Revisiting and Recycling

I've been going through a lot of my old paintings and discovered that a few of the old frames that had been quite expensive "back in the day" were in pretty good shape so I'll be re-using them for new work, selling a few of the old paintings without frames and painting over a few of the more unusal sized canvases. The important thing is to get out of my own way, let in some fresh air and put my energy into work that's new, exciting and hopefully better than anything I've done before. No solid ideas yet but clearing the way to be ready when they come.

Dramatic sky and shadows

The first 2 images are a notecard and an envelope that I painted in watercolor based on the inspiration photos in the third image.

Watercolor Lake Views

I sat with a few friends this morning and painted this card and envelope set. As I worked I kept thinking soon I'll have to start working in fall colors, even the same scenes will be new and different. I may keep it up all year long just to see how  much it changes from season to season.

Sunflowers 3 ways

Here are some of the Sunflowers from my garden, in watercolor, colored pencil and a photo. I'm still working on various techniques but the results so far are promising-Don't you think so?

The next effort

I'm looking forward to your comments as I try to decide which changes did (and didn't) work for this painting.

Striking Oil

This painting doesn't exist anymore-I just came in from scrubbing it back off the canvas. It's been about 16 years since I quit painting in oils but someone had brought in an old Bob Ross Joy of Painting kit so I thought I'd give it a try to see if I remembered the techniqe at all. Clearly, it will take practice to get "into it" again...especially since the Liquid white, wasn't (liquid) and the paints were a bit compromised as well. Stll, making the effort was an interesting experience and has me thinking about landscapes again.

Back to the Sketchbook

Backyard Blooms

The season goes by so fast in this part of the country that I figured I'd better take a look out back and see what's left. It was funny to find just one perfect rose and as you can see it's a bit lost among the sunflowers. I couldn't resist dropping them on the scanner to see how that would look as I went to get a vase. Yes, I'm always "playing" with flowers one way or another. Now all I've got to decide is whether I want to draw or paint them first...and which of the flowers I want to start with. Whatever I decide it will be a pleasant way to pass the weekend and decorate my mail. I guess it really doesn't take much to make me happy, and these days that's a good thing.

Dotty Old Girl

"Once more, with feeling"

I'd been painting the last of the birdhouses Doug built this year and was running out of ideas until I found these pictures of Polish pottery in a catalog yesterday. Some of these brushstrokes and color combinations will go great with the bright colors, lines and dots I already had on it. I also get to combine all of the things I love to do because I arranged the catalog clippings in such a way that I can write a letter on it to a favorite Aunt who's been a tireless cheerleader when I get discouraged and who always loves hearing about all the crazy, quirky and creative things I do. Whether the birdhouse "turns out" or not several of us will have enjoyed the process and each other so I think it's a "win, win" situation. I'll be adding the birdhouse pictures soon so keep reading, watching and let me know what you think-Thanks!

Forest Lake Acrylic Painting

I've done this little section of the lake in oils, watercolor and colored pencil so of course I needed to try it in acrylics as well. The gals in the painting group I go to suggested I stop here as I was beginning to worry about overworking things. This one is 11 x 14 inches and will be going to the sale at the Senior Center in October. I may start another smaller (8 x 10") and "play" with the idea a bit more. It will be fun showing some of the small paintings at that sale, even more fun to sell a few so that I can move on to other projects. Wish me Luck!

Light Dancing

Light filters through the trees...
the shadows paint moving pictures on the side of my house.
I put my brushes away and enjoy the moment.

Lakeside Park...and a pencil

As you can tell from some of the older posts, I've been working on this drawing quite a while. The problem of course with that is the fact that the sky and water are always changing and it makes it a challenge to capture any of it as it appeared at the time. What you can see is that I enjoyed it, the live music and the farmers market. (cooking up some new potatoes as I write this) I think the drawing has improved but I'll be checking some of those old posts myself just to make sure. Well, the tomatoes were good too and I couldn't resist the 2.00 jar of pickles from one of the vendors ( I snacked on quite a few of those too) Well, time to get back to work around here. Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and come back often.

Another Favorite Project

Often when people give me craft supplies I'll lay a few of them out on the scanner to arrange some art to use as a "Thank You " card. It seems to make everyone happy and I have a lot of fun doing it.

childrens books

The weather cooled off nicely and it was kind of funny when I went outside today to find the rabbit sitting by my favorite chair, a couple of birds sitting in the fence as I passed through the gate and a toad waiting by the campfire ring. I suppose a lot of people wouldn't notice or care but it seemed a bit magical to me in a crazy Disney cartoon sort of way...to bad the critters couldn't help me get that campfire lit ;-)

Getting Started on an Idea

As I was looking through some garden catalogs I began to imagine a garden based on an arbor and a bench I found in them. The backgrounds gave me some basic ideas of how I wanted them arranged and what should be added to pull them together so I took it slow. Making my first attempts at the arbor in watercolors. I am not pleased with the results but willing to share them here to remind people that not all your efforts will turn out the way you want them to but each time we reach out and try something a bit new or out of our comfort zone we grow and what it does for our spirit and our mood is far more important than what happens on the paper or canvas. I'm more comfortable working in acrylics so that's where I'll make my next attempt to pull this all together. I'll post results as soon as I have any. Keep painting, drawing, sewing or doing anything and everything that takes your mind off your troubles and have some fun with the bits and scraps that life throws your way. We'll all be better for it.

Afghan shot in the garden

Both Sides Now

This bag, like all of them I make is reversible and being a bit prejudiced in my own favor as well as lacking a sense of what is, and isn't in style I like both sides and depending on what I'm hauling will probably switch back and forth between the two. It's much larger than most of them I make at nearly 2 ft tall and 20 inches wide but that's so I can carry paintings, a quilt or my larger crochet projects in it.
Everything about it makes it my new favorite. Thanks Chris!

Return of the Bag lady

In the days I've been away from the blog I've been combining some more great fabric from my sister Christine with a few things around here into a tote bag large enough to transport paintings or quilts in style. I haven't quite finished it but will post the pictures as soon as I do. I'm also putting the last row on a crochet coverlet thanks to yarn from my friend Karen. Thanks everyone!!! The "lap robe" will be donated to either the Veteran's Home or a shelter in the next few days. I'll enclose a picture of that as well. I'm still waiting on better weather to do some easel painting outdoors but there are plenty of other things to keep me busy until then. If you don't create anything else, make some fun moments for yourself and others.

A new spin on things

My new paintbox was a makeup box or something that a friend sent but it's just the right size for the outdoor acrylics that I use on my birdhouses. The boring landscape card was the result of experimenting with a number of novelty brushes to see what shapes and textures I could get from them. Next week I'll sit down with some actual landscape photos to work from and see how that works out.