On the Easel and Sneak Peek

Well, I'm trying to wrap up a few unfinished paintings that I've been putting off....One of them is a beach scene from this summer, and the other is a dog commission that has been the bane of my existence this summer....sigh.....

Meantime, I've been working on my studio in the barn trying to winterize it, paint it, and make it suitable for painting in year round as well as showcase my completeted works.....I've attached a sneak peek of the back 1/3 of the studio, which is going to be a "mini" gallery of sorts.....I'm going to carpet the small area in the back, line the entire back and right walls with paneling for hanging finished works, and hang moulding/shelves on the left for finsihed/drying art.....the other 2/3 of the studio will be work space and hoarding/supply space....pics to come....I painted the left wall a blue to see if It would work but it tends to lend a blueish cast to everything....any thoughts on a color other than nuetral gray or white?????

"Bo"

8x10 oil on stretched canvas NFS

I painted "Bo" for my son's girlfriend. She wanted to give her dad something special for his birthday, and this was a dog he lost to cancer several years ago. What a sad story, he would take the dog to a clinic hours away every week for chemo treatments, that didn't end up working anyway. Initially she sent me a photo from her cell phone taken of a framed picture of Bo, glass glare and all! I laughed and told her no way could I do him justice without seeing the actual photo or at least a decent scan, so she brought me the photo and here he is! I hope her dad likes it.

The kids are finally all back at school, and I've been working really hard for the past few weeks on my studio that is in the barn. When I started painting, I started this past winter and used the sunporch...my studio in the barn is cold in the winter and also it was filled to the brim with glass fusing equipment and supplies....I tend to be a hoarder when it comes to art supplies so this summer I've slowly been going through my stuff and throwing and giving lots away.....I'm almost 90% there, and I will have a wonderful studio for year-round if I can find an efficient way to heat it! It's approximately 12 feet by 36 feet, insulated with a concrete floor, that will be partially carpeted when I'm finished. Suggestions appreciated if you have them. I tried an Eden pure heater last year, and it did not heat sufficiently.....

Will post pics soon, I've even made a small "gallery" area in the back of the studio to hang my finished pieces....I'm itching to get back to painting all day once this is complete.

SOS

Many of you that have followed my blog since it's inception know that I have a good friend struggling with cancer and the subsequent economic difficulties that go along with it. He is a fellow artist who works full time and in the evening hours does what he can in his garage "studio". I've visited him there in the winter....It's unheated, uninsulated, and separated from the other side of the garage with a plastic sheet. His dream is to open a Gallery/coffee shop/artist co-op but for now he just deals with making the house payment and surviving. I posted a widget on my blog for a fundraiser I started for him to help with a house payment. Donors can give directly or purchase a gift card and a portion will go to help him. If you feel so inclined to help, please do. The image above is an example of art he does while sitting at local shows with a signature....If you would like your signature and a design of your liking made into a work of art, please let me know.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year....

Ok, at the risk of offending some, (as I clearly did on Facebook earlier today) I can't tell you how excited I am that the kids are going back to school. I have 4 children, one with autism who graduated but is seeking out his first job, one that just started college, one in high school AND college (Mr. Smartypants) and one in Jr. High. I love them all dearly and enjoyed my time with them this summer. HOWEVER....anyone that tries to work at home knows how difficult it can be with all the interruptions. Sooo...as I said in my title "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the YEEAARRRRR....."

Ok, celebration done. The junior higher is still at home, but I did manage to finish a painting I started on my Staycation. When I was painting it on the boat I knew the values were all off, so today I took the photo of it and turned it black and white so I could just deal with value. I had no color reference, except for memory of the day, and it was very very difficult. However, I do feel that I stayed true to the values, and that is a big plus for me, I tend to make everything too dark and intense.....

Catch up!

To purchase this painting click here 14x18 gallery wrapped canvas $200

Doing catch up on listing paintings in my ETSY shop, and posting this painting that I finished, but forgot to blog about. I've always loved painting Irises, but I struggled with this one. I am happy the the way I was able to get some atmospheric perspective for the background flowers though! Progress, hooray!

Best Laid Plans Part 2

6x6 oil on panel $65 to puchase click here

6x6 oil on panel $65 to purchase click here

If you have ever read my other post titled "Best laid plans...." you'll know what I'm talking about and can skip the the next paragraph....if not, read on.....

I have a close friend/former co-worker in art who is fighting for his life right now. He is dealing with his second bout with colon cancer...the first time was when he was 20, now, he's 40 something....It's much more serious now, not just physically...he's happily married, has 2 children, one in college, one in high school. He lost his dream job 2 years ago, through no fault of his own, and struggled to find ANY job to cover the bills....Just months after finding a job, he was diagnosed AGAIN with cancer....He underwent massive surgery, and is now enduring chemotherapy and radiation treatments weekly....He and his wife work full time, yet the mounting bills and expenses are taking their toll....They live in a very old house that is in serious need of updating, but that is the least of their problems....This family does not even have air conditioning during the hottest summer on record in NW Ohio...yet they maintain a brave face and refuse help of any kind....I've taken it upon myself to try to elicit assistance for this family... I truly respect their desire for privacy and insistance to "go it alone" but I see they are suffering,...They are very close to losing the home they have lived in and raised their children in....


How can you help? I started a facebook page for his cause...Please add SOS (Support of Scott) to your FB account and post to your wall...I am planning future online and local fundraising events....Please help, he is one of the most generous people I know.



Oh, and I have been painting....sunflowers and colorful landscapes, nothing too serious, waiting for kids to go to school to actually concentrate.......

View from Aft

6x6 oil on panel $60 click here to purchase.

ok, even though I was in the Navy, I'm not sure if I'm using the proper terminology here...I know "fore" means forward part of a boat, and "aft" means after, so I suppose I am correct....this is the view from the back of our boat we have docked at Gem Beach Marina on Catawba Island in Ohio. This summer I've been a bit out of sorts with my painting because of distraction at home. I have 4 kids all home from school, and the in and out and interruption is very hard for someone who works at home. It hit me that I should take my own working staycation on the boat! It has a cabin with all the necessary living needs, air conditioning , refridgeratr, stove etc, and it just sits idly docked all week long. I'm thinking this week or next I'm going to pack my paints and escape for the week. If you are local, feel free to join me and paint, or just sit on the deck and enjoy the sound of seagulls and water.......

A Bit Rusty so Back to the Books!

Well, I took a little haitus from painting while I readied for the show (and recovered from it-I had to catch up on the garden, yard, and mounting pile of laundry), I picked up the brushes today. I'm working from several step by step books, the first study was just to loosen up and draw the forms of a a still life. Then I just did 3 plums with just value, and the last is a still life just trying to work out composition and value (colors aren't applicable, just using what was still on my palette) Finally, the trees are from the Frank Serrano section in the book I'm working on.....