Jan 18 | Work in Progress

Work in Progress

 

I haven't decided on a title.  Not sure why, but 'Kiss Me Kate' came to mind when I started.  If you have any ideas for a title please let me know. 

It is funny that when I started the 30 in 30 challenge the paintings seem to go a little easier.  I think I've started trying too hard and that's not good.  Finishing a painting in a day is an interesting process.  I wish I could figure out how many artist friends say they start painting and can paint all day or into the night.  For me that's similar to running friends who talk about a runner's high.  Still waiting for that to happen.  

I see artists who produce wonderful paintings, wet into wet and somehow don't get pink when they lay their lights up against red.  Magic.  Me, I find this process tricky because the colors easily turn muddy if I fiddle with them too much.  

For this painting I knew I needed to stop, so I used a scrapper to draw my shapes back in (those white lines you see) and decided to call it a day. I'll go back tomorrow and see how it goes. It'll be interesting to see if I can save it.  But if I can't, well the challenge is about learning from our mistakes too!

Sweethearts

I've been away from my easel for a few months and wanted to paint something fun.  Bill Everson, a photographer and a good friend since high school, sends me wonderful photos from his travels.  He shared a couple of photos of Waxbills.  Who knew there were so many types?  These are 'Orange Cheek Waxbills.'

"Sweethearts"

8x10” oil ($250)

 

MOVE Over

"MOVE Over"  8x8" oil  (Sold)

I'm finding that there is something really appealing about painting birds.  It is amazing what great expressions they can have.  This painting was a challenge photo sent to me by a friend.  I put them on a wire and changed the background using turquoise, currently my color. I had the best time painting this adorable trio.  They made me smile whenever I looked at the painting.   They will soon be enjoying a spot in a friend's office.  I hope they brings her smiles everyday too. 

 ValeArts show is coming soon!!

Historic Vale School House

3124 Fox Mill Rd, Oakton VA 22124

Corner of Vale & Foxmill Roads

at the flashing red four-way stop

I am honored to be a guest artist with the Vale Arts group.  If you live nearby please stop in and enjoy their Annual Spring show "Destinations."
 

Visit their website for more information.  ValeArts

Hey Birdie Birdie

This painting used multiple water media techniques. 

The lines you see were made by the embossing from the black Gesso on aluminum foil.  
I've outline the steps at the end of this post

I had the delightful experience of attending a 5-day workshop taught by Mary Todd Beam at Springmaid Mountain resort last week.  I don't work in water media very often and wanted to learn how to use all of the interesting mediums I see at the art store.  I've had some wonderful instructors, but none more excited about making art than Mary. She is a bundle of energy.  If you have the opportunity to take a class with Mary, I highly recommend it. 

More than just learning, I had a lot of fun.  As I get older, I realize I don't let myself enjoy the creative process of art like I should.  So I played, experimented and learned there are only happy accidents if something doesn't go as planned when you are dripping, swishing, scraping and adding pieces of things like plastic and tissue paper just to see what it does to the wet paint.  

I've long admired Mary's work since I saw first saw her in a Golden video on YouTube.  Mary shares all of her techniques in her books but is always looking for new ways to make art (which she shares in her classes) and is in the process of writing another book.  

My friend Stephanie asked me to accompany her to Mary's workshop.  I'd never been to a Springmaid resort before.  They also have a beach resort that hosts water media classes twice a year.  Springmaid Mountain is in Spruce Pine, NC.  What was really nice is that it is an all inclusive package so you paint, stay in cabins (separate bedrooms) on the property and they have a caterer bring in meals.  Its a great setting for getting to really know the other artists because everyone doesn't have to leave after class to go home or back to a hotel.  Springmaid Mountain is also a lovely setting in the mountains with streams and hiking trails.  As part of the package, you can fish in their stocked fishing ponds, go horse back riding after class, or head for the water and canoe or kayak. Now that's not something I get to do at most art workshops! 

I also want to give a shout out to Golden products.  Golden provided Mary (free of charge) lots of products for us to use.   It was fun to try them out and of course I will be buying some of them soon.  I'd never used GAC before (or heard of it).  Who knew it could be used for so many things.  Then there was all of the gels, molding pastes, tar gel, and new high flow colors.   I learned a few new uses for black gesso.  

The painting surface is 310 crescent illustration board but Mary also likes #100.  I was so busy having fun doing it that I didn't think to take pictures of the steps! Here are the steps:  

1. Drip paint (we used Golden fluid acrylics) onto the wet surface, manipulate, then let it dry.  
2. Look for shapes of objects to enhance (only one of the birds was planned the rest just popped out!)
3. Using a brayer, put a thin layer of black gesso on one side of a piece of heavy aluminum foil. 
4. Transfer drawing or just lines onto the painted dry board.  The tricky part is letting the black gesso get tacky, but still wet enough to come off when you turn the black side down and draw on the opposite side so the drawing (kind of) transfers onto your board.
5. Mix opaque colors using white gesso to paint out negative space.

Spreading Their Wings

Spreading Their Wings, 8x10" oil on gessobord ($250)

It is fun to go "hunting" in an art museum for someone who is not only expressive in their body language but fits the painting they are studying.  I didn't realize until I got home and looked at my photographs that this gentleman's hands in his pockets made them look like wings... and he was looking at birds in flight.  Perfect.  

I will caution artists that once you start doing this you have to remind yourself to also enjoy the art on the walls!  I also have to be careful of what my husband says looks like stalking.   Sometimes when I see someone wearing interesting clothes, I walk around waiting for them to stop in front of a painting that compliments their look.  

Speed Bump

Speed Bump created by Dave Coverly