The making of a French Quarter painting

I have been stealing away time from commissions to work on some art inspired by our recent trip to the French Quarter. I've working on a series of small pieces of homes on or near Esplanade. Here's a montage of a couple of pieces.

(Above painting has been sold)

 

"1026 Esplanade" 11" x 14" (contact me for inquires and availability)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Wall Mural - New Orleans Style

My artists friend and I donated our time to one of the regional Child Advocacy centers to paint a mural in one of their rooms. The director wanted and New Orleans scene and the local arts organization referred her to me. I wonder why? (smile)

Here are some photos taken through the end of the day. We aren't quite finished but we have made so much progress since starting with a blank wall.

I just wanted to share a few pics. We are hoping to finish it up in the next week or so (whenever our schedule permits) and I'll have some final pics of the room. The director is going to use pillows in the chairs to match the awnings in the beignet shop. It was fun.

Thanks for stopping by!!

The making of Esplanade Beauty

I thought I'd do something a little different today and post some photos of my painting process, well - at least one of them. Depending on what I'm working on, I have several methods of working on a piece. I have so much inspiration from our recent trip to New Orleans. We stayed on Esplande right where the French Quarter ends and the Marigny District starts. We spent most of our time eating and listening to Jazz on Frenchmen Street. I came back with some beautiful photos to paint from.

 

I prepared several canvases at once by choosing some colors and blending the paint. At this point I had no ide what I would be painting on them, but had some New Orleans scenes in mind. I chose one of the canvases and sketched out my scene, a building on Esplandade. Then I started adding paint to an 11" x 14" canvas.

 



 

Some pics of the progress.

 

 

The above photo is when it was almost finished.

"Esplanade Beauty" (sold)

 

I added the final details in this photo. I still think I have a few things I want to do before it's "done". Then my hubby will add a gallery style framing to it. I had a purchaser following my facebook page see my "in progress" photo, so this painting will be shipped of early next week.

 

I hope you enjoyed my "view" into my studio today. I'll be posting a few step by steps in the next few weeks of some mixed media. Check back often and don't forget to "like" my facebook page, Melanie Douthit Art Studio, or follow my in twitter at DouthitArt to see peeks of new art.

 

Thanks for stopping by! 



Mardi Gras Dachshund Art Love

My hubby and I spend a three day weekend in New Orleans for our 25th wedding anniversary (yes, I said 25th!!). I remember when my parents reached this milestone thinking - wow - that's a long time. LOL. Now that it's our turn, we realize that it isn't really that long at all. We found a sweet place on Esplanade with a balcony that was just perfect.

We spent most of our evenings on Frenchmen Street dining and listening to Jazz music. It was a nice alternative to the touristy crowded places in the French Quarter. Enjoyed it so much, we are already talking about our next trip. I would love to take our bicycles and ride everywhere. Maybe we will.

While I was gone, I had a few collectors send me some pics of when they received their Mardi Gras Dachshund art. How fun!

I recently had some people contact me through my blog asking how to order a custom Mardi Gras Dachshund painting like they have seen in Mimi's Cafe's. I did the first paintings for Mimi's Cafe 10 years ago and have been pleasantly surprised to date that people still see the paintings and look for how to get one. I usually have a custom painting listed in my Etsy Store here, but when I'm filling several orders, I may not have one up. Feel free to email me at the contact info page on my Website and let me know you want one if you don't see a listing.


As much as we loved our trip, it was so good to be back in my own bed. It's really true, there's no place like home.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

In search of the Mardi Gras Dachshund

September, please bring cool weather quickly. (smile). The turning of the calendar days closer to fall, has me looking forward to cooler weather, even though it's still in the high 90's here. The changing season will still come. And that makes me happy.

To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring. ~George Santayana


I want to do something fun. Years ago on my old (gone) art website, I had a page for people to sign in on when they found me by seeing my Mardi Gras Dachshund at Mimi's Cafe Restaurants. I want to do that again, but with photos.



She looks similar to this photo but has evolved over the years. If you happen to run across this jazzy dog, I would LOVE to hear from you - and even better yet - have a photo of it, or you AND the jazz dog (that part is up to you). Tell me which location you found the jazz dog at so I can put the location with the photo. I'd love to put them up on future blog posts. You can leave a message here. If you sign in with an e-mail address, the e-mail address will only be visible by me - or you can go to my Facebook Page and upload the photo there.



This photo was sent to me this summer by Jansen in Lakeland, Florida of her daughter with the jazz dog.



Linda from California sent me this photo about 9 years ago. I forgot what location she was in, but I think it was near San Francisco.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day and don't forget to turn the page on that calendar.

Tis the Season!

There are ten more days until Christmas!! I've been so busy these past two months that I've neglected my blog. Please, PLEASE remember to check on Facebook Art Studio Page for the most current information.

Here's a quick run down on life in my studio: Since the October Art Crawl, I've been busy filling orders for custom art. My newest French Quarter "color sketches" are the most requested pieces, and I have done them as small as 8" x 8" and as large as 4 Ft by 3 Ft. Feel free to contact me thru my Facebook Fan page if you have something specific you would like.

In addition to commission piece, I have TWO shows to get ready for in the next three months. More on that later! Meanwhile, how about some images of some of the most recent paintings?



This is another in my "Alice in Wonderland" series. Customer requested the name be customized for her girl, and the scene was one she specifically dictated. My daughter loved it, so I may have to do one for her.



I love doing paintings of Cafe Dumonde. This one is 8x10 with detail images done in dark brown with mahagony red gallery frame (sold).




This is a building on Royal Street, snatched up by private collector.



I have wanted to finally paint some shotgun houses in the color sketch style. I did this one last week and it was quickly snatched by one of my collectors. This one was 8x10. Detail was done in dark brown paint and the gallery framing is mahogony red.




Special commissioned piece of Pat O'Briens with "mardi gras" colors (to match the smaller ones she bought from me at the Art Crawl). Size is 24" x 30" with black gallery style frame. Looks awesome in person.




Another Pat OBrien's color sketch. Different angle, different colors. 8x10 - went to private collector.

Thanks for stopping by! Please, if you haven't done so, click the "like" button on my Facebook Fan Page so you'll be able to keep up with my latest posts. I have some EXCITING NEWS coming in January!!! Have a wonderful Christmas and happy New Year!

Back from New Orleans and Catching Up!!

I had so much fun in New Orleans. I a week after the Art Crawl. I sold all of my smaller New Orleans color sketch paintings, so I had to work like crazy to get some more ready to take to the Rougarou Bayou Trading Post and Art Gallery. My friend Jeannine went with me. We got to the the gallery on time Sunday afternoon and I painted live in the window for a couple of hours. (what was I thinking? I was so tired from getting up early and the 4.5 hour drive!!)



Me with Kerrie Jones at the art gallery. Kerrie and I have been friends for over six years.







Various art in the gallery.

I am offering the Mardi Gras Doxie for the first time in framed prints at the art gallery. Mardi Gras Doxie comes in 5x7 and 4x6. The Rougarou Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the Riverwalk Mall on Poydras in New Orleans. The gallery is full of unique art, folk art, photography and prints.



I took my newest four foot painting of Pirate's Alley to my collectors apartment on Royal. It's so far one of my favorite paintings. We hung it in the bedroom.



Head on view of the four foot painting.



One of my hometown friends contacted me about a week before my trip to tell me that one if his college buddies was an artist in the French Quarter. Turns out his studio was one block from where we stayed, so we arranged a short meeting. And our small world got even smaller when Jeannine realized she went to the same college and knew this man's brother. Here we are with Robert Guthrie. You can see his awesome watercolor paintings in the background.




We did the usually walking through the quarter, eating creole food, beignets and stopping by Pat O'Brien's for photos by the fountain. My new favorite place to eat is The Marigny Brasserie on Frenchmen Street. If you go there, be sure to get the crawfish quesadilla!





Glad to be back. I have a list of commissions to finish (hurry if you want something before Christmas) and some exciting news that I hope to announce before the end of the year. Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to visit my Facebook Fan Page and hit the "Like" button! You can contact me thru that page to inqure about commissions. Be sure to leave a message here or on my fan page so I'll know you stopped by!

October Art Crawl - It was so much fun!

I had so much fun at the October Art Crawl in Downtown Monroe. If you are in the area, be sure to come out for the one right after Thanksgiving. I saw so many familiar faces and the response to my new color sketches was WONDERFUL! They all sold, as well as a few other pieces. It was my first time to ever show more than a few pieces at one time and, I have to say, I had some doubts up until the first sale, which was right after the crawl started.

I'll be heading to New Orleans this weekend and will be painting live at the Rougarou Bayou Trading Post AKA Rougarou Art Gallery on Sunday, October 17 around 1p. If you are out that way, stop by and say hello.

This week I'll be working on more New Orleans color sketches to take to the gallery and I'll be listing some new things in my Etsy store soon.

Thanks for stopping by. I'll leave you with a few photos and pics of art work from the show.















And I couldn't have this art show without including the famous Mardi Gras Dachshund! She sold early into the evening. I think she'll have to make it to the next show. :)

Newest Art, Sunflowers and New Orleans

Gosh - I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've posted anything. So sorry! I HAVE been busy creating, tho, and sold another dachshund painting. Oh, and if you want to have your own mardi gras dachshund painting, I JUST created an Etsy listing that gives you the option to customize your painting. Check out the link on the sidebar and check it out.

I LOVE New Orleans art. I love creating it. I love dreaming up new scenes. This is my latest piece. It's called "Mardi Gras Night", and depicts a huge French Quarter window with the view of the St. Louis Cathedral. And, yes, I included a little dachshund in the painting. It's 24" x 30" and it's for one of my collectors. It will actually hang at their apartment in the French Quarter, 2 blocks from the Cathedral. I'd love to hear your comments on it. Do you think I should do a series of paintings like this? Ideas...I can feel 'em coming!






And here is one more summer painting - one of my favorite flowers - sunflowers! It's a mixed media collage. It's 24" x 30" and it's listed in my Etsy store.






And next week I'll be getting a huge surge of inspiration for more paintings. I'm going to spend next weekend in the French Quarter. The smells, the sights and the sounds! Gosh - It's going to be overwhelming. I can't wait. Have a wonderful week and check back soon!

Garden District Painting

I've had some requests for work from my previous Funky New Orleans paintings, so I whipped up a Garden District painting for starters. This will list soon on ebay - so if you are interested - let me know asap.

The size is 16" x 20", on gallery wrapped stretched canvas. Sides are painted black and are staple free (ready for hanging!).






Garden District Delight House No. 305

I'm going to start this off for auction at $125 with $15 US Shipping. Don't wait! :)


Bookmark this page and check back soon. I just finished a commissioned abstract that I'll photograph and list soon. Thanks for stopping by!