SEA DEAN MOTHERS DAY SALE

In honour of my Mum, I’m holding a Mother’s Day sale of some of my small works. My Mum is in a care facility and therefore in grave danger, so this helps me stay positive. Also I’m tooling up to make protective gear and proceeds from the sale will go towards fabric etc.

DAY 5 of 30 - ROLLING VINEYARD with Butterfly - THE CUTE FACTOR

ROLLING VINEYARD WITH BUTTERFLY by Sea Dean

DUCKY by Sea Dean

COUNTRY MOUSE by Sea Dean

I find myself doing this too, I skim through hundreds of artworks on the internet and stop at very few. What stops me and makes me take another look could be an interesting composition, a curious technique or a stunningly real portrait, landscape, or still life, but what really gets me, is cute. And I constantly see this with my own work when I take part in a show, drifters remark on a variety of work, but what they are really compelled to buy are my animals, birds and butterflies; the cuter, the better.

by Sea Dean

MONCHO by Sea Dean

I totally admire artists that create cute effortlessly. With my animals the form is no different to painting or drawing any other subject matter, but the cute factor takes me forever to produce. Cuteness is often conveyed by elongating or squashing the body or humanizing by adding clothes or accessories like a human being. Beatrix Potter and A. A. Milne were experts at this. Often the cuteness is in the expression and particularly in the eyes. I find that with all my pet and human portraits I spend at least 10 to 20 times longer on the eyes than I do on the rest of the painting. A tiny speck of reflected light can make the difference between boring and interesting.

A FACE ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE by Sea Dean

KITTY by Sea Dean

Some of these originals are still available by clicking on the links. As with all art the artist retains the copyright, so once I have sold the original, I create limited edition prints. Therefore if you love my work there are opportunities at every price point. I am gradually adding limited editions to my Artfinder collection here, but if you don't see the one you like please contact me by commenting or clicking my email link. Or simply commission me to paint your own pet.

30DCG2020 - ODP

The Personal Gallery Wall

All paintings by Sea Dean - Available here

Contemporary gallery walls are really trendy. And we understand why. Gallery walls - also known as salon or frame cluster hangs - are a great way to inject life and colour into your living space. This week, Artfinder spoke to their lead curator, Alice, to learn more about how to create a contemporary gallery wall. 

Alice's tips on building a contemporary gallery wall

Gallery walls are a really easy way to make a statement if you don’t have much wall space or don’t want to hang artworks on every wall.

Tip #1

Group by subject matter, colour palette, particular artist or build an eclectic mix of subjects and styles. The bold and bright gallery wall (shown top) is the perfect statement for a contemporary living room.

Tip #2

If your budget is a little tight, you can create a gallery wall with as little as three works - don't feel as though you have to buy tens of artworks! If you're building a contemporary
 wall, include artworks of all sizes to inject some personality and points of difference.

Tip #3

Feel free to mix a wide range of subjects, such as portraiture, botanicals, abstracts, typography and landscapes, but if you'd like to stick to a contemporary theme, try to feature three to four main colours. 

In the above example, we've used reds, blues and gold to maintain the balance and harmony of the artworks, while also ensuring the art really stands out from the darker, moodier wall colour.

Frida Khalo Series - #6

I see no reason to stop painting Frida Khalo just yet. Each portrait is a constant source of facination and learning. You will notice that the portraits are becoming less graphic and more like a real person. I observe closer and deeper, I am getting more in touch with Frida the person and further from Frida the icon.

I am also changing up different aspects of the creation: Changing the type of canvas, the color palette,  the means of preparation and texture. It’s impossible to be bored by the process or the series. I suppose I could accurately copy one of the earlier versions in the series, but where’s the fun in that?

My ultimate quest is not to make an accurate rendition, but to somehow capture the essence of her being. To add a certain something that cannot be described, but helps the viewer know her better, even without knowing who she is.

Presenting ... Frida VI - 16” x 20” on deep Gallery Wrap Canvas - available here

ADVENT GIFT - Simplicity

One of the best ways to chip out a chunk of relaxation from your busy day is to get organized. A little pre-planning pays back over and over again throughout the year. Use “Search“ in my blog to find tips on cataloging and organizing. I came across an artist this week who sells limited editions of some of her work and she has them all pre-packaged and ready to ship. I was inspired!

SUNRISE OVER THE BAY by Sea Dean - Pastel ACEO in Mat

I spent all weekend adding mostly miniature and small paintings to my Artfinder Gallery. I 
scanned and tweaked older listings. At the same time, I packaged and organized all Artfinder listings in a special section of my studio so I can ship them immediately, in time for the holidays. And I can pack several in one stiff mailer to save on packaging and shipping. So if youre doing some last minute shopping I have my skates on.

Any questions please feel free to contact me. 
Visit https://www.artfinder.com/sea-dean

KITTY One Finger Drawing - Now in limited edition bamboo print at my Artfinder Gallery

One helpful Artfinder artist has compiled a collection of miniatures here. 
https://www.artfinder.com/u/nathan-jones/collections/miniatures-from-af-artists/