February blur from the studio of raquel p miller |
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Hello again, I am writing this two days away from the end of February, it's rain-snowing, gray, windy and wet, and I'm holed up in my studio. Yesterday, I finally finished the painting I will be submitting to the Buoy Gallery's ARTPM Annual Show (Kittery, ME). All are welcome, and the only "rule" is that the work must be made in February. This is the first time I am submitting to this show and I'm soo excited. I want to say I've done more this month, but I haven't. I've created some lovely little sketchbook pages but I haven't created any other finished pieces besides this one I will submit to the Buoy Gallery. Reminding myself that is okay. It's hard to balance my days. Making artwork and spending time towards my creative practice is one of the ways I take care of myself, but it's hard to balance with an ever fluctuating work schedule that takes me away from my home & my studio for almost 10 hours a day. On top of other things you need to do to take care of yourself like laundry! grocery shopping! cleaning! ugh! Needless to say, I am still figuring it all out. I hope you all have had a lovely month despite everything. We are approaching the one year mark of COVID literally changing our world and that's really sad and weird to think about, too. So I hope everyone is taking care of themselves in whaaaatever way you know how and getting through this chaos we call *life.* -Raquel |
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Page 1 of my newest sketchbook! Like many artists, I really try to make my sketchbook a place where I can do whatever I want, good or bad. But like many artists, there is something about that first blank page... So if anyone picked up this sketchbook off the street and was like.. what's this?! BAM, first page. It's me. I used traditional gouache for this lil cutie, this is actually not the finished piece but we love a good process shot. My latest sketchbook is a Hot Press Zeta Series by Stillman & Birn. I'm using the Talens Plakkaatverf Gouache along with a few Winsor & Newton Gouache. I would like to upgrade my whole set to W&N but am gonna use up what I have before that. |
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Okay, this might be my pride & joy of the month! I made this at the beginning of the month to participate in Week 45 of Still Here Still Life's drawing prompt! Ugh, it just turned out really good and I was so proud of myself for the detail and color work in this piece. For this piece I used the Holbein Acryla Gouache Primary Set. |
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AND NOW, THE BIRTH OF MY PAINTING: "The past, distance, and the in-between" February 2021 Acrylic on wood panel. 12" x 12" |
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My setup on 2/26 when I tore off the tape around the border. I used a 12" x 12" pour panel for this painting. It has a framed edge so if I used this to literally pour paint onto, the edge would catch the paint from pooling and dripping over the side. Instead I used this to create the illusion of a frame in this painting. I initially wanted to paint something more intricate for the "frame" but once I took the tape off, the clean white worked really well and complimented the white in the waves, so I left it as is. |
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Sketchbook spread with this idea. Part of me thinks I maybe overworked this painting and idea just a tiny bit. I made soo many sketches and I actually love each one I made on the way just as much as the finished product. I really appreciate the color study for its gross green hue and looseness. And, I also just LOVE the little sketches I made in plain old graphite. I'm proud of the finished painting and excited to share it in this show, but I really liked the small works that led to the finished piece. |
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Giving a shoutout to this sketchbook! I got it as a sample from work, but finally used it all up. I loooooooooove it for colored pencil and graphite, but pen is fun too if you want some texture. The first sketch for my painting was done in the last pages of this sketchbook seen above. |
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NEW YEAR, FULL MOON 2021 Six 6" x 4" paintings/block prints on birch wood panel. I finally listed my paintings I created back in January up for sale! I am selling each piece for $40. They are all unique printings and completely one of a kind. I do not have these in my shop but if you're interested in one, see what is available below, and send me an email, or message from my website. X denotes 'not available'. #1: Red + Light Pink X #2: Sky Blue + Green Gold #3: Lilac + Peach #4: Light Ultramarine + Peach X #5: Indigo + Light Ultramarine #6: Indigo + Ice Blue |
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My studio in afternoon light. Taken on February 2nd, 2020. Thinking about this time last year. Thinking about the ways my art has changed, stayed the same, evolved. I like seeing the changes I've made in the studio, the furniture I've moved several times only to end up back where it started. I'm grateful for this space. I love the afternoons where the walls glow yellow and all my clutter creates strange shadows on the walls. This photo was taken a year ago, but it could have been taken yesterday. |
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Last newsletter I said I would have a shop update: I don't! I've been focusing on the making and a less on the business aspect of things so that didn't happen this month, but I'm giving myself a new goal for April. I want to have smaller originals added to my shop, update my website, and potentially create postcard print packs. Maybe if I say it right here, I'll make it happen...? And as always, I have some original block prints and several photo prints available in my shop. I have one new blog post up that highlights one of my sketchbooks. Read it here. Follow the Buoy Gallery on IG here. Follow Still Here Still Life on IG here. |
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Last thing: forward this email to anyone who might enjoy it! I'm adding a sign up box below for this! I would love to reach more people! You can also reply to this email to send along any messages, questions, or just say hi. <3 |
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