Sunday 31 January 2016

last day of the month (and a new patio)

Wow.......January went super fast! My son was here again for over a week to build me a large (20'x16') herringbone brick patio. He did the real work but I helped him for a week so I didn't really paint that much while we were doing that. I'll probably post a photo of it at some point - once I have decided on what I'm putting on it. I am close to finishing this painting and have been out plein air painting a few times with mediocre results.


This is an example of one of the outdoor paintings I started..............the chain link fence and the changing light conspired to ensure that it wouldn't be finished. Trust me, don't try to paint through a fence like this if you are having cataract surgery in a month or so........it will give you a major headache!

Friday 15 January 2016

a week in the studio


The weather remains a bit problematic but I tried to paint outside yesterday.....got all the way to the location and realized I had forgotten my easel! My soltek easel isn't on my mental checklist because it pretty much lives in my car - I had taken it out before Christmas when I needed space in my car for a trip to Costco. It is now back in my car for when it stops raining again! At any rate, I have begun a painting (16x20") of three of the eleven backyard chickens that were born the end of July. They don't hold still EVER so this is from a photo with a lot of direct observation for color (I find them endlessly fascinating). I am finishing up a few other things in anticipation of the Beaufort Art Association's big Spring Show which will be held the end of February this year - I like to have several framed pieces to choose from.
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This 18 x 18" painting is very near completion so I'll probably forget to post it when it's actually done. The rain has finally stopped so hopefully I'll be able to get outside to paint tomorrow - the days are already getting longer!

Friday 8 January 2016

getting back in the swing of things


Well, the holidays are over again and they were great. Right before New Year's I caught a bad cold, however, and am just getting back on track. I always find it difficult to feel the "flow" when I haven't painted for a couple of weeks. Normally I would just go out plein air but it was super cold, wet and gloomy so I went to the studio instead since I still feel kind of crappy and definitely didn't want to get wet and miserable. Sooooo, Happy New Year to all.