Garden of Inspiration

This morning I was visiting with my BFF and fellow artist Trish and was reminded, as I am every time I visit her house, that she has the most AMAZING garden! And when I’m there I find myself remarking on all the beautiful things I see. In fact, her garden has been the source of many of my paintings.

I live vicariously through this garden, especially after I sold my house and have been dealing with rental gardens. I decided that the world needed to see just how amazing this place is. Of course I have a thing for succulents and well, this garden is full of them! I’m often lucky enough to get cuttings and I’ve donated a few of my agave pups to the garden. But what makes this garden is not just the plants…its the love. Trish imbues the magic into it. It doesn’t happen by accident.

The hummingbirds flock to the many feeders she provides, even the squirrels get fed apple cores that she places atop the walls, the bees get rescued daily from danger whether it be the pool or her herding me to the side so I don’t accidentally step on it. She puts cayenne pepper in the front garden to keep the dogs from doing their business in her garden. I admire her total love for nature. Today she educated me on cruelty-free products and was truly appalled that I was so uninformed! I learn from her every day. I enjoy all our “dates”, I’m lucky to have such a great friend!

She inspires me…the garden inspires me and I hope it makes you feel good too! Enjoy…

Disclaimer: My photos don’t do this place the justice it deserves but I’m sure you’ll still enjoy it! 🙂

Celebrating Women Artists of Southern California

The Women’s City Club of Pasadena at The Historic Blinn House is pleased to announce “Spring Forward – Celebrating Women Artists of Southern California.”  The exhibition, which runs from May 1 through July 30, 2011, features fifty paintings by seventeen Southern California women artists.  It will be the first exhibition produced by Margaret Danielak, The Women’s City Club of Pasadena’s new Curator of Exhibitions.  

The “Spring Forward” exhibition features the work of artists Ruth Olenick, Beth Summers, Carol Steinberg, Elizabeth Wallace, Linda DuPas, Frances C. Muenzer, Ellen Brown, Barbara Thorn-Otto, Julie Snyder, Kate Moriarty, Beverly Lazor, Athena Mantle, Anna T. Kelly, Judy Taussig, Marian Fortunati, Merrilyn Duzy and Robin Neudorfer.

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The Blinn House was built in 1905 for lumber baron Edmund Blinn and his family.  The Blinns hired popular Chicagoarchitect, George Washington Maher to design their Californiahome in the Midwestern Prairie School Style.  The building has been home to The Women’s City Club since 1945 and continues to serve the Pasadena community as a meeting place for civic, cultural, and educational activities.

“Spring Forward” will be on view from May 1 through July 30, 2011.   The Women’s City Club of Pasadena is located at 160 N. Oakland Avenue in Pasadena, CA  91101.  Parking is accessible behind the building from Madison Avenue.   The phone is 626-796-0560 and website is www.womenscityclub.com

 The Women’s City Club of Pasadena is open for art viewing Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  During the run of the exhibition, Curator Margaret Danielak will be on hand for special viewing hours on Fridays from 3 pm until 5 pm and by appointment.  Margaret Danielak may be reached through her blog at www.gallerywithoutwalls.blogspot.com , via email at Margaret.danielak@gmail.com or via phone at 626-683-9922. 

Just Plein Painting It!

It has been my goal to get out there and paint the world in real life – not using photos. So, this past week I did just that. I thought I’d take a moment to share with you what I did.

I started last week inside a friends house with some lovely Iceberg roses that caught my eye.  I decided I’d try making a pastel sketch and then do a painting for each subject.

These were both painted “al a prima” or in one sitting.  I am not sure if it’s just the rectangular orientation of the pastel or what but I prefer the pastel on this subject. How about  you?

The next day I was able to capture a succulent with pastels in my friend’s backyard. This was fun because all the other succulents I’ve painted have been from photos.

“Iceberg Roses” and  “Propagation” are available in my Esty shop.

Stay tuned for more plein air painting and I’d love to get your feedback, so feel free to leave a comment!

Happy painting!

An Unlikely Muse

An Extra-Ordinary Street

The Lake Avenue street median in Pasadena has been catching my attention ever since they landscaped it with some really unusual curly agave and a large variety of other agave and succulents.  I secretly scheme in my mind ways to go steal pups from the plants in the middle of the night.  It’s become a joke between my husband and I because every time we drive down that street I point them out as if he had never seen them before.  He turned it around on me and started pointing them out to me, “Hey, did you see THOSE?” he’d say.  It gave me a good chuckle.  The truth is I could sit on that street and stare at the plants for days and be perfectly happy.  I find something new to admire each time I pass by, they are just mesmerizing!

I had my camera with me one day and took some photos.  For some reason I didn’t paint them right away as you might expect.  Maybe I had too much built up in my mind about what great agave paintings they would make or maybe I just hadn’t formulated how the heck I was going to pull it off. Who knows my motivations…certainly not me!   I didn’t photograph my favorite curly agave because the late afternoon light was blocked by the office buildings.  Oh darn, I’ll just have to go back and look at them some more. But these beauties caught my eye so I snapped a few shots.  I started the drawings for these weeks ago and today I went for it with the paint!  I am doing a diptych (or a series of two) so I painted them simultaneously.

Here are some in progress photos…

I’d love to know what you think.

Going Green

Inspiration comes from unexpected places.  I received an email from an old friend who recently found out I was painting full-time and was focusing on desert plants.  The email contained photos of some plants he came across while he was out and about.  He thought of me when he saw them and took the time to take photos and send them to me, how thoughtful is that?! Awesome guy! Thanks Steve you’re the best!

Last month I was looking thorough my many photos to find some inspiration and I came across his.  I had also been thinking of experimenting with working on paper. Paper and plants…what could be more green? The result is something I’m quite fond of…I hope you like it too.

The Art of Giving

Happy Holidays!

It’s hard to believe that it is already that time of year again! ‘Tis the season of gift giving and this year you can give those special people in your life something that they will treasure….art!

Why art? A beautiful painting hanging on the wall will be a constant reminder of how much you care, long after other gifts have been used up or forgotten. This art is beautiful, unique and can not be found at Target!

My paintings are now available as high quality fine art prints through Fine Art America. Sold in a variety of sizes as stretched canvas prints or custom framed with thousands of mat and frame combinations. Click on the link and order yours today!

As a thank you for your support I’m offering a 25% discount on my prints. Use discount code: FKTDRX at checkout. Offer is valid through December 31st.

Original paintings are available at www.athenamantle.com or at Modest Fly Art Gallery 7576 Foothill Blvd. Tujunga, CA www.modestflyartgallery.com. Desert Jewels will be on display through December 20th.

Great Stocking Stuffer!
I am offering a desk calendar with the Desert Jewels painting series for $10.  If you are interested in purchasing one of these send me a message through my website. Or you might also like succulent canvas prints available through Fine Art America!

Desert Jewels Opening Reception

Thanks to all those who came out to the opening reception of Desert Jewels.  I invited my good friend Karen Meinhart to join me at the show and display her gorgeous succulent container gardens.

Click on the link below to get a glimpse of the show.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This free greeting card generated with Smilebox

Artist creates a “safe universe”

Athena Mantle in the news…

Modest Fly Art Gallery Presents Desert Jewels

Join me at my next exhibition at Modest Fly Art Gallery on Novermber 19th.

Another free invite card by Smilebox

SOPA Studios Collective Show

Last weekend I exhibited my paintings with SOPA Studios which was held in conjunction with the South Pasadena Art Walk. I had 9 paintings in the show including 3 new streetscapes of South Pasadena.  I sold my painting called Young Agave to a collector who’s wife just had to have the painting.

It was a busy night with a steady flow of people coming from the art walk.  Thanks to all my friends who came out to support me and a special thanks to Lisa Marsh for putting together such a great group at SOPA Studios.