Warren's Peace Illustrations

For the last couple of months, I have been working with an amazing director and incredibly talented group of actors on a play called Warren's Peace, put on by the Saline Area Players. Written by our director, Marc Holland, and his wife Kathy, it's a hilarious comedy that takes place in a small fictional town in Michigan called Crickwater. I've been co-directing the play with Marc, and have loved being a part of this production!! 

I like to do something fun for the cast, so for this production did a little illustration for each of them, plus one for our director & producer. It was fun to think of something that would be right for each character, and to see their reactions when I gave them to them! Below are the paintings, which might not make much sense if you haven't seen the play, but I thought I'd share them anyway. There's still one more night to see it, tonight!! Find more info at salineareaplayers.com. (I apologize for the terrible photos of the paintings...!! I ran out of time to get good photos before opening night!)

The Business of Art

Today I've been sitting here at my computer, doing business-y things, and daydreaming about those days when I used to paint.  Do you remember those days?  Silly balloon animals and things popping up every day?  I remember those days so fondly.  

"What happened to those days, though?!?  Will they ever come back?" you might ask.

I certainly hope so!!  Those days are not gone forever, I fervently hope.  My days of late have been consumed with the business side of art: photographing paintings; digitally retouching/preparing/cropping them; updating my Etsy shop; trying to figure out how to add things certain ways to my Etsy shop; reading Etsy forums to figure out return policies; trying to figure out where in the heck on Etsy I can add a return policy; calculating costs and prices for prints and paintings; searching Tinder for a handsome, wealthy man to marry so I can afford to live as an artist; searching and borrowing policies from other Etsy shops...you get the picture.

The business of being an artist is making painting seem like something someone else who looked an awful lot like me but with fewer bags under her eyes used to do.  But the business of being an artist is what allows me to be an artist and not a Target sales associate, and so I push forward gleefully and with a manic grin on my face, hoping to one day paint again.  

Good news, though: all of this insanity means that there will be prints available on my shop this week!!  And to thank you all for your patience, there will be a coupon code available, too, as soon as all of the prints are up.  I'll keep updating you as progress happens.  Seriously, though, I can't thank you all enough for sticking with me through all of this!!  Your support has helped make this all worthwhile.  And to my GoFundMe patrons I give an extra special thank you!!  Your rewards will be coming soon!  (You can still donate to the cause if you're interested!  Just click here.)


Stay tuned for a blog post coming soon about the anxiety puffer fish who lives in my chest.  Her name is Patrice, and I have come to terms with her...  

Giveaway #3!

Today's giveaway is going to be awesome!!  The giveaway this time around will be any one item from my Etsy shop!! (...Excluding original paintings. Though if you see a painting on there you DO want, there are two ways you can make it yours...see below!)

The way to enter will be a bit different from the last two. Here's what to do:

1. Head over to my Etsy shop (click here or go to Etsy.com and search kathartist) and look around a bit. Then come back here and comment with your favorite thing in my shop (the one you'd want if you won). You may also comment on today's giveaway posts on Facebook or Instagram if you prefer. If what you want is one of the original paintings, you can comment with that and if you win, receive a print of that painting! Or...you could go ahead and purchase the painting... ;) (With the 10% off coupon code BEATTHEBLUES until midnight!!) 

2. Share this blog post (or my social media posts promoting it) or my Etsy shop on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Be sure to tag me in it so I know it was done! 

If you do those two things, you're entered to win! Bonus entries can be earned by sharing on more than one social media site, making a purchase on my Etsy shop (did I mention the 10% off coupon code BEATTHEBLUES that's available until midnight Friday?), or or tagging friends on my posts! 

SUPER bonus: if you entered either of my other giveaways or bid on the auctions this week, you'll automatically be given one entry into this giveaway! (Though more entries can still be earned in the ways listed above.) 

This giveaway will be open until 10pm today! (1/29/16)

Happy Friday, everyone!! And thank you for having some fun with me this week!! 

Since you'll all know how to find my Etsy shop, check back Monday to see new things, including more options for prints!

A Thursday Afternoon Auction on the Island of La Grande Jatte

Well, all day Thursday, really...and into Friday...

Today's auction is a big'n!!!  It's hard for me to part from my paintings, but I know that this one will be a fun one for someone to have in their home.  (Rather than me keeping it in a stack of paintings in my studio...!)  This is my balloon animal take on Seurat's "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, painted on canvas paper in acrylics (11.75" x 15.5").

The rules are the same as ever:

As soon as I post this (at ~9am EST on 1/28/16), the auction will open.  Comment below with your bid (bidding will begin at $35).  Each bidder should at $5 to their bid and continue in that manner. (You're welcome to add more than that to your bid, but I think $5 is a good incremental increase.)  Keep checking back from time to time to see if you have been outbid!

The auction will remain open until 10:00am EST tomorrow (January 29, 2016) - you'll have over 24 hours to bid!  At 10am I will announce the winner!!  (Payment and delivery methods can be then sorted out between the winner and myself, usually via PayPal.)  

Please keep in mind that this is in good fun and keep things civil and upbeat.  Prints of this painting will also be available by the end of the week if you don't win the auction!  If you have any questions, please email me at katherinedownieartist(at)gmail(dot)com!

Thanks, and happy bidding!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the last hurrah in my Beat the Blues week - a BIG giveaway!!!  And remember to keep using the code BEATTHEBLUES on my Etsy shop!!

Giveaway #2!!

Today's giveaway is brought to you by the letter "W" and the number 2!  ("W" for "Weasley!")

Today I'll be giving away this 5x7" print of Mrs. Weasley's muggle post to Harry.  I love that Mrs. Weasley, don't you?  

For the original painting, I referenced actual British postage, so those of you in England might see some stamps you've used yourselves!

"But how to I enter to win this, Katherine?!" you may ask.  Well here's how!

1. Comment below with your favorite winter comfort food. If you include a recipe or a link to one, you get a bonus entry!!

2. Like or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. (If you already do, thanks! Each site on which you follow or like me will earn you a bonus entry.)

You can earn other bonus entries by tagging friends on social media or posting this blog post to your own social media sites! (Be sure to tag me so that I know!)

That's it!  The giveaway will be open until 10:30pm today (Wednesday), and the winner will be announced by 11pm!  

Come back tomorrow for another art auction, and Friday's big bonus giveaway!!

Auction Time!

Are you ready? It's time for another auction!  Here is the painting going up for auction today:

Titled, "Giraffe Descending a Staircase" (based on Marcel Duchamp's painting with a similar name), this painting was done in acrylics on canvas paper and is 9"x12".  

As soon as I post this (at ~10am EST on 1/26/16), the auction will open.  Comment below with your bid (bidding will begin at $35).  Each bidder should at $5 to their bid and continue in that manner. (You're welcome to add more than that to your bid, but I think $5 is a good incremental increase.)  Keep checking back from time to time to see if you have been outbid!

The auction will remain open until 10:00am EST tomorrow (January 27, 2016) - you'll have a full 24 hours to bid!  At 10am I will announce the winner!!  (Payment and delivery methods can be then sorted out between the winner and myself, usually via PayPal.)  

Please keep in mind that this is in good fun and keep things civil and upbeat.  Prints of this painting will also be available by the end of the week if you don't win the auction!  If you have any questions, please email me at katherinedownieartist(at)gmail(dot)com!

Thanks, and happy bidding!

Giveaway #1 Winner!

Congratulations to Ashley K. for winning the first giveaway of the week!! Check back for the art auction that starts tomorrow morning, and two more giveaways later this week!

Giveaway #1!

Good morning and Happy Monday, everyone!  I'm excited for today's giveaway!! You all can have a chance to win this 5" x 7" giclee print of my hot air balloon adventures (via my balloon dog, Dori...):

The rules are fairly simple.  Here's what you do to enter for a chance to win this print:

1. Like or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.  (You will earn one entry for each site on which you follow me.)

2. Comment below with your secret for beating the winter blues.


That's it!! Easy peasy rice and cheesy!  The giveaway will be open until 10pm EST, and I will announce the winner here and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by 11pm.  


**You can earn a bonus entry by purchasing from my Etsy shop (don't forget to use the coupon code BEATTHEBLUES for 10% off!).

**Other opportunities for bonus entries may be found on the above linked social media sites!! 

Come back tomorrow for the auction of this original painting!

There will be two more giveaways this week, too - on Wednesday and Friday - so keep checking back for more info!

January + Free Stuff = Happy!

Happy New Year, everyone!  I hope this new year has been marvelous for each of you so far!  I love a new start - it feels so good!

While I love a new start, I don't always love the weather here in Michigan in January. It's cold and dreary, and leaves me feeling a little blue, so I was trying to think of some ways to cheer up. 

First, I thought about some good things that are happening. For example, I HAVE A STUDIO AGAIN!!!  This is very, very exciting.  My aunt and uncle are letting me use an extra room in their farmhouse, and I am set up to do watercolor there.  The sun shines through that room and gets me excited for what I'm doing!

Also, I have started listing some of my original paintings on Etsy. I love to put artwork on people's walls, and to clear out my studio storage so I can start new things. Another good thing - I finally found a print shop that I like, so prints will be up on my Etsy shop by the end of the week!

Finally, I'll soon have another blog up and running, chronicling my painting-a-day escapades!  I wanted to start tracking my painting to keep me on track and you informed.  Once I add all of the paintings from last fall, I'll get back on track with doing a painting every day or two.

To celebrate all of these good things, I wanted to do something fun this week. So, I am doing a couple of auctions, a few giveaways, and offering discounts off everything in my Etsy shop this week!!! 

Here is the rundown of what's happening this week (check back here every day for details of how to enter the giveaways or win the auctions):

Monday 1/25 - GIVEAWAY! I will give a 5x7" giclée print of this hot air balloon painting to a randomly selected winner. 

Tuesday 1/26- AUCTION! My original acrylic painting of the Balloon Giraffe Descending A Staircase could be yours if you're the highest bidder!

Wednesday 1/27- GIVEAWAY! For my second giveaway I'll be offering up this 5x7" giclée print of Mrs. Weasley's Muggle Post. 

Thursday 1/28- AUCTION!! My take on Seurat's "Sunday Afternoon at La Grande Jatte" is going on the chopping block!! Highest bidder wins the original acrylic painting! 

Friday 1/29- BIG GIVEAWAY!! This final giveaway of the week is a secret - be sure to check back here for more details and how to win!! 

I hope that together we can beat the winter blues!!! Speaking of which, from 8am Monday to 11pm Friday, get 10% off everything in my Etsy shop [link here] using the code BEATTHEBLUES!

Keep checking back here this week for more updates and info!