Painting Postcards with Barbara

 I am at it again only this time with postcards and my sister Barbara.  She is drawing and I am drawing/painting.  I painting a lot of just backgrounds about a year ago and the giraffes were reverse painted with Holbein Shadow green over the yellow.













My african violets were hard because I, once again, lost my place in the painting of the drawing.  I really need to start doing value studies.

Doggie Cousins - Best of BFF's
Charlie and Casper Christmas Morning

Casper

My Best Gift from Hubby...EVER!

Our little shed

Charlie

Poinsetta1

Poinsetta 2

Poinsetta 3

I'll bet you are wondering what the gift is.  It is a new Nikon D3000 camera!  I am having toooo much fun.  This is going to take me to that giant leap that I plan to make in 2012 with my art.

Fun Exercise

I painted this yesterday and used Aliz Crimson and Imperial purple for the whole painting.  Oops. I used  Cerealean for the water.  Plastic wrap for the texture.  A circle template and magic eraser for the moon.

Congratulations Alexis

Proud Momma Michele and beautiful graduate Alexis.  It was a wonderful day!  Look how fast they grow!

Shoes

This months WCW project is "shoes".  I got the photo from "paint My Photo.com.  In order to get that dirty leather look I wetted  my watercolor with just Granulation Medium by W&N.  Now I want to paint Fuzzy Slippers.  That will have to wait until after my Granddaughters graduation party on Friday.  Thanks to my friend, I know what I am making to eat and have bought the groceries.  We have to have everything ready Thursday night because the Graduation is Friday Morning.

A Rose By Any Other Name

I was thinking of my friend Cia this morning and decided to paint her a rose.  Cia has passed on but she will never be forgotten.  No one painted a rose like Cia Price.

This is a watercolor 4 x 6" and was painted with Alizerin Crimson, Cad red light and Aureolin yellow.

Susie Short DVD

This is such a great DVD and I am so glad I bought it but...I can see that I need to paint this over and over until I paint like Susie! What I see so far is the green trees are all wrong and too centered. I forgot the shadows of the trees on the ice and the one I did paint is going the wrong direction? I like the feel of this but not the details. I need to do it over and pay closer attention. I need to practive the scraping of the trees because the color filled in after my scrape so I suspect that the paper was too wet?

My Philosophy-Go With The Flow

I am feeling rather philosophical lately and I would love to sum it all up.  These are the things I know to be true for my life.  I cannot control my reactions but I can control my actions (behaviour) as a result of my first gut feeling.  My reactions come from all that I have experienced and my actions result from all that I have learned.

Go with the flow - If there is a storm, I can't stop it but I can go with the flow of it.  I might get hurt and I might not, but it will not kill me.  The scars will heal if I allow it to happen.  I recently had an experience where my feelings got hurt in regards to my art.  I allowed my friends to support me, I continued to make art and I got over it very quickly.  For me, the trick is to not compulsively think about it.  I let go and the wound healed.  10 yeas ago I would have milked it for all it was worth for weeks and weeks.   I am a compulsive personality and I have learned to let Go.  This is part of my philosophy.  Now I will peacefully paint.
***the painting is an attempt at working on Susie Short's DVD "Winter Creek".    

Let It Snow!

Ok, I admit it.  I am ready for snow.  Thursday is Thanksgiving and I would love to have enough snow to look pretty but not so much as to make the roads slippery.  My family will be traveling along the major highways and byways and not over the river and through the woods.  I painted Mr. Cardinal so that I could have snow.  It was painted from a photo in Paintmyphoto.com.  Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends and family.

Watercolor Workshop Project

I painted this using Watercolors and Gouache.  It is the November WCW project.  It is such a joy to be painting again.

Look Who's Painting Again!

Now I am moved and have an art teacher, I am painting again. It feels so good to get those brushes wet. This is painted from a wonderful photo by Patricia Elling, a dear friend.

Left Behind

I painted this this morning in the nick of time for the WCW "abandoned" project for September.

STRESS

 I'm still packing. I do a bit each day because I have a bad back. Jim does all of the carrying and stacking. We gave notice to our strange landlady and she will not pick up the certified letter. So..I emailed her with a copy of what our letter said and she wrote back that she never got the 3 quotes we sent her on the bridge and creek work that needs to be done. She is claiming that she never got the letters with the quotes. She also claims that our agreement states that we will "talk" about major repairs, not that she had any obligation to do anything about it! ...and that there was no timeline in the agreement so she feels like she can do it when she has the money. Now she thinks we can work it out! "let's get together and "talk"". LOL Too Late! I just hope she leaves us alone. Our attorney checked the lease and he says we have every right to move. Yea! Some people are so weird. No closing date yet. They are still trying to figure out what John's income is in spite of the fact that they have his Tax returns done by his CPA. Banks are just weird. I think that the lesson for me in all of this is to just have faith and let it roll off of my back.  It will all work out soon.


Norena

Collography

Yes, this is my sock monkey done with Collography.  Thanks Barb and Thanks to Belinda! Now I will try it again and do better.

What a Surprise!

This baby watermelon, about 8" across, was a complete surprise when we opened it.  Yes, we were expecting red!  I bought it from the Amish roadside stand down the road.  Check out the cool design in the melon.  Way Cool.  It was the sweetest watermelon I have ever tasted but it was gone too fast!

Summertime..and The Living is Not So Easy

I just realized that some of my latest paintings are very close to the same color.  I really do have lots of other paints.  I wanted to paint something else that was cold so this was it.  I did use a bit of gouache on this one.  I also used my spray bottles on the background.

Storm Over The Tree Farm - My Very First Oil!

After finding a complete oil painting set at a thrift store, I painted this this morning.  I have so much to learn but I found that the things I learned from other medias were very helpful.

Oil is dark down first and watercolor is the opposite so I sort of messed up on that concept.  But, I had fun and it relieved my stress.

Cool As a Cucumber!

The produce is coming in and I have cooked zucinni in everything I can think of.  Any suggestions.  Now we have an abundance of cucumbers! I live in a non-air conditioned house so Cool...NOT!  The background of this painting was created by masking off the cucumber with masking tape, Laying down a plastic lace tablecloth, and spraying with a spraybottle I filled with water and Mag Blue watercolor  DS Paint.

Maine

 

I painted this today and I am almost pleased with it.  It certainly did take my mind off of everything going on in my life.  MY Escape.

Early Harvest-Watercolor and Gouache

For all you watercolor purist.  You just gotta love Gouache!  I struggled and struggled with this one but gouache really was my redeemer!  I spent 4 years being a purist and yes, I do still feel guilty when I add Gouache but, not enough to not use it.

Cathy's Vacation

July 19, 2011
It is hot, hot, hot today.  I painted this 6 x 9 little painting in watercolor from a photo by Cathy Geha.  It was fun and took my mind off of the heat.

 

I've been painting and having fun.  I've had too much on my mind but yesterday, I broke through.  Yea Me!

Childhood Memories

Ohio Farm House

There is few things more appealing to me than a Farm Home.  I loved the farm when I was little.  There was always things to do and places to play.  When I was 6 years old, we moved to the town and I was not a happy camper.  Now I live in the country again.  Yea!

I have been laying low the past couple of days because I pulled a muscle in my leg. How did I do it?  Who knows?  It hurt to sit so I have just been lounging around.  I haven't painted but I will today.  I have to get ready for family who are coming this weekend.  My leg is so much better and I think I just may accomplish something today.  Jim is going to town to have lunch with my brother so I will have "alone" time today. 

...and a great time was had by all!

Yesterday, I picked up my Mother and met an old friend for lunch.  It was like no time went by and Patricia is as sweet as I remember her.  I had a nice time with her niece Tonya also.  I have to wonder why we lose track of people and what I can do to be better at keeping in contact.  Of course, the information age helps with all that but it not the same as a hug and hearing someone tell you that they love you. 

I them dropped off Mom and drove by my brother John's house.  I haven't seen him in awhile so it was good to see him.  He's my sweet big brother.  Then I went to meet my sister Pat and we hit a few thrift stores.  I think that the best find today was my Rooster Jam Jar.  By then I was tired so I went home.  I cooked Haddock and asparagus for dinner and had a good peaceful evening.  Life is good!

Single Pear

 

My painting for today.

Pics of Studio

Ice Cream Ball-$2.00

Table with a View

Watercolor Paper

Shower Curtain over Closet

Art Stuff

Light Box

Giant Painbrush-$1.00

Projects

Ok, I admit it.  I shop at Goodwill!  I am a Goodwill Addict in fact.  I stored all of the area Goodwill stores in my GPS so that my sister Pat and I can go from store to store and not get lost.  I am typing this in my art room/studio and this is what I see from Goodwill.  A two drawer file cabinet, a 6 foot paintbrush ($1.00), two hardwood bookcases, The table that I paint on, a hortizonal file where I store my watercolor paper, a heater for my coffee mug, many art books, several folding tables, a turntable that holds my brushes, storage bins, a shower curtain that hangs in front of my shelved cabinet, etc..  I was going to post pics but my camera is in the storage console in my van that I bought at Goodwill.

On Sunday, I found a Play and freeze ice cream ball!  Yea!  You put your ice, salt and ingredients and toss it for about 20 minutes and you have a pint of ice cream.  I guess my guests will have to work for their ice cream!   You who know me know that I love "projects" and they usually involve Jim.   I have wanted to make my own Plein air easel and I have got a great start.  It will be a Pochade box mounted on a lightweight easel.  I found a wooden box and a new easel aluminum easel (at Goodwill, of course) and Jim is helping me put it together.  I will post it when we are done.  The cost will be under $10.00!  I'll bet you can't wait for the photos!

Country Church

I pass this church often as I travel the highways and byways of Ohio.

Ohio Barns

I have taken so many photos of Ohio Barns.  I have enough to give me painting references for the rest of my life but I keep taking them.  I love Ohio barns!

BUSTED

 

My Water Bowl

Hi, I’m Charlie and this is my favorite water bowl.  I didn’t think that mommy knew but she caught me. 

Lodi Bridge

I painted this yesterday and I just don’t know when to stop.  Now I want to see if I can fix those overworked bushes.  I think I like everything except those bushes.  Gouche Maybe?  I love my new Silver Black velvet brushes. 

Reflection of Swan

I'm painting watercolor again.  I painted this yesterday with my sister Patricia.  I seem to do my best painting when I paint with her.