Health Food ... and the Bella Sinclair Award for Art Inspiration

I'm still running on low energy but feeling better every day.

The weather here has been in the 100 plus range and I really didn't feel like trying to go outside to paint, but didn't want to paint from a photo either, so I was struggling to decide what I might enjoy painting. While shopping one afternoon, I found myself in the vegetable section and I remembered a great painting session that Susan Carlin did one night while I watched her streaming on-line painting program. So I decided to give it a go. I purchased the veggies, snagged a beer from the fridge and set out to paint.

I'm still working on the box set up. This time I had too much light coming in from the front and I'm going to have to figure out how to make the light source more dramatic and clear to the viewer. But for what it was I enjoyed myself. I'm using a board which I gessoed with grey gesso and a bit of acrylic blue added. I think it makes the texture interesting allows enough drag on the brush but also shows the brushwork a bit which I like.

(My husband thinks I should have had a bit of beer to drink then let the foam roll out over the top... - Not sure if he just thought the beer would help the painting aesthetically or perhaps loosen me up to paint better. LOL.. )

I let the painting dry, then the next day looked at it with friends and decided that my shadows were not clear enough. The shadows seemed to indicate light coming from different directions and there wasn't enough dark caste shadow to anchor the veggies down. They were floating a bit. I think I've corrected that now. So here it is...

"HEALTH FOOD" - 11"x14" - oil /wood panel

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On another note, I'd like to thank Laurel Daniel for the wonderfully thoughtful and perfectly timed Bella Sinclair Award for Art Inspiration. Actually SHE is the one who inspires ME, but it was really good to receive this nice nod from her.
In turn I'd like you to enjoy the following bloggers to whom I am sending on this nice award:

Susan Carlin
Johanna Spinks
Karla Nolan
Ruth Housley
R. Garriott
Bonnie Luria

All of these ladies have taught me, inspired me and uplifted me when I needed a boost!
THANKS!

Nudes In The Garden

Okay... There is a lot wrong with this painting.... BUT... there's a lot I like about it too.

First of all, it's really the first time I've been out painting or painted for any length of time since
July 1 when I got the flu then came down with pneumonia. So it was major fun.

Julie Snyder, a fabulous painter with whom I've become "friends" on Facebook, arranged this opportunity for people to get together and paint models. I knew about her because I won a painting demo from her about three years ago ... and I LOVE it...(Hanging on the wall in the family room outside my kitchen... it's a waiter holding a wine bottle... perfect!!) so when I saw her on FB I said... "I MUST be her friend!!"

Anyhow, she occasionally arranges these painting opportunities and invites people to join her. I met several other people I "know" from blogs or other classes. There was lots of shade, a lovely setting, two beautiful models, a clean bathroom and plenty of food and refreshment. THANK YOU, JULIE!!

I had a good time even while I struggled with the gown which was similar in color and value to Jennifer's skin color. I struggled with the constantly changing dappled sunlight. But I was proud of myself because I used only my six color palette... a warm and a cool each of yellow, red and blue plus white. I kept a lot (not enough... but a lot) of my painting loose. I was happy with some of the color mixtures I made... nice complements, etc. Not a perfect painting but not a total disaster either.

All in all I'd say it was a great day to be out painting nudes in the garden. It's good to feel well again!

Got Frank?? Yippeee -----Mine Arrived!

If you read my blog regularly, by now you know that I had a wonderful experience in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, when I took a painting workshop led by Frank Gardner in March of this year. I met terrific people, I painted a lot, I got to see a new and beautiful spot, I learned a lot, had a fabulous time laughing and partying with people in the class and, I feel I made a new good friend - Frank Gardner. He's a terrific artist, a wonderful teacher and a kind "coach". Plus he's pretty darn funny!

One of the great things about attending workshops is being able to see original quality work first hand and sometimes being able to buy it. I couldn't resist buying TWO of Frank's paintings. One is more typically Frank I think and I bought it because of that. (Las Sombras Del Ranchito). The other is just one that struck me and I had to have it. Frank described his process of painting it and I just loved the simple lines that said so much.... Although if you were able to look carefully there is a lot of interesting work in the background too. (Violin) What can I say??? I'm very pleased to own these two pieces.

I now have to find appropriate spaces in the house to hang them. I've been collecting for a while and have lots and lots of windows so not much wall space... and I want to be able to honor these paintings with a "good spot"... I've got two Scott Burdick paintings (small ones), and a few others from artists I admire. Some of these artists include John Paul Thornton, Julie Snyder, Linda Blondheim, Michael Maczuga and a number of Italian artists my husband has collected. Sometimes I also buy little paintings to give to my family members... small pieces that I can afford. I feel blessed to be surrounded by these paintings and sometimes I just sit and look at them... perhaps hoping to channel the talent of their creators... (As if)

But the arrival of these beautifully framed and wonderful paintings really has made me step back and smile and be thankful for the ability to travel, meet terrific people and have their fabulous work in my house.

Thank you Frank Gardner!!

Accepted!

VIVA Tenth Anniversary Celebration

“Tenth Anniversary All Group Exhibition”

Wednesday, July 15 – Saturday, August 8, 2009
Reception: Sunday, July 19, 2–5pm

VIVA or the Valley Institute Of Visual Art is a beautiful gallery in Sherman Oaks not too far from my home. I am extremely pleased and honored that both of the paintings I entered to be juried into the upcoming show were accepted. The juror of selection and awards was Gerald Brommer.

Here is what VIVA says about the show: "Every year or so, VIVA brings together all four of the founding organizations for a collaborative exhibition. We have highlighted each of these organizations and their members in separate exhibitions, but this combined juried exhibit gives all the members from all four organizations a chance to show collectively. VIVA is very proud to be affiliated with these extremely talented artists from four very diverse art organizations."

The founding organizations are Collage Artists of America, Valley Artists Guild, Valley Watercolor Society and Women Painters West. I've been a VAG member for several years now and was just recently honored to be juried in to Women Painters West. You can imagine that just from the names of the organizations, that the work displayed will be diverse, interesting and wonderful!

The two paintings of mine that were juried in to the show are:

China Cove Cliffs

Magic Hour At Malibu Creek
(Twilight's Sweet Song)

My work and all the work in the show is for sale through VIVA Gallery.

My family and I will be taking the Ausie cousins down to San Diego to visit my daughter and her husband AND then going to Laguna to see the Pageant of the Masters. We hope to come by the reception on the way back... probably around 3:00 if any of you decide you want to come by to see the art and also see me. (LOL) I've promised everyone that I will take it easy and not do too much so as not to have a pneumonia relapse.

VIVA is open to the public Wednesday through Friday from 11-4 p.m. and Saturday from 12-4:00 p.m.

Communion

Communion
12x16 o/c

I had started sketching this scene before I got sick. I was going to try my hand at rocks and there's hardly any better place to see rocks in a beautiful setting than at Matador Beach.

I had a series of photos taken the summer before last when my Italian niece, Giorgia, was visiting with her family. My brother in law had just bought me a new camera since I had "drowned" my original one while on a white water rapid trip down the Gallatin River. I have a wonderful little video of Tyler playing in the surf... but it's sideways... hard to watch but impossible to throw away the joyous giggles and screams as the water chases him back and forth.

Anyhow, since I got pneumonia I hadn't painted. I was feeling better Friday and Saturday so I decided to give it a try. Good thing I did it then because I'm flat on my back again today. I'm sure it's just a temporary setback but I wanted to be well, so I'm feeling sorry for myself. The Australian cousins are due for a 10 day visit tonight... Don't know when I'll be back painting. Hope I'll at least be out of bed!!

Pneumonia

I haven't posted in a while... just wasn't up to it. I apologize because I also haven't visited many other sites or even thanked those wonderful visitors who commented on my last post.

I went painting with my good friend, Sharon Weaver, last Thursday. She had invited me to join her friends in the Artists of the Canyons Group. They were venturing "out west" to Malibu Creek State Park... certainly miles closer to us than to them but not "just a short drive from our house" as one of them suggested. I fully had expected to post something - a story ... a painting something shortly thereafter but when I left I had begun feeling poorly and realized before the day stretched out too long that I wasn't getting better. I actually painted something ... somewhat disastrously I might add.

Sharon and I both were the only ones of the groups familiar with beautiful Malibu Creek State Park. We kept urging them to walk the extra steps to see the truly wonderful scenes but most chose to stay close to the parking lot. Although we thought they had all left and were ready to drive home, when we saw them they were unofficially critiquing their work. It was interesting and instructive.... but I had to leave.

I had some NASTY FLU. Did I mention I was miserable with body aches, fever, chills, and nausea? I thought I would be getting better then BAM... back in bed. We had a party with 50-60 people coming over to celebrate Independence Day. It happened. My husband and several friends and my dad were champs... They cooked and entertained and I think everyone had a great time...... NOT ME... I stayed upstairs in bed. Around 9:00 p.m. I opened the curtains that overlooked the country club down the hill and to the north of me as they have a terrific fireworks show each year. It was pretty spectacular... Happy Birthday America!!!

I have to thank a few friends who ventured up into my darkened room. Several suggested that I visit the doctor. That and the fact that I was feeling even worse convinced me to go Sunday morning.

Glad I did... The doctor said that I now had pneumonia! They poked, listened, prodded, x-rayed, gave me breathing treatments and sent me home with every antibiotic known to man.... Thank goodness I have healthcare!!! .... And just for the record... I will NOT skip my flu shot ever again like I did this season!!!

I am feeling better but I will be a while getting back to normal I think. It's surprising (to me) how not feeling well seems to rob one's enthusiasm for what used to be important. Hope you'll still visit once in a while and say hi anyway.

Is Bigger The Way To Go?

I had fun with this one. It's bigger than I usually paint but I recently read an article from Linda Blondheim who said something to the effect that if you don't paint big, you might as well pack it in. I usually paint smaller for several reasons: they take less time, thus instant gratification is mine -- I can charge less for them because they take less time to paint -- they are easier and less costly to frame -- AND they take up less room to store. But my daughter and her husband (both business savvy people) have also suggested that I should paint larger paintings. Then to top it off, my girlfriend gave me some large canvases for my birthday. This canvas is 18" by 36" - an unusual shape which really called for a long narrow landscape scene.

Late one evening I was traveling along Las Virgenes Road from the beach through the canyon and back to the 101. It was a beautiful evening... not quite twilight but close. It was a cloudless day but there was lots of moisture in the air and the far layers of mountains faded into the cool distance and provided a backdrop for lovely trees and long shadows, with warm grasses and a sprinkling of wild mustard in the foreground. I took lots of photos and combined several of them to create this scene.

Some artists don't feel that a title is important at all. However, I've heard some say that one of the reasons people buy their (abstract landscape) paintings is BECAUSE of the title. My opinion is somewhere in between the two. I think a title can catch your attention or make you look twice... or smile (always a good thing). Because I think titles ARE important... I've got a dilemma. I can't think of one that is "just right". I've thought of "Late In a Long Summer Day" and "Twilight Approaches Malibu Creek" but neither is doing it for me.... Do any of you have suggestions??