Hello Dovies...

Hey fellow Doves.  How are all of you?  I think Jo is probably swooning from all the art she is seeing in California.  I think El's tongue is dry from sticking out as she paints her pictures to sell soon. I can imagine that Gail is so busy just painting and taking care of her livestock and garden she hardly has time to breathe.  Buena, I wonder what she has learned and where she is headed in her car next.  And the rest of you, well I hardly know.
This is Shirley's latest painting and it isn't a dove bu it is a lovely bird. 8X8.   I forgot to ask her what she named it.
I saw Harry Potter today in 3D and it wasn't very good.  The book was excellent, but the movie had moved on in my life.  They stretched it out too much.  And I am beginning to not be such a great fan of 3D.  It was so gray and lacking in color and so hard to understand what they were saying.  The actors spoke too fast.  I guess there just wasn't anything new in it to view.
I hope all of you are well and doing fine canvas work.  Jerrry's ArtORama probably needs the dough.  Take care ladies.

Meet Shirley Broadoff

Meet Shirley.  We are going to paint together next week.  I have a newcomer's meeting at 9:00, then I'll head over to her paint room at Keowee Key Club.  She is picking the picture and the size and I am going to go through a step by step painting with her.  I had a bad day today and as usual took on a too hard set up to work on.  There were some lovely paintings people were starting and I will share them later with you. (including my set up.)  She is so sweet and honest.  She told me to start by painting the whole canvas the back ground color.  And then start drawing the object in it.  So that is all the farther I got really.
I went swimming tonight in the dark by myself and of course with Chase.  I looked up at the stars and watched the planes going over like little blinking dots in the sky.  In the water I didn't feel like a 60 + year old person.  But I also realized I had moved from having dreams to just wanting to make it through the day. I had laundry going because I forgot to do it earlier.  But I had a humorous thought before I close tonight.  I was thinking about Gail's white duck and white chicken and how they became good friends.  But I can't even remember their names now.  Like usual it is me starting a joke but not remembering it enough to finish it.

July is almost gone.

I haven't been painting.  Can you tell?  I go today to be with other ladies that paint and maybe I can get stirred up again.  I have no idea what I'll work on though.  We visited Ashville last week with visitors.  The downtown is hopping and full of antique stores.  One store was so big and so hot I really couldn't take it all in.  They did have a majong set for sale but wanted $500.00 for it.  So I think there were no deals to be found there.  Steph loves to shop in places like that, so it is lucky me that I have someone to enjoy this hobby with.  Jer and Steph are considering coming down for a month so we could get away and do a fall tour.  I hope it works out.
The man that landscaped Vanderbuilt's house also did Central Park in N.Y.  The Builtmore builder also did the base for the Statue of Liberty.  There are huge paintings of both men at the house.  The next time I go I want to do the butler's tour and see more of the house.  We did use the tape tour and it was worth doing.  We did half the house, then stopped for lunch, then finished.  I think the basement needs to be done first next time.  It was HOT in the afternoon.  Those poor workers of long ago.
I like that Qiang has been challenged to identify a passion in what he paints.  I have a hard time picking a subject to paint although I have to practice.  It seems to me it does have to have some meaning or passion behind it. Today I will just set into it and get r done.
My daughter in law loves France.  And her mom wants to visit it.  One of her favorite musician's to listen to is Carla Bruni.  ( The president of France's wife.)  Give her a try for painting along with he soft voice.!!
Also, good luck to Anne Spoon for the challenge she has set for herself through the rest of the year.  How I wish I could be behind her watching her paint the great characters of her home town.  Awesome...

Summer

Austin has been over 100 degree's for 30 days.  I hear Bartlesville is burning up in the heat.  Triple digits.  We finally had some hot weather.  In the upper 90's.  The pool was a huge hot tub.  Going outside was for only those use to it and just had to.  There hasn't been an outstanding sun rise in a month.  It cooled down to 88 today and will be 81 on Saturday, which is the birthday party for Paige and Aubrey.  I am looking for large play houses for them.  ( planning on filling up mom and Dad's living room again.)
There is this hill on the way to town.  I saw a photographer up there one day.  I have always wanted to stop and look at what is on the top.  You can see a fireplace skeleton, but I have a feeling it must be a great view.  A great one to paint.  Sometimes I can see maybe a tin roof.  I know that farm has some great horses, a black and white pinto in the front pasture.  And I have glanced and saw a great looking mom cow with two babies.  I see they are re roofing their home which is set back from the road.  I need to get up the nerve to approach their place and ask to take some pictures.  I hope they let met.  I think there is some great paintings ahead.
Were you able to answer Qiang's question about what he talks about on his first day of class?  I couldn't.

Sunday

Today I painted.  With Bob.  The back porch railing was faded and needed it.  Bob did the sanding and I helped paint/stain.   The weather was cloudy and really not so hot or humid.  The paint turned out to be $80.00 a gallon.  The people who built this house really were rich.  All the wood has this red transparent, shiny, stain/paint.  It really is lovely, but we thought we could eventually paint over it to deter the wood bee's.  This stuff is oil based.  I messed up a pair of shorts and a nice shirt working.  I should have known that if I oil paint, I do get it all over myself.!! hahaha
I just finished a good book too.  We enjoy reading James Rollins' novels.  His books are full of history and facts and this newest one was the same way.   The name of the book is "The Devil Colony: a sigma Force Novel."  At the end of the book he explains the facts from the fiction but like usual  he leaves you with the feeling maybe it isn't so fiction after all.   Laura and Chris are reading the Crown of Thrones or Thorns or whatever that series that is running right now.  They bought the books and are watching the series at the same time.  Then they discuss it along the way.  I think that is good for a couple.!!  The show is pretty up front on the nudity.  When you are prisoner and stripped and running behind a horse until you can't anymore and start getting dragged etc.  It is pretty realistic.  Maybe a little science fiction too?  I haven't kept up on it much.
I have the message about Valerie's art class also.  I didn't understand how you could take pencil and make it into the painting, so maybe one of you are going to the class and can explain it.

A new resourse

I have to say I am worn out.  We had 14 here at the house for Sunday before Fourth of July but we did go on the boat to eat at the Tiki Hut.  They had a D.J. and if we would have stuck around, live music later.  Then on Monday we had 9 for that day.  The little girls had a ball with all the kids and adult visiting around the pool was fun.  Only one family went out on the lake to ride, and only two men got the Sea Doo out.  The lake was so rough from all the boats they said that was a blast.
Bob bought a book when we were at B&N.  He thought it was about photography, but he said it really wasn't that narrow a subject.  The name of the book is "The Photographer's Eye" by Michael Freeman.  It turned out to be about composition and Design for better Digital photos.  He said it is all about theme's a painter or photographer would need to do a great work. Subjects like Circles and rectangles, Divergence lines.  So, I"ll set myself down and learn some more about placing objects or watching objects to paint them.  It has chapter's on muted colors and your intent.  Great book for the both of us.!!  Way to go Bob and thanks for sharing it with me.
It is hot and humid and still raining in the afternoon.  We had our Grand babies through Thursday by the way.  Alone with no mama or papa for two nights and three days.  And I managed to put a lump on Aubrey's head.  ush.  Aubrey saw a picture of a baby crying in the newspaper yesterday also.  She was quite affected by looking at it and even took it to her sister Paige to look at.  It was a story of all the starving people in Africa and the drought.  I have to say it was quite a sad story.  People with no place to go and no food or water.  And the groups helping them need millions of dollars to help.  Along with bribes I am sure. I do believe man is the meanest and kindest animal on this planet.  And I think too many of one and too little of the other.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

I have no dog now that goes crazy when the fire works start.  And they started Sunday evening.  We ate dinner at the Tiki hut this evening.. there were 14 of us and the music was loud but the food good.  We took the boat over and managed to wrap the dock rope around the propeller when we backed into the spot.  We didn't notice that it had slipped over the side.  We think the boat is fine.  Our hero daughter took off her dress and put on her life jacket and went off the back to untie the mess.  ( She did have a swim suit on by the way.)  We were saved.!!  We got to see a rare sight.  A sun set.  Where we live we just enjoy sun rise and Sun shining on sail boats at dusk.  I enjoyed the group of people that we know, but are friends of the Cousins.  What fun to have a pool full of kids and dad's diving off the dive board with their fancy flips.  Chase had a ball and is worn out from swimming with everyone.  They swam after we ate.. in the dark too.  I guess I like 4th of July, except I have a fridge full of food and no one ate here...
Happy 4th everyone.  I can hear the fireworks and know how it must be scary in a war.  And I can see the fireworks and admire the product and what it produces in the air. Beautiful colors.  Has anyone ever painted it?

A Big Sigh

Today I had no excuse not to paint.  I did laundry, cooked lunch, emptied the dishwasher, etc. etc. etc.  I  did enjoy the pool with Bob and Chase.  Jason will be happy to read that I got every dog hair I could out of the pool.  There was an ozone alert for us.  I didn't know that meant it was a warning about breathing outside.  I just put on more suntan lotion and thought I had that covered.  We ended up watching the new movie  called: Season of the Witch.  Don't buy it and don't rent it.  Even if it did have Nicolas Cage in it.  If you want to watch it come here... we have it. Well it is worth renting for a $1.00.
I wonder if Gail takes pictures of the paintings she does and sells.  I hope so.  I want to see what she sold at the Mozart Festival in Bartlesville this June.  I understand people were looking specifically for her paintings.  On another change of subject, I think I want to go to that art class in New Mexico next year.  Anyone up for that?  I need to be deep in painting if I am going to learn anything.  I guess there are choices, or is it just drawing and perspective?  I will go anyway. 
Also I just read there is a cruise line that is going to offer a 3 month cruise around the world next year too.  I think it is in two or three directions and times of year.  Now I would do that also, if I could know my homes would be totally safe and Chase would be treated like the family member he is to us.  Or maybe I should save that for when I can hardly move around anymore.  I will paint tomorrow.  A set up with some of my new brass.  Wish you could join me.