Playing catch-up on New Years Eve

Preparing for Christmas got the best of my blogging intentions.  I did set aside special web based things to share but that's the furthest I got. SO (and I recently read on a list of grammatical no no's that one should never start sentences with "so"),  I'm going to insert links and such in an attempt to catch you all up with things I found interesting or inspiring.  This way I can start the New Year off without being behind on my blog!
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Cute:

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Dr. Jesse Jones (the composer whose music I painted to and won my award for) is such a talented composer and musician.  I loved hearing him play his composition Tune In D Minor. 

http://youtu.be/Yf72gG9rBVs?list=UU4R7t3VJHDxJJWA8_epZLpA

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Our sweet and most recent addition to our family of 3 doggies, Patsy, got yelled at for the first time by me just before Christmas.  I heard her munching away in the breakfast room (dog food is in the laundry room) and investigated in time to see her swallow something.  Then I looked in my art bag sitting next to her and realized in horror that the corner of my very expensive Arches paper had been completely chewed off.  I will need to paint a bit smaller than planned now.  I will also need to make sure I don't leave paper or paintings out ever again because I have a dog with expensive taste in art. 

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On Sunday, December 21st, I got to sing a solo with out little UU choir (smaller than usual due to members being on vacation).  The sweet anthem and 2 carols sung during the service helped to put me a bit more into the spirit of Christmas (as did finally getting our gifts wrapped and under the tree!) Since music is the art of my heart, and painting expresses it now, I thought I'd do a different kind of self promotion and share an iPhone recording of the event. 

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I love the work of this watercolor artist and especially love what he wrote here.  When I saw his comparison to music I knew it was something I wanted to share. 

https://www.facebook.com/thomaswschaller/posts/10152567309041961:0

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My daughter took a beautiful photo of her fiance, Mitch, looking adoringly at their little dog, Digby.  I decided I wanted to try and capture the emotion of the shot in a painting and then give it to him as part of his Christmas present from us.  I nailed Digby but my initial painting of Mitch looked a great deal like MY husband, only with hair!  There was no time to work on it further so there it was, in all of it's failed glory, on my easel when they arrived for the holidays.  Mitch saw it and commented on how wonderful Digby looked.  I told him I wasn't finished and, with my heart in my throat at the nerve of what I was going to say,  promised I was going to lift and highlight and such and make it look more like him.  The day before they were to leave I got my paints back out and went to work.  Santa must have been with me because a face that looked much more like Mitch began to emerge.  I encased it in a clear envelope, wrapped a ribbon around it and presented it to Mitch with great relief on the part of both of us!

  

And THAT, brings you all up to date.  The New Year is upon us. We plan to see it in dozing in front of our TV with our doggies.  January 5th I'm having surgery on my left eye again.  This time it will be to remove the cataract that grew super fast as a result of the first surgery.  I'm looking forward to seeing and painting a lot more color in 2015!  

May the New Year be one of personal peace and happiness for you all.  ...... I'll be in touch.  

Art Inspiring Art, Music Made Visible .... A wonderful collaboration continues

Wanted to share this with you all.
http://www.jessejonescomposer.com/onomatopoetic-images

So exciting to see my painting among the other winners of the Onomatopoetic competition up on Jesse Jones website.  The art will be traveling with the musicians for their performances. Take a moment to read about the talented Dr. Jones.
http://www.jessejonescomposer.com/about

Petey's portrait is finished.

This painting just did not go where I thought I wanted it to go. It was stubborn, kind of like its subject was at times.  In the photo I worked from Petey was napping on a white fur pillow he had when we lived in FL. That means that photo was at least 5 or 6 years old. I decided to place him on the red throw he loved to lie on when his daddy would leave it on the sofa for him to use.  It offers greater contrast and makes for a happier and rather patriotic portrait. 

Meet Patsy, a new furry face to love.

Thanksgiving day my husband and I, daughter Meridith, her fiancé Mitch, and my mother feasted in style while our 2, Mom's 1,  and Mer and Mitche's 3 dogs more or less lay politely at our feet. We were missing and remembering our recently passed senior dog, Petey and M and M's Stella.  Friday the four of us and our five dogs loaded up in Johnny's van and drove to Pacolet SC to visit Dreamweaver Farms, home of Carolina Poodle Rescue, to meet adoptable dogs and see if we could help fill the hole in our hearts and give another dog a furever home. 

Johnny and I fell on love with beautifully little Lisa whom we renamed Patsy Louise. Mer and Mitch had given up on finding their perfect match for their household but, on the way back to the van, laid eyes upon a gorgeous big cream Standard Poodle named Lily. It took another trip back to the farm on Saturday, but Lily is now a member of their family and happily settling in her new home in Gainesville FL. 

Believe me, there's a real art to going through a successful adoption at CPR. You can start out with specific wants and needs in mind ... I wanted a small poodle, my husband wanted whatever we ended up with to be a male. My daughter wanted a little female something, preferably a poodle, to cuddle. As you seen we ended up with another white hairy Petey looking dog, a little long legged female, possessing the softest hair you could ever imagine, and M and M, who wanted to find a little girl to cuddle, went home with the biggest of the biggest Standard Poos.  

We can't force love or art. We need to be open to going with the beautiful opportunities that arise, to seeing things with new perspectives. Watercolors especially have a mind of their own and constantly force me to adjust my thinking about my subject matter.  Patsy has given me perspective on losing sweet Pete. I'm ready to pick up my brushes and finish his portrait. In the meantime, here's Patsy Louise. 

A Portrait of Petey

Sunday, November 16, our beloved little senior dog, Petey, had a seizure in the morning.  After an emergency visit to the vet we learned both his kidneys and heart had started to fail and he likely had a brain tumor.  We spent the day saying our goodbyes to him, and by evening he let us know he was in pain and it was time to help him leave the world.  He's buried in our back yard next to his sister, Maggie and kitty Sam.  Wednesday, at my husband's request, I started this portrait of him. When I reached his eyes I had to set it aside.  A portrait begins to come alive for me when I start to paint the eyes.  I needed some time to adjust to my intention and emotions.   I have a lot of dark detail work yet to do on this, and I'd hoped to have it done by Thanksgiving day.  Petey brought so much joy and laughter into our family when we rescued him. He was such a cute little dog that every moment was a Kodak moment - or worthy of a painting.  We are thankful to have been owned by him.

More Poodle Painting

This is Chloe.  After seeing my painting of Millie and Daisy on the Carolina Poodle Rescue Family and Friends Facebook page (our Millie is a CPR rescue dog), I was contacted and commissioned to do a 5 x 7 painting of Chloe as a Christmas present for my client's mother, Chloe's owner.  The original photo I was given to work from was not high resolution which meant the details of her beautiful face were not clear at all.  It also showed Miss Chloe as being all white.  Not wanting to say no, I asked for and was supplied with other pictures and realized that Chloe has lovely apricot coloring too.  I ended up gathering information from a number of different shots taken in different lighting.  This is not an ideal way to come up with an accurate likeness so you can imagine my joy when, after emailing my client a photograph of the finished painting, she replied that she loved it and it looks just like Chloe!!

Working on Chloe brought back so many memories of another beautiful pale apricot Standard we were owned by when my girls were little named Abby.  She was shy but ever so anxious to please and was a joy to take through obedience training.  Before Abby we'd had Tuffy, a large black Miniature who was my baby before I had human babies. After Abby was Charlotte (Charlie, a black Standard) ), then Magnolia Mae (Maggie, another black Standard), Petey, our senior who will turn 15 next month (a roadside rescued Havanese mix I've yet to paint), Mildred Mae (Millie) and Daisy Mae.  Each fur baby has delighted us with their own special personality, so when I was commissioned to paint Chloe I asked about her and was told "she's very spoiled and mischievous."  Those traits definitely did NOT show up in any of the photos but, knowing Standard Poodles as well as I do, I think I was able to capture the very direct human like gaze typical of this super intelligent breed. They're also known for their terrific sense of humor.  I think Chloe appears to be planning what she intends to get into if someone doesn't come up with something very entertaining ASAP.

A Commission and Two Poodles

I finished another commission that I was nervous about even starting - a jumping horse and rider.  The photo I worked from offered a number of challenges, but my client was able to also provide a few other photos of the same horse and rider that were helpful.  It's a little nerve wracking to do a painting of a horse that you know will be seen by a lot of horse owners and riders, especially when you know next to nothing about horses to begin with.  But, as I worked, I connected to what I was painting and my client was please - so I was pleased!

Wednesday I med with my artist group and decided I was going to tackle painting our two poodles, something I'd avoided because painting that much curly hair and working in black and white seemed very daunting to me.  Turns out I loved painting Millie (our Standard Poodle) and Daisy (our Miniature), the "girls!"  I shared this painting with the rescue group we adopted Millie from, Carolina Poole Rescue, and have to admit, poodle people are definitely partial to poodle paintings!!  Next on my list is our darling senior doggy, Pete, who's all white.  After all, I can do white horses!

Seeing the world in a new light....

Today my mother turned 96.  I took her shopping and out to lunch yesterday to celebrate.  Our SC weather has been crazy with record highs for this time of year and record lows yesterday complete with snow in the Midlands area - we had some flakes.  I was exhausted by the time we headed home but Mom was still happily chatting away, having bought a purse she was delighted with (lightweight and not too big for her petite size).  We stopped at a traffic light and she said, "See those trees?  They're not just green.  There's yellow and dark greens and pale greens and spaces between them that are dark and also light showing through.  Since I've been working on my art more the last two years I see so much more when I look around!"

I was thrilled with her observation because it's something I've become so aware of myself ever since I started to paint.  It's such a personal awareness and difficult to explain to people who aren't seeing with an artist's eyes.  Mom and I talked about how easy it is to get almost distracted sometimes with the things we see - the way light falls on objects, the way things we once used to think of as red, blue, brown, etc. are so many different values of a color or are made up of more than one color when we look closely.  We both have noticed that we can become sidetracked from what we're watching on TV when beautiful lighting or scenery or such catches our attention.

I can remember times when I've been outside and felt life and joy fill me when I realized what a beautiful day it was.  Painting has opened my eyes to different kinds of beauty -  intricate, simple, subtle, harsh, smooth, textured ... I'm so grateful for this experience, and I'm so happy that my mom, at her age, is alert and aware, still learning, being inspired by and experiencing things that are so pleasurable to her.  It's something to aspire to.

Painting for the joy of it!

I have a commission waiting to be done but decided to work on something that was calling to me big time. It's finished, and titled "Ariel"

Ariel is my niece in Taiwan, married to my nephew Randy Bennett. When Randy posted a picture of her a few weeks ago I knew I had to try to paint it because she was so beautiful and glowing in the light.  I'm pleased with the way it turned out although the colors of the painting change big time depending upon the amount and kind of light you see it in.  I guess that's a good thing because it makes it very interesting.  

The fall scene that I painted for the State Fair is now hanging in our FR and I love the colors in it.  The other day the paints I ordered arrived - 6 quinacridones and they're sooooo luscious! They'll make fall colors even more beautiful.  I used one of them, Copper Kettle, in Ariel's hair and also Quinacridone Gold around her eyes. 

The copper kettle and lemons painting was picked up by it's new owner on Saturday and I had soooo much fun getting to know her a little bit more, especially after our initial 45 minute phone chat. She asked to see the rest of my work and expressed interest in a possible commission on down the road.  Quite an affirming morning!  It's been such a wonderful trip meeting people as a result of my decision to take up painting.  I highly recommend it - painting, that is! 

Another Happy Client

I can now share another painting as it was gifted to its new owners last night. I've been calling the painting The Gift Of Love because of the story behind it. Sweet stuff. 

This Blogger has had the blahs!

I'm realizing that if I keep waiting for the perfect time to blog (when I feel good, when I have news, when I've finished a painting, when the house is quiet, etc), I won't blog.  So now I have to catch up on what's been goin' on!

Both of my paintings were jurored in to the South Carolina State Fair.  Yea Rah!!  Dear Husband and I attended the premier reception and I was blown away by both the amateur (me) and professional art, especially the watercolor paintings, which, even in the amateur division, were terrific.  

To top off my experience, I received an email the other day from a fair attendee who liked my painting of the copper pot and lemons, googled my name and tracked me down requesting a commission of a similar painting.  We chatted for over 45 minutes on the phone.  It was wonderful to have been sought out like that.  I'll find out if anyone else had an interest in my fall scene or not when I pick up the paintings on Monday.  

The painting I started on Painting For Peace Day is finished, approved and mailed off.  With any luck it will arrive today in time for it to be presented as a gift.  Then I can share it.  It was quite a challenge, but then, it seems everything I do is a challenge.  I'm beginning to understaynd that's the way it works.  Every subject matter is different and, because water never flows the same way and, when mixing colors, they never look or work the same way twice, the challenge is to constantly adjust to what happens, learn to work with it and try to make it both meaningful and beautiful. 

Tuesday a week ago I attended my wonderful Gentle Yoga Class at City Yoga.  Our instructor had us turn on our mats to face the wall and I realized my painting of the building had been framed and hung on the wall.  

After class it was an opportune time to let the other yoga devotees know that I have prints available. Happily a couple who is moving from the Columbia area jumped at the chance to purchase something to remind them of one of their favorite places in the city.  

Tuesday night I camed down with the doozy of all colds - head and chest and fever.  UGH!  Fortunately I could just go to bed with it and let Dear Husband tend to me, the dogs and the house.  He made me a big pot of his chili and I must admit that, besides being a work of art, it's right up there with chicken soup when it comes to dealing with a cold.  Not wanting to spread my germs I didn't join my Wednesday group but did start another commission.  Yesterday I finished that panting and today it was approved of and complimeted so I'm happy.  Waiting for a commission to be approved of and liked is like being back in high school and waiting by the phone for a boy to call ... except at least I can leave the house now thanks to cell phones and email.  I think it's safe to share this painting because, although it's a surprise gift, I doubt that the receiver follows this blog. 

Painting a commission from a photo you don't take yourself can sometimes require a lot of communication with the photographer in order to paint something that is also artistic / painterly.  In this case I needed to bring light into the painting, especially on the front porch, which was very dark in the photo but also where so much sweetness was due to the rockers and wreath.  I added some yellow and fall colors to the trees in the background to bring in some warmth.  I also up rooted the tree on the right and transplanted it over about 3" so it wouldn't block the smaller tree.  I'm learnig that I can make the sun shine where I want it to when I paint!

I'll close with a quote I read this morning when I was pondering what I'd be painting if I didn't have another commission to do first.  (sorry for the small type - it's a cut and paste).  I think I'd like to try some abstract painting!

Artists who work in a representational style can benefit from a set-of-abstracts experiment. Whether you're hostile to the idea of abandoning reality or have long craved the idea of flying without a net, building a series using only aesthetic intuition will test your design chops and could have a positive influence on your more conventional compositions. "When you see a fish you don't think of its scales, do you? You think of its speed, its floating, flashing body seen through the water. If I made fins and eyes and scales, I would arrest its movement, give a pattern or shape of reality. I want just the flash of its spirit." (Constantin Brancusi)

Vincent

This was so beautiful to read this morning that I wanted share it with you. 

“The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people. People are often unable to do anything, imprisoned as they are in I don’t know what kind of terrible, terrible, oh such terrible cage.  Do you know what makes the prison disappear? Every deep, genuine affection. Being friends, being brothers, loving, that is what opens the prison, with supreme power, by some magic force. Without these one stays dead. But whenever affection is revived, there life revives.

If only we try to live sincerely, it will go well with us, even though we are certain to experience real sorrow, and great disappointments, and also will probably commit great faults and do wrong things, but it certainly is true, that it is better to be high-spirited, even though one makes more mistakes, than to be narrow-minded and all too prudent. It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love, is well done.

What am I in the eyes of most people? A nonentity, an eccentric, or an unpleasant person — somebody who has no position in society and will never have; in short, the lowest of the low. All right, then — even if that were absolutely true, then I should one day like to show by my work what such an eccentric, such a nobody, has in his heart. That is my ambition, based less on resentment than on love in spite of everything, based more on a feeling of serenity than on passion.

Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me. I see paintings or drawings in the poorest cottages, in the dirtiest corners. And my mind is driven towards these things with an irresistible momentum… Poetry surrounds us everywhere, but putting it on paper is, alas, not so easy as looking at it. I dream my painting, and then I paint my dream.

That God of the clergymen, He is for me as dead as a doornail. But am I an atheist for all that? The clergymen consider me as such — be it so; but I love, and how could I feel love if I did not live, and if others did not live, and then, if we live, there is something mysterious in that. Now call that God, or human nature or whatever you like, but there is something which I cannot define systematically, though it is very much alive and very real, and see, that is God, or as good as God.

To believe in God for me is to feel that there is a God, not a dead one, or a stuffed one, but a living one… When I have a terrible need of — shall I say the word — religion. Then I go out and paint the stars.”

~Vincent van Gogh ~

Painting for Peace Today

Today is a day for unity around the world.  People will be uniting in prayer, in marches, in silent gatherings, in planning .... and, hopefully, we artists in some mindful painting ... individuals with common goals for the good of mankind and the environment of which we are all a part.  I personally will be saying frequently, "let it begin with me," because my mind has beein increasingly restless with fearful and negative thoughts,  and, all too often, my heart has been taking on grief that is not mine to bare.  If my wish is for a more peaceful world, my part in bringing that about is to let it begin with me.  

I started a commissioned painting yesterday and will continue work on that.  It's of a very sweet subject matter but challenging for me as, while the focus is on just one couple, there are many other people in the background.  It's symbolic of today as all the subjects are gathered in celebration and love.  

Another Painting Finished

Am hoping this one is good enough to be considered for acceptance into the State Fair.  It's the first one I've painted freehand as I've gone along, although it was inspired by part of a photo.  I'm pleased with a number of things I did, but also unsatisfied with other things.  Don't know if there's time for me to get another one painted.  Tuesday is the last day we can submit paintings. 

Well, what do you think? I had a difficult time getting a really good photo of it  I think it's better in person.   It needs a title to.  Suggestions?  

The Latest Recital Poster

Procrastination and incubation

I read another artist's blog this morning and she had me laughing out loud. She's working so hard on trying to understand and end a habit of procrastinating when it comes to painting which is now her occupation and source of income.  Her observations as she works through all this sound so familiar and ring so true. I woke this morning intending to paint up a storm but have yet to lift a brush. On the other hand I've gotten side tracked over and over, starting projects and letting each one distract me further as I discovered something else that needed tending to as I worked.  Fortunately I'm not trying to earn my living with my paintings.  I'm retired and can mostly pick and choose what I want to do each day.  I also have an understanding husband who usually does the grocery shopping in addition to most of the cooking, so I'm only under self imposed pressure and or disappointment when I don't make time for the thing that really makes me happy, painting.  

Updating my blog may be the closest I come to working with my art today, but I am determined to share my last two paintings.  I've already shared them on my Facebook page.  As I searched for a title for this posting it dawned on me that much of the time I'm procrastinating I actually have ideas about paintings underway, or paintings I want to do, that are incubating.  I may be thinking about colors or compositon or lighting while I'm occupied with something else.  I also spend a lot of fun time on the internet educating myself about techniques and different styles of painting.   It all goes into the incubation folder in my brain.  I bet my very talented artist friend has something similar going on while she's procrastinating or tending to things that need doing, as I prefer to call it.   

Boardwalk Morning and The Sleepers were both inspired by photographs shared on the website Paint My Photo, where photographers upload their photographic art with the idea of allowing artists to paint it.  The only request is that the artists post their paintings there and credit the photographer.  It's a wonderful website for artists who don't have the opportunity to travel about and take pictures and there are no copyright issues to worry about.  As far as I'm concerned, the 2 pictures I chose for inspiration begged for me to paint them as soon as I saw them.  The boardwalk scene gave me an opportunity to imagine a beautiful sky and work with shadows on the beach.  I loved the humor of the sleeping tourists.  I exchanged messages with the photographer and was told she took the picture in Florence Italy, and I recalled feeling similarly sleepy and exhausted when we visted Florence in May of '98. I wanted to work with different colors than the photo showed so light would lead your eye to the white blouse and think I accomplished that.  Some of those ideas in incubation are taking hold.

First Thursdays On Main / Onomatopoetic - Art Inspiring Art: Music Made Visible

Oh the excitement of our very first First Thursdays On Main in downtown Columbia SC.  Finding a parking place wasn't easy so Johnny let me off at CertusBank where there was music being performed outside and an artist painting.  The lobby area is wonderful with windows all across the front and a HUGE media screen about 8' x 14' that's visible from the outside.  They had beautiful pictures of each of our paintings running on a slide show.  Let me tell you, it's mind blowing to stand there with something you've painted giant size behind you.  There was a lovely spread of finger foods and wine - couldn't have been nicer.

And the art!!  35 in total on display.  We'd been asked to provide any stories related to our work or what our thoughts were as we painted.  This was what I shared: Here are the thoughts I wrote down as I listened to In Dulcet Tones: melodic arpeggios; energy; a jouney; something enters and agitates; quiet comes but questions remain; richness as questions are examined; answers presented in brief aria; playful agitation; pushing; melodrama followed by maturity; resolution followed by fluttering release.  

As we waited for the announcements of the awards I spoke with Dr. Jesse Jones, the composer, telling him how much I enjoyed participating in this event and painting to his music.  He asked me to take him to my painting, which I did.  We then proceeded to have a terrific conversation with Jesse telling me how much he loved what I'd done and asking me if I'd had ice in mind when I painted the background and why her eyes were downcast rather than looking up. I wish I could remember all he had to say because it was really wonderful to hear that he had been so deeply engaged with what I'd done.

There are so many pictures of the paintings up on Facebook, but of course you need to join the site to see them.  I'll include 3 of my favorite ones.  Dr. Jones handed out 9 awards in equal value at this time - all red ribbons.  My name was the 6th one called!!

  Giant art 

I couldn't be more thrilled!!

La Musique de la Mer et le Ciel

I never got around to posting this - but, because the gallery opening turned out to be so exciting, I want to include it in the series of events.
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Music of the Sea and Sky  (French title is a nod to Mer who thinks it looks like her and wanted me to title it Meridith ..... She wasn't really serious.  At least I don't think she was.)

Painting is finally matted, cut by Johnny (good job!), backing installed by me, same with brown paper on back. Of course, now I know how to do it better!  Why is it I alway figure out a good system AFTER doing something?   We deliver it downtown to the bank between 11 and 2 Saturday.  

After the premier of the music, all the entries will be put on display for the month of Oct at USC's library .... The paintings the composer selects for awards will be on display for every performance of the work for a year. 

When I sketched out the design for this painting I didn't have a music note in mind.  I didn't want there to be an obvious reference to music.  I pictured a lot of motion, a floating head (ew, that sounds gross) and an arm extended symbolizing release.  But, the more I painted, the more it looked like a strange kind of eighth note.  Johnny thinks I should title it Here, Take This Note.  I think that's pretty funny.

It looks better to me framed,  but I'm still very insecure about this painting.  I did enjoy painting it and am pleased I followed through and am entering!  Just being involved in an event like this is exciting.

Painting In Dulcet Tones

Have finally finished my entry for the Onomatopoetic - Art Inspiring Art: Music Made Visible contest.  All entries have been inspired by "In Dulcet Tones" composed by Dr. Jesse Jones, and will be on display for 3 weeks starting 6PM, September 4 (First Thursdays On Main) at CertusBank, Main Street, Columbia SC at which time awards will be announced.  "In Dulcet Tones" will have it's national premier September 28 at 3:30 in the USC Recital Hall.  (16 x 20) This is my first attempt to use a watermark in case you're wondering why I decided to paint sMatchett across the top!

Orchestrating A Painting

I saved this quote from Richard McKinley's blog a while back and just rediscovered it again today so want to share it:  Orchestrating a Painting - Arranging the elements and principles of design are like conducting an orchestra.  One relies on sound and the other sight but they both rely on orchestration.  At times you must silence one section of a painting and make another louder, just as a conductor does when leading an orchestra.  Howe we utilize the elements and principles of design ultimately leads to ovations or jeers.

Remembering Sarah Najjar

Sarah Najjar died today after a 4 year battle with cancer.  She leaves behind her husband, Mark, 2 young children, a large extended and devoted family, and, I'm sure, more people than she every could have imagined who are greatly saddened by her passing.  

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would one day take up painting.  Other than being able to color inside the lines, I was never was good at art in school.  My creative side was expressed through singing.  I've been painting for 18 months now.  My first painting was a 5 x 7 of a pear, grapes and a banana.  When I realized it actually looked like a pear, grapes and a banana, I was hooked.  I loved the painting process - the flow of watercolors fascinates me. ... the drawing process, not so much, but I'm beginning to trust myself more and more and even that is coming along.

From the beginning I was positive that I would never be able, nor did I even aspire, to paint portraits or scenes with people in them. However, this is what I seem to be drawn to, and the play on words is appropriate.  When I saw the photograph taken of Sarah in May of this year, wearing her beautiful hat and smiling with such joy and abandon, I knew I wanted to try to paint her like that.

I never got to meet Sarah in person.  My daughters Meridith and Emily met her when they traveled to IN for their father's memorial service.  Sarah was there with her husband, Mark.  Mark and his brother David have known Mer and Em since birth having shared crib time, bath times, and play times, and then school days until our family moved from IN to FL in '83.  I got to know Sarah through Mer and Em, and through her picture as I painted.

I've since painted another portrait or two and done some paintings with people in them.  If I didn't know the subjects personally, I felt I did when I was ready to sign my name to the painting.  As I've painted I've wondered how the breeze felt on their skin, was it blowing their hair or hat?  Was the sun was warm, the rainy day cold? What they were thinking, what they were feeling?  Did they feel grateful, safe, protected, preoccupied, vulnerable? Were they aware of their surroundings or just there?   .... And,  in Sarah's case, did she fell as beautiful as she looked in her Kentucky horse racing hat and her pink feather boa?  I so hoped that she felt beautiful and free, and I so wanted to capture that feeling with my paints.

When I put technique aside and concentrate on connecting emotionally with the person I'm painting, whether it's a portrait or I'm placing them into a scene,  and whether I know them personally or only through the painting, I'm aware that painting them is an intimate thing to do.  This intimacy provides a lovely opportunity to experience compassion,  not just for one real or imagined person, but for what that image, captured by paint and water flowing from a brush onto paper, represents .... a part of the process that is life.

Here's to Sarah's life, her beauty inside and out, and her freedom.

Poodles and Painting

It's amazing how fast I can move when I look up to see our Standard Poodle, Millie,  throwing up on our bed.  Great cardio exercise.  Got my blood pumping good.

Nothing like changing a bed to get me motivated to find a way to avoid more housework.  After all, I AM still healing and feeling tired ..... so I picked up my paint brushes and got a good (I hope) first wash down on my 16 x 20 project for the Onomatopoetic competition at the end of this month.  It's been interesting trying to come up with and idea for a painting after listening to the composer's composition, In Dulcet Tones, which is a very contemporary piece for violin and piano.   There is a great deal of motion in it, agitation, playfulness, quiet passages, a sweet aria like melody,  a melodramatic part ....  I'm trying to paint texture, movement, grace and freedom.  Tall order!

Here's a link to the flyer for the competition.
OnomatoPoetic

Seeing Is Believing

I think it's ironic that the first post on my watercolor blog is being done with one of my painterly eyes mostly closed due to the eye surgery I had done on Tuesday of this week.  I had hoped to paint a bit today but decided it was time to finally get around to setting up a blog so that folks who are not Facebook fanciers will have place to follow my artistic journey.  If you add your email address to the link showing on the right side of this page, you'll automatically receive email updates any time I post to this blog.

At the moment, I'm not feeling very artistic because my eye is still irritated from my surgery, but the irritation does bring to mind a phrase I repeat to myself over and over while I paint: paint what you SEE, not what you THINK you see.  I'm also learning to paint what I WANT to see, and that's often even more rewarding when it comes to signing my name to a painting.