Post 354: An Art Reception at the Art Factory for Bettie and Sandra

An Art Reception at the Art Factory for Bettie and Sandra 

On Saturday, August 10, 2024 at the ARTFactory in Manassas, 2 friends of mine from the Prince William Art Society were having an art reception for their show called "Earthly Delights". Sandra McClelland Lewin and Bettie Sperty have their show up until September 15th.

Earthly Delights Art Show

On Saturday, August 10, 2024 I made the trip down the Parkway to Manassas for Sandra and Bettie's art reception. I LOVED the butterfly background for pictures! What a fun idea. I saw plenty of people getting their pictures taken with the wings.

L to R: Sandra and Bettie

Of course, they had to get one of me...

A few pictures from around the gallery. It was wonderful to see a gallery full of artwork by Bettie and Sandra. Their styles are very different but always wonderful. And it was good to see so many Prince William Art Society members, both current and former members, and friends from Manassas too.

And Otis Stanley was there too!

Congratulations Bettie and Sandra for a wonderful art show!

The ARTFactory is located at 9419 Battle Street, Manassas, VA and has a rich history in the area. And I painted it one time too! It's located across from the train station and the parking garage. Stop in and see Bettie and Sandra's show!

ARTFactory by Donna Liguria 2022 Acrylic on Canvas 11x14

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

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Post 353: Lincoln Memorial in the Fall, a DC Season Series

Painting Name: Lincoln Memorial in the Fall, a DC Season Series

A new commission for a new painting for a client is so exciting. Especially when the client is a repeat customer! We have a series of Washington DC artwork going, and so far we have spring and winter. This painting will be the Lincoln Memorial set in the fall. Watch the painting as it progresses here.

SKU: 08AJ24ACGC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 12x16 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2024

Framed?: No

Commissioned? Yes

What Brought About this Painting?

I was contacted one day a couple of years ago on Etsy from a fellow that lives in Washington DC. At that time, he had seen one of my Washington Monument paintings with the spring cherry blossoms and he wanted one in a certain size. We agreed and I painted it for him. Some time after that, he wanted another painting. This time, he was thinking Washington DC in the winter, so I painted Christmas at the White House for him. Hence, this is how my Washington DC Seasons Series got started.

Spring in Washington DC

"Cherry Blossoms, an Annual DC Event" by Donna Liguria 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas 

Winter in Washington DC

"White House Having a White Christmas" by Donna Liguria 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Now is time for Washington DC in the fall, so the Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool are up. I'm thinking DC in the summer should have fireworks next, but we'll see. 

Painting in Progress Images…

Watch the painting as it progresses! I'll add pictures as the painting moves along so keep an eye out here. The canvas preparation kicks off the painting and that isn't too thrilling to see, so give me some time to get this baby viewable...

Thursday, August 15, 2024 8:50am Filling in the shapes and laying down a base.

Thursday, August 15, 2024 4:35pm Laying down color in layers, deepening and putting in some outlines and shadows.

Friday, August 16, 2024 3:23pm. Steadily sharpening up the lines and colors. Water reflection is always interesting.

Sunday, August 18, 2024 5pm Detailing

Tuesday, August 20, 2024 3:23pm It's almost there. When the signature goes on it, its very close.

Monday, September 2, 2024 6:32pm

Fall in Washington DC

After speaking with the client, he wanted it to be MORE fall colors so I added more orangey, yellowy, and orange-reds, and some leaves already down. The finished painting (maybe) (minus varnishing)!

What do you think?

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

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Post 352: Manassas Bee Festival Sat, Jun 22, 2024

Manassas Bee Festival Sat, Jun 22, 2024 

This Saturday, June 22 from 10 to 2 is the 4th Annual Manassas Bee Festival at the Liberia House and Grounds at 8601 Portner Avenue, Manassas, Virginia. I'll be there with the Prince William Art Society, so look for us!

Manassas Bee Festival

A lot going on all day for the Bee Festival for the whole family. And if you would like to have a look at local art from Prince William County artists, stop in our tent for the Prince William Art Society. I'll be there and have my latest bee art too!

https://manassasbeefestival.com/

I went to the 2nd Annual Manassas Bee Festival and had a fun day. All the activities were fun to watch, all the folks walking with every dog known to man, all the children and people dressed up in costumes and bee antennae - just an all around FUN day! BEE there or BEE Square!

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 351: Bluebell Stroll at Merrimac Farm

Painting Name: Bluebell Strolling

Bluebell Fever, yes. I've got it. Ever since April 7th at the Bluebell Festival in Nokesville, VA at the Merrimac Farm. I took lots of photographs for reference and have painted several larger and some small size paintings of Bluebells.

SKU: 05W24ACG

Medium: Acrylic and Acrylic Pens

Size: 11x14x1.5 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2024

Framed?: No

What Brought About this Painting?

This painting was brought about by a picture taken April 7, 2024 while at the Bluebell Festival. So here is the painting and the photograph is below that.

"Bluebell Strolling" 11x14 in Acrylic and Acrylic Pens by Donna Liguria

The photograph that the painting was loosely referenced from. Photograph by Donna Liguria

What do you think?

The problem with finishing a painting is deciding what the next one will be. 

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

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Post 350: Spring at Merrimac Farm

Painting Name: Spring at Merrimac Farm

Bluebells are what spring is all about at Merrimac Farm located at 15014 Deepwood Lane, Nokesville, Virginia. Their annual Bluebell Festival was held on Sunday, April 7, 2024 and the Prince William Art Society and their new Plein Air Posse group attended with artwork at a tent and artists scattered about the trail painting.

SKU: 04S24ACG

Medium: Acrylic and Acrylic Pens

Size: 16x20x1.5 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2024

Framed?: No

What Brought About this Painting?

I helped out at the PWAS tent along with Elizabeth Stathis (PWAS President) that day at the Bluebell Festival. While taking a break in the afternoon, I took a walk on the bluebell trail and took lots of pictures along the trail as seen in the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog post, Blue Sunday The painting itself was mainly painting from these two pictures I snapped that day in Nokesville:

Photo by Donna Liguria April 7, 2024

Photo by Donna Liguria April 7, 2024

The Completed Painting

Alrighty, here is the completed painting (I think) as of April 29, 2024 9:39am

Never know, I may touch up something here or there, do you think I need to?

There are three birds...can you find them and name them?

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

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Post 349: Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium, NC

Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium in NC

In late March, in April of this year (2024), a friend and I visited our friend Teresa at Harkers Island, North Carolina. We quickly made a list of things to do on this trip and the first check to mark off was the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium.

Another World Under the Surface

One of the world's most awesome things in God's creation is that there is so much we don't see, just under the water's surface. So to better get a picture of what we don't see in our air breathing life above water, our number one place to visit was the aquarium off the shore of Morehead City, NC. 

Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is at 1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores, NC 28512

So over a couple of bridges we go - from Harkers Island, past Beaufort, through Morehead City, over to Atlantic Beach, driving toward the Emerald Isle, to arrive at the aquarium. 

https://www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores

My friends Teresa and Debbie outside the Aquarium - the usual photos announcing "Wish you were here!...We ARE!!"

Debbie and I. The day started off cool but quickly warmed up although it was March 29th. And spring there, in NC, is several weeks ahead of us here, living in Northern Virginia.

So many great exhibits! Although I took a lot of pictures and I have a lot of them here, I won't let you suffer through the entirety of them.  

Where's a fishing pole when you need one? Looks like dinner to me.

Who do we see here?

Did anyone know that there was such a thing as a Giant Otter? That guy is taller than Teresa!

Prehistoric monsters.

One of my favorites is seahorses. This exhibit had a herd of them in there of different colors but this guy went out for a spin.

The last exhibit - and the largest had the big boys.

I had a guy once complain about a jellyfish painting that I had at a gallery. He said my "Jellyfish Hijinks" painting was all wrong, that jellyfish do not swim upside down. He thought that I had the painting on display upside-down. Well, I certainly thought about that guy when I saw the jellies in the tank and snapped this picture (above). So na-na-de-na-na to that guy!

"Jellyfish Hijinks" 8x16 Acrylic painting by Donna Liguria

We didn't get to see any ponies this trip, on Shackleford Banks or while we were in Beaufort having lunch at a restaurant, but we did see some dolphins playing. From Beaufort, directly across the water you can sometimes spot the ponies on Carrot Island - Rachel Carson Reserve area (Islands). 

I hope you enjoyed this post of the trip to see the sea creatures.

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!