Bay Watch

Here's my painting for Karin Jurick's current challenge on differentstrokesfromdifferentfolks.blogspot.com. My first attempt was more literal to the reference photo. It was ok, but not too interesting. So I decided to start again with a little different perspective on the scene and zoomed in on the female figure and put her on alert at the beach. Whether she's a life guard or just a mom watching out for the kids, I don't know. Technically, I still need to do some work. Ithink it could use more contrast and depth of colors, so I might come back and make her bathing suit a deeper color and also make her head a little bigger. After putting it down for a day or two, I can see where it can be improved, but over all I really like the composition and it gives the painting a little more of a story.

Blast from the Past - more collages

After the Sushi challenge, I thought I'd show you a couple of the challenges we had in our class. The red one is composed of torn paper, candy wrappers, packing cloth and pen. The green one is wrapping paper, a watercolor scrap, wall paper and magnolia leaves. When you just have a little time and want to play see what you can come up with.

DSFDF SUSHI

Here's my take on Karin Jurick's challange of sushi rolls on her blog, differentstrokesfromdifferentfolks.blogspot.com. Instead of paint, I chose collage, incorporating a soy label, origami paper and my watercolor paintings of the sushi and soy puddle. I couldn't see a good composition in the original photo, so by using collage I could add a lot of other elements and play with their placement until I was happy with it. It passes the "twirly test" as an old art teacher used to say. It really works well no matter which end is at the top.I had a lot of fun doing this. Also as a side note, there is a really cool book called "A Year in Japan" by Kate T. Williamson which is beautifully illustrated that also inspired the feel of my piece. Check it out on Amazon, and preview a few pages.

OH, Yeah....and abstracts, too

Look for future paintings based on these ariels. I love the shape and line. And after seeing Karin Jurick's choice of wigs in windows for her last challenge, we saw these manniquins in a window!! It was a store selling retail display racks, hangers and manniquins... Looks like a pretty good price for a new body! Too funny!

BACK AND READY TO WORK

After a 4 week vacation to New Zealand and Australia I'm back with 4000 pictures as reference material! It was an awesome trip and puts me back in the mood to paint some landscapes and incredible skies. Here's a few New Zealand shots. I was also inspired to do some abstracts after viewing and learning about Aboriginal art. (I see dots in my future). It's incredible how the work has proliferated since the introduction of canvas and acrylic paints since the 1970's. There are some very traditional works which relate tribe stories, and then lots of abstracts that have departed from the story telling. They were pretty amazing. We also visited the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney and well as the art museum of Christchurch which was pretty cool too. I went knowing nothing about artists of the area, but there is a lot of European influence there, obviously, since it is part of the Commonwealth. So as soon as I'm over jetlag and get settled back in (and laundry done) it's paint to paper!!

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!