My kitty cat with the coat of many colors

Have been so busy, I have been able to post for a while.  I have to make this quick, but wanted to share my kitty cat that I did for the Daily Paintworks Challenge this week.  Love doing the challenges, but have submitted only two.  I need to carve out more painting time for ME!  Am not complaining, really.  I am delighted that I am now teaching six classes a week.  Oh, the classes arent big, but I feel so committed to giving the artist the best that I've got, which takes some planning, and keeping at least one step ahead of them.  They are all such terrific artists, that I have to continually sharpen the "tools in my kit."  Doing the challenges are one way for me to do that.  Am so grateful for the site.  Check it out! Daily Paintworks Challenge

Busy, busy, busy, good stuff all!

Am just winding down from a really busy week, and, well, a busy month.  The past three and a half days [left early to teach a class], I spent in a Carla O'Connor workshop ... have been wanting to go to one of her workshops for several years, and found that she was doing one in La Conner at Dakota Arts this past week.  I couldn't pass it up!  Money was tough, but with gas costing so much, and not having money to fly or book rooms anywhere, it seemed like the right thing to do.  All my angst about money, etc., dissipated the very first morning of the workshop.  Carla is so lovely, funny and engaging, apart from her pure talent and generosity of sharing the work she does.  I intend to do more on the workshop in future blogs, but am so exhausted and want to "do" the workshop justice!

So, the other busy-ness had to do with our month long show ending, and finding out that I sold four paintings.  Am thrilled about that.  Three of the four paintings sold were done with the Dr Ph Martins Hydrus watercolors, which is sort of neat.  The fourth painting to sell was  the Tulip Picker, a palette knife acrylic from a photo I took several years ago, that was the image for the show's poster.  I was pleased to hear that the person who bought the painting is a local with a farm in the Valley.  Apropos, I thought.



Tulips of the Valley sold at ALN Tulip Festival Show



Limited Palette Study

I have been doing so much sketching with my Doc Martin Hydrus watercolors, I thought I might have forgotten how to paint.  I found a charming reference photo in Wet Canvas Reference Library, and did this while watching Upstairs Downstairs last night.

Girl in Gold Skirt on Purple Chair 6 x 8 on  gessoed "bad" painting

The colors didn't scan too well, and Photoshop didn't warm it up as it is in real life, but I still sort of like it.  In "real life," the skirt shimmers.  She reminds me of my daughter-in-law, which makes it even better for me.

Only One From Life Drawing Worth Posting

A model new to our group, and I really didn't get into a rhythym with her until this 20 minute pose. [if that's what does or doesn't happen with artists and models ... I don't know, but that's the only way I know to express myself in this instance ...].  I said to my friend who was sketching with me, that I guess the learning has to do as much with who is put in front of you as to do with how well you think you are doing with process and interpretation.  Whatever, I DO learn each time I am there, and  will continue to "punch through," until I get it!  

Something new for me

Well, I did something for the first time ... I entered  The DPW Painting Challenge! - The Chicken Challenges, and had fun sketching a chicken. Out of my comfort zone, and into the fray. Gulp! What the cluck!

Thursday Acrylics Class Self Portraits

Last Thursday, we scheduled a session of self-portraits in my Figures and Faces Acrylics class.  What fun it was!  I bought ten stand-up mirrors from the Dollar Store, and told the students that yes, they needed to plan on sketching a relatively good likeness of themselves first, and then, to get creative with their painting of self portraits ... bring hats, change the geometry of their likeness, use unusual color combinations, etc.  My students have such a great attitude and willingness to try anything and everything, that indeed several brought in hats, and chose to paint very creative compositions.  The results were wonderful, and made us all smile!

Catching Up On Life Drawing Sketches

A busy time last week and the beginning of this week, so I am a little bit behind in posting.  Art Bash, Art League North's offering to the Tulip Festival festivities, opened Friday evening to a great and supportive group of neighbor's and friends.  The economy must be perking up a tad, as there were a few sales, two of which were mine!  Thank you, local art lovers!

I didn't post last week's life drawing sketches, because I wasn't too excited about them, even though I always learn something and appreciate the experience.  I am not sure how "experienced" last week's model was ... not too inspiring, but she was fun to sketch in her silky black slip.  Her naturally curly hair and the filigree on her slip were fun to draw with my Doc Martin Hydrus Watercolor droppers.

Yesterday, Burt posed, and I like the results more.  I especially like the one with the sweat pants.  It seems to capture more the moment and the character.  

Too blue ... Avatar or Smurf?