All Things Old Are New Again

Ok, you all know how much I love old stuff, especially old wood.  Well, check out these mirrors made from genuine antique window and door moulding!  These are small and can be hung anywhere, but if you need a specific size, I will try to accommodate.


Overall Dimensions 18 x 15.5", Mirror is 5.5 x 8", Beautiful 5 1/4" moulding in white, gray and antique pine, $85.



Overall dimensions are 15.5 x 18", Mirror is 8 x 10", Fabulous 4 1/2" moulding in shades of white, brown and gray with tiny hints of blue and yellow, $85.

I was in Fairhope visiting my mom this weekend and took a few great shots of the views of Mobile Bay around the Fairhope Yacht Club. I was hoping to get some photographs of the regatta they were having there, so I could do some sailboat paintings, but got there too late. Here are some other images I thought I would share.

Mobile Yacht Club Marina - Sailboats are hard to photograph because their masts are so tall and the reflections in the water are also proportional!

"Kayaks on a Rack" - cool colors!

All neatly put up and ready for next time.

These seagulls were so cute all lined up.

You never know what you are going to find washed up on the beach.

A parting shot from Mobile Bay - I love being down by the water!!!

New Paintings on Canvas

I don't get to paint oysters on canvas very much, since the demand for the mixed media work is so high, but I had a chance recently this past week.  These are wonderful to pick up for gifts or to put on easels around the house.  I like to paint a two-toned "aged" appearance on my backgrounds.  I think it makes it look more dimensional and interesting.  I've done different colors, but I am really liking this aged blue (below).

"Oyster on Blue", 4x6 Original Oil on Canvas, $22.50

"Oyster Trio", 6x12 Original Oil on Canvas, $60

Lastly, I'd like to welcome "Very Vintage", who has set up a little retail shop in the front part of my studio space.  Someone to share the rent - yay!!!  They have brought in antique furniture, rugs, home decor, prints -- all to set off their FABULOUS collection of antique and vintage jewelry.  The shop is open Wednesday through Saturday 11-5 and by appointment.  I have learned a lot in just a couple of weeks about vintage jewelry designers and fads and fashions of the past.  The bad thing is, every time I walk through to get to my art studio, I see something else I "need"!  :)  Come check it out.  We'd both love to see you.

Seaside "Business" Trip

This past weekend, I traveled to the Seaside/Sea Grove/Watercolor area of Florida with a friend of mine.    There, I brought some new work to The Studio Gallery in Grayton Beach.  What a great gallery and fabulous owner and staff!  We spent a lot of time just browsing all the wonderful local artwork and talking "shop" while we cataloged the new work.

I brought them several new pieces, including this "Crab Duo" on antique shutter. 

Life is really tough on a business trip like this.  We "had" to: eat out at Bud & Alley's and The Red Bar, check out all the local art galleries and gift shops, go shopping and, of course, hang out on the beach.  Here are a few of my favorite shots from the weekend:

Beachside view from Grayton Beach, FL.

Gorgeous water!

Unbelievable Sunset.

Enjoy your Labor Day and last few weeks of summer!!!

Cathedral Commission

I received a commission from Ashland Gallery for artwork of The Cathedral, but in a smaller size than was currently hanging at the gallery.  I finished it up today and brought it down to midtown Mobile, along with a few other items.  For those that are interested, The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is located in downtown Mobile, AL and was built in 1835.  It has beautiful architecture and I have attended many a wedding here.  This is my finished piece:



Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, oil on metal on 12x12 antique tin ceiling tile, $150.


I also painted St. Joseph Chapel .  It's located on the campus of Spring Hill College, which is the 3rd oldest Jesuit Catholic college in the United States.  This is a smaller size than what I normally create, making it a perfect size for a wedding gift.  My husband and I were married here, so it will always hold a special place in my heart.

St. Joseph Chapel, oil on hand-cut metal, on 12x12 antique tin ceiling tile, $150.

 Lastly, I brought some various oyster pieces to keep them stocked up.  They also requested some more "hot sauce" and okra pieces, so I'd better paint some more soon!

"Oyster", oil on hand-cut metal, on wood from a vintage door, 5x5, $45.

"Oyster Trio", oil on metal, on natural, antique beadboard salvaged from Atmore, AL farmhouse built in 1907, $89.

"Oyster", oil on metal, on natural beadboard salvaged from Atmore AL farmhouse 1907, 5x6, $45.

So, if you need a wedding gift or some artwork for your house, stop by Ashland Gallery and take a look around.  They have toys (my boys can't stop playing with the "Bucky Balls"), frames, Ugly Dolls, gifts and, of course, fabulous art.  Go by and check it out!

Back to School!

Ok, I've finally gotten the boys back to school and have some time to get things done and to create some artwork!  I have lots of plans for new pieces -- I just have to decide which to start with first.  Fish, florals, churches, crabs -- all on the list.  Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see!

Here's a few single oysters I got done a few weeks ago in between playdates, swim team, and sports camps!  I had a commission for a single oyster on a white or natural background.  I decided to make several for her to choose from.  She said she wanted to hang it in her bathroom - which I think is awesome!

Here are the ones on the "natural backgrounds".  I used beadboard tongue and groove, rough cut cypress and the blueish gray one is a porch board.  All from a farmhouse in Atmore, AL built in 1907 and damaged beyond repair by Hurricane Ivan. 

Here are the ones on the "white" backgrounds.  I used antique tin ceiling tiles on two and a piece of wood from an old vintage door on the other one.

As always, I choose real shells (looking at shape, size and coloring) to complement the "canvas" on which the artwork is mounted.  All of these are approximately 6x6" and retail for $45.  If you'd like to see a close-up of your favorite, just email me at jallen1919@gmail.com.

Oh yes, as for the client, she chose the middle oyster on the white tin ceiling tile.  I hope it looks fabulous in her home.

St. Francis at the Point

Lyons Share Gallery in Fairhope called me recently for a mixed media commission of St. Francis at the Point.  It's located south of the Grand Hotel down beautiful Scenic Hwy 98.  I have painted many local churches, but not this particular one.  So, deciding to make a day of it, I drove over to Fairhope, AL and picked up my mom.  We stopped in Page & Palette for a quick cup of coffee (a must!) and stuck our heads in Lyons Share Gallery to say a quick hello before heading to see the church.  I was told that I should paint the "new" church, constructed in 2001.  It is beautiful, constructed in the "carpenter gothic" style.

The original chapel on the property (pictured below) was built in 1898 when the first Protestant Episcopal mission in the Fairhope/Point Clear area was formed.  This tiny chapel has served worshipers of several denominations through the years. Originally known as St. Luke’s Mission, the chapel is now a landmark structure in the Point Clear community.

Here is my artwork depicting the new church.  Using the reference photos I took, I hand-cut the church out of metal, painted the detail in oil and affixed it to an antique tin ceiling tile.  I hope the art collector that commissioned the work will treasure such a unique piece of art with a special meaning.

Flounder Commission

My neighbor has a condo at lovely Dauphin Island that she has recently re-done and she wanted to decorate it with some new artwork.  After looking at my website, her husband, an AVID fisherman, decided on a flounder piece.  She came over to my workshop and found a piece of wood that she loved.  So, I used a photo of a flounder that my husband and boys had caught locally to use as a reference.  Did you know that flounder change their coloring depending on their environment???  Kind of like a chameleon.  Pretty neat!  

Here's the "real" fish:

And here's the artwork:

She also wanted two smaller pieces - a "mini" redfish and an oyster trio.

I think they are going to look great in her beachside getaway!