Foggy Days and My Cat, Sheeba

I set up a small white bowl so I could paint. It was foggy so I decided not to open up the house. My cat, Sheeba, does not like foggy days. She wanted the house opened up and so... through her persistent stares, I opened the curtain. She was very disappointed and believed I took away the sun. She wanted me to get it back. To console her, I offered her a warm lap to curl up on. It was the second best thing.
Bottom line, I was able to only paint to stage 2 on my bowl.
Oh - and she found out about this thing called bottled water when she stuck her nose into my bottled water. Now, she insists she gets fresh bottled water on her side table. Fresh bottled water - only. She knows the difference. Oh and my memory card to my digital camera died.
That was my day. Here is a picture of Sheeba on a sunny day. Notice the smile.

Going to Utrecht

I am heading off to Utrecht to get some artist supplies for a beginning oil class that I am taking soon. I love Utrecht. The staff, I have dealt with, are artist and are knowledgeable.
Here is a product I recently picked up there. It is Grey Matters Paper Palette. It is used by many painters because the neutral grey sheets are accurate for color mixing. There is, also, an invaluable color guide inside. I recommend this to any artist.

Gorgeous day to paint lemon wedges

It is so gorgeous here today. I setup a lemon and wedges, painted them with a big happy smile on my face and took in the sun. Oh, wonderful sun.
This is a 5X7 study. I quit at where I liked it so it would be considered incomplete but I need to know when to STOP.

Here is my 1/4/2011 Study

I really liked how this piece was going so I stopped messing with it. I am learning to love painting white.
I left the lemon wedges at stage 2 and 3.
I enjoyed this. The sun is shining and the cat and I are taking in the vitamin D on the deck.

Art Goals and the New Year

I got up this morning and worked on my study that I did yesterday and decided it is time to create my 2011 art goals.
1) Take the time to do a more complete value study before painting.
2) Study painting flowers this year. This is big deal because, like many painters I have encountered, they don't like painting flowers. Why? Because they are difficult but perfect for seeing color changes.
3) Continue study of perspective and buildings
4) Throw more pottery - No. Not against the wall.

The Art of Returning Defective Merchandise

My husband calls me the "Return Queen" because I have expectations of items I purchase and I do no hesitate when these expectations are not met to return them. If they don't wash well or break down after a few uses, I take them back to the store I bought them from. He says I have made it into an art. I helped people who were told they couldn't be reimbursed get their hard earned money back. I have helped my son return things by going straight to the owners and it all about being polite and respectful. In today's world, just being polite is a lost art!
Recently, our microwave started to get warm on the outside. When it started to spark underneath, I unplugged it immediately. By the way, I unplug all our appliance when we leave the house for more than a day just to be safe and I believe the pennies I save on the electricity does add up.
This practice was reinforced when I started to read the problems and recalls of certain appliances. In particular, our microwave!

I contacted Consumer Affairs and made a report and suggested with the amount of problems with this product, it should be recalled. I contacted the corporation that made it with the same recommendation. I, also, contacted the home improvement corporation's customer service, explained by problem and asked how what I needed to do to be reimbursed for this dangerous, faulty product.
I had the item less than a year and I did not have a receipt. The corporation contacted the store I bought it from. That store manager, then, called me and said no problem returning it. When I arrived, they were polite and gave me store credit. (I explained it was on sale at the time so I did not pay full price. I love a bargain so I know I bought it on sale).
There is an art to returning defective merchandise. Be polite and follow-up. Let everyone involved know who you have contacted and describe the problem. It works! I rubbed off on my husband. After returning a defective laptop, he stopped a restocking fee from being charged to us. I was impressed.

Study for the Day 12-29-2010

Here is my study for the day. I am back home so I have my paint supplies available. I pulled my palette out of freezer and the paint was still wet.
I setup a small, white pitcher that I picked up from a local thrift store for my still life studies.
In this picture, I am getting more confident painting white. I started to fuss with the lemon. It still needs work but I decided to walk away for a bit.

Crawdad Christmas

Here is picture of a crawdad my son, Devin, caught with his Christmas gift. It is a crawdad catcher I bought for him from Cabela's. He wanted a trap that would be portable for his backpack. This was perfect. It collapses flat and it easily stored and fit his requirement to be lightweight. You see, he likes to see the US on his motorcycle and this doesn't take up any room on his bike.
To test it out, Devin went to small creek at a friend's house and caught this one using chicken and ham. Sounds pretty yummy to me! Devin sent me a picture of his proud catch of the day. One juvenile crawdad. He released it back to the creek afterwards to grow up.
The cage can be used to catch minnows, also.

Incomplete Study from Class - I thougtht I should post it

Here is my incomplete study from class. I thought I should post it. There is so much more that needs to be done to it. It needs bands and color changes on the pottery highlight. The focal point flower is not detailed enough. Then I would still need to compare all the painted areas. More work.

Watched the Lunar Eclipse Last Night and My New Study - SOLD

My husband and I set the alarm for around 1 AM so we could see the lunar eclipse this morning. So worth it!
Also, here is my new study. I have worked on it for two days now. Still not complete but getting closer. I had to continually walk away from it to remember to think as I painted. I have a habit of just putting paint down without analyzing what I am doing. What a concept but experienced artist always make it look so easy. I am not at the stage where it is easy. I still have to remind myself to look at the values and compare easy stroke. Not easy - I will get it though.

Yarnbomber Strikes the Sacramento Crocker Art Museum

Here is a must read about yarnbombers. It is about those crafty knitters.

Classes have ended for year

My classes have ended for the year. I have an unfinished study. It still has a few more hours of work but I am afraid it will be too dry to work on in three weeks when I start classes, again.
I am glad to have a few days off but I am already missing my art classes. Next month I am taking another color intensive course, learning brush strokes, and an advanced perspective course to improve my building drawings.

Today was a value study

Here is my value study of a Portuguese pitcher I bought at my favorite thrift store on half off Saturday. I, also, bought a case of antique silverware from there this trip so I can smash more spoons and make fork and knife plant markers!

Continued Stage 3 Color Study - 12/13/10

Here is the continued color study. Very interesting discussion today in class. How your work often gets worse before better when you are learning a new method. I have definitely experienced this. Also, always return to still life painting to improve your more advanced paintings such as landscape or human figures.

Color Study from Last Thrusday - 12/09/2010

Here is my color study at the beginning of stage 3.

The Spoiled Princess Cat Sleeping

I did a drawing of our spoiled princess cat while she was sleeping. She must have known I was trying to draw her because she kept moving. She, also, had one eye open.
What a brat! She wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving her without a human slave for the day. I sure love her.
I am improving my measuring and drawing skills. I like how this drawing evolved.
I wasn't able to add detail because she wanted to change poses.

Favorite Paper and Glass Art Pieces for 2010

Here are my favorite glass and paper art pieces this year.

Favorite Pottery Pieces for 2010

Here are some of my favorite pottery pieces for 2010.

My 2010 Favorite Oil Paintings

Here are my favorite oil paintings this year.

I can't see my shadow

It is overcast, again, today. Perfect day for drawing a Pyrex measuring cup since there isn't much of a cast shadow.

Rainy days and stage 2

I just couldn't motivate myself to paint a bowl under the fluorescent light today. I like the full sun on my still life when I paint. I managed to get this the beginning of stage 3 and then scribbled my rambling thoughts about the bowl in the blue background. I felt better afterward.
I just wasn't enjoying the painting without the sun.

Mixing

I spent the morning and afternoon mixing oil paint swatches and doing value studies. The cat was intrigued by most of it.
Here is an incomplete drawing of green peppers.

More painting

I started new study in class today. It is a more difficult study. Oh - I didn't finish the amber glass. I was gone too long from class and it was pretty dry. I started a new one today.
Here is the incomplete stage 2 painting - I finally took a picture of it.

30 Minute Studies

Here are two of my drawings from my 30 minute studies today in class. They were done with pencil, pen, charcoal and, lastly, ink.
I found working with ink awkward on drawing paper awkward but it was a good lesson.

Pounding Spoons

Monday, Jean Gordon and I made spoon pendant necklaces. It was easy. You take a very nice silver spoon and flatten it with a hammer. Hint - do it on the cement and cover it with a cloth. Watch your fingers. Then you bend the handle back and forth until it breaks off. Get out the dremmel tool with the sander and smooth where the handle broke off. Drill a small hole to hang it. Go to Harbor Freight and get metal stamping letters.
Stamp a saying into the spoon. Add India ink into the words and wipe off.
Hang it. Wear it. Too cute.

Yard Work and Faith

I love yard work and decorating my front yard. Recently, I purchased a metal sign created by an artist whose wife survived cancer. He made the sign with the word faith and a ribbon underneath. Oh - and he is an Oregon artist I met in California. I put his sign on a pedestal in our front yard. I did this in between rain storms and the snow.
In one of these pictures, there is skunk metal piece. It it pretty cute and has survived 8 years on the coast. Pretty good.
Also, here is a picture of my husband with our new Christmas wreath on the front door. He always takes a good picture.

Christmas Tree Topper from Scratch

My husband and I put up our little Christmas tree yesterday and decided to make our own tree topper.
I cut a paper towel cardboard roll to size. I stapled a copy of Silent Night around the roll to cover up the cardboard. I then stapled tissue wrap from a present to make the skirt. I use to save Victorian pictures from calendars and found a perfect angelic face from one of them. I then took a copy of a butterfly, cut it in half and glued the wings to the back of the angel. I stapled her to the front of the roll and added a sticky that says remember. The remember was my husband's idea.
I had two, small, felt shoes that I stapled to the bottom of the roll.
She is now on top of our tree. My husband enjoyed the process just as much as I did. It was fun.

Class Color Study 11/18/10

Here is the class study I am working on and you can begin to see that it is a glass bottle, a black bottle and an apple.
Note: remember that a highlight has a sharp edge and a diffused edge and clear glass is painted wavy.

Sheeba Value Drawing - still in progress

Color Study 11/17/10 - SOLD

Here is my morning color study before touching it up. It is a gorgeous day here. The lemons and bowls seemed like a good study.
I am fascinated how the light effects the bowl.