SPLASH 12

I am back from Chicago and had a wonderful time and now resting so I can go out to my daughters in Oregon and help her for a few days. It seems summer is slipping away from me but I am glad I could meet 10 artist friends in Chicago and now be with my daughter. Life is good!
I just received a link that previews SPLASH 12 that is out now from North Light books. I have a 2 page spread of the green grapes painting. This just shows one page but also shows you some of the other wonderful art in the book. I have always loved these books and know you will too. There is so much to learn from looking at the work of other artists and what they have to say.
While in Chicago I saw this book as mine has not arrived yet and it is really a stunningly beautiful book that you will enjoy!
http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/57862226?access_key=key-gr9n6kis9wpwdhqeifd

Yellow Rose Watercolor

I finally got the programs working so here is my first installment on the new painting of a yellow rose. I will be gone now for 2 weeks so will have to paint like crazy when I get back but I am enjoying this painting so it will not be hard to get back into! The trick in stacking colors with yellow is not to make green!! ha!  The background is going to be dark so I hope that is going to make the rose sing!

Sorry About Such A Delay!

I have been absent far too long! I am so sorry but life just keeps getting in the way. I was gardening for a week or more trying to weed it well because I was gone so much last year teaching...well then came in and did manage to do some painting and then my computer got a virus...finally got the computer home and they have somehow removed the photo program so now I have to take it back in tomorrow! ha! BUT!!! Tomorrow afternoon I should be able to post where my new painting is at...I have left my son's dog and my daughter's cat for awhile and when things seem more normal around here will finish them off. I did work some on the dog too but will wait for that final post.
I leave June 3rd for Chicago where I will meet 10 artists and we will run with our cameras for 5 days taking pictures of everything we can see! It will be such fun. Then I will be home 10 days and then off to help my daughter at her store in Oregon for a bit...I do not have anything else scheduled until Aug so I should be able to finish the three paintings up and begin the next during that time...YIPEE! I had such grand intentions but I am allowing myself time to play this year which I have not done in a number of years. In fact, I have begun to save papers to begin a collage at some point! Yes you heard me right! AND I might begin plein aire painting and am looking forward to that thought!!! I hope I can as I think that is the perfect thing for summers up here!
So...hang in there with me...I hope to update you tomorrow of where I am at on my new piece! 

L'Art De L'Aquarelle

I am in the new L'Art De L'Aquarelle art magazine from France. It is No 8 and will also become available in the English version at a later date. So obviously I cannot read it to know what it says but I have 6 pages and am in good company in this edition as Mary Whyte, Dean Mitchell and Cheng Khee Chee among others are in this one! I tried to take some straight pictures but could not get it right so gave up. I hope to find the images online and then I will post that for you to see. I have known about this since Oct but it kept being pushed back until now. I had to take pictures in my studio etc and so hired that done but none were used! ha! I am very happy to be in this lovely high gloss magazine! Watch for it at Borders etc, as you might see it there!

Girl With Cat Update

I have not been painting much as it was nice so have been outside doing the gardens but today it is windy and snow! Yes, you heard me right! It is bitter with ice forming on the docks. I am wrapped in a blanket as I type! I just cannot get warm. I thought I would update this painting in case I work on it some today yet. There is not enough info in my pictures to really help me with some of this and so I am just taking it slow. I hope that it will all work out and get done this week so I can move on! I have several drawings going and hope to start one soon if possible!

For those of you following this, my son was home and so he saw the Rotweiler painting below and a tear fell. He said it looked just like her and so I guess that was a success!

Girl with Cat Watercolor

I had hoped to rescue this painting but I fear that is not possible. Remember this was that new Arches Watercolor board and when it is wet it shows a different value...it grays a little and it is very impossible to lift off from without damaging the paper. So because of that I am not sure I will continue any longer as I do not think I can make it look correct at this point...the skin tones are no longer glowing in the shadow under her hair on the right side. I might just tuck this away and do it again some day on real Arches so that I can lift the hair and not paint around it...this has become too much work and perhaps no good results in the end. So I will let it be for awhile and see but it might be something I never complete. That is a first for me! I have always completed every painting started...but this surface was not what I expected at all. However I think for acrylics etc it would be wonderful. Anyway, I thought I would show you what has happened...and then just sort of move on! ha!
Wishing everyone a very wonderful and blessed Easter!

Rotweiler Watercolor Portrait Done!

I have been working on a portrait of my son's Rotweiler Taylor who passed away last year. I have been surprised how fast this went. Not sure I am totally satisfied as she did not have much shape.ha! She was almost 150 pounds I believe...solid and like a swollen wood tick with skinny legs. ha! It was hard to give her some shape! But I think it will do for now as I want to move on and can pick away at details later. She was a wonderful dog and I called her my grand-daughter as she was so lovely...gently and loved kittens and small animals. But she also could sink herself in the lake and pick a rock up and bring it to the surface! ha!!! So here she is...I think my son will be surprised when he comes home in a week or so.