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Greetings again,

As I begin this current Blog, I first want to take a moment to, again, say that I hope everyone is staying safe...as safe as they can, anyway.  I pray that this pandemic ends soon and we can all get back to our "new normal" that is close to the "old normal". While we are all being close to home and spending more time with kids and spouses, etc, I'm hoping that when we return to life, we remember the closeness in relationships we have adjusted to now.  One pet peeve I have is that, as we get more technological, we tend to begin to separate ourselves from those around us.  So, one thing I think would be great for families, especially with kids, is that the adults encourage time in the arts.  Whether it's bringing up information on that technological devices about artists and the different types of artwork or just exploring art with your kids "hands on".  (I am slightly biased.)

So, why is the title of this post "Palette Knives for Artwork"?  Well, I love adding texture in my paintings.  And the things I use to deliver the texture are pallet knives.  I have a few from years ago.  But just recently (last week) purchased a BUNCH of knives.  I was soooo thrilled when they arrived.  It was like Christmas in May. I'm learning that you get totally different effects in your paintings by using the different kinds of palette knives.  To me, this is totally thrilling, exciting and fantastic.  That's another reason I choose to share that in my blog letter today.  

I've added several paintings on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BMaxsonStudios ), Instagram page (@brendamaxson) and will be adding them to my website (www.brendamaxsonartstudios.com ) soon that are painted using knives.  Feel free to go to either one or all, like and follow me.  Also, feel free to share this information as well.  I hope you like them and your friends, too.  

If anyone wishes to purchase something, you can use the link to PayPal:  paypal.me/artclasses  (Copy and paste this into your browser and it will take you to my PayPal page.  And, you don't need to have a PayPal account in order to use it.

Thanks for your time and for enjoying my artwork,

Brenda

Greetings friends, 

I hope everyone is doing well this Thursday afternoon...not too bored with being confined. And I hope everyone is safe and germ free. 

The great news I have to share is about my painting,  "Who Rules the Waves". I entered it into the Remington Museum Juried Art Show recently along with 2 others. It was chosen of the 3 to be in the show.  

This, alone, is thrilling news for me. But...I received news just a few days ago that it has been purchased. So, would you join me in enjoying my great news. 

If you would like to see it and the others in the show,  you can go to the Remington Art Museum's website and click on the events tab. Or, you can click on this link. http://www.fredericremington.org.

Thanks for being happy with me about this news. Let me know, also, if you have any questions or thoughts for me. Feel free to share this information and to check out my website.  www.brendamaxsonart.com 

Take care and stay safe,

Brenda Maxson 

Greetings friends, 

I hope everyone is doing well this Thursday afternoon...not too bored with being confined. And I hope everyone is safe and germ free. 

The great news I have to share is about my painting,  "Who Rules the Waves". I entered it into the Remington Museum Juried Art Show recently along with 2 others. It was chosen of the 3 to be in the show.  

This, alone, is thrilling news for me. But...I received news just a few days ago that it has been purchased. So, would you join me in enjoying my great news. 

If you would like to see it and the others in the show,  you can go to the Remington Art Museum's website and click on the events tab. Or, you can click on this link. http://www.fredericremington.org.

Thanks for being happy with me about this news. Let me know, also, if you have any questions or thoughts for me. Feel free to share this information and to check out my website.  www.brendamaxsonart.com 

Take care and stay safe,

Brenda Maxson 

Greetings everyone, 

I have some updates I'd love to share with you all briefly. 

First...I'm thrilled to share that one of my pieces, "Who Rules the Waves", (an abstract) 20" x 20", has been accepted into the Juried Art Exhibit held online (due to COVID-19) by the Remington Art Museum in Ogdensberg, NY. Below is a quote from the Remington Art Museum administrator outlining the details of the exhibit. 

"At the end of the exhibition, a “public’s choice” award, a museum wrapped canvas reproduction of The End of the Day by Frederic Remington, ca. 1904, will be announced on September 14. Anyone can vote for their favorite artwork from April 24 until September 12, at the Museum, or on the website, www.fredericremington.org. One vote per person, please.

The exhibition will be available digitally starting on Friday on the Museum’s website. We also make it available as a Flickr set and as a photo album on our Facebook page, so that people can comment on individual artworks and on the exhibit as a whole. By all means, spread the word throughout your networks. We’ll do our best to promote it in the news and on our Facebook page, etc. We hope you'll visit often, post freely, and enjoy this spotlight to the fullest."

Also, may I encourage you to visit their website and vote for my painting? (And view all the exhibits, of course) 

Second, I'd like to share this tidbit...I've decided to hang my paintings up in my studio for display.  You can go to my Facebook page or my Instagram page to see the results.

Feel free to share with me any of your own art adventures during our shutdown. I'd live to see them.

For now,  take care and be safe.

Brenda Maxson 

So...what an interesting title for a blog post.  We have been having some rather tiresome weeks go by.  I will be totally honest with you, I am beginning to see the days go by and find myself as if I am in the movie "Groundhog Day" with the actor Bill Murray. One day blends into another and all of a sudden I can't remember what day it is. 

Hopefully, everyone is being safe, staying home and doing their best to not get this vicious virus.  While it has not hit home for me, I do know several people who have or know people that it has affected in some way. So, if you are an artist or just "playing with art", it is my thought at this time that you enjoy this time you have of "forced" confinement and see what you can do with experimentation and growth.  Discover something new within your what you love to do.  If you do abstract, try a new technique.  The same applies with landscapes.  If you work with oils, try acrylics. 

In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with experimentation and there are NO failures.  We are all just learning.  So, while we are inside, enjoy it while we can.

God bless, stay safe. 

Brenda

Greetings Friends, 

I thought once again I'd give you another introduction of "me and my world". I'll be heading down to Georgia and Tenn. for a week so there will be no painting for me.  And, since most of this is new to all of us here, I decided it would be a great opportunity to allow us to get to "know" each other.    

Welcome to my world. I love art, love to create art for its beauty and the glory of God…and I enjoy getting into my work. When I began painting, back in the late 1980’s, I was a stay-at-home mom looking for something to do with my time while my kids whiled away their time during the day, being little kids. I began homeschooling them then needed an outlet even more. My “on-again-off-again” painting experience with acrylic paints was very slow and painfully self-taught. I desired to spend much time with it, but time was not what I had. I found myself begging God for the day when I could do nothing but paint. Well...that day has arrived. I am retired and love every minute of it. I find myself, some days forgetting what time it is because I am so involved in my painting. The styles I find I enjoy painting are landscapes and abstracts. Working with acrylics and oils are both very enjoyable to me. I enjoy Landscapes as well as Abstracts. Within the categories of abstract and landscapes, you will find me using brushes, pallet knives, my fingers and sometimes whatever I can get my hands on for a “good” look in abstract.

My Landscapes are created from actual places (I use reference photos) as well as a creation from my imagination. These Landscapes from my imagination are always fascinating to see how they come out. Abstract allows me the freedom to create beautiful paintings which are the expression of me, my emotions, my inner self, without the limitations of the boundaries of the space of “this is a rock” or “this is a tree”, etc. The paint does the painting along with my feelings for color that day. “What are my emotions?”, “What am I feeling?” when I am painting a piece, I will most often pray before I begin a piece, asking God for His guidance in my work and ask Him to glorify Himself in the piece. To me, when I do this, my work is “clearer”, it makes more sense to me.

When I began way back in the early 1980’s, I’d watch Bob Ross on PBS, devouring all he had to teach me. I’d translate his teachings into acrylics because I had young children around and didn’t want them touching, and thus destroying, my hard work. From there, I’d eventually devour any book from the library I could get which would teach me anything “art”. I also found myself “up close and personal” to many, many paintings “researching” their technique and brush stroke. There were many art museums I fond myself in that I had the security guards watching me rather closely. This was my Art School and still is today. I learn most by observation. I’m recently adding a few lessons from Wilson Bickford, a locally renowned artist in oil, to help me branch out in this area.

In November of 2018, I had 3 pieces accepted into the NCAC Juried Art Show in Watertown, NY. This was a thrilling time for me, as this was my first experience in a Juried Art Show.
In September 2019, I was priviledged to be in the St. Lawrence County Arts Council 2019 Remington Arts Festival which, is also a Juried art show. Again, in November of 2019 I had 5 pieces accepted into the NCAC Juried Art Show in Watertown, NY.

As always, If you have ideas for any art classes you'd like me to teach, if you live locally, or if you'd like me to paint something...feel free to ask.

God bless,

Brenda

Birds...Here's a tidbit of personal information to share:  you will always see a minimum of 2 birds in my artwork or you will see 2 birds in my signature 🦅🦅 when the artwork doesn't allow for birds. Why?  For me, birds flying are a symbol of freedom. The freedom is significant in my life for several reasons. First, is freedom in my Faith, my (some would say "religion", but I prefer Faith) I am a Believer in Christ who Saved me. To me, this is significant.

Second, the birds signify freedom from depression and suicidal ideation and loneliness...and of course the problems which follow these.

Third, freedom from my fight with MS (Multiple Sclerosis). Some people consider MS, when they first here the diagnosis, to be a "death sentence".  I did not.  I was extremely glad to receive this diagnosis.  I had fought for 15 years with "unusual symptoms" and medical doctors would give me all sorts of reasons for them from "It's all in your head", to "Fibromyalgia", to "Myofacial Pain Syndrom", to...well...others with more interesting names that really didn't tell me much and didn't really "fit" but got me "out of the doctor's hair for awhile".  So, not believing these diagnosis, I pushed on to continue my search for answers.  I hit on a Neurologist who "thought outside of the box" so to speak.  After more of the usual tests and a few others which were more than "the usual", he came back with the diagnosis of "MS".  Most people cry because they are upset with this news.  I cried because I was happy to finally be validated in my own suspicions as to what I had all along for many years.  While my Multiple Sclerosis is mild and considered stable right now, there are many people who do not have this luxury. I fight...and "fly on" with every painting I can do. 🦅🦅  Thus, another reason for the birds in my paintings.  When you see a painting that you think might be one of mine...look to see if there are at least 2 birds in flight ...or... in my signature 🦅🦅 

Greetings All, 

This is "Broken Fence". This delightful 8" x10" acrylic painting will be the subject of the class held in the Canton Free Library. Class will begin at 6:00 pm (to approx. 8:00 pm). Class date is Wednesday, January, 22.

If you are local to me, I look forward to your joining me.  Feel free to sharing this information.  You can find the information to access this class in the Facebook Events. 

My hope is to be doing painting classes off and on throughout the year, both in Canton, NY as well as in Gouverneur, NY.   

Again, if you have questions for me or comments, don't hesitate to ask.  I'm new at this and alays willing to delve into the new.

Take care, 

Until next time,

God bless, 

Brenda Maxson

Greetings Everyone,

Since this is my very first blog entry, I'm sort of playing it by ear, not really knowing what to do.  Let me first say to you, that I will be sending out these blog posts as emails. I hope to post approximately every 2 weeks.  I don't really want to crowd your mail box with a lot of nonsense stuff, so suffice it to say, what I will really be doing is just giving you is brief updates on what I'm doing and planning.  Who knows, if I can, I might even ask for suggestions for future classes.  What do you think?  (If you want to Unsubscribe, please let me know.)

Ok...with that out of the way...the first thing I have on my mind is this...

I'm planning another Painting Class.  Sound good?  This one is for those of you who are interested in Landscapes.

It will be held again in Canton Free Library, in Canton, NY, on January . I've not done the sample painting yet, but watch the Facebook Events page for my upcoming Event so you can secure your spot.  As it was last time, the class will probably be limited to 12 persons, please.  And you can pay through Paypal.  You do not need to have a Paypal account in order to be able to pay through Paypal.  I"ll provide my Paypal account information link on the event page and it is quite secure. 

So...Mark your calendars....

See you there,

Brenda