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