Homework

I have been taking photographs of our grandchildren for years...hmmm, our oldest will be 23 this week. How can that be? A thought to ponder at another time...

It has always been interesting to me how various children react when they see a camera.  Some see the camera and hide behind their hands (or any convenient person or piece of furniture). Others run away entirely and occasionally scream "Don't take my picture!" Some respond with slumped shoulders and an unenthusiastic "OK."  And then, there are those who sense that there is a camera somewhere and immediately turn toward it with a big toothy grin.

Of course, we, the photographers are not without our own antics.  When the children are tiny we stand there with our cameras aimed and make all kinds of silly faces and noises trying to produce a smile in an infant.  Then we get to the "Say 'cheese'" phase and the dutiful subjects respond. Later when we look at the picture we see the 'bunny ears' that the little dears have bestowed on their neighboring sibling by holding up those two fingers behind their head!

A few months ago my daughter's #2 child asked if I would paint a picture of her for her birthday.  (Actually, she said, "Gramma Jo, I know what I want for my birthday. I want you to paint three pictures of me.")

OK, this is one of those children who 'know' when there is a camera about to be aimed in her direction. So, when I look through my picture file, all the pictures of her have teeth. She is beautiful and loves to have her picture taken but, when you paint a picture with smiling teeth it often looks like that person has a piano in their mouth!

She and I discussed this dilemma and then spent a bit of time taking pictures with her trying NOT to smile.  I know that was so hard for her.  She sat at the kitchen table doing her homework and I snapped away.

Last week she turned eleven and the picture is framed and ready to go to her.
Happy Birthday, Leighton!

Drips...

I've been subbing again in the watercolor class.  For the past two weeks we have been trying a new (to most of us) technique.  We began by thoroughly wetting the watercolor paper on both sides.  Then we thought about what colors we would like to use (I'm a primary color person) and began dripping them on our paper.

The wonderful thing about watercolor is that it runs and creates wonderful new shapes and colors.  If you raise your paper and turn it in various directions amazing things can happen...and also frightful messes can be revealed!

Our task was to see some 'thing' in these drips and then to paint around it  - highlighting and defining it. When you paint the space around the 'thing' you are painting negatively.

What we found was that it was VERY HARD to do.  We are so used to painting a thing - beginning with an idea and painting it.  To begin with no idea and then have it mysteriously revealed seemed a very backward challenge!

Well, the fun thing about this wet paper is that when you really mess up on one side you can just turn it over and begin again...  which I think several of us did.

So, this is what I ended up with that first day...

I confess, I didn't see any 'thing' but someone in class suggested that it could be a city skyline.  I took it home to dry.  During that week, I tried turning it in several different directions and cropped it here and there.

I think this is the forest fires out west.

This looks a little like an erupting volcano.

This is sort of nothing...back to square one...

So, I went back to class this week and showed these ideas. The class suggested turning the painting upside down (from the way I had it originally - who knew which way it should go) and they saw a waterfall! Hmmm...

Well, now I have worked on it ...played around with some more darks and lights and maybe it is a waterfall after all.  I keep hearing the voice of one of my instructors from a few years ago... "Go ahead and experiment.  It's only PAPER."  So, here is "The Waterfall"

Warm and Cool

From time to time I am asked to be a substitute in an on-going watercolor class that meets in St Michaels. It is a treat for me - I always learn something, the artist instructor is talented and helpful - she gives great critiques... and the other class members are such fun.

Last month I was fortunate to be able to sub two back-to-back weeks.  It's really nice to have that continuity. The class was working on warm and cool paintings.  The first week we painted our warm paintings using only warm colors - reds, yellows, greens.

I looked through my picture file and found a picture that I had taken on my recent trip to Vermont.  Paul's sunlit, red barn had all sorts of flowers growing up the side.

I struggled with the windows and doorway.  In my photograph these were very dark areas and as I was painting them they I lost the warm feeling.  A red watercolor wash helped.  However, when I got home and looked at it again (after a day of staring at it on the easel across the room) I couldn't let it be and began to 'play' with my pastels...  The white window frame warmed up as did most everything else!  Ta-da, my warm painting...

So, the following week was the 'cool' assignment.  Another look through the picture file and I found one of the beautiful morning mist rising and rolling across Nelson Pond (a camp where we stay)... birch trees and firs being alternately seen and partially hidden by the haze.

I painted this wet-on-wet... beginning with very wet paper and dropping watercolor onto it for a soft, flowing look. These blues, blue-greens and grays carry the cool feeling.  If fact, when I showed it to someone without any explanation, they thought it was a winter painting.  I guess I captured 'cold'!  I may have to stick in just a little blue sky (and water) to bring it back to summer...and hear the wonderful calls of the loons across the pond.

You Never Know...What's Really There...Until Later

I have found that I am more and more passionate about painting children - and grandchildren in particular.  So, I am taking pictures whenever possible to use for future paintings.

I grew up with a film camera and knew that every shot I took needed to be carefully crafted because it would cost real money to have it developed and printed.  Enter the digital camera...  aha!  Now I can shoot at will and review hundred of pictures...for free.  (My darkroom photographer husband thinks this is 'bad form,' but he's tolerant.)

However, I know he has also had some experience with this phenomenon. You take a picture and it is not until later that you really see, I mean REALLY SEE, what is there.

A couple years ago we were on Spring Break with my daughter and her family.  I was taking pictures like mad of all the granddaughters at the beach.  A few weeks ago I was looking through old photos to find something to paint and discovered one of the four year old walking along the beach with late afternoon shadows.  I was up on a deck when she walked by so it is at an interesting angle.

I began to paint it - actually I sketched it and did a watercolor underpainting...planning a pastel.  Picture this...I am painting away...finding the right pastels to paint her arms and her leg...yikes!  Only one leg!  It's not until I am well into this painting that I discover that this child has only one leg!  The unusual angle highlights the child and shadows...her dress hides the other leg.  My head knows that it is there, but I NEVER saw that it wasn't!

Now I am laughing to myself (and at myself) and finishing the painting to give to her for her sixth birthday.

And, I am wondering...did anyone else notice that she had only one leg?

Pondering Fall Leaves

Remember that big pile of fall leaves that we used to jump in?  Remember the crunching sounds we heard when we ran through them?  Remember that distinctive smell when we burned the pile after we finished playing in it? I am also remembering the hot dogs and marshmallows we roasted on that fire... sadly we have learned that some of these things were not good for us, but the memories are priceless.

Well, now that all the pictures are framed and ready for the show that we are hanging next week, I had time to look through old photographs and see what I wanted to paint next.  And, I came upon several of a granddaughter who is about to turn 13 - can't believe that - when she was experiencing her fist pile of leaves. She wasn't too sure what to do.  As the oldest child, there was no one to run through them with her, so she spent some time just sitting in them and pondering.  I remember snapping several photos at the time - I love this one the best.

It's still a work in progress, but that birthday is coming up fast...

His and Hers

Several years ago, George and I did a His and Hers Show - his photographs and my paintings.  It was a small collection of our artwork in a rather out-of-the way building in St Michaels. Since then, we have talked occasionally about showing again, so when I heard that there were some unclaimed months on the sign-up sheet at the St Michaels Library, I filled in our names for August.

As part of the preparations, we talked about making a sign to go with the show... hmmm, what to do? We tried a couple of different things - and since we 'do' different art, nothing was quite right.  So, we decided to go with our differences.  "His" in black and white with a black and white photograph.  And, "Hers" in color with a watercolor/pastel painting.

On August 1st we will hang our show - photographs and paintings. It has been fun preparing and comparing.  (You show me yours and I'll show you mine...)  We'll show YOU all of it.  Drop by the library gallery anytime in August and/or come to the artists' reception on Thursday, August 23 at 5:30 when we will talk about putting it all together... and our experiences creating the various pieces of artwork.

First Date

A few years ago my daughter sent me a photograph of her youngest daughter (who I think must have been about 4 years old) walking to the Timonium Fairgrounds - Maryland State Fair - with a friend.  I think they must have been told that they needed to stay close together and not get lost in the crowds.  I remember thinking at the time that this these two little ones would make a wonderful painting...

In August, George and I are presenting his photographs and my paintings in a "His and Hers Show" at the St Michaels Library.  For the past few weeks we have been organizing, painting, printing, framing - generally trying to get ready.  Just a few weeks left...

I decided to do three groupings: landscape, still life and figures.  As I was going through my figure paintings trying to decide what to show, I recalled that I had not yet painted the two children.  So, I did the watercolor underpainting and then (after it dried) began the pastel.  Now, I'm not sure what to do...  I love this, but... what to do next?  They probably need to be walking on a path or something...or maybe just some kind of non descript, suggestion of something...

Help... anyone?