ICE STORM AND PROJECT

The top photo was taken on a sunny day after the ice storm last week. The small trees and bushes were bending over the creek that runs beside our house.

The bottom photo is what I did while we were iced in. I took alot of my framing supplies and built these shelves for my paintings that are on canvas panel. I still have a few revisions but am very happy with them.
Having grown very tired of framing my own paintings, I was more than happy to use up most of the wood. The best part is that I didn't have to buy a thing. I used my little battery operated circular saw and my drill. I had a great time.

TEN MINUTE EXERCISE

This is another challenge from Carol Marine. I took a 6inX6in panel and divided it into 4ths, then set my little plastic kitchen timer for ten minutes and stopped painting when the timer went off. I got so into the paintings that every time that buzzer went off I jumped. I think this would be good exercise to do before a day of painting but I think I would use canvas paper next time. These little panels are not cheap.

WALLFLOWER

6"X6"

OIL ON CANVAS PANEL

PRICE $100

Kind of looks like the flower is acting shy. I know, It's dumb. I am so tired from my week of studio cleaning, shelf buiding and organizing that my brain is a little foggy. My next project is varnishing a bunch of paintings. I do that when I know I will not be in the studio for a day so I don't have to smell it.   

APPLE GATHERING

6"X6"

OIL ON CANVAS PANEL

PRICE $100

Back to still life. I'm a little more comfortable painting apples than cars but the challenge was fun. We got the ice part of the big storm and I would rather have gotten the foot of snow. At least the plows can clear it away. I have been using my forced isolation for doing some more studio organizing. I may just get this place cleaned up if we keep having bad weather.

REARVIEW SOLD

6"X6"

OIL ON CANVAS PANEL

PRICE $100

A little different for me. I painted this for the weekly challenge at http://www.dailypaintworks.com/. This is painted from a photograph that was taken in St. Augustine by Carol Marine. I think this is the only car painting I have ever done and it really was a challenge.

S

LAST VERSION

This is the version I've declared finished. This painting was a lot more tedious than I anticipated but now that it's finished, I like it alot. I've been painting the little paintings so much that I think I'm getting used to instant gratification. I was asked why I put the apple in there and I'm not sure I actually gave a good explanation. As artists most of us are looking for something to challenge us. Looking at the subtle changes that happen when part of the solid form is viewed through glass sets up the problem of how to inerpret that with paint. What color do I see and how do I show the bit of distortion that happens. And then we hope for the best.

PAINTING IN PROCESS AND STILL LIFE PROPS

This is a 12"X10" painting that I have been working on this week. It is one of those paintings that halfway through  I start questioning why I ever started it. I am about three quarters finished and still asking myself the same question. Some of those glass colors are hard to make. I don't think I could do it without the phthalos. I will post what I consider to be the finished painting whenever that happens.

I am slowly working on organizing my studio and this was the first chore. Washing all the fabric and dishes. Then trying to arrange them in some sort of order by color. I don't know if all still life painters are like me but I collect all this stuff and only use a small percentage of it over and over.

KARIN JURICK is selling very sturdy tabletop easels on her blog if any of you are looking for one. I have one and love it. They are handmade by her guy Bret.

GREEN APPLE

6"X6"

OIL ON CANVAS PANEL

PRICE $100

I like playing around with different perspectives and this one was a bit of a challenge. So was the color in the vase. The orange fabric was casting a very strong reflection on the lit side of the vase but when I painted it, it didn't work. So in that instance you have to make a decision about what will make the painting work. I chose to make the reflection not so bright and light.

REFRESHING

6"X6"

OIL ON CANVAS PANEL

PRICE $100

I'm not quite sure why this title popped into my head, maybe it's the color combination. Maybe it's the contrast with all the winter snow and very cold temps we are having right now. Anyway I love the colors in this one.

LAST CLEMENTINES

6"X6"

OIL ON CANVAS PANEL

PRICE $100

The last ones I'm going to paint for awhile, that is. On to something different to give my eyes a rest.

Recently I was painting and posting persimmons and saying that the name made me think they were too tart to eat. A friend from CA sent an email to tell me that they are quite sweet really and people make cookies from a certain variety. I went to google of course to check on the cookie comment. Sure enough, Connie you are right as usual. I found many cookie recipes using persimmon pulp. One more bit of food trivia to add to my already overloaded brain.