Setting Suns

After a little over a month in rehab healing from her broken hip, my very determined mother moved back into her home with the help of full time aides.  She continued to receive physical therapy and to reclaim her independence.  After a few weeks back home she asked me to bring Dazz, her dog, back home to her which took us from 4 to 3 dogs at our house.  Mom has continued to improve and is now doing outpatient PT at the main building of her retirement community.  She still has overnight aides but has reduced her daytime hours from 11AM to 7PM.  She's back to inviting friends over for lunch, grocery shopping and bridge.  As long as she has her walker and an aide to bend and reach for her, there seems to be no stopping her.  Needless to say, it's taken a lot of patience and determination on her part and coordinating between her, me and the agency to bring it all about.

I know there's a way to segue from the above into blogging about me painting  ... um ... it takes patience, determination and coordination????  All true.

After all the detail of my Gate 21 painting I needed to turn to something colorful and expansive.  Sunsets were craving to come out of my brush.

Harbor Sunset 11 x 14  $225

I was still drawn to the beauty that is Charleston SC but didn't want to start another gate or building.  So, of course, I chose a whole BUNCH of buildings reflected in sunset.  I was determined to paint looser.  I remembered to take pictures as I worked.  

Charleston Sunset  11 x 14  $225

By the way, my painting does NOT have black on the sides.  I attempted new things on this painting and was pleased with the way it turned out.  However, it was time to move on from cities and sunsets to something else.    

Workshop with Helen K Beacham

I've been trying so hard to update my blog but keep allowing other things to distract me.  Today I was determined to at the very least post photos from the terrific workshop I attended in April, but before I'd entered even one word or photo I decided I needed to set up another blog page of all my paintings in one place with sizes, pricing and the ability to enlarge them.  Let me tell you, that's really s l o w going!!  Have no idea when I'll finish it.  Just figuring out how to go about it took me a while.  

The workshop with the wonderfully talented Helen Beacham was so educational for me, not to mention great fun.  Helen posed for a quick selfie with me.

 Adding my first washes and trying very hard to catch up .

 To make sure we learn as much as possible Helen starts us in on adding details - but I'm still working on beginning washes UNDER the details  (below)

Below was where I had to stop because our 2 day workshop was over.  Helen told us she normally needs 3 days to cover what she did in our 2 day one.  She opened my eyes to seeing colors that I'd ignored before.  We think we see gray or black gates but we're missing the purples and blues and greens that are there.  And BRICKS!  Don't get me started.  The decision making that's involved in what details to include and what to allow the viewer to fill in on their own can be really challenging when you're in the learning process.     

I was excited and pleased when I finally finished my painting.                               Gate 21  11 x 14  $225 matted, unframed

This afternoon I am locked away in my office, door closed on all 4 dogs, determined to start and finish the drawing required for my workshop tomorrow with Helen K. Beacham Fine Art. My mind has been on or escaping from everything but art since Mom's fall. I'm SO looking forward to having two days (Fri 10 - 4 and Sat 10 - 3) to focus on nothing but learning and creating.

A few days before Mom's fall I finished my very first and, I'm sure, not my last, chicken painting.  I took progress photos and wanted to share them with you.  This is  Hyacinth, one of the 3 baby chicks my daughter, Meridith, has been raising.  Hyacinth was just beginning to get her adult feathers in and Mer sent a selfie of the two of them showing the little chicken snuggled up under Mer's chin.  I chose to paint in a different background so the focus would be on Hyacinth.   I really need to take another photo of the finished painting as I have,  in addition to finally signing it, gone back in and softened the edges just about everywhere but on her chest and face.  Doing that draws even more attention to where I want it to be.  I learned a great deal about texture vs softness while painting this little girl.  She is 9" x 11" and can be purchased for $165 including matte. 

Southern Butter Pecan

$165  8 x 10

I started Southern Butter Pecan a week ago last Wednesday while painting with my group.  Last Wednesday I worked on it again and have been working on it off and on since.  I started out believing that this was a painting I could do in the style of another artist I admire who paints much looser than I do.  As you can see, that was a epic fail because I kept getting caught up in the details in an attempt to make it pop.  Maybe I'm beginning to become locked into MY style because I can't seem to make myself go directions that seem uncomfortable to me.  I wanted that pop!  At any rate, I'm pleased with these three ladies.  I'm wondering what their names are.  My inspiration came from a photo taken by Steve Lyddon and posted on Paint My Photo.  

I'm really looking forward to taking my very first painting workshop April 17 and 18 with Helen K. Beacham.  It looks like the focus will be mostly on architectural subject matter and perspective.  I love her paintings so am very excited.  I'm ALSO excited about trying out something I ordered and  which just arrived - Inktense  Blocks.  No more on that subject until I see whether or not I'm able to work with them.  The videos I watched showed such luscious colors. Yum!!

Unmindful Mindfulness Moments Can Still Be Fruitful

Blue Bowl & Blushing Pair of Pears

8 x 10  

$175 matted, unframed

My most recent painting is above.  Somewhere on an internet photo site I saw a picture of a fluted bowl with 2 pears in front of it that I really liked. I drew the outline of the 3 objects but no details, set it aside to save for a painting day but then forgot to save the image to refer back to. I could no longer remember anything about it other than the fluted part of the bowl was red.  This presented me with the perfect opportunity to be brave and paint what I wanted to see rather than drawing so much upon what I saw.  I know I ended up with something much more exciting than than the photo I originally saw. Note to self: Taking chances when painting can be fruitful.  

Speaking of fruit ....  and this refers back to the title of this post ... most of my close friends know that I attempt to practice mindfulness as much as I can - basically trying to stay in the moment and observe my thoughts, emotions and reactions to what's going on.  It makes for a much less stressful existence.  The other morning I had just finished reading an article on different ways to hold your own gallery shows and, with my latest painting of the pears lying where I could see it, I started to prepare my usual breakfast of cereal with a half banana sliced on top accompanied by a glass of water and a side of vitamins served in a small dipping cup.  I was mindful that I'd drifted off into thoughts of my own future gallery show, and I gently brought my mind back to slicing my banana, noticing it's scent, how ripe it was and how the sharp knife made such nice thin slices that dropped off and then stuck to the slice that fell before it.  I was aware that it was quite a creative stack of banana slices and stepped back to admire it when I suddenly realized what I'd done.  My laughter brought all 3 of the dogs running into the kitchen to see what was up.  I had completely forgotten to pour my cereal and had carefully and artistically sliced my banana into the small cup holding my vitamins.  Oops! 

Here's a picture of the pears that I took at night.  I had dimmed the lights in the breakfast room where I paint and walked through to get a glass of water when I realized the painting was absolutely glowing in the dim light.  I LOVED the colors and stood there playing with the light switch and watching how the painting changed with the light.  

I've now painted lemons in a copper pot, oranges on a plate and in a bowl, and pears in a painting that glows in the changing light. Actually, this is my second painting of pears.  I commissioned myself to do a painting to give as a wedding present to my nephew, Rick and his wife, Debra.  I wanted to share 2 of the progress pictures I took while working on it.  Again I was inspired by a photograph but decided to change and enhance the colors and shadows.  I ended up being really happy with the way it turned out.  

The above photo was taken in poor light so it looks a little dull.

I forgot to take a picture of it before I matted and framed it so this was taken through the glass.  I wrote on the matte:

Debra & Rick ... A Pearfect Pairing ...  March 8, 2015

I want to paint peaches next.  Wish I'd thought to take a picture of my sliced bananas topping my vitamins; not because it was beautiful or worth painting, but because it looked so mindful in a strange way.  It reminded me of the carrot that 8 year old granddaughter Kate pared down to a thin stick when she was here for dinner the last time.  We both had been stuck in our mindful moments.  Some are more fruitful than others. 

I love this quote I saw on watercolor artist Morton E Solberg Sr.'s Facebook page:  Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."  Henry Ward Beecher 

Fun Times in Febrrrrrrrrrruary!

We had a low of 14 degrees in the wee hours of the morning yesterday here in South Carolina.  One of our doggies refused to go outside except for very serious business.  The other two managed a few runs around the yard when the sun was at it's brightest.  I'm not complaining.  I have friends in MA where the snow is over their heads.  However, I'm really not used to wearing so many layers of clothes inside, and it's drafty painting in my favorite spot (breakfast room) because of all the windows.  I end up hiding out in my office and playing on my computer. . . Good time to update my blog.

Wanted to share the web site of a terrific watercolorist: Marney Ward. . . I long to be able to capture the light as she does with her beautiful floral paintings.  Please click around her pages and enjoy.  http://www.marneyward.com/

I'm getting back into the swing of regular painting again.  Being able to see better has eased my frustration big time.  Here's my first barn, a subject matter that's a favorite among painters.

And here it was the 1st time I thought I was finished with it .

Same red barn but I felt it was just sitting there with no story.  Just a barn.  It also seemed out of balance somehow.  So I added some pale yellow on the horizon and put in a cold winter cloud.  I also increased the shadow on the snow at the bottom left.  What do you think?  Does it have a little more to say now? 

I also started another barn.  This one is a little warmer to look at although not as well cared for. Hope to get back to it today and finish. 

And, I must confess that I also attempted to paint a big wet on wet colorful stormy sky based on the style and technique of a painter who shared it all on a "You can do this too, don't I make it look easy?" YouTube video.  Timing and skill is everything when trying to paint like this.  Obviously my timing was off and my skill was lacking because my paint looks like mud in the sky.  

I'll give it another try at a later date.  I was way out of my comfort zone painting freely with no drawing.  It was still fun, but it would have been even better if my painting had turned out the way I envisioned it.  Such is life! 

Going with the flow of negative painting

I started this painting (8 x 11) last week and finished it late this afternoon.  I chose the subject because I needed a self taught lesson in negative painting, something I really struggle with. 

Nothing was drawn out, I just started painting, placing a yellow wash all over the paper.  I then dropped in some of the beautiful new Quinacridone color paints I recently treated myself to - reds, and rusts, and umbers.  Next I dropped in a bit of a terrific bright green.  The task before me was to start painting around the colors to gradually create a tree branch with colorful fall leaves that had fallen into the water.  

I had seen a photo of leaves floating in water and used it for inspiration,  but after getting a feeling for what colors to use, I put the photo away.  It's difficult to describe how strange it was for me to just paint and not constantly have a photo to refer back to for reference. I wanted to paint something looser and more impressionistic than what I usually do.  This was my way to try doing that.  For some reason,  and maybe it's just due to taking the picture in the late afternoon light from the window, the water did not register as green as it is in the actual painting.

I'm so glad that I stuck this one out because there were so many moments when I wanted to just put it aside and work on painting something I'm more familiar with.  I learned along the way that it's OK to and I'm capable of changing my initial ideas as I go along.  It's not necessary to stick with what I think I want because I could be missing out on something much better if I don't go with the flow - literally - when working with watercolors.  

Me and Jack The Poet

Thought I'd share this picture taken of me and Jack Burkheimer, The Poet, taken September of 2014 when he shared his poem with the congregation of the UUCC, Columbia SC.  He walked in the door.  I looked at him and thought, "I KNOW that man.  Who is he?"  All of a sudden it dawned on me that I'd spent more than a few days looking into his eyes as I painted his portrait.  I walked up to him and said, "You're Jack, and I did a watercolor painting of you!"  Not the best way to introduce yourself, but I was excited to meet him.  I showed him the painting on my iPhone and his eyes welled up and he was obviously quite touched and flattered.  At the time I did the painting I had hopes of somehow turning paintings connected with the homeless in Columbia into fund raisers for Food Not Bombs and the like.  I just didn't know how to go about doing it.  Maybe some day.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

I always share on my facebook watercolor page when one of my paintings has found a new home.   Today's share was especially touching for me because the painting, due to a miscommunication, quickly passed from it's new owner into the possession of the subject of the painting, Jack, a poet, who also happens to be homeless.  So, while the painting has another very happy new owner, it can not be hung in his home.  How I wish Columbia SC had a program in place that provides housing for the homeless.  Jack has a painting to hang.

Here is what my friend posted on my facebook page telling me how her painting found it's new "home" with Jack:

"Jack's Picture..... Sharon, as you know, you gave me such a wonderful gift this Sunday, your lovely painting of Jack Burkheimer, my dear friend who is called the Poet Laureate of the Homeless.  You saw that I was speechless and could not even thank you at first for crying.   What an honor to have that gift.  The picture is such a likeness that it could be the photograph I took that you used as a model.  Let me tell you what happened.  

I took the painting to our picnic in the park that we have every Sunday at 1 -- Food Not Bombs.  When we parked and everybody, including Jack, was gathered around to say Hello to Tom who had been sick for several weeks, I brought out the painting to show them all, knowing how much they would all love it.  In the midst of the Ohs and Ahs ... Jack reached out and gently took it from me.  With tears in his eyes he said, "That's so wonderful that you all would do this for me: She is such a gifted artist.  I can't thank you enough.  I'll let my daughter keep it in her house till I get a place of my own -- I hope some day soon."  Wow!  I wanted so bad to say, "No, Jack, she gave it to me and I love it."  But of course I couldn't.  So, now it has a new home."

Here' is one of Jack's poems:

FIGMENT

Oh look at all the people going to work
as if marching off to war.
They pass by me, but don't see me as if
I am a figment of my Imagination.
Later they march off to party and still don't see me
I must be a figment of my Imagination.
They see my backpack, my worn shoes
As I fade into the bricks.
Walking down the sidewalk, they go out of their way
To avoid me.
They must see me.
I say in my best voice, "Good day".
They do not hear.
I must be a figment of my Imagination.
No eyes meet mine.
How can they?
I'm fading into the bricks.
No living person can feel this hollow; it's proof
I am a figment of my imagination.
They talk bitter of us, as if I'm not there--of course I'm not.
I'm fading into the bricks.
I've done a lot in my life, and will again--they don't see.
The fading is almost complete.
And just when I think there is nothing left to see,
Kind eyes find mine--
They pull me back.
A hand shake, or caring hand on my shoulder.
They don't look down or talk down to me.
They look and talk to me.
If only they knew, that kind person---
I want them to know, that in that moment of their concern,
I know that
I am not a figment of my Imagination.
Jack W. Burkheimer

Shape Making | Ballance Sheets

Shape Making | Ballance Sheets



I loved reading what Judy Balance has to say in her blog (above link) about shapes and wanted to share it. Both artists and art lovers can benefit from reading it. I also love her painting!  Enjoy.

Knock knock

Who's there?

Orange

Orange who?

Orange ya glad I painted this, cuz I am!

Ok I know that was beyond silly, but I've had insomnia since 3 and I'm lying in bed with my iPad on a pillow on my stomach, so I'm feeling neither creative nor intelligent. Never the less, I am glad I painted this one. I was inspird by a photo from one of my favorite websites, Paint My Photo. I'm realizing that painting a still life is rather calming for me, more like a meditation with less emotional involvement than when I paint people or animals. Interesting. Rather than attempting to get a personality across I'm trying to paint the sensation of moisture and layers in the orange sections, textures, and just the right colors that made me think about how oranges smell and wonder if they were cold or maybe fresh off the tree. We had a wonderful orange tree when we lived in FL and miss it. 

Dang!  Now I'm hungry in addition to being wide awake but too tired to do anything about it. Time to snuggle a doggie (Daisy is closest -  smashed up against my side) and at least pretend to sleep. 

The Cabaret Has Come and Gone, and Painting Pursuits

This past Sunday evening I pursued my other artist love.  I can't tell you what a thrill it was to be able to sing so many beautifully written songs for such an appreciative audience!  

 We were also extremely fortunate that there was a terrific art exhibit on our gallery wall.  The artists (both members of the same guild I belong to, TAG - Trenholm Artists Guild) were in attendance so the audience had a chance to chat with them in addition to seeing their wonderful paintings.

They will have their formal gallery opening and reception on Sunday, February 8th, 3 - 5 PM.  It's exciting for me to know these talented women.  

To be honest, I had a miserable time recovering from cataract surgery on my left eye.  The surgery went well and was successful, but I was unable to focus either eye on anything because my perscription in my glasses no longer fit my left eye.  I grabbed a pair of old glasses which made it a little easier to see but were no longer good enough for me to read well with my right eye.  Headaches and a grouchy disposition plagued me.  I wasn't sure how well I'd be able to perform for the Cabaret and made an appointment with my optomestist the Friday before just so I could I moan and groan about my life.  My retinologist had suggested I go ahead and get the cataract in my right eye fixed because the difference in "bright light left eye" and "yellow light right eye" was also bothering me. That would mean another month of even worse vision until I could get new glasses.  My wonderful optometrist told me to relax, my vision was still correctable and I needed to give myself a rest from eye surgery.  He fixed me up with a new pair of glasses in an hour.  I was smiing ear to ear and doin' the happy dance clear up to showtime Sunday night.  What a relief to be able to focus.  Which brings me to the painting I started Wednesday when  our group got together.   Many washes yet to go, but thought I'd share it anyway.  ..... And that's all the news that's fit to print!!

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.