I Sketched Patty Sylvana live at Link Coworking

Patty always like to sit in the back section at work, facing the windows.  She is so happy in her spot, as I hope that you can see.  She always says: “Don’t you just love to sit and look out this window?” It is truly a fantastic view out the floor-to ceiling windows, with the […]

Conducting Business at Epoch Coffee

She came in and sat down with a coworker at the storefront table next to me. With her shiny black hair, and the widely woven houndstooth coat were just too good to pass up. I was in the middle of painting her profile, when her phone rang.  It seemed important. There was an interchange of […]

I Painted Martin Button in My Studio

Here is Martin. We all love him. Martin is originally from New Zealand. He first came over to America to attend college at Berkley. He is a seismic engineer, and a structural engineer. At the present time, he is working on Building No. 7 (WTC), the Chinese Ferris Wheel (largest in the world), and many […]

A Smattering on Painting Technique and Questions

This post was originally one of my first, in a series on technique.  The post, “The Difference Between Drawing and Painting” has had over 1100 views since I posted it.  I’m a slow learner, but I think maybe some of you out there would like to see more of my thoughts on technique.  Please, please […]

I Painted These Lovers Under a Rusted Moon

I know that it is very “poster-like”, but that is how it came together.  I painted this couple at Spider House.  They were so in love.  It made me happy.  The end.

A Painting in Honor of an Interview by: thataustingirl.com

Tolly Moseley, the talented force behind  the BLOGUS MAXIMUS  thataustingirl.com did an interview of me at Pacha.  She is just delightful, and wants to redirect her blog towards interviews.  She deserves to be noticed.  Here is the interview: http://thataustingirl.blogspot.com/2009/01/interview-lavanna-martin-of-i-stare-at.html%5D%5D If you go to her blog and see what her interests/talents are,  the painting that I […]

I Painted This Artsy Man at Quack’s

I painted him on a Saturday at Quack’s.   He popped in and sat down two tables away from me,  providing the perfect distance and profile pose to paint him.  It was a very quick oil sketch, but I think that I captured him and his impish personality.  He came over to see what I […]

The Seventh Starving Artist Story

In the previous story, I told you how I got to Cranbrook Art Academy by train.  I also want to tell you about some of the clothes that I packed for the trip.  Since I didn’t have enough money for winter clothes, and had never been in snow, I thought that I would do just […]

My Fifth Starving Artist Story

I was sad when Victoria Donner, Tamsen’s older sister moved out of the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs.  I found her to be the sweetest and most approachable of all The Donner clan.  Her room was immediately taken by Parivash Shogi’s cousin, who was sent from Tehran to America for brain surgery. Pari was the […]

My Fourth Starving Artist Story

Stick with it, there is a photo at the end.   This Starving Artist post will focus on Tamsen Donner, who was a large influence on my life.  We ended up taking a trip through the South together – a trip that I will never forget. God chiseled and hammered Tamsen out of the hardest stone.  […]