Objects and Life

So, I painted two more things for my 30 series. I'm not going to get all 30 done in 30 days with my schedule what it is. But then, I knew that going in. I asked my husband to pick something for me to paint.... He chose an object that couldn't be more different from my doll, more masculine, more heavy and MALE!!! It's a print-making brayer. The thing weighs a ton for it's size.It was fun to paint it. The drawing had to be carefully done and the dark roller was a challenge to get right.

As I was setting up to paint the brayer, I glanced out on my deck to take in some rare sunshine and I noticed a little bird lying near the door. Sometimes they stun themselves and lay still, but sadly this little guy was gone. I thought about it for a bit, then decided that I needed to paint him and put him in the series. He came as part of spring to my studio door and the least I could do was study and paint him. I'd never done that before and it was really kind of amazing to paint him/her. That little critter was alive and flittering about the yard. So delicate and small.

Wow, I'm learning so much as a painter already! I'm so excited about what it might feel like at the end of the project!

Taking My Own Advice

Wendy and I had a wonderful, exciting week in Denver. My workshop peeps were the absolute best. What a warm, receptive and hard working group! I think they got what they came for. Wendy and I left feeling we'd gotten more than we'd put in.... Thanks to all of you!! I hope we get to see you down the road at another workshop or a pastel event of some kind.

Traveling home was a bit hairy, the usual flight delays and plane changes and to add to the fun, I was a bit impaired getting around, having stumbled and aggregated an old injury. Wendy had to rescue me from the escalator once! Once home, I was of course hoping to hit the ground running with some work that I'd set up in the studio. I'd done five underpaintings in preparation for getting right back in the swing. I just didn't have my head in the game.... so I took the day off and what did I do?? I shopped!! Not what you think.

Art supplies, a new small carry-on bag and a back-pack sized Heilman box to travel with from now on. This was an is a big concession on my part. I really want all my pastels with me for plein air and workshops. Wendy convinced me that I don't really use all the pastels and that I will eventually be happy with the smaller version. It arrived today and I've begun to populate it with pastels from the larger box, (something I wasn't going to do). As I was doing this, I realized that I needed to take the same advice I give students. Get rid of duplicates, and near duplicates, make the sizes of the sticks more uniform, clean them up and make a few choices to pare it down. It really wasn't that hard. I'm thrilled that the box fits in a computer bag that I already had and BONUS.....my computer fits in there too. So now, I can get my computer, pastels and person items in the computer bag. This serves as my one personal item while traveling. I now have a very reasonable carry-on, 21 inches high, that will be for my cloths. This goes in the overhead bins. Then I will have one larger checked bag, for workshop materials which worked great this last trip. Yippeee!!!

So today was the day to get back in the studio and actually do some painting. Again, I decided to take my own advice and start with something familiar and small. You guessed it....Variations!!! Here they are. Mike especially likes the lavender one. I do too. After these, I really made some headway on a couple other things. Looking good so far.

Fluid acrylic under-painting on Wallis sanded paper

Fluid acrylic under-painting on Wallis sanded paper

30 Minutes, 30 Days, 30 Objects, 30 People

I started a new project today. Starting is always the hardest, but most rewarding thing I do as an artist. You have to start new a lot when you are an artist. Today I started something pretty different and with great potential to change me as an artist and as a person. I'm beginning a collection of pieces that will eventually be part of a show in October/November in Fish Creek Wisconsin at the Peninsula School of Art. My work will be hung with several other artists work.

I knew I wanted this body of work to be a departure for me, a place to grow and stretch. I knew I'd like to try still life. But how to make each small piece have more connection to people and place? So after a lot of procrastination and my usual beating around the bush, I decided to have other people decide for me. I'm borrowing the objects from friends, acquaintances, fellow artists and basically anyone who will give or send me something. Got a small item for me to paint? Send it along. Write a couple lines about it and or yourself. Preferably something small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

I painted the first object which I chose for myself. It's a little porcelain doll that my mom bought for me a year or so ago. It's got my birthstone in the flower she's holding. This doll is sooo not me, but at the same time it is. My mom bought this because I'd had the same exact one as a little girl and it was stolen from my apartment in college along with a lot of other keepsake items. Mom made it a mission hunting for this little thing in every antique or collectible shop she'd go in ever since it was taken. Of course, I didn't really need it replaced. Not really. Sometimes stuff is more than just stuff. As it is with this thing. It's kinda like my mom's devotion to me and to taking care of me and making sure I'm whole in her mind. It's not about being a princess, but I'm pretty sure she must think I act like one sometimes!

I painted her on Wallis sanded pastel paper that was toned yellow ochre. I painted her in oil. I did a loose drawing in pencil first, then dove in. I was really unsure of the pinks at first and had a hard time "seeing" the color in the shadow while still getting the values right, which was what was sooooo great!! I loved having a hard time. It was terrific to be pushed. I did most of her in about 30 minutes and did a little touch up on edges after a break.

So next I'll have my friends and family pitch in and hopefully blog followers and fellow artists!! Got a small item for me to paint? Send it along. Write a couple lines about it and or yourself. Preferably something small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Send you it to 1321 Stonehaven Dr., West Linn, OR 97068. Be sure to send it in a way that I can easily return it to you. Make sure it's something small, something  meaningful, yet interesting to paint.

Can it change my life in 30 days?? We'll see.