Why Paint on Cavas When You Have a Giant Wall!

Mural, painting by Liana Yarckin with matching facemask!

Laura helping me

My mom

Me with the finished product

Happy Sunday!  Hope all is well with everyone.  I am just blessed with the positives of this pandemic.  The key phrase I heard in the first 3 months of this SIP was, "I was looking at your website..." It has kept me busy with all kinds of commissions and then this, the largest size project to date, a wall mural inspired by my butterfly kaleidoscope paintings.  

This project will be revealed in October when my client makes it's formal presentation. Inspired by what a butterfly represents - transformation, change into something beautiful and then with what my kaleidoscopes represent - togetherness, flying up towards greatness, spreading our wings was the foundation for the mural.  Working with the existing wall color, I came up with a color scheme and presented my client with a digital rendering of what I was seeing for the mural.  Luckily, I was able to enlist help from a friend who has a great heart.  Some of you know the struggles I have had with my mom and how she, too, used to paint. Because she was visiting and with me at the job site everyday, I encouraged her to add her mark on the mural, too!  

Videos of the process are on my facebook and instagram sites. Please let me know what you think.  Would love to hear your feedback or if you have any ideas on where to take this!

Doing this mural brought so much joy to me.  Watch my instagram in October for when I am able to reveal who the mural is for.  All of those details will make so much sense and complete the story!

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Liana Yarckin Artis on Facebook

www.lianayarckin.com

New Paintings, New Face Masks, New Ideas

Dallas Skyline by Liana Yarckin

Hi everyone. Hope you are safe and well! I know I’ve had my days of feeling like I am trapped or like I don’t have freedom. I am encouraged by my fellow artist you have really embraced this time to improve on their talents.

A lot of exciting things have been happening in my studio. I’m thankful for all the commissions! It seems that one of the positives for me from this pandemic is, “I was looking at your website…“ Can you believe? I have never heard that said to me as many times in the last three months as I have during my entire art career! So if you’re an artist, post away! Everyone seems to be improving their home or their office spaces with art!

Prints available here

The images above were for a project for an office space. My client selected images that were already on my website and commissioned me to paint the Dallas skyline to add to their collection. We discussed the different options and decided on prints on canvas to be the best option. One reason was because some of the paintings had already sold and another reason was this gave us flexibility in final image sizes, plus feasibility.  For example, look at the giant triptych on the back wall. Glowing Gallantly. I posted that original here years ago and you are even helped me name it! It is 11 x 14. But because of technology we were able to increase the size and manipulate the image on 3 canvases. The Dallas Skyline was created using one of my favorite techniques, pouring.

Our smile is our best feature. Wear a pretty mask!

Order your mask here

Masks - I was never intending on getting in the mask making business. You know, I’m a silk scarf kind of girl. But, my customers kept asking me. I started with six designs on masks. That resulted with customers asking for more designs. I purchased one for myself and then realized I needed a mask in a different color to go with my outfit that I was wearing to my son’s graduation.  Honestly, I kept thinking this wearing a mask was going to go away in three weeks back in April and May. Now I see wearing a mask as part of my outfit and most importantly a way to express myself. If I have to wear something across my face, then I want it to be something that’s going to make other people smile. 

P.s. Jennifer Munoz asked to show my masks on two of her t.v. segments!!!

18x20 watercolor by Liana Yarckin

Between commissions, I’ve had time to experiment with other mediums and within watercolor. I’ve started some new psychedelic butterfly/insect designs. Some have sold the second I posted on Instagram which is affirming. By the way, if you ever want a good price on a painting, the time to ask me is within the first minute of posting. So not professional, but I am so in the moment that I always get a below market price when someone comments, “I want that! How much is it?“ I’m just happy that I connected with somebody instantly and I’m ready to send it out into the world to that person. 

I chose to put this blue and white kaleidoscope here because I absolutely love it! It is so dramatic and would be just perfect framed floating in a white frame. Who out there has the perfect spot for this painting?

Texas Proud items by Liana Yarckin

The Texas painting in the back is an example of my mixed media that I am working on now. That is acrylic, collage, graphite on wood panel. Working in this medium has been interesting and stimulating to me because it’s more about the texture and the overall feel of the painting. It’s also more of a reactionary process which is so out of the box for me. For some that might be easy, but, for me it is challenging to free myself up without a plan.  I did complete a commission using this process at the giant size of 48 x 48”. I welcome more challenges at this large size.

I would love to hear from you. What are you doing during this time? Do you feel like you have extra time to learn something new or are you actually busier trying to accommodate this new situation? What adjustments have you made? What things do you like that have come out of this pandemic? Me, I love doing my exercise class on zoom! It saves time not having to drive there and back. 

I do miss seeing my friends and I know my art class misses painting together.  Zoom isn’t the same as in person. Social media and direct messages do help me feel like I’m in contact with the outside world. Thank you to everyone who is always commenting and replying to my posts on Instagram and Facebook.

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Wandering in Meadows and Woodlands by artist, Liana Yarckin

 Gold Trees in Winter

40"w x 30"h acrylic on canvas

Here we are in a world foreign to us.  I think everyone has heard enough about coronavirus. I do hope everyone has what they need and are staying safe so together, we can get ahead of this and try to get back to as normal as we can.  

I hope these pictures of my paintings from my latest series, "Wandering in Meadows and Woodlands," bring you a bit of peace and serenity.  The series started as a study on meadows.  I like that word.  Say it. Meadow.  Doesn't it feel good to say?! I had written in one of my posts in the last 2 years about wishing I had nothing to do but wander in a meadow.  And look for the ideal spot to picnic was the thought that continued in my head.  The idea of wandering in a meadow kept recurring in my head as I was busy doing life.  In the fall I finally painted a meadow. And then another and another.  

Gem in the Garden

11x14 watercolor

As I was working on my meadows with intention, paintings of trees were happening.  I did not realize this until I was putting together my paintings for Cerulean Gallery's grand re-opening.  I had just as many paintings of trees as I did meadows. The painting above was a total accident.  It was our first beautiful sunny day since winter here in Dallas.  I dropped whatever I was doing and grabbed my plein air palette and paper and went to the nearest sunny spot in my neighborhood.  This gazebo had caught my eye many times in the winter on the overcast days as it stood out so brightly against the dark "woodland" surrounding it on the grey days.

 Strong

15"x15" watercolor and gold leaf

Sold.

 This was the first of the trees painted in the fall.  I love this tree.  It is just so solid, brave, healthy, confident.  The idea just came to me in my studio effortlessly and just as effortlessly as it came, it sold the day I posted it on my Instagram. 

Morning Sun Shine on Me

11x14 watercolor

Caroline, the owner of Cerulean Gallery loves this one.  It was probably about 7:40 a.m. on a country road that I saw this treeline.  I was driving my son to a tennis tourney in the middle of nowhere.  I had passed this treeline, rubber necked it and had to make a u-turn to go take a photo.  I just loved how the sunshine was coming so strongly through the trees. My photos did not do it justice.  I hope my painting gives you the feeling that I had when I saw it.

 5 of the artists with gallery owner, Caroline

Caroline curated a show of diverse art styles and mediums of 6 female artists.  I am so thankful that I was one of the 6 for Cerulean Gallery's welcome back!  I actually own a piece of art by one of my fellow artists in the photo, Robin Hazard.  I purchased it 14 years ago and I am still as happy with it today as the day I first saw it.

Aqua Woodlands

11x14 watercolor

Dreamland Meadow

16x20 watercolor and gold leaf

Two sneak peaks of the pieces in the collection at Cerulean Gallery.  The show hangs until April 18 at this time.  If we get to go out by then, I would love to hear what you think of my new series.  Bolder colors, gold leaf, pieces created directly from my imagination.  One attendee said, 

"I have never seen anything like this.  What was your thought process to create this."  

See the painting he bought at the gallery and the other paintings that sold and are still available. Maybe there is one for you! Please note, it's hard to appreciate the beauty of the gold leaf in these photographs.  

See party pics from the show on my instagram or facebook.

Oh!  and help me think of who I can donate proceeds of sales to.  I have been so fortunate, I want to help those that have lost their job due to businesses having to let go of employees because of coronavirus. If you know of a charity that is helping in this way, please let me know.  Thank you and stay safe!

www.lianayarckin.com

Painting Watercolor Portraits & Upcoming Art Show

 

Happy Early Spring!
All is well!  Painting away! I have been in a good routine of painting every morning, Monday-Friday.  I love it.  This morning routine is quite helpful to me.  After I paint, I feel so happy and am ready to take care of other business like my website sales, restocking scarves at local boutiques and meeting with clients.  My house, however, is getting pretty cluttered.  Another day for that.  Above are two portrait commissions.  An art collector saw my website and said she fell in love with my style and since she did not own any watercolors, she hired me!  

I was going to go on to challenge myself to paint a face everyday, but, other commissions and work came in.  Above is a painting from a photo someone sent in for my self challenge. I would love to continue this self-challenge.

Watercolor home portrait by Liana Yarckin

One of the commissions that I completed in January is the home portrait.

The BIG NEWS is

What I have been working very hard on is a collection for Cerulean Gallery's grand re-opening in Dallas. Cerulean has always represented me, but, now they will be back in Dallas conveniently located in Snider Plaza!!!!  I will have new pieces that I have not been posting.  It is a growing series.  Some little sneak peaks have been posted in my Instagram stories.  I am excited to hear the feedback from you!  I have not had a local art show in a while.  If you have been before, you know how fun they are.  A big social, see your peeps, have a glass of wine and check out the new art. So please come see me and the other 5 female artists at 

Cerulean Gallery

6609 Hillcrest Avenue

Friday, March 6

6-9 pm

I would love to hear from you!  Come say hi to me on my facebook or instagram.  Your feedback is important to me.  It's what completes my art journey.  I truly want to hear what you like about what I am posting or what you do not like.  Your feedback counterbalances my alone time in the studio. So please, talk to me, baby! ;)

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www.lianayarckin.com

Thank you for being part of my life!