Pink for Spring!

"Pink Bunnies at Spring" 12x16 oil on canvas

I laugh each time I see this painting :) I don't think I've ever painted anything this pink but actually I HAVE! Click here for evidence. But what's really sweet is what inspired this painting to begin with....

For Valentines the husband surprised me with a delivered beautiful spring bouquet! He's frequently brought me home handsome flowers because he probably gets a kick out of losing me for a few hours or days when a flurry of photography sessions follow while the bouquet travels from various parts of the house catching natural lighting then studio lights. I bought the bunnies from the gallery, they were made a fellow artist Shirley Peshek who is also one of my most favorite people :)

This bouquet however was painted from life. They were obviously quality picks because they lasted longer than any bouquet I've had the honor of receiving. My admiration and respect is quite intact for artists who paint beautiful flowers. It is so challenging and humbling for me to paint them because I get lost among the multitude of petals thanks to my double vision. But thank goodness I wasn't painting hydrangeas which happen to be one of my more favorite flowers!

Happy Easter!

"Orchid"6x6 watercolor
I am currently visiting in Southern California partly business but mostly pleasure - the pleasure of being warm, surrounded by food I enjoy and of course friends and family.

I had the opportunity to paint a quick commission for a business which I was pleased to do the day before a sudden eye procedure I underwent during the first week of my vacation. A casual visit with my Mom's ophthalmologist brought to our attention a rip in my retina which was a result of a detached vitreous from 2 years ago. I thought just in case worse case scenario takes place, I'd like to know I painted something successfully. Anyway, the procedure was 2 days ago and I'm feeling as if nothing happened already; I am glad I was in capable hands.

Here is the painting framed and ready for delivery! I think it will be a nice addition to their intimate lobby. It's a business by two sisters. One makes silk orchid arrangements and the other has an orchid nursery.

Happy Easter to all my readers! Please excuse my absence, tax time is busy because I am not the most organized person with paperwork so an elaborate scavenger hunt ensues LOL We are also (hopefully) going to be busy with remodeling of our computer area which will eventually become ... basically a "work playroom" for computers, painting and music making. Wish us luck!

Queen Anne's Lace oil painting

"Queen Anne's Lace" 5x7 oil on canvas panel

I painted this to participate in the EBSQ Queen Anne's Lace show. They have monthly shows for their members with subjects from flowers to Spam and Trout, etc. lol! And most are competitions as well, so when an entry wins the top prize, there's a monetary award to win ;) I've been a member of EBSQ since 2002 I believe. When I first dove into the Internet for my art, I wanted to have one place that would be informative and interactive. It was definitely a good choice for me because my interactions with them served as a test lab for marketing situations on the Internet. Through my active interactions with the membership, I was able to equip myself with enough knowledge to brave selling on Ebay and to open my life to BLOGGING. I still always feel that the friends I made in the organization are never far away for a hand when I need it.

Anyway, I discovered QAL when my friend Shirley and I were driving home from painting one afternoon and we passed a field that was generously dotted with these tall umbrella-like white flowers. Shirley told me what they were and said that they were so named because they look like lace upclose and out of the clusters of white flowers is a lone red flower in the center which is thought to be a droplet of blood from Queen Anne fingers when she pricked them while she was making the lace. "Does it really have a red flower?" She didn't really know, so we had to stop the van and she went out and grabbed my a bouquet. As she hopped back in the driver's seat I searched for the red flower and sure enough, it was there :) Cool story! This painting is based on the bouquet I brought home and took quick shots of because they apparently fade very quickly! According to Wikipedia, the USDA has this flower a "noxious weed" because it serves as a pest in pastures. Well I'm glad I finally got to paint, I spent most of the day locating my scraping blade so I could freshen up my palette! Don't you just love wasting time like that?

Wow I wish you could feel that fall breeze coming through my window. Definitely a welcome treat after a warm afternoon we had today. And my bonzai's a grateful too :)

Plein air art off the gate with Schmid

"Autumn Glow" 4.5x6 oil on gesso board

Now that's I've finished my charts, I was just itching to use them with for a plein air painting. The charts worked nicely, I saved time trying to figure out the right mixture. And what I like about Richard Schmid's chart is that the colors glow. I know this because when I painted the next piece "Copper Warmth" 8x10 oil on canvas panel (shown here finally scanned). I started out mixing my own take on the still life set up. Then just for kicks I thought I'd borrow dear friend Linda Cassady's Schmid charts. My colors literraly paled and fell asleep in comparison! At that very point I decided I'd have to buckle down and tackle the charts. Actually to my surprise I feel I have a better understanding of the charts and I'd like to create another set. It's not so much because I plan to be completely dependent on them, but more to educate myself and especially my eyes more.

I can't tell you how excited I was about painting en plein air. I enjoy the explosion of information that's before me which is mostly absent from photos. And I think it's good exercise to be decisive I can sharpen my instincts.

Much to my husband's chagrin I brought this old TV cart home from a neighbor's trash last Tuesday. Apparently he drove by the pile and was thanking his lucky stars that it didn't look like I'd find something to bring home. Welllllll as he was pulling in the driveway that evening he saw the cart immediately HAHAHAH! Glad to know I can still surprise him :) But look it was soooo handy for my painting session! And I bet he also loved all the tracks I left on his perfect lawn that morning when I was furiously looking for a good spot to paint. This photo reminds me of Smokey Robinson's song "Tracks of my Tears". Actually composers Robinson, Moore,Tarplin originally were writing the song inspired by me; it was meant to be called "Tracks of my Wheels". And if you believe that, there's also a bridge I want to sell ya!

Pastel still life

"Teacups and Roses" 14x37 pastel on paper
I managed to keep myself together and finish this big piece for the Ozark Pastel (juried) Show. I was also sleepless for 33 hours as a result so I could finish both pieces and frame them then deliver them to Springdale Art Center of the Ozarks and finally to get home in time to attend our niece's baby shower. After all the sugar they had at the party I was pretty alert for a few more hours lol I had to chase all that sugar with some veggies and dip.

Well it would have been nice to be able to see some fellow artists and their works at the Art Center but when fellow artist Shirley Mullen and I arrived there, my van ramp wouldn't go down so I could get out :(

I also won't be able to attend the reception as the hubby and I will be out of town so I guess I'll have to catch the rest of the show another day.

After about 10 hours of sleep I'm feeling a little more like myself. For now I need to do some yard work and check into some portrait commissions waiting for me .

I will be painting still life with a group mid-week so hopefully I will have something to show for the effort :)

Fuchsia of My Eyes

"Fuchsia of My Eyes" watercolors, image fits in 8"x10" mat opening.

So titled because I've yet to paint lovely fuchsia flowers that I can get gratification from lol The intent is always there. But for some reason, the journey from my eyes to my brain, to my hand, then to the tip of my brush results in something almost abstract. Anyway, there she is.

Today I went to the final liquidation sale of a gallery and art store that has shown my work. It's a direct casualty of our current economy. Just when they installed a permanent wheelchair ramp too! So I ended up buying the temporary ramp they especially built for me. It's a work of art in itself with beautiful ly cradled planks of wood in aluminum. Very sturdy. It's no wonder too as a sculptress built it who is a co-owner of the place.

She congratulated me on an article she read on me recently. I was surprise as it was the first I heard about it though I knew something might come up since I was interviewed. It's now published online if you are interested: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/62954 Yup, it's basically a plug for one of the galleries that carries my work.
I've been painting my oil portrait commission and I'm also sharpening up some of my basic knowledge. I am busy creating about 12 6x8 canvas color charts of oil pigments I use. When I'm done I will have 660 half-inch oil squares of colors to save me time trying to figure out what colors I will need for my next painting.

Most of the time I try a limited palette of yellow, red, blue and white then I mix my black by combining the primaries which result in nice harmony. But I'm getting very tired of those colors.

I'm still not feeling all that well. But this week I will see a pulmonary specialist who will run tests. I only pray his knowledge is useful to me as I know I will have to pay for it even if he's completely useless. **keeping fingers crossed**

Barbara Jump, who is one of my talented watercolor colleagues in my WnW group (Watercolors Wet and Wild), was kind enough to cut down some of her multiple brands of watercolor papers so I can explore them.

I painted all ACEO or 2.5"x3.5" formats. First was from one of my stock Lanaquarelle 140lb hotpress. "Rose in my Shelf" This was a cutting from my own garden which I placed in a shelf by my computer. The salmon-pink tones of the rose just called on me until I finally gave in and painted it.

"Daisy Drops" was painted on Fabriano Uno 140lb coldpress. This was painted for Watercolor Wednesday theme "April Showers". Back in 2002 someone gave me some Fabriano paper samplers from a shop that went out of business. I fell in love with one of the papers but couldn't recall which one it was. I do believe it was Fabriano Uno! It has a lovely fine weave and fine tooth to it which somehow made it feel so luxurious to paint on. I felt quality under my brush.


"Backlit Daffodil" This was painted on Winsor Newton 140lb. coldpress. This was also done for Watercolor Wednesday theme which was "Hello Yellow". Anyway, I am still trying to befriend yellow flowers. And I am always inspired by back lit floral images. I am not as pleased with this painting as I am with the other two. But as far as papers go, I think I'd be perfectly content having these selections of paper in my supplies at any given day.