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.