Well Oiled Wheels are Life Supporters

First of all I'd like to say THANK YOU and express my apologies for not responding to the kind people who emailed me and posted on my previous blog post.  Sometimes it takes all my focus and energy to get back on track so I end up not having enough left to do extra things.  But please believe me when I say your kind interests and love and effort you took to spare me the time was gratefully relished and helped me in my weak times. :)  Reminding you that you can click on each image to see bigger version.

My basic training, as far as how to manage my art career, is to tap on opportunities.  I have found that even though the tapping didn't seem to yield anything, the benefits tend to confirm on a later date and usually at a very needed moment that I made a difference.  Perhaps this was the result of the lovely article above, written and photographed by Cassi Lapp of the Weekly Vista, a local paper.  I must say it is one of few very ACCURATE writing I've ever been a subject of!  When I get requests for an interview, I go through a roller-coaster ride of emotions.  Happy, Excited, Honored, Thrilled upon being recognized to a Cringe, Hold my Breath and Brace for the misconstrued, and condescending, cornball or absolutely doesn't makes sense construction of a newspaper article.  I once was interviewed and the article sadly made me sound like I was criticizing the gallery and gallery director that was hosting a show for me - OH MY GOD!  It was one of those "Big California Earthquake please swallow me up right now" moment!  Not so in this case and I am now more seasoned in anticipating how a reporter would write so I had no worries about Cassi's article.  I was excited about what she might highlight.  As it turns out, Cassi highlighted ME :)  Thank you thank you Cassi Lapp!

The day of the interview, Cassi kindly helped me deliver my new paintings to the gallery which is officially called MaJesty Republic run by Terry C Semler.  And since the interview took place in mid-May, I have since left the other two galleries mentioned.  Part of my recovery to feeling better was to simplify my days.  I'm so glad the other galleries were supportive and understanding.

Now that I seem to be feeling better these days, I have been catching up on some painting and having some successful days and some not - but each attempt is never a waste as they are all learning moments!  As side note, the mold that was lurking in our master bathroom might have been contributing to me being sick because now that my hero husband has eliminated the mold, the air seems so much cleaner and my eyes are not constantly burning *big smile*.

A couple days ago I had my dear artist friend Linda over because she expressed to me that she wanted to paint the lean-to structure in our property.  I had recently painted it en plein air in oils on this 5x7 panel.  It was another 100° day we've been having.  But I had recently gathered most of my oil supplies together so I wanted to just paint!  So glad it was a successful session :)

Anyway, I think the day Linda came over went up below 90°.  Our property still has too much construction clutter and so I wasn't crazy about painting any of them or the lean-to again.  So I focused on Linda :)  She is so paintable and a wonderful model.  I've painted her before and I'm sure I will paint her again and again. I am always in awe of artists like Winslow Homer who painted figures in full action so this was a good chance for similar. Here are pictures of my session.  She didn't know I was painting her until it was done.  I'm so glad I was far enough from her to get away with it.  Then,after I painted, I was surprised I was able to paint her because she was kinda far away hahaha  She loved her painting :)

 

I started out blocking her in, in case I changed my mind what I wanted to paint.  Well by the time I put her silhouette on there, I knew I would go ahead and stick with the composition.

"Linda Plein-airing" oil on 5"x5" wood panel

Happy Friday the 13th until next time! :)