Sunday, April 27, 2014

It's Time to Plant a New Painting!

It's Time to Plant a New Painting!








I know it's early, and that the nights this week will be in the 40s. But I can't help myself. Village Green has their annual $0.47 geranium sale and I must start putting them in pots.














I can't wait for the season to begin. I've put some dahlia tubers in pots. A lot of my tubers look pretty good this year. I also put a few seeds in pots yesterday. Today, it's back to painting.


 

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Painting Glasses for the Unforgettable Art Event

I had a lot of fun painting wine glasses this week for the Unforgettable Art Event.  The  Annual Affair for Alzheimer's will be held Saturday May 3. Tickets: www.alz.org/illinois or call 815-484-1300.


Using Americana Gloss Enamels I painted flowers from my Garden Series. It took awhile to catch on to painting on glass with transparent paint but I got it.


In fact, it was so much fun that I went out and bought several more wine glasses to paint. I thought it might be fun to paint Wisconsin scenes for the upcoming Artarma in July.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Looking at My Iris Painting in a Different Way

Progress continued today on my iris painting. My goal is to have it completed by May 1st. What interests me most about this picture is the sharp contrast between the straight leaves and the more organic shapes of the iris flowers. I also find the contrast between the lights and darks very intriguing. These are the components which draws me to most of the garden compositions that I choose. I'm trying push my tones just a bit more with this painting. So I started my third round of the irises with a very dark purple. I want to have deep, dark colors to contrast some of the lighter tones.


I didn't complete a full pass of the background on the lower half of the painting. I won't know how much darker I need to go until I complete the second pass.

I wanted to see the painting in different ways: black and white, upside down etc. these settings are not available on my I-pad although I understand that there is an app I can download. Hense began the playing around in photo booth - very interesting....


This is x-ray iris. Not quite black and white, more like a negative of the painting, I find it very useful anyway. It shows me that the right hand side of the painting is lacking a bit in tonal variation. this is the side I haven't completed the second pass on. Although, this is truly the lighter side of the painting. I find this to be a really interesting picture. Maybe I should try a painting in just one color?


This is the mirror image of the painting.


Then there's kaleidoscope iris. Again very interesting.

In what way are you trying to push your painting?

Have you ever tried any of I-pad's photo booth apps on your images?

Send me some and I'll put them on my blog.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Packing Up for a Plein Air Workshop

What a week! Between getting ready for 13 guests for Easter dinner and wanting to complete three watercolors by May 1st I've kept busy. I don't think I'll make my painting deadline. I still have a long way on two of the watercolors and I haven't even started a third. That's okay, but I'm already fantasizing about doing nothing Monday but painting.





Today I'm going to Richard Weber's Plein Air Workshop. The first two classes will be inside as we learn techniques and composition. I've brought my pastels for the class as traditionally I'm very slow with watercolors and I don't own acrylics. My goal is to paint plein air with oils. I'm hoping to spend a lot of time this summer up North doing just that. I've bought an wonderful light weight easel, a new palette.







My other goal for today is to continue cleaning my office and studio. How did I get this messy? I have piles of Finally Art papers, House restoration files, bills, family history etc. all about my desk which I usually set up as a drink area so my guests can help themselves. I completed a full inventory of my works for Finally Art and feel good about that. Tonight it's back up to the studio where I'm spraying and bagging works. I know by Monday I'll be thrilled to have things well organized but to tell you the truth, I just want my comfy clothes and to spend the day painting.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Help Find Oscar in Columbus, Ohio


Please share to help find Oscar in Columbus Ohio.

Remember Bethannie's rare "Oscar-Spaniel" on my blog about 3 weeks ago? He ran away shortly after that in the Clintonville area of Columbus, Ohio. They had just moved from the Short North area near Neil and Goodale so he might have returned to that area. Please share this post if you live in the Columbus area. We miss Oscar and want him home. If you find him please contact me at goldraes910@yahoo.com. Oscar is today's DOG on MY BLOG.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Iris Work in Progress


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

Gayle Heinemann Covers a Wine Glass With Polymer Clay






We had such a great time at Art Scene Friday and Saturday. So many wonderful artists, great crowd of people, music and lots of fun. My table was next to Gayle Heinemann's.
Gayle makes wonderful jewelry out of polymer clay.





Gayle decorates a wine glass for the Unforgettable Art Annual Affair for Alzheimer's to be held Saturday May 3rd in Rockford. (tickets: www.alz.org/illinois or call 815.484.1300)


First she wraps the glass in clay.
She wraps, trims and adds some lighter blue clay.
Short break for dinner. Glass is fully wrapped .
She adds grass.
























Flower stems are added.

















Almost done, just need some flowers but alas the show is ending...

Stay tuned, Gayle said she'd send pictures of the finished glasses. Great job Gayle! Just four more to go. 

I'll post my painted glasses when they're done.