Shelving It

I wanted to post this easy art shelf I made for our office.  I already had two small IKEA shelves but I needed a longer one than what the store sells. I found this great web site, Ana White, where she shows you how to make art shelves. I loved that this took very little time and money. I spray painted it when I was done to match the other shelves. Once on the wall, I can't tell the difference between my large custom shelf and the smaller ones.

Keep Your Distance

I had an opportunity to spend the week in Audi Stanton's professional art studio.    It gave me room to spread out. I had a particular goal this week to practice creating distance. I pulled out a book written by well known artist and instructor Terry Muira and  I did a paint-a-long with  a demonstration he wrote. Here is the study.  Good instruction because it definitely shows you how to create distance.

"Semi-Retired" SOLD

Thank you for purchasing the painting "Semi-Retired".  What a wonderful way to end the year.

SOLD

30 Day Challenge by Leslie Saeta

I have signed up for the 30 day challenge by Leslie Saeta.  This should be exciting. I have tried to paint cats daily but found I was too distracted by the "Bright Shiny Thing Syndrome". A well known syndrome amongst northwest coastal residents  I think it has to be due to the constantly changing weather. Occasionally the clouds leave and a fiery orb appears in the sky. We all drop whatever we are doing and run to the beach. 
To find out more about this challenge, check out Leslie Saeta 30 Day Challenge,

Painting From Memory

"Remembering" 11x14 Oil On Canvas

I painted this scene by memory of the Mount Emily and the Chetco River outside of Brookings, Oregon.  Good exercise. 

Merry Christmas To All Especially Our Beloved Troops

I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and especially to all our beloved troops and their families.  Thank you for your sacrifice.  May you be well and safe throughout the year.

By The Sea

I wanted to see how to make this study more colorful so I took it to Randy Blasquez's class.  This is the result. There are more violets in the sky. The background rocks are more blue to push them back.  The ocean has more color. The foreground rocks have the violets from the sky.

"By The Sea" 8x10 Oil on Canvas

Form Shadow Or Cast Shadow - Go Figure

In figure drawing, I am learning to identify the cast shadow and the form shadow. Why? The cast shadow is drawn with sharp line and the cast shadow is drawn with a soft line. The form shadow has a dark core and is soft where it meets the light. It also has reflected light and lighter shadow next the reflected light.
If you map the shadows correctly it will help turn your form and give it volume. I think that sounds right. Either way, it is difficult. Logical but difficult. All of these drawings were started using gesture drawings. 

2 Minute Poses

20 Minutes Pose

20 Minutes Pose

Patris' Studio Gallery

Check out my cat's at Patris' Studio Gallery.  She says they are the purrfect gift.  I love it.

"Eclipse" Palette Painting Oil on 11X14

I scraped  all the old paint  puddles off my glass palette  to create this piece. It has some depth to it. I like it!

Cute Kitty

I can't resist posting a picture of my cat. This is Sheba taking her 3 o'clock nap. 

Cleansing My Palette

Cleansing my palette today means I am cleaning up all the old left over paint.  And this means I get to have some fun repainting my stinker stack. I pulled out my big brushes and painted more orchids.  These were fun.  I love the grays and being messy.

Simplifying A Phalaenopsis Orchid

I love orchids. They can live to be over 100 years old and I think that is amazing.  I have a few hanging around my house. 

"Orchid In The Sun" 8x11 Oil on Pintura Canvas Board

I decided today I should paint this orchid as simple as I could without over describing it. I set it up in the sun.  I had to paint quickly because a storm was coming in.  Good study.

Under Painting and Brushwork

I am continuing to  learn more about how to create and keep a beautiful under painting with Susan Sarback at the School of Light and Color. This requires a light but masterful stroke with the paintbrush. So both of them go hand in hand with this method.
These studies are unfinished and are as far as I will paint them.  When they start to look overworked, I want to move on and create another one.   They are canvas sheets taped to a board where I can put them in a binder for reference.  I learn a lot with these pieces with Susan's instruction. To remember what she told me, I put notes on the back with a sharpie.

Norman Rockwell Exhibit

The Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento has a Norman Rockwell exhibit on display.  It is amazing. When you go, I recommend getting the audio with it. Loved the show and his work.

My husband, Gerry, Rockwell-ing.

My Ellipses Are Sealed

I decided to work on ellipses today.  I did two studies with a round doughnut (an Audi Stanton incredible in-edible) and a paper coffee cup. Then I added water and tried to make it look like coffee. (I am too hyper as it is to drink caffeine so it is not in the house).  There were a few ellipses in the setup.

Here are my two pieces. I still struggled with them. I keep over analyzing them. 

"Put On A Pedestal"

Here is the second painting I did in advance painting with Randy Blasquez.   It is a chocolate cupcake on a pedestal.  I obviously painted what I love as I enjoyed this study.  Again, wonderful instruction.

"Put On A Pedestal" Oil on Linen

Cropping Persimmons

In advanced painting, there were a series of still life setups to choose. I painted two and here is the first one. I love the color of the persimmons  with the blue bowl so I chose this one.   I was trying to create an interesting cropped study.  Fun lesson.

"The Escapee" 8x8 Oil on Gallery Wrap

Thank You For Supporting My Art

I would like to thank all of you for supporting my art. Here are my recent art sales for December.

SOLD

SOLD

It's Almost Christmas

This is a wonderful study from Randy Blasquez's advanced painting class a few weeks ago. This instruction pushed us all to a new level of painting what you see. I fought the glass ornament all the way because I kept trying to paint an ornament and not the values, shapes and colors. 
Thank goodness for a patient instructor.

"It's Almost Christmas" Class study on linen canvas

Harris Beach II

"Harris Beach II" 8x10 Oil On Canvas Board

I worked on a second Harris Beach painting last night and found I was too concerned about making mistakes. After watching  the "Perfect Storm" and having a good night's rest, I was able to complete the painting this morning.

I need to push outside my comfort zone more. I thought it was a good time to try clouds and waves.  It wasn't as traumatic as I thought it would be.

Harris Beach, Brookings, Oregon

I worked on a boat painting yesterday and I am still not happy with it. So, last night I  worked on a beach composition and blocked it in. This morning I finished it.

"Harris Beach, Brookings, OR" 6x12 Canvas on Board

Here is my study of Harris Beach north of Brookings, Oregon. The large island off to the left is Bird Island and sometimes called Goat Rock.  This is a short walk from my studio. Beautiful place.

What? Again?

I have painted the Little J a few times. What? Again? Well, it is from a photograph and the first time I painted it too dark with not enough contrast.  When painting from reference photos the the darks are darker than in real life and you cannot capture the color the eye can. That is why I prefer painting plein air rather than from a photograph.  So I keep pushing and pulling the values and color to capture the day.
I also  created a palette knife study of another boat at the same port. Again, I need more contrast. I didn't push the warm colors and used too much white.   I will paint it, again, in the the square format using brushes.

"Little J III" 8x10 Oil On Canvas Board

"Port Side" 8X8 Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Cat Tail Clocks

As many know, I love cats and I truly believe they have a sense of humor that only cat lovers can appreciate. I tried to captured this in my clocks and pins.  This is a clock I sell in coastal galleries.  Just like cats, no two are alike.
And yes, that is a mouse second hand.

Gifted to a Fellow Cat Lover

Altered

I am sure I have mentioned artist and friend, Audi Stanton. She is one of the most creative persons you can ever meet.  I want to share this altered book she showed me how to make.
I couldn't believe how fun it was to design each page. I included a label from a tea bag, a fortune from a fortune cookie, a penny, a copy of a french catholic prayer card, part so a measuring tape, buttons, a doily, grommets, yarn scraps, a plant marker and an old photograph.
It was a wonderful time.

Making Buttons

I was hoping to have a break in the weather to fire up my raku kiln to make pottery buttons. I have several new raku glazes I want to test  and a few sweaters that need some artistic button upgrades. Instead, I had to settle on these dark brown clay buttons to run in my electric kiln.
Here is a picture of the brown buttons drying in my dryer.   I used a homemade pottery stamp for the design and cocktail straws to make the holes.  I am trying to decide if I will use an underglaze on a few.  So many decisions and so little time.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you all especially our deployed troops and their families.  We are thankful for you all.

"Three's a Crowd"

I pulled out my pallet knife and setup a still life. Put on a silly movie and enjoyed the afternoon painting. This was a fun piece. (What isn't a fun piece?) I could take it farther but I think I am done. I painted what I wanted to paint.

"Three's A Crowd" 8x10 Oil with palette knife on canvas board

"Moody Gray"

I cleaned up my paint palette and created this piece I call "Moody Gray".  It is truly gray. No contrast just gray.

"Moody Gray"  9x12 on Gallery Wrap Cotton Duck Canvas

I Must Knit This

I went shopping with my dear husband the other day.  We ran across this funny, cat head piece.  It is hilarious with its cat ears,eyes, orange nose, and whiskers. Funny stuff. I started thinking I should pull out my yarn and circular knitting needles to make my own. Mine, of course would have handmade ceramic eyes and nose.  The ears would be more detailed. Also, three whiskers on each side.

Happy Veterans' Day

Happy Veterans' Day to all our beloved veterans. My family and I think of you every day. My son, brothers, father, uncles and cousins have all served our country selflessly and honorably. We thank all of you for your service and the sacrifices you make.
May God bless you and your families always.

Fixing Stinkers

I have what I refer to as a stinker stack in my studio. It is a stack of paintings that I don't like.  I don't like them for numerous reasons. Mainly it is because I didn't know what to do  or I didn't properly plan it.
I got up early this morning and thought I should troubleshoot a few to see if I can make them better.
Here is one such painting.  Previously,  I posted a painting of  the Social Security Bar which I thought had too much information. I overly described everything. I needed to learn to simplify the gravel bed so I took the photo into the landscape class I am taking.  I was shown on this painting how to suggest the rocks. Great lesson but I painted a lollipop tree off the right that I didn't like so I put it into my stinker stack.

I looked at this piece this morning and lopped down the lollipop tree.  I think this took some stink out of this study.  I realize the water needs more value changes, color and reflection and I will note that on the back when I repaint it.  Yes - I put notes on the back of my studies to remind me what I need to do to paint the next one better.

A Crop Study

I have painted nothing but stinkers the last couple of weeks so I haven't posted much.  I needed to loosen up a bit. Yesterday's art class  with Randy Blasquez was just what I needed. We worked on cropping interesting shapes with light and darks. The still life setups were Christmas themes. It was so much fun.

"Lean Closer" Study on linen sheet.

Now, I cannot take credit for painting all of this. I had a difficult time with how much detail to paint  the ornament and I kept changing the values.  After struggling an hour, I asked for help.  Randy Blasquez showed me the way. I needed to put the background color darker and warmer to make it work.
Again, fun painting.

Autumn's River

"Autumns' River" 12X16 Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Here is my palette painting I named "Autumn's River".  The paint is thicker. I had my palette in the back of my car on a warm day. The paint started to dry so instead of discarding it, I created this piece. I love the thick texture.

New Artwork At William Corley's Office

I have new artwork at William Corely's office in Citrus Heights, CA.  He is financial planner we have worked with for several years and he has supported my art for years.   Thank you,  Bill. 

Yosemite At Last

Here is the latest painting sold. It is one of my favorites because it was my first time to Yosemite. I am a California girl born and raised and yet had never visited Yosemite until last year.  It it inspired me to spend more time being a tourist in my own state.
Thank you for purchasing my art.

Painted onsite in Yosemite Valley SOLD