Topography of Blue

Topography I, Ceramic Paint on Tile, 6" x 6", © 2009 Jennie Traill Schaeffer

To tie into our annual Summer Blues 2nd Saturday in August, I'm focusing on some paintings dealing with blue. I've been reading Color: A Natural History of the Palette by Victoria Finlay, which is a fascinating study of how colors came to be as well as a little of the symbolism around color. Blue being one of my favorite colors, I've read about the origin of ultramarine from lapis lazuli, mostly mined in Afghanistan. The name ultramarine, comes from the Italian, oltramarino, meaning "from beyond the seas." It's a misnomer that the color name is synonymous with the ocean, but rather with the idea that it was traded from the East, over the ocean, to the West.

Lapis lazuli originates with the Sumerians in Ur, and was used by the Egyptians in both art and makeup. Michelangelo is known to have used the pigment and according to Finlay, one of his paintings, The Entombment, is blank in the right bottom corner. Supposedly a space for the Virgin, Finlay says Michelangelo would have painted her blue as was customary at the time, but because of the expense of ultramarine, probably never received the pigment.

The paintings I'm working on use my husband's grandmother's blue taffeta striped apron as the impetus for a study of the "topography of blue" which in retrospect might be the "topography of a blue apron." Above is an example of one recently completed. The finished paintings will be on display for Saturday, August 8th.

Michelangelo | The Entombment | NG790 Shared via AddThis

Mom & Pops - An Homage

I just found this on Gawker Artists - an exhibit in NYC focusing on the fading storefronts and culture. This is quite appropriate to the recent underground movement of things like the 3/50 Project. I won't be able to get in to see the show, but if you're in NYC, check it out and let me know how it is.

Links Name Change

I've added a new link on my blog and changed the name from Blogs of Note, to Creatives. These from now on will be links to blogs, Facebook pages, web sites about creative people, places and things I find interesting or worth visiting. So here's the first new addition: The Craftique, New Jersey's premier craft event promoter. The principals of this operation have discerning taste so you'll know that they are promoting quality crafts and arts. Check them out!

If you'd like to swap links with me and be included in my "Creatives" links, send an email to jennie@traillworks.com with "creatives" in the subject header with a brief blurb about what you do.

We Have a Winner!

English Green Extra Light in the Berkshires, Oil on Canvas, 7" x 5", © 2009 Jennie Traill Schaeffer

I've chosen my winner and the TraillWorks Facebook page is now over 100 fans. Woo Hoo! Congratulations to cupcake baker, Jill Hrabovsky, of Blairstown, NJ. We've been affiliating together and I just so happened to pull her name from the proverbial hat. Check out her awesome desserts at The Cupcake Factory. She will be taking home the painting above to don on her walls. Stay tuned for a contest to boost the fan base of Wedding Cake Portraits. I'm thinking of an incentive. Any ideas, please share!

In the meantime, go to www.facebook.com/traillworks to see recent posts.

TraillWorks Giveaway to Facebook Fans

Painting completed last summer in the Berkshires. ©2008 Jennie Traill Schaeffer. Private Collection.

To help the TraillWorks Facebook page reach 100 fans, I'm giving away one 5" x 7" original oil, valued at $99, that I will be painting this week in the Berkshires. Become a fan and you'll be entered to win.

Once TraillWorks reaches 100 fans, the page can get its own url, a way to make the page easier to find. The pic above is a painting I completed during last year's Berkshires vacation. I have no idea what this year's painting will entail, just become a fan, and check in next week to see if I've reached 100 fans.