a bit of painting

Tonight, I will be participating in my first-ever art auction! The painting above will be "up for grabs" at the New Britain Museum of American Art's Museum After Dark event, with the proceeds from the auction benefiting this really amazing museum. I've come to fall in love with the NBMAA in the short time that we've been back in Connecticut. It's small enough to visit with a babe strapped to you (a definite advantage for this Mama), but has a great collection of interesting work.

The painting that I created for tonight's auction (titled "Vacancy") was an experiment for sure. I started with an initial idea, which included a highly textured background and a whimsical, illustrated bird. But once the background was done, I knew that the bird wouldn't fit the bill. So, I started rifling through my random art materials and found an old key that sparked my interest. I have a deep love of old things, so that key became my source of inspiration. It was fun to paint in such a representational style (something I haven't done in quite some time since the majority of my art has become digital), especially in combination with the textural, more abstract background.

So, tonight should be an interesting evening, filled with intriguing art, good friends, yummy food, and perhaps even a bit of dancing. I am sure that I will leave even more inspired, as I tend to be after surrounding myself with quality artwork. So, let the auction begin. This girl is ready!