Found Memories Art

Still Life - Yellow Study

2012-01-25T18:18:00.000-05:00

Still Life - Yellow Study

8x8 oil on gesso board

$50.00

The reason this is called Yellow Study is because every part of this has yellow in it. Even the cup and the cloth at the bottom. I like the color yellow as much as I like sunshine! Hhmm... do we see a relationship here?

In full disclosure, I must admit the cup is really a pitcher! But I really envisioned a cup here, so being the queen of my studio, it was "off with its spout". The pitcher is this cute little handmade thing that seems so delicate and strong at the same time.

Worked hard on values and edges for this piece. I think I added lots of new wrinkles from all the partial eye closing I was doing to get those values right!

Ever onward my non-wrinkly friends!

Hungry? Fruit Flavored Bottles!

2012-01-24T17:47:00.003-05:00

Fruit Flavored Bottles

Still Life

oil on canvas board

$45.00

So it's snack time here at the old log cabin in the woods. Now do we want fruit or candy? Oranges, strawberries, and blueberries? Or how 'bout some lollipops, gum and sweet and sours? Your choice. You decide when you look at the bottles. Are they the fruit from trees and bushes, or the fruit from wrappers and stores?

I set this still life up for the color first, then the refections, and lastly the shadows. The purple doesn't read quite as true as here in the studio. I tried a million times to get it right, and just couldn't. Today wasn't a purple day for the camera I guess.

News flash: We had sunshine today!!! That's one. I'm counting.

Ever onward my sunshiny friends.

Flowers For a Gray Day

2012-01-23T17:16:00.000-05:00

Flowers for a Gray Day

Still Life

Oil on canvas board

$45.00

From the Laura A Pace blog:

"This is a little still life I put together this morning after a particularly rough time of storms last night. We have had nothing but rain and gray skies for about three weeks now, and it is just getting, well boring. So I set up this still life to cheer me up! Looking at these bright colors while I painted and using those bright colors on the brush, was just so enlivening. I was quite cheerful during the whole process. "

I painted this in the "normal" way. Mostly mixing paint on the palette today. I find it does tend to speed things up a bit. I'm going to keep doing that for a while as I use up a bunch of canvas boards I gessoed and sanded and gessoed and sanded yesterday. Also did some panels, but I'll save those for later.

Himself finished the wall and floor opposite my easel so I can push everything back now. That's how I was able to do the still life finally. I still have a couple of random pieces of furniture in here I need to unload and relocate to other parts of the house. And the main huge work table need going through and emptying of the final mixed media things. Then it will be used for packaging, gessoing, and framing. And anything else that needs a big surface. Plus storage underneath.

Ever onward my cheerful friends.

Caution! Hot Metal: Working at the Smithy

2012-01-19T17:10:00.000-05:00

Working in the Smithy

10"x8" oil on gesso board

Impressionist figurative oil painting

$125.00

This is a blacksmith from one of the many 18th century restored villages or forts we have enjoyed over the years. This was part of the hobby we had as a family. I found one of the coolest things was watching the blacksmiths forging their hot metal pieces. Sometimes it was a horseshoe, sometimes something for the kitchen. But it was always exciting to see him at his craft.

For this painting, I opted to mix most of my paint on the palette. I did do some mixing on the board. Just couldn't do it completely the other way! I started out with a palette knife under the brick portion to get some texture. All in all, it was an interesting painting for me.

Ever onward my restored friends.

Cool Day, Warm Spots: Rocky Branch Falls

2012-01-15T16:08:00.001-05:00

Rocky Branch Falls

5x7 oil on gesso board

impressionist landscape

$85.00

This was one of those days where the air was crisp and the sun picked it's spots. When you found those sun-warmed spots you soaked them up before walking on into the shade.

The large rock, has one of those spots, but you can't sit on it, you'd fall in the cold water! The water going around in the pool just above the falls, reflects multicolor leaves. These are on trees behind the little rocks in the background. It was a fall day, where the leaves were at their best!

I have seen these logs down in our pond enough times to almost have them memorized I think! I like their dark colors from the water and how the bark comes off with time. The mossy rock in front was very soft to the touch, until you got down to the water part, then not so much.

There is a little glare from the wet paint in the darkest bits. I tried many camera shots to get rid of that, and just couldn't. Sorry, wanted to get it out to you.

On the studio front... Himself is hitting the last wall today with plastering and sanding and wait for it... paint! I will finally have a white wall across from me instead of a torn up dark red wall, where the bookcase used to be. So happy.

Ever onward my crispy friends.

There was a Crooked Building: Pirate's Window

2012-01-12T11:02:00.001-05:00

Pirate's Window

7x5 oil on gesso board

Impressionist Architecture

$85.00

To quote from the Laura A Pace blog:

"The window above is found in Savannah, GA. We were having lunch at the Pirate's House Restaurant and found out that it had a long and storied past. Then as we were walking around outside after leaving, I spied this wonderful little window. I enjoyed it for the color first. But the boards above coming at such a wonderful angle onto the old brick story of the building was a delight! All those built up layers of paint on the bricks was fun too.

There is video of this also. That's the final. I started off with the drawing and then made 2 more approximately 45 min. to hour long videos. The only thing not recorded is the final dark notes I added this morning."

I just heard some of the video as I had to get the address for the link. Brother... my friends were right. I am talking really low. I think it's partly because I have throat issues due to sinus and cough. But some of it is because the camera and the mike are right next to my head when I am painting. So it seems like I do shouldn't have to speak any louder than that for the mike to pick it up. (guess I do!) Also, I'm in the room by myself, well plus some cats, probably. And why would I talk any louder than that by myself?!

So I must talk louder from now on, on the videos. I'll put up a note to remind me!

I decided to take a much "looser" approach to this painting. I have been painting very detailed pieces the last few goes. I needed a break from that. I am finding that I like more detail while still retaining that impressionist attitude. The Impressionists (with a capital T and I!) managed to do this and they are who I look to for inspiration first and foremost.

Ever onward my pirate friends.

Final Final Touches to Nearing Rainbow Falls!

2012-01-11T10:51:00.003-05:00

Nearing Rainbow Falls

6x6, Oil on gesso board

Impressionist landscape

$75.00

Thanks to an astute wonderful friend I was made aware of a lack of dark values in my forest. It's a funny thing values, seems I'm always having trouble getting to the ends of them, either light or dark. I had the darks in there early on, then proceeded to paint over them, and lighten them. Silly me.

So I went right in after getting the word and fixed it. I think the painting is so much better! Much better balanced. And the dark blue green forest looks as I saw it and as it looks in the photo.

The other thing I found out, by having to go back in with this painting this morning is something that will effect all my paintings also. But this time on the photography level. I get a more true picture if I turn the overhead led lights off.

So all in all a very learning morning.

Ever onward my learned friends.

New Year, Old Photos: Nearing Rainbow Falls oil painting

2012-01-10T15:01:00.002-05:00

Nearing Rainbow Falls

6x6, Oil on gesso board

Impressionist landscape

$75.00

Our family took a hike up to Rainbow Falls many years ago and this is one of the stops we made on the way up, to enjoy these delightful little falls. We got a kick out of the big mossy "bumps" at the top of the rocks, and the huge rocks going back through the deep dark woods. There was very little sun coming through... hence all the moss. But there was very interesting light still. Bits of sun here and there. And light coming through the trees enough to make shadows, some quite deep and maybe a little scary?

I used a pretty limited palette. Ultramarine blue, viridian, transparent oxide red, cad yellow light, yellow ocher, terra rosa, dioxazine purple. I got all the hues I wanted from those seven tubes of paint! Probably could have tried to use less, but that wasn't something I was interested in trying. Just got the hues I needed from those particular colors of paint. Standard mixing on the panel, rather than that palette. I video'd the first part while chatting with some friends. It goes a bit slow due to the chatting, and it doesn't show the completed painting but it gives you an idea of the way I paint.

I got this photo reference while going through a box of old family photos we hadn't seen in years. It seemed a good time to go through them and see just what was in there. Boy one forgets so much of the little things you do in 35 years of being married and having a family!

On the studio front: I got a new computer table and chair yesterday. Now all my computer things actually fit on the table without spilling over on one another. Who would have thought when I started oil painting I would need 2 computers, a scanner, and a video camera? And of course speakers for music! The chair is a smaller chair that's fits me better. Now no more back aches after painting for so long. And I switched out the 2 weird old carts holding my palette, brushes and other general stuff for the old computer table. It feels much roomier inside my little painting/computer area now.

Ever onward my interesting, mossy friends!

Did they notice? Breckenridge Fall

2012-01-05T15:28:00.001-05:00

Breckenridge Fall

6x6 oil on gesso board

Impressionist landscape

$75.00

This delightful scene is one I came upon in my travels on Google maps. This was for my monthly adventures with the Virtual Paintout. This month it was Summit County, Co. Home to Breckenridge Ski slopes. This fun little tableau was on a slope to the west of Breckenridge some where. I had to zoom in on it to get this close and cut off lots of just snow in the foreground and lots of trees along the sides and back. Although that looked nice too!

I took a big breathe and painted online with this little guy. Streamed on ustream. It was fun having a few friends stop in and chat with me while I painted. Although I admit, at times I stopped painting and just chatted! Slowed the process down a bit, but was great fun! I had to finish the nibbley bits off line as I couldn't work around the camera.

I want to thank Barb Pask for giving me some tips about the snow and Debra Bryant for talking to me about the dreaded "red". Those were such helpful tips. And thanks to my new "fans" and friends for hanging out and in with me as I made it through this first session. Those that watched later too!!

Ever onward my chatty friends.

PS... yes, I do believe they noticed!

First painting of 2012: Smokey Mountain in Sight

2012-01-02T18:20:00.000-05:00

Smokey Mountain in Sight

5x7 Oil on gesso board

Impressionist Landscape

$85.00

This painting is from one of our trips to The Smokeys. As we were coming over this one ridge, up pops this mountain with the "smoke laying around it". It is sitting there like it has been there forever, I mean forever. Well, it has been. And it knows it, you can just tell. It's all settled in, not going anywhere.

Used to wonder about the name Smokey Mountains... not anymore!

Off to a great start for 2012. I've got goals, not lofty, to make my art better for me and you.

Ever onward my forever friends.

Final Painting of 2011: Little Mountain Stream

2011-12-31T10:20:00.000-05:00

Little Mountain Stream

8x10 oil on gesso board
Impressionist Landscape

$125

This painting comes from a series of photos taken during a hike up to the Smokey Mountains in the fall. we were following this little stream along as it made it's way down the mountain. It meandered here and there. It would stop and pool up for a while but underneath keep up a steady pace. Then occasionally it would hit some small stones and leap down them in a little waterfall.

To us watching, it was no big deal, just a small steam doing it's thing. No Niagara Falls, you see. But to the stream, well heck, the pools were nice peaceful resting times when it felt warmed by the sun, safe and secure. But then yearning maybe for some excitement, a little danger even, it hit those stones and rocks and burst over big time in a Whoosh! Or it would get caught up in some sticks and leaves and go around in a whirl and think it was never gonna get out of there, trapped. But eventually it got away and moved on. To another peaceful pool, another exciting little waterfall.

Life.

So a tip of the hat to 2011, and arms open wide to 2012.

Ever onward my New Years friends.

Time Passes: Red Riding Hood Today!

2011-12-18T11:32:00.002-05:00

Red Riding Hood Today

6x6 oil

Oil on gesso board

Impressionist portrait

$75.00

To quote from the Laura A Pace Art blog:

"So this is what Red Riding Hood should look like today if time were to pass so slowly in Fairy Tale Land. I figure she would have several children and a passle of grand kids by now. But you can tell by the look in her eyes, that she still remembers that dreadful day when things went so terribly wrong. She tries not to think about that day. But when things are very quiet, and she has her red riding hood on and she is walking through the woods and it has just the right smell in the air and the sky looks just so... Well, she can not help but remember.

This is from a photo I took of a very nice lady in SC. She was sewing at the time I took her pictures and chatting happily, but I caught this one look. That's all it takes, eh?

As per usual, I layered and mixed my colors right on the board."

I took a bit more time on this than I had been taking with these small 6x6's. There was just something about this face, that I knew I wanted to get "it" right. That look was just so good. And that's not just the eyes, that means the rest of the face has to fit right to make the look. It's sorta like fitting a dress on. Just 'cause the top of the dress fits, doesn't mean the whole thing looks right. The waist might be too small or large and the hem might come down too far or be too short! Ya gotta look in the mirror at the whole dress not just part of it. Same for painting a face. Heck, same for the whole painting! (Men who read this might want to think in terms of suits or pants!)

I'm thinking of taking the time over the holidays to take on some larger work. I haven't quite made up my mind yet, still figuring. But if you don't hear from me soon... Happy Holidays!

Ever onward my dressy friends.

What are they waiting for? Ibis Wading Line

2011-12-15T11:24:00.001-05:00

Ibis Wading Line

6x6 oil on gesso board

Impressionist Nature Scene

$75.00

These three White Ibis are waiting/wading for some good yummies I suspect.

This is but a very tiny portion of a photo from the ever wonderful photographer Chrystal Murray. (Known is some circles as my little sister). She does keep me in great photos, doesn't she? If she's not reading this, I think it's time to hit her up for some new ones! Too bad I don't paint butterflies, she raises them by hand!! They are really beautiful.

I had been wanting to paint this photo for a long time, but just hadn't gotten to it. The challenge came up at Daily Paintworks for reflections. I immediately thought of this photo. But I cropped it down considerably. I will in the future, paint a larger canvas of the whole photograph, as it is so nice.

I had a blast painting this as it had all the brushwork that I love so much. The reeds turned out as I saw them, exactly. The water was fun to with it's many layers of colors.

Okay, back to work for me... I'm really off schedule with this stupid coyote mess. Up at 3:30 am yesterday. Yuck. The good news is I got my new overhead lights in in the studio! Huzzah! And Himself has completed the destruction part of the last bookshelf to come down. Now it's just a matter of painting it. But I don't know where that is on his very long list of things he has to do. And it is Christmas, after all!

Ever onward my scheduled friends.

Who wants to be next to "Ride a Painted Pony"?

2011-12-11T17:21:00.001-05:00

Ride a Painted Pony

6x6 oil on gesso board

Impressionist Children's painting

$75.00

This is from a photo my wonderful sister, Chrystal Murray sent to me a couple of years ago. Now I'm not one for sweetness and light and little bows and such... but this pretty rocking pony caught my eye and I knew I was going to someday paint her.

She had been standing in line with some tan, banged upped rocking horses, but I opted to leave them out. Instead, she is rocking in a nice pasture of grass where any child can have fun on her all day!

I tried to show the texture of her hair and the plastic-ness of the rest of her. I did not want to just blend everything together. I wanted to still keep my brush strokes in there, and get the look that I was after. I was not trying to be realistic at all, remember, but rather impressionistic. You get the sense of the plastic and the hair texture and the wood handle.You can see a good bit of my on the canvas paint mixing in this piece.

I actually painted this yesterday and goofed off today... the brain needed a break. When you have two different types of headaches going at the same time, you know it is time for a break! But I'm all good now.

Ever onward my goofy friends.

I remember this wonderful Ocean Sunrise

2011-12-09T17:24:00.001-05:00

Ocean Sunrise

6x6 oil on gesso board

Impressionist Seascape

$75.00

Tommy the Studio Terror/Terrier when he first came Home!

2011-12-07T17:48:00.001-05:00

Westie Comes Home

6x6 oil on gesso board

Impressionist animal portrait

$75.00

This is Tommy when he first came to live with us. Don't let the twinkle in his eye fool you. He can use it for good or bad or to get out of trouble with if he needs to! And he often does. The more so as he gets older, it seems!

His ears had not yet stood at attention as they do now. They were all floppy and soft. He still had that new puppy smell. The cats took one look at this little fellow and said twinkle or no twinkle, we know he's trouble! Our older cat didn't come out of hiding for a year. He would come and eat, get petted then slink back to his place in the studio. He was used to nice peaceful labs, and didn't understand this crazy terrier. The cat, thankfully, has finally come to terms with the fact that the terror/terrier is staying.

So now, the little guy often joins the one or two cats down in my studio to "help" me paint and keep me company. Tommy's quite the talker though, so sometimes I have to stop painting to listen to what he story he is telling me. Or watch he and the youngest cat play chasing games around the studio. That's always good for a laugh.

The background is all palette knife work, actually I started the whole thing with a palette knife.Then there are many brushed layers on the puppy to get that puppy coat westies have. Again, mixing the paint on the board. He was sitting half in shade and half in sunlight so that made the painting extra fun for me.

Ever onward my twinkling friends.

This House says: "Look at me I'm a Violet House"!

2011-12-06T14:59:00.001-05:00

Violet House

8x10 oil on gesso board
Impressionist Landscape
$125.00

I went zooming around Eureka, CA for my monthly adventure with Virtual Paintout. I screeched to a virtual halt on Google maps when I saw this Violet beauty. I absolutely love love loved how the sun is striking the left side of the house. Meanwhile the front is in shadow except for bits of the little roof and some of the lawn. I also like the play going on in the windows. You can imagine each window has a room behind it with a story going on in there.

There was a lot of bushes in the yard that I chose not to put in. I decided to pare it down to focus more on the story of the house. Tho I did feel the story couldn't be told without the two trees. The bare branched tree actually had flowers on it, but again, I took artistic license and decided that would pull the eye away from the house to right off the edge.

One little factoid I must not forget to tell you. I had the perfect color for the house: Gamblin's Baby Berry. On the tube back it is called Quinacridone Violet. I just got a free tube as they were celebrating the birth of 3 babies this summer! So that was a major win for me...just the right color at just the right time. There sure is a lot of good info on colors at the Gamblin site. I've read some of that when I first started to paint, but now, I understand it way better! Since I pretty much mix my paints by layers and/or side by side on the canvas, I really need to know more about the pigments out there and what they can do. So I'm back to studying that.

Ever onward my perfect friends.

Re do on the picture of... Glass Knife with Apple

2011-12-04T16:16:00.001-05:00

Glass Knife with Apple

8x8 oil on gesso board

Impressionist Still Life

$100.00

This is a repost of the painting from October 28th. I had to do it for two reasons.

1. I didn't ever publish it for sale... and I changed the name.

2. This photo of it is more true life as far as color is concerned. The Oct. version is off color-wise.

I have new led lights set up in the studio now, and have found my hookup for between the camera and the tripod. I have sone some figuring out on the settings of my camera to make the color more correct. Not to mention this painting is dry! That certainly helps tons!

But you should open up the link and compare. It's amazing what a few little changes can make in a photo.

Ever onward my color wise friends.

Ah those Summer Days: Cockspur Lighthouse after the Storm

2011-12-02T16:27:00.001-05:00

Cockspur Lighthouse after the Storm

7x5 oil on gesso board

Impressionist Seascape

$85.00

This 7x5 seascape was really fun to paint! The colors were all sorta greyed down. I find that interesting to do directly on the canvas (or board in this case).

The story of the painting comes from the Laura A Pace Art blog:

"There was a huge weird storm one summer day in Tybee, GA. The results were messes of huge logs all over the beach. Plenty of sea grasses and reeds scattered far up the water line also. As we drove off Island toward Savannah, one could see that the water had whipped across the road. Left behind as the storm and the tide left was more of the the reeds and sea weeds. Looking north towards SC, there was little Cockspur Lighthouse standing with it's boat prow-shaped front full into the morning sun, such as it was. "

People were amazed that morning with all the"stuff" on the beach and how high the water had come up. I even found a bottle with something in it! But it looked too dissolved to make out. Somehow water had gotten into the bottle.

Some of the boards and poles were enormous. I'm talking about telephone poles! I was walking up and down the beach pointing out the old boards that had obviously come from old pirate ships. These had sunk and then the storm had swirled the boards to the surface and floated them in!

Ever onward me hearties!

Revisited/Reworked: Life Uncertain

2011-11-29T16:47:00.001-05:00

Life Uncertain: Mother and Daughter

16x20 oil on canvas

Impressionist Portrait

$350.00

Now a habit: To quote from the Laura A Pace Art blog:

"Life Uncertain is based on a photo I took at a Revolutionary War reenactment at Camden, SC. I hope that I captured the look that might have shown up on a mother and daughter's faces when they were actually living through that harsh time in our country's life. And now again for the past decade we have been at war, though overseas. And we are fighting here at home: an economic battle. We, so many of us, face once again a life uncertain.

Can you see the struggles the young mother has already faced and knows she has to yet face? Can you tell she is worried about her daughter and what her outlook is for her future? And the daughter... she has a bit of hope shining in her eyes, but already knows what it means to be dealt a hard hand, so is wary.

They are us, we are them, no matter the century, real or imagined."

I have been looking over my paintings every day as they sit in my studio. Some of then I end up turning to the wall in a stack. Which seems to be growing by the day!! Others I have decided need just a loving touch here and there. So this is my first or second go at reworking some of these.

The mother needed to have a hair cut so her face wouldn't look deformed! And the glow wasn't all the way "there" with the daughters face, I realized. Now it is. And I could not figure out before what was with the scarf. It was painted well, but something seemed wrong. Then it occurred to me that it needed to be an eye catcher, a spot of brightness for her (and us) in all that greyed down color they were wearing. Much like the daughter's scarf and hair ribbon is. It draws the eye up to her face much better than the other did.

So now it's ready to leave the nest whenever someone is ready to claim it!

Ever onward my empty nesters?

Don't You Know: Sunrise Rocks!

2011-11-28T19:55:00.001-05:00

Sunrise Rocks

5x7 Oil on gesso board

Impressionist Seascape

$85.00

Again quoting from the Laura A Pace Art blog to get us started:

"This wonderful spot is a set of rocks off Cabo, Mexico. It is taken from a photograph from my terrific brother, Michael Murray. He's one of those all around good guys: fisherman, surfer, builder of buildings, digger of ponds, builder of wharves (his day job!) and into cars. You name it, he does it probably! And a great guy, with a great wife and son.

This picture really struck me. It had all the rich colors in the water and the rocks as the sun was rising and the water was moving around. Even the air seemed alive!"

This was a toughie for me. I dreaded it like I do flowers. But once I got past the fear, it was okay. Funny how there are just certain things we as painters don't like or want to do or feel challenged by. That uh-oh in the pit of your stomach as you approach the easel and start laying in the underpainting is not a fun feeling. And then your mind starts saying "what are you gonna do next, huh"? You hafta act like you are in charge of a little kid and know better and just do it like you know what the heck you are doing. And if you make mistakes... well that's what a palette knife is for!

Ever onward my challenging friends.

Landscape: Putting the Garden to Bed

2011-11-26T14:24:00.001-05:00

Putting the Garden to Bed

6x6 Oil on gesso board

Impressionist Landscape

$75.00

For those of you who don't read my other blog, I'm going to repeat what I said there about this painting:

"This is a tribute to all those wonderful gardeners. You know the ones I mean. Those who take the time to lovingly put their gardens to bed before the harsh winter weather comes tearing down on all the little plants. Those same plants they have nurtured all year long from little sprouts or bulbs or packs. The gardeners have guarded their charges from animals and pests alike, not to mention draughts and wind and rain. Now they must cover them up for the winter like tucking in a child for the night. See you in the spring you sweet children of the earth.

I am continuing to refine my technique and color choices. This was a photo from Google maps. I really like what she was doing, obviously, but also the play of the shadows."

I am painting with pure pigments now. No color mixing on the palette. So my color mixing all happens in layers and side by side with the paintbrush strokes. I'm being quite thoughtful on my color choices and am trying to think in a chess style, a few steps ahead at a time! I am not using black, tho that is just a quirk of mine for now. And my palette is pretty flexible, tho no siennas or umbers on there right now. But I do use yellow ocher. It makes for a little longer session while painting, but I like it, so I'm sticking to it. I figure ya gotta do what works for you to make life work for you!

Ever onward my working friends!

Landscape: Sunrise Landscape

2011-11-19T18:25:00.001-05:00

Sunrise Farmhouse

7x5 Oil on gesso board

$85.00

Impressionist Landscape

I just loved this little farmhouse found somewhere in Europe. The sun was just rising. The sky had shades of pink as did the house. The corn was about to turn ripe as a Georgia peach at plucking off the tree time. I must give a tip of the imaginary hat to Google maps for letting me take this early morning journey to Europe. I don't have quite the dollars or Euros to take that trip myself!

On the cabin in the woods front: It is getting cold here. The leaves were so pretty one day and then dumped in a two day rain storm. I had been waiting for a sunny day to take a photo of this one dogwood on the back corner of the house.It was really pretty. Don't tell the rest of the dogwoods around here, but it was prettier than the others! But there's not a leaf left on it now! Oh well, next year, knock on wood.

Ever onward my sunny friends.

Still Life: Bottled Light

2011-11-18T17:06:00.001-05:00

Bottled Light

7x5 Oil on Gessoboard

$85.00

If you are finished trying to figure out what the heck that painting is... it's wine bottles in a rack.

I was walking along in the store and the light going through those two bottles just stopped me still and I had to take a photo quickly before the light changed.

This was a bit of a challenge to paint. The undercoat/first layer was fine. I was going full steam and could see the next steps before I did them. Then as I started to paint the middle layer, I guess you'd call it, things began to go awry. Himself came down about then and said it was looking not too good and I had bitten off more then I could chew. I needed to pick a new subject. After he left I thought about doing just that. but I kept going. And then another while later I looked at it and it felt sorta lost or I did! And I wanted to quit. But I said, no. I'm a painter, not a quitter. I CAN do this. Just focus on the things you know.

So I looked at the shapes, the values, and the colors and before you can say Bob's your uncle, the bottles were sitting there capturing the light!

Moral of the story: don't give up on yourself, focus on what you know and the light will be captured!

Ever onward my delightful friends.

An interesting trip: River Exploration in Electric Green

2011-11-15T17:37:00.000-05:00

River Exploration in Electric Green

Oil 8x8 on gessoboard

$100.00