Just Tooting My Horn!

The Canyon Lake Art Guild is currently having their Annual "Lasting Impressions" Show at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery(www.newbraunfelsartleague.org.).  It will be showing April 7th. thru May 1st., 2013.  If you are in the area and would like to see it, go to their web site for address and hours.

The category I entered is Drawing media:  Pastel, Colored Pencil, Pen and Ink, Graphite.  I am very happy to announce that I received a 2nd. Place Red ribbon!!  Now I can say that all three of the paintings in my "Paint What You Love" series have ribbons.  The first two were 1st. Place, each.  See previous blog for photos.

"Think Big", Pastel, 20" x 16"(unframed)

I have been enjoying reading(and learning) from other blogs that include wips(work in progress), so thought I would try to do a short one on "Think Big":

Will start with my drawing on tracing paper.  I always do this, so I can see if my composition looks o.k., and can also make changes, if necessary.  I also make sure my focal area is in the right place(using the golden mean).  A grid method is used, sometimes, but I try to keep a loose hand on my pencil, and not be so exact.  As you can see from my referance photo, I added sky, to give more depth, and some complementary color.  I liked the log on the right, and wanted it to point to the dog.  Some more ivy was added, trying to give a color trail to focal area, plus some color contrast.

I would also like to mention that my sister(Valerie) and her daughter(Brooke) have teamed up to do a business, and currently have two spaces at the Red Rooster Antiques and Design Center, 971 West San Antonio St., New Braunfels, Tx..  One of the spaces is called "Family Reunion".  They asked me to display some of my paintings, of which I am delighted to accommodate.  Also, on display, is some wonderful Photography by my cousin, Bonnie Crumley, and Jewelry by her daughter, Melanie Truesdell.  Valerie and Brooke redo old furniture, etc., into a great distressed look, using CeCe Caldwell's "naturally green" paint.  They have some beautiful pieces for sale, and also sell the paint, in their other space.  Be sure to check it out.

Thanks for reading!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and "Think Big"

I have been wanting to post to my blog ever since before Thanksgiving.  However, the holidays and family matters had higher priorities.  On Jan. 1st., I did start the New Year off in my studio--thinking that might be a good omen.  Doing so did get me off to a good start.

I finished "Think Big", the third painting to add to my series "Paint What You Love".  The photo referance and the dog, belongs to my hairdresser.  The minute I saw it, the title came to me, and I obtained permission from her to use it in my paintings.  The dog's name is Honey, a yellow lab.  I am including it in my series because the title covers a lot of territory in the artist's life.  When I first started painting, I would do small sizes(8"x10" or smaller).  I kept hearing "do larger paintings--it will loosen you up".  So I did, and it did help.  "Think Big" can also mean make bigger goals and dreams--don't limit yourself--shoot for the stars!  Dream of that Best of Show or 1st. Place ribbon.  Envision people wanting to hang your paintings in their homes or businesses.  Keep learning--we don't know it all, yet(and never will).

Just to refresh your memory, I will include my other two paintings, to show as a series.

 "Think Big", Pastel, 20" x 16"

"Paint What You Love", Pastel, 16" x 20"

"Have Fun", Pastel, 20" x 16"

"Gypsy"

I was surprise when I checked my last post and it was dated July.  I have been painting(or playing), but it was a busy summer--taking care of "life's opportunities"(mostly personal).

One painting I was able to do, and am posting now, has a little story.  The title is "Gypsy", and Gypsy is my husband's youngest daughter's dog.  Jennifer rescued her from an animal shelter, not knowing how old.  Well, the years have come and gone, and Gypsy's age is showing, especially the cataracts in her eyes.  Jennifer was willing to have surgery for her, but tests showed it couldn't be done.  One day, while Jennifer was visiting for the weekend, I downloaded some pics from her camera.  I came across one in particular, zoomed in, and cropped.  Viola!!  "Gypsy".  What is great---I performed "artistic surgery" and successfully removed the cataracts!!  I am planning on giving the painting to Jennifer as a surprise, perhaps for Christmas, if I can wait that long.

Enjoy, and Smile while you Paint (it releases tension).  Learned that on the tennis court.

"Gypsy", pastel, 8"x6"

An Add-on to my previous post

I just discovered that I have not included "Moonlit Bluebonnets" in any previous post, so here it is.  I might get the hang of this one of these days!

"Moonlit Bluebonnets", 10" x 8", pastel 

Texas Wildflowers

I have been wanting to paint our Texas wildflowers for quite some time, but wasn't sure how I wanted to approach the subject.  They are definitely beautiful when you view them in batches out in a field, and the colors can be really breathtaking when they are at their fullest.  I am not a plain air nor landscape painter, plus, I thought I would like to show them up close and personal.  We really don't get to see that view point when we are driving down the road.  Neither am I a botanical artist--so, what to do?!  My first idea was "Moonlit Bluebonnets", which I have posted earlier.  My latest idea is the following pics I am posting today.  They are 6" diameter, framed 8" square.  I am trying to keep them simple and small. Not sure if this is the route I want to take, but will do a few more, to see.  I think they are small enough people can make a collection of them, I can do prints, or note cards.  They are also done in different media.  The pastel one is my favorite, so far.  Enjoy!!

"Rain Lily", graphite, 6" dia., 8" sq., framed

"Rain Lily", watercolor, 6" dia., 8" sq., framed

"Spider Wort", pastel, 6" dia., 8" sq., framed

While getting ready for an art show and sale in which I participated, in June, I realized I had not posted a photo of this painting.  It started out as a practice on values, and was done in pastel pencil.  The log hangs on my deck, and was a going away gift from a very special friend, when we left Santa Fe.  There are some very gifted wood carvers in that area.  The birds are a part of the log, but do come off.  The log has also become a haven for a bird nest, with a lot of chirping from hungary mouths.

"Checking It Out", Pastel pencil, 30" x 18"

I have now caught you up on my journey, thus far.  What's next?  My mind is whirling with ideas!!  Too many!  I have two sequels in mind for "Paint What You Love" and "Have Fun", and have started on one of them, but, that will take some time.  I am also wanting to get back to some dog paintings, plus the Texas wildflowers.  So far, I have done three wildflowers, and am keeping them small.  That will be my next post.

"Worn Traveler"

Back in 2011, when our Lantana was at their fullest, we welcomed a visitor to our back yard.  An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (derived that from my butterfly book).  Talk about a photo ham!!!  It was sooo cooperative in letting me take pictures, even up close and personal.  Either that, or it was very, very hungry!  I had a field day snapping my camera.

reference photo

One day, sometime later, I was going through my photos, trying to get inspiration for what to paint next.  I started cropping this photo, and came up with the 8" x 16" format.  I liked the way the lantana lead the eye to the butterfly.  Going through my pastel papers, I could see that the yellow/gold pastelmat would be good for the yellow/gold in the butterfly, leaving the paper to show (that's what instructors drill into your head).  So, the journey began.  Some of the leaves were changed, because I also wanted them leading the eye toward the butterfly.  The colors of the lantana were changed for more of a contrast to the green background.  There are lantanas that color.

"Worn Traveler", 8" x 16", Pastel

Framed(too much light on it)

This painting was a very good learning experience for me, and I loved doing it.  I have a lot of notes attached to cork board, above where my pastels are kept.  They are notes I've taken in class, from books, and dvds, on composition, design, etc..  I periodically go back over them, to see if I'm doing what they recommend.

"Worn Traveler" was entered in C.L.A.G.'s 2012 annual show, and received Third place in the Pastel/Drawing category.  The biggest award I received was a lady telling me her "want to be an artist" granddaughter wanted to save her money so she could buy it.

"Shhh....Baby Doll Sleeping

Sometimes while working on a painting, I take a rest from it, especially if there is a problem area, or something just isn't coming out the way I have envisioned.  During such a time, while working on "Have Fun", I decided to play with an old photo I had of my cousin, Devon, when she was little.  When I came across it, I saw a story, hence the title.  I wanted to practice my drawing, and occasionally do that when nothing else is coming to mind, as what to do next.  It slows me down and gets my creative thinking to start working.  Some parts of the drawing process, especially working on values, with a pencil, can be a little tedious.  Evidently the brain must kick in to break the monotony.  The photo was quite small(3"x3", black and white, and was taken in the 1950's), so I scanned it to my computer, cropped, and enlarged.  It needed a lot of work on the values.  Not too long after I thought I was finished, I took a colored pencil workshop with Richard Drayton.  He taught us a lot on doing values with colored pencil, using his technique.  (I loved the workshop!)  Getting my lack of confidence under control, I took it in the last day, after class, hoping he would give me some input.  He pointed out that the darkest area behind Devon should be enlarged.  Something to do with the flash.  That made a lot of difference!  Soon after, "Have Fun" got finished, and I decided to also enter my drawing of Devon in our annual show.  Sure am glad!  As was mentioned in my last blog, "Shhh...Baby Doll Sleeping" tied for 1st. Place in the Drawing/Pastel category, with "Have Fun".

reference photo

Cropped and enlarged

not too crazy about my photo