Santa Barbara Street Painting

Here I am street painting in Santa Barbara's 20th Anniversary. My boyfriend Mark surprised me and came up to help. It was his first time streetpainting and he did a great job. He painted in the background for me and offered to paint the Grazie Church. It looks great! Soon he'll be painting his own square.

Lyndsey, friend and co-worker stopped off for a few hours to paint with us. It is always really helpful to have help even if it is only for short while.

We had lots of wonderful compliments and think once the painting is finished it will be one of my favorites that I've done so far. It was nice to have my parents come by and see my work as the featured artist. This is my 5th year painting for the festival and it is such an honor to have the prime spot at the steps of the Mission. My parents sat and watched us paint for a while along with several spectators. To see the in progress photos and more visit ThePaintingWizard.com

Here is the finished image as it looked on Monday 12pm...Finished just on time! I think that is a record for Santa Barbara Featured Artists!!

Street Painting in London...Canada

My friend Julie Kirk and I have been invited
to London, Canada to paint in there first Street
Painting festival put on by the Imaden Street
Painting Performance Group. We are very
excited to be a part of their inaugural event.

August 5th - August 7th 2006

Check out their website! www.Imadon.org

Street Paintings Swirl into Watercolors

I was in Napa, California this weekend at La Strada Dell' Arte Festival.It was exciting to be chosen as this years featured artist so I chose a very ambitious image to paint. The painting I chose is called 'Freyja'.

I saw it for the first time in a book of Mythology. I believe Freyja is the Norse Goddess of Love.
In this image she is flying through the air in her chariot pulled but two cats and surrounded by a flock of pudgy cherubs. She cries tears of gold as she searches for her roaming lover. It is a beautiful image by Scottish artist NJO Blommers. It is the first time I have heard of him but worth looking into.



The first day of work began with cloudy weather which soon turned into a thunder storm.

This is the picture I took as the rain was streaming in under the plastic tarps and through the painting. I think it is quite beautiful. It creates these beautiful streams of marbelized color. Just after taking this picture we all ran for cover. The image was gone within a few minutes except for a ghosted remnant that stained the pavememnt.

People are so sad to see these paintings go and ask if I am hearbroken to see it washed away. I tell them that it is part of the process. The tradition of street painting is all about the ephemeral quality of the art. You know will only exist as a work of art until someone accidentally runs through it leaving a pattern of shoeprints or tire tracks. It is at the mercy of mother nature and the inevitable accidental spilled drink or overnight sprinkler system. Part of the beauty of this artform is that is is only there for a moment. For a moment it is beautiful and perfect in someones eyes. Then it is gone forever.
To read more about this weekends event visit me at How2StreetPaint.com

Street Painting Makes Wall Street

Today's Wall Street Journal features an article on Street Painting.
It is so cool that such a periodical would feature such a paupers sport.
Streetpainting festivals in the U.S. are almost always in the name of charity. That is why so many of us work our fingers to the bone. Well that, and we love it.

I am very excited to say that I am featured in the 2nd column under the photo. The paragraph talks about the painting I will be doing in Santa Barbara Memorial weekend. Who would have thought my name would end up in the Wall Street Journal? Me! I can barely figure out the tip on a $35 dinner. Artist's brain...I struggle with the numbers.

Well, enjoy the article and I hope you can make it Memorial weekend to see my 'Allegory of Art'.

See you on the street.

A Letter From the Street Painting Council In Italy

The Santa Barbara Street Painting Festival recieved a letter from Cesare Spezie, the wonderful man responsible for the International Madonnari Competition in Mantova, Italy. I met him several years ago when I first participated in Italy. He was just adorable - despite the fact that he didn't speak a word of English and I spoke almost no Italian - we still had the warmest, most welcoming conversation. He is always so kind to the artists, especially the few American they welcome.

Street Painting Tutorials

Check out my new site ThePaintingWizard.com

It includes helpful tips, information, and step by step demonstrations for artists.
The Painting Wizard network includes sites like How2oilPaint.com and How2PastelPaint.com. It is still in its beginning stages but growing everyday. Check in frequently for new posts.

Featured Street Painting

I have finally finished with my design for this years featured piece at the Santa Barbara Street Painting Festival. It took me about two weeks to complete the design using elements from 5 different paintings and 3 photographs. I composed the painitng to be 12 by 16 feet. The theme is the History of Street Painting and the title of the piece is Allegory of Art: From Canvas to Asphalt. See it created Memorial weekend ...May 26 -29th at the Santa Barbara Mission.



See How This Image Was Created At ThePaintingWizard.com