Thursday, April 1, 2010

My Love of Vintage

                                            
has recently carried over to some
of my artwork.
While I am out searching for vintage
treasures I often come across
old cabinet card and tin type photos.



I am instantly drawn in
and wonder about the life these people
may have lived, where their
families are now and how on earth
did these treasured heirlooms
end up in thrift and antique shops?
If the price isn't too out of reach
or if a particular photo speaks to me
I will buy it and bring it home.
This year while going through some
of my collection I realized that
I was particulary attracted to the
fact that they were not in color.
I decided to try and create a portrait
from the images using only sepia tones
and this was the result.
these are both done with sepia tone
acrylic paints on canvas paper.


I matted both pieces and framed
them in gilded wood frames
and loved the effect.
Both pieces sold at the art auction
and people really seemed to
like them.
I enjoyed the process so much that
I plan on doing more of this type
of painting and may even try my hand at
going through some old family photos
and doing the same thing.
Wouldn't that be fun to have a
painting of family members???

15 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, my friend, you have such talent just oozing out of your fingers! Your portraits are fantastic. Don't ever be afraid to share your work - it's wonderful!
    ~Adrienne~

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  2. Beautiful, you are very talented!!!! I love your art!
    Hugs,
    Margaret B

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  3. Diva - you are really good at this. :) I love the sepia tones, too. And I 'adopt' all sorts of photos and things from thrift stores because I can't just leave them there! LOL! Good to know I have company. Lovely work! xo Pam

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  4. They are just beautiful, sweetie. I have some old tin pictures of some family members, no names just pics. I know they are kinfolk 'cause of the ears. My dad's side of the family have some mighty big ears. Skipped my but got my sis. If I ever wanted to push her buttons growin' up I'd call her Donna Dumbo ears. Nobody every said I was nice! Heeehehehehe!

    God bless and have just the best day, sweetie!!!

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  5. Love how you created these paintings with the sepia. Great effect. I can see why they sold. I have lots of vintage photos of my family, and keep saying,I need to add them to my art. I know you had fun. What a talent you are.

    Thank you for stopping by and your kind words.
    Happy Easter!
    hugs, Celestina Marie

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  6. Your art is beautiful! We have a few tinplates from our family but a lot of them have been damaged. I try to fix them up in PaintShopPro. I'm so grateful to have them so I can see what my ancestors looked like back in the 1800's. A lot of them have blush applied to the cheeks. I even came across one that was "unknown children" but I could tell right away whos children they were. Resemblance in one line of my family is eerily passed on from generation to generation. I was able to tell by the high forehead part exactly who one of the children was. The other one I can't be sure. It may have been one of the ones who died.

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  7. First I want to say thank you. Thank you for your sweet words to me. I'll be blogging again shortly because of friends like you.

    Second... Your artwork is GORGEOUS! You should NEVER be shy about posting it! I wish I had that kind of talent :)

    (((hugs)))
    rue

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  8. I am like you when I see old photos. Think about what type person they were and their lifestyle. Back then I am sure it was not easy. Love your blog today.

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  9. Vintage elements in potraits! They are very good.

    ~Silver
    Reflections

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  10. I love your portraits you are very talented. Yes you should do them of your own family I think they would love them.

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  11. I think a painting of family members would be fantastic! cannot wait to see what you do with this :)

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  12. Well, you plucked my vintage strings, missy and I adore these portraits! ADORE!

    Wow, here's what I have to say so far - many artists specialize: in still life, nature, portrait, etc. You do it all!!!! I am in awe of that. Truly. Do you ever look in the mirror and say, "I've got it going on!"? You should! Because you do!

    Happy Easter, Diva! Have a glorious weekend! I hope you guys get up to the cabin!!

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  13. I love old photos. I've got a cigar box full and I'd love to keep collecting them :) Awesome art work Diva!

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  14. I can see why they sold so quickly. They're beautiful!! Show us more:)

    Enjoy your holiday weekend!!
    Tracy

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  15. Amazing what you've done with this kind of artwork. Just lovely! I, too, sometimes wonder how it came to be that family pictures wind up in a flea market. (I'm still looking for a family Bible and family pictures that my uncle sold because he was angry with his family. So sad!)

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