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Summer In The Mountains

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Summer in the mountains and still sheltering at home away from public places. Amazing what one tiny airborne virus can do to an entire population worldwide and I hope that all of you are healthy and observing safe methods of keeping that way. During this time artists around the world are finding online avenues to showcase their work, to teach workshops and to sell.  As an artist I've found it a time to reflect on life and on my work as a whole...the two go hand in hand it seems. I've found new ways of working with acrylics and with oils! And my paintings have become more abstract! Not sure if the chaos in the world is to blame...but I feel this has been a very positive outcome! Oh yes...the title...today I took some images in my front yard which is completely natural except for the gravel drive leading to the house. Thought you might like to see some of my inspirations. The Hostas in Full Bloom Hydrangeas drenched by daily rainshowers! ...and a surprise lily found hiding among
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Introspection

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With isolation during this time, I find myself being far more introspective than usual. Do you find yourself asking questions like....what's the point of painting every day when no one can view my work? how can I sit down to create when I feel so alone...or so stressed out....or so tired. And when good news does come, the doubt that going out will just spread the virus further weighs on your mind? What do artists do in times like this....well.... I for one, do not give in to the negatives! I may be the only one who ever views my artwork during this time (except for friends on social media, of course) but I will keep going to the studio each day because that's what I do. I paint. I organize. I sketch. I take photos and catalog my work. I experiment. I've found that without any pressure to produce, my work has taken a new turn toward a more non objective style. I look at paintings from several years ago and realize an evolution has taken place. I've found a new joy in m
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Prayer and A Field of Grass

Quote Peter Leavitt " “Let ourselves see the constant prayer a field of grass makes.” How often do we sit (during this time of isolation from family and friends) and ponder how life can throw curve balls into the best laid plans for activities, for work, for life in general. I have lived for more than 70 years and do not remember a time when all the things I might want to do were not available! But today I sit alone at home and watch the grass literally growing outside my front door. Yes, it's spring and that's the natural thing for grass to be doing....but.... When I saw this quote today by Peter Leavitt "Let ourselves see the constant prayer a field of grass makes", I thought of how blessed I am to live in a country that values the freedom of worship. Today in many countries around the world, Christians are being martyred and churches burned, in the hopes of crushing Christian faith. But true faith cannot be crushed or defeated because the spirit lives on,
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Sketching My Way To Art

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In the past my sketching has been sporadic and most of those sketch pads can't be found but recently I was inspired by a new way of looking at my sketches to find out what it is I like about them and be able to infuse that into my abstract paintings. So here goes...today's sketches.  Every morning I sit on the porch and gaze at the mountains through the trees...the winter bare branches show character which can't be seen in the summer with all the green covering them. This is one of the things that inspires me...the layers of sky, mountains, tree branches. But I found today when thinking about what inspires me and what I want to include in my abstract way of working is that the realism is not what fascinates me. How I feel when I sit gazing through the trees is what I want to capture! Here are four more small sketches from this morning.... My bottle tree, the tulip tree, dead hydrangea blossom and dead hosta blooms were things that caught my eye, a
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Out of Business

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I suppose that's the best way to end this blog...out of business! Blogging unless done through one's website is no longer as popular as it once was. Faster more efficient means of keeping in touch are winning more and more followers. Instagram makes it easy to post a pic and to respond. Facebook pages have become more of a blog and lengthy posts are not read. I've enjoyed the sharing with all of you. Sincerely carly hardy A painting from 2014 Marsh
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Looking Back - Looking Forward

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Wow, hard to believe that this year is almost over but looking back, I realize that a lot has been accomplished. Maybe not all that I thought would be but then plans change all the time. First, I've tabled putting so much of my time into creating art. Does not mean that I haven't painted this year but I've found that other ideas have given me new channels for creativity. Most of you know that I've worked as a volunteer with the FAITH organization at their Furniture Shop since moving to the mountains, and this year I applied and got the position as Assistant Manager. Talk about change (that was my word for last year)! Still not sure what the word for this year is. I did take a quiz on FB and it said my word was "Success" for 2019....so I hope that's true. A new job! A new Etsy business! Maybe my word should be busy!  I've upcycled old lamps into a more boho look with wire shades and those old timey light bulbs. Took a ton of old jewelry parts and C
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Painting Abstract Plein Air

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This is a demonstration using oil pastels in outdoor painting (plein air). My set up shows two substrates ready for painting. I chose two because the first painting takes some time drying when the turpenoid is applied giving me ample time to create the second painting alla prima. I'm standing on a floating dock next to the Altamaha river. 1. The set up     A pad of Sennelier oil pastel paper (in case I have time for a larger work)     Two small pieces of Ampersand sanded paper      Set of Sennelier oil pastels 2. The pad is used behind the Ampersand as a backing.     First layers of oil pastels are applied to the horizontal sheet.     The first image shows the riverbank in the direction I'll be painting. Loose strokes are used to apply shapes. Then using the turpenoid, I brush over the oil pastels blending. While the turpenoid is drying, I work on the second painting. Using a small box of mixed brand oil pastels which are harder than the Senn
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