My New Book May be Previewed on Blurb!

Greetings,

My book is now ready on Blurb for previews and purchases! Blurb is a website for self-publishing. I would be interested in what you think, and I welcome all comments, good, bad and ugly! Since this is my first book, there is no doubt lots of room for improvement.

You can buy the book from Blurb - that would be sweet! But if you fund my project, it will enable me to order a large quantity of books at a discount, to distribute as rewards, and sell at cost in my studio. Plus, they would be hand signed by me, with a sentiment of your choice.

Ultimately, I would like to use the funds from the project to work with a real, live publisher, so my book could be offered to a wider audience, and maybe even sold through book stores. It would have an ISBN number, and a SKU! I plan to meet with a local publisher, and discuss details in the next few weeks.

Of course, none of this will be a reality without your support. I want to thank those who are already backing my project. If the Amazon, online method of pledging is too confusing or time consuming for you to make a pledge, please ask me for help, or write me a check - I won't cash it unless I am fully funded. Even a few dollars will greatly help.

And please spread the word by telling all your friends! If 10 people each told 10 people, that would be 90 new, potential backers. And if half of them donated only $10, that would put me much closer to my goal.

When Land Meets the Sea by A collection of paintings and stories by Cathy Harville |BOOK INFO

Click on the link above to see my book on Blurb!

In life, we all get back far more than we give out. As my mom alway says, what goes around, comes around. If we all help each other, we can accomplish great things.

Thank you, and cheers,

Cathy Harville

Time to Kickstart!

Greetings from snow-covered Maryland! While we wait for another dumping of the white stuff, I have some exciting news brewing in my art world!

Through "Artists' Magazine", I discovered www.kickstarter.com. Wow! In one day, I have put together the project of my dreams - at least for today!

I am going to write and self-publish a book of my artwork, that is titled "When Land Meets the Sea". The premise of the book is to expose the environmental importance of our beautiful and sometimes, mysterious coastlines on the thousands of miles of creeks, rivers, bays and ocean on the East coast. I realized recently that my paintings often depict the places where land and water meet. In these paintings, we find tidal pools, river grasses, waves, and all kinds of things going on -schools of minnows, reflections, ripples, sand erosion, birds fishing in tidal pools - and little girls walking down the beach. Really cool stuff, indeed!

The really great thing about Kickstarter is that it helps artists obtain funds from interested patrons, in exchange for rewards, including interactions with the project. I haven't launched my project yet - there is still time needed for stewing and brewing, and editing. But it will be launched in the next few days, and my blog will be instrumental in getting the word out.

My book will be brimming with my artwork, with stories of each piece, and how each piece contributes to the theme of land meeting the sea. Sometimes the meetings are quiet and peaceful; and sometimes the encounters are wild and loud!

So, as I recover from a nasty fall on the ice from the previous blizzard, and time waiting for the next wave of snow, I have the precious gift of time - time to think, contemplate, and pause - time to consider all the really amazing experiences I have had where the land meets the sea.

Any ideas? I am as open as my book to come. I hope the coming months present us all with our own version of Kickstarter. For the time being, I am so excited, and full of happy anticipation!

Cheers,

Cathy Harville

Reflections

I have been painting a lot of water reflections lately. I have been doing a lot of reflecting. Even when the water is still, the reflections of the trees, sky, and grass are never exactly the same as the actual image. Water reflections tend to be less defined, and defy borders and logic.

Painting reflections is a very freeing experience. It doesn't have to be "right". Moods can be created that are tranquil, active, mysterious, or curious, depending on how the reflections are rendered. I often use unusual colors and patterns, to draw attention to the reflections. Minnow schools create "swirlies". Boats create ripples and waves. The sun casts shadows and light. It is all very cool. The reflections are like liquid mercury, always changing and evolving.

Floating in my kayak, I take lots of pictures of micro-environments, usually in the late afternoon light. (I am not much on sunrises, since I like to sleep!) I have been thinking about jumping fish lately, and how to suggest that in the water reflections, without actually rendering the fish.

I am also experimenting with a new method of creating depth and mystery. By using thick, clear medium between paint coats, a really interesting, 3-D effect emerges. While time consuming, and hair-pulling, I am practicing the technique, and will post the first notable effort sometime next week.

I think setting aside time to reflect on life is really necessary in these complicated times. Yoga is a great help. And painting reflections is another.

Artfully yours,

cathy harville