TRICIA TOONE | artist & teacher

Skele Guitar Painting Complete

Skele guitar body is ready to go. I've worked on lightening it up overall and making the texture a bit more gritty...as a pirate guitar should be. Once fully dry and varnished, Rick will assemble the custom built neck, electronics, and decorative pieces.

The guitar will come complete with a removable rum flask that fits in the guitar body made by tinsmith Carl Giordano. I think "His Noodliness" would be delighted.

New Group Portrait

I just finished this portrait of four sisters. This portrait was commissioned as a surprise gift from family members. So the it ended up being a tough one because it was done completely from photographs and I have never met the women being painted. I usually like to work at least in part from life. Photographs just don't do justice to real life. I know there are a lot of artists out there who comfortably work entirely from photographs and it's typical that they never meet their subjects. 

As I worked on this project, it almost seemed like I did know these girls. Perhaps staring at their images long enough, I constructed imaginary personalities in my mind. Either way, it was a fun painting to do. I think I'm going to miss them when they're gone.

Skele Guitar

I'm currently collaborating with my husband, Rick Toone, on his new "Skele" guitar design. He designs and builds original, custom instruments. This one is a very unusual adaptation of a Telecaster shape. Check out the details at RICK TOONE | LUTHIER: Interchangeable Guitar & Bass Bodies

I am painting the Jolly Roger inspired bones. Oil on shellacked wood.

Searching for "Peace"

I just installed this painting in a client's home. She has very striking, bold decor and wanted a painting to compliment and brighten a darker area of the room.

I enjoyed working with the silhouette of a cherry tree in my in-laws' back yard. The butterfly, which creates a focal point and color accent, has personal meaning to the client. There are red bud accents matching the red furniture and art throughout the room.

As for the title of this blog, maybe you can figure it out.

Kyle Progress

Here's another Kyle update. I'm really trying to loosen up a bit on this painting and have fun with color. I've done some more work on his face, although it's not quite where I want it to go, yet. Kyle has very fair skin with some rosy patches that I would love to accentuate. At this point, I think his skin is looking too dark.

I've gone through a couple different background colors, until I decided on this one. The first one was a white background with various shades of violet and ochre. I liked the color vibration that it created, but the end effect was too "pastel" for Kyle's personality. He is a strong and determined Taurus. I think the darker blue-green is much more fitting. I am also hoping the the color contrast will help bring out the red of his cheeks and lips as I lighten his skin tone.

Monster Eats Orchid

Check out this video of Rick's newest guitar design, Orchid, in action. Although I'm not a musician, I can certainly appreciate it for the piece of sculpture that it is. Monster clearly appreciates it for its playability. (Like all skilled artists, Monster makes it look so "easy" — now I almost want to learn bass).

By the way, Orchid was designed for Halie, a budding musician. Of course, the smaller design doesn't seem to slow Monster down the slightest.