Annie Salness, Blog, calendars, drawing, Evernote, Harriete Estel Berman, painting, Portland Open Studios, Washington County Open Studios

What I learned from doing Open Studios

By Annie Salness Artist | December 10, 2015 |

There was so much to learn from doing open studios. I participated in two this year, the Portland Open Studios, which is a juried event, and the Washington County Open Studios . They both had fees to participate and these …

Calendars Done!, Grandpa Jack, Amy Melious

By Annie Salness | October 7, 2015

CalendarsThe paintings for the calendars are done and the images are off to the printer to be made into wall calendars, desk calendars and note cards for Portland Open Studios and Washington County Open Studios. This is a “uni…

Portland Open Studios, Washington County Open Studios, Calendar

By Annie Salness | September 11, 2015

I am in the Portland Open Studios tour (Oct. 10-11, 17-18, 2015) and the Washington County Open Studios tour. (Oct. 17-18, 2015)This is your chance to go to the artist’s studio, see their workspace and their processes.I have been setting up all th…

Decarli Restaurant and Catalyst Wedge

By Annie Salness Artist | July 9, 2015 |

These are 3 out of 5 paintings that will be on display at Decarli Restaurant from July 8 – September 8, 2015. Ominous48″ x 36″ x 1.5oil on canvas$1200Click here to purchaseGrasslands48″ x 36″ x 1.5oil on canvas$1200Click here to purchas…

Soldier/Dogs

By Annie Salness Artist | May 23, 2014 |

Soldier/Dogs11″x 14″Acrylic on canvasSOLDI finished a commission for a client who has a lot of veterans come work for him. He offers them jobs because they have a hard time finding them elsewhere. My client shared some amazing stories with me, and I wa…

Stroke Update – "Not Leaving"

By Annie Salness Artist | May 13, 2014 |

Rose Bush11″x 14″acrylic on gessoboard$375Click here to purchase”The Book Thief”, an audio book by Markus Zusak, takes place in the fictional town of Molching, Germany between 1939 and 1943. Often, a little girl in that town had nig…

Almost Spring….

By Annie Salness Artist | February 25, 2014 |

Clouds6″x 6″acrylic on gessoboard$100Click on here to purchaseIt’s almost spring here in Portland, OR., and the clouds are gorgeous! Listening to while I paint:Audiobooks: Harry Potter Book #5, AGAIN! Read by Jim Dale. He is one of my very …

Akira

By Annie Salness Artist | January 20, 2014 |

“Akira”

6″x 9″

acrylic on wrapped canvas

Not For Sale

I have been wanting to do this painting for a long time as a gift to Mark.

I had my stroke in Oct, 2010, when my good friend, Mark Heimann,owner of the Lost Mountain Clayworks, sent me a Kanji (oriental calligraphy) lantern that says “Perseverance” and a little shot glass that says “Courage” that he made.

“Everyone needs a little shot of courage,” says Mark.

Here is Mark’s story about Akira:

“7 & ½ years ago, Becki decided she wanted a dog. Since we had about ten goats then, she wanted a livestock guarding or a herding dog. I was watching the litter and Becki’s decision-making, a long-haired puppy trundled over to me, sat down, and looked me right in the eye. Well, I was completely done in, captured, no doubt chosen by her, and she was coming home with us.

She had to grow into her ears….

Her name morphed from Keira (from the beautiful Keira Knightley) to Akira (Kurosawa?) somehow – but we do call her Kira (“Keera”) for short.

Anyway Akira has been my constant companion ever since July of 2006. From art festival to pirate festival, beach to river to forest.

She is a natural born guard dog, perhaps prone to bark a little too much…..

And a total love.”

Thank you so much Mark! 🙂

Listening to while I paint:

Podcast: “Wait, Wait…. Don’t Tell Me!” hosted by Peter Sagal

America’s Test Kitchen hosted by Christopher Kimball

Music: my iPod

Today is January 1, 2014…..

By Annie Salness Artist | January 1, 2014 |

Gerbera, Glass, Pear6″x 6″acrylic on gessoboardClick here to purchaseToday is January 1, 2014, and I am participating in a 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I have asked people to send me pictures of what they would like painted. The pe…

On Writing

By Annie Salness Artist | March 16, 2013 |

My Son Gave These To Me8″x 8″acrylic on gessoboardClick here to purchase this painting.I am listening to “On Writing” by Stephen King, although I have never read his books or seen his movies. :)At one point he talks about who it is he writing too…