Dinner In Pasadena

Here is the first night of dinner with art friends. I am sorry I did not take picturs but I decided to bring my big camera in case I could capture something for a winter painting project and it doesnt flash and is so heavy I did not drag it around. Unfortunately!!!! But here is a  picture of Joyce Faulknor, Laurie Humble, Guy Magallanes and I having supper and chatting like crazy! It was fun to meet so many artists whom I have been visiting with online but never met! This was the beginning of a wonderful 5 days with friends!

ACT International Invitational

I was invited by Karen Vernon to participate in the first Act International Invitational and there are now over 100 aritsts from 3 countries involved. You can read all about it at http://artguildtexas.org/act.html 

I wanted to take pictures as I went along on this process but it was my first time ever on Ampersand and it was sure a struggle back and forth...I think if one would stick with it you could get some amazing results! I tried to do my glazing but not sure it worked as well as I had hoped. But it is done and I hope to paint more on this board through the winter months and if I get the hang of it I surely will pass along the info to you!!! SO here is my entry, Evening Peony, and it is 12x12 on a 2 inch deep cradled board. It is watercolor on aquaboard.

I'm Back!

Well I am back from the Art and Learning Expo in Pasadena. It was not full like years before and that is in part due to the economy. many classes only had 2-5 students in them and so that was tough. I did meet alot of people including a few of you from here which was wonderful!!
I wanted to get back to the clothespins but a new deadline is looming. I have been asked to participate in ACT International Invitational 2010. It requires that I paint in watercolor on Aquaboard and the format is 12x12. I have it now and will begin today hopefully to figure out what I am painting so that I can hit it hard...as it should be shipped within the next few weeks...so I will be showing you that as it progresses. I think I am going to enjoy this new surface for something different and will try to talk through problems and what I learn in case any of you would like to try that surface as well. The fun part is the paint sits on top and so it is more brilliant and you can wipe down to white very easily. Also you varnish it so it doesnt need to be under glass. The piece I will be doing has about a 2 inch cradle in wood so it will be already framed once complete which is a very nice thing!! We will see how this progresses and then on to the clothespins as I have so many lining up here that I want to do it is overwhelming! That is why I do not mind winter and being locked in...I paint like crazy and it is wonderful! This year I am setting up my hulahoop near my studio and making myself really use it inbetween washes...ha! Hopefully it will keep my back in better shape with all this tight painting! Glad to be home!

Winter Has Come!

We really missed fall this year...winter has come 3 weeks early. It came in the night on high winds from the north. A few days ago I took a picture of the back deck...the flowers were fading but still color...the second picture is today...everything is black and frozen...cold and howling winds...oh boy...Pasadena is going to feel mighty fine!!!

Shipping To Pasadena!

Today I shipped a painting and 50 tracings to Pasadena so that is that. I still want to think about what I am doing a little...never had to actually have a workshop in 3 hours...usually that is a demo...but they want people painting etc...so this is strange. I will talk more in my master still life class on Friday. Egads...that is a week from today that I am teaching my first class! I got sick and had to go through urgent care and got a Zpack so hopefully I will begin to feel better...that made me nervous as I tend to get bronchitis so easy. Hopefully this will tide me through. I am really excited to see how this all goes. So many people to meet and exciting things to try out. I will try to take pictures and fill you in on all of it so you can see what these art and learning expos are like! I believe they are similar to the old art and materials shows...it just is a newer version. The picture shows me working on all those tracings for classes and my dear George sitting there on my art table watching the birds. He is now 14 and I am going to really miss him one day!!!