Manuela Valenti Studio & Art Gallery

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Pops Coming
2007-10-17 03:41:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)6" high x 6" wide Click here to bidHow sweet! just in the middle of the heat this handsome guy is bringing pops to his girl who's on the beach! If you don't know what pop is (don't worry I didn't know either until I moved to Michigan ) pop is how the Michigan's call the soda, any kind of soda...why? I have no absolute clue! but if you know why, just drop me an email or post it here =]Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email meSubscribe FREE to my A Painting a Day Newsletter and receive the new painting for the day in your inboxVisit my private auction site
More About: Landscapes , Figurative , Cityscapes

Curb Side Peach Pies
2007-10-16 05:50:00
Oil on Masonite6" high x 6" wide Click here to bidThis painting is the matching painting if you will for "Peach Pies for $10" sold at my auction site, only this time I'm the one on another angle and the kid is holding up the cardboard sign. The sun is so bright that the kid can barely keep his eyes open. I'm on the other side of the street shooting pictures at the town of Romeo in Michigan , not too far away from my home and studio, the weekend of Labor Day.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email meSubscribe FREE for my A Painting a Day Newsletter and receive the new painting for the day in your inboxVisit my private auction site
More About: Side , Figurative

Cherries and Blueberry
2007-10-13 00:06:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)4" high x 4" wideClick here to bidAfter I finished this little one, I noticed the composition of the cherries and the blueberry looked like the face of a cute cartoon dog. So sweet! =]10% of the profit of this sale goes to Habitat for Horses, Inc.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email meSubscribe FREE for my A Painting a Day Newsletter and receive the new painting for the day in your inboxVisit my private auction site
More About: Fruits , Floral

Strawberry No.2
2007-10-11 17:17:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)5" high x 5" wide Click here to bidA simple strawberry can make a nice little minimalistic painting. I used three different brushes to paint this one, opposite to when I paint a landscape or a figurative painting where I'm using a fairly large flat brush.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Fruits , Strawberry

How to display the small daily paintings.
2007-10-08 22:53:00
A few days ago, I received and email from a customer asking me what would be the appropriate way to hang or display these small daily paintings? As I replied the email I thought it would be of interest to others on how I consider the perfect way to display these little ones without retracting from the beauty of the painting itself.I use a more modern, contemporary approach in my decor, and you would think this might not fit your particular decor, but maybe changing the frame to suit your style would help you to display them in a similar manner. I like to use dark frames for them, especially because they are a small format painting and the black frame helps to bring the colors up and focus the viewer on the painting. I like also to display the paintings in 1 or 2 rows, three at the most, which I think looks very contemporary regardless of the painting itself as the pictures show below. Notice that for this approach all the paintings should be of the same format in this case 6" x 6" a...
More About: Daily , Display , Paintings , Small

Peach pies for $10
2007-10-05 05:43:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)6" high x 6" wide Click here to bidAs I was walking by the town of Romeo, 20 minutes away from my home the weekend of Labor Day, everywhere in the town there were tents with all sort of goodies, from pies and sweets to handmade candles and crafts. Right across the street as I was waiting for the red light I saw these kids, a brother and a sister, promoting what seemed to be their parents goodies right next to their tent. The sign on the boy's hands read "Peach Pies for $10, peach flips $1, We'll bring them to you! Curb Side" written on a piece of card board. The boy seemed really tired and a little hot, but I thought it was really cute what they both were doing for their family.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Michigan , Figurative , Cityscapes

Shopping together - daily painting
2007-10-04 06:47:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)6" high x 6" wide (15.2 x 15.2 cm)Click here to bidAnother painting inspired by that day of shopping the weekend of Labor Day. A mother and a daughter shopping together. A very bright sun, long shadows. This one was taken later day day. I was able to take so many pictures that day!Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Shopping , Daily , Painting , Michigan , Figurative

Nectarine
2007-10-02 19:12:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)5" high x 5" wide Buy Now or Place your Bid NowAs a mother of 3 I worry about what my kids eat. I buy tons of fresh fruits for snack, and is definitely always better for them to eat a nectarine, a banana, cherries or strawberries rather than eat junk food. Having said that, I always have tons of inspiration in my own kitchen and whenever possible I buy fruits that I've never tried before. The light that enters through the window in my kitchen creates the perfect atmosphere and gives that mood to anything sitting in my countertop. I just bought nectarines and the perfect opportunity to take pictures presented itself. The perfect light for a luscious fruit.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Fruits , Floral

A day with mom - A painting a day
2007-10-02 08:30:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)6" high x 6" wideBuy Now or Place your Bid NowThe past week was absolutely insane. Between MRI's, doctor's appointments, school and the rest, I just couldn't paint, much less entering my studio. Time was incredibly short and the pain in my neck and back is still continuos and high. I was able to finish this at 1:00 am today, so forgive me if it's a little late to post.A bright and sunny day, perfect for shopping at the mall. A young woman with her son shopping together. Kids hate to go shopping, at least mines do, unless we are shopping for them. They seem to be enjoying walking together.This painting is listed on my new auction site. Registration is absolutely free. If you like this painting place your bid now.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Painting , Michigan , Figurative , Cityscapes

Guys shop too - Figurative - Daily Painting
2007-09-27 06:48:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)6" high x 6" wide Buy Now or Place your Bid NowThe day we went shopping during the Labor Day sale weekend, I was amazed by how many guys were shopping at the mall taking advantage of the sales. This guy almost blended with the wall. I thought it was kind of funny, he was wearing the same colors as the column next to him. The day was bright, hot and the shadows were crispy just the way I like a day to be.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Daily , Painting , Michigan , Shop , Guys

A day at the town fair
2007-09-25 16:24:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)6" high x 6" wide Buy Now or Place your Bid NowAs I was walking out from the Romeo town fair the weekend of Labor Day, I saw this couple with their grandchild just passing by next to a vendor just at the entrance of the fair, right on the street. It was about 7pm and still the sun was just bright and shiny. The light was hitting them from behind and illuminating just the contour of both, I had to snap that picture.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Michigan , Fair , Town , Figurative , Cityscapes

My New AUCTION site
2007-09-25 15:48:00
Many of you know I've being selling on eBay some of my original works and prints since the year 2000. That's when eBay was fun and thrilling for both buyers and sellers and when good collectors and galleries would go to find new talent. In 2004 eBay ruined that and the business of thousands of people went down when they (eBay), for what I call terrible management, decided to flip the site, the search engine and the way everything was displayed, why? we still don't know why, we believe none of the ones that manage eBay today has a clue of what an auction site should be and how it should work.Ever since, many who were powersellers and making a very nice income at selling their paintings and other forms of art on eBay (me included) have struggled with their ever since non stopping "improvements" of the site. Many of us paid a lot of money every month just to list works that were not even showing at all, resulting in of course loss. Hundreds of sellers said "go to hell" to eBay and t...
More About: Auction , Site

Cloudy day at The Bean, Chicago
2007-09-17 22:35:00
Our last day in Chicago , and it had to rain! still that didn't stop me, I wanted pictures of the Cloud Gate (famously known as The Bean ) before heading back to Michigan, so my husband left me right there on the highway and I started running towards the bean (I'm a fast runner by the way!) I took at least 50 pictures from different angles (I love my Canon EOS!) but of course all what the sculpture could reflect was the darkness of the sky, but still I think many of the pictures I took came out pretty good. I took this picture as I was approaching the bean for first time in my life, impressive structure by the way, people must have thought I was completely insane walking with the camera stuck in my face and shooting pictures like crazy! I went back to the car running as well as it started to rain and I didn't want my camera to get wet. What an amazing reflection this sculpture gives to the park.Now, I'm offering this painting with a Buy It Now option of $1,150.00 or you can make m...
More About: Cloudy , Figurative , Cityscapes

Black Cherries and a Paper Bag - Still Life
2007-09-13 18:40:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)5" high x 5" wide (12.7 x 12.7 cm)Bid NowThere is nothing that says more summer to me than fruit and a beach. As I don't have the beach near me at least I have the fruit. Black cherries are my favorites, they are so sweet!Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Life , Paper , Still Life , Lack

My Policy
2007-09-13 18:39:00
I've received a couple of inquires from other artists, viewers and other bloggers to exchange links or to link to my blog, so I thought it would be a good idea for me to post kind of like a policy if you will, which I guess I'll update as time goes by and more things arise.As for link policy, I don't mind anyone linking to my blog or to any of my posts, but I do mind if you take any of my works to post it on your blog or your website without asking me first. I think is the descent way to go, do you agree? So please avoid a sour moment and respect my copyright, yes?As for linking back to your website, I only link back to the ones I like or are related to the daily painting movement, so I'm sorry if I might not post your link on my blog, is nothing personal, I just want to keep the consistency of my blog.I'm sure more thing are going to come up so, I'll post them later on.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Policy

A great day at the lake
2007-09-11 23:36:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)6" high x 6" wide Bid NowThis is one more painting based on that visit at the Stoney Creek Park the Friday before Labor day. As I was approaching the pier I see this woman with a boat and right at that moment her husband was approaching the pier with her truck just to take the boat out of the water. What a great life, must be no matter at what age in your life you are able to accomplish it, to just navigate with the wind on a sunny and beautiful day and just plain enjoy life. I stood there just for a moment to see them take the boat of the water with a smile in their face. This is something my uncle used to do a lot back in Italy, what a wonderful experience.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Landscapes , Great , Michigan , Figurative , Lake

My color palette
2007-09-10 13:35:00
As an artist I'm always looking for tips from other artists, I consider it to be the best way to learn things related to the business of art. But as I like to learn from others I also like to share what I know.So here, I wanted to share with all of you what kind of palette I use. Many artists use the traditional wood oval palette or even the square one that will hold all the colors they need for their painting session. But although is the "traditional way" we have seeing for centuries, I'm not comfortable with it at all, and my palettes, the ones I was given as gifts (three in total) are, well brand new as I've never used them in my entire life. Instead over the years I've used plastic plates, glass sheets and even ceramic plates, but just recently my oldest son discharged this wonderful metal box that was holding some colored pencils. It is very thing and best of all it has a lid. That's what I use as my palette, simple and most of important inexpensive!But that's not all, be...
More About: Color , Palette

I found something! - Charity Auction for Hurricane Katrina Rebuilding Proje
2007-09-09 22:32:00
Oil on Gessoed Board6" x 6" (15.2 x 15.2cm)Bid now for a good causeI found this girl on one of the pictures I took the Friday before Labor Day at the Stoney Creek park here in Michigan . My pictures are panoramic if you will and sometimes I capture many scenes with one shot which I later separate in my studio according to what I like. A girl playing in the sand and it looked like she had found something. What captured my attention about this scene was the soft light of 6:30pm gently but brightly illuminating the sand, the lake and the people still in it. The girl's hair wet and shinning with the light. This painting I'm listing it on eBay at auction for the Hurricane Katrina Rebuilding Project. What a better way to collect art than to help an organization and an effort that is really very much needed.So click on the link above and support this wonderful cause by bidding and winning this beautiful painting. If you can't bid, at least put it in your watch list on eBay so maybe it wo...
More About: Charity , Auction , Hurricane Katrina

Labor Day Sales
2007-09-08 01:20:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)7" wide x 5" highBid NowLabor Day sales are a routine for us every year. Every year we would go to the closest mall no matter where we happen to live or be to take advantage of the "great sales" I guess that's how they advertise them. Tons of people and great opportunities to take pictures for reference. These two ladies happened to be walking through the parkinglot at the Birch Run Outlet Mall. That day was so incredibly hot and bright that the shadows everywhere were really crispy. Flip-flops, shorts and bags were in fashion for the day.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Sales , Michigan , Cityscapes

Not too Fashionable
2007-09-07 05:30:00
6" x 6" (15.3cm x 15.3cm)Oil on Gessoed Hardboard (Masonite)$150 with FREE shipping and handling in the US and CanadaE-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.On my visit to the Stoney Creek Park, here in Michigan on the Friday before labor day, I went to the shores of the lake to take some pictures. It was fairly late to take pictures, around 6:30 pm but still good sunlight. This lady which was so tanned I couldn't even get a good picture of her face from the distance I was, was getting ready to leave for the day. But as we all are on the beach after a lot of sun, sand, lotion and water, not too fashionable after all. Her hair certainly was not in place and for sure she would have freaked out if she knew that, I know I would have, but yet she graciously was getting dressed with a beautiful white linen pair of pants and blouse, a little bit fashionable maybe ;0)Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Figurative , Fashionable , Fash

Eggplants Still Life
2007-09-06 05:01:00
7" x 5" (17.8cm x 12.7cm)Oil on Gessoed HardboardE-mail me for inquiries.I fell in love with paintings of still lives with really dark shadows and really light areas. I painted an orange and a paper bag a few days ago for a juried competition, and I fell in love with the results, so I'm finding myself waiting for tat strong sunlight coming through my kitchen window at noon to arrange my fruits and veggies to photograph them as a reference for my works. There is certainly no light box that could provide me with this effect. This painting is going to Chelsea Gallery as soon as is dry enough to ship. A couple of eggplants, the original white one and the most popular one (my favorite) the dark, really dark almost black purple one against a wall with really intense light and shadows. Please contact the gallery to purchase this painting.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Life , Still Life , Eggplant

Labor Day
2007-09-04 23:22:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard6" wide x 6" high (15.2 x 15.2 cm)Bid NowOn Friday I went out to take some pictures for reference at the Stoney Creek Park here in Michigan . The park is about 20 minutes from my house, and that's were I used to mountain bike with my son. There is a pretty large lake with beaches, piers for boats, fishing area and all sort of amenities. I parked at one of the beaches and took a bunch of pictures. This is one of them. A couple of friends talking while on the water. The sunlight was still pretty strong even though it was way passed 6:30 pm. Although I had a hard time with the face of the lady in the red hat, I was finally able to make it right. Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Labor , Figurative

Red Light
2007-09-04 06:04:00
Oil on 3/8" Gessoed Hardboard12" wide x 6" highBid NowThis past Friday I went for a photo shooting as I needed more inspiration for my new work. I had to drop some paintings at a nearby town called Romeo, and I headed to the Stoney Creek for some pictures before going to the town. The day was gorgeous! a warm, bright, sunny day, barely any clouds on the sky. As I'm stopping at the red light on 26 mile and Mound Rd, I look up to check for the light, and I see these clouds crossing by. I thought the whole scene was kind of funny, like if the red light was the signal for the clouds to cross the street, so I had to take a picture. The people on the other cars must have thought I was totally crazy, or that maybe I never saw a red light before! haha! in any case, a very nice setting.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Michigan , Light

Is it because?....
2007-09-01 20:24:00
A few days ago I read a post on someone else?s blog which I?m not mentioning which struck me in a very bad way. I?ve being trying to let go of the whole thing, but as human as I am, I can?t. The post referred to Duane Keiser and was basically saying that this person, the owner of the blog, was a collector of his work when he started out at selling for $100 a piece, but since he (DK) decided to ask more for his work by auctioning it he would no longer be collecting Keiser?s work as he thought Keiser was asking too much. This person also mentioned that he thought asking $100 for a 6?x 6? painting was more than enough since Keiser was earning $36,500.00 per year by selling these small paintings, and that he didn?t considered appropriate to sell them for more than that, basically saying he considered $36,500.00 a year for an artist is enough money.Now I?m asking who in hell decides what an artist should make a year? Why is a problem for some people that an artist who?s collected worldwi...

Taking Notes
2007-08-31 01:38:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardoard6" wide x 6" highPlace your bid nowThis lady all dressed in blue, was sitting on a bench on a terrace right behind the building where the Consulate of Venezuela in Chicago is located. Talking on her cell phone and writing down maybe an address or something. I couldn't resist the temptation to take a picture. She didn't even noticed.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Notes , Figurative , Taking

Smoking a Break
2007-08-30 07:16:00
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard6" wide x 6" high (15.2 x 15.2 cm)Place your Bid (auction starts 8/30 around 7:00pm PDT)On our second day in Chicago , we had to be early at the Venezuelan Consulate which is located at 20 N Wacker Dr. After we showed up at the consulate, we were asked to come back in an our and a half. That was my chance! with the camera in my hand we went for a long walk and picture shooting. As we crossed the river, right behind the building were the consulate is, there it was this guy with an orange jacket from the Chicago Water Taxi, which appeared to be on a break smoking a cigarette.... or was the cigarette smoking him?... I was attracted to the way the soft light was hitting him, no dark shadows, as it was early in the morning and the shadows from the buildings around softened the ambience. He was standing between two stone columns and with the entrance to the water taxi, I thought the whole scene couldn't have being more natural and casual.Questions? Comments? Post ...
More About: Break , Smoking , Figurative , Brea

Is too hot, I'm going home
2007-08-27 23:59:00
Oil on gessoed board6" wide x 6" high (15.2 x 15.2 cm)Bid NowThe picture that inspired this painting was taken in a beach in the north of Spain, Laga Beach in the Basque Country, well known internationally for its really high waves, being a favorite place for surfers from all over the world. We lived in the Basque Country for almost 2 years, and we visited this beach a couple of times. Very funny as is being said the waters walk. The beach gets literally packed with people, and this day was no different. It took a good deal for us to find parking, but as we arrived this young woman was living the beach. Of course camera in hand, before getting in the water we snapped a bunch of pictures and she happened to be in one of them. It looked like she was really hot and just wanted to leave the beach before melting away.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Landscape , Home , Figurative , Going , Goin

Out of the Paper Bag
2007-08-27 08:14:00
Oil on gessoed hardboard7" wide x 5" high (17.8 x 12.7 cm)I wanted to participate on The Greenwich Workshop Gallery's Small Works competition, which closes on August 31 (I forgot to enter earlier!) so because I didn't have anything for this event, I started playing with my camera and all I could find in my kitchen, to have a reference so I could have a painting done today to submit for the competition. Tons of pictures I took. I played with tomatoes, grapes, cherries, garlic, bottles of olive oil, everything I could literally find in my kitchen! I wanted to have something ready today, but none of the pictures I took I liked, so I stopped for one moment to think, as I did I saw this gorgeous beam of light coming through in between the curtains on my kitchen window and hitting my floor. So I grabbed all the fruits I had, out them on the floor so the beam of light would hit them and started playing again with my camera. My son was coming with a paper bag and some toys inside, so I as...
More About: The Paper , Paper

Olive Oil, Tomato, Basil and Garlic
2007-08-27 07:07:00
7" x 5" (17.8cm x 12.7cm)Oil on Masonite BoardBid NowRecently I was contacted by another daily painter and avid cook, Nancy Standlee from the Artist Food Network blog http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com/ a very nice lady by the way! and she invited me to be part of their wonderful blog, the only thing is that I needed to share a recipe of my own along with a painting that would match the recipe. So this will be the painting for it. My recipe a simple basil and tomato sauce for pasta with a matching painting! Enjoy.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Garlic , Olive Oil , Basil , Tomato , Arli

A fry and a lot of ketchup
2007-08-25 05:35:00
4" x 4" (10.2cm x 10.2cm)Oil on Masonite Board$150 with FREE shipping and handling in the US and CanadaE-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.Not my favorite food, but certainly my little one loves it, and a whole lot of ketchup. It is incredible how much mess a 4 year old can make with a bottle of ketchup. Looks like the fry is not only being dipped in the ketchup, but is about to hide in there.Questions? Comments? Post them right here or email me
More About: Ketchup , Etch