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Showing posts from May, 2014

A Good Day Painting!

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You know when it's a good day painting because the canvas talks to you and responds with every stroke of the brush. This is a 36 x 48 oil on canvas that I began a couple of weeks ago but didn't have the time to put it on the easel again until today. I often begin a couple of paintings at a time with abstract color as an underpainting. Using acrylic inks is a great way to cover a large canvas with rich color and it can be whatever you choose! The first image is how the canvas looked when I placed it on the easel today. Then with the music (Eric Clapton) turned up, the fun began! One layer of oils over the underpainting....notice the green in the water! Next image, I've worked the clouds strengthening a diagonal line across the deep blue low lying clouds and graying down some of the cloud masses. And here's where I left the painting to "gel". The sky is lighter but still keeps that stormy quality and the water now reflects some of the light from

Inspiration From A Garden

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One of my favorite things to do each spring is visit the St Andrews Cemetery when the azaleas are in full bloom. Every pathway is filled with the lushness of pink and white azaleas and the dogwood blossoms twinkle in the early morning sunlight. A sense of calm drapes my shoulders like the spanish moss gently touching the branches and cascading to the ground. In the past several days, I've been working on a new mixed media piece that complements two other paintings in the same genre. All three depict ladies hidden within a garden scene. While painting this week, I began to think about the spring gardens at St Andrews and drew inspiration from my time there. The Scent Of A Garden 36 x 36 mixed media on gallery wrap canvas On display at Blondie's, A Coffee Shoppe, Broad St, Darien GA Grand opening on June 4th  

Adventure for Painting Class

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After sharing stories about Creighton Island and how inspirational it has been to my paintings, my Thursday Class requested an outing there. The owner graciously agreed to boat us to the island last Thursday so that the group could paint on the island. Here's a few pics to share that adventure with all of you. After a short boat ride, here's what the group dubbed  "The Perilous Approach". Frank's Front Porch was a popular spot for most of the artists!  But Betty found a cool spot in the shade! And the porch sitters had a lot of curious company! That's Steve the Bull! After lunch the group and I did a short walking tour. The views below are from the fire tower. Notice everyone but me is in the field below.....well, someone had to take the pic! We checked out the gator hole! Everyone was happy not spotting one! ....and we strolled thru the beauty of the island. Not a bad day for inspiration!

Too Cool Not To Share!

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Ok....sometimes you run across an idea that is just too cool not to share! This is one of those. Going to go to the studio tomorrow and begin with the nails in a board!! If you're an oil or acrylic painter, this is a perfect way to store those tubes and keep the paint flowing toward the top! This was found on a craft site...sorry, no one was given credit. You could also use a straight board across a wall and add the nails and clippies.

Landscape Redo!

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There are times when an artist (that would be me) just paints because there is no muse to excite the senses, no current project that needs a painting, or no thought of what the canvas should actually be about! One of the landscapes that has sat unattended against my studio wall is such a creation. It first began as a watercolor underpainting with fun colors flowing and blending into one another. Then it morphed into an abstract scene with rivers flowing and multi colored trees bending in the wind.....fast forward a year! The artist (also me) sits staring about the studio with no real thought of what to paint when suddenly, the corner of an abstract landscape catches her attention. Pulling it from the corner, the painting seems to be speaking "I want to be finished....paint me....paint me!" And just as suddenly the artist (me again) literally sees **** (well not real stars)....sunflowers!! all over the canvas. And you know what artists do when inspiration strikes.....!