Bountiful 2

Bountiful is a painting from my imagination...we all know that there are no bunches of grapes this colorful but it sure was fun painting it!!! Maybe it's the pain meds... The painting is postcard size - 4" x 6" and is on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.  I used the Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils again on this one - I have no room by my recliner for my usual watercolor supplies.  I am captive in my recliner or wheel chair,painting is the only thing that is keeping me sane while I wait for back surgery in January.

Memories of Autumn

Well, I managed to complete another post card for the SWAP. It is 4" x 6" and is watercolor pencil on watercolor paper. This one is mostly out of my head from what I remember from a watercolor painting I saw on a calendar once and had in my art room sometime in the 1970's.  I loved the artist's work - he(?) painted landscapes of New England - usually with a lot of field stone fences and stark barns and buildings.  If anyone remembers who this artist might be - please comment.

Anyone For Postcards

I belong to a SWAP group who are swapping postcards.  During the next year we will create 24 small postcard paintings.  There are 24 members in the group and I will send 2 postcards a month to 2 members so that at the end of the year each member will have received 24 postcards and created 24 postcards.  What fun

Because I am temporarily confined to a wheel chair for 5 weeks, I am currently doing mine in watercolor pencil (Prismacolor), on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

The Cafe Verandah

Hello to all...I haven't been posting for some time because I have been wheel chair bound for 2 weeks.  I have been eperiencing a lot of back pain for some time and the specialist told me yesterday that I have spinal stenosis and will have to have surgery - not a fun time.

I have been able to do a little painting and have finished this watercolor for my Christmas card.  This is a painting of a successful restaurant in my town, the Cafe Verandah in Jackson Center, Ohio.  the painting is 8" x 10" and is on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

Bird Sanctuary

I finished this painting last night ... it is from the "all paint from one photo" November project for Watercolor Workshop.  This painting is approx. 8" x 10" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

McCullough Lake, Northwoods, Wisconsin

I included my photograph tonight for this painting - I wanted you all to know that the colors really are as intense as I am painting them.  This painting is 12"x8" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

View from the Bridge (in the style of Z.L. Feng

This is my version of the northwoods photo from Wisconsin in the style of Z.L. Feng.  This painting is 12" x 9" and is painted on 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico cold-pressed watercolor paper.  It turns out that it is more my style than Feng's - Oh Well!

Autumn Study in the Style of Z.L. Feng

When I received the August issue of Watercolor Artist magazine, I was immediately fascinated with the work of Z.L. Feng.  One of her paintings was on the cover and caught my attention and the article and photographs of her works sealed the deal!  I am a fan of Z.L. Feng.  In this particular painting I used the cover photo as my inspiration.  The painting is 10" x 8" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed Fabriano-Artistico watercolor paper.  I am now ready to use a reference photo I took this fall in Wisconsin and attempt this style of painting again - I'll let you know how things work out!

Still Life with Apples and Pear II

I finally was able to do some painting!  I have been so busy doing some commissions and have neglected my own art.

This painting was done from a photo I took last summer in my kitchen - in fact I took a series of pictures that day, so you will be seeing more of this subject. 

This painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Fabriano/Artistico cold-pressed watercolor paper. 

I pushed up the saturation in the photo and tried to paint the more intense colors - it was  a lot of fun!

"Just a Shell"

This is my daily creation today - the "shell" of an old pick-up truck left to rust away in a remote field somewhere.  The painting is 5" x 7" and is painted on 140 lb. Fabriano-Artistico cold-pressed watercolor paper.  You know I love vintage trucks and this is just one in a long series of truck paintings.  I found a small picture of this truck on the internet, don't know who posted it, so I will not attempt to show this in galleries or to sell it...you might say I just did it because I love vintage trucks and for the experience of painting it!!!

McCullough Lake in the Wisconsin Northwoods

This is a painting of one of my favorite spots - the overlook of McCullough Lake  in Natural Lakes near Boulder Junction, Wisconsin.  I painted this from the photograph I took when I was there in September/October of this year.  The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Fabriano-Artistico coldpressed watercolor paper.

Remembering

This is today's daily painting and also the lesson for Monday night's watercolor class at Riverside Art's Center.  The painting was done from a photo taken by my friend, Patty Magoto near Canton, Ohio at a restaurant that features a WW II theme.  The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed Fabriano-Artistico watercolor paper.

Still Life from my Kitchen

I painted this still life this afternoon while also doing the washing. My dear friend, Karol Rader, brought some fruit last summer and I took some pictures of the apples and pears on my kitchen counter.  The sun was coming in from my east window casting beautiful reflections and shadows.  This is from one of the pictures I took that morning...it is 5" x 7" and is painted on 140 lb. Fabriano-Artistico cold-pressed watercolor paper.

Best of Show! Wow!

I was elated recently to learn that I had been awarded "Best of Show" at the Juried Fall Show of the Riverside Arts Center at Wapakoneta, Ohio.  I was also elated to learn that the painting that won this award was one of my beloved vintage truck paintings.  As most of you know, I adore painting vintage trucks and this one is the latest in a long line... Yahoo!!!

The Lake Pines

I have been experimenting with trying to loosen up, so the other afternoon, I did a watercolor very loosely - it is approximately 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico cold-pressed waterolor paper.

Macdragon's Magnolia

This is the painting I have prepared for the class Monday night at Riverside Arts Center in Wapakoneta.  It is from a photograph by Macdragon which I found on WetCanvas.com - a great website for artists.  The photos are in a reference library and are there for artists to use, royalty-free.  The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Fabriano-Artistico cold-pressed watercolor paper.

The Old Buzzard House on County 13

I finished this painting this evening - it is the painting we will be doing at our Monday evening class this week at Riverside Arts Center in Wapakoneta, Ohio.  The source of this painting is a photograph which I took this summer.  I previously  painted a  different view of this old house earlier this fall for the September project of Watercolor Workshop.  The painting is 11" x 14" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed Fabriano-Artistico watercolor paper.

Beaver Lake from the Bridge

I painted this last Wednesday from the bridge that crosses the opening into Beaver Lake, in Natural Lakes, Wisconsin, in the Northwoods!  Wow! What a beautiful place!  This watercolor is 14 1/2 " x 11" and is painted on 140 lb. Fabriano/Artistico cold-pressed watercolor paper.  How I love this place!!!

Dunn Lake in the Northwoods

This is a painting I did last week in the northwoods of Wisconsin.  This is a painting of Dunn Lake which is in Natural Lakes, north of Boulder Junction.  Dunn Lake is in a very remote, secluded area and absolutely beautiful.  I thought that the areas of glassy, mirror-like reflections in the lake contrasted with the rippled water which was reflecting the sky made this scene fascinating.

Abandoned on County 35

This painting is for the Watercolor Workshop September project - paint something abandoned...so I had a photo I took one evening of a house that has been abandoned which is located on a remote county road in Logan County and decided to paint that.  The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on Canson 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

Arizona Poppy

This is a painting I just finished from a photo by David Richmond, a WatercolorWorkshop member.  This is going to be the first lesson for my intermediate watercolor class at Riverside Arts Center in Wapakoneta, OH.  This painting is 9" x 9" and is painted on 140 lb. Canson cold-pressed watercolor paper.

This Little Piggy Stayed Home

I did this painting today for The Daily Paintworks weekly challenge.  This painting is 6" x 10" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed Fabriano-Artistico watercolor paper.

I'm Baaaack!!! The Final "Rusting Through Retirement"

Well, after 6 days in the hospital and several here at home recouperating from 2 blood clots in my left lung, I am finally back to painting...it has been WAY too long for my taste.  I am doing okay - taking a lot of meds and trying to regain my strength and my breath.

I worked on this painting yesterday and finished it this evening - finally.  Now  I want to frame it tomorrow so I can enter it in a show on Thursday - I'm pushing it pretty close, I know!  Wish me luck!

WIP #2: Rusting Through Retirement

Well - this is the second installment of the WIP of the truck.  As you can see, I have many hours of painting ahead of me.  This painting verges on the illustrative...I like to push this type of painting  to the point of illustration, but periodically redeem it through passages of expressionistic watercolor.  Time will tell on this one.  I am challenging myself to use only mixed color in this one - no color is directly from the tube!

Rusting Through Retirement

Due to some health issues, my art has taken a hit lately!  But -I  started this one and am back painting.  This is 15" x 22" and is on 140 lb. Fabriano/Artistico cold-pressed watercolor paper.  I enlarged the photo in the drawing phase by using the grid method.  I plan to paint it one area at a time and then go back in and add darks/shadows, details where they are needed.  This is from a photograph by my friend Pamela Baker.

Collagraph: "Evil Woman"

"Evil Woman" - Collagraph

"Evil Woman" - Collagraph Plate

The Muses worked on a collagraph project this afternoon.  I got the idea from the blog of artist, Belinda Del Pesco, who has been experimenting in different printmaking methods.  This particular project  is done by creating a glue print, hand coloring and printing it with various colors of printmaking ink, and then by inking the glue print with black ink.  After it is dry, we embellished the print with colored pencils.  I often taught glue printing when I was teaching jr. high and high school art, but never with the added hand coloring which is printed in stages like a monoprint.  The Muses took theirs home today to finish and will bring back next week so I can photograph them.

After The Morning Rain

I finished this experimental painting today.  This is my stylized version of a peony after a morning rain.  It is 9" x 12" and is painted in watercolor on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

Abandoned on Logan County Road 13

Michelle and I painted this afternoon en Plein Air!  I love this old, rickety house and it was so much fun painting this today -also fun painting with Michelle!  This is watercolor on 9" x 12" Canson 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

WIP: After the Rain

This is a poured experimental piece I started during the weekend.  I introduced this technique to my intermediate watercolor class last evening...I think they enjoyed it but it was also difficult to embrace the concept of masking edges and highlights before pouring.  We poured with acrylic inks.  This painting is about  9 " x 12" and is on Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.  Hopefully it will be finished tonight or tomorrow.

Some New Photos for Painting

The Muses didn't meet yesterday so my friend Pamela Baker and I decided to make it a "Photo Op" day.  We spent the afternoon in Logan County, Ohio, a beautiful place.  Pamela is a professional photographer, so I didn't take near as many pictures as she, but what I did get, I like very much and I can see some paintings in my future!!!   These are 3 that I downloaded today.

Being with Pamela is so much fun - she gets so excited over old abandoned houses, tractors, trucks, etc.,  and of course that is right up my alley because as you all know, I love old trucks!!! (and old barns, old houses, old windows, etc. etc. etc.)

Cool Maine

This afternoon, I painted this scene for the August Watercolor Workshop project where everyone paints from the same photo.  This photo was provided by a member, Jane James, who named the theme for August to be "Cool!"

This painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Canson cold-pressed watercolor paper.

The Old Shed Truck

This was the painting I prepared for this week's lesson at Riverside Arts Center.  The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Canson cold-pressed watercolor paper.  The painters did very well with it tonight  - still have to finish - all different - all very nicely painted.  I will post them next week after they are finished.

St. Mary's Art Fest 2011

Outstanding Watercolor Award

"Pretty in Pink"

Third Place- Overall

Honorable Mention

Close Friend, Cindy Staples a talented potter, photographer and watercolorist...

Our Mutual Admiration Society

This afternoon was the reception and awards ceremony for the St. Mary's Friends of the Library Art Fest.  I was honored to receive the Watercolor Award, Third Place and an Honorable Mention.  How blessed I am to be able to be recognized for doing something I love so much.  The awards are great, but they are the frosting on the cake - a delicious cake that tastes wonderful even without the frosting.  Many thanks to the Friends of the Library for a wonderful day.

"Carpe Diem" - Photomontage

Yesterday's project with the Muses was to create a photomontage.   My montage is 11" x 14" and it was created on a blue mat board with magazine photos.  I went out to dinner last evening, so was unable to finish and post this yesterday!

I have titled this "Carpe Diem" - Sieze the Day!  One of my favorite philosophies.

Wetlands Sunset

This is another project from Joe Garcia's book "Mastering the Watercolor Wash."    I used it as a class demonstration last night to demo wet-in-wet painting by saturating the paper first with water. I also demonstrated how to create the rushes by incising the wet paper with lines created by using the handle end of a small paintbrush, allowing the pigment to fill in.  I finished it tonight.  This painting is 8" x 10" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

Watercolor Class At Riverside Arts Center

Back: Paula, Ann and Brenda

Front: Dave, Cindy and Patricia

The intermediate watercolor class at Riverside Arts Center painted the badlands picture along with me this evening and they all did a wonderful job.  They all drew their own compositions.  This was a lesson in gradated  and wet in wet washes... the gradated which we did on the mountain and the wet-in-wet in the sky...these are all beautiful!

The Dakota Badlands

This weeks watercolor lesson at Riverside Arts Center tomorrow night is going to be a lesson in the gradated wash.  This painting, which I finished today, was inspired by a lesson in Joe Garcia's book "Mastering the Watercolor Wash."  First I did a painting exactly as he teaches in his book to learn the process - and then - because of royalty concerns, I painted my own version of his painting using the principles in his book, but doing my own composition and painting instead of copying his but using his principles.   

Boudoir Baby!

Today was Collage Thursday with the Muses again.  I did a collage on a piece of matboard 10" x 9" from an assortment of materials - papers, lace, screen, doilies, and newspaer + paint, Sharpie marker and Prismacolor colored pencils.

Sue's Rose #2

I started this painting yesterday afternoon and finished it this afternoon.  It is from a photograph taken by Sue Drennan which is on her Flickr site.  This is the 2nd painting I have done of her roses, thus the name of the painting.  This is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed Canson Watercolor paper.

Chattanooga ChooChoo

New Version

Yesterday's Version

Today I reworked my collage from yesterday - adding a lot of watercolor washes to the surface and I like it much better.  I also renamed it!  It is no longer "Spirit Reflections" because I now think it looks like an old fashioned train engine!  I have renamed it "Chattanooga ChooChoo!"  It is approximately 9" x 15" and is on a piece of matboard.

Collaging With The Muses

The Group

 Donna Clark's "Order Out Of Chaos"

Barb Sailor's "Spirit Reflections"

Marsha Elliott's "Patriotic Man"

Patty Magoto's "Cross the Line" (Unfinished)

Rose Hawkins "Whales"

Rosie Wermert's "Dancing With Nature"

Theresa Deland's "Crossover"

Michelle Walker's "Northwoods Spirits" version 1

Version 2

Version 3

We had a collage workshop this afternoon in my basement studio with the "Muses" and two guests, Donna Clark and Marsha Elliott!  We had a great time creating collages with a multitude of items.  Michelle kept changing hers so I have included the various transformations to her collage!  It is 100 degrees outside so it was a great way to spend a HOT afternoon!!!