Wonderful news today...... my watercolor, "Gleaning the Shallows", was accepted into Birds in Art 2008. Birds in Art is an international avian art competition that has been around for over 30 years. What an honor. I'm so jazzed. Here's the painting.
Gorgeous weather, wonderful art, what could be better? The Fiesta Art Fair is this weekend at the Southwest School of Art and Craft in San Antonio.
Stop by my booth - #71 - and say, "Hello!"
Melanie
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Melanie Fain
www.melaniefain.com
Wildlife Art Blog
Artist John Strutt, III and his lovely wife Peggy, dropped by on their way to Arizona.
John and I are pals from the NatureWorks show in Tulsa. He is a great artist and I love counting John and Peggy as friends!
Melanie
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Melanie Fain Wildlife Art
www.melaniefain.com
Here is the latest watercolor - It is available through Giacobbe-Fritz in Santa Fe
Melanie
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Melanie Fain Studio
Wildlife Art Blog
What a great night! I took my good friend and next door neighbor, Hazel "Grandma" Dewey to get her copy of the new Harry Potter book. G'ma was so excited, and so was I - it was a lot of fun.
G'ma is all decked out with her sorting hat, broom, wand, and golden snitch -
G'ma was first in line and got to open the box of books - and is now at home enjoying her copy of Harry Potter.
I'll call you in the morning, G'ma
Mellie
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Melanie Fain Studio
A Window to the Natural World
www.melaniefain.com
I am off to Denver for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. The show opens on Friday and continues through Sunday. It is such an honor to be part of this show.
It has been pretty warm in the Rockies, but Denver is going to have gorgeous weather this weekend and that should make the show more fun for us all.
If you are in Denver, I hope that you'll drop by my booth - #192. I would love to say "Hello" to you and also show you my new etchings.
Thanks for supporting the arts,
Melanie
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Melanie Fain Studio
A Window to the Natural World
www.melaniefain.com
My friend, cousin, and great photographer, Greg Davis www.gregdavisphotography.com is here this weekend - You should check out his work
This weekend, I was at the Texas Master's of Fine Arts & Crafts - it was a great weekend and so good to be out of the rain.
Melanie
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Melanie Fain Studio
A window to the natural world
wildlife art, etchings, watercolors
www.melaniefain.com
Top 'o the morning! I made some beautiful discoveries this morning before getting to the studio. The antique rose is blooming, one of my little redbud trees is finally leafing out (I thought I had lost it to the ice earlier this year) and black foot daisies are coming up. The morning is gorgeous but will give way to rain this afternoon....at least that's what is forecast! It's as green as I've seen it around here in a number of years and the roadside wildflowers are coming on strong! Nature is beautiful!
A fine day in the studio yesterday. My dear friend and fellow printmaker, Deb Little, came over to work with me on some new pieces she is just finishing. Fortunately for us both, I have the equipment to do large pieces and she produced three new images. She is doing a series on suffrogettes and has some fine works she wanted to do in a larger format. You gotta see her work. www.dlittlewilson.com. We had a great time catching up and helping each other solve our etching challenges. I like to refer to her as the Etching Queen. She knows so much about a lot of different aspects of the medium and when I run into a problem, I call Deb Little.
I was really glad Deb came over as I've been working on a new etching, Tangled Web, and have been trying to figure out how to accomplish the web. With Deb's scrutiny, I think we have it figured out and I know what I'll be doing after this post....putting the final touches on that etching!
It's great to have fellow artist friends to visit with about life and work. Deb is one of my best friends and I not only value her friendship, but her help as well. Kudos to you deb.
Oh, I should add that I recieved work back yesterday from the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art. The show was over and with the work being returned, I found that I not only had won a First Place ribbon and prize money for Printmaking with the Flame Skimmer etching, but the etching, Shadows received an Honorable Mention. That feels pretty good.
All for now. Have a great morning!
Melanie Fain
www.melaniefain.com
mel@melaniefain.com
The Hummingbirds have returned!!
I decided to put the feeders out, because I knew they would be here soon - tonight, I had a report that the first one appeared at the kitchen feeder.
Hummingbirds make the Texas springtime more beautiful.
Melanie
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Melanie Fain
Etchings and Watercolors - A window to the natural world
www.melaniefain.com
Wildlife Art Blog
Windows on the Natural World: A Glimpse into Nature as Art
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2007, San Antonio, Texas -
Nature and wildlife enthusiasts can treat their spirits this month to a glimpse into nature as art in San Antonio, Texas. From February 8th to March 8th, 2007, the work of Texas Hill Country artist Melanie Fain will be featured at the Hunt Gallery in a one-woman show called Windows on the Natural World.
A well-known artist in the United States, Melanie Fain's etchings and watercolors depict birds, botanicals, and insects. Fain's work is a sensitive and elegant portrayal of creatures in their natural habitat, as view through her own eyes in the wild, and in the wildlife setting of her home on seven wooded acres. Says Melanie of her work, "I have always been drawn to nature - it is my livelihood, my recreation, my comfort, my home. It is who I am and what I know best. My goal in my art is to capture the essence of how I feel about a particular subject and share that emotional connection with my collectors."
The etchings are hand-printed, then hand-painted with watercolor of pastel, making each one unique. Fain's work has garnered top awards throughout the country and can be found in both public and private collections from coast to coast. Each edition is limited to 100 signed/numbered etchings, with 10 artist proofs.
The is the first San Antonio show since Fain developed her new genre of work using a multiple plate process. The process gives the etchings a unique and distinctive look. There is no other wildlife artist in the United States doing this style of etchings.
One unique feature of Fain's etchings is the "printmaker's chop" - a mark or seal created with an embossing tool in the margin of edge of an etching. The symbol is a mark of authenticity - in this particular case, Fain pulls her etchings on her own press, as indicated by the rattlesnake tail chop that appears beside her signature. As Fain tells it, "I felt the rattler chop was unusual and would be a symbol not readily used by anyone...symbolic of starting my professional art career in South Texas. Twenty-five years later, I am still a printmaker pulling my own fine art etchings of the natural world that people love."
The Windows on the Natural World show will be featured at The Hunt Gallery, located at 4225 McCullough Ave in San Antonio, Texas. Gallery hours are Monday-Saturday 9-5.
The Hunt Gallery will host an Artist Reception/Opening on February 8, 2007, from 6-8 p.m. Call (210)822-6527 or visit http://www.huntgallery.net
For more information, visit Melanie Fain's website: www.melaniefain.com
or contact Melanie Fain @ mel@melaniefain.com or by phone at (830) 377-3255
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Melanie Fain Studio
PO Box 187
Boerne, Texas 78006
830.377.3255
www.melaniefain.com
mel@melaniefain.com
