Friday, May 29, 2009

Watchful

"Watchful" 7.5" x 7.5"
Are you lookin' at me? Watcha lookin' at? Yeah that's
right, I can chase you around the coop!
Better watch out!
This concludes another cackling,
egg-laying, two legged, feathered variety week.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Two to tango

"Two to tango" at the Bryan Memorial Gallery, Jeffersonville
Eating is more fun when you do it together!
These two tucked so close...it worked out well for me with
the dark hen in back to define the white feathers of the rooster.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Fountain of Feathers

"Fountain of Feathers"
Giclee prints available through my website
I'll let the birds tell you their own story
this week and let you interpret what they
might be thinking! Hmmm...

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The Conversation

"The Conversation" diptych 13" x 22" framed, each ptg. 7.5" x 7.5"
These two hens, who look mighty offended for having their
little (gossip) chat interrupted, are at a Vermont Watercolor
Society group show at the Emile Gruppe gallery in Jericho.
The opening reception is this Sunday May 31st from 6 - 8 p.m.
Hope everyone had a good weekend and we'll continue this week
with more feathered friends!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Tangerine still life & Open Studio

An older still life...again from the archives. I now cram
more things into my set-ups and crowd the paper a bit
more, overlapping shapes and washes and working with
negative spaces. I like the simplicity of this and the color
scheme is pretty classic complementary orange/green.
***********
This weekend is Open Studio...hope to see you there...
I'll have new work, cards, prints etc...and we'll be painting on site.
179 Main Street in Vergennes...Dog Tired Studio.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Pencil sketch

So I did another different strokes image
to warm up for the color one...thought I'd
post this one as well. This one is pretty small...
only about 2 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches. I like
the fact that Karin Jurick is posting inspiration
for us...every time it's another great challenge!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Yellow transport NYC

The newest Different Strokes image...I did this one with
a sepia, water-soluble fine point marker...and then put
the watercolor washes in after...kind of forgot about the
ink being watersoluble...oops, but I think the blending
was minimal and actually added to the overall look.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Irises so proud

"Irises so proud" 7"x15"
I'm a little stuck on showing earlier work..but it's good
for me (and you) to see what I am doing differently now.
I definitely feel more comfortable with my colors and
work harder at filling up my negative spaces, plus I like using
more H2O and encouraging blooms and blossoms (water and
pigment ones) to occur on the paper creating interest.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Hibiscus Red

Last week and into the weekend was full with 3 different
workshops...sorry I missed Friday's post. I'd like to do a
shout-out to everyone from the workshop! Hi! We had a great
time and covered alot of ground in short days. Time flies!
This painting is from one of my watercolor sketchbooks.
We talked about the importance of keeping a journal/sketchbook
to train your eye and to improve drawing and observation
skills...hope you give it a try or keep going if you already do...

Thursday, May 14, 2009

FLOWER POWER BOOK

Introducing...
a book of watercolors by Annelein Beukenkamp.
Click on the link to take a look at the first
15 pages. This has been in the works for a little
while and now has finally come to fruition! Enjoy.
WATERCOLORS
By Annelein Beukenkamp

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Spring bouquet

This is a little spring bouquet...to celebrate the
fact that a few volunteer daffodils and tulips actually
made an appearance this year in the garden! I threw
a bunch of, what I thought were rotten, tulip bulbs on
our pseudo compost heap (yard clippings at best) and
a few hardy volunteers made their way through! How
exciting. The daffodils are showing a bunch of greens, but
I have high hopes of them reproducing and growing stronger
for next spring so I can paint them!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Splashy Garden

"Splashy Garden" 12" x 16"
Gearing up for the workshops this week...today is the day
to gather up bouquets of flowers, organize the fabric swatches,
make sure I have all my paper and brushes and bring my
fresh clean palette. Joy of joys. What a difference newly
squeezed colors can make...they make me happy. Now if only
I would change my dirty water a little more frequently!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Big Sky

"Big Sky" at West River Gallery in Weston
Here is the piece that will be in the Landscape show at
a gallery in Weston. I really enjoyed working on the clouds
and the slightly varying reds of the barn. The spring colors
are really nice and fresh all across Vermont right now. I travelled
south for Mother's Day and the vistas are gorgeous. Unfortunately
May can also be a little chilly...so I don't think I'll venture out
quite yet with the paints....wimpy, wimpy, wimpy!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Open Studio 2009


I just sent out the Open Studio postcards...so all of you
on my mailing list should have gotten them by now. It's
only two weeks away...yikes, time flies and in between I am
teaching 3 workshops! So now it's frame, mat, organize and
get ready to hang everything in Sean's studio. Hope you'll
stop by if you are in the area...or maybe you'll want to make
a special trip...spring in Vermont, quite lovely...

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Poppy abstraction

Yet another saran wrap textured piece...These "imagined"
landscapes were fun and might be something to revisit.
I have since incorporated some plein air work into my
regular routine and with the flowers in the foreground
it should be fun to explore this theme a little further.
Have anyone tried to get texture from the new press and seal stuff?

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Sunflower barn

Here is another painting done during that same time
frame as yesterday's post. I did not mean to imply that
saran wrap couldn't give you legit texture and patterns
on your paintings...here it actually helped set up some
negative shapes. As long as you are out there playing,
painting, experimenting and enjoying yourself, then almost
anything goes.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Plastic texture

This was during the Saran Wrap era...
You can see the texture created by applying
the plastic film to my still wet washes. Oh, I
remember that time well...everyone was doing
it back then...well, who said bell bottoms and
platforms were a good idea? Live and learn.
I have more where that came from...

Monday, May 4, 2009

Blue Hydrangea

"Blue Hydrangea" 11" x 11"
This was unearthed Friday in my studio when I was digging
around and rearranging things. It's amazing what you can
find in those flat files once you take everything out! Sorry
about missing my post on Friday as well...time just ran too
short and I didn't have time to post. I did find lots of other
goodies and will post those this week...stay tuned.
It'll be retro watercolor week...revisiting my early work!