Friday, June 12, 2009

Chains, chains and more chains....





A new jewelry design that I've been working on this week requires lots of chain. This is for a 21" long bracelet that doubles as a necklace. Looks great wrapped three times around the wrist and equally as well as a necklace that has a detachable focal
piece.
The fourth image is of a choker style necklace with tassles of silver and pearls...
...and this one is sold : > )

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Lilac time...


....and here are the lilacs I look forward to painting......

Painting my way through summer....






I've literally had to dash out into the garden on these super cold and rainy days to pick the tulips and lilacs before they're gone.
But once the flowers are inside, I get busy photographing them and forget what's happening outside. After the paintings
of flowers from Easter and Mother's Day (see the Bonne Maman and Rose paintings from earlier posts) I am now able to use
what grows in my garden. I have lilac trees but the one I planted three years ago was my favorite. A Burgundy color with
large florets that begged to be painted. I was so disappointed when they failed to bloom for two consecutive years and so last
Fall I dug it up and moved it. That did it....this Spring I had eight clusters. So I have my photos to last me until next year (minus the glorious scent). I think I'm done with painting tulips for the moment in favor of the aforementioned lilacs and Irises that I have yet to photograph. I do enjoy the silhouette of Irises.....they're so distinctive....and as I'm looking out the window, I'm thinking that I should arrange them with some white bleeding hearts.
Pictured here are tulip paintings new and old......

The pink watercolor tulips are almost finished. A format that I enjoy, taking photos from above on an assembly of objects
patterns and textures. The framed red tulips were just delivered and is in the same room as the painting of red tulips
on the doors of their armoire. The white tulips were painted with acrylic in a favorite vase, and the final pic is of a still
life in my temporary studio in the village. A studio I've had since February and will have until the end of July.