Tuesday, December 23, 2008

An Attempt at Painting!


During the holidays my time is not mine, which I am not complaining because the joy I receive from being around my granddaughter cannot compare to ANYTHING! The love of a child is PURE!

So with that I haven't been able to paint very much except to start and leave a painting in limbo not sure where I want to go with it or if it's even worth progressing. It takes me time to look and think weather I can correct mistakes. I usually ALWAYS draw the image on so I know I'll be satisfied with the drawing but this time I just slapped on some paint and corrected (or tried) as I was going along. Sometimes I don't see my mistakes until a couple weeks later and I'll look at it and go "OH MY GOSH...WHAT WAS I THINKING ABOUT!" When I paint I want to be completely alone so I can concentrate...no phones, no bodies,nothing!!! Painting is a form of meditation for me.

With all that being said I post this humble beginning( or maybe it never) of a painting.

I wish everyone a holiday filled with Peace and Grace and with the understanding that there are always the most wonderful things surrounding us if only we take the time to open our eyes and see them!

Now that I've posted this I can see that the dogs body needs to be longer, etc, etc....I think this is going to just be a "pitch it" piece. This is what happens when you can't concentrate on what you're doing!! But it gave me something to post about.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Quotes


"When spiritual, metaphysical, material, or immaterial events come into my life, I can only fix them by way of painting."
~ Max Beckmann
1884-1950

"The mystical will always be with us . . . A whole mass of things that cannot be rationalized - new born thoughts that are still not properly formed."
~ Edvard Munch
1863-1944

Monday, December 8, 2008

Home Sweet Home!





It's nice to be away ...but then it's always good to be in your own bed and use your own shower!
It was wonderful to see my sons again and spend some time with them. They always make me proud.

On the drive from Memphis to North Carolina we stopped in Ashville and toured the Biltmore. It was just grand! A castle still privately owned on 125 acres. When I lived in Phoenix we use to go to the Biltmore for their wonderful brunches with piano player and lavish spread of food. The Biltmore's must have had homes throughout the country.

Arriving home I was met with a thousand chores and bumps in the road of life which has kept me from the computer other than paying bills!

I am walking around with knots not being able to escape into my studio and purge some creative juices so today I plan to knock out part of a list and get myself back in my space once again!

I love odd, whimsical ornaments so thought I'd post a few of my favorites. I am always intrigued by faces!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Home Again-Off Again


Home again, off again. This is my life. Think maybe this is why I'm not making progress with my art???? San Antonio was 72degrees and wonderful. We were wined and dined at the best restaurants and I feel like I walked the entire river and saw many galleries along the way. I came home to 31 degrees with 4"of snow on the ground and more tonight. This is why my heart belongs out west. I live here and my soul is out there...out west somewhere!
My highlight was having dinner with General Collins. Wow! I could not get over how great he looked. White hair, white teeth and a good looking suit to boot. We reminisced about the past and memories and then he told us de-classified top secret stories from the Air Force. The stories they use for James Bond movies .! He told us they had him on the History Channel called "Wings". He said he'd send us a copy. The funniest part was walking him to his car which turned out to be a white corvette fully loaded. This is just like my dad. It must be something about being a test pilot..now that they don't have their planes in their golden years they have their jetty cars.
Saturday I'm leaving for Memphis and then North Carolina.
See you next week. Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.

The picture above is by Jim Waid. I discovered him in Las Vegas at the Billagio. You could only appreciate his work in person. He makes a series of layers and then chips into it revealing the colors underneath.
Quote

"Let a student enter the school with this advice: No matter how good the school is, his education is in his own hands. All education must be self-education."
~ Hobert Henri
1865-1929
From Artist to Artist
compiled by Clint Brown

Friday, November 14, 2008

Artist Trading Card





O.K. I admit I've been somewhat remiss...and then again actually not. I started on another dog by the advice of a friend who is an accomplished artist and says I need to do a series or do a study of the dogs. I'm not accomplishing much lately so what the heck. The dog is in such a raw state I would be too embarrassed to post it yet even though I've posted other embarrassing pieces.

The picture is actually an artist trading card. If you are not familiar with them they are small pieces. About 2 1/2 x 4" and you are suppose to draw, paint, collage,or what ever you are wanting to express. Sometimes they turn out to pieces of art work, however this one is just a collage about me on old sheet music .

I'll post better examples from the web. Some of these can be corny and some pretty good. I've selected some of the better ones.
One example is actually encaustic; Icy Winter by Wendy K. and the other Chicago Winter by Sherie Sloane and then a self portrait of Susan Schaffer.

I am leaving for 5 days to San Antonio, home for two days and then off to Memphis and North Carolina to see my sons for the holidays.
I'm excited about warm weather in San Antonio and seeing the River Walk. Also I am looking up my fathers old friend ; General Tom Collins. A gentleman I remember as a child and is a piece of my history as an Air Force Brat.
So, needless to say it'll be two weeks before I can paint again. I'll go through total with-drawl!!
http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/

Sunday, November 9, 2008

SOFA show Chicago 2008



Yesterday was the most delightful day! Gerri Govert (a well accomplished artist) and I attended the Sculpture Object and Functional Art Show in Chicago at Navy Pier. We took about three hours and savored every object, dissecting, drooling, savoring, and conspiring together! I CANNOT go to these shows and not think of the processes and techniques the artist goes through. It totally energizes me to try different techniques. I always feel like an over anxious kid in a candy shop. It's the same feeling when I'm in an art supply shop with lots of goodies I haven't tried yet!!

The show was fabulous. I have such respect for these artists. I saw things I didn't even know were possible to do. A small wooden bowl that looked like small thin pieces of wire! If you blew on it you felt it would disappear.

Every year when I come back from this show I love posting a few things I loved. which is hard since I loved almost everything!

The big face is from Gugger Petter from the Jane Seymour gallery I believe. The face is very large and is made from rolled newspaper and hemp and laid to make the face.

The other is a portrait from SOl Halabi in Argentina by the Maria Elena Kravets Gallery. I loved this work because the only thing done realistically is the face...everything else is done abstractly and it worked!!!

I am putting away the dog for awhile. It's not right and I want to move on. After attending this show I want to do a more serious piece now.

Monday and Tuesday I will be in Milwaukee. I plan and have a list to go to all the nice galleries including their state of the art museum of art.

Oh! I also picked up some brochures on classes that go for a week or more. Anyone have any comments on Penland School of Crafts in Penland, NC?? Or other suggestions on classes this summer that are good?

Wednesday, October 29, 2008


Yesterday I put the paper on the background and then wound up painting on top of it and then pulling it up. The color is almost too subtle to have made much of a difference. After posting this I can already see things I need to work on. It's like when you take a picture and put it in front of a mirror or hold it upside down to see if it's right...things will pop out at you that you didn't see before.
I won't be painting today as it's my birthday...Happy birthday to all the Scorpios out there!
Scorpios
Scorpio is the astrology sign of extremes and intensity. Scorpios are very deep, intense people, there is always more then meets the eye. They present a cool, detached and unemotional air to the world yet lying underneath is tremendous power, extreme strength, intense passion and a strong will and a persistent drive. Scorpios have a very penetrative mind, do not be surprised if they ask questions, they are trying to delve deeper and figure things out and survey the situation. They always want to know why, where and any other possible detail they can possibly know. Scorpio's are very weary of the games that other people try to play and they are very aware of it. The person that a Scorpio respects and holds close to them is treated with amazing kindness, loyalty and generosity. On the outside, a Scorpio has great secretiveness and mystery. This magnetically draws people to them.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Small Progress


Since I had a meeting in the morning that lasted till 3:30 I didn't get much accomplished other than literally throwing some stripes on the wall that my sister-in-law from Boulder suggested. Good idea JoAnn! I am going to see about throwing that swirly see through paper over that as well.

Today I HOPE to get more done on this picture.

If only I could lock myself up in the studio with NO distractions for days on end!

Tomorrow is my birthday and my friend is taking me to lunch and in the evening we are going to Spiaggios in Chicago with antoher couple. We really must celebrate these birthdays especially now at my age I realize they are truly numbered. So lets celebrate!!! Life is unpredectable so lets take what we have now.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Progression of Painting with all the ugliness..



That's how I feel about this painting. Since I'm on a roll I thought it would be interesting for some people to see that coming to a finished piece of art is not always easy (and clumsy comes to mind) and that as artists we don't always know where we are going..and getting there means making mistakes and re-arranging. Especially for me since I'm trying to NOT to be serious and too realistic which my soul needs.
Since I took the picture for this days work I noticed again mistakes on the dog, so worked on that. I will continue to fine tune and then think, think, think about it and if feeling like it's alright will lay the see through textured paper on top and pray what I THINK comes out!
Again, opinions and comments welcome. Sometimes we get soooo CLOSE to the piece that we can't even see the obvious!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Point of Critical Thinking...


O.k.. I painted all day literally yesterday as I said. I'm playing and thinking...and thinking...I threw the blue on the table to get a "feel" but n ow I think I liked the lighter color on the table better.. Now I'm thinking....should I put a fork and knife on the table pointing towards the dog? or maybe a designed napkin leaning towards the dog...and the color in the back ground...I threw some green which I don't like...it's wrong...I almost think I like the white better..more crisp..because when I add the textured see through fabric over this painting it'll give it a little color.
So....any ideas out there??? I'm open!
Maybe throw caution to the wind and do a busy background?$^&(&%*#@
That's what I like about acrylics...if you mess it up you can paint it over...
o.k.. now I can see the shape of the table is off... I'm feeling the pink has to go..maybe red..
I took my charcole pencil and drew in slightly where maybe a fork would go, but I think it needs a fork and knife intersecting.

You know...I find it's much better messing around in the studio NOT thinking of all the media's ramblings. I am so disappointed in the election it saddens me. Is everyone on crack???? Will people turn back to normal when this is over??? Things will never be the same.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

An odd contradiction, if the layman were correct in his unconscious assumption that the artist begins with reality and ends with art: the converse is true -- to the degree that this dichotomy has any truth --the artist begins with art, and through it arrives at reality.
~ Robert Motherwell
1915-1991

Piece in Progress...


Well, I was home all day and from sun up to 9:pm I painted. I started something new. It's about the retriever and the duck from the duck hunt. I started this on 300lb watercolor paper and used water color sticks and built up to acrylics. I always do that to feel my way through a painting. I drew the duck wrong so had to correct and re-do which took most of the day. I think I am going to use a royal blue hand made paper for the table only. Then I am going to apply a see through paper with swirls over the entire picture.
Remember to double click so you can see the picture.
The plate needs to be lighter..and the shadow dulled...oh well, like I said it's a piece in progress.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Experiment

This is one of my play around pieces. It's on 300lb cold press paper with watercolor, pencil and oil pastel. I see some problems but I think I need to re-do it now that I have a better handle on mixing these mediums. I just threw it on here...so I understand there needs to be a better mapped out plan for balance. I see that I need to darken the swirls under the fish tail also. I played around with texture from papers and molding paste.


I want to say I REALLY appreciate the feed back I got on 'JOY". I think all of them were very useful and I am working on all of them! I always want my viewers to voice what they feel. I cannot move forward without a critical view and acknowledging weak spots and strengths.

Monday, October 6, 2008

I THINK I'm done! Feedback time...


Alright. Here it is. I think I'm done, but I have to throw it out there for the feed back.

What happens in painting for me is that at the end of a painting I want it to be over with so much that I'm not sure if I'm rushing it or it truly is done. I know I have a tendency to over do the work.
I'll put a painting away for awhile and then when I look at it I go "OH MY GOSH! WHAT WAS I THINKING!!"

Within the last 30 minuets of taking this picture and posting it I have already changed the light on the brick around her. Now I'm thinking the background is TOO busy. So, You let me know.

I'm titling it 'JOY" If we could all hold on to the feelings we had as little children we'd all live longer!
Double click on the pictures to enlarge them so you can see the details better. I did add colored splashes around her head that you can't see otherwise.

Thursday, October 2, 2008




This quote I must own! This is something I need to read every day.

I think this applies to everyone though...what do you think?

"It takes some courage to deviate from the norm - our own and other people's - but when we do, our individual expression can come into its own."

Alex Powers
Painting People in Watercolor - A Design Approach

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Reception at Active Art Salon

Gerri Govert and Bev Topa with me. I love the orange and yellow ceramic bowl by Brenda Farris. Three portraits by Gerri Govert.





Last week we (18 Artist.com) had our reception at the Active Art Salon. As usual it was fun! Jennifer Groh who always gives a wonderful reception with lots of very tasty food came through again. Normally she has beer and wine flowing at a reception but due to the ATF she could not supply it this year. Well, you can't have a reception without some beer and wine so a few of us brought several large bottles of wine which was legal as long as we poured our own and put our names on the bottles.( I must clarify that I gave my bottle to someone else to share and they put their name on the label of the bottle as well to make it LEGAL.) I felt like I was back in the prohibition era.
I am in the orange holding my granddaughter and my arm is around a very dear friend of mine. Next to her my daughter and her good friend Jessica in the stripes.
Below is my future son in law, husband and daughter.
This week-end my son from Memphis is coming up and we'll attend a White Sox game, go out to a bar for an after the game get together and crash at Shannon s. It's so cool to have your children be equals. It's a lot of fun which I will enjoy since it's so deserved!!!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Frustrated Artist


Alright...This time it will be the END. I touched this up again...Is it all artists or what...that I can't seem to ever be satisfied with what I produce. It's just never right...I have to learn to just "Let go". Every time I want to do something quirky or odd it always winds up looking so traditional. I am to the point where I do not like traditional work and yet I can't seem myself to break out.
I'm hoping to take a collage class in Chicago starting the end of October. I hate taking the drive in $$$ but guess I'll have to suck it up unfortunately. I have found I have become stagnate...not moving forward, or not feeling like I'm moving forward or making progress.

When I was in Richmond, Virginia visiting my good friend and while going from Gallery to Gallery we came upon an art shop. I bought some crayon watercolors and some top of the line oil pastels to play with. I'm like a kid in a candy shop when I see all the new materials. so I buy them and then...they sit there.
I swear I must be sick!

"Being an artist means that you have the ability to imagine yourself into all kinds of othernesses. Doing that, you can rearrange perspectives on things, which can provide a revelation."
-Eric Fischl
1948-

"The universe is real but you can't see it. You have to imagine it. Once you imagine it, you can be realistic about reproducing it."
-Alexander Calder
1898-1976

From "Artist to Artist"
Compiled by Clint Brown

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Awesome Meijers Sculpture Gardens!!!






Ron and I took a small day trip to Grand Rapids Michigan to see the Meijers Sculpture Gardens my friend had told us about. I was so blown away!!! It was a major treat for us. I want to share some pictures in case you could ever get up that way.

Take a hat and a water bottle and good shoes. There is over 100 acres of super large sculpture.
The picture of the man...It's so big it's unbelievable...but when you start to move around him he turns into a woman. It's just so wonderful to see these fabulous sculptures!!!
Also inside the glass conservatories there are exhibits of exotic plants and birds.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

QUOTES

"What still concerns me the most is: am I on the right track, am I making progress, am I making mistakes in art? Such things as the materials, and care in the actual process of painting, and even of preparing the canvas, are the least important. They can always be fixed up, can't they? Whereas art -- oh, it's a very awkward and a very awesome thing to go into deeply. "
~Paul Gauguin
1848-1903


Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Current Piece in Progress...



O.K. I couldn't go too long without tackling a figure. This time it's my grandaughter. I absolutely LOVE the JOY that beams out of her like ENERGY!!! So that's what this will be about. I'll add alot more splashes to show her energy.

I'll post it again when I'm all done.

"Out of The Box" Reception




The reception for "Out of The Box" went well. Several paintings sold. I sold two prints!! We will show there again in 2009! Here are some pictures of the reception.
In the group photo I am the second on the right .

Friday, July 25, 2008

BUGS




For a loss of what to paint for the Big Show of Little Pieces I did bugs. I like BIG canvases!!!!
This is more of a challenge than anyone could imagine. So feed-back. What do you paint on a 5inches by 5 inches canvas?????

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Out of the Box Show July 2008

These images of odd flowers you've seen before. I printed them and then did some die cutting on them, letting the paper behind come through. I put this in the Out of the box show along with the two abstract that I did. I'll sell these for 45.00 because of the cuts in them. That's also completely framed.














My next painting (and I say painting; no Lino Cuts) will be of my grandaughter. The painting will be about "JOY"! I'll show you the picture on my next post in it's rough state. I can't stray too long from doing figurative work.

Anyway- the show is in Three Oaks, Michigan at the old Vickers Theater. The downtown there is so cute. It's like walking in time. The brick roads the quaint little shops all upscale is wonderful. Check it out!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

I'm In TUCSON

Sorry about no new posts. I am visiting my father in Tucson or rather Green Valley, Arizona. The other day it was 115 here, and at home it's only 75! Laying around the pool and checking out Tuboc and art town which is pretty much closed during the summer here. When I get home I'll have to get going in the studio. I started a picture I'm a little excited about...but it's too early to tell. I'll fill you in on it when I get back to the studio. I'll be home Sunday...see you then!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

I'm Home Again!




Home again from Roatan, Honduras! So glad to be home. Now I can mend my no-seaum bug bites and continue my malaria medication. What a woman has to do to travel!!!
Anyway, we had a blast as usual with our dear best friends from Richmond, Va..We all got our Advanced Scuba Certification. We drank lots of beer and sang kareoke which I had never done and will not do again. We had a blast doing it until some talented girl came up and made us look totally foolish. We all had several messages on the beach which added to bites in places no one wants to talk about. I had the spiritual message with the pouring of the oils over the forehead and my head wrapped in a plastic bag. I have never laughed so much in all my life!!! My one and only spiritual message. The therapeutic message was awesome!
Anyway...no real photos that inspired me as I had hoped. But I saw a Honduran little girl that was like a picture. Here are some photos I'll share.