Off to do a Fracturing Workshop.

After Fracturing

The one below is obviously BEFORE

Taste is subjective, and I know

some people would

 like the realism above 

while others prefer the fractured

version.

BUT I know I prefer the eye interest

and energy of the fractured one

and it has turned out to 

have a much wider appeal.

Sometimes I go a little more

detailed and others I do not.

That is the beauty of 

this technique. You can use a 

little of it or a lot.

One thing I am sure of - 

fracturing totally holds my interest

and I am hoping that the artists

taking the workshop 

will enjoy it like I do.

So...where am I going?

WICHITA, KA.

I have never been there so I am very excited.

Hosting the workshop is

Teressa Singer at her beautiful gallery

see here  GALLERY

For the last several years I have stayed 

 in Las Cruces to do my 

summer workshops, but the 

chance of visiting my 

dear friend, the one and only

drum roll...

Miss LISA GRAHAM

was too good an opportunity to miss.

Lisa came out to visit here last year 

link below if interested to see what we got up to.

here

Lunchtime!

\

Lunchtime

6"x 6" Oil on canvas panel  $110.

Purchase HERE

Artist Note.

In an effort to be broader 

in my painting subjects, I am 

hoping to enter DAILY PAINTWORKS

weekly Challenge on a regular basis.

Carol Marine has chosen

Critters 

as the theme this week.

I admit to having to look up what 

defined a critter!

A pleasure to participate.

See everyone's entry

HERE

Window Flowers

Window Flowers

8"x6" oil on canvas panel $135. SOLD

Daily Paintworks hosts a

weekly Challenge

Carol Marine chose a window theme.

I love painting windows so I dug out a 

pic from a trip to Acapulco, Mexico.

I still managed to get this month's

theme of flowers in it though...

happy smile...

Artists Note

I do not believe in competitions

between artists for a few reasons - 

mainly that art is so subjective to taste.

I do enter Invitationals and enjoy

them very much so something 

like the DPW Challenge, 

allows for an artist to share in the 

pleasure of a venue with 

like minded painters

without pressure..

I used to enter weekly until my 

schedule became too busy.

I was fun to participate again.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/challenge/the-window

Orchid Light - Waxing Watercolor

Orchid Light

6"x 6" watercolor on Aquabord  

waxed finish.
gifted.

The glow from these
orchids appeared to illuminate
the air around them.
What a truly beautiful flower
the orchid is.

Artist Note.

I have had several requests for information

on how I wax my watercolors.

Here is a link to my original post,

March 28th 2014 

showing the way 

I use wax, the brand I prefer, and a video. 

How I apply wax to watercolor

I like the wax finish better than a spray varnish, 

but it is entirely a personal choice.
I know I do not want to use glass so
Aquabord by Ampersand
has worked well for me.

Ladybugs.

Ladybugs

8inx6in oil on canvas panel  $135.

Purchase HERE

I love the ladybug.
Somehow, I always feel I have
been given a gift
when I hold one in my hand.

Artist Note.

I painted this using
some photos and the watercolor
sketch below.
I was in Scotts Valley, CA.
visiting our son and family last year
when I saw this amazing group of
colorful hydrangea plants.

I discovered all the ladybugs 

when I started to paint. 

Gleaming spots of red on the green leaves.

Pure eye candy...

be still my heart!

Does anyone else like them, too?

Peony With Bud

Peony With Bud

6x8in oil on canvas panel  $135.

Purchase HERE

Artist Note

No - not a rose this time, 

but they are very much like a 

cabbage rose to paint.

A friend was up in Albuquerque

where they grow and brought me 

this one. It was wilting after the drive

 so I had to paint it fast.

Peppermint Roses and Solution!

Peppermint Roses

6x6in oil on canvas panel  $110. SOLD

Artist Note. 

Remember when I asked for help

last month?
( see LINK HERE )

Everyone came through

 sharing their own
personal stories. I was comforted
knowing what I experiencing
was more understandable than I thought.
Then I got a private email from a blogger
friend I had met in Carol Marine's
workshop a few years ago
suggesting I may want to see
my doctor...

When I told the doctor my symptoms she
ordered tests. She wanted to make sure
I had not had a TIA  (small stroke)
because some of
my symptoms were similar.

Results are in... Thankfully no TIA!
Instead it appears I could have been having
"painless/silent migraines."
Confusion and not being able to focus
 are part of the game.
I have had two more recognizable
events since, but I am not scared anymore
about the temporary forgetting how to paint.
(I watch my video!)
or how to evaluate it.

Anyway, I am trying to find the trigger,
(Could be some very old, potent,
balsamic vinegar presented as a gift)
but wanted to pass on the
results just in case anyone else
out there experiences a similar
situation. The advice to go to the
doctor for a check was very helpful.
Grateful Julie.

Another link to the original post  HERE

If you missed it, it is invaluable to read 
what 31 artists
shared about their own experiences.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/julie-ford-oliver/peppermint-roses-and-solution!/374669

Mums for Mother's day - Watercolor

Mums for Mother's Day

9x12 watercolor on Yupo NFS

Artist Note
My very special mother loved
this soft color of the classic
 chrysanthemum.
Long gone, she remains very much
alive in my grateful heart and mind.

Wishing all mothers a very happy DAY.

White Rose

White Rose

8x6in oil on canvas panel  $125. SOLD

Artist Note

This was a demo for a guild member

to show how I do transition edges.

Transition edges prevent the dreaded

cookie-cutter look by running a mixture 

of the background color and 

slightly darker value of whatever

you are painting... along 

the edges.

I find this applies more to the color

WHITE than any other color.

As  Marc Chagall taught us..

All colors are friends of their neighbors...

so you can see from the cropped close-up

all the colors from the background 

are mixed into the white rose and the actual white 

does not go all the way to the edge. 

There is a transitional value of pale color 

on the edges.

Below is the way John Singer Sargent  handled 

the transitional edge.

Click to enlarge and you will 

notice the purest white is not at the very edges.

And notice the background colors brought 

into the white

Ruth Sears Bacon

JSS

This one is hard to see, but it does have a line of

slightly darker values running along the edges.

Roses

JSS

Blue Jay Nest...and more

Blue Jay Nest

6x8in egg tempera on gesso board SOLD

Artist Note.

Roses to nests -
what a juxtaposition!

This is an egg tempera which is 

one of my all time favorite medias. 

It lends itself to very detailed imagery

which you can see here.

I rarely do any egg tempera paintings

any more, 

but treasure it when I do.
This was painted for a couple who
appreciate my egg tempera paintings.

Why Nests?

I cannot explain it, but

I paint nests out of a deep

personal need to explore these

fascinating pieces of 

avian architecture
and it has been an
enduring passion for many years.

I want to share 

some of the collection that I have in my 

own little gallery here on 

Main Street in Las Cruces.

(click to enlarge.)

Below are feathers, eggs and small nests

I have tall branches to display some nests 

in a natural looking way.

I mix some of my sketches and watercolors

in the display. A friend brings in small 

beautifully carved birds to stay for a while

...like this Baltimore oriole, below, next to 

his hanging pouch nest

None of these nest paintings are for sale 

because I found I missed them too much

when they all sold in my last exhibit.

Notice the little humming bird nest

still attached to the branch on lower left.

They take a spider web thread and use it to 

attach the nest firmly to the branch.

Brilliant!

The large egg below is a goose egg, and

twice the size of a chicken egg.

it gives you some idea of the scale of these nests.