Friday, May 25, 2012

Completion of water lily painting!

 I decided to name this painting Sunset Reflections at the suggestion of a friend.
It won an award at the show where I first displayed it!  For now, I am enjoying it over my mantel!
Posted by Picasa

Friday, May 11, 2012

What Happened to Me?

Dear Friends who have not heard a peep out of me for ages and ages....what happened to me?  Nothing bad at all, but let me explain.  First of all, I MYSELF am shocked that my last post was in January.  WHERE does the time go??? 
  My two reasons for not appearing here as I have done for so long are these:  The new Eblogger format to post things is the first reason and Love is the second one.
  I am a creature of habit as are many of us.  The new format is now something I have to take the PATIENCE to learn and find where all the stuff I knew went to and now is.  I have not, needless to say, taken the time and applied the patience to learn this.  I used to just take a photo from my Picasa collection and post it and then write the text and voila, there it was for all to see.  So I guess I will have to face the new system because I really enjoyed posting all sorts of things on the three blogs I have and hearing your comments.
  Love.  Well that's another story.  A very very good story.  And suffice it to say that REAL LIFE is way better than being on the internet all the time (not that I was.)
 
  The in-progress painting I posted in January has long been finished, framed and got best in show awarded to it in April.  Guess I'd better let you see it!  You can, however, go to Facebook and find it on my page, The Joy of Art Studio. 

  So this, in a nutshell, is what happened to me!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

First new work for 2012!


I am finally into my first work for 2012!  It is 24" x 36" and I
am using an amazing photograph I took of waterlilies which
I have wanted to paint for a long time.  The reflections are 
awesome and you see them here in black.  The colors are
just as amazing with lavenders and pinks and blues.  It hardly
seemed real.  I have been looking at the photo for a long time
and finally decided to try it.  
   After laying out the drawing with charcoal, I put in a wash
of the colors that are so important to me in this piece.  This 
is an oil painting by the way.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Winter Moon


There are certain times of year when the moon is
in just the right position as to reflect off the lake.
The trees must be bare in order to see this.
Last night was one of those nights.  A cold
clear night with the moon and even a star or a
planet just to the left of it....



I've painted this scene a few times and now others
own those images.  But I never tire of this winter 
moon dance.  Might have to paint one for myself!



Love the tracery of branches where the reflection
is rippling....



Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Rose!


I haven't been painting for a while, except for my pet commission
which I didn't dare show until it was presented!  So I will show it
soon!  This is a rose that was among a bouquet that lasted for
a week and was so lush and gorgeous I could hardly believe it!
I've been glazing it mostly, but going back in with more opaque
paint for areas that have been tricky.  


I only painted roses one other time.  SO HARD!  Hope you like this
one.  It is to be a gift to the rose giver!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas to you All!


May the bright cheerful decor and the music that brings good 
memories make your holidays full of good cheer and happiness 
with those you love.  Wishing you all a wonderful time today 
and may it herald the start of an extra special New Year!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

The Canal by the Potomac River

Posted by PicasaJust a little bit of summertime nostalgia
now that it has turned cold! This is a little
painting, 5 x 7 inches. I had fun with all the
light effects from the water to the leaf
shadows on the path.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Bright colors at the holidays

Posted by PicasaAs the colors of nature drop back to subtle
greys and browns, red becomes an important
color note in our holiday decor. As I was decorating
my mantle and shelves with my doll collection, I
realized that I play with this color balance all
through the year. Punch it up for the winter
months, and tone it down when the colors and
bright sunshine take over.
It's something artists know in doing their work.
Back off the color and tone in parts of the painting
so that the key parts can pop!
Just some thoughts for you.
I'd like to post my latest work, but it is to be a
Christmas gift and I don't want to give it away!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Showing my art work!



These are shots from the Art League of
Germantown show just held this past
weekend. It is a three day show and is
called "Winterglow".
I love taking shots of people at the show!
And of course I have to show you what
paintings of mine were in this one.
After all, you have watched them develop
on this blog, and now you see the results!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Total immersion!

I consider that when we really step into an area with both feet and live in that realm, ideas just are not hard to come up with because we immerse ourselves in what we have chosen to do. It is, to me, one of the key ingredients of creativity. You can't just skim across, you have to get in and swim! (I'm hopelessly addicted to analogies as you see!).

This is why I never run out of ideas. They come faster than I can do anything about many of them! Now executing them is something else again!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Seeing color

Why, you may ask, would I post a photo of nail
polish and my towel? Because sometimes I see
combinations that thrill me. The grey-green
towel and the purply polish just look good to me.
Now to find a dress that color. Oh, and a painting
subject where I can utilize such a sophisticated
combination!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Partners in art and petting

Posted by PicasaNow this is the close up photo I was looking for!
Miss Lucy earns her keep, huh? And gets petted
at the same time.

Helping at the easel

Posted by PicasaA friend of mine has been coming to paint her
large work in my studio. This is fun for me to have
company while I work! But it is more fun for Lucy
who is getting lap time. I'd call my friend an art
multi-tasker!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

VERY smart cat!

Posted by PicasaI had to post this. Isn't it funny? My cat Lucy is aligning herself
with my new arrangement of animals for my students to draw.
Previously, they were all mixed in with the other still life stuff.
Only now, with Lucy there, I can't really call it still life now can I?

Monday, September 19, 2011

Me and my Dad

Posted by PicasaThis is a portrait of my Dad at thirteen. Can you guess the
artist? It was done as a logo for the Hohner Harmonica company
in the U.S. in the early 1920s.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Garden Gate

 

This is my neighbor's garden in full summer. Oil on canvas. 8 x 10.
So much fun to do it. Work out the tones/values and the pops of color!
Posted by Picasa

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Girl's Night Out

 
Posted by Picasa

This is my latest oil painting. It is 23" x 29". While the frame is a bit askew in the photo, you can see the painting just fine! I am happy with the color of the frame choice. It really did what the painting needed to make it pop! Let me know how you like it please!

Friday, September 2, 2011

Where have I been?

I see I'd better get busy and post new work! I have been doing some and just have been having a wonderful busy time this summer. But now it's September, no more excuses! Stay tuned!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Umbrellas

I'm always on the hunt for the bright umbrellas of
summertime. Found this recently in my travels
and I'm thinking about it as a painting. But I
would want to 'punch up' the girls sitting together
because pleasure moments is what I am after.
I seek to paint people enjoying themselves or
others because I want my paintings to remind
any viewer to do exactly that - have fun and
enjoy yourself!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

"The Conversation" completed

Posted by PicasaAt last I have finished this painting. And
I have changed the title to "The Listener".
After working on it over these many weeks
I saw that it was really about the woman who
was receiving her friend's communication.
She is calm and attentive, just the sort of
person we need to hear our thoughts and
concerns.
Let me know what you think please. It really
matters to me to hear how it has affected you
and how well I got that communication across.
Thank you!

Monday, May 23, 2011

"The Conversation" part 5

It's much closer to what I am after. Painting things into submission so I can get the main event of the window and the 'girls' to shine. Love the black shape of that sweater! But WHY is this format like this now? I have NO idea!
Posted by Picasa

Thursday, May 19, 2011

"The Conversation" part #4


I don't have a deadline for this piece as I often do. And so I am letting it 'simmer' in between the times I work on it. I have a vision for it, but at this point I am simply getting the elements carefully worked out. There is the perspective to it all, the odd and mysterious shapes of legs and napkins under the table, the very subtle tone and color changes of the walls, window moldings, etc. It is rather like building a house. You first must have a vision for what you want. Then you have blueprints (or the sketch you make for the painting) and then you build the structure. Only then do you return to your vision and make the necessary changes that bring that vision to life. Or else it is just a copy of the physical universe. In that case, might as well just make a photograph!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

"The Conversation" part 3




I'm working to get everything major in place so I can make judgements about how light or dark I want those things to be. That part under the table is challenging because it is hard to tell from the photograph exactly what is going on. As a painter, you have to know what the H is going on and paint with understanding!

You can see that the photo I am working from is partly showing on the lower right.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

"The Conversation" part 2!


Just getting started and working out the window which is where I want emphasis of the lightness of the tones of the leaves that cast a sort of glow on the ladies who lunch and chat!

Friday, April 29, 2011

Something extra


This lovely fellow was a gift I did for a friend for whom I did a large commission. I thought you would like to see it. It is just 5" x 7" and I used alkyd paint to get it done and dry in time.

New work - "The Conversation"



This work is 24 x 36 inches. It is meant to

be a testimony to friendship and the pleasure

of conversation.



I want the glow of the leafy green trees

outside the window to somehow transmit

the magic of true connection, being to being.



Keep your eye on this as it develops!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

My latest commission - Windy Hill


This painting was commissioned as a birthday gift. Three

family members got together to have me do this painting of

the home of the 'birthday girl'.

It was quite a project because while they wanted a springtime

scene, it was in snowy February that I was getting started on

it! So just a week ago, the fabulous cherry tree on the right

burst into bloom and I got the last part done in time for the

presentation.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Helping our fellow man in Japan

Dear ALOG Members and Friends,

We have all been stunned to see what the Japanese people have been enduring in these recent days. Three major disasters (earthquake, tsunami and Nuclear plant issues) and then on top of that it snows. What it has to be taking for these people to endure through this I can only guess at here in the warmth of my home.

I was very impressed to see that this site called Daily Painters (www.dailypainters.com) is doing a special fundraising effort for several agencies that can distribute needed help to the beleaguered Japanese.

Please look at it and see if there is anything you would like to bid on and then you can pick the agency you wish to receive the funds you have paid for the painting you will receive.

Click here: The DPW Painting Challenge! - The Help Japan Challenge

The innate resilience of mankind in the face of disaster will surmount all this, but in the meantime let us remember that Life is a Team Effort. So however you help, do help in some way.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Starting a commission

This is a gift commissioned by the family of someone who will
be celebrating a 'big' birthday! It took quite some time to get
the drawing done so very carefully. I went out to the house
and took lots of photographs so that I could suggest the best
angle. Seemed to me that the full house, full on, was the best
to do. The clouds were spectacular the day I went and so they
will be part of the drama of this early spring view of the home.
AND you get to see my loaded work area!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Stage Four of 'Bicycle' Painting

Here you can see that I have repaired the back wheel of the
bike so it is more properly in perspective as I mentioned in
my last post about this painting. Also the railings have been
improved upon and I have done more work on the 'girls'
who are enjoying themselves.
See what you think and let me know!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Invitation to my other blogs

Dear Friends of Joy of Art Forever!

I have two other blogs which you may not have seen. The links are on the right side of this, my main blog.

But you can go to Art and Life Interwoven right from here: http://artandlifeinterwoven.blogspot.com/

Let me know what you think!

Thank you!

Stage Three of 'Bicycle' painting

This painting is quite an interesting challenge which I am
sharing with you as I develop it. The bike needs work in
that the back wheel is the same width as the front wheel and
that is NOT proper perspective! I have made the changes
now, and have refined the railing behind the bike as well as
taking more care to refine the faces of the gals enjoying
themselves. Soon I will post that image so you can see
how I improved it!
Would anyone like to suggest a title?

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Stage Two of 'Bicycle' painting

This is the first overall painting layer done in one sitting.
Probably around 2 hours of work. I am mainly working on
the tones of the ladies at the tables, and getting all of them
right in relation to each other before attention to details or
specific colors.
This painting is 23" x 29". It is a 'custom' size for a
particular frame I have for it.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Beginning a new piece


I don't generally use a ruler. But if there are really long
lines in the painting, or a lot of perspective that needs to
be really right, it saves me a lot of trouble if I find something
needs changing after I get into applying paint!
The thing is, doing this before I start painting gives me the
control I need to get it down right. Then I follow those drawn
lines with careful application of paint (but no ruler), and it
doesn't look mechanical because of the aliveness of my hand
and body movement, however slight. Doing it this way gives
life to those lines.

This is the beginning of a cafe scene at night. I love the bike
which has its own perspective challenges!

In order for this painting to have the composition I wanted
I added pieces of paper to the edges of the photo.
If you go to my teaching blog, you can find out more.
The link is on the right side of this page....Teacher Tips.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Flowering into the New Year

So what are you nuturing so that it flowers for
you this year? This is a collage I made from
bits and pieces of my watercolor paintings
along with some photographs I took. Soon
I will be showing you my latest work in
progress, but I am still in the 'get it together
for the new year' mode!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

What will the new year hold?

What lies ahead? Lucy is looking
down the road to see. She tells me
there is expansion of happiness
for all my friends and family.
And for her too, of course!
Happy New Year!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Moonlight and holiday lights


This month we had such a gorgeous full moon that came
in tandem with everyone's holiday lights. I was able to
catch this shot just as the moon was coming up and I do
think it should probably be posted on my Art and Life
Interwoven....my other blog to which you can find the link
on the right side of this page.
Wishing you a new year filled with all you desire on every
level of life and living!

Waaaaaaaaaaay too much dessert!




The first part of this holiday meal was
fantastic, but the visual art is in the
desserts! Greek delights that are
homemade and delicious!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

To all of you who have made this year so wonderful.
May your holidays with friends and loved ones be just
as you imagined it to be!