My Favorite Art Book Reads of 2019

It is only 

January

but we are off traveling again

and will be gone for a week..

This time on family business again.. 

so definitely 

NOT a

holiday

but most necessary...

while I am gone..

I hope this post will keep you busy..

these are my favorite art books for

2019

They are so yummy that I would own all of them,

but I personally only have 3..

Flora

Calling all naturalists, this book is so gorgeous, that I had to have it..

stunning pages, and loads of information, make this a great source of inspiration as well as information.

Page from Flora

The Working Mind  Drawing Hand

Oliver Jeffers

If you are unfamiliar with Oliver Jeffers, you can check out his work on YouTube.. he is a brilliant illustrator and book writer... of books for all ages..

See him here on YouTube

The Art of Bill Traylor

at the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Bill Traylor was born into Slavery in Alabama, and his work was often called "primitive"

or "outsider" but as art "critics" have begun to realize  is now known mostly as a magnificent self taught artist.

This is an incredible book, plates, information and exhibition history.

This was just amazing... his imagery is often stunning and heartbreaking.

Pre- Raphaelite Sisters

Jan Marsh

I was fortunate to receive this book as a holiday present and I love it.. I have always been interested in the Pre-Raphaelite movement and especially fascinated by their models. This book highlights those women, and devotes a chapter to each one. Some were artists in their own right, like Evelyn De Morgan, the artist of the painting below... and some were wives like Jane Morris the subject of the

painting below..But all of them took part in the Pre-Raphaelite movement.

This is a spectacular and beautiful book..

Portrait of Jane Morris by Evelyn De Morgan

Through the Eyes of 

Leonardo Da Vinci

Drawings, just drawings.. from the master, this book chronicles his notebooks and drawings and is very different in it's approach than most books on Leonardo.. with lots of drawings I had never seen.

Sumptuous...

Foundations of Drawing

Al Gury

And speaking of drawing...

This book gets almost a 5 star rating on Goodreads.. But I gave it 5 stars, because it is so all encompassing.. history, materials and techniques.. just stuffed with demos and highly illustrated.

on my list of books to own...

Werner's

Nomenclature of Colours

Patrick Syme

Flower Painter 

Edinburgh

This slim reprint was originally written and printed in 1821, by Patrick Syme, who was a floral artist. He created the book with paint colors and tints that exist in nature for the arts and sciences. This is a charming reprint of the nature of color. It sits on my inspiration station so I can refer to it.

It is the very book Charles Darwin used on his HMS Beagle voyage.. S

Georgia O'Keeffe:
Works on Paper

Barbar Haskell

We have all seen Georgia O'Keeffe's works on canvas, but her works on paper are amazing too. I particularly love seeing things that are not ubiquitous and if you cannot get to her museum in Santa Fe, where they rotate the works, viewing her work in books is the next best thing. 

well we are at Ciao for now..

When I return I will have finished my yearly journaling spreads.

I will post all the spreads here as well as

film the pages for my 

YouTube

channel..

Until then wish us save travels!

xox

Mixed Media Studio Organization

Ciao,

dear ones..

it is Filming Friday..

I asked what you wanted to see on film in 2020

and the top request was

My studio organization..

how do I organize my studio?

Here is a little tour..

of my systems,..

a peek into drawers and jars..

binders and bags..

It works for me.. as a professional artist,

time is money and I cannot afford to search for things..

But no matter what kind of art you do or whether you are a professional or not..

if you cannot find it..

your studio is not serving you...

So thanks for stopping by today..

Thanks always for your kind comments and viewership..

we so appreciate you!

Ciao, ciao!

That Portrait and Why I Am A YouTuber

Happy 2020!

I have had a long break,

but not been idle..

there is no rest for the creative..

I promised you photos of the portrait that I painted for my 

Daughter and SIL

it is actually 2 portraits

 and took me ages to paint.. 

I find it so challenging to paint

portraits of people I know..

and to accomplish it

in between all the other work

 I have going on..

I was determined to send it as a Christmas present....

and I just made it..

Whew!

Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media Painting, detail.

As I write this post,

I am also hard at work 

on my first Vlog post of the year

on YouTube..

and I thought I would write about 

WHY 

I am a YouTuber..

First of all, 

gentle reader, it was NOT my idea..

It was Don's idea..

He had been watching 

a lot of YouTube videos

and thought I should be on 

YouTube

well you can imagine how that went over..

however..

that handsome guy is very persuasive 

and as we were leaving for 

Italy

the first time, he said ...

imagine how fun it will be to document the trip 

for our friends and family..

OK..OK.. 

I finally capitulated ... 

this coincided with the reorganization of 

Stampington Magazines..

I had been a consistent contributor to their magazines

as a way of offering some inspiration

to others..

my way of giving back..

what I realized after a while on 

YouTube

was that

I could reach a 

much larger audience 

than the 

magazines had covered and

 so I decided to give it my attention..

Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media Painting, Kori and Kaden in the Grass. 12 x 12 cradled board.

There is in my humble opinion

a need..

a desperate need..

for people to be more creative..

I know that not everyone is an

 artist,

but everyone can create..

it may not be a GREAT work of art, 

but it creates a GREAT feeling when one is creating..

it opens the door to expansive thinking..

it allows the heart to express emotionally..

and the act of creation results in joy..

that child like feeling of loosing oneself in the color..

the abandonment of self in the form..

and a feeling of connection

that sparks kindness..

and now more than ever..

we so need kindness..

So meet me on Friday..

I will have a 

YouTube 

video 

for you

on 

Organizing Your Mixed Media

Studio Space

C4N!

Happy Holidays! 2019

Happy Holidays..

my gentle readers and viewers..

I am writing my last post of the year

for 2019

I have been busy with so many tasks..

Fresh holly from my garden...

Getting the decorations all finished..

we always have a fresh tree,

and I put out the empty chair for those

who are no longer here with us..

a place for them to sit and be with us..

to invite them into our space

we acknowledge that they are

present...

and we feel their love..

The empty chair, waits for those we miss and love... a special place for them to rest..

We have many traditions that we look forward to 

and holidays that we celebrate..

For us, it is a time filled with light..

candles and lights and celebrating the light within us all..

we share so much and have so much in common..

we look forward to celebrating 

Solstice

and writing our goals and dreams on papers

the night of Solstice..

to be planted in the spring..

As you know, dear hearts, 

I have a great love of 

nature and as a naturalist, 

I celebrate the seasons..

this one is dear to me,

because it is the fallow time..

a time to incubate new ideas and to 

rest..

allowing inspiration 

to fill me

and taking time with those I love...

Work in progress, acrylic painting, Kaden and Kori in the Grass

and speaking of 

loved ones..

I have been working on this painting above as a 

Holiday Present 

but alas, I am no where near finished, 

so I will be working on it in the next few weeks..

and you will see it finished..

I promise!

But for now, 

I am taking my holiday break..

I will write again in the 

new year..

and I send you all my kindest 

Holiday wishes..

for a magnificent 

Holiday

 season..

and a glorious 

2020!

xox

142bis Gallerie Show- Holiday Collection 2019

Some of you may never see

the gallerie 

that represents me..

142bis..

you simply call and place your order..

so...

 I thought that you might want to see how lovely it is..

and what it looks like 

right now..

filled magnificently for 

Holiday...

Caterina Giglio, Madonna Roundels featured in 142bis Gallerie...

My work has been at home here for many

years and I love that people can see it in the context

of antique furniture 

and home goods...

Minerva Madonna detail from Caterina Giglio, Madonna Roundels.

My dear friend and collector..

long time friend and collector..

Robin

below 

chose the Posey..

The Madonna Roundels in 142bis Gallerie, with Robin Pavel, of Applewood Festivals..






Today,
having finished my lengthy "to do" list
I am going to the studio to work
listen to music..
and hopefully catch up
on some things..

Ciao, ciao!

With Our Love

With Our Love..

is the last Madonna Roundel..

in

my 

Holiday Collection 

of paper and fabric shrines

which

are worked intricately between stitches and adhesive..

Caterina Giglio, detail from With Our Love, Madonna Roundel

above 

you can see the old letter through the netted fabric,

It reads... With Our Love..

this Madonna

sits serenely in a garden

If you look closely you will see a canopy or curtain

above her head, everyone of them has this reverential 

symbol

as if it has been lifted for your benefit to 

to view the beauty of the 

inner life..

Tempo 80.. is a detail

from an old piano roll

and refers, metaphysically in my mind

 to

 the power one gains by

 joining the dance of life..

Each Roundel reflects 

the holy relationship with 

Motherhood..

but

this one 

rests 

peacefully..

Thank you for listening to all the backstories 

and the revelations that made themselves known to me

as I worked..

the narratives in relationship..

the way each piece speaks to the other 

in a series..

all the parts that fit together to make a whole..

four Madonna's all different

all the same..

142bis Gallerie

xo

Artist Envy

Ciao, dear hearts...

Can you believe that this is the last video of  2019?

It has been a lovely year..

and to end it 

I decided to do a 

Cat Chat 

on 

Artistic Envy..

something that most of us have to deal with

due to the nature

of our work..

I offer some tips to deal with it

and share a personal story with you..

and talk about dealing with 

social media...

Though this is the last video post,

it will not be my last blog post..

and I have one more Roundel to share with you..

so I will be back soon to tell you all about it...

Thank you so much for your most kind support..

I never take it for granted...

Ciao, ciao!