This past weekend was a dear friend's wedding up in the Catskills. Using the invitation that she designed I painted a custom wedding hanger for her dress. This is actually the second time I've done this so I'm sharing both of them today!
I love being able to gift these, such a nice way to do something special and different for people I care about.
While I've limited the amount of shows I've been participating in over the last few years, there are certain ones that I love being a part of and contributing to, Bad Dads being one of them!
I love Wes Anderson's little world and it's a language I speak, so having the opportunity to create a painting inspired by it is truly a joy. This is my third time around and I based my painting off of Darjeeling Limited, my favorite of his films. Focusing on the two funerals in the movie (different countries, different times, same brothers attending), the piece is what I call a "reversible painting," giving the viewer the option to hang the art in the orientation they choose. I love this idea because it invites a physical interaction between the viewer and the artwork, when traditionally the last thing you are taught to do is touch a painting.
The show will be held at the the Joseph Gross Gallery in NY (548 W 28th St, New York, New York 10001) August 7-9. Check out the Spoke Art website for all the show details and updates!
We Are Not 2 We Are 1
6 x 14 inches oil on board
A laminated card to accompany my painting.
*It fits in a pocket on the backside of the painting.
*Photo credit, August
Okay, well it's taken me a month to get these up here!
If you follow me on instagram, last month I shared engagement ring illustrations I had the pleasure of working on, for a beautiful journal post by August, an LA based jewelry store. You can view the full story here and see how my illustrations were used alongside these beautiful rings.
Gabriella Kiss, 18k & clear oval rose cut diamond ring
Lola Brooks, 18k & pale grey round rose cut diamond ring
Loriann Stevenson, 18k & round yellow diamond slice ring with white diamond pave
Rosanne Pugliese, 22k wide open band with a bezel set diamond baguette
Nicole Landlaw, 18k & Miner cut diamond blossom ring
*All drawings are graphite and charcoal on toned paper
yea I jumped on it. Here is my first story on Steller, the storytelling app. Look forward to posting more! You can find me over there @daniellemurray (I know I know, I was early enough that I actually got my name as a handle, exciting!)
Here is a selection of my daily sketchbook entries from last week. I have really been enjoying this practice. It is so nice to set aside time each morning living in this little world rather than starting my day on the internet....although some days that happens too :)
Like many others, I have started a routine of daily sketch-booking. Every morning I designate a little time adding to my sketchbook. To be honest, I have tried this, multiple times (oops), and never seem to follow through. Yet this time feels different. Here's hoping!
Here are my entries from the first week.
Tis the season! Since I create holiday images all year long, I have found it makes this time of year even more enjoyable because work lines up with real time ( something about painting a Christmas tree in July just isn't quite as exciting). In the spirit of giving I am sharing some holiday gift tags I've created.
Print (a heavyweight card stock is best), trim, punch a hole & run some ribbon or twine through to add to gifts for friends and loved ones!
*These gift tags are free for personal use only. Feel free to share but please give credit where credit is due :)
With less time devoted to my personal paintings these days, I am usually only producing a single painting at a time, every few months or so. The last few weeks I was able to live in my little world of ships, the sea and florals....and man, it was really nice.
I will have these three paintings hanging in the beautiful jewelry store Meeka, located in Camp Hill, Pa. The Grand Opening is this weekend, November 1st & 2nd, 11am-7pm, located at 2205 Market St. Camp Hill Pa.
All That I Know, 12 x 24 in. Oil on wood panel
All That I Know, *detail
Already Home, 10 x 22 in. Oil on wood panel
Already Home, *detail
Already Home, *detail
Myth, 12 x 24 in. Oil on wood panel
Myth, *detail
Myth, *detail
Over the years I have been in quite a few pop-culture themed shows. Recently, I have cut back on participating in a lot of them, mostly because when I am not creating artwork for licensing I like to use that time on my personal paintings. That being said, one of the shows I did commit to this year is Bad Dads, a group show inspired by Wes Anderson films. I very much enjoy creating paintings inspired by his world, it's a language I understand.
The show opens Halloween night at Spoke Art in San Francisco.
She Smokes, 10 x 12 in. oil on board
*inspired by The Royal Tenenbaums
I answered some questions over at The JCR Girls blog about my work. Be sure to check it out and enter to win a print of my Ship of Festoons! Entries end on October 9th!
Ship and frame painter forever!
Ship of Festoons 12 x 12 in. oil on wood panel
Sometimes I feel guilty about wanting to make images like this, mostly because there is nothing new about it for me as an artist, but it's my happy place, and I think that's all that really matters.
I am a huge fan of seventeenth century Flemish floral paintings.....because they are AMAZING <3 Damn could they paint some flowers! I had been wanting to attempt my own version (not that I think I can paint like them, because I definitely cannot), especially after seeing the dark floral theme that trended on the runway, I love the contrast of the lush colors against the dark background.
Flowers are a subject that I very much enjoy painting, but I definitely struggle with them and this painting was no different.
Midnight Romance
12 x 12 in. oil on board
My cousin Michelle, an amazing pastry chef and an owner of Big Sur Bakery, recently did a great post on Medium. The 12 Cakes of Christmas is a 12 day project featuring 12 different chefs and their Christmas cake. I was happy to contribute artwork for a bunch of the posts.
You can check out the full project here.
And another Beetlejuice painting! This one for Gallery 1988's Crazy for Cult 7, which will take place in NY this year. The opening for the show is December 13th, 7-10 pm and it will run through December 21st. 355A Bowery, New York, NY 10003
Afterlife, 8 x 12 in. Oil on board (reversible painting)
*Framed
“If we only wanted to be happy it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, which is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.—Montesquieu”
You want to know what's incredible? Having a little treasure, a 100 year old school girl's scrapbook. And do you know who I'm going to share it with? Not you, internet.
There is something to be said about knowing that what's between these pages is only for me to see, no one else is invited (Ya know, sort of like life before the internet) . And that is unfortunate for you, because it's amazing <3
Well not really, but a little break from my usual flowers, ships and pretty skies. Here is my painting for Say Hi To The Bad Guy, a group show at Gallery 1988 West, opening Friday, October 18th 7-10pm
Say it Once, Say it Twice...
11 x 14 in. oil on board
* Not my first time being inspired by Beetlejuice, if I count that time I drew a crayon door on my mom's wall.....
*Some collected relics from my weekend rummaging <3
Hydrangea Repeat
I am excited to be showing for the first time at Modern Eden Gallery (San Francisco, Ca). My painting, On The Sea II, will be on display as part of the Chronicle: Tales of the Sea exhibit, opening tomorrow and running until October 12th.
In addition, Monika and I will also have our Royal Loyal's piece, Portal, on display. Be sure to check it out if you are in the San Francisco area!
Modern Eden Gallery, 403 Francisco Street, San Francisco, CA / Opening reception: Saturday, September 14th, 6-10pm
On the Sea II
12 x 16 in.
oil on board