Sunday, October 31, 2010

The Sketchbook Project 2010

Im getting in the swing now...Two more entries! This is the LINK to my profile on Art House Co Op

What a crazy week! We carved over 70 pumpkins for an installation to benefit Camp Sunshine. Next week is the end of the quarter and I have two shows to think about getting work ready for.

Here is...

- you would pick pumpkins
- you would gaze breathless


Sunday, October 17, 2010

The Sketchbook Project 2010

New Project!


My theme is "If you lived here."

Here is my cover and one of my first pages. My book is sectioned into four seasons. My goal is to express the smells, sights and things to do that pleasure the senses in our beautiful state with the change of the seasons. The book is due in January. They go on tour all over the US in the spring of 2011 including at the Space Gallery in Portland Maine. More info to follow.


Saturday, October 2, 2010

Final Installment!

I know I have a full time job when it takes me almost a month to post two very small paintings!


On July 31, 2010 I sat on my front deck for the first time since May 22 to do a small pastel of the view. At the same time my facebook artist pals entered into a month long painting challenge. I decided that I needed to at least try.

My decision was to do each daily painting in the same medium, on the same basic size support and of the same view. I thought that would allow me a chance at success. I learned a great deal during this exercise and here are a few of my lessons:

- about 5 paintings in I realized how dedicated Monet had to have been because I surely could NOT see doing more than five or six views of the same place and he did YEARS worth
- after the 7th painting or so I started to find a focus for each painting such as shadow, mark making, color scheme or mood
- each new painting was the fuel for the next one...I CAN do this
- even when I thought "this looks just like the other ones" once on the wall the newest one claimed its own unique place in the collection
- I do have favorites but not one of them takes first place over the experience of the process
- I LOVE PASTELS
- I LOVE FOG
- I LOVE MOVING WATER
- I LOVE THE DRAMA OF THE SKY
- when I devise a plan of attack I can more easily fit painting into my life

- I NEED to paint, I feel better when I do

final paintings number 31 and 32........it's been a rewarding participation








Sunday, August 29, 2010

Daily Painting August 28 and 29, 2010

Last day off. Lots to do. Here is number 29 and 30! Likely will not get to do my last two until next weekend. Its off to the races.

6 1/2 x 10 La Carte. Night view!


6x9 Wallis

Friday, August 27, 2010

Daily Painting August 27, 2010

RAIN + SUN = GREEEEEEN!
The day started with a King Fisher bragging loud about how he was going to catch breakfast in the pond - then on to painting! The recent rain has made everything green up again so my focus was on that. The only one with no sky so far.

The good thing about this challenge is that It makes me paint every day. The bad thing is that I can see how few days I have before I go back to work!
Here is painting number 28. x9 Wallis Pastel Paper

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Daily Painting August 26 2010

Today I wanted to focus on the long long shadows that appear this time of year. The light is a tell tail signal that fall is on its way.
There is this song by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer called "Gentle Solder of My Soul" - one line says - when I have passed through the forest of my trials and stand at last where the shadows run for miles, we'll ride on ponies fine with painted shields through fields of shining gold.....what a beautiful image this creates - a mesmerizing song.

Here is painting number 27. 6x9 Wallis Pastel Paper.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Daily Painting August 25 2010

RAIN RAIN RAIN!!!! Oh how we have needed this rain!

Toady's painting is of the the light rain first thing this morning. Wash away the dust, pollen and troubles. Green up the grass in ready for that beautiful fall contrasting color show!


Big purchase last night! Set of 60 Terry Ludwig Pastels!



Here is painting number 26. 6x9 Wallis Pastel Paper.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Daily Painting August 24 2010

Only few more left to go. Today's painting is on 6x9 Wallis Sanded Pastel Paper.
In the market for some more Mt Vision Whites!

Here is painting number 25.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Daily Painting August 23 2010

One week left and then back to work. Its been a very difficult summer of Doctors appointments and care taking. Not looking forward to going back for many many reasons. Every school year is different and you have to expect that but the recent changes have been extremely disconcerting. If I can make it for 24 years I can make it to the end. Not the best attitude I know but we all do what we have to do don't we!
If only this man were our Commissioner of Ed - one of the MOST viewed on TED talks.

Here is painting number 24.6x9 Wallis Paper.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Daily Painting August 21 and 22 2010

Busy day yesterday. Had a long over due celebration for our graduating youngest.
Today I post two paintings. I picked up some more of my favorite paper at the Art Guru - Wallis and, yikes it is expensive but worth every cent. Now I need to decide how long I'm going to wait until I buy a Heilman Pastel Box and a set of Terry Ludwig pastels! I need a sponsor like nascar drivers.

Both of these are 6x9 on Wallis paper. I start back to work on the 30th so I'm already worried about how I will do those. I guess I could always get caught up on the weekend. Then I need to start working on "the Sketchbook Project" The Space Gallery will host this exhibition in March and April of 2011! 10,000.00 artists and 60 countries! Wow!

Here is painting number 22 and 23.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Daily Painting August 20 2010

Shameless pitch..I need more blog followers! Tell people you know who might like to follow my posts about Art and Painting. I try to use lots of links to help people learn or understand things I might post that they don't know about.

Short post today. Getting ready for family to visit tomorrow and I need more supplies for painting! Running out of my favorites! Going out with Artist friend this afternoon to pick up some Mt Vision pastels in darks and lights along with some Wallis Sanded Pastel Paper. Art Guru is the only place that sells the Wallis unless I get it on line and the Artists and Craftsman for the Mt Vision. OH - I need to inquire how to get the same look for blending color with pastels WITHOUT sanding off my fingerprints! Cant find a thing that works as good as my fingers.

Here is painting number 21. 6 3/4 x 10 1/2 UArt 500.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Daily Painting August 19 2010

Two things.


1. I LOVE lens flares. I know I'm not supposed to love them but I do. To some people they are a defect, to me they are magical. The color and transparency are beautiful to me and I cant help but stare at and study them.


2. Impressionism.....not the way I want to paint ALL the time but bits and pieces and marks of color go well with lens flares and pastels are great mark variety makers.


I hate this paper but I hate waste more. So - this is my daily painting for August 19 on 7 x 11 Sabretooth with a coat of Golden Pastel ground.


Here is painting number 20.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Daily Painting August 17 and 18

Two paintings to post today. These are both on La Carte paper by Sennelier. This paper is very toothy and tends to break off as you work.

I am finding it easier to post two paintings at a time.

Doing one painting a day is a real challenge for me. Lots of things get in the way. I need a Betsy to protect my interests and let me paint all day. Why is it that we don't ever hear of the men behind the WOMEN artists of the world.


Here are painting 17 and 18.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Daily Painting August 15 and 16 2010

Fast post today. On our way to Boston to see a specialist. More later. Here are Saturdays and Sundays paintings for our August Facebook Painting challenge.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Daily Painting August 14 2010

Biggest accomplishment today? I posted the painting I did the same day I completed it. I'm exhausted! I think a perfect summer day is hard to make visually unique. I tried to capture the time of day and the perfect weather but to me, perfect weather looks a bit boring.

This painting is 6 3/4 x 10 1/2 on UArt pastel paper. I started with a Cerulean Blue watercolor wash. I swear that greens are one of the hardest colors to work with! Next painting my plan is to try a neutral under painting and then add color to that. I love the artist Stephen Quiller - his color work is so bold and dynamic. He uses a lot of neutrals. That will be my focus for next painting.

Her is painting number 15.

Daily Painting August 13 2010

Painting a lot means learning a lot. Today's painting is on 6 3/4 x 10 1/2 UArt 800 with a light pink dry wash put down first. I do like UArt paper because it behaves like Wallis. I do NOT like the finer grit, I have discovered. The color moves around too much for the way I work and it makes me struggle to create what seems to be to be a complete image. Or, am I getting tired of the actual image.



Getting to know a subject requires many hours of observation and interpretation but there are times when I have to hunt for inspiration with the same image.

Here is painting number 14.



Friday, August 13, 2010

Daily Painting August 12 2010

I find it difficult to post on the correct day. By the time I am done with the painting and every day life I'm too exhausted to post. Today, my goal is to post August 13 painting on August 13!
This painting is on La Cart Pastel Card. I learned how to do pastels on this surface. I remember thinking how wonderful it was at the time. Since then I has learned the things I don't like about it. For one. It is not waterproof. I cant tell you how many times I have been outside painting for an hour or two and had a drop of liquid sap or dew fall off a tree directly on to my painting! Ugh! There goes the surface and it is impossible to repare completely. The other issue I have is the grit size. It is like painting on sand that you would dig up yourself and, that sand tends to want to move about on the surface. I can think of times when I might like to choose this surface but for the most part, Its not for.

As an aside, last night around 6:30 pm a very very large coyote appeared right in the middle of this very field. It looked very healthy with a good shiny coat. It was extremely light in color. At first we thought it was a deer. It is very unusual for a wild dog to expose themselves in the day light for such a long periods of time. This day I saw the coyote, two deer and a mother turkey with chicks.

Here is painting number 13.



Thursday, August 12, 2010

Daily Painting August 11 2010

Real struggle to paint today. So many every day life things get in the way! Lots of phone calls today to make travel arrangements for a Doctors appointment. Plus, the day was such a beauty! I just HAD to get some fresh air.
I do realize I am in the rears! This post is for painting number 12. I started it yesterday and it took me all day long to get to it again! This is on UArt 500 paper. I started with a gray dry wash which I have never attempted before. At first I loved the neutral ground but as I developed the image I found the contrast harder to create. Perhaps I made the dry wash too dark or too thick. Next time I think I will do the wash lighter and give it a temperature that compliments the image.

Here is painting number 12.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Daily Painting August 10, 2010

Today's painting is on my favorite paper. Artist Kitty Wallis developed this surface for her pastel work. I love the the fact that it is water proof and I can do a loose watercolor under painting. It never clogs for me no matter how many layers I put on. I do not use fixative because I don't like the way it looks so being able to layer is a plus.

This is a shot I took one morning after some night time showers. 6 x 9 Wallis pastel paper. Not sure what grade but I think its professional and not museum. This painting has an under painting of paynes gray.

Painting number 11.


Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Daily Painting August 9, 2010

Late post today. Too much to do yesterday to get this posted but I did get it 90% complete.

This painting is on 9 1/4 x 6 1/2 Art Spectrum Colourfix paper. Another support picked up at a workshop. I only like this paper OK...not enough tooth for me. The colors are nice, this one is a light yellow, but I like a tooth that really grabs.

I am attempting to have a focus for each painting. Since all of them have been symmetrical balance I did this one in approximate symmetry.
Here is painting number 9.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Daily Painting August 8, 2010

Painting number 9. Now I'm organized with a sustainable plan.

I solved the problem of the much dreaded Sabretooth paper by carding two smooth layers of Golden pastel ground on to the surface. I like that MUCH better. It grabs the pastel instead of letting it slip about and if I scrub away I can add super lights easily. Guess I will be able to use it all up.

My image folders for the entire month are all laid out. Each day has a folder just waiting for the images to fill it. I take shots as I see them, adding them to the folders in ready for painting. MUCH less stress!

Here is painting number 9.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Daily Painting August 7, 2010

Painting number 8. This piece is done on my favorite paper - Kitty Wallis, toned with indigo blue watercolor. After days of humid weather the night brought fall like cool temps and with it the color, light and contrast I love.

This painting is 6x9.


Daily Painting August 6, 2010

Late post. This is painting number 7 done on UArt 800 pastel paper. It is 5 1/2" x 10" - with a cobalt blue watercolor ground. Photo reference shot was taken at 8:30am. The reds in the grass are due to morning light and very dry conditions.



Thursday, August 5, 2010

Daily Painting August 5, 2010

Another dreadful weather day. This kind of weather really gets to me. I could never move south!
Again I waited most of the day for some inspiration that was less FLAT and washed out. By four pm it was clear - what you see is what you get today! I took a shot with my digital camera that was a lower point of view - one that would encompass the flowers in the foreground more. A little work with photo shop and I had something that I could work with.

This painting is on UArt pastel paper toned with a pyrole red watercolor wash. This is such an absolutely yummy red! My aim was to create something more patterned - more flattened like the weather but with bright color.

Here is painting number 6.

Daily Painting August 4, 2010

Painting number 5. I waited all day yesterday for a possible good shot. Hot, humid weather kept the day gloomy and oppressive. I decided to to try a previous shot and fiddle around in photo shop a bit to create interest.
This painting is on paper I really have to force myself to use. Suffice to say I will never buy this paper again. This is Sabretooth. I have some pretty big sheet left too. The tooth is too smooth and large for my liking but I need to use it up. That is one thing this challenge has done - it has forced me to use up what I have and make it work. I think I may try to card on some Golden acrylic pastel medium the next time I use this paper to try and give it more of a bite.

Here is painting numer 5 - completed too late last night to post.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Daily Painting August 3, 2010

Today was a day of uninspired light. Drab, low contrast hazy muted color. There were a few moments when I thought the sun might provide a little show but it never materialized. So - after the dinner dishes were done I started looking through my pond photos. I decided to use some paper I had picked up from a pastel work shop I had at Haystack, Moulin De Larroque - the surface is textured and soft. This is not the kind of surface I gravitate towards. I don't really like the way the pastel sits on top of the ridges or that I need to work the color into the surface if I want coverage.

I'm OK with the final painting. Its good for me to work with a surface I'm not fond of. New challenges help solve other problems along the way. I decided today to also create an album on flickr for all the paintings I do this month. More exposure!

Here is painting number four.


Monday, August 2, 2010

Daily Painting August 2 2010

New format. This is 6x9 1/2 UArt paper with a pink watercolor wash for ground. I just love how light effects color, shadows and contrast. It feels good to be productive! I must admit that I considered doing one last night when the moon was reflecting in the water! Perhaps another time.


Sunday, August 1, 2010

Daily Painting August 1 2010

Painting number two was begun at 6:30 am Sunday morning. The cold morning had caused water vapor to rise from the pond surface. Beautiful, dancing wisps of water droplets slowly travel up and over the water - a magical feeling. The sun just over the tree tops create blurry colors in the darkness of the tree line in the back ground.

This would have been posted earlier but my sister and I took kayaks from West Buxton dam to Bar Mills dam today. Far from a leisurely float - it was hard work paddling against the wind coming up the river from the east!

Here is painting number two. 6x9 - Pastels on La Carte sanded pastel paper - not my favorite surface.



Saturday, July 31, 2010

Since May 22 2010

May 22, 2010. Since that tragic day I have done no painting but, I have learned an enormous amount about medical care, insurance, the trauma a human body can endure and unfortunately our legal system.


Today I decided to do a small pastel from our front deck while sipping my morning coffee. Using a 6x9 sheet of Wallis paper I was struck by the number of lush greens and high contrast created by the upcoming sun over our pond. I set myself a goal - inspired by my online painter friends on face book, I will ATTEMPT to paint one 6x9 pastel of that same location from July 31st to August 31st. If I get them all done it will be a miracle. Here is today's painting.





I have also entered "The Sketchbook Project" sponsored by the Art House Co Op. This event is a traveling art exhibition. In short - I have been sent a registered sketchbook that I have to complete within my chosen theme by Jan 2011. The books will all be cataloged and published online. The show will travel to various parts of the country including Portland Maine. I have a Blue covered moleskin sketchbook and my theme is "If you lived here..." Stay tuned.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

What's On the Easel

Time has gone by so fast since my last post. After the solo exhibition my work at school had to take over my time. April break and I am ready to get back in the swing of things again. I need to post my work inventory to my online Etsy shop, start my work for my newest environmental piece, join Pastel Painters of Maine, decide what shows I might like to enter and continue my experiments with Casein paints.

Here are my newest pastels. All of them were started En Plein Air and then completed in the studio.

This pastel is 9x12 inches on La Cart Pastel Card. This paper is not one of favorites because if it gets wet, your done for. I need to use up my inventory. I started this En Plein Air while a photographer pal of mine took shots of the raging Saco River after tons of rain had fallen. Location - Warren Road in West Buxton right where the water meets the edge of the road. Moving water is difficult to represent well because your mind sees so many elements changing very fast.


These four small pastels are from the Eastern Prom looking out over Casco Bay in Portland yesterday. I went out painting with two painter pals. They are very tiny, only 3 1/2 x 5 inches each. I started them En Plein Air and then completed them in the studio. I often do multiple images of the same location all at once. It forces me to work faster and deal with the light changes. These are done on my favorite paper - Wallis. I like to do watercolor underpaintings and this paper can take it. The link will bring you Kitty's blog and her beautiful work.








Sunday, January 17, 2010

Four Seasons Complete

Four Seasons is now complete and ready for the exhibition. They were really a challenge to create. The biggest problem to solve was how to get them to read well together as a whole. I ended up warming up winter by bringing some of the creams, yellows and pinks from the other paintings into the whites.
Apart from the obvious change in the weather I wanted to create a feeling for each scene. It sounds funny but the watching the weather out there is like watching a movie. Although the central characters are the same - evergreens, maples, pond, cat tails, grass... every few moments the lighting and colors all make things look so different.



Friday, January 1, 2010

Four Seasons Progress

Here is what I have so far of my Four Seasons Pond Series.

All four are about equal for completion. Fall and Winter have given me the most challenge. The process consists of many many layers of thin color glazes mixed in with more opaque top colors. Each painting has been accomplished using some similar techniques but some areas require new ways of interpretation. For example, the trees all have different numbers of layers and very different techniques. The winter tree line has been the most challenging - the fall tree line has been the most fun.

I am attempting to create a unique feel for each season even though the landscape is the same location. I am aiming for greens, drama and water movement on spring, soft and quiet on summer, color burst and that yummy ultramarine water on fall and that pristine beauty on that first winter snow.

About 85%. I have gotten allot done so far this week. Please excuse the glare. I decided I wanted to see them all together so this poses a greater lighting problem.