Gift Tags - more designs in Etsy Shop

These pretty designs have been loaded in the shop. The flip side of the tags are blank with enough space to write a personal message to your loved one. Enjoy browsing ! 

Snowflakes
Click here to buy

Scripted Tag
Click here to buy

Happy Holidays
Click here to buy

Gift Tags Baroque series in Etsy Shop

These are from the Baroque series and I have done 3 colors in gold, copper and lavender. Hope you like!

Baroque Gold Gift Tags
Click here to buy

Baroque Copper Gift Tags
Click here to buy 

Baroque Lavender Gift Tags
Click here to buy 

Gift Tags now available in ETSY Shop

Leading from much demand for my pretty gift tags I have uploaded them in my ETSY shop yesterday. There are several series I have created with some specific to Christmas and others that can be used for Birthdays, Get Well Soon, Thank yous, etc. Do browse the Etsy shop to view the entire selection.

JOY Gift Tags
Click here to buy

Hummingbird Gift Tags
Click here to buy

Winter In Paris (green) Gift Tags
Click here to buy

Painting featured in Etsy Treasury for the 8th time

My painting of Ava was featured in another Etsy Treasury by Ms Cyn. I enjoyed painting this one particularly rendering the background khaki color to compliment the portrait colors.

The treasury is called "Amongst pretty things" and includes a beautiful collection of dolls, felted products and other  dainty goods. You can view the entire treasury here as well as other ones too.

What is an ETSY TREASURY? 
The Treasury is an etsy member-curated gallery of short-lived lists of 12 hand-picked items each. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme, or just whoever they like.

Featured Artist - article on Jane Sloss Blog

Welcome to Lynda D’Souza, who is the next artist in the featured artist series.  She is an oil painter who aims to capture the essence of the subject while interpreting it in a more impressionistic style.  Lynda has been making art in different forms for the last 15 years. Faux wall finishes, stained glass painting, mosaics, ceramic painting and murals are some of the media she has sampled. In a professional capacity she has designed exhibition stands, corporate backdrops and even designed high fashion garments. 10 years ago her husband gifted her a canvas and box of oil paints on the birth of her first daughter and she hasn’t stopped creating original art since. Lynda has a passion for all things vintage, fashion related and portraits, and this is reflected in her choice of subjects. Her vast travels have influenced her perception of the world and she strives to bring out the beauty of her subjects......even if it is a simple ‘teapot’.

Her original oil paintings can be found in private collections in USA, Netherlands, Australia and India. Her works can be found on Etsy and on her blog. 

"Rosa," oil on canvas, 10"x10," Lynda D'Souza, 2010

What inspires you about painting portraits?
From a young age I have been doodling eyes and lips not realizing that it will come full circle to me painting portraits. I love people watching and having a degree in psychology l am constantly 'reading' people. After having tried still lifes and landscapes, portraits presented a nice challenge and one I enjoy the most...the challenge of accuracy, proportions, capturing the mood and expression.......a combination of everything that has left me wanting to excel at portrait painting.

"Vespa," oil on hardboard, 8"x10", Lynda D'Souza, 2010

What have you found most challenging or most exciting (or both) about your transition to full time artist?
I'll start with the positive - transitioning to full time artist is 'living my dream'. I still pinch myself sometimes when I realize I am at my art school surrounded by phenomenal art, great teachers and warm & friendly colleagues. Being stress free, more present in the moment and giving my undivided attention to my children is my first goal. Being able to create everyday is more than I could ask for. I am truly grateful for this moment in my life. 


The challenging bit is organizing my time better. I have a weakness for blogging and suddenly a whole afternoon has gone by just blog hopping. So I have resorted to giving myself a reward of 15 mins of online time provided I have completed 2 full hours at the easel. It's working....I think. 

"Shine," oil on hardboard, 8"x8," Lynda D'Souza, 2010

Many of your paintings beautifully depict everyday objects: shoes, articles of clothing, teapots and other household items, does the aesthetic of vintage fashion or décor influence these paintings, in terms of subject matter or style?
I am drawn to vintage things and can often be found at flea markets, thrift stores and antique markets. My choice of subject matter is influenced by my love for all things with a history. I am often caught wondering who used the 50 yr old typerwriter we have at home, which deer shed those antlers .... the antlers are on our bedroom wall. To me, things of the past have a charm about them and need to be cherished accordingly.

"Baby It's Cold Outside," oil on hardboard, 8"x8,"  Lynda D'Souza, 2010

More about Lynda....
Lynda was born in Mumbai, India after which she moved with her parents to Qatar and then Dubai, where she briefly worked in an Ad agency before her curiosity led her down the corporate route. Her job led her from Dubai to Bahrain and she now resides in Brampton, Ontario. 

She has completed a degree in Psychology from the University of Bombay and a post grad diploma in General Management from the Leicester University, United Kingdom. After 20 years in the corporate world Lynda decided to pursue her Fine Art studies full time and quit her management job in September 2010. She is currently studying at the Academy of Realist Art (ARA), Toronto completing a 2 year program modeled on the 19th century European academies. She is living her dream...making her art....being among like minded souls and giving her full attention to her family. She encourages everyone to follow their dreams ‘now’ and seek to make yourself happy first. 

“Not only can we create art, art creates us”--Maria Eskenasy 

Many thanks to Lynda D'Souza for sharing her work with us.  
     
What do you think of her masterful portraits and beautiful depictions of ordinary objects.

Featured Artist...one more time!

Pinch me...I must be dreaming, but no...it is true!! I have been featured as Artist of the month for the SECOND TIME in one month. My work has been featured on the blog of Jane Sloss who is a wonderful watercolor artist and architect. Her beautiful renderings of simple objects like a door are brought to life with watercolor. 

 Amate House North, watercolor, Jane Sloss

Her urban landscapes are unique in that they have a different vantage point.

Seattle Sunset, watercolor, Jane Sloss

She also designs elegant wedding cards so if you are looking for something original do check out her work at her blog `A Good Days work`.

Thank you so much Jane.....you are most kind! 

Click here to read my article. 

Star Portraits - Seaon 2

I am avidly following the Star Portraits show and season 2 features some of my Art School`s students. The show features on Bravo TV Canada and you can catch the current episodes online.

Star Portraits is a TV series that explores and celebrates the art of portraiture, while providing a unique and compelling twist on celebrity profile.Each episode begins by bringing together one famous Canadian and three accomplished portrait artists for a sitting. The sitter's identity is a secret, the only clue being the specially chosen location. First, our host Louise Pitre introduces us to the three artists, then with a dramatic set-up, brings on the surprise guest, and kicks off the sitting. The artists are given three hours to study, sketch and photograph the sitter, and generally get to know them through conversation and questions. Then, the artists are sent off to their respective studios for exactly two weeks to complete their works.


ARA grads and former students that are competing include:  Pauline Bradshaw, Yevgeniya Savosta, Diliana Popova, Shawn Downey, and Matthew Tarini.

http://www.bravo.ca/television/star-portraits/index.asp

Painting featured in Etsy Treasury for the 7th time

My painting of the Cheltenham Badlands was featured in an Etsy Treasury aptly named `Stormy weather`. Some beautiful pieces have been included in this treasury featuring the colors of a stormy grey day. The treasury was created by Ms Caroline from the Cool Ranch studio. Caroline makes petite acrylic paintings and her shop currently features a whole series of Christmas art...do check it out.

The treasury can be viewed here and other ones too.

What is an ETSY TREASURY? 
The Treasury is an etsy member-curated gallery of short-lived lists of 12 hand-picked items each. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme, or just whoever they like.

Rose Theatre Winter Art & Craft Festival

My table located in Studio 2 

What a show! we had a great time at the Rose Theatre....it was wonderful seeing everyone...thanks so much for dropping by....hope you found some special gifts for your loved ones. I have to say the show was well organized and the other vendors were amazingly talented. The organizers did a fantastic job and I learned much from my 'first' proper show! Will I do again? hell yeah! and hopefully will see you at the Summer Show in July 2011. 

Side view of my table..in all its vintage glamour! 

I was so pleased with the way my table turned out...spent a whole afternoon trying different options and then the pieces I chose just fit together. The paper cone wreath and pearls finished off the look. Can you spot the 'wine bottle'?? 

More pics on my facebook page. 

Tags - Baroque series

Gift Tags - Baroque series 

Okay folks.....a few hours to go...busy packing up everything into the car as we have to set off at 7am tomorrow morning. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone there....I do hope you can make it....its a wonderful event...great vibe and wonderful people.

Do come by my booth No. 55 in studio 2......would love to meet you!! 

Tags - Snowflake series

These are part of the 'Snow flake' series and I have kept them very simple and elegant. The snow flake is a glittery sticker and the flourishes are stamped with gold ink. All will be affixed with a ribbon later today.

Back to work then.............

Paper Cone Wreath

Just finished making the paper cone wreath for my table at the Rose Theatre Winter Art and Craft Sale on NOVEMBER 20, 2010. It will go on the front along with some over sized pearl garlands. If you look closely you will spot excerpts on Robin Hood...thats because I used the pages from an old Robin Hood book....they were beautifully yellowed with age, with rough edges and soft like blotting paper. Hope to y'all there! 

Christmas in Paris

'Christmas in Paris' Tags 

My 'Christmas in Paris' series............stamped and embellished with a beautiful glitter sticker......they sparkle so beautifully. Still to put the ribbons on them....maybe tomorrow. Listening to Harry Connick Jr's album When My Heart Finds Christmas....love Big Band music. 

A shout out to the Little Tweeze for helping me with affixing the stickers...you the best! 

Gift Tags - Flora & Fauna series

Gift Tags
Handmade by Lynda D'Souza 

Still working on the tags and thought I would post pics of some of them. The show is in exactly 5 days and I am terribly excited.......don't forget people.....November 20, 2010 at the Rose Theatre for the Winter Art & Craft Festival. Got my table site today and I will be located in studio 2 which is nice as it is near the snack bar!!! 

This series I call the 'Flora & Fauna' series. They have a post card look to it and embellished with pics from a vintage Nature book. I will put the ribbons on them later in the week. 

I am also taking advance orders and will ship to anywhere required. Just email me at 70popes@gmail.com. 

Factory Line

Been busy making the tags for the Winter Festival show on November 20 at the Rose Theatre and I have set up a factory line of sorts in my studio. Just a long table laid out with my stamps and embellishments so everything is at a hand's reach. I have been busy at work everyday and all day. Coach is very bothered by it and most times he will patiently wait for me to take a break and play with him, and most other times he will jump onto the armchair in front of my work table and call out to me......like this!! and he won`t leave until I do!

 "So where's the ball?" says Coach

My work surface with my current series in progress...`Vintage Bugs`...I think they are my favorite so far!

My work surface showing current tag series being created.

Bargue drawing

A quick update on my Bargue drawing...after completing stage 1 construct and stage 2 articulation, I then transferred the drawing to 'good' paper and proceeded to stage 3 contour. In this stage I had to match the values within the shadows paying close attention to the shapes. The last stage 4 rendering will be where I copy the fine details...outline of the eyes, soft edges, etc. I learned much about the 'bed bug' line and how it is darker just before it reaches the edge of the shadow. The school really trains our eye to 'see' things better......shapes...... curves...edges.

And on a funny note I realized I need reading glasses. I could not see a particular shape within the copy thinking the image is too pixelated and thats why I could not make out the shape. After asking a colleague if she could see it clearly (she looked at me very strangely) and she could see it perfectly....she then told me I need reading glasses either 1.75 or 2.00.

And all this time I thought they did a bad job of photocopying!!

Artist of the Month - Lynda D'Souza

I was featured as Artist of the month on the Facebook group ARTists for ARTists led by the lovely Cat Salter. The group was started by Cat and you can see some of her work here. She is very generous in giving us artists this exposure - eternally grateful Cat !!

Cathryn Smith November 4 at 4:41pm Reply • Report

Dear all

I hope you are enjoying the monthly Featured Artists. I am really enjoying reading about other artists experiences and inspirations. One of Lynda's paintings has been used for the groups avatar for this month. This months ARTists supporting ARTists is featuring LYNDA D'SOUZA. I hope you enjoy her lovely oil paintings: -

* * * *

Lynda D’Souza is an oil painter who aims to capture the essence of the subject while interpreting it in a more impressionistic style.

Lynda has been making art in different forms for the last 15 years. Faux wall finishes, stained glass painting, mosaics, ceramic painting and murals are some of the media she has sampled. In a professional capacity she has designed exhibition stands, corporate backdrops and even designed high fashion garments. 10 years ago her husband gifted her a canvas and box of oil paints on the birth of her first daughter and she hasn’t stopped creating original art since. Lynda has a passion for all things vintage, fashion related and portraits, and this is reflected in her choice of subjects. Her vast travels have influenced her perception of the world and she strives to bring out the beauty of her subjects......even if it is a simple ‘teapot’.

Her original oil paintings can be found in private collections in USA, Netherlands, Australia and India. Her works can be found on Etsy and on her blog.

Lynda was born in Mumbai, India after which she moved with her parents to Qatar and then Dubai, where she briefly worked in an Ad agency before her curiosity led her down the corporate route. Her job led her from Dubai to Bahrain and she now resides in Brampton, Ontario.

She has completed a degree in Psychology from the University of Bombay and a post grad diploma in General Management from the Leicester University, United Kingdom. After 20 years in the corporate world Lynda decided to pursue her Fine Art studies full time and quit her management job in September 2010. She is currently studying at the Academy of Realist Art (ARA), Toronto completing a 2 year program modeled on the 19th century European academies. She is living her dream...making her art....being among like minded souls and giving her full attention to her family. She encourages everyone to follow their dreams ‘now’ and seek to make yourself happy first.

“Not only can we create art, art creates us”

Maria Eskenasy

Lynda D'Souza

Shop me: www.70popes.etsy.com

Browse me: www.70popes.blogspot.com

Friend me: www.facebook.com/lynda.dsouza

Mail me: lynda.dsouza@gmail.com

* * * *

If you would like your painting or creative efforts featured on the group, then please upload some of your work so we can see it.http://www.catsalter.co.uk/catsalter.co.uk/index.htm

Rose Theatre Winter Arts & Crafts Festival

This year I have taken a booth at the Rose Theatre Winter Arts & Crafts Festival and will be be selling my original oil paintings, prints and tags. I am very excited about this event as over a 1,000 people attend it and the other vendors are very talented. D is making a three tiered stand for my art and I am still looking for something to display the tags in. If you see two very exuberant girls handing out my bookmarks those are my two girls.......indulge them please !!

If you have nothing planned for Saturday then do drop by the Rose Theatre on November 20, 2010 from 9 - 4pm. I look forward to seeing you there.

STAR Portraits on Bravo TV CA

Since some of the artists on the reality show Star Portraits are from my art school I have been watching the series and am quite fascinated by the talent in Canada. I like that the show invites different kinds of artists ranging for oil painters, water colorists to encaustic artists, etc. One of my favorite paintings was of Gordon Pinsent done by artist Jim Bourke in wax medium (encaustic) and I love how the background color is repeated in the face, the impressionistic quality of the work and the bright colors....simply superb.

If you are a lover of the arts you will enjoy the show.

Halloween Nite

It was cold last night but that didn't stop our girls from going round trick or treating. My older one dressed up as Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and we picked up her blouse and vest from Value Village. The pants and scarves/hat we had at home. I put braids in her hair and hung some beaded bracelets alongside the braids then blackened her eyes with kajal. The younger one wanted to go as Frankenstein so we got her an over sized jacket and ripped the sleeves and pockets. One of her old jersey pants were ripped at the bottom and she wore her father's shoes for effect. The bolt was split and hot glued to a narrow black hair band. I think I got a bit carried away with her makeup. Total outfits cost - $10 - good old Value Village! However I would not recommend going there on the eve of Halloween - everyone else decided to check it out too...it was packed.

Hope y'all had a spooky Halloween.....