cuties

pears and cuties

painting pears

Well it is back to the beginning for me.  I seem to still not be able to paint a real pear.  I used some cuties to paint also.  I just love the color orange to work with.  It seems that I was using much more paint and colors to paint these pictures than when doing portrait studies.  I tried to limit my use, but ended up adding and adding paint to the pallet.  I haven't made it over the hump El.. lots of work to do I see.  I wanted to use colors that maybe I could frame and put in the condo.  My pears weren't very green or yellow either.  Back to the drawing board and painting board I need to go.  And still I make them too large or too small.  ush

Just saying

We came across Mary Whyte's new painting book " Working South " with sketches, at Barnes and Nobel the other day and decided to buy it.  The book is so good.  She talks about her time while working on these paintings and the people she met and where she lived.  Her heart was totally involved in these paintings.  Bob still drools over the one of the man by the wheat machine.  I just have a very hard time understanding that she is using watercolor's.  Anyway it turns out from the book that she basically taught herself, since her professors didn't know much about watercolor.  I was surprised  and delighted to learn that she gives class' at Greenville museum all the time.  I'll have to watch closer for them.  I would love to see her work that medium.
When you look at the photo on the back of the book of herself, you just know she is honest and open and where her heart is.  She wanted to paint so many more people than she ended up painting.  And she wanted just regular people, not famous ones.  And her regret that some of the jobs she wanted to paint had already gone away.   I think she set the goal of  finishing 50 paintings.  Kind of like Anne Spoon and her  100  portrait paintings of the area she lives in.  Mary shows her art iat her husband, Smith Coleman's gallery in Charlotte.  He hand makes her frames.  I want to visit there and see what she has for sale.  She said sometimes the frame took longer to make than the painting.  And many times she worked 12 hours straight.  I could tell you everything she wrote about, but that would spoil the book.  Buy it and enjoy a true artist of our time.
She said it takes a lot of thought to make a painting.  I guess that is why I am so slow.  I do think about it a lot and usually it is in the early morning hours that I try and hash out what I need to do.  And right now I have two pears in the fridge I need to do and then eat!!

Early painting of El's.

A while ago some Doves were together painting.  It was just practice, but I posted mine, and just came across El's.  She is really getting to be a good painter.  And I liked it so without her permission, I am posting it.  Hi El!!!!

Southwest Art Magazine

For the past couple of lunches I have been drooling over  March, 2012 Southwest Art Magazine.  It was about animals this time.  They featured an artist that lives in Colorado that does bunny rescue on the side.  I really enjoyed reading and looking at the paintings, like I usually do anyway.  I made this grilled ham and cheese sandwich and  I managed to burn the bread and had to scrape.  I used wonderful creamy smoked swiss and cheddar cheese Bob bought.  So I had to scrape and make do.  I am sure Elizabeth and Gail are laughing about it.  At least my mind could hear them laughing.  I am great at burning bacon also.  The pan was too hot.  I was steaming/warming Taco Bell Taco's in the pan with a lid and had kept the temp too high.  I really smoked up the kitchen when I laid my bread down to grill.  Ok, now I can hear Jo laughing too..
I don't know how much it costs to do this, but there was an ad for American Women Artists, announcing their New Associate Level of Membership.  It said join today and be eligible for the national Juried competition exhibition being hosted by K. Newby Gallery in Tubac, Arizona opening November 2, 2012.  You can go to www.americanwomenartists.org to learn more about it I guess.  I know that association would have a good  laugh and I would giggle along with them at even imagining me having anything to do with them, but Anne Spoon and Gail Rogers would fit in just fine.   Not sure about Elizabeth.  I would take her in a minute.  Jo too, if she would buckle down and practice painting.  There was an 800 number as well:800-960-4781.

A bottle practice.

I really did pretty good free hand drawing and painting my bottles.  I set out to make this as a kind of a modern painting, using black in the background on purpose.  I hope to put this in a frame and use it at the Condo.  I am no where near what Elizabeth does in her landscapes.  I find myself staying away from painting  that right now for some odd reason.  I joined Todd Williams on Facebook today too.  What an awesome artist and man.  I sent him a note wishing I could watch him paint a portrait sometime.  And asked when he will be back in Bartlesville doing a painting class.  The Art Association is doing a water color class right now and of course the artist teaching is awesome.  I think you can find out what they have planned by going to Bartlesville Art Association.  I am sure there will be a Spring Art show also.
I bought something unusual too.  I have a HUGE sweet tooth.  In fact, sweet is probably my favorite and only flavor I will seek out first.  Like, sweet Chinese stir fry dishes, fruit, etc.  Anyway, I bought agave nectar.  The bottle I have is light liquid sweetner, organic agave nectar by domino.  Walmart only had the dark nectar, so I had to look at another grocery store.  1 Tablespoon is 60 calories, which sounds like a lot, but I like 3 scoops of sugar in my coffee in the morning.  Both which I seem not to be able to do without.  You can use it for baking also.  But.....I got it because it has a low glycemic index in foods but gives you lots of sweet for less scoops and provides energy.  One little dribble of that and I was satisfied with my coffee.  I hope this works out for me.

flowers painted

It looks brighter than it really is in person.  But I was pretty accurate on the flower, which is what I was after.  I limited my pallet quite a bit in the colors I used.  When I was finished I sat down and read Richard Schmid's book for a while.  He wrote about flowers and painting what you see and feel etc.  The day turned out pretty well.

flowers

So, I headed up stairs and this was what I decided to practice painting.

Inspiration

I so need some inspiration.  Anyone have any of that left over to share?
The fog this morning in South Carolina is awesome.  The lake is gone... the trees are headed that way.  I made a Valentine Breakfast for my Handsome Man.  ( MHM  got it? lol)  We were going to have FISH last night, but ended up not being hungry.  He roasted peanuts from New Mexico ( the small type)  and enjoyed too many of them.  We watched Dream House in the late day light since it is scary and we don't watch scary movies in the dark.  ( another laugh out loud moment there...)
What can I paint besides a wall and valentine hearts?  My heart wasn't in that... I know I need an excellent picture of my daughter so I can start a painting on her.  I almost have decided not to give them to the kids an put them on a wall all together just for me.

Waiting out the new Class

I read that there is a class in Austin in May with a portrait artist from California.  I believe his last name is Lu?  Well, anyway he is allowing beginners to come to it.  It is allowing just 15 artists only.  I am hesitant to do it, but would probably love doing it.  I look back at my notes from my first portrait art class all the time.  I went on line to see how to paint teeth, since Jeremy's were showing and it turned out pretty well.  They look like teeth.  I was surprised that violet is the color that works best with teeth.  You learn something new all the time......

I am experimenting up stairs with wine bottles.  I drew them and did a pretty good job of correct size and placement.  ( thank you past teachers..) and then painted them the colors they were but filled them all in.  From there I hope to add hilights and see were this goes.  I am aiming for modern, since I really can't handle any master type technic's yet well.  I hope it will turn out good enough to hang in the condo when done.  There are some grand walls there.  It isn't a large painting, but I could do a large one later if I like it.  I haven't been visiting my Lake Keowee Key painters since I returned.  I don't know why, just don't want to drag paintings etc.  But I need to try and make valentine heart pictures once again like I tried a long time ago.  Maybe they will look real this time instead of flat and uninteresting.  Just small paintings to frame and share.  That I could carry to that artist gathering and do in a couple of hours.
We went to Blue Ridge Art Assoc. juried art show to look at the paintings.  I was amazed when she said how many sent pictures in and how many of the locals didn't make the show.  There was a room of the refuse that wasn't that bad.  There were lots watercolor art and amazingly lots of photographic art and it definitely had been photoshopped.  The one that won was a pencil drawing of a grandmother and it really was good.  It reminded me of Valerie's work. Very few oil paintings were there, and there was some sculpture that was for sale for 10,000 dollars.  I need to look up this person's name and see who it is. Sorry, I guess I should have taken pictures so you could see the winners.
The Bartlesville Art Association is enjoying classes with Gail Rogers.  I am so missing out on this.
 See ya.

The Louvre

I just was handed my Valentine present early.  It is The Louvre: All the paintings plus a DVD.  It is nearly 800 book pages with a supportive DVD.  It is the only complete collection of masterpiece paintings from the world's most famous museum.  Well, you can wonder around that place almost as long as you can wonder around the Smithsonian I think.  There is some history to go along with each painting shown.  Some are large and some of the paintings are not whole pages which to me is always a shame.  This book is at least 30 lbs. or more.  And I am so excited.  I'll hide it from the kids for quite a few years or only let them look at it if I turn the pages.  Along with Jana's stories of her visit to the Louvre and my wonderful two times getting to visit to that museum, I am going to be in book heaven for a month at least.  I wish my table by the bed was large enough to handle it.  But it needs to be looked at in bright light of day I think.  AWESOME.!!
I also just received my first batch of Pintura Canvass.Which was on sale and with a free shipping award.  They are also inspiring and look like a wonderful format to paint on.  I"ll take the two sizes recommended to Laura Robb's class in Sante Fe next month for sure.  I want to thank my lovie  Dovie, Buena, for telling me about this for oil painting.  I have all the extra oil paints ordered that I need according to the list handed me.  I need to pay my full payment by the 20th too.  I wanted to rent a VBRO home there, but maybe they are too expensive, and there would be one husband staying in the house also.  I sent the info on, but haven't heard back about that yet from the others going.
EXCITEMENT......

Sante Fe, New Mexico

Sante Fe is on my mind right now.  Maybe we will look into renting a house instead of using the hotel.  I have sent the information for VRBO rentals to the ladies that have gone down there and know where to stay.  I am getting excited about this trip.  Now, I start tomorrow on painting some wine bottles for a practice painting.  I have a HOA meeting in the early morning on landscaping in this Crestview subdivision.  I believe in simplicity and easy maintainance.  ( I give up on how to spell that word.)  This should be a hard sell I am afraid.
So, I need to learn something new.
We are tearing up the flooring at the Condo and putting in Cherry wood floors, and painting the walls.  Then everything will be hung and arranged again.  It definitely needs to be more homey and not so black and white anymore.  Anyone have a HUGE lovely painting I can use in that place?  The walls are high.

Jeremy's painting is finished

OMG!! This grandmom finally got to go to Walt Disney World.!!!

Did you see our stat's?  3 people in Russia looked at this blog.  And Germany did too.!! Awesome.
Well I just got back from my first experience of Walt Disney World.  Now, this wasn't an adult run.  It was a 2 year old and 4 year old's vacation with mom and dad and grandparents.  The children were truly silenced and tongue tied with all of the character's they met.  And of course the BEST was getting to meet BELLE from Beauty and the Beast.  Too bad Beast wasn't present.!!  It was at a Princess sit down lunch at the Norway exhibit at Epcot.  The food was outstanding and the princesses present were so beautiful.  They chatted away completely aware that children become quite unable to speak around such wonderful beauties.  The rides and shows were just right for the kids.  I think Dad got a little tired of the age appropriate places we were, but they were perfect for kids, colorful and I heard "it's a small world after all" about 10 times riding through one of those rides.  Three days isn't enough to see everything and have sane children.  It needs to be a week with naps in between.  Oh, well.  They don't plan to return until the girls are 8 and 6.  There were some people that came every year, starting out with infants.  Well, Disney does that for some people I guess.  They need to build one of these is South America... if you get my suggestion....  It is clean and reasonably priced and we walked at least 5 miles everyday.  But it is flat so not so hard on you.  The shows were excellent.  On the live Lion King one, Paige was chosen out of the audience to participate and she did a great job.  She still wants to be a super star when she grows up.  One silly Bucket List Check for me.  Bob has over 600 pictures.  I'll post some of them through out.  OK?

Hey dove's, how's it going?

There has been a sort of story going on around here.  It has been fun to read about and also reading the letters to the editor which is called "Tell Willie".  Sort of like the one in Bartlesville where you can remain unknown and say whatever you want to.  There is a local person that has written a book about this area.
  ( You in B'Ville have one of those too.!!)  She put together this museum of pictures etc and they put it down town in the main business building.  Well, the Blue Ridge Art Assoc.  had an artist show and needed more room and wanted to hang more pictures and someone without authority said, move the permanent exhibit into storage for a  while then put them there.  Well the owner of that History exhibit went ballistic and it made the papers.  The art was removed, the original " permanent exhibit of Seneca was put back.  But she called their exhibit refuse.  That started it all up again.  Until Willy came to the rescue and told us this: From our art smart friends....Most of us laymen don't know the meaning of the word "refuse" applied to art.  It's not a smear.  It just means work not selected for the main show and placed in a secondary show.  The word came from France in 1863, when the first Salon des Refuses was held.  Some artists whose work was exhibited in that show included Manet, Whistler, Cezanne , and Pissarro.  It's not a put down; just an art term.  Well, there you go.  I think everyone everywhere should have a chance to be involved with such an art exhibit.  I will have one when I have enough of my stuff upstairs taking up so much room I need to move it.  I already know our bug man would " love" to have my first try at a sail boat on Lake Keowee. ( He's going to have to pay for it though... nothing is free.)