An Artist's Journal:Paintings by Felicia Marshall

8”x10” acrylic on hardboard I had already drawn a picture and was actually looking forward to painting today but everything went down hill. I just couldn’t get excited about putting the paint on the surface. I gave myself a fresh start with this little gem, Zora, the quintessential little girl. I guess you can say Zora is my muse. Who could be bummed out after painting a smile like this one? Needless to say, I had a lot of fun when I started over. Dutch Art Gallery

5”x7” acrylic on hardboard I fell in love with a little painting called "Corn Poppy"at the Houston Museum of Art when I was in high school. Every trip to the museum ended with a visit to this painting. I hadn’t realized how influential that this painting, “Corn Poppy” by Kees Van Dongen had been to me until I sat "Color Me Red” next to my journal which had a print of "Corn Poppy" glued to it's cover. I gave this painting as a gift to my wonderful Art Education Directer that recently retired.

8”x10” acrylic on hardboard I bought these flowers some time ago and couldn’t wait to paint them. Well painting these lovely sunflowers was much harder than I could have imagined. I liken it to putting a puzzle together. The red color which I was drawn to actually became my worst enemy when I began mixing the paints. I originally envisioned a series of three or four paintings of these flowers in different vases but having gone through the fire I think I can only muster about one more attempt. Even with all of my griping, I am incredibly pleased at the finished painting. The vivid colors jump off of the canvas and I feel so accomplished having mastered painting transparent glass which has originally been a subject that I avoid. I am also happy that I got another chance to work with my favorite color red. SOLD

5”x7” acrylic on hardboard This is one of the smaller missions in San Antonio. I was lucky enough to be at the mission on a bright day, which paid off when another tourist walked out of the door and left it open just a bit letting sunlight into the very dark and small space. It was so beautiful the way the light danced across the tiled floor and filled the room. SOLD

5”x7” acrylic on hardboard I have very fond memories of college. I was lucky enough to attend a really great art school, Pratt Institute. The experience really helped shape me into the person and artist I am today, above all Pratt gave me confidence. This painting is one of the studio classrooms in the Design Communication Arts Building. All of the classrooms were white but not in a clinical sterile way. Our studios were white in the empty canvas sort a way. I got the sense that every several years it was standard to paint yet another layer of flat white paint over all the walls and windows. I became fond of the huge windows that were over ten feet tall and let in natural light. I missed them when I left, I knew I would. I also missed the squeaking wood floors from the hundred year old buildings. SOLD

5”x7” acrylic on hardboard This is yet another painting that I’ve had sitting around and painting on for way too long. So here she is standing tall. SOLD

I wanted to celebrate my most recent book entitled “The Night the Chimneys Fell”. The book is about a French family’s ordeal in the town of New Madrid, Missouri during the earthquake of 1811. This earthquake was the largest earth quake in the United States history and it was not in California, but Missouri. This quake was so powerful that it changed the course of the Mississippi River. The story illustrates some of the natural signs experienced before the quake, and the destruction of homes and displacement of many families in its aftermath. My family takes a trip through this area every summer passing through Missouri and by New Madrid, and St Louis as we travel from Texas to Illinois. While working on the book last year, the area experienced a quake that my mother and father in law actually felt in Illinois. This project was fascinating for me and I hope just as fascinating for all of the children that read this book.

6"x 6" acrylic on canvas Grandmothers are so awesome. Grandma made this costume by hand for each of our boys. Just for fun. They wear the costumes often around the house. Here we have something called "Go Western Day" in honor of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. All of the schools in the area participate in it so I was pleased as peaches when I didn’t have to buy anything for this year's "Go Western Day" at school. This never happens. I was up until two in the morning finding, washing and yes, ironing this outfit so that my son could wear it the next day. The last thing I did that night was iron his vest. My husband informed me during dinner the following evening that he'd decided not to dress in his western outfit that day. That’s the thanks I get for being a supermom, I can’t complain, I got a great painting out of it. SOLD

8”x10” acrylic on hardboard I couldn't make up my mind when it came to the perspective I was going to take painting my chocolate cake, so I decided not to decide at all. This is why I made two paintings. Indecisiveness runs in my family. Why should I paint one tasty treat when I could paint two. Through out this experience I have noticed that frosting looks and feels a lot like paint. $120.00 + $5.00 shipping