Wiper

ok, so I have a bet going with a new friend I met at the workshop. We agreed that we would start out the new year by painting a painting every day for 30 days straight, and to hold each other accountable, the deal is that if either of us forget a day, we owe the other one a painting. Well, it definately is working to make me get out there and paint, but it doesn't mean I'm painting a good one everytime that's for sure....This one's a "wiper" but since I have to "prove" that I painted, here it is, in all it's nasty glory! Feel free to visit Ruth Ann Sturgill's progress, and let me know if she misses a day....I've got my eye on a few of her paintings that she will owe me if she "slips up" Here's her blog

Orange Sugegasa

6x6 oil on panel

I finished this yesterday but didn't blog it so here it is today...I'll post my other painting from today later, I bet you can't guess the subject ;) The orange on the bottle reminds me of the hats people wear in Japan. I bet they are useful when painting outside. I need to look into that.

Interesting fact: In Japan, the hat is called "sugegasa"

Helpful Hint: I purchased a really useful book at the suggestion of carol during the workshop (she didn't know it, but as soon as she mentioned it in class, I took out my trusty little iphone, found it on ebay, bought it and it was waiting for me when I got home from the workshop. I love technology) I just now got around to reading it though, and it is a GREAT book on composition.....I've only read the first few chapters, but what the author is saying keeps popping up in my head like a stern teacher. The name of the book is The Simple Secret to Better Painting by Greg Albert. I paid $15 plus shipping on ebay. well worth it.

Back in the Swing

6x6 oil on panel click here to bid

It's nice to be back in the swing of things, I stressed the whole time over holidays that I was "missing" something in the studio and I'd lose everything I learned at the workshop. As I'm sure is the case for lots of folks that take workshops, you'll start to see an eery similiarity to style and composition to that of the workshop artist.....(I'm not naming names because I know you all know!!!) I am actually ok with this, because I would like to try the things she taught me until I've "mastered" them. Once I do that, I will continue to explore and tweak my own style and path.....

Something I've started doing before I start a painting: I choose what I see as either the most challenging part of my compostion or the focal point and do one quick 10 minute study of it. It helps me get the colors right and also if I hate it, I don't have to waste time on an entire composition of it. The other "page" i've torn from the "carol marine book of art" is to do more than one variation of the subject...I am finding that each one gets a bit easier and better.

New Year, new paint, and thanks to those that helped me along the way.

6x6 oil on panel, click here to buy

Well, it's hard to believe it's been one full year since I began my quest to paint everyday....as I look back at the past year and how far I have grown as a person and artist, I'd like to acknowledge those that have either inspired me, encouraged me, or helped me along the way. I will try to link their blog or website if applicable.

A bit of history on how I got my start last year: I had just finished another hectic year of trying to make a living making and selling my fused glass creations....I was exhausted by the constant routine of art shows, making and selling art glass that I wasn't inpired at all to make (for example sports teams, and snowmen!) I decided I needed a break, and as my family and I wrote out our annual "bucket list"-everything we would like to accomplish in the coming year- on New Year's eve 2010, I looked back at the past 4 years of lists we had done together, and I noticed one constant: finish a painting.

I hadn't picked up a brush in years, yet it was what I remember loving most about art. I spent hours that night scouring the internet, looking for painting tutorials to get started. I was hooked, but I had no materials to speak of, it was New Years! Nothing was open and I only had $10 anyway. I went to Walmart, bought a pack of 3 canvases and a set of acrylics....I didn't have enough money for brushes. I took them into the studio and proceeded to paint my first daily painting, with my fingers. (side note: I tried to sell it in the first few months of painting, but after a time, I took it off the market.....It now hangs in my studio as an example of my humble beginnings and how far I have come in just one short year.)

One of the daily painters I found and was inspired by was Roisin O'Farrell, an artist from Ireland, who graciously added me as her friend and continues to inspire me with her growth as an artist. Because of her, I have made lots of new Irish friends and, in a way, feel as if I am part of their little circle even though we've never met.

Ever curious, I continued my online hunt for inspiration and it wasn't long before I found Carol Marine and the Daily Paintworks site and challenges....as soon as I found these challenges I found a kind of structure for myself.....If ever I was stuck, I would go to DPW and do a challenge, sometimes more than once...once, I got so involved I did 5 of the same challenge! I used to sit at my computer on Saturday mornings waiting for the new challenge to be posted and run out to the studio to get it done....Now, I'm a bit behind on the challenges, but at least I have somewhere to go if I ever get "stuck" . Now DPW has become a site for auctions for artists, and I even had the pleasure of attending Carol's workshop.

After a few months of painting and blogging, I actually began being noticed locally. I was asked to show my work in several venues in surrounding towns and thanks to Tamera Rooney of Red Tornado Gallery, I met many local artists and sold several paintings to local collectors. As much as I tend to be a hermit and recluse, it's nice to have friends and fans nearby! Thanks to Tamera's friendship, I met an artist named Margie Shoop, who purchased a painting of a little bunny she fell in love with...she traded the painting for a few horseback riding lessons for my 13 year old daughter. This was life changing for Alexa, as she now has her own horse and has learned the value of hard working working at the barn with her horse and 7 others. Margie is an Equestiian photographer, and shows a side of horsemanship that takes a horselover to understand; it's as if you see the heart and spirit of the horse through her work.

I have been incredibally blessed to have the support of my fiance Jim who trusts that someday he can retire and I will support him with my art ;) Whether this happens or not is not important but the fact that he believes it to be so means the world to me. My dear friend Scott Lightfoot has also been my biggest cheerleader, and as he continues his fight againt cancer, I pray that this year he finds success in his own quest for artistic success.

I'm posting my first 2 paintings of the year, and since I've been out of practice after taking the last two weeks off, these are a bit rough, but alas, we all begin somewhere.....good luck to all this year, and if you ever need help or encouragement along the way, please don't hesitate to ask.

Out of shape

Today I went into the studio with every intention of creating a masterpiece. Armed with all my new skills and props I spent at least an hour trying to set up a still life. When I finally found one I liked I panicked since I'm out of practice from my holiday break. I decided to take one element of the still life and do some ten minute studies. I almost gave up in despair after the first two tries but I saw a glimmer of hope after the third and after the last one I felt a bit better. I think I'll exercise again tomorrow.

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.....

Get found, kid!

One of my favorite authors of all time is Robert Fulghum who wrote All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. His books are a collection of stories and anecdotes written in a very comical and thoughtful way. One of the stories in his book was about watching the neighborhood kids play hide and seek, and he reflected on the one kid that hid too well. After awhile, the rest of the kids "seeking" grew tired, and stopped looking for him. They weren't having any fun.

At the workshop this week I had a small epiphany as I was standing at my easel (which is surprising since I was weak with laughter every other minute from some of the antics of the other artists)....I spent the first 40 something years of my life "hiding" from who I really was, putting on pretend faces not just in my personality but in my art as well. I painted things that were boring and safe, composed in a lackluster way. My personality was not coming through in the choices in my art, I was "hiding" too well....... I didn't understand until now why there wasn't any "seekers". When giving the lesson on creating a composition in class today, Carol emphasized that our art and composition should be something we are really excited about, or why bother? I realized that the particular items I set up were the safe ones, but what I really wanted to paint was the rubber ducky. So I did. While it certainly isn't my best painting I've ever done, I can say for certain it is the one I am most excited about. Get Found Kid!

Day 2 Carol Marine Workshop

For some reason my blog posts didn't post when I was at the workshop so here's one from day 2.

Even though it's only the second day of the workshop i feel like I've learned more in two days than in two years.....Carol uses a limited palette and I've been using only the same colors and I have found that her methods and palette make for much cleaner paintings and simpler decisions when painting.....after the 5th ten minute challenge today, I had my "ah ha" moment.....and finally saw what she was trying to teach us.....An added bonus is the great group of women and 2 men in our group, I've made some lifelong friends already...Lauri,Pamalonngabingbong, Trish the Dish, and Calamity Jane to name a few......

The above is from the 10 minute challenge she had us do....we did 5 in all of the same object and this one is my 5th and my best. I have to admit I was frustrated with the first 3 and didn't feel like I was making progress, but by the 4th and 5th time I was a believer.

Carol Marine Workshop!

My first daily painting January 1, 2011

nfs

Just arrived in Aurora, Illinois for the Carol Marine workshop I signed up for months ago! What a perfect conclusion to my first year of "Daily Painting". Last New Years Eve when my family did our annual "bucket list" of things to try to do over the course of the year, I decided I wanted to give glass fusing a break and give painting a whirl, and do it daily (as much as is humanly possible) Carol's blog and her and her husbands creation of the Daily Paintworks Challenges were pivitol in keeping me on task through the year, and the gift of this workshop from my ever-supportive fiance is priceless.....stay tuned in the coming year for lots of improvement in my art!!

Since I've been on the road and crazy busy the last few weeks not painting, It seems appropriate to post my first painting, painted on New Years this year.....I did not have proper materials or money to purchase them, but bought 3 canvases at walmart and acrylic paint with my last $10....not enough for brushes, so believe it or not, this is a "finger painting" For all of you that want to paint, trust me, everyone must start somewhere, and for me, it was to go back to my youth where I remembered painting for the first time ever in kindergarten with chocolate pudding! What fun!

Hmmm

Can't think of a crafty title for this post, I'm out of practice on blogging as of late.....I was sick for a week, then spent several weeks on a fundraiser (separate post necessary for that one), Thanksgiving, holiday shopping, etc etc.....so I've been completely off any kind of regimen for painting and it's making me anxious to say the least. I have found I am happiest when I am creating and when other things get in the way of that, I tend to get crabby. Hopefully I can re-focus and get back in the groove! I did manage to squeek out this little guy for my step-dad's 69th birthday. (sorry, poor pic from my phone and I sent it to him before taking a proper pic) He works for the Audobon society and this is one of the injured eagles that permanently resides there. I understand he hung it in his office :)