Personal Art Blog

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

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Rose Duo - Day 10 &11


Rose Duo
Watercolor on Strathmore paper
NFS


Artist Note.
Sorry - a lousy photo for accurate color, 
but seeing I did 
not post yesterday I went ahead
and posted it. 

Yesterday my hubby and I drove to 
Santa fe to visit a dear friend
who was critically ill in
the hospital. It is a four hour drive 
so it was an overnight trip.
Glad we went because she had just been 
taken out of the ICU after 5 days
and into CCU. A good sign.
She has a long way to go but the 
prognosis is good.

I painted on the way there
something from memory

I painted on the way back
experimenting on Yupo


Several more "starts" were fussed over.
Maybe to be worked on the next trip?

The weather difference was quite profound.
This is what 300 miles can do.
This morning we left this weather in Santa Fe
and sailed past this beautiful scene with just
one hour left to arrive back in Las Cruces.

I love the diversity of this beautiful
Land Of Enchantment.

Friday, January 9, 2015

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.


Thursday, January 8, 2015

Snowy Sunset - Day 8





Snowy Sunset
8x6in oil on canvas  $125. Donated

The glow of a warm sunset against the cool
shadow of the snow makes an artist 
forget the cold.

Artist Note
Regarding the post about the circular 
rainbow on day 6

I was thrilled when this kind artist sent me the 
following email confirming my experience.

When I saw your rainbow painting
I knew it was a "Pilot's Halo".
I was a stewardess back in the 60's
and whenever we saw the shadow of
the plane against the cloud below
surrounded by a full rainbow
we used to love to make the announcement
and tell everyone to look
 and it created some excitement....
today when I see one I call the flight attendant
and ask them if they know what a Pilot's Halo 
is so I can show them...but 
they don't seem to care.
I guess the glamour and excitement 
has gone out of being a stewardess!!!
Maryann Stephens


Maryann belongs to a group of 
 8 artists who - get this - all
paint on the SAME PAINTING!
(Talk about collaboration!)
The results are truly amazing.
Do yourselves a favor and
check out how fabulous their
website is HERE

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

More Pears! Day 7



More Pears

6x8in oil on canvas panel  125.

Artist Note
It appears I am working on a
run of pears at the moment.
They are fun, but it
happened all on its own and I cannot
call it a series because I usually 
plan for those.
I have authorized my
 left hand to slap the brush 
right out of my right 
hand if it tries to paint another pear
for at least a week!
Time to do something else

Happy News
I NEVER win anything so imagine my
delight at winning a beautiful 
sunflower painting by Sharon l Graves.
Yea!
Check out the painting at the
River Run Gallery

I have been visiting Sharon's blog for quite a 
while now and she always has interesting 
information along with her 
lovely artwork.
You can also scroll down to the previous
post where she demonstrates my 
useful correcting with glass hint.










Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Demo Vases - day 6


Vases

8x6 work in progress

Artist Note.
It was back to teaching all day today 
and this was 
 a very quick demo this morning.
Was the demo anything to do with 
something you would find interesting...
probably not. 

The painting below could be though.
It is a rainbow painted looking down from
 a plane. 
I always get a window seat  
and take my little painting kit.
I looked down after the drinks were 
served and there is was. 
I am embarrassed to tell you I called the flight
attendant to made sure of what I was seeing
She actually gave me an Eye Roll and a sigh...
(you pay to get abused like that.)
and in a condescending way I was told
Yes...it was a rainbow.
and YES...rainbows are ROUND 
DUH!
...never felt so dumb. 
Of course I was used to seeing half the circle
because the ground blocks the rest of it. 
Did we have this in school?
Or is it so elementary everyone knows but me.
See the center - that is the shadow of the plane
Honest to god...painted on the spot
as I actually saw it.
Rainbow, dessert ground with small bushes,




Monday, January 5, 2015

Blurry Pears - Watercolor. Day 5



Blurry Pears
6x6 watercolor on paper 
unfinished!

Artist Note
First, I want to thank you for all the
good wishes for my hubby. 
He was a little too smug about all the 
attention, but as he still isn't back to normal
I cut him some slack and let him bask in it.
I caught him checking my blog comments
all day long!!
You are a very kind bunch of bloggers.
I do appreciate you all - very much.

This is an experiment and at the first stage.
It was a study for the pair of pears I did on day 2.
The blurring is intentional.
 I am going to bring it back into
focus very slowly. 
Will show it you then. 



Sunday, January 4, 2015

My Red Teapot - Day 4


My Red Teapot

7x9in watercolor on moleskin paper  SOLD


Artist Note
Remember in my last post 
saying painting only 
one item is so much easier...

Well...this is almost one item with 
the pot and cup linked together.
My regular followers know
how many times I have painted this 
much loved teapot.

Started from memory
in ER during the final hour when I knew
all would be okay.

On a serious note.
I am passing this info on in case 
it can be helpful.

I spent 9 hours in the ER with my 
hubby yesterday. 
A very serious allergy reaction to a 
med he had been taking 15 years.
Enalapril.
We are all familiar with a reaction to 
something immediate - like a bee sting
or food, but I was unaware that you 
can also have a gradual 
build up leading to a very severe one.
He has had a dry cough for a couple of 
years and that was apparently 
a symptom all was not well.

The ER doctor 
recognized the culprit was 
Enapril for blood pressure, 
causing the Angioedema
He started the standard treatment
to WHICH my hubby DID NOT RESPOND
 We had some heart thumping moments
of fear and dread.
The clever (young) doctor remembered 
reading something and went and 
researched on the 
computer and found it.
Fresh Frozen plasma 
has started to be used as a successful treatment.
Keep that part in mind if  you 
or someone you know
is ever in a similar predicament...
especially in a small town hospital 
where they do not see a lot of
angioedema.
One pouch of drip drip and the swelling 
started to respond and after the second 
bag he could feel he wasn't 
suffocating to death

The drugs in the 
category ACE inhibitors.
are used for:
blood pressure
coronary artery disease,
diabetes,
mellitus,
chronic renal disease and 
recurrent stroke

if interested -read details HERE

Praising God for answered prayers.
Our grateful thanks to 
Paul and Lindy Bridgers 
who came over and prayed for 
my husband and the 
MVRHospital's Doctor Kinkel.









Saturday, January 3, 2015

Resting Pear - day 3



Resting Pear 

6x8in oil on canvas panel $125.

The colors turned out to be 
a little more subdued than yesterday's 
pair of pears. 

Artist Note.
I have found one single item can 
be painted a lot quicker than 
my usual pictorial efforts.

I could get used to this.
...BUT...
I bet I do not do it for too long. 
I love getting involved in 
the complexity
of filling a small area
so it reads like a larger painting.

I am enjoying seeing many of the 
Challenge paintings. (See below for link.)
 Far too 
many to get through in the 
time I have to spare, but I will try my best.




Friday, January 2, 2015

Day 2 - Fractured Pears


Fractured Pears 
6x8in  oil on canvas panel  $125. SOLD



Day two in the 30 Day Challenge

Artist Note

No theme for this Challenge.
I will be letting 
myself be inspired by the previous one.
It may be a color or the subject.
I want to be spontaneous and 
not fret about

Thursday, January 1, 2015

New Mexico Snow





New Mexico Snow
6x8in oil on canvas panel  $125.SOLD

Snow arrived in time for the Holidays.

We are fortunate here in Southern New Mexico
because the sun shines well over 300 days a year.
We still get a taste of all seasons though and
that makes me appreciate living here all the more.
I would go nuts with the same temps year round.

Below is the same scene during the summer
- painted last  year.



Leslie Saeta's 30 day Challenge 
starts today.
Because I genuinely believe it helps me 
keep my painting mojo in good order
 I am going to TRY to participate.
This is day1.