It's #RAINN -ing Portraits

Eighteen mini- portraits commissioned so far for my @RAINN "#Face of Me Too" fund-raiser in this month's Sexual Assault and Prevention Month.

My goal is $10,000. I am at almost $4,000 so far. Complete donation by me and free shipping worldwide. Click the link below to get yours for a $200 donation and find out more about the importaint work RAINN is doing, the leading advocacy group in the USA to prevent sexual abuse and violence running a 24 hour hotline.

There is now a bit of a wait for these minis. There are also no changes to them due to the fund-raising nature of this project. I supply my time, supplies, free shipping and don't take a cent. You supply the photos and I ship out when I feel I have created my best.

These six were commissioned by one family including the family pet!

GET YOUR FUND RAISING PORTRAIT

Mini Portraits Painted By Johanna Spinks for #RAINN fundraiser.

Bold Brush Winner

Thanks to The Bold Brush Painting Competiton and judge Chantel Lynn Barber for giving my painting "Izzy's Blizzard" an award.

Thanks also to Izzy and her dad Benji.

Artists work in isolation so much of the time so it is great when the outside world comes in to say nice things about our creations.

"Izzy's Blizzard
By Johanna Spinks
Oil via palette knife. 

On Location In Malibu 2018 Show

Delighted that two of my portraits have been accepted into "On Location In Malibu 2018" with The California Art Club at The Weisman Museum of Art,  Pepperdine University. It is one of my very favorite art shows being a local and enjoying the beautiful paintings artists create of this town I am lucky enough to call home.

Show runs May 19 -July 29

The sitters here are Malibu's oldest original cowgal Millie Decker whose family were the among the first to settle in old Malibu. A whole canyon is named after the Decker family. I painted Millie at her ranch and helped set her hair in curlers for the life sitting. She was marvelous.

The other sitter is Malibu's most senior resident 102 years-young Bill Armstrong who sat for me in the living room of the home he has owned for decades. What a view!

They were both painted for "The Face of Malibu" portrait series I painted with The Malibu Times.

Thanks to all.

Mr. Bill Armstrong
By Johanna Spinks

Painting On Location!

Ms. Millie Decker
By Johanna Spinks

Paint With A BoldBrush?

My palette knife painting of my daughter is selected part of the FAV15% (jury's favorite 15% of the entries) in the February 2018 BoldBrush Painting competition. TY to my daughter and BoldBrush.

You may view the FAV15% paintings, including this one here : http://faso.com/boldbrush/fav15/207 

"The Clearing"
Close-up
By Johanna Spinks
Via Palette Knife

Drip, Drip...

My latest large format palette knife, two life sittings. Drips and all. Hope you like. Thanks to beautiful sitter Julie.

Julie
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"
Via Palette Knife

close-up

In Situ

Close-up

I'm in - California Art Club 107th Gold Medal Exhibition Museum Show

"The Company You Keep"
12 x 12"
By Johanna Spinks
Via Palette Knife
For Sale at Show
$1,500

Some good news over the weekend...this painting has just been accepted into the California Art Club's 107th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition at The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, June 10 - July 1, 2018. The gala reception is Sat. Jume 9th. It's always an honor to be in the company of artists in this juried show which attracts entries from all over the US.

I am especialy thrilled it is my fourth palette knife portrait to be accepted into the Gold Medal shows over the last few years.  TY to the CAC for all it does all year long for us artists.

Get your tickets for the gala eveving here:
https://www.californiaartclub.org

Advice From Bowie...

It's taken me awhile to get this one to the finish gate. I am glad I stuck with it. Sometimes our brain just gets in the way. Right?

I wasn't quite sure if I would continue into a second year of painting large format portraits, mostly form life. But the path has become clear. It is obvious now that there is no turning back.  I am on a journey with them and good things are happening, slowly but surely.

As David Bowie said once, as an artist  if your feet aren't dangling off the edge of the diving board in fear, creatively, then you are not really creating. You are missing the point by staying in a zone that is familiar and safe. He of all people knew this changing his look and vision  so many times although there was always a consistent revisit to some older "Major Tom" themes until the day he died.

 I have been sitting on the edge of that diving board since picking up the palette knife in my portrait work about four years ago but especially last year with 16 large portraits painted mostly in two life sittings of people I met who interested me and some favorite models. It spun my head around.

Here's to more spinnng. Onward.

Johanna

Through The Eyes of a Child
by Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"
Via Palette Knife.

Close-up
Image copyrighted