My Entry for the 5th World Federation Exhibit in Moscow

"After the Davidson College Graduation", 4 9/16" x 3", egg tempera on panel, (reframed to meet frame size parameters)

Here is the entry I submitted for the 5th World Federation of Miniaturists Exhibition which is slated to take place in the Gallery of the Russian Academy of Art in Moscow, Russia in September of this year. To enter this painting required me to reframe it in order to meet the stringent frame size limit.

It actually wound up to be my most difficult framing job ever, which entailed wiring the frame vertically from the inside! The hand-painted matt is a softer color of coral than the digital picture conveys, and the silver-gilded frame has a warm feeling with threads of gold in it.

Marcia and Harry ~ finishing touches and framing

"Marcia and Harry" frame treatment

"Marcia and Harry", after final touches, 3 7/8" x 3", egg tempera miniature couples portrait

Just wanted to briefly revisit the miniature portrait of "Marcia and Harry" since before I framed and shipped this out, I added a few final touches which I feel subtly improved it---a bit of additional dimension to chins and faces, plus a forgotten buttonhole on the gray jacket (small, but it's there!) It's interesting how even after I've been working on a painting so long, it often helps to see what else can be done when I have the luxury of giving it a break and can take one last look before framing. I can also report that Mom and Harry have received their portrait, and were very happy with the outcome!

I hope to return next to my Princess Kate series, this time at small work scale in 24 karat gold point. Meanwhile, feel welcome to visit my portrait blog and my website where you can see some of my larger work with commissioned and non-commissioned portraiture.

It's Graduation Time Again & Spring Show Time Too!

"After the Davidson College Graduation," 4 5/8" x 3 3/8", (framed size: 8 3/16" x 6 3/16"), egg tempera on true gesso panel (black lacquer frame), available

several views of "Tulips at Giverny Gardens," 2 inch diameter painting in oil over 24 karat gold leaf on carved bone basket box, (SOLD)

"Carribean Cruise Flag", 3 1/16" x 2 1/2", (framed size: 5 7/8" x 4 7/8"), egg tempera on vellum, available

It's graduation time again, and I can hardly believe that very soon two of my nephews, David and Ben, will graduate from high school, and one nephew, Greg, will graduate from Denison College! I am so proud of these guys!

As it is also Spring show time, I'm very honored to be participating once again in the invitational show, "The Art of the Miniature XIX" at The Snow Goose Gallery in Bethlehem, PA. My three paintings in the show include one I painted after attending my niece Lauren's graduation from Davidson College last year, "After the Davidson College Graduation", and also my bone box painting,"Tulips At Giverny Gardens", along with "Carribean Ship Flag". You'll find these miniatures among many other fine offerings at "The Art of the Miniature" from May 1 to June 11, 2011, with a collector's preview on Sat., April 30th, 6-8 PM, and opening reception, Sunday, May 1, from 1-5 PM.

Marcia and Harry

"Marcia and Harry" in progress, egg tempera on gessoed panel, 3 7/8" x 3 1/2"

Well, surprise! After mulling it over, I just couldn't resist trying a portrait of this couple! So here is the start of my dual portrait, in progress, of my Mom and step-Dad, Marcia and Harry. They were on their honeymoon when the reference picture for this portrait was taken, and the background once filled in will indicate where they are standing (in a very special spot!)

"Self Portrait at 34"

"Self Portrait at 34" (shown actual size @ 3 3/4" x 3"), egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

If you'd like to see the reference photo I took when I was 34, and worked from to create this traditional portrait miniature, I've posted it too over on Mona Conner Portraits.

After trying to paint my rhinestone necklace at miniature scale, I esteem even more the great work of Nicholas Hilliard (1547 ~1619) whose specialty in miniature portraits was elaborate jewelry and lace details. If you Google his name as an image search and scroll, you'll find many of his amazing portraits in miniature.

Self Portrait at 34, in progress

"Self Portrait at 34" in progress, shown at actual size

Here is a peek at a self portrait which I'm painting from photos I took myself with the self-timer setting of my camera at age 34. I'm wearing one of my all-time favorite wardrobe items, a black velvet cocktail dress, which makes it all the more fun to paint, and the tricky part will be to see if I can articulate in a pleasing way the details of the rhinestone necklace I was wearing. Haven't decided yet how I'll frame it, but an oval might be nice....we'll see.

my lecture/demo at Kingsborough

One of a series of large spiritual portraits in progress which I brought along to my lecture/demo for the illustration class and Art Club at Kingsborough College. The dark red area is red clay bole painted over the gesso in preparation for water gilding. At right are two patches---one of burnished gold leaf, and the other of a mother-of-pearl tile, which will border the gold leaf area of the portrait.

Right on the heels of my lecture/demo at Kingsborough Community College and producing an article on my work in miniature, I travelled to help and support my family at two graduations in New York and North Carolina. It felt wonderful to be present on these special occasions in my niece and nephew's lives, but it's great also to finally have time to share with you in more depth my experience at Kingsborough, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm told that the article I wrote for Small Talk, the Miniature Art Society of Florida's newsletter, will be published in the next issue, which comes out very soon.

For the lecture/demo at Kingsborough I covered highlights on three topics: miniature painting, egg tempera, and water gilding. I wish I had a picture to share with you of the enthusiastic and attentive illustration class and Art Club in attendance! (If anyone present took one, I hope you'll email me at mona@monadianeconner.com.) I talked with this group about the world of miniature art competition, sharing four of my miniature paintings along with some favorite show catalogs and books on miniature art. Among them were Wes and Rachelle Siegrist's Exquisite Miniatures, Love and Loss, American Portrait and Mourning Miniatures, by Robin Jaffee Frank, and The Monarchy in Portrait Miniatures From Elizabeth I to Queen Victoria, by D.S. Lavender Antiques, Ltd.

Next I demonstrated how I prepare egg tempera medium, and mix my egg tempera in several different ways, both in advance and on my palette. I showed them where I was in my progress on the egg tempera portions of the large panel painting above. I explained how with this spiritually-toned portrait I am borrowing aspects of icon painting to echo a spiritual feeling, such as working on a traditional arched icon panel with it's niched edge, and the inclusion of water gilding.

Having painted several layers of red clay bole on the background of the painting in progress, I demonstrated the laying down of one piece of gold leaf after moistening it with the breath, known in icon painting as "the breath of God". The professor who invited me to do this demo, Valerie Sokolova and I took lessons together in the past at the Prosopon School of Iconology, where more recently she has become a teacher, so in tandem with her I talked with the class a little about icon painting, it's spiritual significance, and how it involves both egg tempera and gold leaf.

I also brought along an actual icon painting I have in progress, and since Daisy, an Art Club member in attendance, expressed an interest in learning about icon painting, perhaps I'll do a post on this topic in the near future on my spiritual portraits blog,

Grander Joy of Spirit in Portraiture. Interesting questions arose on all three topics, and all too soon our time together was over. Delightful refreshments were served afterwards. Special thanks to my friend and colleague Valerie Sokolova, to dept. chair Judith Wilde, and to all the students and members of the Art Club in attendance. I really enjoyed meeting you!

Since I am catching up, tomorrow is when I'll cover just part of a topic that I will be including in this summer's Egg Tempera workshop: true gesso as a painting surface.

Two Miniature Shows Opening Today!

"Carribean Cruise Flag," (shown at actual size), 3 1/16" x 2 1/2", (framed size 5 7/8" x 4 7/8") egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum, at Seaside Art Gallery, Nags Head, North Carolina, or visit my art at Seaside to purchase this painting online

"Niche in Aix en Provence," (enlarged for detail), 1 7/8" x 1 1/2", (framed size 3 1/2" x 3 1/2") egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum, The Snow Goose Gallery, Bethlehem, PA (to purchase visit The Snow Goose Gallery)

I also have lovely items for sale in my new Etsy store online, which I'll introduce next post, but it's here too: Art by MonaDianeConner at Etsy

"Tulip Garden at Giverny," and more tulips at home

"Madonna in the Leaves," 2 5/8" x 1 7/8", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

"Tulip Garden at Giverny," 2" diameter (shown enlarged for detail), oil over gold leaf on bone

view of the open basket box and lid

Tulips at home in Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Bird bath at the Litchfield garden

Tulips and grape hyacinth at the Litchfield garden

I'm hoping Parklane Gallery (in Kirkland, Washington) accepts "Tulip Garden at Giverny" since it has a dimensional quality to it. I've sent two miniatures to the Parkland Miniature Show, and the other one is "Madonna in the Leaves," shown here at the top.

a little more progress.....

Kinda creeping along on this, it's mainly the leaves I worked on and hopefully in another few days it's a final post. I'm also hoping to install my new Photoshop software tomorrow, so I'm very excited to try it out!

What's Next

"Heaven on Earth Rose," (Step 3), egg tempera miniature on vellum

I'm back online, and I have several things going on. Above is my latest rose miniature as it looked when last posted and I'll have some progress to show you on this painting soon. I'm installing and adjusting to some new software, and it's tricky, but I know that some important improvements will come out of this effort.

I'm also working very hard to finalize four of my large paintings, and begin several new ones to be included in my portfolio which will be submitted to galleries who may represent my work. You can follow my progress with this on my spiritual portraits blog: Grander Joy of Spirit in Art

Progress on "Heaven on Earth Rose"

Heaven on Earth Rose (in progress), 2 1/2" x 2 7/8", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

Here's an update on my progress with my second in a series of rose miniatures. As mentioned earlier, this kind of miniature which zeros in on a small subject is one that some refer to as 'atypical' because it has all the qualities of a miniature, except 1/6th scale. More to come on it, plus a start on a new miniature.

The previous step in "Heaven on Earth Rose" as it posted earlier this Fall, (a Floribunda species called, "Heaven on Earth")

Lauren's Shining Moment

"Sweet Pea Blossom," 3" x 2", egg tempera on vellum, NFS

"When Lauren Smiles," 2 7/8" x 3 3/4", egg tempera on gessoed panel, NFS

Above are two miniature portraits I created of my brother's daughter, Lauren, which were on exhibit in the first Miniature Art Society of Florida annual miniature show that I participated back in (2003). More recently you may remember that I drew a pencil portrait of Lauren on her birthday in an earlier post in Aug. '09.

As her Aunt, I'm very proud of her for yesterday scoring the winning goal for her women's college soccer team against the #1 team, enabling her team to advance to the Southern Conference championship game against Charleston tomorrow! It was an absolute thrill also today for me to see her pictured on the Southern Conference homepage. I'll be routing for you and your team tomorrow, Lauren!

Wedding Roses

"Heaven on Earth Rose," (in progress, Step 2)

During the past week I was thrilled to attend the lovely wedding of good friends, Susan and Peter. On this great occasion I met their wonderful families and friends, and it was also an honor for me to be asked to serve as one of their witnesses at the wedding. After a warm, elegant ceremony in a private room at Convivium restaurant here in Brooklyn, and champagne toasts all around, I enjoyed ballet-dancing with Peter's granddaughter, Madeline, sharing a delightfully delicious meal, and a special wedding cake baked by the restaurant's co-owner, Michelle Pulixi.

Susan and Peter at their wedding

Madeline and I ballet-dancing after the wedding at Convivium

Susan gave me some of these gorgeous pink roses to take home from the wedding, and once I complete my work for the upcoming miniature shows, I hope to paint at least one 'wedding rose' miniature! Susan and Peter, Mazel tov!

pink roses from the wedding (photo © Mona Diane Conner 2009)

photo © Mona Diane Conner 2009

photo © Mona Diane Conner 2009

Step 1 of "Heaven on Earth Rose," and What's Next

"Heaven on Earth Rose," (in progress), 2 3/16" x 2 5/8", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

Shell Frame for "Heaven on Earth Rose"

the sketch for my next miniature, "The Piano Recital: It's Mary's Turn"

Sometimes when the object being painted is so beautiful, it's really nice to be able to zero in on it more, and the rose I have started painting is hard to resist for a close-up view. When this is done in miniature painting, it can wind up being miniature in the size of the painting itself, and miniature in its level of detail, but not at 1/6th of life scale, and this is sometimes called an 'atypical' miniature. "Heaven on Earth Rose" is an example of this.

"Heaven on Earth" is the species name of this variety of Floribunda rose, which I photographed from the first rose bush I planted in my father's memory. I've planned for it to be framed with this pink shell frame, and when it's finished, I will post it for sale exclusively on this blog, but since two more major miniature shows are fast approaching it will be completed in my spare time as I go forth.

Next I'll be starting the miniature painting of "The Piano Recital: It's Mary's Turn."

This post also marks my one year anniversary with The Ruby Slippers blog, since my first post began Sept. 4th, 2008.

Kathleen's Right Eye (in progress)

Kathleen's right eye, 3/4" (actual size), egg tempera on vellum

 (enlarged view)

This is a little paler in it's original form (scanner exaggerated the pinks), but it's done except for some softening and final touches.  Next it's Jason's left eye.......

Because Artists Love Movies Too

"Mona's Mini Blog Award", 2 3/8" x 1 7/8", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

I have a health issue going on this week, which is slowing me down, but as mentioned in my April 11 post, I'm ready to launch this art blog award.  I've painted and created this award in honor of my neighbors and friends Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck, to salute them for their great movie, "Sugar."  The message I got from "Sugar," is how much personal ratification matters.  It's my pick for movie of the year!  This award is given to recognize outstanding miniature artists and to appreciate film, and filmmakers.  Here are the rules for receiving it and passing it on:

Acknowledge via link the artist who passes you the award, and pick it up from their blog.  The fun part:  name, (as I did in my previous post), five of your all-time favorite movies.  Additionally, name your pick for this year's movie of the year!  Then pass the award forward to three blog artists you appreciate, linking them in your post.

I'm passing "Mona's Mini Blog Award" on to Akiko Watanabe, Deb Kierce, and Bill Mundy.

Looking forward to hearing your movie selections.  I'm only passing it on to three people, but I trust, Bill, if I pass it to you, that you'll pass it on to Rachelle.  There are so many great miniature painters to honor!  And congratulations again to Anna and Ryan.  Click on "Sugar" for a link to the movie's website.

*Just a clarification note:  sorry it wasn't stated more clearly in the rules themselves, and it's fine too if the award is wider spread, but my intention with this in particular is to honor miniature artists.  To the extent possible, please choose artists to pass it forward to whose blogs focus on miniature painting and/or ACEOs, (and thanks to all for passing it on the corrected rules, now listed in my April 16 post.)

Holiday Wishes, & a Painting Award

"Crucifix for B-Gay," 2 1/4" x 1 7/8", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

I've received the "Passion for Painting" award again, this time for my Ruby Slippers blog, from Deb Kierce.  Thank you Deb!  Deb enjoys painting ACEO's, another form of miniature painting, and she features precious scenes from nature.  In acknowledging this award I am supposed to name five things I love, and since I especially love going to the movies, I am choosing just five out of many great movies I have particularly enjoyed over the years:  "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Corrina, Corrina," "Saint Ralph," "Picture Bride," & "The Horse's Mouth."  "The Horse's Mouth" is an old British classic with Alec Guiness that every artist should see! 

Since this award has already been around the block, I'm not passing it forward; however, I am creating an award of my own for something very special, so stay tuned for that tomorrow.  Passover and Easter are special times.  Tonight I am attending a Paschal Vigil at my local church, and I wish everyone a joyful and meaningful holiday time.

Congratulations Marcia & Harry!

You may remember my miniature study, "Tulip Garden at Giverny."  This painting was purchased by my sister, Peggy, as a wedding gift for Mom & Harry.  Last year when Mom & Peggy travelled to France with me, they gave me a special gift of a ticket to see Giverny Gardens and take photos, so this was a great idea come full circle.  Thanks for thinking of it, Peggy!

"Tulip Garden at Giverny," 1 1/4" x 3 1/4" egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

During their honeymoon visit to NYC, I had lunch with Mom & Harry at Asiate on the 35th floor of NYC's Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Here is the first photo I have of the happy couple, Mom & her new husband Harry

L to R:  my sister Peggy and 2 of her 4 sons, David & Daniel, with Harry.   Since my brother is a qualified justice of the peace, he performed the ceremony. 

My Very First Miniature Compared to Now

"Water Lilies with Trochus Shells," 2" x 3", egg tempera on Strathmore board with glazed and shelled frame  (SOLD)

I thought it would be interesting to post for you the first miniature I ever painted, because I think it shows how I have been making some progress over the past nine years compared to my first try.  The details in "Water Lilies" are less defined, and it was also painted on a coarser surface of cold press Strathmore, which made it harder for me to achieve detail.  I worked on a smoother surface for this more recent miniature,"The Ruby Slippers."

"The Ruby Slippers," 3/4" x 1 3/8," egg tempera on kelmscott vellum

in Venetian glass frame, Available

Tomorrow I'll be posting a review of all the paintings which are currently available for sale on this blog, and on Wednesday I hope to post my next video, which is called, "The Ruby Slippers."  Stay tuned and watch it later this week to find out why.

(*Note:  sorry it's late, but my sale will be posting soon, so please check back for it and the video too, and thanks for your patience.)