January Thaw

 

acrylic on canvas   16x20

Shirley’s Posies two

Shirley’s Posies two               watercolor     11x14

This is the same idea as the previous post. A light hearted, not very exact rendering of some kind of floral. In both of these, I wanted to leave white space to create a more casual look and also the show off the warm color. Dots repeated here and there for entertainment and strips in contrast to curly shapes of flowers.

Rick’s Landscape

Rick’s Landscape        acrylic          16x20

This was a struggle….several versions painted over while considering texture and non-texture, line and shape, complementary colors, color dominance (color theme) and value. This landscape (for that is what it turned into- I guess) is very different subject and color and feeling for me. I was not at all sure I liked it. However, one of the first people who saw it took it away to his office-Thanks Rick. Now a month later as I look at the image, I think he was right to latch onto it.

Favorite Things. Red Vase

Favorite Things. Red Vase               16x20    acrylic

This acrylic is an effort to join real, recognizable with abstract structure and texture. There is a repeated ‘slight curve’ theme found on flowers, vase, background, and stamped textures texture. Flowers in a vase is of course a common subject and I think I will do a few more

Abstract Study

 Abstract Study  acrylic       16x20

Waterfront

 Waterfront 1       acrylic on canvas 18x18

      

 Waterfront 2     acrylic on canvas 18x18

                             

 Waterfront 3           acrylic on canvas 18x18

These acrylic abstracts were inspired by studying the on-line videos posted by Joe DiGiulio. I liked what he has to say about a ‘plan’. He uses the concept of Dominance. Joe divides his paper roughly in 1/3 to 2/3 for major space divisions and then thinks about 75% of the dominate color. I divided the remaining 25% between the warm complement and neutrals. (the numbers appealed to me)

Naming an abstract motivated by shape, size and color is up for grabs. My husband named these. If you have another suggestion for name, please feel free to pass it on.

Bits and Pieces

Bits and Pieces     acrylic on canvas 16x20
This is the first acrylic effort that I got excited about. I started with grid drawn with a pencil and fresh color. The color got more neutralized, lower intensity as the mixing continued. The thought s were on variety: to not repeat the same shape or color or intensity or texture.

Bits and Pieces    acrylic on canvas 16x20

This second effort has more soft edges. I liked this too.  more on the way.

Doodles  Pencil    4.5x5

Sometimes it is great to be unproductive !!!

BARN 124 Up and AWAY 72x800 watercolor, acrylic and more.

This barn has been unfinished for about a year. I was unhappy with the whiteness of the lines. I am now experimenting with acrylics and decided to apply acrylic washes to modify the whites and edges. Now I think it is ok. What do you think?

Flower Shop #10 #11 #12 #13

Flower Shop  #13    watercolor and mixed  media   10x11

 

Flower Shop #12       watercolor and  mixed     10x11

 

Flower Shop  #11     watercolor and mixed    10x11

 

Flower Shop  #10     watercolor and mixed     10x11

This may be the last of these for a while.  I did them more than a month ago and just have been too busy to down load them.  I like the pigeons.  I now have a full sheet coming soon and again have  my thoughts returning to the barn series.

Flower Shop Series #7 #8 and #9

Flower Shop #9 WaterColor and Mixed 10x11

This one has a lot of opaque. Again not sure that I like the effect in my work…at least in this application.

 

Flower Shop #8                WaterColor and Mixed 10x11

Flower Shop #8 bit more abstract with design and calligraphic entertainment. It is a relief after all those green compositions – a bit warmer and mellow.

Flower Shop #7 WaterColor and Mixed 10x11

This one has very much the same feel as #6.

If you have been following this blog you might notice I change the name of this series. The ‘Green Purse’ seemed to have lost whatever energy it had.

Flower Shop Series #5 and #6

Flower Shop #5 Watercolor and mixed media 10x11

 

Flower Shop  #6 10x11 Watercolor and mixed media

I like the line and texture of both of these. More coming.

Flower Shop Series #1 #2 # 3 and #4

My new GREEN PURSE Series   ..... Four here today and more on the way
Am listing these out of order because I am not very fond of #1.

Flower Shop #4    11x10  watercolor, mixed media

For some time I have been feeling that I want to use more line. The use of line takes the composition decidedly away from ‘real’ and makes it more painterly. Line is great contrast to the smooth watercolor wash. I like this best so far. More to come.

My new GREEN PURSE Series is based on a photo taken while a friend and I were at a nursery shopping for Asiatic Lilies and whatever other perennials we could find. The heron is inspired from ‘yard art’ a long time resident of my garden. This is the second series from this gardening establishment about an hour’s drive north along the Mississippi River. The first series was a study with the buildings and pots dominating the composition and a smaller image of my sister ready to buy an iris.


I like this subject- people I love; flowers and pots (which are excuses for warm color and soft washes) I have in abundance around our home; buildings ( make excuse for straight lines). I fill the page with shapes, touching the edges of the paper-large and small.






Flower Shop #1    watercolor, mixed media   11x10

This is #1- Just a planning sketch to see what to do. I thought the leaves on top were too cluttered so I eliminated them in the next studies. I do not like it much

 

Flower Shop #2    watercolor, gauche, mixed media  11x10


Traditional watercolor method. I like the freshness. The composition is better.



Flower Shop #3      watercolor, mixed media  11x10

Gouache is much too difficult for this old watercolorist. I have been studying Donna Zagota and thought I would try the opaque watercolor. But I think I will leave it to her-whose work is fantastic, creative, and fun.



Barn 123 RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

Barn 123 RAIN RAIN GO AWAY 22x30 watercolor, pencil, oil pastel

The motivation for this barn painting was a gift of a ceramic rooster found at a garage sale by a friend. I guess any excuse for putting paint in paper is better than cleaning house! I have had this painting almost finished for a few weeks. Then I added the kids playing the hay loft -waiting the the rain to go away. Van Gogh’s ‘Wheat Field with Cypress’ had some influence on those clouds-but I am sure he would be horrified at the implication. I finally decided that I like it.

La Push WA Sketches

1 La Push WA First Beach sketch 1

2 La Push WA First Beach sketch 2

2.2  at La Push WA First Beach sketching

3 La Push WA First Beach Fog Sketch 3

4 La Push WA First Beach Fog sketch 4

5 La Push WA SECOND BEACH sketch

6 Ruby Beach  WA  sketch

6.5 Ruby Beach  WA  sketching

7 Rialto Beach LaPush WA sketch 1

8 La Push WA First Beach  sketch 5

9 La Push WA First Beach driftwood sketch 6

10 Rialto Beach La Push WA shetch 4

10.5 Rialto Beach La Push WA   artist looking...

11 Rialto Beach La Push WA sketch 2

12 Deer Park Olympic National Park sketch 1

12.5 Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park   sketching

13 Deer Park Olympic National Park sketch 2

14 Hurricane Ridge   Olympic National Park sketch

15 tools

All sketches were completed in a 7x7 hard bound skectch book, WN paints in my travel kit, carried a bit of water in a small plastic bottle.

The cool Olympic Peninsula of Washington was refreshing change from the heat in Wisconsin this past week. We do not often visit the West Coast and delight in being there. I will probably never make a ‘real’ painting of any of these sketches. However this is my way of increasing the enjoyment of the beauty in front of me-of seeing it better. The making of a line-and-wash sketch takes considerably longer than taking a photo. So I take note of value difference of trees, angles of rocks color of water and sky, the smells of the ocean and sounds of crashing waves.

Someone wrote long ago………..
The seas have lifted up, O LORD,
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the LORD on high is mighty.


Also Ed Whitney talked of the relentless pounding of sea saying ‘move over’ and the rocks replying ‘not one inch’...the battles continues. And is great to watch.


So this is my offering…enjoy