Personal Art Blog

Sharing the lessons I teach at the Artist Guild and the personal discoveries in my art.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Watercolor and my Stress-Buster Guest


 Roses and Pears
10x8"watercolor on Yupo

This one has been piddled with for quite a while.
Doing little bits in between doing other things...
like having a lovely friend visit me.

Artist Note.
I have followed the work of Lisa Graham 
for a couple of years now.  I have always been drawn to her 
artwork. They are unique, personal and usually 
tell a story I can connect to.
I loved and admired the way she took care of her mother
who was seriously ill. Over time, some personal
emails were exchanged and the friendship
became a delightful part of my life.
A magic moment happened last Christmas
when Lisa sent me a
glass ball stuffed with bird feathers
(link  feather ball )
I was so excited I painted it in the car
on the long trip to my daughters house

I had already invited Lisa to come, stay 
and paint with me, and, after her 
mother passed on a month ago, she
managed to do just that.

We painted together,  and of course, 
laughed and cried together. I had nursed my mother
so could could relate to much of what she was feeling.

Lisa discovered on her trip that there are 
lots of adobe buildings


and many blue doors in New Mexico



She enjoyed a toboggan type ride
down White Sands steep dunes
before doing 
a plein air painting of this area below.


Then we drove less than an hour to that 
strip of blue mountains ( you can see above)
where the large cloud cast its shadow on this
view from Cloudcroft, NM


9,000ft up and you can see the white strip
of White Sands where we were, in the distance. 
We enjoyed the cooler weather, light rain
and the hospitality of a good friend,
Anne Spier, who baked us choc chip cookies
before we headed back home to Las Cruces,
and more painting days...

Lindy, I thank you for joining us and brilliantly
thinking of adding the trip to Cloudcroft

Lisa bought me a favorite painting
as a house gift. She knows I love birds.
It is to be treasured.
Thank YOU, dear  Lisa
Your trip made me very happy.


To see more of Lisa's work
click here  Lisa Graham








45 comments:

  1. I love both of your art! KUDOS to a nice post!

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    Replies
    1. It sure is a happy post so thank you, Sue.
      I am still feeling Lisa's loving energy.

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  2. julie, i was just at lisa's, reading her post... i'm smiling the biggest smile at the thought of you two laughing, crying, and painting together. : )

    xoxo

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and letting me know it made you smile.
      You are certainly special to Lisa.

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  3. As I said...you are a gem. Bright and shining.

    About your painting...it turned out beautiful.

    I Miss you.

    Sending cyber hugs and kisses. xoxo

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    1. You wrote beautiful words and I am deeply touched. Feeling loved here in Las Cruces. Thanks for the wonderful time. You helped me laugh out loud which is good for the soul.

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  4. I am a fan of Lisa and you, I am so happy you both got to spend a lovely time together, Lovely painting Julie and Lisa's gift for you is beautiful.

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    1. Lisa and I were surprised to find how many artists we both admire and follow and yes...there was your name on the list!
      Thanks for the lovely comment.

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  5. Hi Julie,
    Very wonderful watercolour composition with Roses and Pears !!!
    Have a nice and creative week !!!

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    1. Glad you like the painting. Lots of tweaks took place but on Yupo it is easier...that is the reason to persist learning all about it.

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  6. This is one darned gorgeous watercolor, Julie!! Truly beautiful! I wish all the pictures would load (3 of them have not) but from what I see, Lisa got to see the beauty of the southwest. It has its own very unique beauty!

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  7. I take it back...the 3 finally did load!

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    1. How nice you are to persist. Glad you like the southwest like I do. Your time in Tucson helped with that. I like what Lisa wrote about the course you are taking.

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  8. What a heart-warming post Julie - as is Lisa's (I visited her blog too and love her art!). Your painting is beautiful as always and I loved reading about the special time you and Lisa spent together. Sounded like pure balm for the soul!

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    1. You are so nice - thank you, Wendy. Glad you visited Lis's blog and love her work. Me too! She is one, really special woman.
      Her mother was very fortunate that Lisa took care of her so well. Lisa is sharing photos of her mother on Facebook.

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  9. Thank you for being there for Lisa. She is amazing, as are you.

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    1. You are echoing what Lisa said about YOU!
      She puts hear heart and soul into her art and relationships.
      We are lucky.

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  10. I read Lisa' post also and I am delighted for the both of you. What a wonderful gift-a way to spend time together:)

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    1. It was indeed and, Yes - you were brought into our many conversations about the blogs we follow. We both click on comments to follow links to other blogs to broaden our horizons.

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  11. Wow, Yupo is HARD! I cant believe how well you paint on it, it reminds me of stained glass. Glad you enjoyed your house guest, love those blue doors :)

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    1. Hi Leesa, i agree - it is hard but like all things gets easier. Lisa did a wonderful job on hers...FIRST TIME too!
      Looking forward to seeing how you work with it.
      Thanks for visiting.

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  12. Dear Julie - thank you so much dear for sharing your lovely visit with Lisa. I have visited her blog before and her work is so engaging. I love your watercolor painting on Yupo - I think there is nothing you couldn't paint on my friend. You are certainly a true artist. Hope the rest of August is relaxing as well. Hugs (now I will go revisit Lisa's blog)!!

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    1. Hello Debbie - thanks you for your always encouraging words. Glad you enjoy Lisa's art work.
      You have a beautiful outlook and find the best in everything. I treasure that and I know everyone around you does too.

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  13. I love the photos of the adobe buildings. They have such a unique profile -- almost like an icon for the Southwest. Thanks for posting them and the lovely visit you had with Lisa.

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    1. I agree, kathy, there is something special about the adobe buildings. I love the rounded edges - nothing crisp and sharp. They catch and hold the light because of the slightly irregular surface.
      Thanks for visiting with a nice comment.

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  14. I was delighting in the way you handle water color on YUPO (and one with a rather complicated composition)- pretty amazing! But I especially enjoyed ready your post about spending time with our artist friends....(some of the most insightful people on the planet) - and how wonderful that can be. Thanks for introducing me to her work!

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    1. What a lovely was to say it. Insightful friends indeed!
      Happy to went to visit Lisa's blog. I sometimes scroll back and revisit some older ones. All are special.
      Thanks for liking my Yupo painting.

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    2. Here is a note from Ann - the one who made the cookies mention in the post
      ...Loved your post today Julie. What a special time for you and Lisa. Her blog post about you and what the visit did for her choked me up a bit.
      Hugs,
      Anne

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    3. This is one from another artist
      Mary Talamini
      Sounds like you and Lisa were meant to meet and fill a spot on each other's lives! So happy for you BOTH - you introduced me to her work and I have always loved it also. She sounds like a fun and talented person and so glad that she got the JULIE experience! xo, Mary

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    4. Thanks for taking the time to email me such a nice comment, Mary.

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  15. What a great posting. The photographs are a wonderful help in understanding and appreciating your landscape. Lisa is a very special person and I am so glad you both had such a meaningful and healing week. Big smiles on both your faces. Great.

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    1. Yes, the photos do get across the differences. Lisa is from Kansa which I understand is very flat where she lives. She told me that the sky becomes very important as well as the trees.
      Still smiling...

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  16. Such a nice post, Julie! The painting is outstanding ....and sounds like you and Lisa had an amazing time....I have always loved Lisa's work.....unique ...and her paintings always tell a story!

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    1. Thanks for liking the painting and great comment.
      Lisa is one of those people who makes everyone feel good by just being around her. She thinks 'nice" Her stories come from that beautiful attitude.

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  17. ...what happened? I started a comment and it disappeared..poof! Well, ok, I will try again. Lisa and you are both favorite blogger artists of mine--so I am stoked that you got to spent time together!...and I love your beautiful painting. Really fabulous colors!

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    1. You are great! Thanks for this visit, Celeste, and persisting through the darn disappearing comment event..Lisa and I agree - you are one of our favorites too.

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  18. This is a spectacular heart warming post and I absolutely LOVE the painting! How wonderful to bond with a new friend over deeply emotional and life changing loss. The trips you took are amazing! I really enjoyed reading about it and Lisa. And thank you for the link, I love her work.

    And thank you too for your wonderful words and thoughts, I appreciate them more than I can say. Take good care.

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    1. Suzanne - you, especially, have a wonderful way of communicating loving thoughts and encouragement to all of us. It is always a pleasure to visit and see not only your amazing art but to read what you share. Thanks for the visit.

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  19. Dear Julie is nice when a beautiful friendship "virtual" friendship becomes from life..
    There are empathy, traveling on the wavelength exactly as if people were truly present.
    (I note this with my granddaughters who will be here tomorrow evening). I think you and Lisa have had special moments, as persons and as artists. God blesses us with so many unexpected gifts putting extraordinary friends along the way and now He also uses the internet in addition to its traditional ways.
    I wish you a good continuation of the week with the painting on Yupo or canvas, all always so bright from your hands.
    Thanks for introduce the unique work way of Lisa,so intense vision of her inner reality.

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    1. As always, dear Rita, you grasp the situation with true understanding. The internet has created extraordinary friendships. When I was young we had pen pals in other countries, and it was a similar situation. Just not as fast in the replies!!
      Thanks for the beautiful comment. Hope you enjoy your grandchildren's visit.

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  20. I loved reading of your dear time with your friend ~ life's blessings.

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    1. Nicely put, Diane. Life's blessings. Lisa came at a particularly hard timein my life for me, and eased the stress with love, laughter and sharing.

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  21. Julie, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming to my blog! Big Hugs and much love xoxoxoo

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I love that you are taking the time to comment and thank you for it. I am sure other readers will enjoy them too. If you cannot comment through this format then email me at juliefordoliver@gmail.com
Cheers,
Julie