Caution:Artist at Play-Artwork by Shana Rowe Jackson

I just ordered my first few copies of my calendars for 2015, and can start taking orders at anytime. Calendars will be $15.00 ea (additional shipping charges may apply). Here are the previews for each calendar!! Email me at shanaroweart@gmail.com or shanarowejackson05@aol.com for more information or to order a calendar.   In other exciting news, one of my colored pencil drawings, "Being a Girl" made it into the gallery section of the September 2014 issue of colored pencil magazine!!! "Being a Girl" 11"x14" © Shana L Rowe Jackson 2014 To get prints of this drawing click on the picture of it above!! For more information about Colored Pencil Magazine, and the September 2014 issue or to get copies of it , click the link below. Colored Pencil Magazine

Whoo! Time sure flies!! It's already August, which actually means I am a bit behind. I am currently working on my 2015 calendars and my goal is to have them done by the beginning of September. Like 2014, there will be two choices for calendars, one will feature landscape and still life images the other will be "Life in the 'Dale" themed ; a favorite for 2014. The landscape/Still life one will feature quite a few of my newer works as well as a couple of my old favorites. "The Life in the 'Dale" will be chalk full of fun, humor and plenty of puns! If time allows I may also do a third featuring my "Freedom Fairies" collection, but that may have to wait until next year.  Keep your eyes open because once I am finished with my calendars I will post previews and will be able to take orders at that time! "Berried Alive" Featured as August in the "Life in the 'Dale Calendar!! © Shana L Rowe Jackson 2 014

   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

   I have to say one of my favorite things about being an artist is learning new techniques. The possibilities are endless, and there is always something new to learn, no matter how seasoned of an artist you are. I love the feeling I get when I read something or see something that I didn't know before, especially when it comes to a classic medium. Artists as a whole are innovative, we love to push the limits, experiment and see where things go. Because of this, on the internet and in books, you will find so much information just waiting to be learned, put there by generous artists who want to share their hard learned treasures with the rest of the world. No man is an island. This is especially true for fine artists, and a surprising reality for the self taught. Being self taught does not mean you do not learn from others, it's that you go and seek the information out for yourself instead of having it thrown at you in a classroom setting.    Recently I have been playing around

  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

10 Reasons Why We Need Art "Before the Music Died" © Shana L Rowe Jackson 2012   History . Since the dawn of time art has served as a pictorial guide to where we originate from.   From the earliest cave drawings, to religious paintings and everything in between it has served as a way to look back in time and see how different cultures lived, what they went through and how we have grown as a species.        Cultural and political expression . Art serves as a very important purpose when it comes to getting a certain message out. If you look at art from specific cultures you can learn a lot about that culture and the way they live. From longstanding traditions to political views, if it is important to said culture chances are it has been depicted in their art. Street art is a good example of this, as it often expresses the needs of the community in which it originates.       Therapy. Art is proven to be therapeutic, both in the creation of it and in be

"The Big Countdown" First Painting of 2014!! "Free as a New Years Resolution"  Well, another year has passed! 2013 was an interesting year for me with a lot of ups and downs personally and financially but overall I had a lot to be grateful for, especially with my art. I participated in my first gallery show in 2013, and was a part of three in all. I have my work displayed at the Maine State Capital building in their Senate Republican office and at a local restaurant, also firsts for me. I believe I reached new heights as far as technique goes, I was able to explore more in oils, which has been a wonderful experience, and have grown in realism technique. I started two new series', My "Summer Flight" series and my "Revival" project. I added multiple paintings to my "Life in the 'Dale" series making it my largest ever series, and my Freedom Fairies Collection, making it a close second. Recently I have been getting b