Inspiration!

Driving in the truly beautiful summer

countryside here in Maryland is inspiration

for my work. Lately I have been doing

more driving out and about and there

have been some truly gorgeous vistas.

Fortunately it is not far from my over-built

town to get out into the county. Here is

what I saw on my way to another winery

that could be a possible place for my work.

Commission arrives at its home!

So here it is, up close and on the wall as well! The

proud owner smiles beneath and I am so very

happy that it all turned out so well. Work that

is done long-distance can be really challenging!

Especially abstract pieces that take on a life of

their own. I look forward to hearing your comments

about how you think it looks in place at last!

Commission

Last year I completed this commission and shipped it rolled up in a very long mailing tube to Texas. It measures 36" x 60". My client took it to a frame shop where they stretched it and this is what it looks like now. I will post a few more shots of it in place over the next few days. But I thought you would like to see it at its destination! Tell me what you think!

These are the TRUE colors!

OK, so the nature tour continues! I could hardly

believe the BLUE ivy when I was looking straight

at it, but nevertheless, there you have it!

Clothesline vine

My dad was a professional photographer. His

excellent eye gave me the education to develop

one too. I only hope it is half as good as his.

At dinnertime, when I was growing up, my dad

would often bring photos he had taken for one

of his fascinating jobs. He would explain why he

composed the shot the way he did. It was a

painless education in composition. And of course

I saw his countless photographs and slides over the

years and barely realized just how much I was

learning in the most wonderful of ways ~ by

observing!

When I started teaching art, I realized that

while I understood composition, having absorbed

it all those many years, I had to actually knuckle

down and pull together a way to teach my students

what it is ~

the heart of any piece of artwork ~ good composition.

Thanks Dad!

Blatant

OK, so today I am wanting to post something for

you just for the heck of it, because it is beautiful.

This was in front of my car on a wall in a parking

lot. Rather electric, wouldn't you say?

I am painting, but you will have to wait to see it

as it is not yet 'dressed' enough to present!

Enjoy this instead and keep looking around you

for the great little beauties in everyday life.

Dinner Party Fun!

We each make an 'art' gift to give

at the dinner. A number is given to

the attendees as they arrive and when

that number is called, they can pick

whatever they want from the table!

And what was in that long tube? A

handmade and embellished walking

stick. There were many wonderful

original pieces and we always wait til

everyone has theirs and then we all

open them together! (you have to be

a grownup for this...). Then we each

get to show the art gift we got. Very

special and a good way to end our year!

Now we're in recess til September.

Take a look at http://www.alog.org/

to see more of what we do.

Who ARE these people???

Twenty-five years ago, I founded The Art League

of Germantown. I'm really proud to say that our

numbers have now reached near critical-mass!

We have over 80 members. About half of them

made it to the end-of-the-year dinner and here

you see most of them having a really good time

being waited on. We work so much the rest of the

year, we like the reverse flow for the wrap-up to

a busy year.

Check out my Slide Show!

Since I have been posting a few pics of the reception

each day, I thought just going for the whole thing

would be better! Besides, seeing all these at once

(and NO, these are not all my photos of the event!)

would give a closer 'feel' to how it was. So there you

have it.

Art viewing at the winery

Some friends and visitors to the winery looking

at my work (always gratifying!). And then a shot

of the whole place with the wine bar on the right

and the art on the walls to the left. Gives you an

idea of the set up. It was so enjoyable for all who

came from their comments and smiles!

At the reception

In this shot you see me between two guests. This

is my table with guestbook and various promotion

pieces so people can find out more about what I do.

Behind the three of us is the winery. The walls with

my artwork are on the left, and the lovely long wine

bar is on the right. It was just the right touch to have

both together.

The smile of an artist!

Hang it all!

The day came this week, after months of creating

new works and all that goes into it. My wonderful

friend Robin (on the right) and my new and angel-like

assistant Kathy helped me hang the winery show!

(If I called Robin angelic, she would get a devilish

look just to prove me wrong!)

I, smiling in the middle, could not have done this on

my own. Robin had the SUV and between that and

my own vehicle, we loaded twentyeight pieces and

set forth up the road to www.frederickcellars.com

where tomorrow night the reception will be.

Expect to see more photos soon.

Announcement!

One-person show in Frederick, Maryland for the month of June

Lynne Oakes is the artist of the month in a one-person show
at the Frederick Cellars Winery.
The theme is "Up Close and Far Away"

and will begin with an opening reception on June 7th
from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the winery.

This is also Frederick's "First Saturday",

a monthly event which showcases the town's shops and galleries.
For directions, go to www.frederickcellars.com

What have I been doing?

No new posts for a good while now. This is because I am in the
throes of preparing for a one-person show for the month of
June. Today I opened the box of 19 small frames I ordered
and began framing small panel paintings for this show. My
photographer has about 5 new pieces that she is shooting
before the show and I still need to varnish two of them. So
the blog is on hold for the moment. Just to let you know what's
up around The Joy of Art Studio!

Demonstration of glazing with oil paint

This is a shot that includes everything I was working

with to demonstrate how you glaze color over a

dry underpainting. The underpainting was done

in raw umber and titanium white and allowed to

dry completely. Then layers of color are applied,

each one needing to dry before the next one is put

on. I use an alkyd medium as the glaze medium.

In the 'olden days' I made my own glazing mixture.

But hey, I don't use tin cans and string to make

calls anymore either!

What I've been doing!

This past weekend was the spring show of our

Art League which I founded some 25 years ago.

When one is doing an art show there is a great

deal of preparation leading up to it, actually being

there and doing the various jobs and then breaking it

down and putting one's materials and paintings

away. I did a demo of how to do glazing in oil

painting. I'll post a shot of that eventually. This

gives the big picture to the variety of work done

my our members and the very good attendance

that we get.

More art show

Here is the painting you saw some time

ago. All framed up and hanging at the

show. While it hasn't yet sold, it had a

lot of very good feedback and so I know

it finds a good home eventually!

Here it is!

"Lakeside" (working title) 30" x 40"

There are a few details of small branches and leaves

yet to do, but here it is pretty much a done deal.

It's the signature piece for an upcoming show I am

doing, so whew! Now it's done.

I have had a lot of satisfaction doing it, but none like

my four year old assistant's daughter looking at it

with great care and seriousness and saying with

such intent: "It's beautiful". So I'm happy.

Can't fool children.

The next update on the lake painting

About ten hours went into bringing this to its latest

incarnation. Worked mostly on the lower part

and some on the far background. Water details

like the reflections and ripples as well as modifying

the lavendar will come next, then the fun part of all

the stuff about the trees and branches. I will also do

more on the shadows that are falling across the rocks.

Quite a challenge, but really interesting to do.

One for me - Last Stage (almost)

It will take some close looking to see what other

little touches I've added. This is not a test however!

I may yet do more, like the too-dark window that

needs some lightening so it isn't such a 'hole' in the

painting! Otherwise, it is pretty much done.

After I do a painting and have taken it as far as

I can, I will leave it for a while and then review it

to see if I still consider it fully done. If I do make any

changes, they are never big ones. I have learned

over the years how to work in such a way as to never

have to do any drastic changes. I pass on these

trade secrets to my students!

One for me Stage 4

So now the subtle stuff is coming to life with the

various refinements I am choosing to make.

With details one must sometimes FORCE oneself

to hold back until near the end.

I am liking the results!

One for me Stage 3!

Well I just went to town on this one as you can see!

I really did this all in an afternoon, just couldn't wait

to see it come to life more and more. But what a lot

to handle in the way of greens - warm greens, cool

greens, light greens, dark greens, GREENS! But now

the feeling I am looking for is emerging...

One for me Stage #2

Some of you have commented on enjoying seeing

how I develop my work. So here is the next stage

of the house. Such a LOT of green to deal with.

Also, getting the tones (values) of the roof and sky

just right as they are pretty close.

One just for me

Starting this painting for ME! It is quite special

in my life...but I will let the story unfold as I post

the development of it. Quite the GREEN challenge!

Lots of it to work with in front of and behind the

house.

Starting up a big one!

This painting is 30 x 40, the largest one I've done

in a while. It requires a LOT of standing back to

assess the effects I'm creating. This is a scene of

the lake behind my studio. I am still incredulous

about the actual occurence of violet in the water,

but it really was there. So stay tuned for the coming

installments. I think it is interesting to see how

artists develop their work and I hope you find it so

as well. This is the first go in one session after the

drawing underneath.

On my studio desk

I have been trying to get just this

photo for ages. So I had a cup of

water on my studio desk and my cat

was very interested in it. Sometimes

she will do this....dip in her paw and

then lick off the water. It is quite the

operation to watch. Artful, I'd call it.

Full view of card

Here is the card opened out so you can see how

I wrapped it. There is even a little tab that wraps

to the inside of the card.

Carded!

For my son's birthday this year I

decided to make a card for each

year of his life. I've had great fun

doing it and each card gave me

inspiration for the next one. This

is one of them where I took something

I had in my boxes of collage material

and wrapped it around the cardstock.

Then I put the personal message on

top and inside is a statement of his

purpose as he told it to me. I am also

leaving that untold as that is up to him

to spread around the internet!

I have used gold and silver inks,

photos of my Dad's, collage pieces of

watercolor paintings that my Mom did

and cut up for later use. Now that they

are no longer here, I have used bits and

pieces of the creative work of their lives

to send on to their grandson, my dear son.

Maybe he'll consider this post as yet another

card of sorts!

Getting there!

This is just too much fun! There is SO much to see

in the scene and I keep finding more in it. But it

does not serve the painting to put in every little

thing. So it is really close to completion. The leaves

at the top of the painting need more filling in, for

instance. However, I am enjoying it so much that

I hate for the painting of it to end. I was with my

son on a shopping trip inSan Francisco when I caught

this shot. So now I getto relive the pleasure of that

day with him.

Please let me know how you like it. I really love it

when you comment on my work - all of you who see

what I am doing!

Just getting started

In a case like this where you have to be extremely

accurate about perspective, I am working from my

photograph and the sketch I did. Because the canvas

is small (10" x 20") I am using a Papermate

sharpwriter that will maintain thin lines. Charcoal

is what I use when I do underdrawings for paintings

on canvas, but in this case it would not work well.

There you have it for the moment. Oh yes, and that

is a piece of kneaded eraser - great for shaping to

take out tiny errors!

The last banner

After many months of squeezing in getting

the 7 banners done for the school I told

you about in an earlier post, I have now

done the last one. Here it is, the

quintessential graduation images.

I did the first banner with gold and

silver in the background. Then the

next three were the primary colors.

To finish up I went for the secondary

group and thus you have this orange

background! I hope to have a photo

for you of all the banners hanging

on their specially built structure!

It's their thirtieth year celebration

this month! Congratulations.

Almost done!

This wonderful tea set has been an unfolding

discovery journey. Everytime I go back in on

it, I discover yet more subtle reflections. I am

very amazed at the reflection splayed across the

wall behind the entire set. The window that is out

of sight on the left is pouring sunshine onto this

tray of silver. My parents had a beautiful tea and

coffee set on a silver tray. I can remember them

using it for company when I was growing up. Now

the idea of polishing silver is pretty much over.

Painting this set has brought back some very nice

memories and I hope it will do the same for the

future owners of this painting!

Reflecting!

I do love reflections that appear in shiny objects.

And then with the glass that you can see through,

well the problem of making it turn out well is

compounded. But what a lovely problem to have

and then when it has been recorded, I can have

a glass of vino and congratulate myself.

Once I heard a great interview done by the late

Charles Kerault. He was talking to an artist and

asked 'why do you paint'? And the artist said

(drumroll please) "To Thrill Myself"! Ah see?

We are our first audience.

By the way, this isn't quite done, but close!

Sides of glasses need 'shape tweaking'!

Update on painting progress

This painting is the most marvelous fun to do.

No way did I see all that was going on when I was

actually physically present. You know that a photo

will give you a frozen moment in time and so now

I have the luxury of really seeing all that was there

in that moment.

I only use my own photographs for my paintings

unless it is a commission where there is only the

other person's photo that can be used. On a few

rare occasions, there have been photos of family

members that I could use. But for the most part,

when I am shooting, I know what I need to have

in order for it to translate into a painting. I rarely

use my camera for anything else!

Razzle Dazzle

Well I hope you all liked the slide show.
I got a lot of good comments on them, especially
the last one of me at work. I am shown working on
a banner, one of seven that I have been doing for
a small private school where I taught art quite some
years ago. To show oneself at work was a tip
from Alyson at www.artbizcoach.com and you see
I took it to heart! She said that people like to
see artists doing what they do. The stars were
extra, but really, when I'm in the Zone, it can
sorta feel like that.
I have been painting a lot lately. Getting
ready for upcoming shows and needing more works
that have similar subjects to hang together.
So this is a sort of 'filling in' of what I
already like to do.
I'll post more progress pictures soon. I am
painting nearly every day now.
Wow, that is really something for me. I am
liking it very much. Think about my new ideas
'night and day'....spread my wings and fly away.
Oh wait a minute, that song has already been written.

Check out my Slide Show!

Progress on recent work

Painting such a scene is quite like a puzzle...what
pieces to put in first for the best effect in working
toward the completed image. I just love this gal
with her shopping bag swinging away from her
body, and her body all surrounded by the bright
sunlight of that October day. I see that the image
is not entirely captured here as the right side of
the wall is cut off strangely. I will look to do better
when I post the next stage.

On a roll with a glass of wine

I find a glass of wine quite beautiful to look at in

itself, but what is more intriguing is what gets

reflected in it. A glass of water doesn't have the

same height and coloring going for it to start with,

therefore my interest in the just filled wine glass.

(Of course that's my only interest!) Anyway, this

is the first go as of yesterday at this subject. I think

the purity of the clean tablecloth with its neat crease

and the as yet untouched glasses is quite beautiful.

Now to get in there with my very small brushes

and do the amazing reflections in both glasses. Also,

painting cubes of ice in water is quite the challenge!

Completed painting

Here she is. You can compare this to the
post several days back and see the subtle
changes I made.
I am calling 'Quiet Reflection'. Let me know
if you have a better idea! I did not make
this a piece full of great detail as it was
the tones and subtle colors that attracted
me to it in the first place.

Next!

OK so I'm on a roll. Or a tea biscuit as relates to

this barely begun piece. I began drawing this on

the canvas yesterday and roughed in the middle

and dark tones. Today I only had a little while

to work on it as I was teaching instead! But it was

good to have a painting in the early stages to show

my students why we are studying tone or value so

carefully!

The next one

After doing my taxes, taking part in a fabulous

coaching program and training my new and

wonderful assistant, I am now back at work at

my easel. This is the beginning of a 24 x 36

piece that struck me because of the light that

day. You will see it develop. Stay tuned.

Work on Display

You saw the colorful walls of a place that

I visited several posts ago. Well here

is my work on display there now. Mine

are the two pieces on the right, a pastel

portrait (for commission requests) and my

giclee called "Daydreaming".

In progress

This is what is currently on my easel.

This young lady was in the large open

lobby of our local art center. She was at

least 50 feet away from me and I managed

to get a few fuzzy hand-held shots of her

with the wonderful reflection. That is

actually what attracted me to this...the

relaxation of her position and the abstract

quality of the reflection. There is some

keystoning in the photo I took here which

makes it looks like I can't paint a straight

line. It happens when I get close the camera

too close to the thing I am shooting. Anyway,

I consider this about 2/3 completed.