Monday, December 30, 2013

Intention

I like the idea of setting an intention for things.
Whether it's a yoga practice, making breakfast, or starting a painting. 
To define your intention ahead of time
keeps you focussed. 

Black, Red, Yellow 6 x 6 

Currently, my intention in painting is to 
focus more on shapes and design, 
and to play around with color harmonies.  

This is a real challenge for me because 
"little miss fussy pants" shows up 
and wants to put in every detail!   
I have to stay focussed on my intention,
just to keep her at bay.   

The GJWP challenge for the month of December is 
Intention. 
They will all be here posted on January 1 ! 

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Holiday Break

I love the week between Christmas and New Years.
Nothing is normal or routine
and there is a bit of magic in the air.
 Plenty of time for reflection and renewal,
relaxing and re-grouping....
Yesterday I even managed a few hours on the couch
re-reading
"The Art Spirit" by Robert Henri. 


Talk about inspiration!
His wisdom and technical advice about painting is 
as appropriate and valuable today as it was 1916.
If not more! 

Looking forward to wherever my painting 
takes me in 2014! 
Happy New Year everyone! 






Monday, December 23, 2013

Happy Holidays to All!


Sending you all peaceful winter greetings.
I thank you for sharing my painting journey throughout the year,  
and celebrate with gratitude my good fortune to have crossed paths with you! 
  

Cello Waiting for Santa

Looking forward to see what new ideas, discoveries and paintings 
the New Year will bring
and hope you will continue to join me! 






Monday, December 16, 2013

Internet Inspiration


I'm finding a lot of inspiration on the internet lately. 
Mostly following artists' blogs whose work 
leans toward the more 
expressionist / contemporary / colorful.
Ann Winthrop Cordin's work inspired me today.  


"Fake Tulips"
12 x 12 

This was inspired by Anne's painting below. 
It's been hanging in my studio for weeks
with a note (from me) that says,
"set up a simple still life using glass". 



The simplicity of the angles and the strong value pattern 
 is very appealing to me. 

This was a fun exercise.
Although, I only had those fake red tulips 
and they were well,
lifeless.  










Saturday, December 14, 2013

Blurb Book

I've been working on my annual Blurb Book.
Every year since 2009, I have made one of 
my 20 best paintings from that year. 


Meanwhile, I've been having fun fooling around with some paintings 
that didn't "make the cut" for one reason or another.

Old Salt House 
8 x 6 oil (new) 

I radically changed the color of the sky in this one,
which then prompted other color changes. 
So liberating! 

Old Salt House 
8 x 6 (previous) 


Meanwhile, sweet Cello
looks like she's waiting for
what?
Our first winter storm?
Santa? 
Cello in Salty Dog Studio! 


Monday, December 9, 2013

"Painting with Purpose" Exercise


I bought some 9 x 12  Arches Oil Paper recently 
to use for exercises and experiments. 


Twirling #1
(oil on paper)

For this one, I took the (slightly fussed over )
"Twirling" painting from my last post 
and looked at just the big shapes.

I used one stroke, one value per shape. 
Twirling #2

A totally different result! 
I did a careful drawing on the paper,
(marking the shadow shapes) 
turned it upside down,
and put the image away.  

This exercise teaches us to paint with more purpose, 
making each brushstroke more meaningful! 

I may call this the 
"Paint with Purpose" exercise! 







Friday, December 6, 2013

Beat those Mid- Winter Blues!

Want to beat those winter blues? 
Spend a fun winter weekend honing your painting skills 
or learning new ones!
I'll be teaching a  
two day "One Hour Painting" workshop
January 25 / 26.
"Twirling"
8 x 10 
oil on paper


"We will explore the practice of creating a painting from start to finish in one hour, teaching you how to simplify the process, and be able to “say a lot with a little”. Through demos, exercises, and “timed” one hour group painting sessions, you will learn how to use generous, quick, well placed strokes that will give you fresher, simpler, more effective paintings. We will work from simple still lives and photos. Demos are in oil, although the lessons may be applied to acrylics as well. The method I use produces results for both beginners and experienced painters, so there is no fear! "

Trust me. 
This is a lot of fun!   










Sunday, December 1, 2013

Snowbird

The end of the month again! 
The Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge this month was 
BIRDS.


Snowbird 
6 x 6
oil 

I couldn't resist. 
See the rest of the gang's post here!