Farmers Market - day 9

Farmers Market #26

8x6in Oil on canvas $145. SOLD

Artist Note.

This is a fully realized study.

It started off as a sketch 

during the summer and I kept going

here and there until today when 

I added some finishing touches.

I call it a study because I

became very aware of what, how...

and why I was placing the paint.

The reason...

I am working on a huge Farmers Market

painting. A commission.

Huge for me. 

It is 43in high by 62 inches across. 

That is equal to 50 of my daily paintings.

I will be doing some Farmers Market

paintings to help get me back into the 

groove - so to speak -  

and I will be sprinkling them 

amongst the challenge paintings.

A Thank You

This was my third Challenge and this time

I knew enough not to have a 30 day 

theme, but allowed myself to change my 

subject and 

media to suit my inspiration. 

The best part was finding the work 

of accomplished artists

whose art inspired me. 

With so many participating it 

was pretty well impossible to get around 

to leave a comment

 as well as

completing a painting 

AND 

working.

The good news is they stay on Leslie's blog forever 

so I will have plenty of time to catch up.

I loved the map Leslie had on her page for 

registration and finding 

where many of the participating 

artists lived. Neat!

I also want to thank all of you who 

visited with words of encouragement.

I swear I have the BEST, smartest

and friendliest artists who take 

the time to visit and comment.

P.S.

A minor bit of surgery hindered my 

final few days of the Challenge

and completing the requested collage 

of all 30 paintings

would have polished me off

completely.

Side Entry Nest - day 30 in the challenge

Side Entry Nest

11x9" watercolor on Yupo Paper NFS

Day 30

Artist Note.

A friend gave me this wonderful

nest recently.  

He knew that the nest was no 

longer occupied and he thoughtfully

included the tree branches which 

supported it rather than

destroy it's structure.

I love the "side entry" type nest, but this one 

tragically came with two tiny

skeletons in the interior.

Unanswered questions.

Were they too large to have

been recently hatched?

Or were they the parents?

I will be very respectful 

in my handling of them 

and their lovingly made home

If you can use your imagination

 there are two leaves up on the right

near the opening which I painted to 

form an abstract shape suggesting

a bird flying towards it.

This is the last painting

for the challenge.

I will do a wrap up of my experience 

tomorrow.

Watercolor Changes - day 29 in the Challenge

Sunflowers and Pomegranates

13x10" watercolor on Yupo paper

unfinished

Day 29

Artist Note.

On yesterday's post I mentioned how I had just

been given some fresh pomegranates and

would like to TRY adding one to this painting.

It is on Yupo and it's plastic surface makes it easy

to lift off a previously painted area  See below

I formed the shape I wanted with a 

damp paper towel. I also removed the sunflower

 resting at the bottom of the jar.

Next I placed the actual pom in the position

I thought would be best

Naturally... and I know you will ALL understand this...

other changes then started to happen. 

It seems pretty impossible to make a change 

without the eye noticing all the other areas

 effected by the new shape and color.

Also it is a sunny day and my set up

appeared much brighter.

One back pear disappeared.

The jar became slightly wider

A cooler blue was added - so much for 

limited palette! Other colors and shapes

changed too.

(I do enjoy a warm and cool of each primary.)

I sharpened up some edges 

and softened others.

Below is the one before the changes

I have to live with this new version for a while

to see how I feel about it.

I do know I am glad that I tried the pom addition.

Bit more energy.

Oh No...A Redo. How embarrassing!

A corrected version of my previous day's post

SOLD

day 12.

Artist Note
We all learn from others mistakes - right?
I am sharing this in the hope that it
will help someone else.

I noticed the weak design when I saw it with
  fresh eyes this morning.
Groan...and it was sold too.

Here is what I thought was wrong.

Two competing shapes and sizes .
What do you see - chair or fireplace
OR BOTH.
Eyes flicking back and forth between them
indicating no focal area?

Top it off with  a (floating) brown shape
see below

It did not link to anything - it just was there.

Oh My...what to do?

Can I sell something I feel is not my best

at that given time?

I know others must have gone through this same dilemma.

I struggled back and forth all day and then I pulled 

out the trusty glass and made a shape of another 

chair across from the one painted.

(shown below. - excuse the ratty taped corners on the glass!)

I knew right away that I preferred it this way.

It solidified the intimacy of the setting.

The fireplace becomes the area you 

should see first.

So I set about painting it and it solved the problem

of the dark pot too.

I do hope the person who had bought it 

agrees with my choices, and

if not, I know a neat couple who would be 

delighted to get it.

I did paint this today so I think it qualifies as

a challenge painting - in more ways than one.

Cutie! - day 4 of the Challenge

Cutie!

6x6in watercolor on paper  NFS

Artist Note.

When I compare this to yesterday's

bird, I have to laugh. 

Did the same artists do them?

This one is obviously fresh and 

spontaneous - yesterday's was labored and 

 I became so frustrated.

This one is a quick recording of what 

I saw and felt...not meant to be a 

a finished painting.

Neither was the other.

I prefer different areas in each of them.

 So what happens 

to the eye, mind and hand?

Consistency is elusive.

Ask any golfer!

A new nest - on loan from a friend.

Better than flowers... for me!

Looking, Watching... - day 3 of the Challenge.

Looking, Watching!

7x5in watercolor on paper NFS

Artist Note

I have painted this little goldfinch

several times, and I have 

many little sketches of him and his less 

colorful mate, busy building their nest.

I thought I could just pop a little painting out

as I was very familiar with the subject.

Ahem,...wrong!

You would think I would know better by now. 

TRUTH.

Painting is unpredictable.

Pressure...it is the darn "Challenge" and 

I thought with panic... I can't miss after

only three days

So I moved on to do a different bird

and just to let you see how frustrated I got

here is what an exasperated brush 

can do!  See the complete loss of white paper.

Oh boy!

Back to the goldfinch to see if I could

rescue it. By this time I am tired and frustrated.

Pity Party Time.

I had classes all day at the guild, 

and did not start painting until 8pm. 

I was tired as in midnight tired.

Hubby dearest suggested fresh eyes 

in the morning would help.

7am

 I splattered and used some 

chinese white on the nest.

Have to think about it some more...

But at least I posted!