Happy New Year Roses

Roses from a Friend

8x6in oil on canvas  $125.

Well - am I a lucky gal or what! A friend
decided she knew the answer to my recent "trials and
tribulations" and sent me these gorgeous roses.
Lickity split...just like that, I painted these without
any redos.

Artist Note.

As I finish this year I reflect on the personal growth
in my art. I managed to develop my own technique and
even devised a tool for doing it. It has brought me deep
personal satisfaction as well.
Looking back on my journey into Fracturing, I can see
bits of it appearing and then disappearing for many years.
It took the discipline of painting every day to bring it out.
I wanted the looser appearance in my work but didn't
want to just swish my brush over the edges to get it.
There were a whole pile of artists doing fresh loose
paintings. This was the school I was drawn to.
Studying John Singer Sargent was a great way to start.

This very week, one year ago, I painted these roses.

I still love roses and blue and white vessels, and I was
rather pleased with this one here, but I can
tell you that I prefer the actual act of painting the new one.
It holds my interest and I find the painting has more "life"
to it.

Breakthrough pieces were
these freesias.  I painted this
one very loosely and fast
on oil primed canvas.
(This one has never sold
and I always thought it
was a strong painting.)

I followed it with the version above. Both were painted
as a demo to show the different approaches to the same
subject. I loved painting this one so went  back to try
and do it again.

 This time I tried it with hard
surfaces to see if it would
work.
I was delighted to find it did.

I use the two pieces above in my gallery area to demonstrate
what the fracturing is in comparison to my more realistic pieces.
I can tell you that as many visitors like the first one
as do the second one. It is the more knowledgeable ones,
and usually artists, or ones with some art background
who enjoy the Fracturing.

Next step was to see if I
could use the technique
with a landscape.
I did a series on
Yellowstone using the
watercolor sketches I had
painted when there.
I enjoyed it immensely.
I had found a technique I
could paint everything
with.

In March I did a series on lemons  and Daily Paintworks picked
my Lemonade as one of their "picks of the day"
and I was thrilled. Then a couple months later I was a featured
Spotlight artist (click if you would like to read the interview.)
I started to realize that my Fracturing technique had a following.
I was asked to do an Artbyte by Daily Paintworks so I made a video
(in real time ) It has been finished and will be offered later this month.

So this has been my trip down memory lane for the year 2012
I want to give a special thank you to those wonderful people
who have bought my work. You gave me encouragement
to continue in the new direction. Without art collectors there
would be less painters and what a loss to our culture it would be.

Thank you also to my wonderful blogging friends and supporters.
I look forward to seeing your new work and following your
amazing blogs in this new year.
I wish for you all a healthy, enjoyable and productive art life in 2013
Your friend in art,
Julie

Trials and Tribulations AGAIN!

Winter by the Stream.

6x6in oil on canvas  $100.

This is from a photo taken near Ruidoso, NM.

Artist Note.

It was great having so many other bloggers share that they, too,
sometimes kept working on a painting. I felt quite relieved..
but then...
 Another doozy!

If you follow my blog you will have seen the previous post on the
drawn out process I went through painting a simple tangerine.
I thought I would be smart and paint a landscape to avoid
the same situation  - WRONG!

Come with me on this now familiar trip.

This was the first attempt.
I didn't think it captured
what I felt
when I took the photo.
Values off maybe?
I should have left it alone!

Putting more color in to see if
I could come up with
something I liked.
I moved the middle ground
tree closer as well as making
the reeds brighter. I added
some green  to see how I
felt about that.
Lost the winter feel.

Played around with values
and intensity of the colors
Hated this one

So I scraped it all off
and went to bed!
I liked this one the
best so far.
At least it said
"atmosphere"






This morning I came back into the studio and saw
everything with fresh vision. I should have left the first
one alone and painted a fresh one correcting what I thought
I wanted to change.
I do like the top one the best.
I moved the middle ground tree back and made it a
mauvy color. Liked that! Then I made the
front trees thinner by cutting one out.
 Went back to the light ochre color
of the dried grass in the fields and the rust of the reeds.
Some green by the front trees brought some life into that
area and I made the stream wider.
 I feel it is a more solid little painting.
I have decided that I am in one of those
frustrating stages when I am being pulled in too many
directions and my regular routine has gone to pot.
My computer issues are still not fixed.
Lots of time on that. I  have a great expert helping me and
it seems my XP system was to blame for the problems,
so new computers have been bought (2) and  in the process
of getting stuff transferred.
I had made the mistake( see... it is not just in painting)
of getting a second hand one from the computer store.
Big Mistake!
Will not go into the details but enough to say I could
have cried. Feeling better now and cannot wait to get back
having a good flow in my work.

Trials and tribulations of painting a Tangerine

Tangerines

6x6 oil on gallery wrap canvas $100.


I love tangerines. There was always one in my Christmas Stocking.
A genuine treat until they got easier to buy in England.

Artist Note.

This has been a doozy to paint.
I blame it on the interruptions of the Season. So many things going
on plus the frustration of my computer issues.
Here is the progression explaining my discontent.

Headlights!
Two pretty equal sized
objects up front.
I enjoyed painting it,
but then had a good
look and thought
OMG you know better!
...fix it tomorrow.

 Day 2. Decided to see if
peeling part one of them
would improve the design.
Rather liked the dark,
front peel but the new
leaf I put in is on a
tangent with the peel.
Off with its head!
Thought I was finished
so ate a segment...

 Day 3.
Next day came into
the studio and
was intrigued by the
center dark between the
now stiff slices...
so decided to move and
paint a slice on the plate
Leaves are losing their
flexibility and color.
Painted it and left it
muttering
...

Yep  - day 4
A fresh look the next day.
The still leaves are looking
like semaphore flags.
(Girl Guide memories)
I think if they were
moving up and
down it would means "error".
How appropriate!
Tried for some color by
boosting the blue in the
plate and orange in tangerines.

DAY 5 - yes 5!
Painted a leaf drooping
and touching the orange.
Prefer it. Toned down
the color just a bit,
but by this time I
realized that no matter
what, declare it finished.
The tangerines
are all shriveled... just like
my initial enthusiasm.

I do hope by sharing this progression of...lets say, interesting painting
experiences, on a tiny 6x6in canvas...someone else will share with me
some comforting words of their own experiences.
I did paint other things in-between, but lots of interruptions and working
on a soft, flexible canvas instead of my usual canvas taped to a board
added to the frustration, but I tell you this, I would rather be involved
and frustrated with my painting than not painting. For Sure!

Merry Christmas to All

Flowers from Beverley

6x8in oil on canvas board   $125.


Wishing everyone a lovely, peaceful Christmas.
Christmas Eve is my favorite time of the whole holiday.
It is our tradition to enjoy a nice meal, open gifts and go to the
candlelight service after viewing the
luminaria display (candles in brown bags) in historic Mesilla.
New Mexico is a wonderful place to be during the holidays.
Here is a jovial song on our traditions. It takes a couple of
fun, and hopefully, interesting minutes. Click on to enjoy.
Christmas in New Mexico
Thank you Beverley for the lovely flowers.
A nice change from all the red and green I have been painting
Of course...that could be why you chose them!!!!!

Artist Note.

I am so appreciative of all the supportive comments.
I thank each and every one of you.
Please know my internet problems still exist.
Damage was done and
a new computer is on its way.
Will be back in a few days.

Meet Mr Fabulous!

Meet Mr. Fabulous!

4x4inch   oil on board  Not for sale

My daughter gave me this gorgeous Betta fish after my other
one passed on to the big rainbow in the sky.
I find it very relaxing and inspiring to see the amazing shades
of red, coral, blue and green
flashing with each movement as he swims in and
and out of the green weeds.

Artist Note.

How to paint a moving fish was a dilemma for me.
If I made it too sharp it didn't work at all. I found I had
to make it look slightly out of focus here and there to
look as is there was movement.
The light shining through the weeds made some
 areas glow with a brilliance impossible to duplicate.
Fracturing it made for some exciting moments...
I made a few headless fish before I got it right!

Antique Gift

Antique Gift

6x8in oil on canvas   SOLD

One of the artists from the Guild brought me in this lovely
antique teapot, creamer and sugar bowl (not shown)
The set belonged to her husband's mother, and the way
my friend put it... it was in the cupboard not being
used and she knew I loved painting teapots!
Hubby was a sweetie and agreed to let me have it.
This is my first attempt at painting two of the pieces,
and I know I will be including these fun pieces
in other paintings.
Thank you so much, dear Ken and Denise

Cyclamen from a Friend

Cyclamen from a Friend

8x8in oil on canvas. $150. SOLD

Still having problems so I am using a different computer
and internet carrier.
It is hard for me to imagine that only a few
years ago, if the computer had trouble it was no
big deal. How things change...I swear I went into
withdrawals!
I did use my phone to visit blogs and would leave comments,
 but apparently it was also a hit or miss situation.
Some connected and others didn't. Weird
Thanks to those of you who emailed to let me know they
missed my blog. Nice!

Artist Note.

The second workshop took place with another great group
of artists. The photos I took of their work are lost
somewhere in the computerland cloud. Some really exciting
steps were taken and I know none of them will ever paint
exactly the same way they did before the workshop.

This was a demo I started on the last day. It is larger than
my usual offering on this blog but can crop down to this size.
I think it is the first time I have painted a cyclamen.
I popped it into the little red basket and it was perfect to paint.
I really enjoyed it. Thank you, Karen.

internet problems

Waiting...waiting for the internet repair guy.

I am at friend's house using her computer doing a quick post
to let you all know why I have not answered all the
wonderful comments about the work accomplished
in the workshop.
You not only made me feel great but the artists
who participated must be feeling pretty good too.

Hope to be back online soon.
Cheers!

Tea Pot, Pine Cones and Workshop Images

Tea Pot and Pine Cones

6x8in oil on linen $125. SOLD

I love this tea pot!


Artist Note.

I only teach small classes of 6 because I find I can
be of more help to the individual artist and
still keep my energy up.
The six in this group were all talented artists with
open minds. A wonderful group energy existed
almost from the very start.

Here are some of the paintings they finished
during the workshop. All went home exhausted
because they had finished several paintings in three
days, and the first day was all exercises...getting
used to the handy tool, brush and knife work!
None of them painted like this before the workshop,
but I have a feeling that some of the things they
learned will pop up in future paintings.
At least I hope so.

They all loved the handy tool I make...once they
got the hang of it. I admit to quite a few groans at first
but the enthusiasm grew quite loud as the days went on.

I did not get to photograph them all, but here are
a few of the pieces. Only the exercises were
the same for everyone. Afterwards, they were
encouraged to choose subject matter which
held an attraction.

 The next workshop starts on Wednesday.
Now I know how to teach it, I am excited.
It was a real high seeing the enthusiasm in
the group and hope the next one goes as well..

Continuing...House in the Valley

House in the Valley

14x11in  oil on canvas


Continuing with the painting from my previous post.
I started with the house area and painted out
from there on a larger sheet of canvas taped to a board.
The previous image was the center area.
I like working on a painting this way as
it gives me a choice of image size.
I learned this in watercolor. Often the painting
had a decent part, but as a whole it did not work.
I would cut the best part out - mat it and it and it
looked great. No one ever knew the failure to
manage a larger painting well.
I will study this one for a while before
making up my mind on the size.

Artist Note.

I am relieved and thrilled that the workshop went
verrrrry well. I thank you all for the encouraging
comments.
It helped a lot that the workshop artists were already
experienced and ready to make some changes.
It takes a lot of courage to fracture at first. I mean...
who wants to mess up their own precious painting
technique?
But they were all intent of learning how to
make their paintings more interesting and painterly.
The reward for their courage?
Some wonderful painting came out of the workshop.
I took some photos and will show them tomorrow.