Breaking the Rules

In progress 8x10 fused glass

4x4 Juicy Pear fused glass

When it comes to life, I don't break too many rules.  However, with art I seem to go out of my way to break every hard and fast rule out there, especially with glass.  Sometimes this is due to my own rebellious nature and I want to see for myself what will happen even if the "experts" advise otherwise.  For example, most glass artists are told never to open the kiln until it is at room temperature.  I break this rule A LOT.  Most of the time I do it with test pieces or experimental things and I don't want to waste any more time than necessary waiting for it to cool.  I don't mind if test pieces aren't properly annealed since they are just for my own learning, so I fling open the lid and enjoy the heat warming up my studio.  Sometimes, I over fire things in my kiln because it is old and doesn't have a pyrometer.  Unless I sit with my eye glued to the peephole, it's hard to judge when it will be ready.  Again, I use this kiln for my test pieces and experiments, relying on my other kiln with the confusing digital controller to pay attention for me.  Today was one of those fun days where I had some really cool results from my lack of attention.  I'm going to actually try to repeat the same mistake deliberately to see if I get consistent results, and if so, I will share the outcome, but suffice it to say, it's something I haven't seen out there in the fused glass community so it could have been a one time fluke.

Here are some of my works in progress from February.  I'm saving my pennies to buy a bigger kiln.  I'm limited in sizes under 8x10 for now.  Many of the pieces I did in Jan and Feb were based off of a painting I did in oil.  It was easier for me to try to achieve the painterly look by using a subject that was easy for me.

I promised to post some of my piles of tears, and the piles have grown.  I meant to actually finish some of them before posting the piles, but I keep moving on to new projects.  Likely these will languish in my studio for some time........

one of many of my piles of tears

For those of you that are wondering if I will ever paint again, the answer is yes (I'm even taking a one day workshop in a couple weeks) but I  never anticipated this winter would run into March and still be in the negative digits.  My paint is in my barn studio and the cool temps are not conducive to good paintings and it takes forever for them to warm up to proper consistency.  For now, I'm quite content "painting" with glass and breaking all kinds of rules in my studio.   Speaking of breaking.  This piece befuddled me.  It shouldn't have broken.  I can't figure out what happened.  Anyway, it was a test piece for a larger one of my studio.  I'm happy with where it was going so I will definitely be doing a larger version.  I've been experimenting with a lot of different techniques and materials but I plan on doing some series as soon as I get my glass order. I'm liking the printmaking look of the one below so I plan on playing around with that a bit more, but my main goal is to achieve a look in glass that I do in oil painting.

I am applying for summer art shows and will be at all of my usual haunts and hopefully some new ones .  Expect to see some very different work this year, and a few surprises too ;)

Day 2

6x6 oil on panel click HERE to buy $50

I must admit that I am quite out of practice with my painting and I had a heck of a time with these apples.  I'm looking forward to getting back in the groove again painting everyday, maybe even twice a day :)

I'm Back!

6x6 oil on panel $50 click HERE to buy

I'm back!!  I'm sure some of you thought I'd given up painting and gone on walkabout somewhere but I have been just as busy as ever, but decided to take the summer off from blogging to recharge my brain.  I have lots to share, but for now I will just share a painting I created during the Black Swamp Arts Festival this weekend.  I traded one of my not so famous cupcake paintings with a local cupcake shop for some cupcakes to paint while I sat in my booth. This is the first time I'm dared to venture out and paint publically and I was surprised at how I didn't seem to mind it as much as I thought.  People were very gracious and most just watched without comment, something I was worried would be too distracting for me.  Here is the first one I created yesterday.  Unfortunately the free cupcake offer is no longer valid (sluuurp)

Wild Girl

6x6 oil on panel Click HERE to bid. Bidding starts at $30

I wanted to try to paint a wine bottle today, lord knows I have enough of them around from my glass fusing/slumping days, and of course drinking it now and again, so I thought Wild Girl would be fun....well.....I probably shouldn't have thrown in the lipstick and red wine glass to complicate things........I'll definately try the wine bottle again, perhaps with something simpler.  I had a difficult time with the cast shadows too, perhaps a clear wine glass would help. ;)  This one reminds me of my good buddy Laurie Mueller from the Aurora workshop....Cheers!

Difference of a Day

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What a difference a day makes!  I went out to the studio to tackle the White on White challenge again.  This time I decided to ignore my attempt from last night and start fresh with the photo provided by Ann Feldman for the challenge.  I whipped right through it AND did the best I could to correct the error of my ways from last night's disaster.  I may even have time for one more painting today!   Maybe one with color!

Comedy of Errors and Acts of Desperation

After

6x6 oil on panel click HERE to bid

 Before

Some days just refuse to go as planned no matter how you slice it.  The other day my eye glasses were inadvertantly stepped on and smashed by those that shall remain unnamed since he is very sorry and apologetic about it, and well, the logical question would be why are they on the floor in the first place, but that's neither here nor there.   This morning, I went to replace the glasses only to find out that my prescription had expired.  Frustrated beyond words, I questioned why after decades of prescriptions that last 2 years each, why this last one would only be good for a year.  The kind lady gently reminded me that I am now over 40, and so it goes......With no appointments available until Monday, I took my ridiculously glued, melted, and taped glasses and stomped away.  (yes, melted, because at one point during the repair process I thought if I just melted the plastic frame they could meld back together.  Word of warning: Plastic is highly flammable!) 

Having had a late and frustrating start in the studio, I put it out of my head, excited at the prospect of starting my painting for the White on White challenge for this weeks DPW challenge.  I've admired the paintings of other artists that can paint values and shades of white like it's their full time job.  Today was my day, and I was ready.  I had already sketched out my panel the day before, having spent hours on various set ups, and it was just waiting for me to start putting paint to panel.  Then I noticed I had misplaced my wallet, last used at Meijers the day before.  I scoured every possible nook and cranny in the house, the car, called the store, retraced my steps, still no wallet.   Realizing my continued search was futile, I vowed to make something good out of the day and headed out to the studio.  yeah, i'm sure you all know how the rest of the story goes.

Needless to say, it's hard enough to paint without prescription eyeglasses, let alone with the despair of your lost wallet.  Why I tried is beyond me, but still I forged ahead.   After about an hour of laying paint atop of muddy paint, only making it muddier, I stomped off in disgust.   Looked around for the wallet again, sighed, went back to the studio, and in an act of sheer desperation, decided to give the paining just a few more swipes of the brush.   Rarely does this ever work, but this one of those one times that I saw just a glimmer of hope and decided to just leave it for now.  It likely will all be wiped off in the morning to just start fresh, but it was one of those times that you just wanted to end the rotten day off on a good note, and this was one of them.  Although I don't have a complete painting, I realized where I went wrong, so when I start over tomorrow, I get to start off in the right place.  TGIF.

(Top painting, added the next day, is the corrected version of my painting, hooray, what a difference a day makes!)

Apples with Fred

6x6 oil on panel Bid starts at $20

click HERE to bid

Today I had a studio visitor, a fellow Findlay artist who has done mainly pencil drawings and would like to try his hand at painting.  I did the usual demo of  a value study with burnt umber, and then the one color per stroke, with an apple.  Here is my effort for the day.  Although I didn't quite get the apple and values correct, I kind of like the feel of this apple...kind of glows....

Here is Fred, he is a member of our local monthly challenge group and last month he brought an amazing portrait replica he drew after the artist Vermeer.  He has an incredible ability and talent to capture portraits in graphite, this photo does not do his work justice, but here is a pic of him with it from last months' challenge.   I shamefully forgot to take a photo of his painting today, but I'll get it next time.

Kisses

6x6 oil on panel

If I can paint one, how hard can three be?  Today's kiss attempt.  I have at least 2 more planned then I'll take a little break from them.

Kiss

6x6 oil on panel

Yesterday I did a few set-ups for chocolate kisses.  I had a potential customer ask if I would try to do one before Valentine's day.  Now I know why there just are not that many paintings of them out there, they're harder than they look!  The one I attempted yesterday I ended up wiping off and started over this morning with a simpler design.  I'll probably try 4 or 5 of these.

Wheely Willy and Dreama

6x6 oil on panel SOLD

I "found" this little fella in my Mom's basement, she tends to hoard a lot of stuff down there, it's an artists still life dream.  Wall to wall shelves of stuff like this.....mostly antiques.  She keeps saying she's going to sell it on Ebay when she retires next year, but I think she likes her wall of stuff.  Whenever I go home to visit, I I like to browse  in her basement.  Last time I was there she threatened to lock it, but I managed to smuggle a few things out.  Tee Hee. (Hope she doesn't follow my blog)   I painted this for this weeks DPW challenge, paint something with wheels.  Wheels are harder than I thought, if you don't get them just right it's easy to see.  He has a cloth scarf that is really a checkerboard pattern  but I wasn't about to tackle that challenge.  He also has a string to pull him and when you do, his little cloth legs go up and down.  The rest is shiny wood.  I wish I knew his name.  I'll call him Wheely Willy

as for Dreama....I can't believe I haven't shared the best news yet!  I just signed up for Dreama Tolle-Perry's Nashville Tennessee workshop in April.  (yes it's my birthday gift from my fiance....Carol Marine for Christmas, Dreama for birthday....perhaps when we get married it will be Saeta for anniversary?  one can only dream...)  Now the only thing that would make it better is if my new bff  Laurie Mueller from Carol's workshop got off the waiting list and got in....it will be a road trip to remember!!! (normally I would link her blog, but she hasn't set one up yet. hint hint)  hint. 

A Good Egg.

6x6 oil on panel NFS

Ever wonder what people mean when they say, "He's a good egg?" I think I do. Here is the last painting of the eggs and spoons....for now ;) I actually painted it yesterday, but in honor of Jason and his family, I wanted to leave "Coming Home" as my main post yesterday. Jason is resting peacefully with his family, and from what I understand is enjoying visitors of family and friends, and joking and laughing....What a strong brave man. The idea of joking when you are at the end of your final earthly days leads one to contemplate just how much this man loves his family to set them at ease before he makes his journey home..... I'll be sending the painting to Michaele and the boys tomorrow if it is dry enough, there's another part of the photo that I used as a reference for "Coming Home" that I have yet to paint, but couldn't bear it today. You will see it soon, I promise. Here's an egg instead, and remember, whatever you are, be a good one.

Still Life with Still Life

6x6 oil on panel, click here to bid

I went out to the studio today with every intention of setting up more eggs and spoons, but I had put my finished apple from yesterday in the still life set up to get better light for a photo, then left it there. When I came in this morning, it was just calling out to me to paint the painting. So here it is!

Trapped!

6x6 oil on panel click here to bid.

The last of the oranges for this week (I think! I'm kind of in a nice little comfort zone now, I hate the idea of starting something new :) This little orange is trapped under a square glass, it was very difficult to paint it so it looked like it was inside....

I'm Back!

6x6 oil on panel click here to bid

I can't believe it's only been 2 weeks since the workshop, it seems like months ago. I haven't painted since I returned although I was aching to go into my studio and lock the door and paint and just ignore all the holiday commotion. But then I read a post by fellow artist Raymond Logan, who takes time off from painting during the holidays, and doesn't feel a bit bad about it. Artists need vacations too, and since the holidays are the only time when all my almost grown up kids are together, I think I will make it a yearly tradition and shut the studio door until the festivities are over. Less stress that way. I spent the better part of today cleaning my studio and trying to make some semblence of organization. When I was about 90 percent done, I couldn't take it anymore, the unfinished rubber ducky painting was shouting at me to be finished. Here it is in all its glory, It was only half done at the workshop, and I knew it would be tough to pick up where I left off, but it's the one thing I wanted complete from my time there. The cup originally had a handle that I just couldn't figure out, so I just eliminated it all together. tee hee. When I set up this composition, I just loved the way it looked like the mama duck was coming in from the side to chastise her baby for his little antics....the photo is a bit washed out since I used my phone, it's a terrible habit I need to quickly break.....

Cezanne I am not!

6x6 oil on panel $50 click here to buy

Once in awhile its fun to try a "master copy" a painting from one of the art masters. Cezanne is one of my favorite painters so I attempted one of his simplest still lives. A lot can be learned by doing these exercises, mostly that I have a lot to learn!

More from the PKR workshop and Catching up!

I'm posting more of my examples from the PKR workshop mostly because I am still catching up around the house and I would like to do the Daily Paintworks challenges today but the rain is keeping me inside....I know when other artists go to workshops I like to see what they've done, so here they are! I really liked the exercise with the lemon on purple....it is 6x6 and the challenge was to do it in under 30 strokes....I think I did it in about 25, but it was fun!

Long time, no post!

Well I am back from my mini vacation at the Peggy Kroll Roberts workshop in Charlotte, NC....I'm still digesting everything, but in a nutshell it was well worth the trek! I'm posting some examples of student work and Peggy's examples as well...while it looks so basic and simple, I must say her style of painting is a whole new way of seeing things! I spent the last couple of days catching up on yard and housework, but am determined to get back at painting tomorrow! If you ever get a chance to study with Peggy, do so, it is well worth it!

Daffodils, Daisies, and Doldrums

This week has been the absolute worst since I started daily painting...I don't think I accomplished a single satisfying painting...Yesterday I started work on a larger picture of a rose, worked on it it for 3 hours, and when I went to clean up, the painting tipped over and landed directly on my palette, Needless to say there were 8 or huge globs of paint neatly ordered in spectrum order.....I decided not to even tackle that mess today, and decided to set up a cheerful still life to beat the awful weather doldrums and rut I am in.....Here is my attempt at a glass of daisies and daffodils, even they refused to cooperate as I tried to arrange them so I finally gave up in disgust.

Weekly Challenge "Two's Company"

I'm truly enjoying Carol Marines Weekly Challenges and learning even more. This week's challenge involved using a different color of paint for each stroke.....It took a lot of planning and thought at first, but moved along faster as I painted. I like the outcome, but I think I need more practice to get it just right, but the point was to avoid "overworking" a painting, which I tend to do, so in that respect it worked out perfect.....