Beth LaMee Fox - Fine Art

Iris

2011-11-19T17:58:00.000-08:00

Iris - 5 x 7

Oil on Gessoboard

This painting is done from an instructional DVD by Jacquline Gnott - my new favorite artist!
I have not worked with oils in years (since long before my eye surgeries). I thoroughly enjoyed working with oil. I hesitated because of the odor, I work in my home. But I put my palette in an airtight container, and cleaned my brushed immediately. The smell was negligible (I actually liked the faint smell of oil paint-pleasant memories!). I already have a hibiscus penciled in for my next oil painting! I liked the way I could blend the paint with my small mop brushes. The background is not black, but alizarin crimson, phthalo blue, and winsor green.

Framed

2011-04-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

This is a watercolor on aquaboard. Size 6" x 6". It was my second watercolor on aquaboard. This is a scanned copy. I'm not happy with the blotchy-ness of the image. I'll take a photo and see if that turns out better. I am happy with the flow of positive and negative spaces, and with the shadows and light on the stocking arms. Skin tones need a lot more work, both color and smoothness. I want to get better at watercolor portraits, hummm, needs more practice. Unfortunately I have not been able to practice lately. In January I went on a cruise with my three daughters for my oldest daughter's 40th birthday! We had a blast. Two weeks after I got home I had a detached retina! That of course required immediate surgery - then a recovery period when I had to lay with my head down most of the time. When I could see again I did a commissioned work for the cover of Flourish magazine - I'll post that after the magazine comes out in May. I painted this picture last year, but just never posted it.

Kathy

2010-12-26T08:33:00.000-08:00

Commissioned portrait of my son-in-laws mother. This is actually a combination of two photogrphs of her and one of a hibiscus that I had taken in Florida several years ago! My copy here did not reproduce as well as the orginal, unfortuantely. I really enjoyed the challenge of combining the two photographs. The flower was such a fun addition to do - added such a spark to the portrait. I loved doing her hair. It was very challenging - but I loved the energy it portrays. It is "her"!

2010-12-26T08:18:00.000-08:00

Commission portrait of my niece's children. I combined two different pictures to put them together in this picture.

Merry Christmas

2010-11-29T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a couple of commissions and have not been able to post any artwork recently. I thought I would post an older picture just for fun, and this one serves double duty to wish you all a very Merry Christmas as well! My grandson in this picture is now 10! Hope he doesn't mind the post!

Commissions

2010-09-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am working on two commissions now. I'll post a watercolor I've been working on soon, but then I'll have to get to work on the pictures for the commissions. Needless to say, I won't post the commissions until they have been given at Christmas, and then only with the approval of the individuals. Hope I can post them. If anyone is interested in commissions email me at bethfox47@gmail.com.

Black Stockings

2010-09-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

This is another stocking picture. It is 12"x 12" and compliments the other Black Stocking picture (Tangled) - so they could be a group. I love doing denim. I enjoy the shadow work there are so many colors in shadows. Thanks to my granddaughter for the long legs!

Watercolor Jacob and Meghan

2010-08-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

I have not done very much with watercolor, but want to learn. It helps a lot to have such wonderful subjects! Grandkids are the best! This is my second attempt at a portrait - you'll never see the first one! Ha! The skin turned to mud. I still need help with that. I watched some online videos which was very helpful and took my palette from Ali Cavenaugh's and Janet Roger's. One thing for sure, watercolor is faster than colored pencil!

ART SHOW

2010-07-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

I have the wonderful opportunity to be part of an art show at Willis Wayside on Virginia Beach Blvd. in Virginia Beach July 9, 10 and 11. There will be one other local artist and myself at this show. Stop by and check us out!

Grand-kids

2010-07-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

Josh and Lauren completed.

Grandkids 3

2010-06-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

I have done more modeling on the faces and blocking in the hair. I love their smiles and the breezy flow to Lauren's hair.

G-Kids 2

2010-05-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a continuation of my grandkids. I have blocked in the darks and lights in the hair (chocolate, dark umber and dark brown) and have added some modeling to the faces (blush pink). I have added blush pink and poppy red to the lips and have worked on the eyes some more.

Unity

2010-05-25T14:17:00.000-07:00

This is a picture I did for a friend. It is a photo of a copy and the white blance is off.

G-Kids 1

2010-05-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

I haven't worked on any pictures in quite awhile. I have just started this picture of two of my grandkids. I thought I would post a couple of pictures as I work on them to show the progression. I tape my pictures to a whiteboard (since I have lots of them from my tutoring days). After completing the pencil sketch I start laying in washes. On the faces I have layered cream and light peach followed with peach to do some modeling. The eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth are "outlined" with light umber. The lips have a light wash of blush pink. I have added some pale vermillion to the ears. On the hair I begin by blocking in the darkest values with burnt umber (for brown hair). My granddaughter's eyes have been challenging since the head is tilted and one eye is closed more than the other! Hope you enjoy the progress!

NLP Art Show

2010-03-06T14:13:00.000-08:00

I was recently in an art show at New Life Providence Church. 11 artists were represented. It was a fun evening for us all.

Ayden

2010-03-06T14:10:00.000-08:00

Here is Ayden Jospeh Fox, our 9th grandchild. We now have 5 boys and 4 girls. The handsome man holding Ayden is my fabulous husband, Bob. Today, Ayden is 2.5 weeks old and has already gained two pounds!

Wendy

2010-03-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is my granddaughter Wendy Elizabeth West. As I said, I am working my way through doing a picture of all my grandkids. Wendy is a beautiful girl with a sparkling smile and rich, lovely dark brown eyes. She's our "can do" girl, always ready to be involved in whatever we are doing!

Tangled

2010-02-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

I have just entered this painting in the "One Foot Square" show at The Artist Gallery on Norfolk Ave in Virginia Beach. All paintings are 12" x 12" and all are priced $100 or less. I saw many of the paintings when I dropped mine off - it looks like a good show - with reasonably priced pieces. The artist's reception is this Friday and the show will continue for the month of February.

2010-01-27T13:16:00.000-08:00

This is one of my first watercolors. I plan to do more with watercolor, I love how it looks, but get frustrated with it. I need to take some lessons to learn techniques with watercolor. I haven't posted any pictures lately because I have not had any time to work on my art. I'm working on a portrait of Wendy, one of my granddaughters. Then I have to do one of Ava and Tyler. I must have portraits done of all the grandkids. And I need to get busy because I have a new grandson about to make his appearance! Also, I currently have art in three locations: Virginia beach General Hospital (CBAA exhibit), Fabulous Forgeries at The Artist Gallery in Virginia Beach, and No Bigger than a Minute at East Beach Gallery in Norfolk. Check them out as many fine local artists have work in all locations.

Group Hug

2009-12-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

Still life. This was interesting to execute. I rubbed the paper (Stonehenge) over a pumice stone in the area of the orange only. That was a new idea to get some texture for the orange. The "dots" on the pear were made by dipping my colored pencil into solvent, worked pretty good to make darker dots than the pencils alone would. I used indigo blue for the dark areas on the apple. I think next time I would use dark green instead and see how that looks. I used cooler colors on the tops of the fruit to indicate the reflected sun light (the picture was taken in bright sun - the fruit were placed on a white surface) and warmer colors elsewhere as the local color. I used solvent to blend the first couple of colors washed on the pear. I used both pencils and a colorless blender (Prismacolor) to burnish the apple. My favorite part is where the apple and the pear "kiss". I know there is a rule that says items should not "kiss" in a still life, but it seemed to work here - hence the title "Group Hug"!

DaVinci's Girl

2009-12-09T12:37:00.001-08:00

This picture is my most recent fabulous forgery. Do you recognize the girl? When I was working on the picture of my granddaughter (see below) with her stocking arms I thought the angle of her head and expression somewhat reminded me of DaVinci's sketch of a girl. So I combined the two, trying to use an "old master's" palette. I took the liberty of making her a redhead!

2009-12-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

Old Master's Triad

Wine and Rose

2009-12-02T07:37:00.000-08:00

This is done in colored pencil. It is taken from one of my favorite watercolor books "Step-by-Step Guide to Painting Realistic Watercolors" by Dawn McLeod Heim. So it is originally a watercolor demonstration that I turned into a colored pencil painting. It is in the private collection of William F. LaMee.

Young girl study

2009-11-30T15:19:00.000-08:00

I took this from a photo several years ago. It is the only African American portrait I have attempted. I would like to try another one now. Anyone want their portrait done?

Apple reflections

2009-11-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

Here is another first attempt at colored pencil, also taken from Cecile Baird's book. I used a rougher paper with this one, and like the effect on the pottery. I tried it a second time with Stonehenge (which is smoother) and did not like the effect as well. However since this picture, I always use Stonehenge paper. It holds many layers of blending.

Four Vases

2009-11-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

This was one of the first colored pencil paintings I attempted. It was adapted from Cecile Baird's book "Painting Light With Colored Pencil." It really hooked me on colored pencil - you can make it look like oil or watercolor. Each vase presents a different "look".

2009-10-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here is the picture uploaded from Picasa - the white balance is better.

Stocking Arms 1

2009-10-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

I love the work of Ali Cavanaugh. She was my inspiration for this pose with Meghan. I love the play of light and shadows across the figure. I'm still trying to figure out how to get the best digital copies of my work. The white balance is not correct. The paper is white not bluish.

Three's Company!

2009-10-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

This colored pencil painting is taken from a photo I took late in the afternoon. I loved the play of the shadows which gave the cherries a second perspective with the stems reaching out and engaging each other. I'm never sure whether to call my artwork drawings or paintings. Many colored pencil artist are using the term paintings. I agree with that. I am laying pigment down onto paper, building layer after layer, blending, burnishing, using the transparent quality of the colored pencils to achieve rich shadows and vibrant color. Yet they are drawings also, the pigment is in pencil form. I sometimes use a brush and solvent to blend the colors - so there is more going on than just putting pencil to paper.

Ryan

2009-10-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

The photo for this picture of Ryan was taken at Harbor Fest in Norfolk a couple of summers ago. This was the second portrait I did! My goal is to have a picture of all my grand kids completed!

Cousins

2009-10-12T17:49:00.000-07:00

This picture is of two of my grandchildren, Meghan and Joshua. I loved the glee in Joshua's expression. With my portraits I like to simplify the backgrounds so that the focus is where it should be, on the individuals! I added the flower in Josh's hand, it just seemed to go with the mood!

Here's the photo the picture was drawn from.

The Kiss

2009-09-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

I love doing portraits of children that show their personality. I look for expressions of glee (like in this one of granddaughter, Meghan and daughter, Lori) or joy, or a smirk or laugh - an expression that captures the moment.

Chambered Nautilus

2009-09-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

We have spent many vacations on Sanibel Island, FL collecting seashells. I bought this a chambered nautilus shell one summer. Our family has so many good memories from our vacations on Sanibel. What I like most with this painting are the shadows and reflected sunlight. I took the original photograph on a clear, sunny day. The shell reflected the blue from the sky on the shadowed side and the warmth of the sun's rays on the sunny side. The shadow on the left reflects the blue of the sky, while the shadow under the shell reflects the warmth of the tans in the shell itself. It's a wonderful study of shadows (warm and cool). I was pleased with the details I was able to represent - the growth lines of the shell, the markings, esp the ones at the center. Have to say this is one of my favorite paintings!

Yellow Stockings

2009-09-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

This is similar to Purple Stockings, except this picture is done in colored pencil. I am able to get more detailed with colored pencil. I'm not happy with the photo of the art - the paper is bright white. The contrast is not as sharp in this picture.

Purple Stockings

2009-09-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Here is my first attempt at watercolor on aquaboard. I like painting on aquaboard. The clay surface absorbs the paint quickly, so you can continue to work on the piece without the long drying time of watercolor paper. I built up many layers, starting with a faint wash of color. It was fun and I'll try it again.

Summerscapes Art Show

2009-09-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

These are the pictures that I had in the Summerscapes Art Show at the Artist Gallery in Virginia Beach. I had to do three pictures in 2.5 weeks! That was a push. They are pictures of my grandkids at the beach. Meghan had a broken arm that was covered with a yellow rubber glove. Jacob had his goggles on upside down. Wendy was holding Michelle's hand and was a bit scared of the waves, it was probably one of her first times in the surf. She is not usually afraid of anything!

Fantastic Forgery

2009-08-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

This is my first post, and I'm not sure I know what I'm doing. I have just completed a drawing/painting with colored pencils that I plan to enter into an art show in January called "Fantastic Forgeries" at The Artist Gallery in Virginia Beach. This is a copy of Vermeer's painting called "The Girl with a Pearl Earring". I'm pretty pleased with it. The black background took a lot of work. It is layers of dark green, indigo blue, tuscan red, and black which are then blended with mineral spirits. I did the layers and blending three times. Then I finished with a layer of indigo blue and black. I'm not quite done yet. I need to spray the painting with workable fixative and work on the nose a bit more! I'm not quite happy with it - but who is really happy with their nose?