Every Step A Painting - York paving stones in London

Arrived in London early, went walking to stay awake. And found beneath my feet the art world unnoticed and unsung. I've walked these stones countless times, yet never saw them like this. York paving stones - weathered, chiseled and trampled. Day 1 - I got what I came for without even trying!

How easily we pass by inspiration! Clues to what we love. I've enhanced these photos with contrast because this is what I saw. But I hesitated at first to take out my phone for photos - my phone! It's ridiculously easy to capture moments with our ever-present phones, yet I was in motion, not wanting to slow down or stop…

Featured Artist/Traveler: Alec Von Bargen - Interview

Where do I begin with the extensive creative accomplishments and adventures of Alec Von Bargen?

Artist/photographer/Humanitarian/Actor/Writer/Traveler - the list goes on and on. Born in New York City, he is based (sometimes) in Mexico and Milan, but no moss grows under this artist/traveler's feet. His numerous awards include being twice invited to exhibit at the Venice Biennale, he has also exhibited in galleries and museums internationally including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the OCT Museum in Shanghai…

Movin' on - heading east across the pond.

In the next few weeks I'll be hither and thither - mostly across the pond in London and then to southwest Ireland at my 3rd residency at Cill Rialaig Artists Retreat. It's always a challenge to keep up a regular blogging schedule when I'm on the road, especially when I'm off the grid in the far reaches of the Irish coast. I will find a way my dear readers so check back soon.

Next week I'm hoping to publish my next artist traveler interview with

art travel, artist residenciesAmy ClayAugust 24, 2018Comment

Travelogues waiting for their adventures

Few things make me happier than a fresh leather bound art travel journal with blank pages waiting to be filled! The virgin white pages fill me with anticipation - visual stories that I will look back on in future years. Whether the resulting images will be a reflection of literal places or from my imagined worlds, they are travelogues of the epic quest…

art travel, artist residencies, my journal pages, my paintingsAmy ClayAugust 15, 2018Comment

Featured Artist/Traveler: Janice Mason Steeves - Interview

I don’t remember how I first heard about the Toronto area based painter Janice Mason Steeves, but I felt an immediate kinship when I saw her earthy, minimalist, abstract paintings. It seemed that we also shared a love of northern, vast, bleak landscapes, and we have both visited Iceland as an artist in residence - albeit at different residencies. The paintings that have come from her residencies and workshops there reflect the cool earth tones and the silence and spaciousness of that far northern wonderland.

She also leads classes in oil and cold wax, and chooses often to hold workshops in such far afield places as Ireland, the wild west coast of Canada, and soon to be locations in Scotland and Mongolia…

Fire and Ice - Dreaming of Iceland

The heat is already bearing down, the skies hazy with drifting wildfire smoke from miles away, and my default guidance system pulls me north. Could be my genetic predisposition - 98% British Isles, Irish, French and Scandinavian. I'm not built for heat and glaring sunlight.

I did a residency in Iceland back in 2012 at Gullkistan, and wrote this passage in my sketchbook while there:

"To be in Iceland, the newest land mass on the planet - the rumbling belly of continents. Breaking, stretching, gasping open. Bleak, scoured, fertile. The clouds pan across the flatlands - spreading…

Featured Artist/Traveler: Trine Bumiller - Interview

Trine Bumiller is a Denver based painter who has a special interest in the natural world. Her oil paintings are shown around the world and she is represented by Robishchon gallery in Denver, and Zg Gallery in Chicago. She has also been to numerous artist residencies, including one in Denali National Park in Alaska.

Even though we live in neighboring cities, I first met Trine recently at a residency at Brush Creek Arts in Saratoga WY. At that time she was working on a huge project…

Gaps in the Flow - Brush Creek Arts, WY

Some people are steady at the helm of their creative activity, and are regular like roughage. That's not me. Try as I might there can be long gaps between painting sessions. Such as it is now, after the solid month of painting at my residency at Brush Creek Ranch. Sometimes I return from a residency - spent. Other times, energized, but am pulled away by life's other needs.

The longing to get back at it is a blessing and a curse at times…

ARTSYSHARK.com Featured Artist Article

Thank you to Artsyshark.com for their feature artist article - you can read more on their site. Click the image:

"In life and art, I long for the horizon. There is an invisible tether that pulls me toward the unknown, and this is reflected in the artwork that I do. Even in my purely abstract paintings, it’s always about a mythical journey of discovery. I always want to know…”

artist residencies, art travel, art classes, creative processAmy ClayMay 20, 2018amyguionclay, amyclayartComment

Waning days at Brush Creek Ranch Artist Residency, WY

Just a few days left of our residency here at Brush Creek Ranch. Time stands still and whizzes by, simultaneously. This vast landscape inspires and intimidates at times, even being from Colorado. Our daily hikes have added dimension to our isolated camp, and from the high perches, there is a sense of scale and orientation, sometimes missing from the low valleys.

The Creative Pit

I've noticed a pattern while at a month long residency, that almost without fail repeats itself. Currently I'm at the midpoint, where I feel that nothing is working, and I can't paint!

The first week is full of vim and vigor, as all the artists get to know each other, we set up our studios and get cracking. The second week builds on that momentum and the studio begins to fill up with, at least, works in process. Then the midway point happens - suddenly

artist residencies, art travel, creative processAmy ClayApril 16, 2018amyclayart, amyguionclay, artist residenciesComment

My online course about Artist Residencies is now open!

All about ARTIST RESIDENCIES - how to find the right one for you,create a compelling application and become an artist in residence. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW!

For those who are creative and love to travel, artist residencies are the Holy Grail. From Antarctica to the Arctic Circle and everywhere between, artist residencies are dedicated places for creatives to focus on their work, travel to cool places and

art classes, art travel, artist residenciesamyApril 14, 2018artist residencies, art travel, art classes, abstractartComment

Horizons Everywhere

Something about the horizon line keeps showing up in my work out here in the wide open spaces of Wyoming. This is not the first time - the horizon is a composition I naturally gravitate to, in many ways - literally and metaphorically. There is an invisible tether that pulls, and sometimes yanks me toward the horizon, ever longing for the unknown.

This I think is partly the human condition, to be

art travel, artist residencies, my paintings, paintings for saleAmy ClayApril 9, 2018Comment

Artist in Residence at Brush Creek Ranch, WY

"Warning - extreme blowover danger!" The flashing signs crossing Wyoming on HWY 80 meant business. The 65mph + winds rattled and rocked my little Mini Cooper Clubman. But she held steady, helped I presume by the weight of 10 heavy panels for painting and a few hundred pounds of art supplies and other stuff. Art saves lives!

I was met by my host at the gates to this 15,000 acre luxury working cattle ranch in the

artist residencies, art travelAmy ClayApril 4, 2018amyguionclay, artist travelers, art travel, artist residenciesComment

Solar plate etching monotype at London Print Studio

One of my favorite of the etchings I did at London Print Studio last month. I layered a gestural painting I did with my drawing of water to create the etching plate, then rolled layers of ink on the surface of the plate for the color. Each print is unique in that way. Finished image is 10" x 8" on Fabriano archival paper.

artist residencies, printmakingamyJune 21, 2017Comment

Cill Rialaig Artist Retreat

art travel, artist residenciesAmy ClayOctober 19, 2015artist residencies, kerry ireland, art travel Comment

Printmaking Residency in Spain

printmaking, artist residencies, art travelAmy ClayOctober 5, 2015printmaking, collagraphs, carborundumComment

Gullkistan Artist Residency in Iceland

My month long residency here in Iceland is drawing to a close. My small group of fellow artists and I all lament the passing of this time too quickly, and I'm wanting to anchor the memories and experiences in a way that will create some permanency. It is all about the landscape in this world of fire and ice, and it does not disappoint. Every turn of the bend…

art travel, artist residenciesamyAugust 28, 2012Comment