Day 10, Back to the Alcohol Inks

January 10, 30 Paintings in 30 Days hosted by Leslie Saeta.

Day 10: 3.5 hours, Monthly Total:28 hours 

I'm back to alcohol inks today as I continued on the Rockford Art Museum's Show piece, Art In Bloom. I'm working on some areas that are hard for me to understand, the purple spike flowers, the blue flowers all the way to the right. I do what I can in these areas then I concentrate on the surrounding areas. they give me clues as to the shapes and shades of the difficult areas. The green piece was just fun.

Work in Progress

Alcohol Inks

September 20th, House

Day 20 

30 in 30 hosted by Leslie Saeta.

Well, there's only ten more days left of this challenge. 
The last few days have been busy with the Greenwich Art Fair last weekend, Katie's Cup and a demo at the Du page Art League on Monday and then day one of my Paint Your Pet Class today. Tomorrow it's paint all day! Good thing with all the commissions, getting ready for Fall art scene, more classes and a En Plein Air event this weekend. I'm getting a bit tired but having a good time.

Here's a work in progress.

Septenber 18, YMCA Building WIP

Day 19

30 in 30 hosted by Leslie Saeta.

This will be the 5th painting in my 
Rockford Drive By series.
This is the old YMCA along State Street. And it happens to be my favorite building in Rockford.

 Work in Progress

East Side Center 1889

Rockford, Illinois

This building is the landmark YMCA built in 1889, now called the East Side Center. Built by subscription, the building was Rockford's first YMCA but was sold in 1906 and was the East Side Inn until it closed in 1968. The Richardsonian Romanesque style building was renovated and now serves as an office building.

Running in Circles

Sometimes it just feels like I'm 

running in circles to keep up.

I'm sure no one else ever feels that way. ha ha. With a bit more success comes the challenge of keeping up with everything. I'm busy working on two commissions while I develop, plan and execute 4 classes. I'm working on having new pieces for 317 Studio & Gallery while planning my painting for Unforgettable Art. I admit to feeling a bit nervous. But I have to remind myself to chunk things down to smaller pieces and not to get too wrapped up on the computer. (ie. Facebook)

Running in Circles

Preliminary work for a commission

I'm excited about my new Orchid painting and hope to have it completed and ready for 317 Studio & Gallery in 3 weeks. 

Work in Progress

Orchids 

I think I'll be just fine as long as I remind myself to keep going, paint more and not to forget to enjoy the journey. 

Hope you're having a great week.

Coco and Teddy, a Commission

Commissions can be stressful. 

They're an exercise in communication, patience and skill. I always want the client to be happy and input their vision into the painting. There's a fine line between  doing a good piece of work and spending too much time on one project. 

My commission of Coco and Teddy is going well. I've spent too much time on the background but I couldn't resist it. I was drawn to the colorful quilt as a backdrop against the white dogs.

So here they are Coco and Teddy a Work in Progress.

I used a lot of masking fluid on the dogs. I'm not sure that it's entirely necessary. When painting the quilt, the masking fluid caused more problems then it solved.

Day 20, January 30 in 30

Day 20, January 20th

30 in 30 hosted by Leslie Saeta.

Day 20 is a work in progress. 
Alcohol Inks of Tuscany.

The Sweeper

alcohol Inks

Work in Progress

220 W. State Street

Yesterday I got to paint my favorite
building in Rockford. 
220 W. State Street

It was pretty chilly out there so we only stayed for about 1 and a half hours. 
I will finish this painting at home when things slow down a bit.

 

  



EAST SIDE CENTER 1889
NW Corner, State & Madison
Rockford, IL

This building is the landmark YMCA built in 1889, now called the East Side Center. Built by subscription, the building was Rockford's first YMCA but was sold in 1906 and was the East Side Inn until it closed in 1968. The Richardsonian Romanesque style building was renovated and now serves as an office building. .

 I will let this beautiful building talk for itself.

Alcohol Inks in Progress

I've been working on this alcohol ink during 

the Rockton River Market.

This is before I remove the masking fluid.

After the masking fluid is removed.

I need to concentrate a bit more than I'm allowed  to do as I sit in my booth, so I will continue this in my studio. I'll start with some ink and then some color. I think I may reapply the masking fluid to the restaurant name and some stripes. It always amazes me how much I don't like these pictures at this point but the alcohol inks really let you work and change things until you come to a place you're happy with.

Slow Progress, Busy Schedule

Another busy week. Still have pet commissions to do.

I'm starting to get artist block but I know I'll work my way through it as soon as I can get back to my painting. For now, I have my sister with me, Matt's graduation and Diane's birthday party. I'm so lucky to be able to spend time with family. Today we're going to the Cement Man!

What Mediums do You Work In?

It felt good to do some watercolors yesterday.
The slower pace of the watercolors felt comforting. I had to resist the temptation to start an acrylic abstract - inspired by something I saw on Pinterest. There's a lot of pieces to do before the May 16th show in Riverside and I'd better get to it.

Work in Progress

Question of the day.

Do you work in more than one medium?

(Dee Santorini asked me this question a month ago.)

Yes, I love going back and forth between watercolors, pastels, oils, alcohol inks and pen and ink. I guess it has a lot to do with my mood. For instance, I just finished a watercolor which typically takes a long time and is a very slow process. Today, I want to celebrate by doing something fast and somewhat out of my control. I’ll work on a commission, a pet portrait in alcohol inks and paint colors freely and figure it out as it goes. Typically, if I’m craving control I’ll go to pastels or watercolors.  If I want freedom I’ll do alcohol inks. If I want to feel artsy and challenged I’ll do an oil painting. If I want something low key and safe I’ll do a pen drawing.  

 

What mediums do you work in? 

Do the mediums evoke certain moods in you?

And a Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you! 

It's a busy day at JR Finally Art; meetings and trying to finish pieces for shows. I'm hoping to finish my second "Drive By" today as well as start painting the third, some store fronts on State Street on a snowy day. My coy are coming slowly. The Dr. Martin's are becoming more familiar. Towards the end of this week, I'll write a review on them. Then there's the Katie's Cup painting I haven't started yet. Well, I keep plugging away. April will be a very busy month.

Day 27, Pastels, Work in Progress

30 in 30 hosted by Leslie Saeta.

Sorry to do a work in progress two days in a row but I couldn't help myself. I've been looking at this photograph for a few years now and have wanted to paint it. I'm interested in putting more people in my works. For me, this is a large pastel piece, 11" x 17". I felt that there was so much going on in this picture that it had to be big.

The Rockford Art Guild put forth a challenge for this month; use the theme of friendship. There are several kinds of friendships here; people you work with, family members, long time friends and acquaintances. This is a park cafe in Paris on a beautiful May day. I spent a lot of time with the background because I think it is so important to the story. The waiters fascinate me as do the cooks that are indicated only by their black outlines. I love the way the sun shines through the kitchenette revealing the park on the other side.

Tomorrow I will finish the rest of this pastel.

Hello from Eagle River

Having a great time up North. I am torn between working hard to finish my two paintings for my upcoming show and playing with my family. I'm doing a bit of both.  Yesterday, we went to Diane's Frame shop in Rhinelander, one of my favorite shops. She cut several mats for the newer watercolors. There is always a huge selection of precut mats at reasonable prices. I like going to her shop whenever I come up to see what's new.

We have swam everyday, enjoyed meals together and played some games at night. I am enjoying our time together. It's been seven years since we have all been up here at the same time. My son asked me why I'm not tired of seeing the bald eagles since they are so abundant here. I don't think I'll ever grow tired of watching them fish. The baby loons are something to watch too as they dive underwater then pop up to the surface with their bills full.  No, I don't think you can come to a place like this and not love watching the wildlife. We haven't seen a bear or a Pileated Woodpecker but there's still time.

So it's back to painting for this morning. I wish I painted faster but I just don't. Acceptance is the key. There's an art show in Three Lakes... to go or not to go...

Living Life at the Speed of Summer

 The Speed of Summer

What a busy summer! What's next? Today a wedding reception for my nephew Paul and his lovely wife Heather. The next two days; move my daughter out of the apartment she lived in while at college and bring her home. Then Wisconsin followed by my first gallery show on August 22nd. I'm excited about the show but I am realizing that I have a lot of work to do before it opens including finishing a painting.
So that's my excuse for the poor blog schedule. No excuses... I did miss you though.

My garden is at its peak! I have taken many new photos for lots of new paintings .

For the first time that I can remember I am longing for the cooler days when life slows down a bit and there is more time for painting. Am I nuts! Don't I remember last winter?  I just want to paint more. I will be starting another 30 in 30 on September 1st. I can't wait! Why don't you join along? There are over 350 artists from all over the world signed up already.  Join Leslie Saeta and the rest of us at http://30paintingsin30days.weebly.com/ .

I started a new painting this week. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to paint all day while Mark and Matt were at the Oshkosh air show.   

I had my trusty buddy, Cooper at my side.

I went inside when I heard the thunder. Really? Rain so hard when the sun is out? It was beautiful though, and I was able to resume painting at the kitchen table.

Coop helped pick out the colors.

Starting a New Painting on a Rainy Day

Working on a commission and starting a new painting.

 That's my kind of day! Let it rain all it wants to.

Iris Work in Progress

The grass is green and the flowers are popping.  Work in progress.

Happiness is a New Painting Happiness is a New Painting

I love starting new paintings and I'm beginning to understand how important it is to me.

My studio is a mess. I really need to clean it out but I don't want to take the time away from painting. I have dog pastels all over ready for their final fixative spray, two alcohol inks, oils drying and my Queen Anne's Lace oil on my easel along with stacks of photographs I want to paint or draw. There is the Chives and Russian Sage watercolor hanging upside down on my bulletin board (Is this painting really done?) On my watercolor boards are this Iris painting and - I don't know the names of these - flowers and squiggly grasses. I have found that I really need the variety. My watercolors are slow and very controlled, where my oils are freer and louder. All these things; oils, watercolors, pastels, alcohol inks, ink pens have very different feelings to them. I like working in one medium until I feel I need to stand away from it for awhile and have another project waiting for me. Some might say that is not a good way to establish a style. But it doesn't work for me to stick to one piece or medium. Does that make me an ADHD Artist? Why not? I'll wear the label proudly.

Everyday I can't wait to get to my studio, and I don't want to leave. I just want to paint and do nothing else. Alas, there are dishes and laundry to be done along with meals,shopping, bills, meetings and appointments. I have come to my one year anniversary of leaving my employment for my painting and I can say I love it. I can't get enough and actually feel a bit overwhelmed with all I want to accomplish. I never knew that I'd be learning so much about accounting, marketing and computers. What a joy it is to be an artist waking up and doing what I love everyday!

How do you work on your pieces? Do you stay with one painting from start to finish or do you jump around like me?

My Favorite Kind of Day 2014-03-21 07:22

This was one of my favorite days... just paint and paint and tell everyone I'm working. WAIT, I really am working! How lucky can I be? Past 5, time to add a glass of wine.

Happiness is Starting a new Painting 2014-03-18 16:28

Happiness is starting a new painting. In my minds eye it's perfect! "It will be my best painting yet. I'm so excited!" I can't wait. then I sit down and start to work... "Ghee, I don't know what to do, where to start." I calm myself. " Just look at the lights and darks- one color at a time... and don't mess it up." Still, the possibilities!