Homework is Due Soon

I found an email with a homework assignment from Terry Miura's landscape class. I did a few sketches and made my first pass at it. I will do another tomorrow and pick the best before turning it in. Art homework is hard. There are too many things you can forget to do.

9x12 Oil on Linen Canvas

More On My Garden Markers

I went into full production on these garden markers. I think they are functional and funky.  My two favorite f-words.  I will have them for sale with their locations very soon.
Here is my square foot herb garden with my Wild Hair Woman Garden Markers to show you how they can be used.  

Pottery Garden Markers

5 Days 5 Rivers Plein Air Event in Brookings OR

Attention all you plein air artists. Coming August 13th through 17th is the first 5 Days 5 Rivers Plein Air event in Brookings, Oregon. Paint Pistol River, Rogue River, Chetco River, Winchuck River
& Smith River
Meet as a group and paint one or all of the rivers. (Bring a sack lunch/water)
Want to learn more? Contact Violet or Len Burton for maps and paint out times. Call (541) 469-9522 or email burtonique@gmail.com
You will want to stay to attend the Renaissance by the Sea on August 18th through 19th and enter the Quick Draw contest.

http://www.renaissancebythesea.blogspot.com/

Wild Hair Woman Pottery Returns

Garden Markers In Kiln After Second Firing

I Used A Sharpie To Label My Square Foot Garden

Peas Marked The Spot

I was inspired by artist and friend Audi Stanton's incredible inedible baked goods to make  garden markers.  How did I make such a jump?  She made pies and they had pie crust.  I rolled out clay that looked like the beginning of a pie crust and cut them into slices like a pie. I then baked them in the kiln twice and got out my sharpie to make my own labels for my garden. Makes sense now, doesn't it?  Any how... here are my new Wild Hair Woman Pottery Garden  Markers. Just take a sharpie or ceramic pen and write your own label or saying.  Easy as pie.

The Sun Finally Came Out

After four weeks of rain, the sun came out with no pending storms.  See how happy I am to finally get to paint and cast a shadow. Hurray for the sun!
On a sad note, it is suppose to start raining on Tuesday. I can hear the cat screaming already. I am with her.

Husband To The Rescue

My husband came to my rescue... he is entertaining our unhappy cat so I have time to paint. And, yes. It is still raining.
Here are paintings that I worked on since my husband arrived.

5X7 Oil on Board

9X12 Oil on Canvas

6x6 Oil on Canvas

Man Plans. God Laughs.

I can't believe I haven't posted in almost 20 days as the old saying goes, " Man plans. God Laughs".
There has been a series of storms here on the coast including 60 mph winds and  torrential downpours.  They don't bother me but the noise scares my 17 year old cat and she insists on being held. This makes it difficult to draw and paint as she screams and screams until I comfort her. 
Basically, with the severe storms for that last three weeks , I haven't done much art.  Instead, I have read a few books, including some art books,  with my cat curled up on my lap.
I did manage to paint one day at the port with fellow painter, Kathy Huxley, but that was it for plein air painting this trip so far.
During a short break in the storm yesterday, my husband  and I walked to the ocean.  It was an usually low tide so we explored the tide pools and wrote in the sand. But we both swore, we could hear the cat screaming even from the beach. Poor kitty. 

Meringue if you do. Meringue if you don't.

I bought an  art creation from a well known Brookings, Oregon artist, Audi Stanton  It is from her  new Incredible In-edible series.   She sculpted, painted and photographed desserts and has them for sale at the Brian Scott's Gallery, also, located in Brookings. When I saw her show, I fell in love with her wonderful, sculpted, lemon meringue pie on a pedestal.  In addition, she has her watercolors showing at the local library. Can you tell she is a hard working artist?
 When I saw the lemon meringue pie, I had to have it so I could paint it. So in between the screaming cat, spring cleaning, preparing for a garage sale, pulling weeds, and walking to the beach, I started this piece.  It needs a few adjustments.

Oh and I thought it was best to post it unfinished so my husband won't think I am on vacation.

Tomorrow is Finally Here

You can see the transparent rose through the tablecloth where I didn't overwork it.

You can still see the transparent red oxide in the leaves and the Indian yellow under the orange wedge.

I struggled with the shadow being too dark so I lost the transparency in the table cloth. I had to correct a drawing issue, too. It is important to have an accurate drawing with this technique.

Keep it simple.

Here is my finished pieces from the Advanced Techniques class with Susan Sarback. I am still exhausted from learning so much. What a wonderful opportunity.

Advanced Techniques

I am taking a four day workshop at the  School of Light and Color with Susan Sarback called Advanced Techniques. I  truly believe I have witnessed art history in the making with her new painting method.  Here is a  piece I am working on at the beginning stages.  Interesting approach. I am finding it challenging and enjoying every minute.   I will post the completed work tomorrow.

More Color

9x12 Oil with Palette Knife on Board

The camera will never be able to capture the color in this completed still life study.  While finishing the last stage, I was reminded to look at the cast and form shadows to successfully paint the shell. It was a good lesson.

Slight Adjustment

I know I said I limited the previous cityscape to 60 minutes but I noticed the car in front was too small. So, here is just a slight adjustment.

Clearing The Road For a Challenge

I told myself I would do Terry Miura's cityscape challenge. The deadline was today so I waited until the last minute to start painting.  I kept the composition simple, kept my paint time to 60 minutes and used a 5X7 canvas. It was fun piece to paint.

5x7 Oil on Canvas - Cityscape Challenge

Keeping My Brushes Wet

I worked on this piece from Thursday's landscape class. I am still struggling with the values.  Before I over work it, I put it in the refrigerator and  will wait until Thursday to get some much needed instruction to complete it.

Landscape Study 9x12 Oil on Linen

To Paris and Back In 3 Hours

Today's open studio model wore a costume reminiscent of Paris. It was a fun study. I kept it very simple. This meant little or no detail. I focused on moving from blocking in the shadow and light to adding two more values to the light and not doing much to the dark.

9x12 Oi on Canvas Board with Brush

I can see  now that I need to fix the arm of the shirt. It might need some more adjusts. 

Ah - Pearadise

I got up this morning and worked on a few value studies, put on Susan Sarback's dvd on landscapes and did laundry. I then put on her still life dvd and painted a pear in the sun.

"Ah, Pearadise" - 5x7 on board with palette knife

Figuring It Out

Painting live models has been fun. Most of the time, though,  I just can't figure out what shape I am seeing.  I stand with a confused look on my face for what seems like several minutes.  You know the look. Mouth open, eyes squinting, brush in one hand trying to mime the strokes. I usually mumble to myself  while I am doing this and shake my head in disgust.  At the end, I either  ignore that part of the painting,  make it up or I get an "aha" moment. These studies were a little bit of both.
In the top piece, the model was sitting with his knee tucked under him. It was foreshortened. I left it alone. I, also, didn't do much to describe  his hands.
The other piece, I got too indecisive about small things.  I wouldn't commit myself to my drawing nor to the shadow and light.
Still a great paint day.

Caught Up In the Paint Color

I wanted to try a new color, manganese,  on a piece in class. I used it in the shadow side of a terracotta urn.  It turned out to be the compliment to the light side of the urn. It was a fight from the beginning trying to keep the shadow  from going to a dull, unforgiving grey. The instructor helped me by suggesting a few colors to mix on top of it.

9x12 oil with palette knife on gessoboard - Class piece

It certainly taught me not use that color for this subject, again. But without thinking, I got caught up in the pretty paint color and not with what I was actually seeing.
If I were to paint this, again, I would use magenta on the urn's shadow.

Self Critique

I worked this piece several times on inexpensive paper canvas.  I think I have the values correct and have worked out most of the problems.
I realized that I spaced the light on the shore at the same distance and I need to fix that. 
I need to warm the sky with yellow. 
I might have put too much light on the dominant tree in the foreground. This means I need to analyze the light and shadow in that tree.
I am, also, thinking I need to put some sky holes the back ground trees. It looks like a bird would knock itself out trying to fly through them.

Changes

I made changes to the portrait study from last week. The models head was tilted down and leaned slightly to the left.  I decided to straighten the eyes and reduce the skull size. It is a fix but it means I didn't resolve how to paint her in her current pose.

Living For the Painting

I worked on a  painting from a live model today and then came home to block out and simplify a landscape.
Here are both. I need to take a small break and see what needs to be done to fix them. 
My mind is racing over trying to simplify rock formations and still make them look like rocks. I need to re-read a blog I read this morning for the answer. My memory has failed me.

Why Can't Everything Just Be Black and White?

I have always had problem with gray areas - ask my husband. I am a black and white person. Trying to simplify a landscape  with shadow and lights just makes wish I had a reboot button for my brain.  All I want to do it put down pretty brush strokes and that isn't going to happen until I learn to group the shadows and light. Else, I will just move paint around....
Here is a quick  study. One black and white and then a limited palette. 

Is Lying Forgivable If You Are An Artist?

I think I am honest until I get a brush in my hand and then I have a tendency to stretch the truth. Here are two examples of my study's from class today.  First, the bushes I painted were really trees.  The field... well, it was really a cliff. And I trimmed almost all the branches off the focal tree.  
So I asked myself.  Is lying forgivable if you are an artist?

5X7 Oil with Brush on Canvas

6X6 Oil with Brush On Canvas

If so, I am going to adopt the saying, "You know I am lying when my brush is moving".

Take Me To Thee Park, Please

6x6 on Canvas

I painted with a fellow painter, Brenda, today at the park. What a gorgeous day. There was another painter who joined us from Indiana. She gave me a great tip on where to find a good smoked ham in Kentucky.
I complete two small studies, sat on the grass and ate lunch with my husband who dropped by and enjoyed the company of other painters. I will make these into larger paintings after I work out a few problems.

5x7 on Gessoboard

It's Windy Outside!

I went out to the American River to draw and paint after being inspired by Gruppe on Painting this morning. It was so windy and I have painted in worse conditions.  But... after I did several drawings, took pictures and I decided to head back home to paint. 
Here is my 6X6 oil painting today. I enjoyed painting this small piece because I kept it simple. I put a red oxide under painting and blocked in the darks and lights. I then worked with the bands of color. 

6X6 Oil on Canvas with Brush

Winter On The Oregon Coast

It has been beautiful weather on the Oregon coast this year. One of the driest I can remember in awhile. I spent a morning painting from one of my favorite spots with a other fellow painters. We all layered up as the wind was blowing but it was still gorgeous.
Here is my study. Most of the trees and brush had lost all of its leaves. It was a great challenge.

Portrait Practice

Friday means portrait practice.  I worked from a photo and I found it difficult since there was no strong light and shadow. That is why painting from a life model is good.

It's All About Light and Shadow

This was a great lesson yesterday with a live model. The palette was ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, transparent red oxide and white.
The lesson enforced what I have previous learned including that I will become more confident with more drawing experience.
To always compare the angles with the known.
Simplify by combining the lights and darks. Keep in mind the expression don't paint the fleas before the dog.
Stand back after a few strokes to see your progress.

Tight Squeeze

Here is a complete study of three pears in a bowl.  This was another difficult painting. The pears had plane changes and I had to keep comparing them to each other to get the color, temperature and value correct.  There was a slight change in the light of the bowl. Then the color bouncing into the bowl shadow has to remain in shadow but still show that reflective color.
I had to keep from overworking the pears by remembering to make slight changes NOT extreme changes when comparing.

Practice Makes More Need To Practice

I painted at open studio today and enjoyed the time. I am trying not to put too much detail on the portrait study, combine lights and darks, and see the warms and cools.
As always... art is hard.

9X12 Canvas Sheet and Oil with Brush

Here is my portrait study.