Annie Salness Art

Red Onion Recipe and Why I Make Lunch For my Students

2017-03-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Daylight Savings Time! Now that we’ve made it through the first few days of the time change, I’m ready to wander and admire the daffodils, camellias, and blooming trees. Spring is right around the corner. :)

After a long and super-rainy fall and winter, I know so many of us in the Pacific Northwest are really looking forward to sunnier days. Here is the March story and recipe from my 2017 Vegetable Calendar, in which the surprising and summery combination of red onion and watermelon make a wonderful salad.

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Red Onion
12" x 12" oil on 1" cradled panel
$285

Click here to purchase

Red Onion and Watermelon Salad

As someone who doesn’t eat any animal products, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, so I’m always coming up with new ways to pair flavors together. In this recipe, I wanted to make something really interesting for my monthly potluck that would really tingle everyone’s taste buds. You might not naturally mix watermelon with onions, but this one is always a big hit. I love making this salad when I have watermelon coming out of my garden in summer.

—Katharine Nilbrink, www.katharinenilbrink.com

Red Onion and Watermelon Salad

Serves four

4 cups seedless watermelon cubes

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

2 Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl and toss to mix. If possible, chill before serving.

________________________________________________

DIY salad bar

Why I LOVE Making Lunch for My Students

For the past several years, I've taught beginning and intermediate painting classes either at my house or right down the street at the Village Gallery.

And on one of the class days, I like to invite my students over for lunch. Below are my painting class members recently gathering around my dining room table.

Now, this might seem out of the ordinary for a painting class...

Painters at lunch

... but why I love it is that it gives us a chance to:
- sit and talk
- laugh
- bond
- see my studio
- appreciate each other
- learn more about our families and what we do.

My home studio

Our day-to-day, digital world can be so fast-paced and disconnected. The times we actually linger and connect with people we enjoy are rare. I treasure these gatherings and love making these lunches an important element in my painting classes and my life.

I am teaching again in April, Thursdays, 6-9pm. Click here to check it out or register.

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook: I need a new one....any suggestions???

Podcasts:

Building a Story Brand, hosted by Donald Miller

Milk Street Radio, hosted by Christopher Kimball

American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Bridget Lancaster

Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fisher

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

Splendid Table, hosted by Francis Lam

Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Pack Your Mics, Top Chef

Music:

My iPod
Pandora - Music makes a difference on these dreary days! Spending time alone, I need upbeat, happy songs, like "Thanksgiving Radio", "Bing Crosby Radio", "Maroon 5 Radio", "Stevie Wonder Radio"...

Gray Skies, Carrots, and Lemons

2017-02-27T16:51:00.000-08:00

Gray Skies, Carrots, and Lemons

It’s a dark and stormy day in Portland today. Surprising, huh? I have to tell you, Oregon in February and March can be pretty grueling for this Southern Californian. While these winter days are cozy in my studio, I'm getting ready for some sunshine.

Here's a little bright spot. February is the month of CARROTS, according to my 2017 Vegetable Calendar, at least.

Carrot
12"x 12"

oil on 1" cradled panel

$285

Click here to purchase

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed recipes and purchased a 2017 calendar. I’m pleased to announce I sold out—and am starting to plan the 2018 edition. More to come on that soon!

In the meantime, I’d love to share this month’s recipe and story with you.

The recipe comes from my friend Pamela Dussault’s cookbook. It’s a collection of all the recipes she’s created in her catering business, Almatierra Catering. When a big group of us gathered on the beach for a February retreat year after year, Pamela always made our meals. As we bustled in from cold sunset walks, we’d find the table set with bright tablecloth, glowing candles, fresh cedar boughs. Pamela pulled fresh, golden loaves of bread from the oven and hurried them to the table with potholders on her hands. She’d glance to make sure everything was there—and then play guitar nearby as we ate. Her artful soul showed in everything she made—whether art, music or food. Warm, nourishing stews, curries, soups. But, oh, the nights when she brought out this salad. So simple, so complex. The bite of vinegar; the sweet, crunchy carrot; salty seaweed; woody sesame… Whenever I make it, I can taste love.

- Madeleine Eno, www.inthewriteplace

Carrot Hijiki Salad

6-8 large carrots, grated

¼ cup hijiki, soaked (Find hijiki, a sea veggie, in health food or Asian food stores)

Dressing

1 T. rice vinegar

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1 ½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. tamari or soy sauce

½ tsp. crushed garlic

1 T hot Thai garlic sauce

1 T toasted sesame seeds

Soak hijiki in hot water until soft or bring to a boil and remove from heat. Let set until cool.

Combine dressing ingredients. Pour over veggies and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

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ANNIE’S MINI-PAINTING LESSON:

Conquering fear of the “blank panel”

Today, I want to use a current commission I’m working on to teach you a fear-conquering trick. This is a big panel, measuring 70 x 40 inches. It’s a commissioned painting – a fun one—of three big lemons that I'm painting for client’s large dining room.

I’m using water-soluble oil paint and a cradled panel. Now, it can be intimidating to start in on such a big project, so here’s what I did to make the process a little easier.

First, I made a grid on the panel.

Then I projected the lemons onto the panel. That way I could make a decision about where to place them.

Next, I sprayed water on the panel, then proceeded with a very watered-down version of the color. I then painted my shapes with a two-inch brush.

I found this Speedy-Carve by Speedball, and use it to spread my paint around.

This pink eraser-like material is designed for block printing, but I love it for painting. It's pliable and moveable, and I can easily move it around the shapes.

With paper towels, I then removed some of the paint, especially on the lemons. That way I can quickly get a basic value study for the work.

The Speedy-Carve presents some lovely, interesting shapes that I can work with as I continue.

Working this way is not so intimidating as just diving in and painting on a blank panel.

Stay tuned for more lessons as I work on this project!

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:

Podcasts:

Building a Story Brand, hosted by Donald Miller

American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Bridget Lancaster

Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fisher

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Pack Your Mics, Top Chef

Music:

My iPod

Pandora - Music makes a difference on these dreary days! Spending time alone, I need upbeat, happy songs, like "Thanksgiving Radio", "Bing Crosby Radio", "Maroon 5 Radio", "Stevie Wonder Radio"...

Annie

Brussel sprouts, a recipe for you, and a new commission

2017-01-28T09:36:00.000-08:00

January is nearly over—and it’s been a blur! Since all the wild weather we had in Portland at the beginning of the month, a brand-new commission and the start of a new class at the Village Arts Gallery have been keeping me busy.

Thanks to each one of who purchased my 2017 Vegetable Calendar. I want to share the January painting and story for those of you who don’t have it. I chose beautiful Brussels sprouts for the featured vegetable and my niece contributed a recipe, along with this fun memory.

Brussel Sprouts

$285.00

12"x12" oil on 1" cradled board

To purchase, click here.

Ah, Thanksgiving! Food as far as my eyes could see. Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, and, oh, the pies! The only hiccup was that I still had to eat my vegetables. At the Thanksgiving table in 1986, I discovered my dislike of Brussels sprouts. I remember getting caught passing off my sprouts to my uncle. Fast forward 25 years and I find myself invited to a friend's house for dinner. Lo and behold, Brussels sprouts are on the menu. With a glass of wine to soften the blow, I take my helping like a grown-up. Much to my surprise, I actually like them! It was merely the way they were prepared I didn't care for.

Broil them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and I'm there! You don't even have to promise me pie anymore.

—Heather Hamann

Yummy Brussels Sprouts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat.

Line a large 1-inch rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking the pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning.

That "uncle" was my husband, Lad. :) And this is a tasty way to prepare yours sprouts so even your picky eaters will like them.

Here are 16 Best Brussel Sprouts Recipes from Pure Wow!

Here's the picture of my still life of my Brussel sprouts painting.

A brand-new commission....

70 x 40-inch panel...IT'S HUGE!!! I will have to use two easels to support it. I can't wait to get started. :)

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:

Men Of Iron, by Howard Pyle, narrated by Robert Whitfield. I read this book when I was about 12. It was a favorite of mine. :)

Podcasts:

Building a Story Brand, hosted by Donald Miller

American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball

Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fisher

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta
Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Music:

My iPod

Pandora

I found a new station on Pandora that plays Louis Armstrong (Satchmo), Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, and more - "Thanksgiving Day".

My Vegetable Calendar for 2017

2016-09-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

You might have seen some of the sneak-peeks of my

2017 vegetable calendar. I’m so excited that it’s almost complete.

It will be available at Portland Open Studios

and Washington County Open Studios in October.

I chose vegetables this year because I eat them every day,

they’re beautiful to look at, and there are SO many of them!

I discovered the Vegetables by Month chart by Cook Smarts, in my research. It’s a handy and beautiful way to make sure you’re buying your veggies at their peaks!

I’ve had fun this summer going to the Portland Farmers Market to buy vegetables...

(and fruits, and flowers, and listen to music...)

and create them into still lifes ...

and do some color studies.

I've done studies of the reds in beets, red onions, and tomatoes....

and the amazing orange hues in carrots, yellow beets, and pumpkins.

I had an idea of how to make the calendar even more fun...to add in recipes and stories from my friends.

So, here’s my request:

If you have a favorite recipe featuring one of the following vegetables, please send it to me—along with a short story about the recipe. It could be why it’s your family's favorite, how your mother/grandma taught you to make it, or that time you served it at a fun dinner party, etc.

And, I would like to send you one a cd calendar (small desk size), as a thank you gift!

DEADLINE: midnight PST on Thursday, September 15.

LENGTH: 250 words or less for recipe + story together.

CONTRIBUTOR: I can use your name or leave it anonymous—just let me know which you prefer. :)

SEND TO: annie@anniesalness.com

Here’s the line-up of vegetables for 2017.

Choose your favorite one—and have at it!

My mouth is already watering in anticipation of the FANTASTIC recipes I know you will contribute!

beets
bok choy
pumpkin
carrot
red pepper
red onion
tomatoes
garlic, rosemary
brussel sprouts
asparagus
artichoke
eggplant

Gotta share!

Here is this little boy, at the Farmers Market, holding an artichoke!

I couldn't resist sharing one of my favorite Little Rascals scenes of Stymie...

"It might choke arti, but it ain't gonna choke Stymie." :)

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:

Watership Down, by Richard Adams, narrated by Ralph Cosham

Podcasts:

Building a Story Brand, hosted by Donald Miller
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fisher

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Robcast, hosted by Rob Bell

Music:
My iPod
Pandora

Celebration of Creativity - Stained Frames - Art Classes

2016-03-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

Tulip

10"x10" framed, oil

$350

Click here to purchase

I was honored to be a part of the Celebration of Creativity in early March. It featured original works from 80+ artists from 15+ different media categories.

I took 6 out of 12 pieces I had remaining that I painted for the calendars that I made for the Portland Open Studios.

They wanted all the pieces framed, so I bought 6 plain, unfinished frames from Canvas Place. I sprayed them with water and I stained them with acrylic paint in the same colors I used in the original artworks. Then I finished them in acrylic gel gloss.

They turned out excellent! I think I will do them again. :)

Art Classes

I have made a bold move!
I couldn't talk for about two weeks after my stroke, so I was unsure of offering to teach art classes. Well I'm doing it and my first students said that I did great!

There are still two spaces available in my upcoming art class, March 29 and 31, from 9am-2pm. I'm fixing a tasty lunch for my students on the 29th. Beginners welcome!

Details here: http://www.eventbee.com/v/anniesalness/event?eid=168236983

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:

The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield, narrated by George Guidall

Podcasts:
Better Call Saul Insider Podcast, hosted by Kelley Dixon
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fisher

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music:
My iPod
Pandora

What I am reading:
Color and Light, by James Gurney

Really helpful:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check and Hemingway App. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

What I learned from doing Open Studios

2015-12-10T05:30:00.000-08:00

There was so much to learn from doing open studios.

I participated in two this year, the Portland Open Studios, which is a juried event, and the Washington County Open Studios .

They both had fees to participate and these are the catalogs.

The PDXOS had two meetings in May and August, and the WCOS had one. This was a chance to meet with other artists, pass out the street signs (used to tell people where we were),

familiarize us with their program and talk to us about marketing.

Along with over a hundred other artists, I had my home studio open the 2nd and 3rd weekends in October.

To begin with, I used Evernote to list off the things I needed: set-up in the basement, what I ordered (envelopes, post cards, calendars, etc.), points from other artists, etc..

There were many mentions from the organizers and fellow artists on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and I ordered post cards to tell about the studio tour.

The main reason for the studios visits is to educate the visitors on what goes on in the artists studio, so I took them on a tour of mine, starting with my still life cupboard and still life set-up.

Since I had to learn with my other hand since my stroke, I showed them how I start my studio time with quick drawings of lines, circles, anything around my studio, and life drawing from YouTube. (Really, I should have been doing this all along...it is important for me to draw!)

Then I would show them my painting process....the picture of the black and white value, setting up the halfway points, value, color, etc.. Because I have a hard time talking (because of my stroke), I typed out signs of each display I wanted to mention and put it beneath my work. Although the visitors thought it was for them, it really was for me. :) I would get stuck trying to say a certain sentence and then I would glance at the typed words and be okay!

(Does this make sense????)

Finally, I would show them on my computer the image I was painting and how I like to paint upside down.

In my very limited experience, most people don't ask questions or they don't know what to ask. Hopefully, I gave them enough of my process and that will lead to questions.

Although the main reason for the open studios was to teach my process, I decided to have something that everyone could afford to buy, so I had note cards and calendars.

The calendars were fun because because I decided to do flowers, which led to a post on Facebook. I asked people for their flower suggestions and I got several submissions and then I could follow up with what I was doing.

A proud moment: the 4'x 8' peg board we got at the

hardware store to hang the calendar paintings fit PERFECTLY along our wall!

It was tiring, but I loved it. I met a lot of new people, had friends

come over, and I got many new commission

requests and class sign ups.

(About 40% were friends and 60% were new people.)

Here is an excellent checklist on open studios from Harriete Estel Berman who goes into much more detail than I. if you are interested.

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:

Assassination Vacation, by Sarah Vowell, narrated by Sarah Vowell

Podcasts:
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fisher

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music:
My iPod

What I am reading:
The Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Really helpful:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

A Special Story and a Pumpkin...

2015-10-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin 2

10"x 10"

oil on board

$175

Click here to purchase

I had a wonderful time this weekend at the Portland Open Studios tour at my house. THANK YOU to all who took time out of their day to come see me!

It is the last weekend this year for the Portland Open Studios and the Washington County Open Studios tours:
Oct. 17-18, 10am - 5pm.
This is a "unique educational opportunity for the public to witness art in the making, and learn about media, materials and the business of creative endeavor." from PDXOS
I will have maps to the other artists' studios.
My address is: 12545 NW Coleman Dr., Portland, OR. 97229.
Come on by!!!

Amy, Me, and John

I REALLY have to share this with you...

Just last week I shared with you the story about my cousin, Amy Melious, and how she developed the photo of our Grandpa Jack with a Photoshop composite and acrylic paint. She did two versions of Jack, one for her brother John, and one for the Cattlemans Restaurant.

She lives in Canada and John lives in Santa Rosa, CA., and I live in Portland, OR and they just *happened* to be passing by my house? Last Saturday? WHAT????? - (it's a long story...)

I couldn't believe it!

AND, they had John's picture of Grandpa Jack in their car!!!!

John and Amy! :)

Studio Tip

I just got this gooseneck flexible thingy...made for a cell phone or a tablet?

I use it for my handmade viewfinder. (Based on Carol Marine's book)

It helps me crop in or frame the still life.

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook: Need a new one.... :)

Podcasts:
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music:
My iPod

What I am reading:
Youtility, by Jay Baer

Really helpful:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Calendars Done!, Grandpa Jack, Amy Melious

2015-10-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

Calendars

The paintings for the calendars are done and the images are off to the printer to be made into wall calendars, desk calendars and note cards for Portland Open Studios and Washington County Open Studios. This is a "unique educational opportunity for the public to witness art in the making, and learn about media, materials and the business of creative endeavor." from PDXOS
This weekend and next, Oct 10-11, 17-18, 2015, 10am -5pm.
My address is: 12545 NW Coleman Dr., Portland, OR. 97229.
Come on by! :)

This is such a special story...

This is a story about my lovely cousin, Amy Melious, and how she took my original photo of our Grandpa Jack and what she did with it. She is a very talented photographic artist.
"My siblings and I never knew Jack, so working on this piece was a fascinating and rewarding look into who he may have been. All I know of him is a few great stories. I love to explore things in visual language. When Annie first showed me the base photo of Jack on the horse, I felt it was a perfect illustration for a story my dad told me once about how much his dad loved being on horseback and in the open landscape, with the big sky above, 'Son, this is my church'....

So, I made a first version, with an old map of the constellations as the background. (Grandpa Jack in his Heaven)
About the first version: It's a photoshop composite I made using about ten separate image files. The finished piece is printed on canvas and I embellished it by hand with acrylic paint.

Base image: This is the vintage black and white print that you let me photograph at your house one time when I visited- the 8x10 image of Jack on the horse by an unknown photographer.

Constellation graphic in sky: Vintage graphic.

Ponies in landscape, my photo taken in California- placed to represent the world we live in-the ponies representing family (I like the echo in the collection above -stars--collection below-family)

Shortly after the first version was made, my brother John called. He was looking for a piece of art for a particular space in one of the Cattlemens restaurants.
I created a second version to tell another story.
John has worked with Cattlemens for over twenty five years. The founders have played a large role in his life. The new picture ties together Grandpa Jack's cowboy history, my dad, John, and Cattlemens founders.
Again, my family is present in a subtle way by the use of the word "Pacific" running vertically along Grandpa Jack's spine. It was symbolism used to link John, Grandpa Jack, the ranch in Montana, and the legacy of Cattlemens.
In both versions, I included a field to connect all the generations, and ponies that I photographed in my hometown of Willits to symbolize his descendents. There is also some grass (picked near my house) in the most near foreground to serve as the absolute most current aspect.
I love the imagine that my dad and our grandfather might be proud to know they are celebrated in the form of artwork.
2nd Version: Also, a photoshop composite I made using several image files, both my own photographs and found vintage images.The finished piece is printed on canvas and I embellished it by hand with acrylic paint.

The finished piece is hanging in the Santa Rosa Cattlemens, and a second copy of it was recently installed in the Selma Cattlemens Restaurant."

What a beautiful story!

Here is my daughter, Katherine(middle), Heather and John my cousin, at Santa Rosa Cattlemans.

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:

"The Natty Professor" by Tim Gunn, narrated by Tim Gunn. A master class on mentoring, motivating, and making it work!

Podcasts:
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music:
My iPod

What I am reading:
Youtility, by Jay Baer

Really helpful:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Zinnia, Portland Open Studio, Washington County Open Studio

2015-09-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

Zinnia

10"x 10"x 1.5"

oil on cradled board

Click here to bid

This is one of twelve paintings of flowers that I am doing for a calendar and note cards that I am having available at the Portland Open Studio and Washington County Open Studio tour,

October 10-11, 17-18, 2015.

My son, Thomas, and I look over black and white photos for the calendar.

I am almost done with my paintings. I have laid out samples of envelopes from Envelope Mall to see if any of them match. (look how many "greens" they have!) The next thing is to email images of my paintings to the printer.

Canna Lilies are blooming right now, and although they are one of my favorite flowers, I decided not to paint them but to use them to show you how effective light can be.

(That's my daughter Claire a few years ago. She's 5'10" now!)

Here is sunlight directly on the leaves...

...and this is sunlight from behind the leaves.
Notice the difference? Isn't it beautiful?!
That is why "light" is always so important to me when I paint.

Studio Tip:

I clean my brushes in Murphy Oil Soap.

Oil, water-based oil, acrylic,....whatever, it's great at getting all the paint off!

If you have any other ideas about a cleaning solution, let me know. :)

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:

"The Scarlet Pimpernel", by Baroness Orczy. I watched the movie in 1982 with my dad. It had Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour, and Ian McKellen.

Podcasts:
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

The Nerdist, Patrick Stewart, hosted by Chris Hardwick

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

The Chalene Show, hosted by Chalene Johnson
Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto KasperTruth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music:
My iPod

What I am reading:
Youtility, by Jay Baer

Really helpful!:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Portland Open Studios, Washington County Open Studios, Calendar

2015-09-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am in the Portland Open Studios tour (Oct. 10-11, 17-18, 2015) and the Washington County Open Studios tour.

(Oct. 17-18, 2015)

This is your chance to go to the artist's studio, see their workspace and their processes.

I have been setting up all the things I want to show you. :)

Here is the Portland Open Studios catalog....

.....and the maps to different artist's studios that you can visit over the four days.
It's been really good for me because I have to think through what my process is: taking pictures, setting up a still life, drawing, painting, etc. .

Along with my approach to painting, I've decided to have a calendar and note cards available during the tour.

I like to paint on wood panels, so I ordered 12, 10"x 10" to do flower paintings for the calendar and note cards.

These cradled boards have a very nice, smooth, 1-1/2 inch edges, so I decided to tape them (with Painter's tape) because I don't know if I am going to leave them natural, stain them, or paint them.
Since I only have one working hand, I put the tape on the side of the table and pulled down....
it worked perfectly!

The boards needed to be prepared by using gesso as a substrate. Gesso is designed to penetrate supports and provide a surface to which paint can adhere. I am going to try Krylon Gesso Spray.

More to come!

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:

"To Kill A Mockingbird", by Harper Lee, narrated by Sissy Spacek

Podcasts:
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

The Nerdist, Patrick Stewart, hosted by Chris Hardwick

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Music:
My iPod

Really helpful!:
I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Decarli Restaurant and Catalyst Wedge

2015-07-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

These are 3 out of 5 paintings that will be on display

at Decarli Restaurant from July 8 - September 8, 2015.

Ominous

48" x 36" x 1.5
oil on canvas
$1200
Click here to purchase

Grasslands
48" x 36" x 1.5
oil on canvas
$1200
Click here to purchase

Coastline

48" x 36" x 1.5

oil on canvas

$1200

Click here to purchase

Here is my husband, Lad, hanging them!

Process: right now I am using a Catalyst Wedge in my work.

I took a close up of this photo of Coastline so that you might see it closer.

Catalyst Wedge

I like the wedge because it allows me to move color

and drag it around and extend a simple movement or direction.

Does this make sense?

I have tried an old credit card, palette knives, matte board,

card board, etc., but I like the Catalyst Wedge best.

I am anxious to try the squeeguee like artist Charlie Hunter.

Do you have anything that you prefer or that

I might have missed? :)

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Podcasts:

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fischer

The Nerdist, John Cusack, hosted by Chris Hardwick

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music:
My iPod

Randall Tipton Demo Using Yupo Paper!

2015-05-13T12:22:00.001-07:00

Donna Sanson and I had the privilege to see Randall Tipton demonstrate at Museum 510 in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

He is a very accomplished and wonderful painter, and he is one of my favorite art friends!
He was demonstrating with watercolor painting on Yupo paper. "Yupo is a compelling and unique alternative to traditional art papers. It's a synthetic paper, machine-made in the USA of 100% polypropylene. It is waterproof, stain-resistant, and extremely strong and durable."
From Blick Art Materials

He says:

"It's plastic, nothing is absorbed! The water in the paint must evaporate. This [use of Yupo] requires a completely different approach. A major difficulty is getting the paint to stay 'still'. I can do something I like, turn away, and when I return, it's different! It's as if the paint has its own agenda. This can be a strength as well. Watercolor can do marvelous things on this brilliant white surface. What would be muddy on true paper becomes rich, subtle, and sometimes profound".

From: Writing Without Paper

It was a pleasure watching him paint. He uses a big, soft brush down to smaller one....well, I let him describe all the tools he uses:

"A natural sponge for pre-wetting and later lifting. Lots of Kleenex for blotting, Q-tips for drawing through wet paint making a soft fat line, a silicone spatula for drawing with a sharper line, a piece of mat board with a bevel edge for scraping like with a squeegee, cheap house painter brush for blending and then the watercolor brushes. Note those at the top have extra long soft bristles. I`ve come to prefer this type because you can really load them up yet they`ll also come to an edge or point. I`m using a bristle filbert that is extra long for oil painting too. Then there is the angle brush up above. I love these because they double as a wash brush but also can be used for line.

On bigger paintings I`ll use a much larger assortment. Often I`ll stop in my process and look over the choices to choose the best one for the task at hand. I feel like a surgeon sometimes"!

Randall started a magnolia painting. He says,"I try to get something I like...something to encourage me".

He left the demo with this......

Magnolia and Sky with watermedia and oils 20 x 20

.....and finished it at home. Because he started it with watercolor, he sealed it with spray acrylic. He then added acrylics and finally oils. Above is the final piece. It's beautiful.

There were several of his works at Museum 510, these are the few I took photos of....

"Randall thinks of himself as a realist who paints personal subject matter. 'I'm a nature boy'. His loyalty is to the process. Randall begins with an idea. He's not a slave to an image and paints mostly from memory. 'I look at the image in my head'. While painting, 'I keep the thing in play, in process. I might focus on the tangle in the front with the distant meadow as a quiet moment. Being in nature and/or thinking of nature is something I do 24/7. That's why I live in Oregon' ". From Sarah Peroutka notes.

I look forward to his blog because it is so well written, honest, and full of the most interesting and fun things. (check out the new cat carrier!)

His work is available in his studio.

Listening to while I paint:

Podcasts:

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fischer

The Nerdist, hosted by Chris Hardwick

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music:
My iPod

Curiosity

2015-04-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

Curiosity

18"x 24"x 1.5"

oil on panel

$625

Click here to purchase

I can't wait to take pictures at the summer farmers' market.

(The Beaverton Farmers Market starts Saturday, May 2.)

I take pictures of people sitting on benches relaxing or eating, standing in line waiting for the food vendors, playing with their children, etc..

I don't have a plan in mind (maybe I should?), so I take lots of random photos and then I look at them on Photoshop to see what I have captured.

I took this photo a few years ago. I love the little girl's posture and the way she is looking curiously at.....?

I wanted the attention on *her* in the painting. Coming from a illustration and a bio-medical illustration background it was hard for me to vary the edges and distort the background. That pink shirt in the middle? It was just too much! I had to add a little blue and a pink drip down her leg.....

Here's is a close-up.

I found a new tool I used, the gray Catalyst Wedge . It has a flexibility that I like and I can drag my paint across with a big sweeping motion! :) (not really)

This is another one at the farmers' market: people standing in lines, talking to each other, but not this boy. He is just so curious about his shadow...

Shadow
8"x 10"
acrylic on gessoboard
$195
Click here to purchase

Listening to while I paint:

Podcasts:

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fischer

The Nerdist, hosted by Chris Hardwick

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music:
My iPod

Daisy, Studio Tip, Stroke Update

2015-04-05T17:07:00.001-07:00

Daisy, Green Vase

6"x 6", Framed

oil on gessoboard

Studio Tip:

I like to paint on panels and boards, and my friend, Doug, built a storage system to hold them.

Now.... I needed to come up with a way to hold/support them on my easel.

There is a "lip" that covers up the upper and lower part of your panel.

I tried to sit the panel on the "lip"and it didn't work. It wasn't secure. (it fell down......scary!!!)

So, in my efforts to come up with a remedy, I have found some solutions:

David Darrow -"My board is 2ft x 2ft x 1/2” birch plywood. I bought a flat, aluminum “bar” at a hardware store, cut too 12” pieces from it, and drilled holes through them both. I set a panel onto it, then somewhere along the top edge I stab a screw into the board very close to the painting. Sometimes the threads hold it in place, other times, the wide head of the screw.
I have been using this board for 15 years, so far."

Scott Conary -"On my small easel, I've added some bits of wood so that 1/4" panel has something to brace against."

David and Scott made these supports/braces and are master woodworkers!

Now, I could do Michael Orwick's approach:

He screwed 4 screws; .2 at the top and 2 at the bottom of his easel to support the panel.

Or..... I can just buy one...

Carol Marine - "designed by David Marine - holds the panel still and allows you to paint off every edge with nothing in the way." Carol Marine's Easel

Karin Jurick the "Paint On" easel comes in two forms: one that fits on your stand-up easel and one that is a tabletop easel.

Karin Jurick's Easel

Any other suggestions???

Stroke Up-date:

This is kinda funny....

This is where I lift almost every day...... pretty intense and intimidating, right?

But the one thing that I had to overcome this huge hill because I have this thing called "foot drop".

"Foot drop is a gait abnormality in which the dropping of the forefoot happens due to weakness, irritation or damage...." Wikipedia

I couldn't climb up or down that thing without some help from a nearby weight machine....

Curbs were another problem. I had to use the car or a person, (all of which were happy to help!) to get up and down those.

But I conquered it!!!!

Listening to while I paint:
Audio Books:
"David and Goliath" by Malcolm Gladwell

Podcasts:

The Nerdist, hosted by Chris Hardwick

Here's The Thing, hosted by Alec Baldwin
Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta
Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music:
My iPod

"Bane"

2015-02-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

Bane
11"x 14"
oil
NFS

A client asked me to do this portrait for her son and daughter-in-law for Christmas. I had the son tell me about Bane:

"We spontaneously bought him the day we mentioned the idea of getting a puppy. I spent the entire day at work calling breeders. We drove to Sheridan to see the last boy of a litter - he was the only one lazily sleeping in the back of the pen. We brought him back to our apartment which he quickly outgrew. We moved into a house so he could have a yard. My mom - a known animal hater - even fell in love with his kind gentle demeanor. He fit right in with our family because he is abnormally large for his breed - a gentle giant (our family is full of large people). We love him very much - he is our "practice baby" - and all the vets bills, early morning potty breaks, and chewed up clothes, are worth dealing with to come home at the end of the day to someone who loves you more than anything in the world. He is pretty much our main source of joy on a daily basis. It's fun watching him grow, play and learn! -he's the smartest boy. Bane won't live much longer than a decade - but Annie's painting will be with us forever. She truly captured his personality in a frame.

Thanks for making our Christmas."

That is one thing I enjoy about my drawing or painting - the chance to make something that will be special, significant, important to whomever for years to come!

Listening to while I paint:

Audio Books:

"Love Does" by Bob Goff

Podcasts:

Food is the New Rock, hosted by Zach Brooks
The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris
Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta
Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball

Music:
My iPod

Really helpful!:
I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Football and Art? :)

2015-01-23T17:03:00.000-08:00

My husband called me to watch a play in a football game on TV. "I want you to see this....it is the perfect tipping drill!" he said.
It was!
I appreciated it because I coached football with him for about 6 years. We coached the freshmen.

The University High School Trojans football, Irvine, CA. 1986?

I am the short girl in the white shirt. :)

I would coach the corner-backs and I remember all the drills I had them do..... .doing the same thing over and over again. Why? So when you get in a game, you don't have to think about how to shift your weight, the correct tackling form, the "tipping drill" etc....you just react to the game. Prepare ahead and practice the skill until muscle memory kicks in.

One of the good parts of me having my stroke was that I have to draw all the time to switch to my left hand, (my right hand is still not responsive yet.) doing the same thing over and over.....

Something I should have been doing anyway!

I always start with drawing lines to an upbeat song like this:

Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk

and then I settle down and I draw whatever is around me or go to an online figure drawing site and listen to this:

The Piano Guys, ft. Alex Boye - Coldplay - Paradise

and this:

Maroon 5 - Let's Stay Together (Al Green cover)

I KNOW that if I don't DRAW, PAINT, or WORKOUT everyday, I would not improve.

At times, my recovery seems like it is taking forever, (4 years, 3 months, 2 weeks, 2 days...), but I see improvement!

Practice, practice, practice. Improve, improve, improve.

Never give up!

Listening to while I paint:
Audio Books:
"Creativity, Inc." by Ed Catmull, narrated by Peter Altschuler.

Podcasts:

The Nerdist, Episode 621, with Andrea Romano (voice director), hosted by Chris Hardwick

Happy Holidays, Amy Melious and Cookie Sheets!

2014-12-19T20:05:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Candy Cane

8"x 10"

oil on gessoboard

$195

Click here to purchase

I had my very talented cousin, Amy Melious, over for a visit. She is a photographic artist. (and very pretty!)

We were cooking and baking and I was trying to hide these ugly cookie sheets when she said not to hide them, got out her camera and took photos of them!

She takes pictures of the textures to use in her photography. I really don't understand what she does, so here is her explanation:

"Annie, the first very (fabulously) rustic cookie pan is yours, followed by the two long landscape images I tested it on."

The original....

...one with texture.

"Isn’t it great that we can make art and cookies from the very same pans? It's one instance when we get to have our cake and eat it too!

My love of photographing textures started more than a decade ago as I was ending a ten year love affair with the Polaroid transfer process in favor of expanding my horizons into digital techniques.

I was interested in the new capabilities that digital world offered, but wasn’t ready to give up the very nostalgic, personal, and imperfect qualities of the Polaroid transfer look.
So, I tried to figure out how to apply that “look”in Photoshop, almost like you would antique a piece of furniture. I started going around looking for textures in my immediate environment, experimenting with each of them composited over my photographs. My skills at the time were limited, but it didn’t take long to find out what worked best, and it was so much fun!

Now, I have a huge collection of textures from all over the world – among them a few faves that I use often.

I know that in recent years, several companies have appeared that sell textures. They’re also built into some apps and are sold as plug-ins for image editing software. They can be quick and fun and so have a place for sure. However, I always encourage people to photograph their own as well in order to give their pictures more personal meaning and uniqueness.

Texture layers is easy to use if you have basic knowledge of Photoshop. You simply open the image and the texture, then drag the texture onto the image and drop. Photoshop will automatically put the texture in it’s own new layer. Then, the really fun part is to scroll through the blend modes in the layers palette until you see a version you like. Remember that you can reduce the opacity of the layer to minimize it’s effect to any degree you want. Also, you can mask the layer and hide the effect from any area of the image (using the paintbrush tool).

And to go along with the cookie sheets, here’s my family’s very favorite holiday cookie recipe:

Molasses Spice Cookies: From “The Best Recipe” book by Cooks Illustrated.

2 1/4 c flour

2 teasp baking soda

1/2 teasp salt

1 1/2 teasp cinnamon

1 teasp ground ginger

3/4 teasp ground cloves

1/4 teasp ground allspice

12 Tb unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened.

1/2 c dark brown sugar

1/2 white sugar, plus 1/2 cup aside for rolling balls before baking

1 large egg

1 teasp vanilla

1/3 c unsulphured molasses

Heat oven to 375

Mix flour, b. soda, salt and spices together.

In a separate bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, white sugar- mix until fluffy, then add egg, vanilla and molasses, mix just until blended.

Add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined.

Make 2 Tb dough at a time into 1 3/4 inch balls. Roll the balls in white sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake 11-13 minutes. They should crack on top. Cool on racks.

Best wishes to you and your readers for a happy season!

Amy "

I now look for textures in everything!

She was recently published in Somerset Digital Studio, and plan ahead and take her workshop in Spain:

" One day at a time, tucked away among olive groves, far
from all distraction, Gail Short and Amy Melious will
unfold the wonderful world of creative process." Read more... Flavor of Spain

Thank you Amy!

Listening to while I paint:
Audio Books:
"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, narrated by Jim Dale.

Podcasts:
Food is the New Rock, hosted by Zach Brooks
The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris
Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta
Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball

Music:
My iPod: Christmas music!

Really helpful!:
I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Happy Thanksgiving! and Scott Conary's Studio

2014-11-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin

8"x 8"

oil on gessoboard

Click here to purchase

My husband and I went to the Sitka Art Invitational, and I was stuck by Scott Conary's work, especially by his painting, "Robert's Door".

The use of color and the paint application was stunning!

Roberts Door

32"x 54"

oil on canvas

Clearly, the colors, paint application, and its majesty does not show up in this photo.

That is why it is so important to see the art work in person!

"As my eyes came upon the worn door on the heavy old house, I saw the painting in my head. I saw generations of hands turning a now missing knob and" read more by Scott....

Scott lives near my friend Mona Cordell, so she and I and my new friend, Mary Parkes, got to go by his studio.

What a kind, gracious man.

He said that he cleaned up!

He makes his own frames or orders then from Franken Frames.

Prime

26"x 38"

oil on canvas

Meat! Isn't it beautiful? Read more about meat here.

1928 Indian 4, 52" x 42",

Oil on Canvas

-work in progress-

"A few months back, a friend gave me a tour of some old machines in Wichita. Amongst them was this amazing bike, restored by a friend of his. The painting is very much a work in progress, but the bones are there." -Scott

Ornament

7 1/2"x 6 3/4"

oil on panel

This painting inspired my "Pumpkin" painting.

Take some time and really look at his work and read his stories. His blog is a great place to learn about his past and present struggles and how he, his wife and his daughter, continue to deal with these challenges.

He can write and paint beautifully.

I have paintings for sale for your holiday gifts, most for under $200.

Click here to purchase.

Or buy prints here.

Listening to while I paint:

Audio Books:

"A Painted House" by John Grisham, narrated by David Lansbury

Podcasts:

Music:
My iPod: Christmas music!

Really helpful!:
I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check! Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Portland State Farmers Market

2014-10-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

Farmers Market

6"x 6"

oil on gessoboard

My sister-in-law and I went to the Portland Farmers Market

at Portland State University. the first part of October.

This is the Simon B enson House , home of the Portland State Alumni Association.

It had a sign that said, "Portland State University Alumni Association Welcomes You".

What a welcome!

The first weekend in October; Farmer's Market, food, music,

people relaxing and enjoying themselves and each other!

For those in the Portland area,

or any of you that want to come visit, :)

it's open March - October, 8-2; November - December, 9-2.

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook: "A Painted House", by John Grisham, narrated by David Lansbury

Podcasts: Sleepy Cast by Clarke Wolfe The SleepyCast is the official podcast of the hit FOX series Sleepy Hollow.

The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal

Build Your Tribe, hosted by Chalene Johnson

Music: my iPod

Spotify

Really helpful!:

Because of my stroke, (at least I use that as an excuse!) I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

"Golden Tulips" and Jo Reimer's Studio

2014-10-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

"Golden Tulips"

12"x 16"

oil on canvas, 1" profile

$425

Click here to purchase

Jo Reimer's Studio

I had the pleasure of visiting my friend, Jo Reimer's house and studio, and enjoying coffee
in her beautiful back yard.

"Mattie's Garden"

quilt

Upon going to her studio, I was struck by this absolutely gorgeous quilt she had made. I had no idea that she also specialized in making quilts. I learned that she has a degree in Home Economics/Textiles and Construction, and that she taught in junior high and high school for several years as well as at the Oregon College of Art and Craft.

" ...I stuck with using the threaded needle, art quilting,...and sewing until 1998 when I turned off my sewing machine... and leapt into fine art...." - Jo

The whole atmosphere in her studio is awe-inspiring with all those art books,

places to draw, paint, and lots of beautiful paper!

"My favorite way of working is what I call collage painting. I apply dye, ink, watercolor, ...to paper...to create interesting collage papers that are uniquely mine." - Jo

" It's like my cooking...I sort of follow recipes
but mostly I wing it!" - Jo

She takes maps and shreds them...

...and combines them with collage and paint, to make these wonderful pieces of art.

Then...

..."I create my own sketchbook/art journals in which I make
plans, journal about art and life..."- Jo

She also takes her sketchbook traveling. She has a fabulous sketching kit

and a tiny watercolor set that she made herself!

She is having an Open Studio this weekend,

October 4 and 5, 2014, 11 am to 5 pm.

11990 NW Maple Hill Lane, Portland, OR

Jo Reimer

Thank you to Randall Tipton for introducing me to Jo

and thank you to Jo...

I had a lovely time at your house/studio! :)

Listening to while I paint:

Podcasts:

The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal

Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball

Music:

My iPod

Really helpful!:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check! Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

"Peach, Pink Rose", Carol Marine, and Alyson B. Stanfield

2014-09-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Peach Pink Rose

8"x 8"

oil on gessoboard
$175

Click here to purchase

I have decided to try oil painting ever since my workshop with Carol Marine and actually, I like it!
Carol's method is to paint "alla prima" or "wet onto wet"; the painting is completed while the paint is still wet. This requires you to work fast! Carol says it allows you to blend from your "islands" (main subject) into your "oceans" (background). And, when things don't work out as planned (which almost NEVER happens! ;) ), you can wipe it away!

Carol's new book, Daily Painting, which I'm sure will be full of all of her tips and tricks, comes out November 4, 2014.

I ordered one!

Alyson B. Stanfield

Several weeks ago I met with local artist friends Brenda Boylan, Jo Reimer, and Celeste Bergin. Joining us from Colorado, was dear friend, Art Biz Coach, Alyson B. Stanfield, for a wonderful breakfast at The Benson Hotel.
" Alyson B. Stanfield is an art business consultant and author of I’d Rather Be in the Studio: The Artist’s No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion. She helps artists gain more recognition, organize their businesses, and sell more art at ArtBizCoach.com."
I have been following her since 2008, taken her online classes, I keep reading her book (over and over), and gain insight and understanding from her weekly blog posts. I highly recommend that you check out Art Biz Coach!

Listening to while I paint:
Audiobooks:

"The Hundred-Foot Journey", by Richard C. Morais, narrated by Neil Shah

Podcasts:

The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal

Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Music:

My iPod

Really helpful!:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check! Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Eric Jacobsen's Workshop

2014-09-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

I went to Eric Jacobsen's workshop at the Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island,

What a beautiful place to paint!

He gave a demonstration....

in which he emphasized that his directional "lines" in the painting

would lead you to the big oak tree...

where the center of interest is....where you want the eye to get drawn to.

Later on he said that the....

sky = 1st light source

ground = 2nd light source

hill = 3rd light source

upright (the tree) = 4th light source

On our second day he had us make 4 different versions of our composition.

I decided to do two vertical.....

and two horizontal.

Eric seemed to think that the top horizontal one was just right!

And this is what I painted.

"Sauvie Island 2"

10"x 8"

oil on gessoboard

$195

Click here to purchase

This is Eric....

a fabulous teacher, and very nice guy!

(photograph credit to David Burbach)

Audiobooks:
"The Hundred-Foot Journey", by Richard C. Morais, narrated by Neil Shah (I haven't seen the film yet! Starring Helen Mirren. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEO1TWeM5JU )

Podcasts:

The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal

Music:

My iPod

Always Together

2014-08-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

"Always Together"

12"x 12"

acrylic on canvas

SOLD

I did this commission for a very dear friend who's children were 8, 5 and 1 years old, and are now 36, 33, 29.
Growing up, we were neighbors and I was best friends with her little sister. I hadn’t seen them in over 20 years, and then they paid me a surprise visit at the hospital right after my stroke. It meant so much to me! I was thrilled to do this commission for Colleen and her husband, Jim, knowing that every time she looks at it she is going to remember that time in her life
and think of me.

"We had just moved to Honolulu and were staying in the Hale Koa, right next to the Hilton, which is the military hotel where we stayed until housing was available. I would take the kids to the beach in the morning, then nap time and when Jim came back from work we would go back down on the beach. It was not posed-they just ended up sitting like that and Jim just happened to have his camera with him. I think he just always loved the innocence and sweetness of it. We are so fortunate that they have grown up to be close as adults and it would not be a surprise to see them sitting together on the beach today. I should have added that the specialness of the picture is the reminiscing of a magical 3 years - the beauty and wonders of living on the island, the magic of kids growing up on the beach, and the memories of the making of lifetime friends! And all created by a very special lifetime friend of whom Jim and I have very dear memories!!”

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobooks:
The Bourne Identity, by Robert Ludlum, narrated by Scott Brick

Podcasts:
The Alton Browncast, hosted by Alton Brown
The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal

Music:

my iPod

YouTube: Daryl's House

I am having a Pet Sale! From now until the end of August 2014, I will do any pet painting for 15% off the regular price. Just send me your photo of your pet and then we can decide on the size! I will take requests and photos all month long....To see more pets click here!

Really helpful:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check! Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Pet Sale!

2014-08-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of me and my dog Amy. I had her from the day I was born until age 16! I remember her sleeping in the sun; scared of cats; always greeted me with her loving warmth, enthusiasm, and joy!

So, I am having a Pet Sale! From now until the end of August 2014, I will do any pet painting for 15% off the regular price. Just send me your photo of your pet and then we can decide on the size! I will take requests and photos all month long....

"Lucky"

10"x 8"

oil on gessoboard

$195

Click here to purchase

Lucky is one of the many dogs that my brother-in-law and sister-in-law have at their farm. They also have 13 horses, cows, chickens, and cats!

"Wally"

8"x 8"

acrylic on gessoboard

$175
Click here to purchase

This is Wally. I took his picture at the Farmer's Market. He was very friendly!

To see more pets click here!

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook: "Moneyball", by Michael Lewis. Narrated by Scott Brick

Podcasts: Big Pop Fun, hosted by Tom Wilson

The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal

Music: my iPod

Really helpful!:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check! Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Modjeska Canyon

2014-08-01T17:37:00.000-07:00

Ralph's Truck

8"x 8"

oil on gessoboard

$175

Click here to purchase

This is from a photo my son, daughter, and I took on our walk while visiting family down in Modjeska Canyon, CA.

Here they are: my son, Thomas and my oldest daughter, Katherine. They are definitely enjoying the vacation side of Modjeska Canyon!

With just several hundred residents, this beautiful canyon is filled with oak and olive trees. It is named after Helena Modjeska, the 19th century stage actress. Her home from 1888-1906, "Arden", is a National Historic Landmark. The canyon is also the location of the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary.

Listening to while I paint:

Podcasts: The Alton Browncast, hosted by Alton Brown

The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal

Music: my iPod

Really helpful!:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check! Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)