Barbara Lipkin, Paintings

10/01/2021

Riva's Journey Now available in Paperback at Amazon.com. Everyone in the United States today is an immigrant or descended from immigrants, with the exception of Native Americans whose ancestors were here before Columbus. Between 1880 and 1920, people from Eastern and Southern Europe poured into the United States by the millions. They were Russians and Poles, Czechs and Romanians, Italians, Greeks and Ukrainians....

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/10/01/rivas-journey-a-memoir-3/

Riva’s Journey Now available in Paperback at Amazon.com. Everyone in the United States today is an immigrant or descended from immigrants, with the exception of Native Americans whose ancesto…

09/21/2021

By Barbara Lipkin Now available for pre-order on Amazon. Get the book delivered directly to your E-reader on September 29th. Everyone in the United States today is an immigrant or descended from immigrants, with the exception of Native Americans whose ancestors were here before Columbus. Between 1880 and 1920, people from Eastern and Southern Europe poured into the United States by the millions....

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/09/21/rivas-journey-a-memoir-2/

By Barbara Lipkin Now available for pre-order on Amazon. Get the book delivered directly to your E-reader on September 29th. Everyone in the United States today is an immigrant or descended from im…

09/01/2021

A Wonderful Good Morning! Special Offer, 1 week only – September 1 to September 8 Take advantage of the Kindle Countdown deal to purchase A Wonderful Good Morning at a discount price, only on Amazon. A Wonderful Good Morning is a mystery with a bit of science fiction thrown in. If you enjoyed Groundhog Day, you’ll love A Wonderful Good Morning…...

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/09/01/special-offer-this-week/

A Wonderful Good Morning! Special Offer, 1 week only – September 1 to September 8 Take advantage of the Kindle Countdown deal to purchase A Wonderful Good Morning at a discount price, only on Amazo…

08/06/2021

A little while ago, I wrote about the importance of establishing genre when marketing your novels. A similar factor comes into play when peddling paintings. One of the first things an artist learns when creating a body of work is that it needs to be consistent, i.e., the viewers/prospective purchasers need to know what to expect when they hear your name....

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/08/06/another-word-about-genre/

A little while ago, I wrote about the importance of establishing genre when marketing your novels. A similar factor comes into play when peddling paintings. One of the first things an artist learns…

07/26/2021

What do you think of when you hear the words “Science Fiction?” I tend to think of things like space ships, little green men, and robots. Yet my new novel, A Wonderful Good Morning, contains none of those things. So why is it classified as “Science Fiction?” The problem is that every book needs to fit into a genre, a known category, in order to be marketable....

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/07/26/a-word-about-genre/

What do you think of when you hear the words “Science Fiction?” I tend to think of things like space ships, little green men, and robots. Yet my new novel, A Wonderful Good Morning, contains none o…

07/10/2021

Sometimes the painting just tells you what it needs and you have to listen This is "Sail Away," mixed media, 12 x 12.

06/30/2021

06/30/2021

Midnight Dream, acrylic, 12 x 12, $200 Inspiration, Mixed Media, 12 x 12, $200 Hope Rising, Mixed Media, 12 x 12, $200 Samba, Acrylic, 12 x 9, $200 Scherzo, Acrylic, 12 x 9, $200 Rhapsody, Acrylic, 16 x 9, $250 Sonata, Mixed Media, 12 x 12, $200

http://lipkingallery.com/?p=1354

Midnight Dream, acrylic, 12 x 12, $200Inspiration, Mixed Media, 12 x 12, $200Hope Rising, Mixed Media, 12 x 12, $200Samba, Acrylic, 12 x 9, $200Scherzo, Acrylic, 12 x 9, $200Rhapsody, Acrylic, 16 x…

06/09/2021

I'm excited to announce that my new Science Fiction novel will soon be released on Amazon. I have to say, I never saw myself as a Science Fiction writer before. But like creating mysteries, writing sci-fi is a matter of asking yourself "what if?" In A Wonderful Good Morning, the what if? is--what if our world is changing even more than we realize?...

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/06/09/a-wonderful-good-morning/

I’m excited to announce that my new Science Fiction novel will soon be released on Amazon. I have to say, I never saw myself as a Science Fiction writer before. But like creating mysteries, w…

05/15/2021

Hope Rising, Inspiration, and Welcome, Mixed Media, 12 x 12 My paintings and designs have been taking a whimsical turn for a while now, using a variety of different paints and applicators. Here I've used the marvelous Golden Fluid Acrylics, plus a variety of paint markers, to see what would happen if I just let 'the spirit move me.' My three most recent results say go with the flow and enjoy! Framed very simply, & ready to brighten up a corner of your room.

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/05/15/abstract-expressions-ca-2021/

Hope Rising, Inspiration, and Welcome, Mixed Media, 12 x 12 My paintings and designs have been taking a whimsical turn for a while now, using a variety of different paints and applicators. Here I& #…

05/09/2021

It's been a bit of a dry spell, but Spring is coming, more and more people are getting vaccinated, and Hope is Rising, (mixed media, 12 x 12.)

04/04/2021

I finished revising Riva's Journey, the fictionalized memoir of my grandmother's life from the time she came of age in the Jewish Pale of Settlement to the time she came to feel like a real American, after the second World War. So now, I'm on Round #2 of searching for an agent to help me get my manuscript published....

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/04/04/the-publishing-game/

I finished revising Riva’s Journey, the fictionalized memoir of my grandmother’s life from the time she came of age in the Jewish Pale of Settlement to the time she came to feel like a …

02/03/2021

The New Colossus Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,With conquering limbs astride from land to land;Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall standA mighty woman with a torch, whose flameIs the imprisoned lightning, and her nameMother of Exiles. From her beacon-handGlows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes commandThe air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame....

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/02/03/rivas-journey/

The New Colossus Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,With conquering limbs astride from land to land;Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall standA mighty woman with a torch, whose flameIs t…

01/03/2021

As with most other aspects of life, there are both pros and cons to publishing your books independently. On the one hand, you have total control of your work, from start to finish. On the other hand, you have to take total control of your work, from start to finish. That means writing, editing, designing the cover, designing the content's appearance, and--this is a big one--marketing....

http://lipkingallery.com/2021/01/03/the-indie-author/

As with most other aspects of life, there are both pros and cons to publishing your books independently. On the one hand, you have total control of your work, from start to finish. On the other han…

12/18/2020

Still Life with Turkish Pot, acrylic, 20 x 16 I bought this Turkish coffee pot in Istanbul years ago, in a little bazaar filled with rugs and leather jackets and the aroma of exotic spices. Today seemed like a good day to put it into a painting, using autumn tones but hopeful little flowers to help us get through the winter that's almost upon us. When Spring comes again, we can hope that most of us will have been vaccinated, and we can begin to emerge into the light again.

http://lipkingallery.com/2020/12/18/still-life/

Still Life with Turkish Pot, acrylic, 20 x 16 I bought this Turkish coffee pot in Istanbul years ago, in a little bazaar filled with rugs and leather jackets and the aroma of exotic spices. Today s…

11/10/2020

Writing is an art as well as a craft and like all acts of creation, writing a novel is a process of discovery. I'm working on the third revision of my next novel, "A Wonderful Good Morning," and it's only with this revision that my characters are finding their voices, because it's only now that I'm starting to understand who they are. [ 196 more words ]

http://lipkingallery.com/2020/11/10/finding-voices/

Writing is an art as well as a craft and like all acts of creation, writing a novel is a process of discovery. I’m working on the third revision of my next novel, “A Wonderful Good Morn…

09/22/2020

Rosy Glow There’s a curse, erroneously attributed to an old Chinese proverb, that goes, “May you live in interesting times.” I find myself living now, in the last part of my life, in an interesting time, and wishing that things were a bit less interesting. Actually living history is nowhere near as much fun as reading about it. Times of political unrest and instability, pandemic, and economic collapse with their attendant tension and uncertainty is definitely not what I would have wished to experience in my old age. [ 177 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/09/22/a-woman-of-valor/

Rosy Glow There’s a curse, erroneously attributed to an old Chinese proverb, that goes, “May you live in interesting times.” I find myself living now, in the last part of my life, in an interesting…

09/10/2020

Obviously, arts and crafts fairs were very few, if any, this summer. I was very lucky to have been able to participate in one in my own community last month. It turned out to be pretty successful for me, since I sold a lot of my books. It was also a lot of fun. I met some neighbors I hadn't known before, and had a chance to chat with plenty of others, everyone appropriately masked and distance, of course. [ 30 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/09/10/art-fair-covid-19-style/

Obviously, arts and crafts fairs were very few, if any, this summer. I was very lucky to have been able to participate in one in my own community last month. It turned out to be pretty successful f…

07/29/2020

Exit visa from Poland, 1921--Bennie, Meyer, & Riva I've been researching and writing the fictionalized memoir of my Grandmother Riva's life since the beginning of this crazy year. Since I have scant documentation, there are enormous gaps in my knowledge, so I've resorted to extensively researching the history of the times and places she knew as a girl and young woman. [ 311 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/07/29/rivas-journey-a-memoir/

Exit visa from Poland, 1921–Bennie, Meyer, & Riva I’ve been researching and writing the fictionalized memoir of my Grandmother Riva’s life since the beginning of this crazy ye…

07/10/2020

One thing good about being a painter and a writer is that I always work from home, anyway. So keeping busy has never been a problem. I've just sent A Wonderful Good Morning off to my Beta readers for comments and corrections, and then, one more final editing (I hope it will be final), and it will be ready for release. [ 143 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/07/10/art-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-part-ii/

One thing good about being a painter and a writer is that I always work from home, anyway. So keeping busy has never been a problem. I’ve just sent A Wonderful Good Morning off to my Beta rea…

05/29/2020

Creating a painting and crafting a novel have a lot of similarities in common. First, you have an idea, a sort of vague concept you’d like to explore. So you do a sketch or write a little story, just to see if the process takes you anywhere. You doodle around a little and more ideas happen. Eventually, you figure out a rough composition, so you pencil that in. [ 464 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/05/29/art-in-the-time-of-coronavirus/

Creating a painting and crafting a novel have a lot of similarities in common. First, you have an idea, a sort of vague concept you’d like to explore. So you do a sketch or write a little story, ju…

05/06/2020

So What Happens Now?, acrylic, 20 x 16, $300 It doesn't look as if this pandemic is going to end anytime soon, so we are all having to get used to a new reality. We've become familiar with words and terms we'd never heard until a couple of months ago, at least not in this context. Suddenly we're knowledgeable about PPE, social distancing, Zoom and so forth. [ 36 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/05/06/so-what-happens-now/

So What Happens Now?, acrylic, 20 x 16, $300 It doesn’t look as if this pandemic is going to end anytime soon, so we are all having to get used to a new reality. We’ve become familiar w…

04/23/2020

Aargy, acrylic, 16 x 20 Art in the age of coronavirus is an interesting experience. I can still paint in my studio, but getting my work out into exhibits and galleries is on hold for now. Like many other artists before me, I've found I can paint my feelings, which are complicated. On the one hand, I feel blessed to have a safe place to live and plenty of food to eat. [ 95 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/04/23/its-a-new-world/

Aargy, acrylic, 16 x 20 Art in the age of coronavirus is an interesting experience. I can still paint in my studio, but getting my work out into exhibits and galleries is on hold for now. Like many…

03/19/2020

Every artist knows that the idea of being inspired to create is overrated. Einstein said it perfectly. "Inspiration is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." An artist might come up with a great idea, but making it real means getting into your studio or sitting down at your laptop or your piano and getting to work. Nevertheless, sometimes that great idea refuses to stand up and say "hi." [ 133 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/03/19/on-inspiration/

Every artist knows that the idea of being inspired to create is overrated. Einstein said it perfectly. “Inspiration is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” An …

02/25/2020

So I'm right-handed. I broke my left arm 3 weeks ago. When I tell people that, they say, "At least it wasn't your right." I suppose I should be grateful, but you try it sometime! Go ahead--dress and undress using only your dominant hand. Takes forever to get my nightgown off, take a one-handed shower, one-handed shampoo, pull on cami, then a shirt. [ 126 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/02/25/who-knew/

So I’m right-handed. I broke my left arm 3 weeks ago. When I tell people that, they say, “At least it wasn’t your right.” I suppose I should be grateful, but you try it some…

01/30/2020

I love doing demos. Give me a brush and some paints and I'm ready to go. So January is nearly at an end and we've made it over the hump of another Chicago winter. It's downhill from here--all the way into Spring. It's been an interesting month for me, with my paintings on exhibit at 4 different venues: Sugar Grove Library, [ 130 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/01/30/another-page-turns/

I love doing demos. Give me a brush and some paints and I’m ready to go. So January is nearly at an end and we’ve made it over the hump of another Chicago winter. It’s downhill fr…

01/22/2020

Painting Lessons I've spent a lot of time these past couple of weeks getting ready for my book signing at The Frugal Muse and Music bookstore, which is a week from today! In case you haven't already marked it on your calendars, it's: Wednesday, Jan. 29th, 7 to 9 pm, at the Frugal Muse, 75th & Lemont Rd., Darien, southeast corner, in a small shopping center. [ 161 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/01/22/the-writers-life/

Painting Lessons I’ve spent a lot of time these past couple of weeks getting ready for my book signing at The Frugal Muse and Music bookstore, which is a week from today! In case you haven& #8…

01/13/2020

I like to read Heidi Stevens' column in the Chicago Tribune she titles "Balancing Act." She writes about the difficulty of managing to make good parenting decisions, pursue a career as a journalist, and balance both of those major areas with the rest of her life. I totally sympathize with her problem, as I'm sure most of us can. No matter what I'm doing, I always feel like I should really be doing something else. [ 97 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2020/01/13/balancing-act/

I like to read Heidi Stevens’ column in the Chicago Tribune she titles “Balancing Act.” She writes about the difficulty of managing to make good parenting decisions, pursue a care…

12/31/2019

I've just been working on a sketch of one of my granddaughters from a photo that's about 18 years old. She was a baby then, bright and smiling and totally gorgeous. She's still bright and smiling and totally gorgeous, but now she's a college freshman, looking to the future with confidence, ready to make a difference in her world. All five of my grandchildren were born at the turn of the century, this new century now entering its third decade. [ 301 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2019/12/31/turning-the-page/

I’ve just been working on a sketch of one of my granddaughters from a photo that’s about 18 years old. She was a baby then, bright and smiling and totally gorgeous. She’s still br…

11/30/2019

Well, the goal was to write a 50,000 word draft by today. Am I going to make it? Not unless I can come up with 14,040 words by midnight! Highly unlikely. But the good news is I've written 35,960 words towards "Time Warp: a Love Story," which is a Mystery/Romance with Paranormal Elements. (That may be a new genre I just made up. [ 58 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2019/11/30/so-hows-nanowrimo-going/

Well, the goal was to write a 50,000 word draft by today. Am I going to make it? Not unless I can come up with 14,040 words by midnight! Highly unlikely. But the good news is I’ve written 35,…

11/18/2019

A definition of "whimsy" is "playfully quaint or fanciful." I think that aptly describes this collection of small paintings, on display at the Lisle Library now through the end of January. I've been having a great time creating them, using the simplest objects around the house or just my imagination as the starting point for designing the various bright and colorful compositions. [ 37 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2019/11/18/whimsy/

A definition of “whimsy” is “playfully quaint or fanciful.” I think that aptly describes this collection of small paintings, on display at the Lisle Library now through the …

11/10/2019

Well, I'll tell you. NANOWRIMO is National Novel Writing Month, which is November of each year. It's a national challenge for people who write to draft a novel of 50,000 words in 30 days. The first time I participated was about 5 years ago, and the effort resulted in my first published mystery novel, Painting Lessons: a Bella Sarver Mystery… [ 244 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2019/11/10/so-what-is-nanowrimo/

Well, I’ll tell you. NANOWRIMO is National Novel Writing Month, which is November of each year. It’s a national challenge for people who write to draft a novel of 50,000 words in 30 day…

10/28/2019

Friday, Nov. 1st, 7 to 9:30 - Villa Park Library, 305 S. Ardmore, Villa Park Saturday, Nov. 2nd, 1 to 4:30 pm. 95th Street Library, 95th & Cedar Glade, Naperville. I'm really looking forward to participating in the two Local Author Events this week. It will be a wonderful opportunity for me to meet some of my fellow authors and for all of us to meet current and future readers. [ 51 more words ]
http://lipkingallery.com/2019/10/28/two-events-this-week/

Friday, Nov. 1st, 7 to 9:30 – Villa Park Library, 305 S. Ardmore, Villa Park Saturday, Nov. 2nd, 1 to 4:30 pm. 95th Street Library, 95th & Cedar Glade, Naperville. I’m really lookin…