Live Study

My friend Gerri and I hired a model (which happens to also be an artist) to sit for us in Gerri's studio at her home.

This was new in the sense that I approached this totally differently than I normally do. I did not draw her on the canvas first-spending hours (exaggeration), but did a 2 minuet sketch and started the drawing process with the paint.

It was actually less up tight..more fun and liberating. I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed it so much we are going to do this again tomorrow. This time I have this beautiful robe my husbands father brought back from Viet Namn...all silk..deep blue with embroidered designs all over. With her red hair and that blue robe....it should be good.

I just came back from Outer Banks...so I've been out of pocket. I did manage to get some pictures of possible paintings....

I deliver "Taos Roses" tomorrow for the "Women's Show" in Michigan City.

Gallery Hopping in Chicago

Gerrie and Anke my artist friends and I went gallery hopping in the Bucktown/Wicker Park District.

Many galleries from our list out of Chicago Gallery News were not easily accessible so we didn't see them. Either there was no parking or the area was not safe.

One gallery that we did like a lot was the Jackson Junge Gallery. The work was imaginative and executed very, very well. It was a delight to be there.

We then walked down Milwaukee Avenue to the Flat Iron Arts Building where there are lots of studio rooms. It was a trip just walking through there as it felt like you were in a maze. It was fun especially with some of the windows being dressed to entertain such as this whimsy looking fellow above!

Out of frustration in inaccessible galleries we decided to go back to the user friendly River North art district where you can park and walk from gallery to gallery. Our all time favorite is the Ann Nathan Gallery which always handles top notch work, and the new Eche gallery which was the Habitat Gallery. They had several large Chihuly pieces and some paintings of his.

Every time we go we feel that we are re-energized to paint...have a better perspective on what's out there- and maybe what's selling and the current trends and galleries.

It was a good day!