JensArtBlog

"Petite Picassos"

2010-09-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

The next morning, this picture appeared as a 1/2 page in the Aspen Daily News. The caption reads:

"Artist Jennifer Vranes teaches kids how to paint landscapes on Friday at the Royal Aspen Gallery. The lesson is part of Miami Fitness Connection's Aspen Summer Camp."

Art Show in Aspen, Colorado!

2010-09-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

Every year I do a one person show for my favorite Art Gallery in Aspen, Colorado -- Royal Street Fine Art. This year, they asked if I would be willing to teach an art class to about 30 kids, ages 4 to 14. The local newspaper would be there to do a write up of the event. I thought it sounded like a lot of fun, so I agreed. Just as we drove up, after a 20 hour trip, we were told that the kids were already there! We quickly got everything set up, and 5 minutes later I started the art class. I taught the kids how to paint one of my chunky Aspen Trees -- much like the tree I do in my "Daydreaming" series. The vantage point is one looking up a tree through lots of yellow leaves. I gave each child a 6" x 6" canvas and a palette knife they got to keep. They were thrilled! They had a lot of fun building out the thick texture with a knife. They thought it was quite like "frosting a cake!"

Later that night, Royal Street Fine Art, hosted a Gallery Reception for me. The Callahan family were visiting Aspen that weekend, and happened by the Gallery. They love art and after some discussion, they unanimously agreed that my painting, "Colorado Aspens" was the one for them!

When not at the Gallery, Matt and I had fun exploring the town. We can understand why this little town attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year! It's a very cute place with great shopping and fantastic restaurants. We rode a ski lift up Aspen Mountain, and lunched at Sundeck Restaurant. What an incredible view!

Giclées-- Oh the Things you can Do!

2010-06-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from Designer Wendy Van Horne in Sacramento, CA. She had a client who was interested in my vineyard series. His wedding anniversary was coming up and he wanted to surprise his wife with artwork for three niches in their entry. He wanted to know if I could make my "Coming Home II" triptych fit perfectly inside the niches. I called him up and explained that I could indeed crop the series to fit any dimensions he needed! He was thrilled. The original "Coming Home II" triptych had three children walking hand in hand up a vineyard path. The client wanted to know if I could possibly paint their 5 children in place of the existing three. Yes! I responded. I could easily do that! Truly, anything is possible when creating artwork...even Giclees can be customized! I actually quite enjoy doing whatever it takes to make an art piece more special for my collectors. I know it will be something they will be enjoying for many years...so whatever they're envisioning, I can make happen! :)

"Coming Home II" 72 x 24 (each panel 24 x 24), enhanced Giclee on canvas.

This is how we cropped it! "Coming Home II", middle panel 48 x 60, side panels 48 x 16, ultra-enhanced Giclee on canvas.
The client sent me a picture of his 5 kids and I painted them in the painting.

His wife was very surprised! She had no idea her husband was planning this for her wedding anniversary. We thought it would be extra neat if I could deliver the triptych to her in person to their home in Sacramento. That was fun. I love a chance to meet and connect personally with my collectors! This is the email I received later that day:

Jennifer,

Thank you so much for coming over and spending some of your valuable time with us today. My wife was just numb about it all. She was so happy, it made her cry.

Thank you and Matt for delivering the pieces. The artwork is spectacular. My wife and I are just amazed at how beautiful it is.

Thank you so much!

Weekend at Árdíri!

2010-05-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

This is the Ardiri Team: Karen, Linda, John, (me), Gail and Justin. They all did a fabulous job putting on a very successful grand opening for Árdíri Winery and Vineyards! It was a very busy weekend.
It was busy for me as well. I sold quite a few minis. Even the mayor of Hillsboro (below) took a painting home for his wife.

I finished up the painting: "Árdíri 2009 Oregon Harvest" during the show, and Gail Lizak, one of my top collectors, added the piece to her personal Vranes art collection. When I say that Gail and John are my two best collectors, it's true! Between the two of them they have more than 60 paintings!

"Árdíri 2009 Oregon Harvest" 24 x 30, thick acrylic on canvas

This is the painting that is featured on the wine label of their newest release, "Chehalem Gold." I brought it to the Grand Opening and John Compagno added it to his art collection. It is one of my favorite vineyard scenes, depicting Árdíri in Autumn.

"Ardiri Fall" 30 x 40, thick Acrylic on canvas

closeup of the thick palette knife texture!

Inside the Árdíri House are a few of the vineyard paintings I did for John. Above is a series of 24 x 24 paintings: "Summer, Fall, Grapes, Winter, Spring"

"Oregon Vintage", 48 x 48, thick acrylic on canvas

Memorial Day Weekend -- Árdíri's Grand Opening!

2010-05-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

For Memorial Day weekend, my husband Matt and I drove up from Southern Oregon to Árdíri--a winery and vineyard located in the Willamette Valley outside Portland, Oregon. Art collectors John Compagno and Gail Lizak invited us to participate in the Grand Opening of their newly remodeled Winery.
To Matt's delight, he was immediately put in charge of hoisting a huge red balloon into the air. You could see this giant beacon from miles away. It's not often something can make my huge 6' 6" husband look small!
The 15 acres of vineyards are planted primarily in Pinot noir. The narrow spacing vineyard is one of the most densely-planted in Oregon; this spacing allows for rich and complex characteristics that come through in the wines.

The setting couldn't have been more picturesque! The view of Mt. Hood was positively breathtaking! I couldn't wait to break out my paints and start painting!

6" x 6" mini original paintings on canvas!

2010-05-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

One of my new collectors sent me the most thoughtful card! This is what she had to say about her two mini paintings:

Dear Jen,

Thank you for taking the time to make everything perfect! I'm crazy about my new minis. They are beautiful on so many levels! I'm hoping to add to my collection during the winter auction. In time I'd like to purchase an even larger masterpiece. Thank you for making my home beautiful!

Love,

Lisa

My Painting "Ardiri Fall" on Wine Label

2010-05-20T16:03:00.000-07:00

Two of my very best art collectors, John Campagno and Gail Lizak own Ardíri Winery and Vineyard--a 15 acre vineyard located in the Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, Oregon.

You can find more information about their beautiful Winery on their website: (http://www.ardiriwine.com).

Ardíri is Sicilian for “taking a risk” and can also mean “being consumed by fire“. Árdíri thus defines the concerted efforts to personally nurture vineyards in the Carneros appellation of Napa Valley and the Chehalem Mountains appellation of Willamette Valley. The vineyards’ unique Pinot noir clones have generated a traditional harvest of quality fruit that have been blended in French oak to form a striking and complex vintage especially complementary to meals.

Though I myself am a non-drinker, I find the art of wine making very interesting. The process is highly complex; an art form in and of itself.

The latest vintage, Chehalem Gold, is slated to be formally released on Memorial Day Weekend 2010. It is a white wine blend 50% Pinot gris and 50% Pinot blanc. My painting, Ardíri Fall is featured on the label. John and Gail have invited me to participate in the grand opening coming up Memorial Day Weekend, May 28th through 31st. They've done some extensive remodeling to the winery, and I'm excited to see it. I will be setting up my easel and painting on site. Ardíri has a spectacular view of Mt. Hood that I can't wait to capture.

"Tuscan Meadow" -- 36 x 60

2010-05-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

This is the Higginson Family! They also happen to be dear friends of ours. It always means so much more when friends want to collect my work. The Higginsons already have quite a Vranes collection going...but this is their biggest piece yet! They just moved into a new home, and had a large wall to fill in the living room. Kristi was looking for a scene with red to go above their red couch, and Spencer wanted something "Italian" because he served an LDS mission in Italy. They both agreed that "Tuscan Meadow" was the perfect piece. They were right!

Team Vranes!

2010-03-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is the man who made this NY trip happen! My husband Matt is the best! I couldn't have asked for a better business partner. When we decided to make this trip at the last minute, he organized the whole thing--boxing and shipping the artwork out, designing and ordering all new marketing materials (in less than a week, mind you!), organizing multiple babysitters for our 4 kids back home, booking flights/hotel...you name it, he did it. He also had the brilliant idea to print some of our full-page Art Business News ads onto plexiglas and have them displayed in the booth. They were a big hit with our ABN partners!

But the best thing about Matt is that he is great with people. He has a big personality that people are drawn to instantly. This makes him the perfect partner in a show like this--he helps alleviate the social stress I would normally feel. We had a ball being in NY together and experiencing first hand all the adventures that come with a big show like this. It was a whirlwind of excitement!

"Artist Profile" in Art Business News!

2010-03-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

Art Business News (ABN) has planned to spotlight me as their "Artist Profile" in one of their upcoming issues...so it was perfect timing to have Kristin Stefek Brashares (Editor-in-Chief of Art Business News and DECOR & VOLUME Magazines) in our booth all weekend long! We did manage to find some time for an "official" interview. The article is slated to appear in June's issue of ABN.

Nature's Scene, Fine Art Distributors

2010-03-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

Nature's Scene is a family run Distributor/ Publishing company based in Ontario Canada. Nature's Scene is the exclusive distributors for Millpond Press, a foremost publisher of limited edition prints. This family run company (Jack Cole and his four sons: Steve, Brandon, Peter and Philip) brings in sales between $5-$10 million a year. They are well known in the industry for their high integrity and good relationships with their artists.

I was delighted when Jack and Philip came into my booth and responded very positively to my work. Jack was especially excited about my colorful landscapes. He's very passionate about art, and liked how bold and vibrant my pieces were. He picked 6 of my images right off the bat to start with! He told me that when he sees something he likes, he jumps on it! No need to go home and think about it for weeks...he knows immediately what artist will work. I'm just happy he chose me. I couldn't be more thrilled!

Large artwork needed for a NJ office!

2010-03-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

This NJ Design Group came to ArtExpo to find a couple of large pieces for their office. They instantly felt a connection with my work! They ordered the top painting, "Aspens in Autumn (triptych)" as a 60" tall by 90" wide three panel Giclée for a big wall in their conference room! And for another spot in the office, they all agreed that a 48" tall by 60" wide, ultra-enhanced Giclée of "Treasure Trove" would be perfect! I do hope they send me pictures. It sounds like a fabulous space for my large pieces.

10 x 10 Giclées make a splash in NY!

2010-03-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

I decided to bring a series of 10 x 10 Giclées to NY...and they were an instant hit! At only $250 each, these enhanced Giclées are not only affordable, but truly stunning pieces of art! And they can fit anywhere! They look great hanging alone on a wall, or together as a grouping. The possibilities are limitless. These smaller prints also make perfect gifts for family and friends.

ABN sales reps!

2010-03-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

Kim Klatt (left) is a sales representative for the two leading art-and-framing trade publications, Art Business News and DECOR and the two leading art and framing trade shows, Artexpo and Decor Expo. It was because of him that we got this opportunity to share a booth this weekend! Fred Rogers Jr. (right) is the west coast rep for Art Business News. It's been fun getting to know them and the whole ABN gang better. My husband and I manned the booth, while these two charismatic salesmen roamed the show. I'm convinced Kim Klatt knows everyone in the Art world!

Wyland at ArtExpo

2010-03-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

Recognize this man? Chances are, you've seen his work! He's marine artist Wyland-- world famous for his large, outdoor murals of whales and other ocean life. The symbol on his hat was a dead giveaway when he came into my booth. I asked if he was doing this show, and he gave me a bit of a smirk and said, "heck no! I don't have to!"

Signed with Winn Devon, Art Publishing!

2010-03-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

I recently signed with Winn Devon, one of the largest art-publishing houses in the world. Winn Devon (a division of Encore Art Group) is a publisher of open edition posters, limited edition prints, and original works of art. Their collection showcases an eclectic mix of art from 200 international artists. They sell artwork through galleries, framers, museums, gift boutiques and art retailers (like Target, Macy's etc.) throughout the world. These guys will help take my work to the next level! It's all very exciting.

Niki Colley is the Chief Creative Director at Winn Devon. She was also at the ArtExpo, so we got the chance to meet in person and talk about future plans. She is very excited about my work, and thinks there is a good market for my colorful landscapes on an international level. I'm thrilled about this company and I can't wait to see what they do with my work.

NY Pizza--Yum!

2010-03-26T00:19:00.000-07:00

We plan on eating this every night! NY pizza really is the best in the world. I'm especially fond of the tomato/basil variety. I wonder how many calories is in one slice? Whatever it is, it's worth it! I'm not even going to care this week!

Opening Day!

2010-03-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

We did it! The booth looks fabulous. The first two days of the show are for Trade only. This is when all the Galleries, Designers, Publishers, Art Dealers etc. come out to catch the first glimpse at all the new art offerings. There is some mad negotiating that goes on these days--this is NYC after all!

Booth setup at ArtExpo NY!

2010-03-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

International ArtExpo is the world’s largest fine art trade show, providing dealers with access to thousands of wholesale works from artists and publishers in one single venue. Over its 30-year history, ArtExpo New York has hosted many of the world’s most renowned artists, including Andy Warhol, Peter Max, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Indiana and Leroy Neiman.

This is what the show looks like the day before it opens. Lots of setup pandemonium going on! The boxes behind me are all my paintings! I'm so happy they arrived safely. That's the biggest fear with a show like this--that somehow the artwork gets lost in transit, or arrives too late...and one must sit in an empty booth! Every box is accounted for, so I can rest easy! We did have to overnight 7 of these big boxes from Scottsdale to NY. Not cheap! But worth having the artwork for the show. Now we just have to get this booth together. It may take us all night! :)

Young Talent!

2010-03-22T23:31:00.000-07:00

These are my dear friends the Elcocks! Sean and I go way back to good old college days at BYU. They live in Arizona, so every year we get a chance to meet up in Scottsdale at the Celebrations show. Their daughters are quite the budding artists! I gave them a blank canvas, and some paint and they instantly began to "create" their masterpiece. The abstract shapes and bold colors were really quite wonderful. Keep it up Girls! Most kids stop creating art by the age 12...the ones that continue to practice on into their teens become the artists!

"Evening Rest" -- 48 x 60

2010-03-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

My studio webcam at the show snapped a pic of me working on "Evening Rest." Here it is all finished up! I've done several versions of this particular scene...but this one is my favorite!

Cactus Paintings -- 6 x 6 Minis!

2010-03-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

Elly and Steve Hammerman are avid art collectors. They've been coming to the Celebration of Fine Art show for 17 years! Last month, they purchased my "Out of Bounds" a 48 x 48 aspen painting with lots of colorful wildflowers. Steve saw my two 6" x 6" cactus paintings (my first desert scenes ever!) and had to add them to his collection!

I stopped by their home to deliver the two paintings, and to get a chance to see where the Hammermans had hung my "Out of Bounds" painting. It's such a treat for me to see where client's hang my work in their homes! It looked fantastic in one of the guest bedrooms. Everything in their home is Western, so it was unusual for them to collect something that wasn't of that genre. But I'm glad they made an exception with my work! :)
The funny thing is...the Hammermans didn't know I had painted a tiny golf flag in the background. They bought this piece because they liked the flowers. It was after they got it home and hung it up that a relative mentioned the "golf" motif. I guess they're not avid golfers! Steve joked with me later that had he seen the flag, he would have thought twice about that piece! I think he was kidding. :)

We're going to International ArtExpo NY 2010!

2010-03-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! We just got a call from Art Business News. They have a platinum booth for the ArtExpo NY 2010 and they asked if I wanted to share it with them and be their spotlighted artist (well, help them sell ad space, and also help "decorate" their empty booth with my art). But, I am thrilled to say the least! These booths, range from $4,000-$20,000--depending on size and location...and this particular booth is in a primo spot! This is truly a win-win. I've been advertising with ABN every month for over a year now, and have seen great results--so I will naturally be their best saleswoman for the magazine while at the same time I get a chance to display my work in front of thousands of people! This is an international show. The only problem is...the show is in a week in a half! I have to figure out which paintings to ship out to NY, find babysitters for the kids (Matt is definitely going with me on this!), books flights to NY, get a Hotel, hire someone to booth sit for me here in Scottsdale for the Celebrations show (this is that show's last week, so this isn't the best timing.) But, this is the chance of a lifetime, so I know it will all work out. It's going to be awesome!

Arizona Aspens -- 48 x 24

2010-03-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Just finished this piece up! Lots of great rich metallic golds and bronzes with nice tones of red. Should do really well in my Gallery in Sedona.

"Heavenly Spring" 48 x 60

2010-03-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

I have a web cam in my booth that takes a still shot of my easel every couple of minutes. It captured me working on my latest Spring painting. The paintings I do with flowers are my quickest sellers! I can't keep them in stock for long. This is an especially strong piece. I actually mixed iridescent silver and pearl into the paint to make the white trunks of the birches/aspens glow. It looks like sunlight is refracting off of the white bark! It turned out pretty neat!
(close-up of the highly textured flowers!)