Which way is up?

A couple weeks ago I attended a five day portrait workshop with Janet Rogers. Actually, I attended about 5 half-days of the workshop because of some volunteer conflicts, but it was an amazing week. Janet paints in this wonderfully loose style and makes it look so easy.

She encouraged us to make puddles of color and play with them. Mix a little of this and a little of that...oops, flood in another color, throw in something else, use big brushes, set a timer and make yourself paint fast, don't get too detailed... Challenging and fun.

Today I tried to use all these painting 'skills' in a new way. To really get myself out of the need to 'paint a picture' I thought I would just play... I'm going abstract ... and, remembering what many of you said the last time I ventured in this direction, I'm posting what happened this afternoon. Hmmm, which way is up? How to crop?

Here goes... Which way is up?                           #1

#2

                                                                                #3

#4

Now there are so many other choices.  Do I crop it? What shape?

#5 - Horizontal rectangle? Remember it could also go in any direction...

#6 - Another horizonal...cropped a little differently.

#7 - A square? Which way up?

#8 - Vertical rectangle? Which way up?

#9 - Another vertical rectangle?

What a fun afternoon it has been. It really doesn't make any difference which direction or what shape it is...I had a great time.  (but I'd love to hear from you - what do you think?)

Autumn Color

Currently there is an exhibit at the St Michaels Library called "Autumn Color." I haven't seen it hanging as yet - it's been a busy week - but I am told that it is beautiful.

The painting I entered was the one I mentioned in my last post. This cute little girl has recently turned 13 - now a beautiful teenager! Way back then she had visited a pumpkin farm and was so excited to have found just the right one for her. It's fun to see the little kids pick out their pumpkin and then try to carry it back. This child was a bit more realistic than some others who struggle with the biggest ones they can find!

I began with a watercolor underpainting on sanded paper.

I wanted to colors soft and at the same time bold. Hmmm, is that possible?

Here is what I did in the first hour or so. I debated whether to change the color of her sweatshirt to accommodate the 'autumn color' theme and decided to just go with the purple.

A few more refinements on the face, hands, pumpkins, background...just kept tweaking...

Getting a little closer to what I wanted - playing with the shadows and background...

"I Found One"  9x12 pastel  $125

Time's up...stop fiddling...sign it and frame it.

A little left of center...

I interrupted my painting this morning to bake some brownies for a dinner that we are going to tomorrow night. (I'll probably be blogging about the painting at a later time.)

I guess I was in a very strange 'creative' mood, but this is what happened... I added the oil, then the water and lastly the two eggs... VOILA!  It was looking at me and smiling.

Cheers, everyone...

Who knew I would be making art in the kitchen?

Learning that lesson

Okay, okay, I heard some comments after my last post about things not working out. What I thought was just a throw-away, some of you liked! Thank you...

So, here is another one of those 'play day' paintings. This one was painted while the other one was drying. I was doing basically the same thing, using fall colors and only a big brush. The paper was not quite as wet with this one.

This is as much as I accomplished in class. It has that 'leaf/branch' look about it. My teacher and classmates liked this one better and suggested that I connect the areas of color with some thicker, dark branches. So I brought it home to play some more. Remember, it's only paper...

That dark bluish blob in the upper left corner was a bit overwhelming. I tried to make it more branchlike and then cropped some of it off. Well, it is autumn color...and I'll keep looking at it for awhile. I have not signed it, but at least I haven't washed it off...yet!

It doesn't always work out...

Last week I subbed again in the watercolor class. I was in between projects - didn't have anything that I was working on. I had thought that I might begin something for an exhibit that is coming up in October called "Autumn Colors." Then I found out that watercolor was excluded from that show. (I had forgotten that.)

I decided just to have a 'play day'...to play with autumn colors and see what might happen. It's fun when I let myself experiment - really let go of the need to create 'the' masterpiece.

I was thinking of autumn leaves...what else when you think of autumn colors? So, here's my process. I got out a sheet of watercolor paper and a pencil. I began drawing some oak leaves. I love their shapes. When I thought I had enough leaves, I wet the paper and began brushing around some reds, golds, greens and even threw in a bit of blue (thinking sky...) I wanted to use only one big brush for the entire painting.

Interestingly to me, the pencil marks were there and completely ignored as I applied color. I was so involved in play that I did not use them at all. The paper was very wet at this point so I set it aside to dry a bit. My instructor saw it at this point and said, "You're not afraid to try anything." I think that was a nice way of saying, "That's pretty awful, but good for you for trying something new."

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of it at this stage. When I went back to it later, I needed a way to draw all the areas of color together. I randomly put in some arcs of color using the tip of same big brush I had used earlier. The freedom was really fun.

The end product is a little 'muddy' in places and I am not sure exactly how it goes...I painted it with the blue at the top. I think I like it better at the bottom...hmmm, not sure. It's not something that I would sign and frame, but it was freeing and fun.

When I got home I experimented with it some more - really messed it up and ended up washing it all off! The freedom comes from one of my teacher's voices in my head that says..."It's only paper!" 

It's very OK, it doesn't always work out...

Westies and the American Girl Doll

A few weeks ago I ran into friend at an art show. We began to talk about all the talent and creativity exhibited in that space. Although Katie was not exhibiting in that show, she could have been. She sews and quilts and does beautiful work.

I commented to her that I loved seeing her Facebook posts of her work. Much of what she does has a Westie (West Highland White Terrier) theme - wonderful fabrics depicting Westie puppies and dogs. More recently, a family member (recognizing her sewing talent) asked her about making clothes for an American Girl doll. So now she posts pictures of these adorable dresses and outfits along with photos of her Westies - frequently lying all over the sewing projects. So cute!

We talked some more and she asked me if any of my granddaughters were into American Girl. As it happened, we were about to have a visit from two of the girls who are beyond the doll age, but one of their younger sisters was about to have a birthday. Katie invited me to come over with them and pick out a birthday outfit.

When the girls and I arrived at her house, she took us upstairs to view several outfits laid out on a bed. They were adorable! Katie said, "They are ALL for you!" When I tried to pay her for them, she refused to accept anything. I offered to make a contribution to a cause that she supported. She then suggested that I paint a picture of a Westie that she could offer at auction. She would give the money to a Westie Rescue organization. What a great idea - we could each share what we love to do!

I have never painted a Westie before, so I did a little Google research... These are such adorable little dogs. I couldn't stop at one painting. Yesterday I delivered these pastels to her. She tells me that she is going to wait until closer to the holidays and then put them up for auction. Talk about a feel good experience...there are a lot of winners in this story.

Pine Corner

We have just returned from our summer trip to Vermont. This year we stayed at "Pine Corner" - that's the name of the 'camp' (that's what Vermonters call a 'cabin') on Woodbury Lake. It is a small, rustic building - uneven floors, outside shower (inside toilet - which is important...we have done the outhouse thing a few years ago!), screened porch and a wonderful view of the lake.

In the mornings, the mist on the lake was amazing - it is so soothing just to sit and look at water. I also love the feel of lake water - deliciously cool - perfect for swimming.

This view could probably be painted from many angles and at all times of the day, but I chose one morning to sit and sketch. This is so relaxing for me...and I loved capturing this scene in my sketchbook.

I like the way this looks without color...the looseness of pen and ink captures the feel of the morning. But, I had my watercolor travel kit with me and decided to experiment. So...

A bit of watercolor...and the reflections, which I realized I had not put in the original sketch. Ahhh, a lovely memory of a cool, summer day.