Illustration Friday – Topic: Disguise

,,,as in: when the wine thieves were discovered they quickly disguised themselves as Angels & Devils

To find this print on Etsy Click here: Angels and Devils

To visit Illustration Friday click: here

Alison_E_Kurek_Angeland-Devils_IF

 

Miniature Wine Paintings

The type of work I make changes with the seasons. The holidays are a time of small works: ornaments, gift items….. My paint box is largely neglected that of year. So, I started 2014 off with several miniature paintings to get back into the swing of things. These are 3 of my wine related ACEO miniature paintings. They are 3.5″ x 2.5″ in size. Now it’s time to move onto larger canvas!

eBayRedWine2

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/175516594/red-wine-glass-painting-wine-art

 

Alison_E_Kurek_Yoga_Cat_Red_Wine_aceo2

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/175529933/yoga-cat-red-wine-painting-wine-art

 

eBayWhiteWine2

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/175527831/white-wine-glass-painting-wine-art

The Making of Silent Mylo

Silent Mylo isn’t just my brand, he’s my cat! Here’s a little background information on Mylo — and an answer to the question: Is Silent Mylo really silent?

In the late summer of 2007 I was in the market for a cat. I had lost my wonderful Chester earlier in the year and decided it was time to fill the void in my house. Jane, my 18 year old calico, didn’t exactly agree but lacked veto power. I began my search by contacting Barbara Carr, the executive director of the SPCA Serving Erie County. I told her I was specifically looking for an orange tiger kitten I planned to name Oswald. As luck had it  the SPCA was having an adopt-a-thon that weekend . The shelter was bursting at the seams with cats and kitten and Barbara told me: “Come browse, but I already have your kitten picked out and his name is Mylo”. Bah, I thought, I’ll choose my own cat.

That weekend I drove to the shelter.  I entered. I browsed. I met Mylo. He was not a tiger, he was not orange. He was a Mylo and could NEVER be an Oswald. Instead, he was a smokey gray tuxedo kitten with olive green eyes and a  carnation pink rose. And he was fabulous!

It took Mylo about 3 seconds to adjust to his new home. He was playful, funny, smart and adorable — and tolerated by Jane. Furthermore, he was unusually quiet for a kitten. He never meowed!

While I found that odd I chalked it up to his early months. Abandoned at birth by his mother, Mylo and his litter mates were dropper fed and lovingly raised by Alex Baker, an SPCA volunteer soon headed to veterinary school. The kittens were happy and healthy but, apparently, no one had ever taught them how to meow!

Once home, Mylo started modeling almost immediately…..

 

…and within a year he suggested I paint rather than photograph him.

I took his advice and the paintings were a great success.

As Mylo’s fan base increased a question arose: how could I distinguish MY Mylo from the posers and other Mylo wannabes floating around on the web?

Rick Keaton, an artist friend and avid Mylo fan, considered the question one evening as we drank wine before a crackling bon fire . “I’ve got it!” he said. Rick knew that Mylo had recovered his meow by now but rarely used it. “How about Silent Mylo?”, he suggested. I liked it! It was smooth, it was classy — and it was, at least in part, based in fact.

I presented the suggestion to Mylo later that evening. He cocked his head as he considered it, smiled, and nodded his assent. Thus, Silent Mylo was born.

Since then Mylo has served as model and muse for an entire series of Silent Mylo paintings. He’s launched a line of prints and note cards, opened his own webstore, has lent his name to a variety of wines and, most recently, set up a fan page on Facebook.

It’s easy to find Silent Mylo, the real Mylo, on the web. You can find his prints and notecards at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio?ref=si_shop and LIKE him on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SilentMyloTuxedoCat

But I’ll give you a warning! Modesty is not one of Mylo’s greatest traits. If you LIKE him on Facebook — and you should!! — you may find him to be less “silent” than you’d like 🙂

 

 

Barbara Carr and her team at the SPCA Serving Erie County  work tirelessly on behalf of neglected and abused animals. Online donations to the SPCA Serving Erie County can be made here:

https://www.yourspca.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=372 

or mailed to

SPCA Serving Erie County

205 Ensminger Road

Tonawanda, NY 14150

 

There is NEVER enough space!

 

Is it time to rent studio space? 

I’ve never been accused of being the most organized or tidy person, but as my work grows in size I find my actual living space to be on the verge of extinction. There are paint brushes in my bathroom sink, half finished canvases stacked in my living room, and don’t even get me started on my computer/polymer clay/shipping room.

So when should I say enough is enough? Is rented studio space in my near future?

This isn’t the first time I’ve considered it. In fact, I’ve sat down on several occasions and written out the pros and cons of having a space dedicated to art production. The PRO list is quite long. It includes the implied structure having a separate “work place” would give to my work schedule, being able to turn my house into a home rather than a work space, and oh so much less cat hair imbedded in my work.

Number one on the CON List is cost. Do I really need to add monthly rent to my list of expenses? Would I move only my paints and clay offsite but keep my computer work and shipping at home? Would I forever being traveling back and forth between home and studio to pick up forgotten items?

It’s all food for thought but, as summer art season grows closer, it will be put on the back burner once more. So — if you fall in love with a piece of my work at a show this summer season please excuse the stray cat hair or two. It comes from my models and only serves to increase the value of the work 🙂

You can see a selection of my work at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio