Framed!

Some time ago, I posted about my Barbados Painting and how I used it as inspiration when I hand painted some wooden earrings. (More Here)

Barbados/Island inspired hand painted earrings by Shazanna Khan

Recently one of roommates got married and I decided to frame this piece for her as her wedding present. I always promised her some artwork.

Today I collected the framed artwork from Fine Arts in Grand Bazaar where I dropped it off for framing.

I was a bit nervous picking out the framing by myself so I am so happy that it turned out so well. I am most pleased with it and the service I received at the art store. 

Just need to write the backstory down for her, wrap it nicely and deliver it :)

 If you would like to read more about how this piece came to be, you can read it here: Travel Sketches #1: Barbados Seascapes

I can't wait to see her expression!

Decorative Wooden Box

This was a wooden perfume box. When I did this some years ago, I was going through a sunflower stage at home. I think I was painting our mailbox at home for my Mom. I channelled my inner Van Gogh here. 

I used Acrylic paint and various gel ink pens to add some glitter and highlight some pieces. When it was dry, I sprayed the entire thing with Windsor and Newton's Matt Varnish, so that the ink pens would not rub off. 

It held up well. This project is over 6 years old. There is only one bit of wear and tear, which was due to my extreme carelessness and before I added the varnish. I never fixed it but with varnish, it is extremely durable and long lasting. 

Hand Painted Wooden Earrings & Pillow Box Packaging

I painted some earrings for my friend Cherisse. Cherisse has a cool fun style and after her trip to Haiti, she came back with hand crafted wooden earrings by a local artist. I was not amused :P I told her that if she wanted a piece of wood painted, that she could have checked me. We joked about me desiging a jewellry line for her to wear. I would make it, and she would promote it.

About a year later, I happened upon some plain wooden knob earrings at a steal of a price and bought 3 pairs of earrings with the intent to customise them somehow.

I decided to do an Island themed design for Cherisse based on my Barbados painting. Of course they have different patterns on them because Cherisse is cool like that and loves mismatched earrings.

Barbados/Island inspired hand painted earrings by Shazanna Khan :)

Eventually I would like to do a pair inspired by Van Gogh's "Starry Night" and "The Scream" by Edvard Munch.

I did these around Oct/ Nov 2012 so I am a bit late in posting, but only because I recently finished making the packaging for the earrings. (Yes! I am going all out. lol) I used natural materials like Hemp, recycled paper and wooden beads on some brownish scrapbook paper to give it an island feel. I also love the combo of navy blue and brown/cream. I highlighted some parts of the packaging with some gold acrylic paint to give a slight sheen and add some more interest to the brown packaging. Here's a look below:

Buttons are my new favourite decorating accessory! :D All in all I really enjoyed making these packaging that I have been doing lately. I'm thinking to mail out some to some friends abroad (and in T&T) if I have time to make some. lol So in the mean time, message me your mailing addresses (at shazanna@gmail.com)  if you would like to own your very own SK Creation. I'm not making promises, but you never know ;) You may get something in your mailbox one day.

EDIT: I finally remembered the name for these boxes. They are called Pillow Boxes.

Travel Sketches #1: Barbados Seascape

In 2007, my family and I visited the beautiful island of Barbados. As is my custom on these trips to the small islands, I packed my small Reeves Sketch Book, Watersoluble pencils, Paints and Brushes. Vacations are meant for relaxing, and nothing relaxes me more than time spent with art. Also sometimes a good book on the beach is not enough. On this particular trip, I carried a canvas board, having only discovered them a few months before and was dying to try it out.

What stood out to me the most on my trip were the beautiful blue beaches of Barbados. I swear, if I had to choose another island to live on Barbados would be the clear winner. I remember falling in love with Port St Charles, and fantasying of living in one of the homes where I could open my back door and step onto my boat or take a dive into the ocean.

The following is the painting that I started while in Barbados that I ended up finishing in T&T from the postcard I bought. I unfortunately do not remember which beach this was! I think at the time settled on doing this seascape, because it was a breathtaking view and the process was unfamiliar to me. I always wanted to capture the different shades the ocean turns when light reflects off of it but I thought it to be completely outside of my comfort zone so this piece was a personal challenge for the holidays.

Barbados Seascape (2007), Acrylic on Canvas Board. © 2012 Shazanna Khan

Tropical Flowers (Clay Plates)

From L to R: Bird of Paradise (2010), Anthurium (2010), Heliconia (2010), Hibiscus & Humming Bird (2010); Acrylic on Clay Plate, 7.5" 

From L to R: Orchid (Dancing Lady 2010), Amaryllis (2010); Acrylic on Clay Plate, 5"

Clay Plate Paintings I did for my mom one year. She is such a genius at interior design and landscaping. She put them up in a wooden bookshelf she designed to mimic a plantation house. 

Bookshelf/ Clay Plate Stand

My Mom also loves tropical flowers and grows them so she can make fresh floral arrangements for home.  It is one of the things I miss from home when I am at school during the semester. I used her garden and various floral arrangements for reference material.

One of the Floral Arrangements that she did for Eid this year. Isn't she amazing?

My First Commission? Artwork- The Triangle, Princes Town

I finally got it back!

In 2008, I received my very first commission to showcase the development of the promenade in my home town of Princes Town as well as the landmark Rotary Club's clock that was erected. I was so excited. Unfortunately for me, being young, naive and inexperienced in the art world, I gave the piece up with my budget without receiving payment in good faith to an individual who I honestly believed meant well. Promises were made but I eventually stopped hearing about it again. I'm not going to get into all the gritty details because my story thankfully has a happy ending. 

Photograph of the piece in 2008. The only copy I could find was on my deviantart account with a large watermark through it.

After finally doing some inquiry about it earlier this year, the good people of the institution that my piece was intended for, launched an investigation into it and located my piece. They retrieved it and kept it safely until arrangements could be made for delivery. They dropped it off this week! :D 

This painting illustrates the Rotary Club’s clock that was erected in the heart of Princes Town and features also the surrounding promenade, capturing the skyline of Princes Town. Illustrations and sketches were first undertaken in preparation for the piece following which materials were sourced and the appropriate media selected for the painting. This piece took approximately three (3) weeks to finish, inclusive of preparation time.

Mixed media of watercolours and acrylic paints were used, after which a pen and ink wash was done to add more detail. Bright and vivid colours were used to bring out the warmth of the Princes Town, and a warm colour palette of reds and yellows was used to contrast against the cool tones of blue and green in the piece.

Interesting Fact about this piece: A week after I took some reference photos to work from, there was a fire and the yellow wooden building that was Lana's Jewellers, was burnt to the ground. It's interesting how quickly the skyline of a town changes. I am glad that I was able to capture that small bit of history before it was destroyed. 

The following is a photo I took of the piece when I received it this weekend. The lighting was not the best to capture the colours so please forgive the quality of the photograph. There was some slight water damage done to the piece but I think I can restore it and I am simply grateful that four years later that I have it in my possession and in one piece.

The Triangle (2008) Mixed media on watercolour paper,  © 2012 Shazanna Khan

This entire situation along with the experience that I gained when helping organising Mt Hope's Art Gala earlier this year has taught me many important lessons.

Firstly, if you're going to sell your work, make a print for your personal collection. I learnt this from one of my lecturers who displayed some of his prints of his sold work at the art gala. It was such a simple solution which I can't believe I had never thought of before.

For me, when it comes to selling my artwork, the most difficult thing is actually giving up my work. I invest time, effort and emotion into a new piece, it is difficult to get time to do new pieces with my schedule at school and I suppose I simply become attached to them.

If I make a print, my family and I can at least still enjoy my work, I will have something for my personal records and like the case of this piece, if something happened to the original, it would not have felt as if all my hard work was in vain.

As new artists to the arena of sales, it is easy to make mistakes and put our faith in people we probably should not. If a deal seems shady, trust your gut instinct and do not accept it! Even if it is from your best friend, your schoolmate or some long lost family member. Make sure that you and your potential client have a proper agreement and understanding of what your terms and conditions are. Simply be polite and professional.

Lastly garner advice from senior artists. They have had years of experience dealing with the public and they can advise you on so many different things concerning the art world especially what measures you can undertake so that you, as an artist, are not taken advantage of. In retrospect, it is something I wish I had done, as pricing of my artwork was and still is not my strongest point and I could have been spared a lot of headache if I knew what the usual steps were when undertaking a commission.

What do you think is a fair system for both you and your client when it comes to selling artwork/ undertaking commissions? 

Since this incident, I have been a bit skeptical about selling my pieces. I've had offers but for now I am more content for my artwork to be enjoyed by friends and family. Perhaps in the future, once I can devise my own terms and conditions it shall be a venture I will undertake.

I would love to know your thoughts and views about this blog post :) Leave me a comment about it or any handy lessons/tips that you have learnt about the art world.

Thank you for reading :)