A Minor Miracle

©2011 Bethany Vanderputten

"A Minor Miracle" is the title piece for my tribute to musical artist Alicia Keys. I believe Alicia has a unique talent to speak (and sing) directly about sensitive personal topics. She also can see things about a subject that others cannot, or would not. My series "A Minor Miracle" is about this character attribute as I look at the small things in life that are actually quite meaningful and draw them out into the light. In this way, I hope I have captured a little of Alicia's beautiful personality.

View the whole tribute live at www.bethanyillustrates.com

Red Iron Hibiscus

©2011 Bethany Vanderputten

This was a recent fine art commission of a red hibiscus painted with acrylic on 16"x20" gallery hardboard. Sparkly!

Sunset

©2011 Bethany Vanderputten

This was a recent commission of a Dominican Republic sunset painted with acrylic on three 12"x12" Gallery Hardboard panels.

Escapade

©2011 Bethany Vanderputten

In celebration of the amazing musical career of Janet Jackson.

Venus de Milo

There is only one statue that has ever stopped me in my tracks and made me drop my jaw in awe... this is my small tribute to the masterpiece. Sold.

Her Falling Hibiscus

"Like a flower drinking from the falling rain. Or the same rain that could wash it away. Gives it strength. Gives it water. And before you know, another day." - Aaron Neville "With You in Mind"

Strong Hearted Palms

“It is the nature of the strong heart, that like the palm tree it strives ever upwards when it is most burdened.” - Sir Philip Sidney

Cherry Blossom Rains

Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. - Charles Dickens, Sold.

Filipino Fields

This is a painting I completed in the past few weeks based on a view of the rice fields in the Philippines. It will be available at a silent auction in Calgary, Canada on March 7, 2010. Proceeds go to supporting First Assembly church's mission trips to the Philippines and Cuba in 2010. The painting is 16"x20" framed and completed solely in acrylic on canvas.

For more event details please contact Sara Curdie at (403) 695-1100 or scurdie@fachurch.com.

Sold.

Charles Bridge

A favourite vista: Charles Bridge viewed from across the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic.

Yellow Hibiscus

One of my favourite tropical flowers in an unconventional side view. Happy 50th Birthday Hawaii!

Sold.

A New Creation

This piece was inspired by Hawaii and the beach... and maybe a butterfly stopped by?

This is also the first painting I completed solely with the new Winsor & Newton Artists' Acrylics. I was impressed first with the buttery consistency of the paint which reminds me of working with oils. Also as it has a slower drying time I was able to blend it more like I would with oils. Formerly to make the paint flow I would add more water, and I'm told this breaks down the pigment's tinting strength. With this painting I used less water as the paint itself flowed nicely.

The colors do seem pretty vivid though I still want to check out the darkness of the final painting as compared to the out of the tube hue. And although the paint dries slower than other acrylic brands I found within about a half hour of my final brush stroke the whole painting was dry. (I didn't use a hair dryer and I don't paint that thick).

Overall I was quite pleased and hope my local art stores will begin to carry this brand!

A Pirate's Tale

This is my final painting from my Situation and Environment class with Zhaoming Wu. I enjoyed pondering the subject's 'pirate-y' adventures as I painted.

On another note, although my paintings made the cut list for my school's Spring Show they didn't get hung. But there is some excellent work in the show, my favourite being a piece entitled Wednesday Afternoon by a classmate in the fine art field, Jeff Merrill. I also enjoyed seeing work by other Situation and Environment classmates: Swarupa Chavan, Fongwei Liu and Jonathan Ahn. Also, in the illustration field there's some great work by Jen Oaks, Santiago Casares, Forest Stearns and many others. I can't forget to mention my friend Stephanie Penland in the MFA graphic design department whose book arts project is on display.

Make sure you check out the show if you're in the Bay Area!

Kerne Erickson

I recently bought a set of postcards painted by this artist. I was reluctant to send them as I fell in love with their retro look and soft colors featuring various travel destinations in Hawaii. Then I realized that Erickson does other images I've seen too... like this San Francisco image:



I may have to purchase some larger prints... love, love, love!

Razzauti, Roman and Rahab

So I wandered through a couple galleries in Lahaina while I relaxed on Spring Break... I really enjoyed the work of Andrea Razzauti. I'm inspired by his refined drawings and beautiful colours. His work is on display in the Lahaina Galleries (there's a sister one here in San Francisco). This is his "In Toscana".

I also enjoyed another artist's work on display next door at Sargents and was inspired by his story: Roman Czerwinski.

Now back to my thesis! Here's a couple of conceptual thumbnails for my book which is in progress...

Self Portrait with Bridge

A Self-Portait with the Golden Gate Bridge... to practice painting in Photoshop.

Calgary's Skyline

This is a recently commissioned oil painting I just finished. Calgary's skyline with the new LRT design in the foreground:



And, for interest's sake, here is the initial pencil sketch:

Oh Canadia!

Been on winter break for the last couple of weeks, recharging my batteries and trying not to freeze back in Calgary, Canada! Lots of time spent with family, friends, dogs and hot tubs. I may have picked up my Mom's still good 40-year-old oil paints for a day or two as well.

Side note: I found this amazing lamp at Canadian Tire. I didn't realize I liked Canadiana until I moved away. Who knew!?

Across the Universe

A narrative illustration responding to the Beatle's song "Across the Universe":

"Words are flying out like
endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
are drifting thorough my open mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world."

Union Square 9III08

Coffee, Sunglasses, Wine glasses...



..."No no no no no" from a drunk man, "Yip, yip, yip" from the dogs...



...sun off the buildings, relaxing with a friend and my sketchbook.