Working on perspective

Here's a challenge. Find a beloved, symbolic subject--a church in this case-- and work on realistic perspective.

I love water, moonlight, and trees, partly because you can be free and imprecise. However, showing space and distance with any realism is quite challenging.

And then, how to imbue feeling and significance?

Paisley swirls

The leaf picture evolved.

Kitchen work

Some of my best work is done right at this counter.  Sometimes, it's chopping veggies for a salad or casserole. Or mixing up a batch of gluten-free pizza dough.

This is also where my grandchildren eat cereal or ice cream. There are bar stools on the other side.

From this vantage point, I can see the TV or the backyard full of palm trees.  So this is great place to paint.

I dwell in possibility.

Emily Dickinson 

Rachel

Here's where my addiction to painting began. I have always enjoyed collecting art and art prints. In high school, I did some painting. It's so relaxing, yet energizing. Rachel and I decided to go see what these wine and art deals are all about. I don't really do the wine thing, but the instructor encouraged us to paint without fear.

That was my second round of group painting. Previously , I went with a group of friends from work. That, too, had been a blast. I ended up thinking, "Why wait until we can all get together? Why not buy some canvas and supplies, and do this for fun?"

In all things, my family encourages me. My friends all wanted pictures, too. I began asking them to replace my canvases, because it can run to hundreds of dollars. They have been happy to do so, and I continually have projects in the making now.

Base layer

This is a close up of small plant surfaces.  It's from a photo of "dew." That's all it says.  Krystal said the photo spoke to her, so here goes.  It's not my usual type of painting since it's mostly blobs of colors.

Tonight, I'm adding a sheen to it and some other colors.  I'm also repainting a picture of kids in a field of pumpkins.  I've learned a lot about painting since I did the first edition.  People are really hard to do.  It's easy to end up with cartoon figures with no contouring or shadows.  

The great property of acrylics is that you can let it dry and paint over it until you have something you like.  If I don't get paintings out of reach, I obsess and repaint...over and over.  

New brushes!

These do some interesting things. Got a new supply from my favorite patron. Had a chance to see what effects these produced

Finished!

Finally got the butterfly just right, and the path pic for my inspirational friend. It's suitable, because she is always seeking the best path, bringing others with her.

To love is so startling it leaves little time for anything else.

Emily Dickinson 

Brainy Quotes

Today's work

I made progress on the path

Seasons progress

Here's the tree quad now

Easels, paints, and brushes

I have a question for artists out there.  What is the best easel, and who makes it?  My table top one isn't serving me well.  I think I'd like a floor model.  But they are pricey, so I need to know what I'm looking for.

How about paints? What is your favorite brand? And brushes? Any input would be appreciated.

New projects

Finishing some butterflies and a secret garden, starting a winding green path.

This week, I gave my pink flower painting to a dear friend at school. So there's a gap that needs something bright and springy. However, the winding path is for another friend, so I'll be dreaming up a large item for some of the space. 

     Today will also be filled with soup-making, grocery shopping, and laundry.  And lesson plans! 

Seasons

My new quad is more definitely showing changing leaves.  Kao woke me at 4:15, so even though it's Saturday, we're up listening to country music radio.

My "studio"

     I have ended up in the piano room, since cooking around a bunch of paint supplies is messy. For me, it's better to work on multiple items. If a person has several things going, she can walk away and let it dry.  Or simmer on the back of the stove, or ripen.  With writing, she might get a brilliant flash of insight and add just the right dialogue.
     However, when I'm trying to cook and paint and watch "Love it or List it" while texting and read Pinterest, it's better to do all that in the kitchen.  So I still end up toting all this out there, and hoping I don't dip the brush in my coffee.

Enough with the irises

I'm going to quit before I make this too muddy.

I am forever telling students not to write too much in essays.
A big temptation for students who feel ambivalent about the essay is to throw in all kinds of disconnected, random thoughts in hopes of speaking to the prompt. My job is often handing them the red pen.
My painting temptation is to fill the entire page with paint splashes and swirls. So, I'm ceasing while there's still some pale green background like spring light.

Manhattan Pier

I'm painting this from  a photo of my grandchildren with the seagulls on a windy beach.  It makes me feel like I'm there getting sand in my toes and wind through my hair. 

So, my daughter looked at me and Sam.  "You two are completely ridiculous, of course, but neither of you has any wrinkles. " We were not taken aback at all, as that's her usual conversational style.  When I think about all the things we've seen and done, I'm amazed that we are not more wrinkled.  The day at the beach, for instance, running about with these kids and our daughter and son-in-law, we felt...16 or so.  And while it seemed like last week that our children were small and running through the surf, it sometimes seems 100 years ago. How to paint beach background  I should have viewed this video before! Oh well, next photo. 

Irises

Did you know those prepared canvases have the coolest texture? I always buy the cheap two packs and gesso the canvas myself. My friend brought me 5 gorgeous pre-primed canvases of several sizes. I started with a blue background, then used some acrylics thinned with glaze. The effect is really delicate and misty looking

New quad

I started a new multicolor quad, this one for Kristin.

The challenge is to make it different from the last quad I did.  When I paint for people, I don't want to produce a lot of duplicates. That's boring.  After all, I paint for fun, not because I have some great artistic vision.  I combine their vision and my enjoyment and try to come up with something that will delight us.

Hopefully, I will never go off the deep end and cut off my ear, or paint with sheep's blood or carve revolting sculptures. While that makes art deep and interesting, it does not induce a person to hang it on a wall.  

I received new paint this week, some from Kristen, and some from my wonderful colleague and boss.   Remember when you were a child, and you opened up that new pack of Crayolas? Or the new set of markers?  I looked at those paints and thought of all the fun to come with putting it on canvas.  I wanted to play Christmas music in the background. 

Unexpected visitors

There were pelicans in the pond today! At first, they looked like an overturned horse frothing up the water. A closer look revealed 7 individuals diving for-- what? Tadpoles? Fish?

Moody blues

I got this too dark at first, but was able to lighten and brighten.

I watched a youtube video to learn techniques:Video from GagnonStudio-clouds at night

I learn something new with every attempt.  I will keep working on this painting and on a couple others I started that don't yet seem complete. 

There's soup in the pot.  A tribute to my German roots--all cabbage and beef and rice.  It's a chilly day, good for reading and painting and little household chores. 

Moody blue reflection

I'm working on a moon picture. The challenge will be mating the top and bottom seamlessly. I have questions and wish someone in my circle was an avid painter.  Do I make the moon perfectly circular?  Must clouds be cottony and realistic, or can I just show the energy of the scene without reproducing it? Because, after all, a camera would duplicate the scene more faithfully.

Twisted Trunk

A journey back to fall--I posted this and a friend immediately claimed it.  I love it when someone "gets" my painting!

Rocks!

I keep seeing darling painted rocks on Pinterest. Ready to try some of my own!