today Charlie’s February prompt list says “BIRD” and I am joining doodlewash
I made it late evening…. but I made it! Here is my Southern California Bird I don’t really know what kind but I have seen many that look like this maybe he is a Finch I don’t know but what I do know is that I enjoyed to paint him! ❤
My interview with Music Composer and independent Artist James Radcliffe.
I am so happy and grateful that I was able to do this Interview!
Today I am very pleased to introduce you with James Radcliffe a wonderful multi talented Artist, a dear friend from the music world and part of our community. James is an independent artist a music composer from the beautiful land of Scotland.
Thank you James for your precious time doing this interview with me. I love to give the opportunity to get to know you and your art.
Let’s start with the questions:
For the reader that doesn’t know you and your music, can you please introduce who is James Radcliffe?
I am an independent artist based in Edinburgh Scotland. I make music, I write, I take photographs and perform live. In the last 4 years or so, I have built a grassroots social media following in excess of 100’000 people. This is what allows me to make art as a living.
Your music has a very distinctive sound and style, when listening it brings you in far away places, almost out of this world. Can you describe your creative process and what prompt inspire you while creating? And how do you categorize your genre?
First, thank you very much, I take this as a great compliment. It is hard to nail down a creative process, as much of it is a mystery. I will say though, that there are two main phases: the creative phase and the craft phase. The work is usually born from a kind of state of mind which is outside of time, when I am fully absorbed. The craft is where I take the pieces of rock and polish them into something beautiful. I cycle back and forth between these two until the work is finished.
You just released your new beautiful and fantastic Album ” Murder The Impossible” can you tell us your feelings and meanings behind it?
Murder the Impossible was a collection of tracks that I worked on in a very specific way in the studio. It took me over a year to get them right. Each of the tracks was aimed at a specific feeling, for example, the first track ‘World Enough and Time’ was aimed at the feeling of ecstasy I get from truly great music. One of the reasons it took me so long, is because I played all the instruments, including the cello, and did all of the studio work.
Murder The Impossible is the 5th genre-defying release from James Radcliffe.
What is your creative Dream Project?
The thing that I am working on right now. One of the great things about being independent is that you get to choose exactly what you want to work on.
What is happening at the moment? Are you working on any new ideas? Do you have in plan for any live gig?
A lot of stuff is happening right now. I am generally always working, on new ideas and current work. I think I am going to do something quite exciting and new for my next project, which I may release quite soon. I am also playing with the idea of taking all my music off the internet.
Live performance will definitely be happening soon. And I am looking into touring options as we speak.
This question is very personal and introspective, I love to ask this to artists. If you describe or picture your inner soul, how will you describe it? And what color it would be?
Like a roiling ocean. And black. Black as strong coffee.
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I hope that you enjoyed this interview and to get to know James better, or, to discover him today. Please support his art and wonderful music, visit his Blog he would love to ear from you. A special thanks and best wishes to James Radcliffe for all his projects! As always I am happy to read your comments, let me know what you think about this interview!
Thank you for reading and have a wonderful week! ❤
today Charlie’s February prompt list says “FOSSILS” I am joining doodlewash
This month I am pretty busy with some commission work and other painting projects but I always love Charlie’s monthly adventures that I will join in here and there during February Today is about Fossils they are an amazing testimony of our mother nature a testimony and evidence of forms of life prior the human history of billions of years. I love fossils I find them very fascinating and I use them when I create for my “Among Nature” Jewelry Collection which is only created with nature founds elements, rare pieces that I often have found in special places. Some of my designs are created with fossil seashells. Today I loved to paint my fossil! ❤
Today painting is about a portrait that I am working on. What you see is a work in progress. That’s why I only posted a small section of the face just to anticipate what I am working on. This is a portrait inspired by the words of a beautiful song. I will post it when is completed and I will add the words that inspired me. The portrait Is in black and white and gray, no colors, another limited palette between wash and ink.
Today I went out for a coffee at Barnes and Nobles I like the book store. After walking around looking at books I got to sit down to relax while enjoying sipping my coffee and looking at some interesting art magazines. I got that moment called “Inspiration” it can come anytime and anything can trigger my creativity that’s why I always bring a sketchbook with me in my bag, in case I get inspired and feel to sketch or paint. I had a page in my sketchbook where few days ago I tested this Blue watercolor shade that I really like. I then started sketching this in “Surrealism Style” an Owl with antlers”. I quickly traced it with my Carmine Red pencil and I used over a Copic multiliner and a fountain pen Pilot Prera I like how it turned out a simple fast sketch can turn in perfection.
Work in progress on this photo I took the photo when I just started inking with the pen. This painting is another limited palette one color splashed on the page for background and the Ink sketch over it! A very fast sketch! Give it a try and if you do let me know!
Today watercolor painting is the portrait of “Blue” a lovely and delicate creature, she has beautiful and intense big blue eyes. When I painted Blue I was inspired by the unique and beautiful “Art Dolls” custom-made for collectors. Better known as “Blythe Dolls” they are really pretty and one of the characteristics is that they have an over sized head and large eyes over a smaller body, they are really cute. Blythe dolls acquired a cult following of collectors and eventually, photographers and artists around the world, you can read more about them here on Wikipedia.
My painting is another limited palette, only three colors Blue Ultramarine, Grey Payne and Vermilion Red.
This watercolor painting is available for Pre-Order in Limited Edition Art Prints
Custom Portraits like this one, are available for Commission Contact me for details.
Please follow me on Instagram account dedicated to my Art! @carolinarussoart
Today post is about the story behind one of my latest watercolor painting. A commission work with the title of “Katie The Writer”. I really love to share the story because is a connection that has happened within our Community here on the Blogosphere. It’s beautiful how Bloggers can help each other and open doors. Something really nice happened to me at the end of the year, actually it was December 26, 2016. That morning I went to check my Blog messages as usual and between the comments I found a message from one of my dear followers Cyranny from the Blog Cyranny’s Cove, she mentioned to me that she had come across a post of another Blogger and while reading it Cyranny could only think about me . In her comment she left the mentioned post link.
I felt that was beautiful and very kind of her thinking of me. I headed to the Blog post which title was “Calling Out to all Artists!” the Blog is “The Life Of A Writer” and belong to Katie M. Dean. I didn’t know Katie and her Blog before and it was a nice discovery. In her post Katie was calling out to Artists because she had found a cute image that could represent her as writer, but she had a problem with something that she wanted different, Katie wanted the girl into the illustration to wear pants. 🙂
This is the Image that started it all:
Katie’s found image that started it all!
Well I left a comment to Katie, offering my artistic help to recreate something for her since I couldn’t modify a Copyrighted image. Soon we got connected via email and agreed to create a new watercolor painting representing Katie.
A commission work is always interesting for an artist and require some work in other directions than only paint. Since I had to customize and personalize what I would be painting, which is something existing, the life of a person, Katie is an aspiring young writer and not just something coming out of my creativity. I wanted to find all the elements to make my custom and personalized painting as close as possible to represent Katie fully. Including all the things she love, she believes and that she like. I went to read her Blog posts, her profiles, her social media presence, since we don’t know each other much we are new Blog friends. Something she told me, something I found out. Katie is a Christian, she play the Flute, she love coffee, she love to Write and two of her favorite characters are Yoda from “Star Wars” and Grumpy from “Snow White”, all these meaningful elements are included in my painting . My aim to create was to make Katie feel happy and recognize herself in the painting, nonetheless creating an inspiring and motivating image for her to see everyday, reminding who she is and what she wants in her future. I am so happy that Katie love the painting and that she feels that it’s her! She wrote a Blog post about this too ❤ you can read it hereand discover her lovely Blog!
I want to thanks so much Cyranny, because of her caring spirit and thinking of me she was able to connect Katie and me behind the creation of this painting. A special thanks goes to Katie for trust and supporting my Art. Thank you!
I hope that you enjoyed reading this story and feel inspired to help one another!
Have a great weekend ❤
P.S.
If you like my art and like to have a Custom Painting or illustration from me,
just Contact me! 🙂
“What makes me happy is to give happiness and inspire people through my Art give feelings to the heart and deep to the soul!” ❤
Limited Palette, only two colors Blue Ultramarine and Grey Payne.
I loved to paint this Dandelions with such a limited palette of two colors, it is very challenging but I really love the result and the lightness that I was able to give to my painting. I usually paint with a very limited palette of no more than five/six colors I like to mix them and create my own.
The goal of working with a limited palette is to improve skills, gain more control and faster paintings I suggest everyone to give it a try. Also I did the drawing straight with the ink pen no pencil.
I am very happy and so excited because few days ago I have received an email
indicating that I have been nominated for the First Annual Spillwords Press Award 2017
under the Category Original Artwork (Artists) of Spillwords.com
if you’re an author or member with a easy log in via Facebook or Twitter you can support.
If you like my Art and what I do, you can vote for me!
For an independent artist like me your support means everything!
During the 2016 my Poetry illustrated with my Digital Art and Photography has been Published on Spillwords Press four times.
I loved to contribute and I am looking forward for new submission this year.
Here there are my published poems
Emotions – Poem – First published on Spillwords.comPress on 5/8/2016 Deep Water – Short Story – First Published on Spillwords.com Press on 6/3/2016 Open Your Wings – Poem – First Published on Spillwords.com Press on 6/22/2016 Overwhelming Beauty – Poem – First Published on Spillwords.com Press on 12/27/2016
Vote starts today January 16! Please click the Vote image!
Carolina Russo Art 
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