Red Flowers on a Branch for Baterbys

I began this painting a few weeks ago and today I placed the finishing touches with india ink detailing the fine lines of the flowers.I am drawn to the use of these colors together, the various shades of teal, aqua and turquoise, with red and cream ...and the blackish brown. I held back from filling the space completely, giving the mind and eye places to rest and wander. This will be one of the pieces I plan to submit to Baterbys for the auction which follows the LIVE PAINTING event this Friday.

As the winner of Baterbys Best Artist in Florida I will be painting live at Baterbys in Pointe Orlando this Friday beginning at 3 PM, you are welcome to come by then and enjoy yourself through the evening. The reception event begins at 6 PM so please join us. It's going to be a blast! Here's more details Live Paint Off

And here's the facebook event link (I always like to use these as it pops up in my events)

Functional Art "Soapy Happiness"

TA! DA!

I am so excited to share the very first sample of  "Soapy Happiness" with you.

A new piece of functional art created in collaboration with Ellen Cagnassola of Sweet Soaps

SweetSoaps.com is a small woman owned business located in central New Jersey. All of SweetSoaps products are handcrafted in the USA using only the best ingredients and fragrances.

Our mission is to bring beauty, fun, and quality to your everyday through the use of our products. SweetSoaps is an eco-friendly company that recycles all packing materials as well as being energy conscious in our manufacturing process.

SweetSoaps custom photosoaps embed full color photos in the soap, with a custom message. Our custom logo soap creates incredible impact for any promotional event as well. We view ourselves as a customer service/ product development company that creates bath fantasy. Your event is special - let us make that memory last an eternity!

In 2003 we struck gold or I should say Gold Monogram Soap. Neiman Marcus and Horchow put us in their Holiday Catalog, blowing the lid off of our business. That exposure brought about many changes and a lot of new business.

 

Here is the soap all bubbly and ready to use.

                                                 See how beautiful it looks with the layers!

Seven Circling Crows above the Steinway

"Seven Circling Crows" is a dramatic centerpiece at the Steinway. 

My exhibit opens with a reception filled with live jazz music 

and even some folks start dancing

it's fun!

 and a Free Arts Fest Event

Thursday Feb 9th, 6 -8

Steinway Piano Gallery

Altamonte Springs, Florida

Please come by and see some of my new work.

That's Thursday!

Then Friday Night

I paint live at Baterbys!

 February 10, 2012 at 6pm. Sip some cocktails, savor the hors d’ oeuvres...

then the artwork(s) will be available for sale after the event.

Pointe Orlando

9101 International Drive, Orlando Florida

Hot Snowflake Entry for Swatch and TTR Trophy

Twitter is a great place to connect and be introduced to opportunities and here's proof. I received a tweet from Swatch saying they liked my art and encouraged me to enter this contest to design a swatch and trophy for The TTR World Snowboard Tour Trophy and the official Swatch Tour Watch.

The TTR Snowboard Tour site posted this

 Swatch Art Rules is an excellent opportunity for an artist to showcase their work and break into the spotlight through the snowboard and art worlds. As one of the most coveted awards in freestyle snowboarding, the TTR Tour trophy is featured throughout the TTR season and is awarded to the tour champions live on stage at the biggest events in the sport. In addition, the matching Swatch Tour Watch with the winning design will be produced and distributed worldwide in 2012/2013.

This year’s installment of the design contest presents a challenge to the artists of the world: submit a graphic design that expresses the themes of Progression and Style. Progression and Style are two elements that run through all aspects of snowboarding and an artist’s interpretation of these themes will make the TTR Trophy and Swatch Tour Watch aesthetically complete.

A jury of snowboard and art experts selects the winning design from all submitted proposals. The top three nominees will be invited to the Swatch Art Rules Night gala event in May 2012 in the Los Angeles area (USA) where the winning design and artist are set to be unveiled to the world. In addition to the portfolio-building exposure, the winner also receives a two-week trip to New York City to soak up all the art and design inspiration of the Big Apple.

Excitement
I knew right away I wanted to use my image "Hot Snowflake", it's that feeling of the sun shinning, snow flying, and swooshing through the air on the slopes.
Trouble
After multiple failed attempts at placing my artwork into the template I cried out on facebook and even with posted tutoring I was still inept at my goal of placing my art into the template with a lack of more photoshop skills.
Solution
I called upon friend and expert Anna McCambride-Thomas who helped me in a pinch. I highly recommend her graphic design services. And I am also a big fan of her fine art, take a peek at Anna's Fine Art. 

.......................... P.S. yeah I snowboarded down a very little hill once or twice *wink

Arts Fest Installation at Steinway Gallery

  This week I am preparing to install my 

solo exhibit at the Steinway Gallery. 

The event is part of Arts Fest. 

The exhibit will be up for the month of February.

Robin Maria Pedrero presents works of art that infuse color and design inspired by nature. Using opaque and transparent painted layers with selective ink drawn contours her work takes you on a visual journey.
 “Meet the Artist” wine/cheese/jazz reception
Feb. 9, 2012, 6 to 8 pm

Steinway Gallery

303 E. Altamonte Dr. #1225 , 

Altamonte Springs, Florida

United Arts Arts Fest Event with Free Admission.

 _____________________________________________

 

I am asking for a moment of your time 

to click on this link and vote for me to go to NYC 

and possibly win $$ to support the endeavor 

 http://robinpedrero.artistswanted.org/yr2011#

 

 

AND

here's another option to purchase art and cards 

Fine Art America

Sharing process of painting

 

A new botanical  landscape painting - very design like, as I see it as all three, a botanical, a landscape and a design oriented painting. This 12" x 12" acrylic was created using layers of acrylic paint, a resist process, and more layers of acrylic paint, then added drawing with india ink and then sprayed and sealed with varnish. Now what to call this one...

This is an earlier stage in my process as I layer a series.This stage is with paint and resist. 

The Sweet February Newsletter is released... there's a Sweet Treat near the end.

 I have back to back events coming up...and new Neckties!

Check it!

Year of The Dragon

辰 Year of the Dragon officially January 23

 I like symbols and the marks made to create letters and words. I like Sumie brushes, I use them regularly to paint. If you study my work you can often pick out Asian influences. 

 My mother was born in Boston and our family went there often. We loved to go to Chinatown. I specifically remember Bob Lees where a chopstick using guest taught this ever so curious probably starring child how to use chop sticks.  I learned as many of us do via place mats that I am a dragon and years later I learned more specifically that I am a wood dragon. 

龙 = simplified dragon in chinese   龍 = dragon

I am ready for a year of prosperity and success in business for all of us!

FAVO Jan 19th 5 -8 pm Orlando Florida

Team Robin Cheers

Yes that's exactly what it is like having Team Robin!  It was an incredible outpouring of support, sharing, encouragement and participating in votes from you - my peeps - that gained me the title of 

Baterbys Best Artist in Florida.

Thank you!

I have never won an art award that looks like this, so sleek and contemporary - love it!

  I wish to thank Baterbys and all of their staff  for such a magnificent evening.  We will announce future dates where I will be at Baterbys painting live and participating in their events.

Tweaking Goals

I've been asked "HOW does one come up with business goals in general"? There's a lot of activities to do before committing to making your goals. There are numerous resources one could search online and in books to do some introspective work to draw to some conclusions. Reading others' goals can also be a good starting point for inspiration. Taking time out to think and ask yourself the tough questions of what you really want. Identify with the image above ..word picture...exposed, bare, reaching out, with a world of color and light.

Here's how my goals have progressed;  there's a pattern of reaching for goals, testing waters, accomplishment and sometimes falling short of meeting the goal.
2008 Goals,
2009 Accountability
2010 Goals
2011 Goals

Next I take last years goals and tweak them. Later I will need to discern between goals and what might now have become tasks in this list.

1. Maintain present Galleries;  Celebrations Gallery, CT,Gallery 17.92, FL, Juxtapose, NJ, Wolfe Gallery, FL. . Expand to new territory in other states (exhibits, shows, art centers, galleries, museums) . Exhibit at additional Galleries and venues in Florida - presently in 2012 I have 3 exhibitions lined up
2. Create and document 100 new pieces of work.
3. Continue to market work online and in products and increase sales. Continue my positive practices; blogging, social network medias, newsletters, postcards, mailing lists, and attending exhibits. Inspire, share, mentor and give.
4. Prepare EARLY for the Holidays and Promotions
5. Organize and back up data - this includes weekly bookkeeping
6. Maintain present Museum Gift Shops - Orlando Museum Of Art, Maitland Art Center, Florida Museum of Art, Florida Museum for Women Artists gift shop. And apply for more.
7. Make 10 art videos
8. Teach workshops
9. Move studio (sell, simplify, give away a lot of  items)
10. Bump IT up ... still figuring out this one...
would love to do an artist residency...and possibly work on my degree....