin is just the underpainting.

As you can see here, I like to use lots of layers when making skin. I start with darker colors and layer on lighter ones, leaving some of the darker exposed for shadows. The objects in the trees are becoming more snake-like, which I like, but the tree still isn’t quite right.

More plants inside and I started to bring back the shadows on her skin. When this piece returns from the Indianapolis Art Center on April 20, 2008, I may add more plan life to the inside of the jar. At least more color. I also started stippling (using tiny dots) for the moss in the bottom of the jar.

The piece was getting close to being done, but the heavy, static tree was fighting for attention. I decided to Bonsai it with some blue. Ah, much better!

After the Bonsai surgery, I had to paint new swirls into the sky and unify it with the existing space. It is hard to tell with the digital image, but the sky has a glaze of Interference Blue paint that gives it a toxic glow. I love working with interference, metallic and now neon colors. I want to use them in a way that isn’t crafty or too psychedelic. In a recent critique, my style of painting was dubbed Psychedelic Art Nouveau, or as I have begun to called it, Nouveaudelia.

At some point, I renamed this piece from “Growth” to it’s existing title, because of the fume-like clouds. Now it seems like more of a commentary on toxic air and airborne disease. By bringing some of the swirls from the background into the tree, I unified the background and foreground and added depth. The snake forms are still in the tree, but they are very subtle. I want to keep pushing the balance between the realistic objects and the decorative elements. I think this piece works really well to accomplish that task.

View the finished piece Contained. Signed “Kollar.”

First Shirt on Threadless

2008-04-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

A couple quick announcements...

T-SHIRT CONTESTS: Get your head out of the gutter! I have submitted an official t-shirt design on Threadless.com and it is finally active! Please, go check it out and VOTE . If you have a chance, spread the word! I would love it if this shirt became a reality. Thanks! Oh, and there is another Pending Approval for the Old-Fashioned Fun contest.

BLOG:I am starting to update the original Terrariums painting posts with more background information. I started with Blind Faith. Let me know if there is something I can add to enhance or clarify in the posts. Thanks!

Have a great day!

Amy Kollar Anderson
www.KollarAnderson.com

Blind Faith : Studio Images : Analyzed

2008-03-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

I have received many comments over the years that people appreciate seeing the progression images on my site. I thought it would be nice to go back through the posted Terrarium paintings and elaborate on my creative process. So here we go…

This is the original painting in the terrarium series, measuring 32” x 38”. The simple vessel was inspired by the Better Homes and Gardens article noted in the How it Began post. I use a lot of photos in the creation of my work, but not with the intention of recreating them exactly. At some point in the process, I put the photo away and work with the image on the canvas. I have learned that if you tried to recreate photos, your images turn out flat and uninteresting. So, for this piece I used the photo of my young friend, Olivia…

You will see some of her siblings showing up in the Terrarium series. Her sister, Sophia, is the figure in Contained and I have plans for paintings with her brother, Gianni and sister, Isabella. They are a fun group of kids, and since I have none of my own, I will be turning to friends and family for my models in this series.

Most of my paintings start with a rough sketch on the canvas. I water down some paints and quickly block in the shapes.

My original concept for this painting had the terrarium placed on a table, surrounded by hungry lizards. I thought it might look like an alchemist’s laboratory (a theme I am quite fond of), but I quickly decided the idea was not working.

Once I dropped the laboratory idea, it seemed obvious that the vessel should reside outside in a unpleasant environment, contrasted to the utopia inside. At this point I am still loosely blocking in colors and shapes. My layers are thin, which allows for a lot of change, if needed.

I didn’t have an exact idea of what the exterior terrain should look like, but it needed to be unsettling. My thoughts returned to a recent plane ride in which I had viewed these amazing, dense cloud structures and thought they might work in the piece.

Ugh, but they were boring. I was getting frustrated and uncertain whether this piece was actually going to work. I think it was Mark, my husband, that presented the question “Do they have to look real?” that really got the piece rolling. I scrapped the realistic clouds and started layering waves similar to the ones I painted in Suspension of D in 2006.

With the background somewhat realized, I could go back to developing the image inside the terrarium by building the plantlife around the figure.

I wanted the environment to be really lush and colorful, while incorporating different shapes and textures.

Hanging out with Swanky in the studio. You can see my bulletin board with reference photos in the background.

Ah, rocks… My obsession with rocks can be quite a time consuming pain in the butt. I began by blocking in each one (the lighter area on the bottom).

In this detail shot from the original “finished” piece, you can see the object the girl is holding, a mustard seed pendant. I have several of these pendants, passed down to me from various relatives and recently learned that they symbolize “faith”. From Wikipedia, “In the Parable of the Mustard Seed, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed. Although having some of the smallest seeds, the mustard plant grows to a large size, providing shelter for birds: Mark 4:31-32. The story has been interpreted to mean that grand things can grow from tiny actions.” I am not a religious person, but the metaphor was perfect. As with many of my paintings, the narratives tend to develop and find meaning as I work on them. When I started this piece, I wanted it to be a commentary on the environment, but I wasn’t sure exactly what that would be. Then one day a coworker mentioned that she was not worried about the environment because scientists would figure out how to fix it, so what was the point. I was pretty shocked by that statement, but instantly knew what the girl was going to present to the viewer and what the title would be.

I had posted the painting as finished, but after exhibiting it a few times and then living with the painting for a few, I decided it really wasn’t finished. First of all, the vessel had structural issues on the top and bottom. I knew when I started this piece that it would be a challenge because of the straight edges and ellipses. I have always been better with fluid, organic shapes, but I enjoyed the challenge. The next element was to tackle was the rocks again. Even though I had spent a LOT of time refining them, they were still too rough to be in the foreground and the monotonous color distracted from their details and the rest of the piece. I also realized at this point that I needed to really push all-over patterns.

View the finished piece Blind Faith

The Terrarium Series: How it Began...

2008-03-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

The Terrarium Series basically began on July 7, 2006 with an e-mail invitation from the Indianapolis Art Center to participate in a group show called Other Worlds/Altered Visions, in early 2008. With so much advanced notice, I wanted to create a new body of work for the show. I began searching my books and the Internet for inspiration, but found it in a copy of Better Homes and Gardens I borrowed from a coworker at the Rosewood Arts Centre. In the magazine I found a brief article about terrariums and how they were again gaining popularity in home decorating.

Dr. Nathaniel Ward accidentally invented the terrarium in 1829 while studying a cocoon in a covered jar. He noticed that several small plants, including his beloved ferns, had begun to grow in the bottom of the jar, unaffected by the London smog outside the container. He named his invention “Fern Cases” but they are better known as Wardian Cases or Terrariums. By the 1860s, most every proper Victorian household had at least one Wardian Case environment. The cases were also instrumental in transporting rare plants and germinating imported seeds. Terrariums also made a comeback in the 1970s with futuristic styles made from glass, plastic or even giant brandy snifters.