Anita Marci's "Sunset Mountain" Painting

Sunset Mountain Painting

Photo reference for Sunset Mountain

     This the the "Sunset Mountain" Painting- 8"x 12".  This painting was made to be a donation for a worthy cause championed by my collectors Katherine and Christopher Berman (of ESPN TV).  Every year they host a benefit dinner and auction for Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury (CT).  This program helps people of all ages learn to read. Reading happens to be one of my favorite past times and I cannot imagine not being able to read so I  agreed to make this donation painting.  It looks so clean and simple when I look at it. This was another challenging piece that required three studies before I got it right.  I kept on editing, removing colors and forms.  I even made several adjustments on the final painting- which rarely ever happens.  I was happy to hear that a dear friend of Katherine's bought this painting.  I knew Karen had been wanting a smaller piece of mine and so she got her wish!  

Anita Marci's "Lyrical Leaves I and II" Paintings

  

  

Pillow Case Fabric Reference

     These paintings are titled "Lyrical Leaves I and II" and they are three feet wide by five feet high.  This was a very exciting and challenging commission.  I was given a fabric swatch (see above) to work with. Well, actually it was a pillow case. The client selected the two original studies painted with a monochromatic (single color) palette of green.  My challenge was to redesign the color palette for the art and make it work with the bedding.  The room was huge and as you can see there was a very large flat screen TV to contend with.  The paintings had to be large enough to accommodate the wall and the TV.

      I set to the work of redoing the art.  It sure was a challenge. Sometimes the art just falls out of me as smooth as could be and other times, I must repaint the art several times. These paintings required three additional studies before I felt I had achieved the goal.  I never settle. No matter what. This is a rule I adopted for myself and my art many moons ago.  Believe me, there are many times when I want to settle, but I always dig deeper inside of me until there is that little twinge I get in my gut that tells me that I am there.

     One of the reasons I feel that I am so successful, is the ability to determine when a painting is good, bad or just unfinished.  Many artists struggle with this determination. Lucky for me, I have a great gut instinct to rely on. I am very grateful for this gift.

     So, then I went to show the client the finished studies. He said the words I strive to always hear: "You nailed it- they are perfect!!"

     We settled on a price and a delivery schedule and off I went to paint the big paintings.  That's when the real fun started.  First of all the color mixes were difficult. The more colors there are in a mix the more difficult it is.  These were very complicated mixes. I persevered and got them all mixed. It is also challenging to gauge the amount of paint to mix. Well, I kept running out of paint. The canvas was a little different then I was used to and the paint seemed to be sucked right into the fabric. By some miracle I finished the pieces, had them stretched and then delivered them.  So very happy to complete this project. Another happy customer!!

Anita Marci's "Matisse's Makai"

     This cut paper painting is titled "Matisse's Makai."  It was made for my collector's daughter's bedroom. Unbeknownst to me, a Matisse exhibit was their very first art experience as Mother and Daughter. I love when a wonderful synchronicity like that happens.  It makes the art so much more meaningful to the collectors. 

     I have always been a big fan of Henri Matisse. I adore his color and I am particularly excited by the cut-outs from his later years.  I did my research on these cut-outs, and found that the artist had assistants paint large sheets of colors that he had mixed.  He then, cut his shapes, for his art, with a scissors.  I love the child-like quality of his shapes, and it was my intention to capture that in my work.  

    This bedroom faces the Pacific Ocean in West Maui.  Makai is the Hawaiian word for Ocean.  This piece is inspired by Matisse's "La Piscine," which is french for swimming pool.  I transformed the swimming pool into an ocean by bringing  in sea elements such as sea weed, starfish and fish.  There is also a whale tale at the top. I enjoy the way the shadow trails off the tale, like a splash of light instead of water. 

     In much of my art,  I consciously add a male and female element in some form or other. I like the balance of the yin and yang.  So, notice the male figure on the left and the female figure on the right.  I then commissioned a custom plexi-glass case to protect the art, which is not shown here. I also enjoy the large denim pillows and their texture next to the painted paper.  A very fun piece, don't you think so!

Anita Marci's "New Born Day" Painting

     This painting is titled "New Born Day."  It was made to coordinate with my above cut paper piece titled "Matisse's Makai."  I will blog about that on another post as it has it's very own story.  I woke up very early one day and I looked out my window at the beautiful and inspiring West Maui Mountains.  Well, the sun was just starting to peak out from behind the mountains. I ran for my camera and captured the moment.  The photo became this painting.  I adjusted the golds to match the Matisse art. I was so pleased to see how well they look together.  I love the contrast of the soft clouds and the hard cut edges of the paper.  I also enjoy the concept of presenting the sea and sky together in different media.

Anita Marci's Painting "Fran's Ocean"

     This is actually a new work titled "Fran's Ocean."  It was an interesting design challenge to create a piece that worked with all of the fabrics Fran had chosen.  The couch fabric is shown on top of the two pillows here.  I initially wanted to play with the starfish motif,  but it ended up being too busy.  I felt the soft quiet monochromatic(single color) aqua approach was best. The final size is 30" x 40" which is fairly large-a medium size painting for me.  This was one of the smooth paintings. After I got past the starfish idea this just fell right out of me.  When Fran saw it she exclaimed,  "You nailed it!  It is perfect!"  I completed the final piece and went with Fran to select a frame. We both loved the silver wooden frame we selected. Then, we went in search of new lamps.  We were both very happy with the end result pictured here.  A brand new living room. What a fun project!!!

Anita Marci's "Backyard Beach" Painting

     "Backyard Beach" is one of my favorite paintings.  It is special to me because it truly is my very own backyard beach in West Maui.  I make it a point to sit down there every Sunday to enjoy the fabulous view and weather that is the best thing about my home.  Every day is different as the clouds dance over our neighbor islands.  I took this photo on a Sunday morning when the ocean had just washed the sand in and covered the reef so that I was able to capture the cast shadow of the palm tree on the wet sand. Usually this is exposed reef and the shadow is hard to see.  I am so glad I ran upstairs to get my camera to take the shot that became this painting.

Anita Marci's "Palm Bark Plaid"

"Palm Bark Plaid" was a very fun piece to create!  I had never used palm bark before, but it is very plentiful here on Maui.  The under-painting is inspired by a Helen Frankenthaler painting.  The blue and brown were selected to match the colors in the fabrics.  It is difficult to see here but there is a plaid on the pillow shams.  After the acrylic painting was complete, I glued the bark on top with my favorite Tacky glue.  It was then stretched and installed.

Anita Marci's "Constant Earth and Changing Seas" Art

This is part of my "Constant Earth and Changing Seas Collection." Around the same time as I was doing "Wavelength" I decided to start using palm bark in the paintings- well, they really are Mixed Media Collages.  I cut palm bark off the tree in my backyard and then, I dampened the bark and pressed it flat with books. I sliced it into strips and glued them on to the canvas after I had painted and glued the sea elements.  I love the simplicity of these pieces. They are somewhat Mondrian-ish and I like the organization of this art.  The title  reflects my thoughts on the perception that the Earth is still while the Ocean is ever-changing.  Of course, we know the Earth is moving too, though it does not appear to be. I also enjoy the juxtaposition of the Earth and Sea elements on the canvas together- just like on our beautiful planet!

Anita Marci's "Wavelength Art"

In 2009, the "Wavelength Series" grew out of the "Sand and Shells" art. I wanted to explore the use of the sand and I had lots of shells left over, so I just needed to find inspiration for the shapes. I did that in NYC at the MOMA, where I saw a very contemporary furniture show called "No Discipline" by artist Ron Arad. I was able to take photos -which is very unusual in a museum- and I drew lots of sketches from them.  I then did the drawings on canvas and used the Tacky glue in the same process as before.  The last step was to paint the acrylic paint in the background and sides.  These paintings were shown in the Village Gallery for a time. They did not sell there though, and were returned to me.  Shortly afterwards, I sold nine pieces to a collector couple of mine. They purchased three of the "Wavelength",  three of "Wavelength Lavender", and three of the "Constant Earth and Changing Seas" art. They are hung in a nine piece grid  for which I designed the installation.  I was thrilled that these paintings got to hang in a grouping together just as I had envisioned them!

Anita Marci's "Sand and Shells"

"Sand and Shells" is a painting that contains natural elements in addition to the canvas and acrylic paint.  The sand had to be sifted and cleaned extensively to make it free of debris.  I ordered the shells on line as it is very difficult to find shells here on Maui and I wanted them to be uniform.  It was tedious work to complete this piece.  I painted thinned "Tacky" glue with a paintbrush in small sections. Then, I placed the tiny shells on the glue and sprinkled the sand over the area.  When the canvas was dry, I held it vertically to dump the excess sand.  Finally, when all the elements were in place, I painted a very soft pink- like the inside of a shell- in the background.  Before I did this piece, I created a sample piece to make sure I could stretch the canvas without the shells popping off. Fortunately, it worked and the piece was a success.  This art has a custom plexi-glass case with wood molding around it.  The molding is painted to match the wall and the lights above it cast interesting shadows. This hangs in the grandchildren's room. There aren't any grandchildren yet, but their room is ready for them when they come!

Anita Marci's "Hibiscus" Painting

This large 3' x 5' watercolor titled "Hibiscus" is the very first piece of Custom Fine Art that I ever made.  The collector had looked every where for a piece of art to fit the space. After much frustration, she had given up on finding anything that would work.  She was showing me her beautiful new home and I asked why she did not have a painting on that wall and she told me she could not find anything. I said "How about I make something for you?"  That is how my Custom Fine Art concept was born.  I borrowed pillows and a paint swatch. Next,

I created a small study of a section of the painting showing all the color combinations and the center of the flower. She approved the study for the piece. The artwork was completed, framed, and installed.  She was thrilled.  Her wonderful new home was finally complete.

Anita Marci's "Rhubrims" Painting

"Rhubrims" is titled for the bright pink fragrant lilies that are the favorite flower of this collector. This custom, full sheet watercolor painting was created to balance a very large, heavy cabinet on the other side of the room.  If you look closely, you will see up-side-down dragonflies in the Tiffany lamp shade next to the couch.  I incorporated two dragonflies into the art in order to integrate it subtly into the room.  The owner of this piece said "I love my painting today and every day."

Anita Marci's "Pomegranates" Painting

"Pomegranates" is a mixed media piece that I also refer to as Partners. It is a Custom piece that was created for an older couple that has been together for many, many years. I bought the fruit and placed it in this position, kind of leaning on each other the way that married couples do, especially after so much time together. I always admire the way they care for each other and are there for each other all the time.  I feel that this art works on several levels.  It captures the balance of this couple's relationship. The composition is well balanced and it balances the color in the room as well.  The bright red colors in the carpet were making the room too heavy on one side so this painting brought the same colors to the other side of the room.  This mixed media art is a combination of a watercolor base and pastel layers on top.  As it turns out, the owners of this painting like it so well that they moved it upstairs to the family room where they spend most of their time.  As an artist, it is my greatest joy, when a collector chooses to live in constant presence of the art because they enjoy it so much.

Anita Marci's "Banana Baby"- Acrylic Painting

This painting is called "Banana Baby." It is rather large: 2 1/2' x 4 1/2'. It was done for Chris Berman-the ESPN Sports Commentator and his wife Kathy. They wanted to bring up the marble colors because this stone is fabulous. The colors are rich and deep and I wanted to capture that depth in the painting. They selected the exact colors for the piece.

One Sunday morning I awoke to find the sun shining just perfectly on this newly born banana leaf. I ran to get my camera and captured it as you see it above. This provided me with my creative inspiration. I then proceeded to take many more photos, but the first one is the one that I used. That is often the case. I will take a shot and enjoy it and then feel the need to explore the thought. I have many more pics so there may be more banana leaves in my future.

The painting took much longer than I expected because of the detail in the line work. I wanted the focus to be on the baby leaf itself instead of the larger leaf behind it. The background color was challenging as well. It has every color in the pallette and was a very tricky mix. I think there are about five layers of different reds in that background.

The beauty of custom art is that you get exactly what you want without having to go shopping. This art works with the window trim and wall covering as well. Finally, I was satisfied with the piece and so were my clients.

Anita Marci's "R and R's Red Bananas" Painting

This blog will be devoted to sharing my personal thoughts, feelings and process in the creation of my art work.

People often ask me how I decide on what to paint. I will say that creative inspiration can come in many forms: a color, a texture, a photo, a single croton leaf, or even another work of art. I live on the beach in West Maui and the property is full of lush colorful tropical foliage so there is an ever changing vast array of constant inspiration.

The paintings above were inspired by my personal relationship with a Red Banana Tree. This tree grew right next to the front door of my condo. I looked at this tree every day for nearly five years. I did not know it was a red banana until recently when the bananas came. I saw the banana stem which I call the donger. I was excited, but sad, because all banana trees are cut down after they bear fruit. It was so beautiful with it's tiny yellow fringe over the purple bottom. I knew I had to paint it. I took the photos and waited patiently for months, watching every day as the bananas grew.

Finally the fruit ripened and the rich red browns and olive greens once again made me want to paint. I took some more photos and decided I wanted to tell a story about this tree- a portrait if you will. I photographed the tree itself with it's rich red bark and was also moved by the top of the tree where the leaves fan out.

I painted these as a Triptych with matching backgrounds and a consistent color scheme. These three paintings were created especially for Rachel and Ryan as their wedding present, so I matched Rachel's pillow colors and wall color swatch.
She loves green, so I focused on a bright yellow green that she is especially fond of. This became the unifying color in all three paintings. The blue gray background and side panel color was painted last on all three pieces.

Rachel and Ryan are a really cool couple and it is my pleasure to honor them with these paintings and my appreciation of the beauty of this tree. I wish them a very happy and successful marriage.