Friday, February 27, 2009

Positively Pink

"Positively Pink" 7.5" x 7.5"
Okay so it's not another poppy painting, but a peony one!
This painting is for sale as well and again a % will go to the American
Heart Association. It is $75.oo incl. S&H, unframed.
I had a few comments yesterday regarding my licensing contract
and I will try to talk a little about that in today's post. I submitted
a portfolio to a publishing company, after I did some research on-line,
and as many companies now have, followed their artist submission
guidelines. I signed on almost three years ago and have had a
variety of contracts where my watercolors have been licensed to
be reproduced on numerous items. There is also a book on the market
that is called the "Artist's and Graphic Designer's Market", which has
many resources for artists, from galleries to being published in magazines, to publishing companies...check out the link.
SOLD


Thursday, February 26, 2009

In the newspaper

Yesterday the local newspaper published an article
about me. I've put the link here if you want to check
it out. I've been in the studio working on an iris painting
and that prompted me to post this older version. I love the
tight buds with their twirled colors coming to a point. They
are always the first to come up in the garden. I might try to
transplant some rhizomes this spring...no experience in that
department, but like painting, nothing ventured nothing gained!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Transparent Layers

"Transparent Layers" 7.5" x 7.5"
In honor of my father's succesful heart surgery, which he had
a year ago this week, I am putting this poppy painting up for sale.
It is $75.00, includes S&H and is unframed. I will donate a portion
of the sale to the American Heart Association. I might sell another
poppy painting at the end of the week as well. Use the buy it now
button and you will be directed to Paypal. I painted a whole series
of these close-up poppies, varying their colors, backgrounds and
compositions.






Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Delft blue dish

"Delft blue dish" 15" x 15"
When I did this painting I really tried to give myself
an assignment of not dipping into the same colors I
usually do. This is pretty hard, because we are creatures
of habit and somehow with brush in hand we always hover
over the same areas on our palette. I've found a new way
to remedy that. I cleaned one of my big plastic palettes and
rummaged through my big jar of colors, then I picked out
some pigments that I don't usually paint with and squeezed
them onto the new, sparkling clean palette, forcing myself
to use those paints. It's actually quite nice to have fresh, soft
new paint in one place vs. dried, old pigment on my regular
palette...it is more satisfying so you actually want to use them!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Tulip-time

I finally figured out how to add a slideshow to my blog's
sidebar! Yeee Haw...amazing what you can accomplish
if you take some extra time behind the computer.
Looking at this painting I realize that my color selection
has changed a bit over the years. I seem to dip into brighter,
bolder colors now. There is a hint of it here in the blue
background along the top center, but overall this painting
has a distinctly pastel feel to it.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Pansies and pears

"Pansies and pears"
This piece was created around the same time as yesterday's
post. Similar colors and viewpoint. I love painting pansies.
Since they have such unique color combinations, it's hard
not to come up with mud sometimes. Especially with the yellow
varieties. Their centers vary from dark burgundy to purple.
Or the subleties of the blue ones with their darker lilac faces.
The flat of multi colored pansies I usually buy in the spring is
even called watercolors!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Group of Grannies

"Group of Grannies" 11" x 11"
Thanks for all the comments lately, I've really enjoyed
seeing where they are all coming from. I also got some
advice on slideshows and a blog award...but I haven't had
time to address that one yet. I know I'm supposed to pass
the award on to others, but since I already have the links
on the side on my blog I'm going to bow out and make those
my "favorites". I know it's a cop-out and I'm sorry :( but thank
you to Kim Ratigan for thinking of me!
Couldn't resist the title of this one...not at all what you'd expect!
Had fun with some different color combinations here.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

White paper

"White flower bouquet"
Sometimes the white of the paper just says more than
all the colors in your paint tubes. I enjoy Fabriano Artistico
Extra White 140 lb. CP or SP. I really like the bright white
of this paper and the softer surface. Arches has come out
with a bright white paper as well, since it's original paper
has an off-white hue...Then there is the sizing issue..internal,
external, animal sizing or vegetable...The more sizing to the
paper the "harder" the surface and less bleeding of pigments.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Two views

"Two Views"
I always have a figure of the week image on the sidebar
of my blog, but I hardly ever post them as a regular post.
Since I change them every week there isn't any history. I
really have to figure out how to link a slide show to my blog.
I know it's just a matter of sitting and playing and taking the
time to figure it out...but..time, time, time. I've been enjoying
the weekly figure sessions. Today is a holiday so there won't
be class tonight. I had a good time doing this double view.
I am trying to work larger. It's easy to get caught up and start
on a small piece of paper, so I've been trying to start with the
eyes and make them up to an inch big.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Spring Bouquet

"Spring Bouquet" 15" x 11"
The stores are filling up with these blossoms..
I'll wait out the Valentine's rush and the change in
floral pricing(!) to get some to paint in the studio.
I just noticed the other day that there were hyacinths
at the grocery store..3 for $10..seems like a deal, so
maybe I'll try those on for a change. I also saw the tight
buds on some daffodil bunches and need to buy some
of those as well. I don't put them in with anything else
because they ooze a sap that clogs the stems of other flowers
and prevents them from drinking water.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Tropical respite

A tropical respite...we were in the midst of pouring rain
last night..today it's foggy because the temperatures are
above freezing and the snow is evaporating. January thaw
came in February! I'm in the studio working on some more
winter snow/barn scenes, but decided to post this painting
I did of a friend's house in Bermuda. I love the palm fronds
on the left side..oh to have plants like that in your yard!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Lily lightness

"Lily lightness" 15" x 15"
It's a good exercise to go through and look at paintings that
were created several years ago. Hopefully you find that there
has been a learning curve and you are more pleased with your
recent efforts...at least that's the theory, right? This painting
was in a group show back some years and won an honorable
mention award and got a write up in the local alternative paper.
Looking at it again I see that I really like the transparency of the
pigments and the simplicity...Everywhere I look lately the theme
does seem to be "keep it simple".

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Sunset Silhouette

"Sunset Silhouette" 7.5" x 7.5"
It was time for another one of my feathered friends! One
of our Vermont galleries is hosting a Feather, Fin and Fur
show this spring..so I shall try to participate with some of my
rooster paintings. Theme shows are always interesting, because
you get to see so many different interpretations of a theme.
Should be fun to see a whole room dedicated to critters and ofcourse
in all sorts of different media. It's only February, but once you start
thinking about the upcoming show schedule..time will get eaten up
fairly quickly. Unfortunately galleries are closing all around due to
the dire economic times...I shall do my best to support the ones that
remain open!

Monday, February 9, 2009

Courtyard Colors

A study in outdoor garden furniture...
I gathered the paints one day and set up an
impromtu still life in our courtyard paying no
regard to where physical objects started and stopped.
I simply overlapped and combined shapes trying to
come up with a pleasing composition. I like the way the
brick pattern came out and the glass of the table.
Every year we try to get some of the elephant ear tropical
plants. We mix them in with our other annuals and it always
amazes me how HUGE those leaves get and I love the way
the rain pools and collects inside the folds of its foliage.
The dark purple/black variety is especially lovely.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Beach Grape

This is a journal painting done several years ago while
on vacation in a nice, warm climate! I will be going there
in my head today, because I am going to the dentist to have
two fillings replaced...ouch. So I will fill my brain with thoughts
of leisure and drown out the sound of the drill...did I make you all
cringe right there? Wish me luck...thank goodness for novacaine,
but I wish they could administer it without the needle part!
(just when you thought I'd talk about colors and painting process..ha:)

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Blue silos

I thought I'd post this right after yesterday's image, because
I wanted you to see the difference in the blues I used for the sky.
It's probably hard to tell on all the different computer monitors,
but maybe the subtleties will come through. This blue is Verditer
blue by Holbein. It almost has a lavender feel to it. It seems warmer
than yesterday's blue..which has a distinct "cold" winter feel to it.
It has been great conducting these experiments...all these tubes of
paint and so easy to get stuck in the "always use the same colors rut".

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Winter scene

As promised one of my winter landscape interpretations...
eventhough it was created from a photograph, but it's just
been toooooooo cold around these parts! I used a new to me
blue for the sky...it is cobalt teal from M.Graham Co. It is very
vibrant and I like the way it performed. I scumbled a paper towel
across the sky for some cloud effects. It certainly is hard to leave
so much white paper...I didn't use any masking fluid just in case
you were wondering.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Tall Poppy

Tall and skinny poppy..this is another
older painting. I used to let the pigments
flow more randomly...now it seems I try to control
them a little more. You almost don't know what's
going to come out of letting various colors mingle
on the paper...some of the time it's mud though..I am
a little borderline on this one. But experience teaches
us which pigments play well together and which ones
need to be separated on the playground!

Monday, February 2, 2009

victorian sketch

My latest contribution to the Different Strokes
blog...As a child I would want draw or paint, but
just didn't have the inspiration..so I would pester my
mother and ask her (insert whiny child's voice here)..
what should I draw?? Give me some ideas!! Well now
I have Karen who so graciously provides us with inspiration
once every two weeks! Plus she gives us unique subjects that
I probably wouldn't seek out myself..another way to stretch
the creative muscles! By the way...this is my 200th post! Yee haw.