Here Comes the Next One...

I started the tulips painting and finished it inside of a week because I used acrylics.  This one however
will take a little longer because I had planned on using oils.  I wanted a more painterly look for this one with juicier brush strokes.  It too measures 40" square.

I've just begun the color mapping here letting my drawing show through.  I'll add the darkest darks next for reference.  It should be interesting getting the texture of the dish cloth at this size.  I made sure to crop out

the ironing board just to the right of my easel :>)

Fall Preview

As an artist (artisan) I create on a daily basis and I'm not sure if I'm early (I doubt that I am) but thought I'd put up a preview of art work to come this Fall and Winter.  Some items that I've been working on to compliment the silver and glass jewellery that I've been doing will be hand crafted/painted earring stands to add some art work to your dressing table.  Small vessels to contain jewellery, small scale collages of local scenes, and I'm indulging in some fiber art with the creation of felt and silk flowers to make wearable art as well as jewellery pouches to store special pieces.  There is often a theme of birds running through my jewellery and painting such as the silver and pearl nest pendants and the soft sculpture nest/containers as in my photo.  Watch this space for more notices on what's new in my studio....

On My Easel This Week........

This one is a 40" square stretched canvas and I've used acrylics for this one.  I had always used acrylics for murals but rarely for fine art, and I'm pleasantly surprised that I can achieve the desired result that

I thought only oils could give me.   Although it looks finished here I still have work to do, mostly on the centered large upright tulip as well as adding some foliage at the bottom to give the image more weight

I may also re-do the background with more interesting brushwork.

I've added the finished version....it is now signed, sealed and delivered.

Street Fair and Finished Paintings...

I'm beginning to feel the rumble of activity as the summer enters the later stages.  Paintings for Fall shows and exhibitions are on my mind now.  Experimenting with new media has to be put on the back burner.  Time to get some serious painting done.
One requested painting from the Spring has been finished.   Cooper is now framed and
resides on the mantle at Rod and Linda's.

The Hudson Street Fair and Music Festival winds down today.   Three hundred plus people came to visit the Hudson Artist Association's Summer gallery in the beautifully renovated main street building formerly known as Legg's Clothing Store and now called The Hudson Mews and I had the pleasure of

sitting in the gallery yesterday.  I enjoyed the meet and greet along with Derek Halbert and it was a pleasure to hear the wonderful comments that the space and artwork from the 25 participating artists

received.  I even managed to get some little watercolors done as people drifted by.

This is a little 4" square watercolor that I'll have in my Etsy shop in the next few days.  A few people echoed my thoughts that they liked the little squiggles to the left as well!  It reminds me of the calligraphic watercolors of Raoul Dufy and incidentally of an artist I came across just this week by the name of Brenda Behr.  I am on a bit of a watercolor streak right now and think I might continue this

small format to capture some of the current summer flowers.  The deep pink phlox come to mind....

Next on the Drawing Table...

This should make a nice little watercolor.  I'm using the new
Olive Oil from Tavola Mia as the center of interest.

Fresh from my garden...

Last week we had several days with periods of heavy rain just when my daisies were at their best.
So I made sure to cut some and enjoyed vases of them around the house following up with photo taking sessions so I'd be sure to have some for painting in the months ahead.  I will be improving the photos
but right now I'm trying to keep up with what's blooming and ripening....

Tadaaa!

Last year I posted some photos of olive oil labels I did the artwork for.  Maria Loggia of Tavola Mia imports them under her label to be distributed in and around Montreal at gourmet food shops.  The bottles have been delivered and I'm so excited to see the finished product!  I couldn't wait for sunlight tomorrow so I took the photo in low light outside and I'll post a better photo tomorrow.

Mmm, shrimp for dinner....

I thought I'd go out and take pictures of what's blooming before the heat gets to everything.

I found these petunias this year at my local garden nursery that I'd never seen before.  I loved the pale yellow and magenta combination but when I got them home and planted them I was less than impressed by the wishy washy look but then once they asserted themselves in the container and meshed with the other plants, I realized why I liked them so much.  The magenta isn't predictable which I like about it.

This one has painting possibities...

P.S.  The title reference is because of the shrimp compost that peaks out from below... : > )

On another note, I discovered Accuradio (I posted a link in my sidebar) has an all Glee channel.

Makes me happy.... : > )  Funny - as I write this "True Colors" by Cindy Lauper is playing on

Accuradio.  How appropriate!  ....and now my favorite guest artist on Glee (Kristin Chenowith) is

singing "Fire"....foot's tapping and I'm dancing in my seat.......

Special Project

I love requests for submissions based on themes.  This one is for a very special project for a bird
sanctuary right here in Hudson.  100% of the proceeds from the sale will go towards the building of a new wild bird rehabilitation centre in Hudson, QC.  Artists were invited to submit artwork measuring 5" x 7" of any subject and in any medium.  I chose to keep the focus on birds and these are my entries.  There are famous artists from across the country participating and yet the artwork will be sold at auction at a starting price of $65 no matter who the artist.  So it is a wonderful chance to own an original work of art at an incredibly low price.  The auction takes place on the 21st of August.

A Bit of Collage in a busy week.....

This week I worked on a few 5" x 7" collages for a special project I will tell you about soon.  It always amazes me that the bits and scraps that accumulate around me as I work just happen to be the perfect

bit that I need.
The view across the lake is a place that I drive by nearly every day on the Lake of Two Mountains.
I took that picture a few years ago but printed in sepia it looks like a scene from a 1930's postcard.
It's a busy week that doesn't allow for too much in the way of painting but these collages let me indulge
in the need to create something.

Not seen at my feeder.....

Feeding the birds this past winter was a new thing for me as I had never put feeders where I could

observe them before.   I didn't realize the variety other than chickadees and bluebirds that were in my own back yard and although using birds in my artwork was surely influenced by all the activity outside my window, one thing is for certain.....these birds are not from here!

(I love what Photoshop can do for watercolors.....) 

Birds of a different feather....

One of the watercolor birds that
I've painted this week.  The flower
is from the azalea plant that is on
my desk.

...and through the wonders of
Photoshop...a pink version.

On my desktop....

Bringing the outside in....

Trying to make time to sketch and paint is not easy when there's planting to be done in addition to everything else. (Not that I'm planting fields or anything)  This really captures the flavor
of the season....bringing little specimens of what's blooming outside in to be recorded into my sketchbooks.  Sketching doesn't
come easy to me.....but I've missed the learning experience that happens when working in sketchbooks and have looked at artists who use theirs regularly with envy.  It's funny, I think I actually cherish my few sketchbooks even more than my most challenging paintings.

P.S.  The sepia photo that is collaged onto the flower pot is of
my dad sitting on his mother's knee.  I've used that photo many
times in various media.

Almost there...

Maybe  two more sessions and Cooper should be finished...

On my Easel....

On my easel this week...a painting of Cooper, a golden retriever sitting on a dock in happier days.
I rarely take the time to document the stages of a painting but thought I should.  The first four images
are the building up stages.  I am (hopefully) now at the fun stage.

After this last photo, I have started adding the lightest colored fur and deepening the darks.  The

texture of the fur has only been indicated here and there for reference, so this is where the details

begin.

Will wonders never cease.....?

My homepage is National Geographic and it is a never ending source of incredible images and stories but this morning this image showed up and I just had to share it.  Little flower pods made by bees to nest in??!

How beautiful is that?

A Color Theory Lesson!?

Paintings from the Hudson Artists Spring Show

An eclectic mix of paintings that I had on view at the Hudson Artists Spring Show.  It was the first

time in quite a few years since I had been a member and I decided to show a sampling of what

I had been known for (florals), as well as some of the work that I've been working on lately....

mixed media work for example.  There was a lot of interest in the newer works although I sold the

largest painting (the pink blossoms shown earlier in this blog) on the first night.  I am buoyed by the

interest in the new pieces as well.

Collage Portraits

I've been working on a new series that will incorporate vintage portraits within layers of text and relevant imagery.  The fun is in collecting and pulling together the bits of history that support the image.  Soon I will add the information needed to be able to offer these portraits to those who would love to see their treasured vintage photos pulled out of desks and drawers and incorporated into framed art work.  Original photos would be scanned and returned and only the copies will be digitally altered for use in the collage.

 

Happy Easter!

Hydrangeas are everywhere at Easter time, so this is my Easter greeting to everyone.  I've been working on this one on and off and as Spring approached I gravitated back to it.  It is a 24" square acrylic painting on stretched canvas.  Except for signing, this one is finished.