A Recent Commission!

A recent Commission: "Solid Gold Dancing Mangos"

A friend wanted something for her recently renovated kitchen and really liked a mini-painting of mangos that I had done previously but it was too small, so I decided to make a larger version of it for her.  I did the mangos first in three different colors, then the gold background with water-based acrylic paint and the black outlines were last. The picture doesn't really show how absolutely shiny the gold background is.  I like how free-flowing the mangos are, dancing to their own music and enjoying life!  Needless to say, she loved it~ aloha!

Buy a print here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

Best Kaimana Beach Ocean Shots

I go swimming almost every day at a beach here on the island of Oahu called Kaimana Beach (also known as Sans Souci Beach). It's just a short walk from my house, and snorkeling in the ocean lets me decompress from my workday and check out what's going on underwater. This post is about what's going on above the water, and the golden light that bathes everything at sunset and creates magic:

 Here is some of my digital art (above), this one is called "Electric Blue Kaimana" ~ I love how the blues blend and the waves are tipped in light-blue. I've put this print on shoes and shirts over at my zazzle store: http://zazzle/swartzko and sell prints, gyclees and greeting cards of it here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

 The picture above is called, simply, "Kaimana Beach". To me, this is the quintessential Kaimana picture, perfect beach and ocean ~ prints available

 Love this shot with the sunset shining through the dinner cruise ship. Sunsets here can be explosive! Prints available: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

 I was snorkeling one day and suddenly came across an outrigger canoe race, how lucky!  Enhanced the water purple and it became instantly magical! Prints available here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

 I love the clouds in this one (above), and the blue-green water actually IS that color, hard to believe, huh? Prints available here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

I love how the green of Diamond Head crater reflects in the water in this one (above) and how the reflection of the buildings suddenly becomes abstract in the water. prints available here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

Buildings appear wavy and abstract when reflected in the ocean (above)

 This is the wind sock that I swim to, it's a daily constitution and expecially nice in the winter and spring, when Diamond Head is really green~ Prints available here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

The natatorium is an ocean-front salt water swimming pool built as a memorial to World War I. It closed in the late 1970s due to safety concerns but remains today next to Kaimana Beach. The city doesn't have the money to either demolish or fix it up. My husband remembers swimming there in the 70s~

The golden light in the ocean bounces off and bathes everything in a fabulous glow! Lucky I live Hawaii ;)Prints available here through Fine Art America: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

Spring Jewelry from Psychedelic Waterfall on Etsy!

"Green Queen Beach Glass Necklace" is made with predominantly green glass and stone beads, shells and a light green beach glass pendant and is strung on clear, plastic cord, a scene stealer of a fabulous necklace $30 plus shipping~ available here in my etsy store. http://www.etsy.com/listing/72666290/green-queen-beachglass-necklace?ref=pr_shop
SOLD!

 "Pink Elegance Beaded Necklace" A, elegant, dream of a long necklace: Jobes Tears, faux pearls, stone and glass beads and shells strung on a clear, plastic cord with a crystal, triangular pendant in the middle in predominantly pink tones, a statement piece $30 plus shipping in my Etsy Store called "Psychedelic Waterfall".
http://www.etsy.com/listing/72668750/pink-elegance-beaded-necklace?ref=pr_shop

"Swirly, White Seaglass Pendant" is in my Etsy store, too: http://www.etsy.com/people/PsychedelicWaterfall?ref=si_pr
I used copper-core, silver wire and the blue, silk necklace to showcase this large piece of seaglass: http://www.etsy.com/listing/72667623/swirly-white-seaglass-pendant?ref=pr_shop

"

 "Fabulous, Green Seaglass Pendant" is light-green and one of the smaller pieces in the collection, securely wrapped with copper-core silver wire and comes with a blue, silk cord. $22  
http://www.etsy.com/listing/72667052/fabulous-green-seaglass-pendant?ref=pr_shop

"Beach Dreaming" small white pendant, wrapped in silver wire on a blue, silk cord $22 available on Etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/72666034/beach-dreaming-small-white-pendant?ref=pr_shop 

The 7 Lost paintings: "Psychedelic Underwater Make-Believe Mini-Garden " series

 So, I was cleaning out my closets last week and SURPRISE! I stumbled upon 7 forgotten paintings from three years ago - a much bolder period in my art. I got to work and added little touches and underwater backgrounds to them and now they look better than ever!  I have them listed as prints in my Fine Art America store: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com/ and they are also available as originals. Email me here if you are interested in buying an original: swartzkopf@yahoo.com  Sometimes it pays to clean out your closets, yo never know when a treasure is lurking there!

The one one the left is called "Feather Spacebird"

The painting on the left is called "Hawaiian Warrior Mask", to me it evokes the feeling and strength of a Hawaiian Warrior mask, both bold and powerful and noble.

The painting above is called "Psychedelic Angel" - an angel form in repose, underwater, bold and beautiful, floating or swimming through the ocean~ Again, the original is available for purchase.

 The painting above is called "Psychedelic Ocean" ~ To me it captures the movement and motion of the Pacific ocean. forms suggesting seaweed and sea creatures, float and swim peacefully. The original is available for purchase, contact me at swartzkopf@yahoo.com

The one above is titled: "Underwater Octopus" ~ an octopus form swims in a psychedelic sea of movement. Original available.

 The painting above is titled: "Underwater Psychedelic Bird" ~ A bird form swims in a sea of motion. The original is available currently.



The painting above is called: "Underwater Space Creature" ~ a space creature form inhabits the bottom of the ocean and incorporates the motion of the ocean! This original is also available, contact me if interested. Aloha!

 Aloha, All! 
I wanted to do a post that showcases my use of gold, water-based acrylic paint, as featured prominently in my sea creatures series. The names include a 1970s disco-influence. The painting at the left is called "Sunny Side-Up Jellyfish" and the original is available. There really is a freaky-looking jellyfish that looks like this. I was so intrigued, I had to do my version of it!

 The Painting at the right is called "Solid Gold Seahorses". The gold paint really shines on the seahorse paintings in particular, and really shimmers against the regular-watercolor background. Here they are playfully swimming along, carefree in the Hawaiian ocean. The original is sold but you can buy a print here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

The painting above is called "Solid Gold Dancers" ~ a friend pointed out that the two seahorses on the left look like they are dancing together, while the one on the right is in his own world, dancing to his own beat. This original is sold but prints are available here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

 And then we have "Seymour" the Stingray", an even bolder take on the gold paint! Original is sold but buy a print here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

 The painting above is my grand, seahorse masterpiece, called "Penelope the Seahorse" ~ the original has sold but a photo of it was featured in the January/February issue of Real Word magazine this year, a big acheivement to have my work published in a magazine. I am also selling images of it on cell-phone cases, t-shirts and other products in my Zazzle store: http://www.zazzle.com/swartzko

 The painting above is called "Fast Freddie the Octopus". I wanted to do a painting with a really, large octopus to showcase the gold paint against the watercolor background even more. This original has sold but prints are available here: http//:erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com

And finally, "Solid Gold Jellies", drawn straight from my crazy, yet very fertile imagination, one of the earlier gold, sea creature paintings. This original is also sold but prints available here: http://erika-swartzkopf.artistwebsites.com
Not everyone knows that I also do painting commissions, so if you have your own ideas of what you want in a painting, please let me know. People have been very satisfied with the commissions they bought from me, and I am more than willing to work together to give you what you want to make the world a more colorful, happier place.

15 Best Hawaiian Sea Turtle Pix~ 2010-2011

Hi All~ I love to swim at Kaimana Beach on Oahu in town and often see turtles, it's one of my favorite hobbies. Here are the 15 best Hawaiian Sea Turtle pictures from the last year, whittled down from about a hundred. I have been very lucky and hope to get many more this year.
Click here for the 15 Turtle Slideshow!

My Zazzle products!

Hey All~ 
I've been designing products for my Zazzle store, check 'em out, Peeps! - shirts and clothing, keds shoes, coasters, necklaces, iphone cases, bags and very shortly mens' neckties! I have yet to persuade them to make Android (Droid) cellphone templates but I'm working on it (sent 'em an email today, I can be persuasive). What product would you like to see my art on?
Here is the URL for my store: http://www.zazzle.com/swartzko
ALOHA!