Time Flies

"Hanging Lake" 8x6 Sold

I knew I was behind on my blog but had no idea how far. It came as a complete shock that the last post was in August. Now the year is ending and it's time for my resolutions for the New Year. Obviously to paint daily and to post those paintings on my blog must feature front and center in those resolutions. In addition I begin a new venture teaching The Dragon's Way program (a weight and stress management program rooted in Qigong and ancient Chinese medicine) beginning in January.  So much to do and so little time.

There have been so many paintings since the last post that it would be pointless to try to show them all, so I will feature a few of my favorites. The one of "Hanging Lake" was done on site at the lake after a fairly tough (for me) hike up to the lake. I had seen an artist painting there once when we had hiked up before and I decided then that I wanted to do that too. I finally got my chance in September. It was just as much fun as it looked like it would be, albeit a long hard hike with a heavy pack on my back, but definitely worth it.

"Parched Range" 5x5 Sold

"Reading Companion" 5x5 Sold

"Pearl" 5x5 Gifted

"Solitary Perch" 5x5 Sold

"Pearl" belongs to a dear friend, Pat, who hosted us to to a wonderful week at her home in Yellow Bay, Montana, located in the middle of the cherry orchards. It was picking season and I have never eaten so many cherries in my life. It was heaven! Pearl is such a sweet dog, I couldn't resist painting her as a thank you for Pat.

"Wetlands 2" 12x12 Sold

Wetlands 2 was painted at the request of a collector who had bid on my original "Wetlands" but did not win the auction. She contacted me and asked if it might be possible to recreate it in a different size. "Wetlands 2" was my attempt to do so. She was happy with it and bought it, so she got her painting after all.

"Koi Heaven" 8x6 Sold

Expect to hear from me more regularly in 2013. I won't promise daily but will post at least weekly. Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year.

Great Workshop, Great Show

This past weekend I attended the opening of the Central Texas Pastel Society annual show and competition. The paintings in this year's show are phenomenal. I was so proud to be able to hang 3 of mine in such august company. The show was judged by Bob Rohm, an exceptional pastel and oil painter. I was privileged as incoming president, to be present when he judged the show and after he made his selections, he was gracious enough to allow me and Nancy Taylor (our outgoing president) to walk through the exhibit with him and hear his thought process on what he picked and why. He also gave us comments on why he didn't pick others. It was extremely enlightening.  For my part, the three paintings I submitted were OK but I need to work on losing some edges. He felt my edges were too sharp throughout my painting. They should only be sharp in the center of interest. He thought I could greatly improve my work by losing more edges. Since I was signed up for the workshop he taught all day Saturday and Sunday I had the perfect opportunity to practice what he suggested and have him look at it and critique it. Even on Sunday he still had to remind me to soften edges, but I was getting better at it. I really enjoyed both the show and the workshop. I may write more specifics about what Bob taught us later but for now I'll show you the paintings I did in the workshop.

Both of these paintings are for sale and are on the DPW auction currently. The first one already has a bid, so it will definitely sell. 

Day one - Guadalupe River - as I write this it is available for a bid of $37 or more in the DPW auction.

"Guadalupe River" 9x12 pastel on Art Spectrum sanded paper

Day two - Montana Farm - as I write this it is available for a bid of $35 or more in the DPW auction.

"Montana Farm" 9x12 pastel on Art Spectrum sanded paper

For anyone curious, the paintings I entered in the show which need their edges softened are:

"Lily Pads" 6x6 pastel on Wallis paper on board

"Slice of Paradise" 8x10 pastel on Wallis paper on Gatorfoam

"Alley Parking" 10x8 pastel on Wallis paper on Gatorfoam

So it's time to get back to the easel and try to put what I learned into practice before the next show!
Happy painting.

Productive Week

"Century Plant 2" 8x6 oil on board click here

"Rustic Setting" 6x6 oil on board click here

This has been an interesting week. Starting with Sunday at the West Austin Studio Tour where I sold the painting "Century Plant" as I was still working on it. Monday I decided to try to repaint it from a photo in order to participate in this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge which was to paint the same thing in two different sizes and/or perspectives. My second painting was successful also, but it brought home the difference between painting from life and from a photo. I believe my first version had more "life" in it and it certainly had more light. I then went on to paint "Rustic Setting" which was a redo of the painting I did the last day in the John Cosby workshop. This one worked a bit better, I believe.

"State Cemetery Entrance" 8x8 oil SOLD

"Seaholm Sunrise" 6x6 oil click here

On Thursday I painted with PAA members Susan Andersen and Gordon Fowler at the Texas State Cemetery. It's a beautiful, peaceful place with a gorgeous pond and waterfall. This painting looks up the waterfall towards the visitors center entrance. This painting sold right off the easel to the lady who runs the visitor's center. She is buying Susan's painting too.

On Friday I painted from a photo I took in the winter from the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge early in the morning as the sun was coming up to the East. This was looking out towards the old Seaholm Power Plant which is about to be come a new downtown development.
Tonight I painted from a photo taken in Salida Colorado last trip through of a bicycle parked in front of a brick wall.

"Red Cruiser" 6x6 oil on board click here to bid

West Austin Studio Tour

"Century Plant" 6x6 oil on board SOLD

This past weekend was the inaugural West Austin Studio Tour. What a wonderful event! This was run by Big Medium and based on the very successful East Austin Studio Tour which they created and have run for years in November over two weekends. This tour was just the one weekend but with a bulging catalog and over 100 studios all West of IH 35 participating, I believe was a huge success. My generous friend Nancy Germond (a fabulous potter - www.germonddesigns.com) invited me to come show my work at her home/studio on West 39th St. I was only able to be there on Sunday so her sister- in-law showed her mosaics on Saturday in the same space. Unfortunately for me Sunday was much slower traffic than Saturday. Nancy said they had well over 100 visitors on Saturday and I would guess we had fewer than 25 on Sunday (most of them Nancy's friends). Regardless I thoroughly enjoyed the event and sold several pieces including the one I painted while waiting for visitors of her neighbor's front yard with a huge century plant about to bloom. I am learning so much from setting up at different venues. For this event I used my 10x10 tent which I bought last year for the Jonestown Street Festival and used for East Austin Studio Tour. Every time I use it I am so glad I bought it. I was so afraid it was something I would never use again, but it is just perfect for so many events. With trial and error I have found that the best way for me to show as many paintings as possible is for me to put out bins of my small oil paintings on masonite on tables so people can flip through them. I am always surprised at which sell and which don't. Some of the ones I consider my all time best have been totally passed over while some I almost didn't put out have sold. Just proves that everyone's taste is different and I should not judge my own work too harshly.

Latest Work

As usual I have a ton of work to post in order to catch up, even though I have missed several days in the past month, so I can no longer brag that I have painted every day this year - it just isn't so any more. I can however say I have painted most days and that's no mean feat.

"Main Street, Bastrop" 6x6 oil on board

In addition to painting, I have participated in the Bastrop Art Walk. I was hosted by a lovely decor and gift shop named Liberty Glenn on Main Street in Bastrop. I got to display my art for sale in the area right inside the front doors of the store, so no one could miss me. The event was the first Friday in May and they invited me back on Saturday as well. I was fortunate to sell 6 small paintings during the event and on Saturday I stood outside the store and painted a street scene as well.

I am putting together my work to participate in the West Austin Studio Tour. My friend, Nancy Germond (an amazing potter), has her home and studio on West 39th Street and she is stop #102 on the tour. She invited me to show my work at her home during the tour. I will set up my tent in her driveway on Sunday May 20 from 11-6.

Other paintings I have done since I last posted all my daily paintings include:

"Bull Creek Rocks" 8x10 oil on canvas on board

"Hillside Color" 6x6 oil on board SOLD

"Harbinger of Spring" 6x6 oil on board

"Spot of Color" 6x6 oil on board

"Bull Creek Pool" 8x10 oil on canvas on board

"CK Close Up" 6x6 oil on board

"Playing Hooky" 6x6 oil on board

"B & B Crop Challenge" 6x6 oil on board

"Starring Lemon Yellow" 6x6 oil on board

"Lago Vista" 8x10 oil on canvas on board

"Dappled Aspens" 6x6 oil on board

"Gray Day" 6x6 oil on board

Learning and Growing

The John Cosby workshop was fabulous. I felt like I learned a lot and it was very productive. The way he works involves premixing the four main value colors on his palette before making a mark on the canvas. He then tones the canvas quickly with a little paint and a lot of turpentine (he recommends Gamsol as less toxic than most). Then with a dark value he starts sketching in his composition. He likes to make sure that there are lots of elements which lead in to the main subject (focal point). I just loved watching him paint - it was magical. In fact I loved it so much that I twisted my husband's arm into buying me the demo painting I fell in love with for our upcoming 30th anniversary. Who needs another piece of jewelry when you can have art? During the workshop I painted quite a few paintings and was happy with all but the last 2. I suspect it was a combination of being tired after 5 days of painting all day (actually a half day watching John paint and a half day painting each day), the dreary weather that day, and being bummed that the workshop was almost over. Here are the paintings I did at the workshop. One of them already sold on DPW.

"Bull Creek Falls" 11x14 oil on canvas on board

"Bull Creek Chute" 9x12 oil on canvas on board

"Twin Track" 9x12 oil on canvas on board SOLD

"Wildflower Field" 9x12 oil on canvas on board

"Old Indian" 9x12 oil on canvas on board

"Writer's Cabin" 9x12 oil on canvas on board

 

 

I feel that these last two are really unfinished and they both need a lot of work. Perhaps one day I will feel like going back to them and trying to finish them properly. They were both rushed as we tried to beat a rainstorm in the morning and time just ran out in the afternoon.

Upcoming Workshop

I'm very excited. Today I signed up for the John Cosby Plein Air Workshop to be held next week in Austin. I've been looking at his work online and am so impressed by his colors and his style. I'm hoping I will be able to learn how he manages to render landscapes so beautifully and perhaps some of it will rub off on me.

"Texas Blues" 6x6 oil on board

"Fence Post" 6x6 oil on board

"Bluebonnet Hill" 8x8 oil on board

 Last Thursday I painted at the most beautiful park filled with wildflowers in every direction. I have a series of paintings started at this lovely place called Turkey Bend. Expect to see more as I use up the photos I took there. I don't believe I've ever seen more wildflowers in one place before.

"Easter Challenge" 6x6 oil on board

"Wildflower Hydrant" 6x6 oil on board

I love doing the painting challenges on Daily Paintworks. This week I did their Easter Challenge. They posted a photo of some plastic Easter Eggs opened with some M&Ms spilling out of them. The challenge was to paint this photo or any other Easter related subject matter. I didn't realize till I started that it would be so hard. When I finally finished and posted it, I was shocked to see that I was the only one out of over 70 participants to use that photo. Anyway I was gratified to get a very sweet comment and a bid on the auction for it.

I went for  a walk in my neighborhood and found a fire hydrant overgrown with wildflowers. I snapped a photo and used it to create my "Bluebonnet Hydrant".

Other paintings in the past few weeks include:

"Mayan Coast" 6x6 oil on board

"Bird of Paradise" 6x6 oil on board

"Thank You Flowers" 8x6 oil on board

"Polk Mill" 8x10 oil on board

"Mom's Lady Banksia" 6x6 oil on board

"Wildflower Buffet" 8x6 oil on board

"Spring Greens" 8x8 oil on board SOLD

" Pot Quartet" 6x6 oil on board

"Spring Flora" 6x6 oil on board

"Morning Glory" 6x6 oil on board

"Juicy 2" 6x6 oil on board

"Drive-By Impressions 1" 6x6 oil on board

"Sunset on the Live Oaks" 6x6 oil on board

"We Need A New Rope" 6x6 oil on board