Personal Art Blog

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

Sunday, May 31, 2015

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...
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.


Tuesday, May 26, 2015

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





Saturday, May 23, 2015

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



Wednesday, May 20, 2015

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. 


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.




Monday, May 18, 2015

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?



Thursday, May 14, 2015

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.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

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.




Friday, May 8, 2015

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.




Wednesday, May 6, 2015

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


Monday, May 4, 2015

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.