Collector Fred Lynn from the Red Sox!

"Road Less Traveled"
48 x 60
Collectors: Fred and Natalie Lynn
Carlsbad, CA

 Fred Lynn is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox (1974–80), California Angels (1981–84), Baltimore Orioles (1985–88), Detroit Tigers (1988–89) and San Diego Padres (1990).

After graduation from USC, Lynn started his career for the Red Sox with a phenomenal 1975 season in which he won the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year awards, the first player ever to win both in the same season.

Fred Lynn was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2002 and to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

I am pleased an honored to have him as one of my special art collectors. He and his wife, Natalie, have collected 6 of my paintings.

"We just love the aspen paintings and get so many compliments! We hope you got home safely; it was great meeting you. Thanks again and I know we will be repeat customers." --Natalie and Fred Lynn

10" x 10" Giclées on eBay...3 days only!

Give the unique gift of Art this holiday season!

For the next 3 days, I will be posting a brand new series of 10" x 10" Giclées on eBay. Each one is enhanced with palette knife texture and printed on canvas. These Giclées have never been seen on my website nor in any of the 30 Galleries that represent my work. You can only get them via this eBay auction. Hurry! Last auction ends Monday, December 19th. Opening bid starts at only $188. Free delivery guaranteed by Christmas!

Click here to view the auctions: http://bit.ly/eBay-JensArt

Best of luck!

Jen

"Dreaming of Provence"

"Dreaming of Provence"
36" x 60"
Collectors: Roberta and Mahjinka
Central Point, OR

"Thank you for allowing us to have this beautiful piece in our home. We feel it brings joy and light into our lives. It is a daily reminder of the lovely places in the world. Thank you for sharing your talents with us!" --Robert and Mahjinka

"Poppy Paradise" in Arizona Home

"Poppy Paradise"
48 x 48 Giclée on canvas
Collectors: Brian and Melissa
Gilbert, AZ

"Thanks for making such a beautiful focal point for our home." --Melissa

Ardiri Vineyard and Winery

Every year Gail and John choose one of my paintings for their next wine label.

"Autumn Vineyard"
48 x 30
Collector: Dr. John C.

Two of my top art collectors, John C. and Gail L., own Ardiri Vineyard and Winery, located in Cornelius, OR. Together they also own at least 80 of my paintings! They started collecting my work when I was a fresh out of college, just beginning my career with the Artist Guild in San Francisco. Several years ago they bought a vineyard just outside Portland, OR. Every year, on Memorial Day Weekend, John and Gail invite me to participate in their fun wine event. Though I myself am a non-drinker, I enjoy taking part in their fabulous event. I always bring my freshest vineyard pieces out to the show and then paint one or two more on site. Ardiri couldn't be more beautifully situated atop a hill, overlooking a valley of patchwork farmlands with Mt. Hood in the distance. Lots of painting inspiration!

Commmission for auto racing enthusiasts!

Pacific Raceway
78" x 72"
Collectors: Lynette and Dwight Matheson
Granite Bay, CA

I was contacted by the Designers of La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries to do a special commission for Dwight and Lynette Matheson, auto racing enthusiasts whose passion for the sport is reflected throughout their home. They wanted a painting above the fireplace to depict Dwight speeding along the Seattle Raceway in one of his favorite race cars: a '66 Shelby Mustang.  I must admit, this was one of my more challenging commissions (cars not being my specialty)...but everything turned out great!  The Matheson home was written up in an article titled "Rooms with Vroom" by Janice Dice in Gold Country magazine.  Here's what was said about the commission:

"The Design Team played off the colors dominating a commissioned oil painting by Jennifer Vranes, an artist in Portland, Oregon. The painting depicts a view through towering pines of Dwight zipping along one of his favorite courses, the Seattle Raceway.
The vibrant red, bronze, gold and copper tones in the painting are recurring themes throughout the house." --Janice Dice

According to Lynette:

"We wanted our home to have the 'wow' factor when people walked in," Lynette admitted, "but we wanted it to be inviting and comfortable, too. I think we got all that. All that and a whole lot more."

Collector Home Showcase in Reno, NV

I really enjoy working with Designers on various projects.  They know they can call me with any type of request needed, and I can do it.  Size is never an issue.  This project was for a home in Reno, NV.  Designer, Sheryl Morgan needed a dramatic painting with lots of bold reds and golds to span the wall of the formal dining room.  She thought a poppy field would be the perfect subject matter...split up into a three panel triptych.  Here's a picture of the finished project. 

"Autumn Jewel II" in Simi Valley Hospital

Lobby of Simi Valley Hospital

Designer Kathie Yost contacted me about doing a painting for the new Simi Valley Hospital.  She wanted a scene that would evoke peace and tranquility, yet have tons of rich, vibrant color to brighten up a large hospital lobby.  "Autumn Jewel II" was perfect choice!  Kathie just sent me these pictures and this note:

"The painting is so beautiful and everyone enjoys it. Thank you for your wonderful  talent." --Kathie

Painting Diptych in Collector's Home

Reach for the Sky
 72" x 48"

(Decorated for Christmas)

What a wonderful surprise to receive these two photos from collectors Jeff and Stephanie from Highland, Utah.  I couldn't have envisioned a better home for my Reach for the Sky diptych.  This is what Stephanie had to say about her new artwork:

"Jennifer, your work is just amazing and makes any space look special. A lot of your paintings just seem to be made for the spaces they end up in.  We waited many years for the perfect painting and it was worth the wait for sure. You are a special artist we are lucky to own work from."

Room Photos for Art Book!

I'm putting together a professionally bound Art Book featuring many of my paintings hanging in client's homes. It's always such a thrill seeing where my pieces end up. If you have a picture, please email me! Here's one of the homes where "Symphony of Color" is displayed above the mantel. It took my breath away when I first saw it. Thank you Les for sending me these photos!

Meet me in San Francisco!

I will be in San Francisco next weekend on Saturday, November 12th, from 3 pm to 6 pm, at Chloe Fine Arts, a fabulous Gallery located in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf.  They have one of the best collections of my work and I'm really excited for this event.  At least 15 Original Paintings with subjects ranging from French and Italian Landscapes to Birch and Aspen Forests, will be featured.  I will also be doing some "live" painting at the Gallery.  It will be a lot of fun.  Hope you can make it! 
Here's a link to the Gallery Announcement

Chloe Fine Arts

645 Beach Street

San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 749-1000

"Alberta Fall" 60x24 Commission

Alberta Fall, 60 x 24, thick acrylic on canvas

The family that commissioned the 9'x12' needed another painting for their living room.  It was the only bare wall left!  They asked me to paint them an Aspen scene with lots of red and orange to go with the accents in their home.  We brought Alberta Fall with us when we delivered the big commission.  It was lovely to see both paintings hanging up, bringing so much color to their home!

Lake Louise, revisited

After delivering and hanging the painting in our client's home in Calgary...we took a few days to revisit the location that inspired it all: Lake Louise.  It was as breathtaking as ever!

9' x 12' Commission Completed: Part 8

The painting is hung.  I'm all finished.  It was the most thrilling commission I've ever done--definitely the largest of my career.  Just the sheer size of it made it especially exciting to do.  I love painting big, and this gave me the opportunity to do something I've only dreamed about.  My clients were so wonderful and easy to work with.  They gave me all the freedom and creativity I needed to make this project a success.  They let me just go!  And seeing their delight in the finished piece...that was the icing on the cake.  They were very pleased--even stated they couldn't imagine their wall (or home) without it!  It was exciting just being a part of it all.  What a journey!

The painting looks perfect on that wall!  Such a lovely home. This is my favorite style of house for my work--contemporary yet classical with monochromatic tones of beige and dark brown.  Perfect backdrop for my colorful artwork. 

Another view of the painting.  You can see it from all angles of the house.  It really brings a lot of color to space!

9' x 12' Commission--The Hanging: Part 7

After we brought the canvas roll inside the house, professional framers took over.  They did a phenomenal job. They re-assembled the wooden supports, and stretched the painting back onto the frame.  It took them 4 hours! 

It was a poignant moment for me to see my client view the painting for the very first time.  It had been months in the making--lots of emails back and forth and phone calls.  She had been thinking about this painting for years--even before she met me.  And it was finally finished.  Her wall would never be bare again.  This painting was created specifically for her and her beautiful home. She was smiling!

Hanging the painting up on this very high wall was quite a feat!  It took four men on three ladders to do the job.  But at last it was in place.  It looked stunning hanging there!  Truly, the perfect piece for that space.  What a treat to be able to see the entire process--from beginning to end! 

9' x 12' Commission--Transporting to Canada: Part 6

Many of you have wondered how we were going to transport a 9' x 12' painting to Canada.  Quite frankly, we weren't too sure ourselves...but my genius husband figured it all out.  Truly, all I do is paint.  He's the logistics man!  There really is no way to get a 9' x 12' canvas through a door, so the only way to do it, is to take the painting off the stretcher bars and to roll it around a 12' tube.  This was done very carefully, with bubble wrap in between the layers.  Matt engineered a way to suspend the wrapped canvas in our cargo trailer without the canvas rubbing or touching any surface.  It worked out beautifully!  Painting arrived in Alberta Canada in perfect condition.

9' x 12' Commission--"Alberta Majesty": Part 5

Hurray! The painting is finished!! Clients approved it this morning. I'm taking it up to them in Canada this week. I'll be sure to post another pic when we get it hung on their gigantic wall.

"Meadow of Amethyst" sold at Chloe Gallery, SF

Meadow of Amethyst, 48 x 60, thick acrylic on canvas

Laurie De Seguirant recently purchased my Meadow of Amethyst from Chloe Gallery in San Francisco.  I feel it to be one of the strongest Spring pieces I've ever done...and I was delighted when Laurie posted this picture on my JensArt Facebook Fan Page!  Could there possibly be a more perfect painting for this room? This is the note Laurie posted on Facebook:

Hi Jen. We will be rewiring the room to get the proper lighting on Meadow of Amethyst. We are thrilled and fortunate to have your work in our family!

Sunflower Painting "Toscana Gold" in home of new collectors!

For several years Barb and Dwight Purdy have been following my website and Blog in anticipation that one day they would commission a painting. They had just the spot in mind, too. The painting would go above their mantel in the living room. When they heard that I would be at Ardiri Winery and Vineyards over Memorial Day weekend...they drove up from Eugene to meet me and to possibly discuss the details of the commission. It was such a pleasure meeting them! They were like instant family. Before they left, we finalized the plans of their new painting--a 30 x 48 sunflower field with a Tuscan villa.

I finished up the commission and had the privilege of personally delivering "Toscana Gold" to their home in Eugene, OR. It was so fun to see these wonderful collectors again and to bring them the painting they've been dreaming about for years. They were delighted with the final result, and said it was perfect! I was thrilled.

Dwight and Barbara Purdy with Jen and Matt Vranes

9' x 12' Commission--Painting Process: Part 4

Sky, Mountains, and Lake are finished.  I really tried to capture the same ice blue tones of Lake Louise that I found so arresting the first time I saw it.  I've never seen a lake quite like it.  Here I'm adding thick leaves to one of the aspen trees with a palette knife.  I want the leaves and the trunks of the trees to literally pop out of the canvas 3-dimensionally, so I "sculpt" them using various sized palette-knives.  After the trees are done, I need to fine tune the wild flowers in the foreground...and then I'll be finished!