Updating for New Works

NOTE ~ For a view of my studio, click on:    https://www.facebook.com/CCOVB.org/videos/611418863194541

Folk Art Show at the Vero Beach Museum of Art

Local artist members of the Cultural Council of Indian River County were invited to show Folk Art-related works in the Education Wing of the Vero Beach Art Club, in collaboration with their current Fold Art Exhibition.  Show ran October-November 2021, and I entered two pieces:  "Laundry Day" and "Six Rosters."

"Laundry Day"

I painted this a couple of years ago to enter into the Vero Beach Art Club's "New Dimensions" show on Orchid Island, Vero Beach.  I had named it "Laundry Day Wine Bar," and had included wine glasses with clotheslines painted on them, and a washboard cheese tray.  Someone bought the glasses only, and so I've had this odd art piece knocking around my garage ever since, showing it once or twice in the Sebastian River Art Club shows.  So I was happy to get it out of the garage and on display again.

"Laundry Day" Painted in acrylics on wooden ironing board.
By Judy Burgarella

"Six Roosters"

"Six Roosters" was painted specifically for the Vero Beach Museum of Art's Folk Art Show.  If I hadn't run out of time (painting right up to the last minute as usual!) I had planned to get some rusty old chicken wire and rusty old bent nails and nail it sloppily to the outside of the window, with the rooster portraits behind it.  This was such fun to paint and research.  Took me right out of my comfort zone.

"Six Roosters" Acrylic, 16"x20" by Judy Burgarella

"Jesus On Palette"

This palette painting was done as a demo on Faculty Day at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, where I have been teaching portraiture for seven years now.  It was not complete, but close enough to post here. This was the last demonstration we teachers did before the Pandemic Closedown.  Sadly, we had no idea what was to come.

"Jesus on Palette" Oil 11"x16" by Judy Burgarella

"Night-Blooming Cereus"

"Night-Blooming Cereus Cactus"
Acrylic by Judy Burgarella, 16"x20"

Perched high above my herb garden setting in a wire replica plant stand of the Eiffel Tower, sits this usually-ugly flat-leaved prickerless plant.  Don't know where I got it, but for years I've neglected it, and even threw it behind a big ixoria to see if it would die and get it over with. I have had this plant for about 15 years.

At some time later I saw it was struggling to survive, and like an orphaned pet I gently potted it in a nice pot to give it a chance to live--guilt being the driving force.  I don't remember when it happened, but I remember seeing a big long pointed snake-like bud emerging.  I kept watching it as it got bigger, excited to see what beautiful flower would emerge from this ugly plant.  It got bigger ... and bigger ... and bigger! Every morning I would run out to the herb garden to see it emerging!  Then one morning--finally--there it was ... a very large drooping dead white what shriveled whatchamacallit!  After all that time I had missed its bloom!  

After doing some research, I found that it is of the genre of a "Night Blooming Cereus," in the cactus family.  Look it up on the internet--they are spectacular and diverse.  Mine blooms as big as a dish.  I found out that the bats love it and do the pollinating, and I've seen that it peaks about midnight.  The aroma can compete any day--or night--with Gardenia.  A very strong yet soft aroma that permeates the night air all around it.  It blesses me with always having either an emerging flower or a flower bloom--sometimes more than one!  I try to catch its glory at midnight, but alas many times miss it by forgetting and going to bed.

And so I finally honored this spectacular flower by painting it and exhibiting the painting several shows.  It is mounted on a gallery-wrapped frame, with the painting continued all around the edges. Looks great on a white wall, and I hope it finds a good home some time soon. Note that I included a dying bloom behind the "perfect" bloom. Also note the bizarre pink and yellow stamen.

Plein Air Pait-Out at the Environmental Learning Center

October 2nd, 2021, joined some fellow artists for a paint-out on-site at the Environmental Learning Center in Vero Beach, FL, as part of the "Bird Show" there.  The rule is, you must complete and frame the painting all in one sitting, which I did. It's an unrefined work, which I will tweak to be finer at a later date.  It did pull a 3rd-place ribbon at the show though, and two of my other works won ribbons, pictures of which follow.

"Pond Scape" Acrylic, 11"x14" by Judy Burgarella

Egrets and Waterlilies on Palette

Painted on a lovely cloud-filled day in my backyard, with a group of plein-aire friends. February 10th, 2021.  Such fun to paint directly on your palette: squirt the paint on and dip/drag it into your creation.  Artists were scattered all around the yard, painting the canal, gardens, trees, flowers.  Afterwards we broke open the wine and toasted to a wonderful mask-free day outdoors.  Won First Place ribbon in the "Bird Show" at the Environmental Learning Center in October 2021.

"Egrets & Waterlilies on Palette" Oil on Palette, 16"x19" by Judy Burgarella

"Fencepost by the Meadow"

This cute little painting was done during a demonstration, and was later donated to charity.  A simple, sweet, peaceful gem.

"Fencepost by the Meadow" Oil, 17"x14" Framed by Judy Burgarella

Well, that's all for today, will post more works soon.

Judy Burgarella

Blogger for the Arts

"Rusty"

"Rusty" Acrylic (c)2016 by Judy Burgarella

 Just finished "Rusty," tonight.  Client sent me several photos of him and I could tell he is a wonderful family dog.  So that helps build my inspiration to paint him, especially since I haven't even met him in person.  I'm happy with the way it came out, although as of a couple of hours ago he still looked pretty rough.

When uploading Rusty from my computer, I noticed there were several recent paintings that I hadn't posted, and below is one of my mother, from a black-and-white photo that was taken before I was born.  Wasn't she beautiful with all that red hair?  Mom, Dad, and all 5 of us kids all had red hair.  What a sight when we were all together.  Unfortunately we never even got a photo of us all together, and sadly there's only two of us left.  I have hopes to have the time to do individual portraits of everyone at this same age of life.  How interesting that would be.

"Millie" oil painting (c)2016 by Judy Burgarella

 Painting deceased relatives is almost impossible for me as it is too emotional.  So I thought that since I was to paint a portrait of my mom from a photo taken before I was born, and her looking nothing like I  remembered her, that I would not get emotional.  Well, that was wrong.  Curiously, I felt a certain sadness to never have known this young beautiful woman, who was probably fun to be with, and interesting to talk to in her youth.  Millie, as an older woman, was a good conversationalist, she was funny, and she was a really good and decent person--who did not boast about it.  At her wake, friends and strangers told of her good deeds and her kindness, and brought us stories of her that I treasure.  This painting, and about 60 other portrait paintings are currently on display at the Indian River County Courthouse in Vero Beach, coming down on October 4th, 2016.UPDATE: Date the show comes down has been changed to October 13th!

Of note:  Hands ... I hate to paint them.  Everyone I know hates to paint them.  These took me forever, and I repainted, reshaped, recolored, etc. and was so glad when they were done.  Very proud I am of these lovely hands which rocked me to sleep and wiped the tears from my eyes.  I just had to get them right.  Aren't they lovely and interesting?

Detail from "St. Sebastian River" Acrylic Mural (c)2016 by Judy Burgarella

This mural, painted for a client in Micco, is 15' x 4-1/2' and is a fabulous depiction of the flora and fauna that is found along the St. Sebastian River.  Just happens that right around the day I was to paint these beautiful spoonbills I saw a small flock of them at a pond near my home and had my camera ready when they flew away, so got some great shots to use in the mural.   To see more of this mural visit my mural progress blog at www.stsebastianriverpainting.blogspot.com

"Sandhill Crane"  Acrylic (c)2016 by Judy Burgarella 

This simple 11"x14" painting was a demo at the Sebastian River Art Club.  Several of my students painted it too, and they all came out great!  I have more work to do on it.  I happened to see a wonderful background on another painting in a magazine that has inspired me to make a similar background of nice grasses.

"Zebra" Watercolor (c)2016 by Judy Burgarella

 Another unfinished painting, which I did quickly to see if I could demo it.  This was much easier than I thought, and I had always admired other artist's rendition of zebras whenever I came across them at fairs or galleries.  So I did a much bigger one as my demo the next day, but that one is not as far along, but it's so beautiful that I have already picked out a frame for it.  

"Flower Vase by a Window" Watercolor by Judy Burgarella

 This lovely little watercolor was created in a class that I took from Bob Virelli in Hobby Lobby in Palm Bay, Florida.  He's a wonderful and entertaining teacher and has a nice healthy following.  However, we all painted the same thing, and also since it is in a classroom I cannot do anything with it, but either give it away or donate it.  It is not my copyright either.  But it was fun to paint and these exercises keep me from getting rusty with watercolor.

"David Leffel, Master Artist" Oil on Palette (c)2016 by Judy Burgarella

 David Leffel is an artist I have admired and emulated for years.  A teacher at the Art Students League in New York for years, he now resides in New Mexico where he continues doing what he did in New York.  Another of my dreams is to paint all the artists that I admire on a palette like this.  These are really fun to do, as you have the paint right there and only have to drag it over to paint the subject.  This painting can also be seen at the Indian River Courthouse along with about 60 others through October 4th, 2016.

"Robin" Oil on Stretched Canvas (c)by Judy Burgarella

"Robin" is my daughter, who moved near us here in Florida in 2013 with her husband and 1-year-old daughter, Salem, whom I am crazy about.  This painting is not finished and I don't know when in the heck I'll ever get to it, but I must sometime in this life.  Robin posed for pictures which I painted from, but I only needed to get it looking "OK," not great, as it would only be seen from afar.  She was supposed to sit for me while I painted her portrait in front of an audience at the Vero Beach Musem of Art, for only about 1-1/2 hours worth.  Unfortunately the night of the event Salem was running a high fever and she could not come.  I had planned to paint rough in the portrait which would surely be at a very ugly stage, and then at the end I would unveil the "finished" portrait so that they could see how beautiful it would eventually become.  Best laid plans as they say.  So I asked my buddy Rita Ziegler to sit instead and it was still good.  She's sitting in my studio now in such an ugly stage though, I'd better pretty her up some day for Rita so she won't be mad.

This painting can also be seen at the Indian River Courthouse along with about 60 others through October 4th, 2016.

"At Rest in the Cove" Acrylic (c)2016 by Judy Burgarella

This little beauty was painted at the Vero Beach Yacht Club, and was part of a show that night for their members.  The sales have always been great, but this time nobody was buying.  Bummer.  but at least I had a great day painting outdoors with friends.  What could be better?  ... I know what could be better ....  to sell the darned thing!!

This, and many other of my paintings, are being used to stage houses for Robin, who sells real estate for the Dale Sorensen Company in Vero Beach.  It really helps to beautify residences, especially if the owner does not have a flair for decorating.  We spiff the homes up with my art, curtains, silk flowers and plants, baskets, bedspreads, rugs, pottery, etc.  The owners can't believe the transformation.  And, although they don't get much viewing, I am happy that my paintings are out of the house and have a purpose, even if it is only temporary.

"Sailboat at Rest" Acrylic (c)2016 by Judy Burgarella

Another little sailboat painting done the same day, so I won't repeat myself.

"Coconut Palm" Acrylic (c)2016 by Judy Burgarella

This quick little painting was a demo at the Sebastian River Art Club.  Quick and easy, with big brushes.  Typical tropical painting that everybody likes.

"Path to the Beach" Oil (c)2015 by Judy Burgarella

I painted this one twice, a little different the second time, but they are both sold.  It's a lovely painting with an interesting format, the size of which will fit nicely on a tall, narrow wall.  It looked lovely in my house for a short while before it sold.  I must paint another one for myself, as I am redecorating my bedroom to be "beachy."

"Lilypads and Waterlilies" Acrylic (c)2015 by Judy Burgarella

This lovely little painting was a palette knife demo at the Sebastian River Art Club.  Most of my students wanted to try it and some found it a bit difficult handling a palette knife.  The knife needs to be just the right size for the canvas, and it can be tricky--but fast!

"Sculpture at the Vero Beach Museum of Art"

As a member of the Faculty at the Vero Beach Museum of Art (I teach acrylic portraiture), I was asked to paint this picture, along with other faculty members, in a style all my own.  So here is the boring painting, looking just like the photo.  I just couldn't come up with anything different.  Others did, and theirs were more interesting I thought.  They displayed all their teachers' work on a big wall for all to see.  So now I'm stuck with it.  Anybody want it?

Well, the time has flown and I've blown the evening posting this blog.  I hope someone sees it.  But blogging is cathartic, and I myself like to read some of the old stuff I've posted, especially if the painting is already gone.  So it's almost midnight and time to call it a day, and a nice day it always is when I've finished a painting.  An artist's life is the best.  Now what shall I do next???

Hope you enjoy checking out my blog, and maybe get inspired to paint!

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

Catching up!

WRAPPING UP MY CLASSES AT THE MUSEUM

 "Gypsy" was my creation to use for an introduction to acrylic portraiture for 5-week course at the Vero Beach Museum of Art.  Other than helping my friend Christine with her "Cork & Canvas" classes at the Museum over the past year, this was my second series of classes on the subject.  I will teach this again during the Winter session at the Museum.  The class was great, filled with enthusiastic painters--beginning and intermediate--who did a fantastic job on the Gypsy, and then on the portrait of their choice.  I start them off with profiles, as that is the easiest to do, no matching symmetry with eyes, elements and shape of face, etc.

PAINT PARTY AT THE BLUE LION BAR

       




 ~ PAINT - SIP - LAUGH - REPEAT ~

Monday, November 2nd, 6:30-9:00 p.m. will be my first Art Party at the Blue Lion Wine Bar, 13401 US Hwy 1 in Sebastian in the Riverview Shopping Center - 772-589-4445.  The above painting will be the subject.  Looks complicated but it really will be fairly easy, even for those who have never painted before.  I was invited to take this on by the new owner, during the opening reception of an artist friend there.  It will be fun, sipping wine and doing my favorite thing to do (other than playing with my granddaughter) teaching people how to paint.  Reservations are needed (though walk-ins will be accepted if there is room).  Price, which includes all supplies: $35.

GYPSY "WIPE OUT"

"Gypsy II" Oil by Judy Burgarella

This handsome man started out as a demonstration at the Sebastian River Art Club for my class on Thursdays.  Finished it up later at home, then entered it into the Vero Beach Art Club's "Member's Invitational," which is installed every year in the classroom wing gallery of the Vero Beach Museum of Art.  I was glad my students got to see it before the end of my Fall classes.

FANTASTIC FIND!

While strolling through the first St. Sebastian Flea Market of the season on October 3rd, I came upon this wonderful gem of an oil painting.  Except it didn't look like this.  The face caught my eye, leaning in front of a bunch of junky trinkets, but the size of it was so big, and falling out of its frame.  The face was superb, however the body--seated with folded hands--was poorly rendered.  So I walked on by, but it haunted me as I rummaged through the sale.  And then I saw this fabulous frame.  Solidly carved with pure wood embellishments and beautiful aged gilding.  The four+ big nail holes through the front of the frame didn't scare me--they're easy to fix.  It's the scrollwork and it was in excellent condition.  Obviously old.  Hm-m-m-m, I wondered how it would look framing that beautiful face?  Nah!  So I walked on.  On my way out I walked by that darned face again and just couldn't resist it.  They wanted $15 for that fantastic painting, and I was almost embarrassed to offer them $10--but they took it!  With frame and all it measured 41" high by 29" wide--Huge!  So off I went to carry it to the car.  Then back I went to get that frame.  Again, they wanted $15 (cheap!) but I offered $10, and Bingo!  When I got back to the car and positioned it on her face it was magic.  They were made for each other as you can see.  The signature was unrecognizable so the pain of cutting it down was not as great as I thought.  They both are obviously very old and I feel honored to have them in my possession.  I have filled in the holes and just have to match the gilding.  Then up on my high shelf in the family room it will go, carefully arranged near baskets, faux plants and jugs.

Collecting art, no matter where you buy it or how much you pay for it, is thrilling and I never tire of looking at these faces every day, with the occasional wonderment of who they were and how they came to have their image captured in oil.  They are the ghosts that live in my house, but good ones.


THE FAMOUS A. E. (BEANY) BACKUS

Finished Painting, A.E. (Beany) Backus, Oil, 16"x20"

Beginnings of A.E. Backus portrait, with reference photo

Progression of Beany Backus painting

Entered the A. E. Backus Gallery's show, "The Best of the Best," where my work has won awards in the past.  It's a good show I'm always proud to be in.  I had a bright idea though to paint the person the gallery is named after: Beany Backus.  What a job I had finding any kind of images of him.  Not many, and I couldn't recall any paintings of the Master himself in the gallery.  So above are pics of the progression of my free-hand painting, and the final subject.  Had a wonderful time painting this man whose work I have admired for years.  Backus Museum is at 500 N Indian River Drive in Ft. Pierce 772-465-0630, www.backusmuseum.com.  The show closes November 13th.

RED LILY

This cute little oil painting started as a demo at the Sebastian River Art Club in September.  Several of my students started it.  I just love the color red, Cadmium and Alizarin just get my attention!  I finished this up for a show in Melbourne, "Frits & Friends" on October 16th, and it never dried in time in spite of having a fan on it for 5 days.  Same thing with the below.

HUMMINGBIRD

"Hummingbird" oil, 20" x 16"

This painting has been morphed 4 times.  It started as another painting beneath, which I painted over, to be a blue vase setting on a red drape with gold ribbon.  Acrylic.  Awful.  I never even showed it.  After having it for a few years I finally painted it over last year with oils, same blue vase, but with apples.  Still didn't sell, so I painted a hummingbird on it and waited for it to dry for the Melbourne show.  Didn't.  I touched it so much that the colors are a bit more muted than they were.  Well, now it's dry and ready to be shown.

Well, that's all for today, and next posting will be my agenda--of course I have over-committed myself as usual and my head is spinning, but glad to get my art out to be seen, and, hopefully purchased!

Regards,
Judy Burgarella
Blogger

The Christmas Push!

I had to put the push on painting some really fun small giftings, in order to get them to their destinations on time.  The following two are mini paintings fashioned for use as ornaments for the Sebastian River Art Club's fundraiser for the Food Pantry.  I developed this program last year, got the little canvases and other supplies, nagged the SRAC members to paint, had a "backing and hanger" assemblage party.  We filled up 2 trees with these little beauties, then had an opening reception to launch them ... the result of which we were able to donate $700 to the Food Pantry for the holidays.

This year, since I am busier than a one-armed paperhanger with family obligations, some wonderful hearty hands pitched in and took over the responsibility.  I think the paintings are even better this year, and I can foresee this program going over the top each year and becoming quite famous locally.  These little masterpieces are sold for $10 each, and all proceeds go to the Food Pantry in Sebastian.  What a great way for artists to give back and utilize their talents for the good of others.

"Red Hibiscus" mini Acrylic

"Boat Reflections" mini Acrylic

The next painting was for my daughter Tracy and her hubby Turhan, who live in Chandler Arizona.  They lost two beloved cats this year, and Maggie, their Scottish Fold cat, was also failing.  I happened to come across this lovely box in TJ Max, and got the idea to make her a painting to put in the picture frame area.  She already had full-face paintings of all their five cats from last Christmas, but this one would be profile and more contemplative--with less of an "angry cat"-like look that Maggie always had.  Maggie had a craggy nose, flat ears, and a rather mean disposition, so I tried to capture the softer side of her for them to remember her by after her passing.   I finished it quickly, packed it up and mailed it best fastest way, hoping it would get there before Maggie's passing.  It arrived the day after and so was a bit sad for them.   The painting was only 3"x5", but painted with much tenderness and love.

As Christmas approaches my mind begins to focus on my soon-to-come after-Christmas art obligations, which seem like many right now.  And so I must find time to paint for them, in between working for my daughter's www.CrimsonKeyEstateSales.com company, and babysitting for her and Cass's adorable daughter, Salem, pictured below.

And so visit this blog again soon as I bang out paintings for January, when I will be the featured artist in the Sebastian River Art Club's Art Center's "Orange Room" (quite a challenge gathering paintings that go with orange!), and also the Featured Artist in Dale Sorensen Real Estate's office in the Vero Beach Arts District, where my daughter Robin also works as an agent.  Come see my work there during the Gallery Stroll, January 2nd, 5-8 pm.  Then the next month my art studio will be part of the 11-studio "4th Annual Sebastian Art Studio Tour" on February 7th, 10-5:00.  This is my second year participating in this event, although I helped out with publicity on the others.

As I sign off today, all those who see this posting I wish a Merry Christmas, and a new year filled with good health, peace, love, and art.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

New Paintings, New Blog!

 . . . Here, chickie chickie!

I had a lot of fun painting this one. When I got to the Sebastian River Art Center this morning to teach a class, this wooden painter's box was still sitting on the counter, where I had donated it to be sold for our Scholarship Fund.  So in a last-ditch effort to get it sold and out of the Art Center I painted this rooster on it in oils, then hung it in one of the gallery spaces as if it was a regular painting, it looked charming.  Turned out pretty good for a painting which took me about an hour, in between chatting and teaching.  Here's hoping it's gone by the next time I'm at the Art Center.  NOTE: Got a call from Peni Baker, Club member and wonderful artist herself, who purchased the paintbox.  The $35 price goes to our Scholarship Fund.
. . . And FOOTNOTE:  This box was given to me by the family of Ruth Steer, a long-time student of mine and wonderful friend, who passed away recently.  She would be thrilled to know what I did with it, where it went and the money it brought for a cause she believed in--she so loved painting, and was such a strong supporter of the arts.  The box was one of many things which I passed on to the Club from Ruth.  I will finish her great-granddaughter Lucy's portrait for her, one that she started before her passing; Need to get it to her family before Christmas, and I will post it on this blog when done.

 
PRETTY BRITTANY ~
Below is a nice little painting I did of my niece Brittany Preble.  I started it over a year ago and just finished it.  I hope it still looks like her.  Wrapping it up tonight to ship it out tomorrow.

Painting "en plein air"
I participated in the Cultural Council's Bird Show in October, and my White Egret in Flight won 3rd place and went home with some lucky buyer.  Didn't get to take a pic of it.  Last week I joined a dozen or so other plein air painters for a day of painting at the Vero Beach Yacht Club, and painted in oil a tallish picture (below), which sold that night at the reception.  It was a beautiful sunny day and I thoroughly loved it.  There' is a certain comfort level in painting outdoors with other artists.  This painting took under 5 hours and started out really rough but I tweaked it till it was presentable.  I really hate to frame a wet oil painting but that's part of the deal.  I forgot to sign it, so I took it home, signed it, and later delivered it.

"Red Sail Cover" 30"x18" oil by Judy Burgarella

Tomorrow morning at 9 is my class in oils and acrylics at the Sebastian River Art Club, after which I will drop off 3 paintings at Gallery 14 for their Beautiful Waters show, then off to teach Cork & Canvas at the museum with Christine.  It will be a full, rich artsy day.  A good day for me.