Caution:Artist at Play-Artwork by Shana Rowe Jackson

Here are some tricks I that have helped me over the years!           1.        Use a thermos, travel mug or water bottle for your beverage while painting. This way you do not have to worry about dipping your brush into your drink, and it lessens the risk of your drink being spilled all over your project.    2.        If you do not like using harsh chemicals such as turpentine to clean your brushes there is a product called “The Masters” Brush cleaner that works great for Oil, Acrylic and Watercolor. They also have hand soap and a marvelous stain stick. If you are short on cash Dawn dish soap works well for brushes, even oil brushes. Dish soap is made to cut grease so works well for oil paint, it may take a bit longer than traditional brush cleaners but you are likely to have it on hand, it’s cheap and more importantly safe. Some shampoos may also work for the same reason.    3.        If you have been drawing intensively for a long period of time and have an

   Sometimes, when you work a lot, or have a limited income it can be hard to travel very far to get inspiration and reference photos. This can force one to look closer at the things around them, and find compositions that they wouldn't ordinarily think of. This has been what I have been up to lately, partly because I don't travel much, but also because I think there is something wonderful about taking something simple and using it to make a beautiful painting. Growing up I learned at a really young age that you work with what you have, (hence the fact that some of my first paintings were done entirely using q-tips because I didn't own any brushes at the time.) Spring is the perfect season for this, and the macro setting on my camera has been my best friend. I have been scouring my own backyard looking for small flowers, plants and animals that call to me, waiting to be painted. I have also taken reference photos of clothing and random things around the house, when you find

  Wow!! It has been a long time since I have written!! So sorry I haven't been around much! I have been quite busy lately, and was having a few computer problems for a while, but now I am back online! Unfortunately I have been working a lot at my day job so I haven't had a whole lot of time to create :( but have managed to get caught up on some reading so I can learn new techniques, and also bought some new art supplies to try out, can't wait to get the time!! Now that spring is here I am so full of inspiration I don't know what to do with myself and can't wait to try some new things and share them with the world!!  I have been able to get a few things done since the last time I posted, including a new addition to my "Life in the 'Dale" series, some more from my "Freedom Fairies" Collection and a commission! Here they are! "Free as St. Patrick's Luck" 11"x14" acrylic © Shana L Rowe Jackson 2014(Click for prints)

  It has been a little bit since my last post so I figured I'd check in with what has been going on in my world. It has been a busy 2014 so far between commissions, series work, advertising and my day job. I have added more to my "Life in the 'Dale" series, and have added a new series to my freedom fairies collection called "Free as Celebration" where each fairy represents a holiday! I have started exploring pastels again and been trying new pastel supports with much personal success. I have been updating my print site as well, taking new photos of my work for better clarity, adding older artworks, and promoting like crazy!! Here is a glimpse at what I have been up to while I've been away from my blog!! Commissions- "Breelynn" 16"x20" Acrylic © Shana L Rowe Jackson 2014 "Shaggy Dog" 11"x14" acrylic © Shana L Rowe Jackson 2014 "Mount Washington" 12"x14" Acrylic © Shana L Rowe

In honor of "Cyber Monday" and the Christmas Season, I am offering a 25% discount on all my prints on FAA. This discount only comes off what I make on the print, and not the material cost (Only FAA can discount on their end) Good through th e 18th, which is the FAA deadline for Christmas shipping!! Good on anything in my shop, no limit to how many times you use the code!! Here is the code!!  VTUFJE    http://shana-rowe.artistwebsites.com/

  I have been in the throws of inspiration this lately, and have created SIX new pictures since last week. One was a landscape strait from imagination, the next was inspired by a photo my husbands friend let me use,  then a heartwarming photo of my dog Max, a sketch of my cat Puff and the other two were additions to my "Revival Series" I think I pretty much covered every medium this week. :)   On Tuesday the 9th I had the opportunity to paint with a local painting group called the Tuesday group. It was nice to paint with others for once, and after we took sometime to critique, which was a really nice change for me and I learned a lot. I didn't really know what I wanted to paint, so the night before I did a quick landscape sketch from my head, and that's what I ended up doing. It's called "Daisy Lane" it's 11"x14" acrylic. I finished most of it there, then did a couple updates that were brought up during critique when I got home. I can'

    It has been a while since I have written, I have been very busy between my day job and promoting my artwork. I figured I would stop by and share my newest art accomplishment. I have recently gotten seven of my pieces hung in the Senate Republican Office in the Maine State Capital Building!!! The office is just next to the Senate Chambers so I expect that my art will be placed in front of some very important eyes. This may be my biggest opportunity as of yet!! It feels as if my hard work is really starting to pay off. Here are the pieces that I have hanging!! "Summer In The Dale" Oil © Shana L Rowe Jackson "Watch Over Me" Oil © Shana L Rowe Jackson "Morning in The Mountains" Oil © Shana L Rowe Jackson "Hiking in Maine" Acrylic © Shana L Rowe Jackson "Roasting Mallows" Oil © Shana L Rowe Jackson "A Fort in Maine" Watercolor © Shana L Rowe Jackson "Let's Go Fly a Kite" Acryli