Capture more than just a moment,
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Let’s Talk About One of a Kind Art

Let’s Talk About One of a Kind Art

  Some Artists are very prolific and can turn out a painting in a day or a week. These Artists are most apt to be able to sell their originals. There are some Artists such as myself that require time to choose a subject, research and draw preliminary sketches before even starting on a painting that will take 4 to 8 months to create. My name is L.A. CLINE and for over 40 years I have been painting with pastels. I love the way I can layer the pastels and create the soft magnificent texture of what I paint. First, I choose the subject. This is so very important because I have to love what I am painting since I will be working with that subject for months. My paintings must have an everlasting relevance to capture the beauty of our world for generations to admire. People ask me why it takes so long?  It take me four weeks to research and then sketch my subject and set up to paint the original.  When you look at my paintings you will understand the complexity of the many 20 or more layers of pastel I apply to build color, texture, likeness.  I paint in the morning, evening, sunny, cloudy, raining days to make sure that the painting will look great in all weather conditions. No over head lighting is needed because the lighting is built in within the layers of pastel over time. “Tender Moment” is a very emotional and loving painting. Grevy Zebras are on the endangered list because of the their narrow and intricate stripes that reflect a...
I Wish I Could Paint Faster

I Wish I Could Paint Faster

I am now creating a new sketch that will eventually be a large vertical Pastel Painting. So far I have been working on this sketch for two weeks now.  This new Floral painting will have a white rose, white daisies and small white trumpet flowers as the featured spotlight grouping. The upper right section of the painting where the overlapping white daisy petals will be against the light background is where I begin drawing today. This white on white area is very difficult to draw and paint. There has to be subtle shading to distinguish between the forms and the background. However, once thought out and drawn in, the transparencies in this painting are going to be beautiful. I figure another week to draw all the details in the sketch for this painting. Then I transfer this sketch to heavy acid-free water color paper that will be mounted on acid free foam core as my working surface for my Pastel Painting. Finally, I can begin painting. To spend this much time on a painting my inspiration has to be a very strong one.   The inspiration for this painting was the natural arrangement I created that I could not look away from.  The way the flowers twist and turned left me breathless with the loveliness of these living beauties.  Now they will live on with all their majesty in my painting. But, do expect to see this large piece finished before four months for the layering of the pastel takes time to achieve the forever beauty that I feel. I will periodically update with this blog with pictures of this...
Spring is in the Air at L.A. CLINE Fine Art

Spring is in the Air at L.A. CLINE Fine Art

When Spring is about to change our world, I think of the day I saw the most beautiful bright sun-kissed Yellow Cattleya Orchid. This incredible flower stood 10½” high and was truly magnificent. It was so bright I could see the Yellow color from about 100 feet away. This was a magical moment for me and something I had to paint. I was very surprised to see this Orchid that was in full bloom planted in an old pot under a tree with other empty pots. I started painting as close as I could to the orchid as not to disturb or move it. If you look at the painting, the dark green background symbolizes the dark area where this beautiful orchid was placed. There also an indication in the painting that there was a white plastic holder leaning against the bloom. The pink/orange part of the orchid allowed the orchid to bellow out with an even more vivid light yellow that at times had a translucent shimmer which made it even look brighter. The painting reflects the very same vivid yellow with the undeniable fantastic and beautiful shimmer that changes colors during the different lights of day. Floral paintings are a breath of fresh air. Mother Nature gives us the beauty of our world and if we surround our environment with flowers and their painted images the energy of this beauty makes anywhere a wonderful place to be. I have developed a process to make Giclee prints closely replicate the actual original painting by supervising the process and using the proper heavy acid-free cotton paper that the acid-free...
Do You Believe in Leprechauns?

Do You Believe in Leprechauns?

It is still a wonder that I can take all my beautiful thoughts and put them into action to create a sketch and then a painting about feelings I have imagined. Even after painting 40 years it still humbles me that I can take these thoughts and make them appear. It takes a tremendous amount of passion creating something you envision along with a great deal of thought before that breakthrough process that allows you to actually put a color on the canvas. When deciding to create an imaginary Leprechaun, I wanted the image in my painting to look so real that you would question if Leprechauns truly exist! Perhaps one would be dancing at your door and then disappear. I have always loved the stories about Leprechauns. Some of the more recent movies portray scary leprechauns, I prefer to take the more traditional versions that portrayed leprechauns as tiny, crafty, devilish, mischievous and intelligent older men that would disappear in a flash to avoid being seen. They do not like humans or open spaces and that is why I filled the background of this pastel painting with a forest of clovers so that this “Lucky Leprechaun” could disappear back into the forest if need be. Leprechauns are very difficult to catch since the fairies give them magical powers to use if ever captured. If you catch one, he still may be able to disappear or he may offer you three wishes. But be careful of what you wish for. Their traditional clothing is a Green Waistcoat, Green Hat and Buckle Shoes. They are shoemakers by trade. Leprechauns are...
Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

As an Artist, I am always looking for that beautiful inspiration to create another painting. Finding what you think is beautiful for a painting comes as a thought or vision that is undeniable and must be expressed. It is something you cannot get out of your mind. These types of aesthetic inspirations are very hard to find. There are so many different styles of art and what is beautiful to one is not to another. Not everyone sees beauty the same way that is what makes art so very interesting and personal. Beauty and art is a reflection of your personal taste. If you are drawn to a painting and would miss seeing the painting, you have made a personal emotional connection with the painting. Your space is your most personal part of your life. You live, work and relax in your home or office and it should reflect and be filled with images that bring you happiness. If you see a painting in a gallery or if you are working with the artist, request information or a letter from the artist that explains the point of view of why this was such an important image to paint. Once I bought I piece in California, and I asked the artist to write me some of his thoughts about the painting. When I received the letter, it brought me so much joy to read about the back story. Every painting has a back story. For example the painting you see here, “Flowers in Paradise” was created because of something I saw in Ocala Florida. I was meeting with a client who...
Fine Art Stationery for Important Life Events – Like a Baby Shower!

Fine Art Stationery for Important Life Events – Like a Baby Shower!

Writing this article is a joy because a very dear friend has been trying to have a baby for years and virtually gave up. She started Coach Erika Beauty Studio in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and decided that both her and her husband would concentrate on their careers. This woman went through so much that conceiving was a dream. Well surprise!!!! The dream came true!!!! She is having a girl she chose the “Enchanted Bloom” Giclee Fine Art Card as the stationery for her invitations to the Baby shower. My friend, Erika saw the original 38”X 38”, “Enchanted Bloom” pastel painting that I painted and just feel in love with its beautiful Light Pink Lavender Rose whirling round and round with very subtle petals encompassing the center bud that is about to unfold. I took the original painting and made small Giclee Reproductions on 80lb acid-free paper 5 ¼”X 3 ¼” Fine Art Stationery that has the most delicate deckled edge both on the end of the card and the envelope. Giclee pronounced (G-Clay) is the most accurate method of reproducing art. The term “giclee print” connotes a superior elevation in printmaking technology. Images are generated from high resolution digital scans and printed with archival inks. Having your own stationery that you personally choose gives meaning to what is important in your life or it just may be something you think is beautiful and would love to share. As an Artist who is constantly using my hands to create intricate pastel paintings these cards bring that feeling of the Artists touch to each Fine Art Card that also includes a...
The Holidays are also a Time of Giving!

The Holidays are also a Time of Giving!

It all happened at Daoud’s Fine Jewelry in Fort Lauderdale, the evening of December 9th when Patrick Daoud opened his store and his heart in celebration of giving back to the community through a very lovely charity that gives teens who are in and out of the hospitals battling life threatening illnesses such as cancer “A Prom to Remember”. Founder, Brandon Opre came up with the idea to give these young people the ULTIMATE Prom. Donate, Volunteer, Support, Get involved and help these young people to have fun and take a brake from cancer.www.aPromToRemember.org Raffle tickets were sold and put in various bags to be drawn and prizes awarded. Artist, L.A. CLINE, a dear friend of Patrick Daoud was a proud participant donating an 8″X10″ framed canvas Giclee Reproduction of an original painting created by the Artist entitled, “Keeping Close”. This beautiful replica of an original pastel painting of two horses a Dam with her Foal of just three and a half weeks wobbling to stand close to his Mother. The most compelling detail that draws you into this painting besides the protective love between Mother and baby is the fact that the Artist was in the pen with the horses. The viewer is looking directly at the horses in the pen with no fence in front of them. It took 30 to 40 minutes for the horses to calm down and feel comfortable. The owner of the farm and L.A. Cline loved the feeling being around these huge animals. The farm owner and the Artist practiced going into the pens in golf carts until the owner felt that...