What goes around comes around.

I have just finished reading The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian.  Despite it's romantic-sounding title it's a horrible tale of genocide by the Ottoman Empire toward the Armenians . . . the same area that is now Syria.  The Armenians were mostly Christian (it was the first Christian country) and treated as second class citizens by the Turks.  The Turks felt that the Armenians  would side with the Russians if the country was invaded . . . sooooo, they were rounded up and killed, one way or another.  I feel so ignorant.  I didn't know.

Finally seeing the outline of a plan . . .

After a slow, slow, start, the year is finally off and running!  Life drawing classes, oil painting classes, 3 workshops scheduled, etc.  I've just finished 3 smalls that will be available for purchase at May & Co. in Midway, KY.  That's what is included here.

A little R&R . . . whether I wanted it or not!

Just as soon as the New Year turned (actually Jan. 5th), I went to a LaGrange reception for a new art show in which I was participating.  A fellow artist coughed on me while telling me he didn't want to get too close and sure enough, within 2 days I was sick . . . for the major part of two weeks. Trying to move as little as possible, I read four books in four days.

Now I'm somewhat recovered (enough to go back to drawing and painting at least).

This is an old drawing, my subject is at the left since I haven't taken a photo of my newest project . . . my friend Frieda's late husband John holding their first grand child, Maddy.  I can't seem to get the little girl mouth . . . or let's say I get it and then keep fooling with it until it's destroyed.  Here's hoping it's good enough to eventually give it to Frienda.

For thie first time -- OILS

I have finished two oil paintings since beginning my oil painting classes about 6 weeks ago.  Now I'm trying to paint one of two folks I know.  That should be harder.  I think these are presentable tho.

It's that time of Year!

I've been busy "making Christmas".  I'm including two of my smalls that are for sale in Midway.  The one here is a Yorkie - pretty obvious - and the one to the right are of two kids in a snowy setting.  I've done seven.

Portraits in oil have come along and I'm actually attempting a portrait of real people - a fellow and his grand daughter.  It'll probably take several weeks and then I'll share.

I've had three sessions of life drawing so far and two sessions of oil people painting. Interesting, fun, and totally debilitating.

The landscape is rapidly turning into a riot of color.  The fothergilla in our yard are especially pretty.  This is my favorite time of year.  It always seems like it's the BEGINNING of the year to me.  Too many years of going to school, maybe.  Anyway I love it.

A New Leaf . . .

I'm rearranging my life to become more serious about art.  On Tuesdays I'll be doing life drawing at Kentucky State University and on Thursdays I hope to be taking a portrait class in Lexington.  I feel like I'm entering a new era.  We'll see.  Meanwhile I'm preparing a few small paintings to sell.  See to the right  . . .

AquaVenture Bound

I heard on Friday that my watercolor portrait entry to AquaVenture was accepted!  This is only the second juried event I've tried (the first being the LaGrange contest), and I'm thrilled.  The model for the portrait sat for a drawing group I attend during the winter.  I found her fascinating. The painting was actually begun last year (and that was a second attempt) and finished just a month or so ago.  I've posted a version of her before . . . here she is-- Dark Angel-- or Kurai Tenshei (coo ray ten she).

PufferBilly

The painting I displayed last week won a prize.  First place for adult acrylic painting.  This MAY be because there WERE no other acrylic paintings at the Painted Cow in Louisa, KY.  

I DID just win second prize (and MONEY) in a juried show . . . for THIS painting--Big Engine in LaGrange.  It depicts an old fashioned engine (with a cowcatcher) superimposed on downtown main street LaGrange.  I used the same technique for this train engine that I did for "Mama's Homeplace".

I'm waiting to hear about a watercolor I submitted to the Kentucky Watercolor Society's Aquaventure.

I've prepared 3 watercolors (painted, signed and framed) to take to Midway tomorrow for their Fall Festival.  Hope that goes well.  We'll see.

Movin' On . . .

I've taken my heart in my hand and placed three of my paintings in art shows.  I've been asking myself what I really want to do before it's all over and I waft off to dreamland.  The answer is ART.  I don't actually care a fig about making money, but I DO care if people like it, although that wouldn't stop me.

The first painting is of my mother's homeplace in eastern Kentucky.  The old home was destroyed this summer (both burned and bulldozed) and that weighs heavy on me.  Sooo, Mama's Homeplace has been placed at the Painted Cow Gallery in Louisa (my hometown) for September Fest.  If you're at the festival, please stop by and see it.

The painting is taken after an old photograph (upper right) and done in a primitive (think Grandma Moses) AND cartoony style.  The style makes it happy, and it WAS a happy place.  Enjoy, and
stay tuned for progress reports.

A little too much summer . . .

Finally . . . RAIN.
And not a GullyWasher.  Just Right.

It's been soooooo miserably hot it's hard to explain. So looking forward to going to the Black Hills and the workshop
in Billings.

Great productive week.  Completed 10-12 sketches.  Monday, I found a place to get giclee's done in Lexington and made arrangements to have three scanned on Thursday. Took two paintings to be framed--
one for art show.  Placed two paintings at SoapWerks in Midway.

Do you remember what it was like to live forever?

Sometimes when the jarflys jit . . . I do . . .

. . . For just a second . . . or two . . .

How are you spending YOUR time?

The Wall Street Journal adapted a list from 10 1/2 Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said, by Charles Wheelan. Among the points made are . . . "You'll never read the following obituary: "Bob Smith died yesterday at the age of xx.  He finished life in 186th place."  Whatever race we're running, it's not THAT.

Three weeks ago, or so, we had Mario as a model in my "long pose" session.  I've drawn him before, but did a better job this time.  I can tell I'm getting better . . . I'll probably finish in the top 300 at least.

Another Commencement point from Wheelan . . . "It's ALL borrowed time."

Nora Ephron died today.  She was 71.  I guess her neck was worse than she thought.  I'm 69.

I've painted my friend, Linda Blaine. She is one of my friends from high school. Her niece posted a photo of her (online) as a young girl.  She looks so "Alice-in-Wonderland" to me. I couldn't help but paint it.

I seem to be dipping and bouncing through the summer.  So many people and things are gone, and yet--during the "bounce" I'm having a wonderful time. Having a purpose seems to be the thing I get hung up on.

Drawing and painting seems to be taking up more and more of my time and I'm loving that.  I think laziness is the only thing standing in my way.

John Cleese said "we don't know WHERE we get our ideas from.  What we DO know is that we do NOT get them from our laptops.''  Ta Ta.

An "AHA" moment!

The most vivid "AHA" moment I can remember was on vacation (for me) at a conference (for my husband) on South Padre Island.  One of the members of the conference was to "run" for office and needed a campaign slogan.  Since I was a "creative" it was decided that I could easily come up with a slogan, thereby settling high expectations and a total creative block on me--for something I really didn't want to do in the first place.

There was no time constraint since the election was months away, but I really wanted this off my plate so I could enjoy the beach and the ocean--thereby setting my own insufferable and resentful attitude toward the task.  The candidate's name was Campbell.  I took a notebook and sat out by the pool waiting for inspiration to strike . . . and . . . it did. Campbell's Super became the campaign slogan.

A new technique!

I'm trying a new technique.  Using an original drawing or a copy on ANY kind of paper . . . mounting it on foam core, and covering it with transparent gesso and modeling paste . . . giving it an overall watercolor wash.  THEN using pastels, finishing the drawing/painting.  I really like it.

To the left is a close up detail of the painting.

Mario and the POURED watercolor . . .

Mario (at left) is a 4-value "poured" watercolor over-painted with acrylic. It's NOT finished (as usual) but I like the technique. It's so easy it feels like cheating. Mario was a model at a 3-hour drawing session I go to in Louisville on Saturdays.

I've enrolled in an acrylic 2-day workshop in Billings Montana (!) to study with Don Tiller. I LOVE his landscapes and want to get a handle on how he does them. His paintings are so happy.

Art is making ME very happy. Otherwise, I'm busy planning for my old age (as if it's not already here).

It seems that NOW I have time to notice small things, whereas I couldn't when I was so busy working.

STAYING IN SANITY . . .

ART is heating up. At left is my latest watercolor drawn from an old photo I found in an antique store. I drew it last year, but just got around to painting it. She was lovely in the photograph and I hope I've done her some justice.

I have a drawing group twice a month in Louisville that saves my sanity just when I think I'm going to go off the deep end. Thank goodness!

Pastels

I took a pastel painting class in Winchester on Saturday with my friend and this is the result. I'm pleased with it.

A Very Merry Minuet

This is me and my brother sitting on our beautiful older cousin Dorothy. Lots of water under the dam since. This was probably taken in the very late 40s.

Can't seem to shake sadness. A good friend in Arkansas is very ill, a good friend here has died, and I don't feel very well myself. That reminds me of some words to the Merry Minuet . . .

Italians hate Yugoslavs

South Africans hate the Dutch

And I don't like anybody very much

My good friend, Lydia Wells Sledge, has gone off and left me, and all her other friends, special causes and charities and I'm SOooooo sad about it. It was a beautiful day and I know she would have enjoyed it.

The Daffodils preceeded the crocus by several weeks, but they're finally here. See upper right.

Above isMario our last model for the long pose sessions I have every other Saturday. He was interesting to draw.

I've started "yelling" in my sleep. The last episode I kept telling someone in no uncertain terms, "I want you to be quiet!" My "nightmares" seem to take the form of teaching or directing (Hey kids, let's put on a play!) multiple little or younger people.