The Southern Cross

I admit it - I'm addicted to blogging! Here I am in NewZealand on vacation and I'm posting. Amazingly I can get free internet access at the hotels we've been staying at (so far!). So maybe I can stay connected. We are off on a great adventure and boy what landscapes and skies I've photographed so far! The countryside looks a lot like my paintings from Scotland, and some of it looks like the hills in northern California. I have my card reader in hand, but there's no usb port, only monitor and keyboard. Maybe next hotel. But I decided to bring my watercolor pencils and a paintbrush. I painted our green lipped mussels we had for dinner, and a landscape so far, but I need to go to an art shop and buy paper, I brought a tiny journal, but it doesn't like water ;-(.

I'll get back on when I can. Karol....Keep on getting that blog set up!!!

My Painting Partner

I belong to a little artist group that meets once a week. This grew out of a few people who took painting lessons together and then our teacher moved away. We decided to continue meeting sans the instruction and have been doing so for 5 additional years. My friend, Linda, here creates the most amazing photos and collages. So last night I just painted her while she was focused on her work. Not bad for a quick little watercolor.

OK, I need feedback

Here's a painting that I'm stuck on. I got this far and don't know where to go. I have a love/hate affair with the red. The photo reference was really when we were on a boatride, and the shoreline is all (ho, hum) green and blue. I think the red is striking, but is it too much like hitting over the head red? Once I cover it up, I'll never be able to reestablish it again because of its transparence quality. What do you think?

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!

I've been tagged by R Garriott this past week. The photoshop tips are so useful and generous and I appreciate the notice my humble blog. So here goes, 7 unusual things about me:

1. I'm left handed and only use a Wacom tablet for a mouse. I don't see how anyone ever gets around with a mouse shaped like a shoebox. Definitely check it out, it is so much easier and intuitive.

2. I folded 400 origami birds for an art installation at my church (see above) - the trick was in the hanging!

3. I love to cook and have a cookbook fetish - I have over 400 cookbooks!

4. I learned to drive a stick shift in a 1953 MGTC - It made it all worth it!

5. I've zoomed down the Olympic bobsled run in Utah in a 4man bobsled - an adrenaline rush for 58 seconds.

6. I earned my private pilot's license on my 16th birthday - I could fly a plane alone before I could drive alone.

7. I'm taking all of my vacation and sick time at once for the year and packing my bags for New Zealand and Australia!!!! (So if I'm not posting for awhile, it's because I'm down under;-)

And now for my seven artists picks to tag. I've not been blogging long enough to know if you've been tagged before, if you have I apologize. So I've picked some of you who have honored me with comments on my blog, and those of you whose work I admire. Hope you will join the game and play too.
Lesley Spanos, Carmel Indiana http://www.spanosart.com/
Annie Salness, California http://anniesalness.blogspot.com/
Jessica Cook, Atlanta, Georgia http://www.jessicacook.com/
Theresa Miller, Geneva, Switzerland, http://theresamillerwatercolors.blogspot.com/
Jill Donahue, Baltimore, Maryland http://jilldonahue.blogspot.com/
Maria Kovalenko Leysens, Mars, Pennsylvania http://mklart.blogspot.com/
Laura http://lauraswatercolors.blogspot.com/

Thanks in advance for playing!

Getting ready for the big one

I'm getting ready to go on vacation again with camera in hand, so I thought I'd post a few landscapes from previous travels. I know when I get back, I'll be so inspired I won't be able to sit still. These are inspired from our trip to Scotland!