Amy Carter-Ishmael » Portfolio of Works

As I pulled up to watch the sunset over the lake, and relished in the peacefulness of the almost empty parking lot, the one other car released this lovely young woman, who I had believed was there for the same reason.  She left her car, and as she looked at the sunset, wandered into the lake's edge.  Deeper she moved until she stood almost in front of me, as if a paid model.  She took up residence in the lake during the temporary golden light of the sun that day, and I had to paint her for eternity. 

This pastel Original is available at Adams Galleries of Austin, in Lakeway, Texas.

in 2024, I traveled East of the Mississippi River again.  This time taking my time along the way to enjoy private and public rual spots to paint, while my family traveled with me.  We were going for a 90th birthday party in Northern Virginia.  The week before we arrived, I found this lovely rural spot that reminded me of a story my father had told me.  The contrast of this new barn against the older ones that were is disrepair seemed to call to me to paint it.  The story my dad shared was as a boy, his uncle had been so pleased with his tractor and new barn, that he invited his young orphaned nephew to learn to drive the tractor.  

Unlike this barn that is still standing proudly in the landscape, my dad, ended up driving right into the new barn with the new tractor.  As a child my eyes grew wide, with dismay! 

Yet, my dad said what impressed him the most was that his uncle approached him and made a good-natured comment to check and see if his nephew was unhurt.  "A Barn can be replaced, you can't".

Galveston, Texas: A Few En Plein Air Paintings

I am a trained printmaker, and by that I mean I create original art using printmaking processes, like etchings, woodcuts, linocuts, drypoints, monoprints, solar prints, and others. 

(I currently have one prior pastel image available in a "print on demand" through FASO for an 8" x 11" size.  This can not devalue the original, as it hadn't sold at a lower price, so I improved it and offered it via contact page private meeting.) 

The Black and Whites are 21st Century Automatism.  In 2016, this style won first prize in Printmaking at The Texas State Fair, with the work, "Give Us This Day, Our Daily Bread".

A Bit About Printmaking

Each Artist Print is hand pulled and considered an original work of art, (except for Print On Demand Items as mentioned on that page).   Hand pulled from a plate of either copper, zinc, linoleum, wood, or some of the newer hard surfaces, or with inks pushed through a hand made screen as in Screen Printing.   

I have also used some man made wood products to create large "Steam Roller Prints", where an actual Steam Roller is rented to roll over the block and paper to create a large print.  The last one I did was at The Kimbell Art Museum, in Fort Worth, Texas. 

It may take 30 artist hand pulled prints to get an edition of 22 images that are close enough in tone and color and positioning to allow them to be part of an original Limited Edition Artist Print. 

Once an edition is run, the plate is sometimes ruined on purpose by the artist, and another artist print is pulled.  This is known as a "cancellation print", and ensures the collector that no more of that image is authorized by the artist.

Since I do experiment with color, right now I have a few small edition prints where I have one in gold, one in purple, of different numbers.  Example:  An Edition of 6 in Gold.  An Edition of 10 in Purple.  Still never getting beyond the 22 images I try to retain as a small edition size, to maintain high collectability.

I do not make Limited Editions of my paintings.  To do that, I would need to have been trained in Stone Lithography, which is a process I admire, yet simply don't have the expertise of at this time. 

Giclée's are not Stone Lithography, and are not actual lithography, although there may be some skill involved in that form of duplication, it gets into the area of digital art, which is not my area of expertise.

Occasionally, I may decide that my skill level has advanced beyond the skill exhibited in a work of art in my Website.  When this happens,  I may improve upon the original.  If I do, yet I find the first reedition still charming, I may offer it as Print On Demand, Decoration.  Please make no mistake in thinking those hold any value except beautification of a room.  

I advise almost all that original art is preferable to Print On Demand.  It's because I am also a collector of original prints and paintings, that I ensure you've been able to see this.

Included in this category is a small sample of some 21st Century Automatism work.  

Shown Oil from Sept. 2022 and Acrylic from 2011-12.  Commissions available.  

These items are customized paintings in pastel, watercolor, Abstract or Botanical.  Abstract Oils coming in mid November, including the En PLein Air Abstract of The Aspens in Colorado, done on location at the Central City Invitational En Plein Air Event, Sept. 2021.

I will need either the name and photos of the botanicals from your client that they want painted or color swatches of the colors they want matched for my abstract paintings.  These need to be delivered three weeks before your paintings ship.  These are originals, no giclees.

Decorators and Designers may buy outright at the prices listed and then I will not list the customized work on my website.

However, Decorator Feedback as client review is welcomed on my site.