Time for a road trip !!

Well did  the road trip !! Went to Sedona ,Arizona . It snowed and was wonderful !! Then on to the Grand Canyon...snow there too! Could not hike in due to mud and ice.Did A long "rim " hike. Painted and drew in down time.

Solo art show will be taken down on Friday. It was a wonderful venue !! At the reception 47 + people showed up. Sold a couple pieces..inquires also. I will post pix later. Must get to watercolor class !!

Did this fun one inspired by a friend who is rehabing a VW bus... The wheels of my brain are turning !! I want to do a "winter" road trip,again ! Last year was Yosemite in the snow. The year before the Grand Canyon...hiking in snow. Maybe,Zion....sketch pad in hand ,watercolors,graphite ...????

Live model sketch

Still drawing with the Encinitas Figure Drawing group !! Once a week , 3 hour session and loving it !!  It is broken in to 10 gestures, and 2 long poses. This will be matted and installed with my show @ Carlsbad .

Lazy ...rainy ...day.....finishing things up !

My dancer is coming along great !! Little more highlighting on the skin ....don't want to over work it . I've added acrylic molding to edges of the skirt and ruffles to add more texture. After that has dried ,flowers and colors will be added. This is a work in progress.

Reverse Glass painting...a new way for me !!

At Painting club, Dolores our mentor introduced a style of painting she had practiced some time ago. India ink on glass,paint the areas you want in color. DRY !!! yes I did forget that step on one piece !! Then flip and place in a frame. I backed mine with a selected fabric. You can use wallpaper or wrapping paper ...anything. I love the results.

Thank you to my son  ,Scott, who gave me a book about Hawaiian quilt designs for my birthday.An absolutely lovely book!! I copied the design " Volcano".

I will be doing more of this style painting !

Works recently printed

cards are now avaliable as well as giclee  upon request.  Enjoy!!

YOSEMITE ...a fine time

I spent a week + camping with family @ Yosemite Park and almost Sequoia National. Did some graphite "en plein air" which I truly enjoyed.  Now,I am in the process sof translating these into color works. One I have started ,of Yosemite falls, on recycled floorboard..I have gotten bold with color . Will share later !

The little ducks, on the Merced River, visited Lola and Stella frequently. They stayed long enough for me to get a few quick drawings. all are now avliable on card stock...$2.50 each..See you later with some new works,

Bonn Family benefit...more

Thanks Diane for the inspiration!!

                                                               Thanks Kathy for inspiring Diane !!

                                                 You two are wonderful!!

Off to Buffalo...for the Bonn Family benefit !!

I have been working hard this month. Summer session ended and fall semester started. Taking 2 courses...intermediate watercolor and acrylic. I love working with the 2 instructors. They are talented and inspiring. They both caution not to "copy" and show work as your own. I notice a few people that I work with do this. Seems people feel that's OK? hmmmmmm.
I scan my pix bank for inspiration
For the Bonn Family I chose evergreen scenes. They remind me of western New York. The large acrylic is actually inspired from the San Jacinto mountains. Andre and I like to hike "Devil's Slide " and look down thousands of feet. It is very often foggy !! The 2 watercolors just came from the heart !

This is Devil's slide a smaller version than my original but better in many ways !!

Summer session !!!

My first seascape !! Just learned "rocks" in WC class. Waves were last week. This scene was inspired by Robert Noel Blair from the Western New York region. He was a counterpart of Charles Burchfield also from WNY. I met him on numerous occasions as a child.

Painted @ the Encinitas Life Drawing Group from live model. This was a 30 minute pose done on a very baasic graphite sketch. I find it very difficult to apply paint with a time limit but it is coming along!

Again Encinitas group a previous session.A 20 minute pose this time.

Well I have taken 3 courses dobled up this summer @ Mira Costa. Worth my time but the compressed schedule was consuming. I learned mucho in the painting classes and can now apply what I have learned. I'll keep a better blog after this week. More thing in the works !!

Carlsbad....continues

Graphites ,figure drawings were not hung due to lack of space

Costa Hummingbird.....still needs some work....almost complete !!

Carlsbad Show .......more pixs

Carlsbad JULY Art Show

Well I finished a couple pieces to show. I am very new to acrylic painting. It is coming along ........tedious for me!!

That's my work ...The Poppies on the poster..

I am having trouble adding other selections. Will do another post!!

Burchfield Center ,Buffalo New york

Didn't do much painting this week. On the road ...Buffalo
Went to an opening @ the Buechfield - Penney Gallery in Buffalo. Burchfield was a local painter (d) 1967.
Strongly associated with Buffalo State College.

Also attende the Allentown Art Festival. It has changed ...much fabric art,ceramics,jewelry. Food stands next to artist etc ???? Hmmmmm??

Arrived Carlsbad a few hours ago

Friday Figure drawing Group

Love it,love it love it !!
Great group of people.
Great models
We are taking down our show today

Updated works

A work in progress for Painting Club

This my BYB ( backyard bird)

I love these Humming Birds.

I hope to finish this before the June 30 show date !!

He is my first animal life attempt ever , in any medium!

BLOG UP!!! Painting Club Show to be hung June 30 !!

Sorry it has been awhile !!

Been busy,couple camping trips. Friends ,family and drawing Busy,busy

This is the mighty Tasmin Sea on The west coast of New Zealand. Visited there2 years ago. The beaches are black sand. The scenery awesome.

I present to you "Tasmin Sea".

 This is another I am also going to hang for the July painting show in Carlsbad.

Oil /Acrylic painting club.

Haven't talked about this in a long time !!
3 Wednesday am's per month , we paint.
I am learning...this is very new to me. I am working to exhibit with the group in Carlsbad in June/ July.
20 pieces , 6 members...??? The others have been together quite awhile. I'll try !!

These are the 2 pieces I am still working on to show.

Awarded....... THIRD places @ Oceanside Days of Art

I am absolutely thrilled that my work was shown @ Oceanside Days of Art. Winning a couple thrid places is a wonderful feeling !! Very encouraging to keep at it !

Yeah !!!!

Nothing like celebrating with family!! Mel ( green blouse), extended family was there ..visiting from New Zealand !!

What a wonderful day it was !! Thanks family !!

Me and Solana Beach Library !!!

There I am !! On a REAL showing !!

Mark Adams created the poster/ flyer. That's his work . Fantastic !!

OCEANSIDE DAYS of ART ....April 16-17 " Artist Alley (Location "M")

Three pieces chosen to show !!

Take a look and enjoy the whole festival!!!

Solana Beach Library Showing !!!!!

The Encinitas Figure Drawing group has their showing @ the Solana Beach SD Branch Library. It will remain hanging until about the first of June. There will NOT be a reception due to hours and space (: !!

    I have 2 pieces,graphite . The seated lady is hard to see. I am developing color in my work. Slowl-y-y-y-.
The contour is so simple but captures the character of the gesture.



    I thank Jean for this marvelous group of inspiring people !! Having pieces hanging next to "working" professional artists is a thrill.

Please visit ....let me know what you think  !! look up...we are above the bookcases.

A new artistic adventure....mosaics !!

Took a 2 day mosaics workshop @ the Encinitas Library (where else!!!) 

Theme was " windows" I created this piece titled   ??? Looking Out ??? looking In

My husband Andre created this untitled piece . Extremely pleasing to the eye !!!!

Thank you Dr Tim, artist ,oceanographer,chemist and his wife , Chris .

This was a fantastic workshop!!

I feel ther is a kitchen and bathroom project coming up !!

"Calm"

Sorry...I only posted the close -up of this selection. Anna was the model @ the Encinitas Figure Drawing group. A beautiful woman from Italia ! Enjoy!

OK,OK,OK.........finally drawing again!!

I have been drawing  !!!  The mixed media piece was done from a live model @ the Encinitas Figure Drawing group. Anna was gorgeous, from Italia, lovely accent. This was a graphite start, inked and water color was applied. She was in a meditative,dreamy state ,I think it shows !!

Leahna was done the week before @ Encinitas. Was a very " athletic". build. She had almost an bisque skin with a very sculpt face.She at times looked like a statue. It was a pleasure to work with her !

This was done 3 weeks ago.  Another gorgeous model @ Encinitas group.I am behind but keeping @ it  !! I can't believe 40 years passed and I had not drawn much @ all. But ,back to now andf loving it. ! I will get this water color thing  !!! I will!! I will!!

This is from Figure Drawing Class with France-Marie. These are 1 minute gestures. We were told to think of the wire works of  the body. Not an outline. I am finding it to be very relaxing. Gives you instant gratification!! Can you tell this has a nude !!!??? That's right ....no identifying body parts. Her movement should give a hint !

There he is !! I thought I lost this in cyber space !! Finished up my seahorse . He is mixed media ,water color and ink. I am going to get to Scripps to do more sealife themes.

I finally tweaked the Roma picture. I like it!!

I have also picked up with an oil/acrylic group on Wednesdays. Dolores is wonderful !! I will post sketches and prep pieces for the work being done @ this Vista group

Still gardeing @ Wine Tree !! As a matter of fact all 3 wine trees are doing great!!

Art of cooking but not drawing and painting !!

Yesterday ,I did get to Dick Blick's for more supplies. Monday's class will be working on dark/black paper with pastels. This will be new for me !! So, Lola (grand daughter #1)and I took the train to San Diego for the day !! We walked the harbor area, watched the ORACLE Regatta, ate PB & J sandwiches. Then up to Little Italy for gelato (Grandpa's favorite place !) and art supplies !! Long day for me  !

Did not draw last night....slept !
Today I am cooking with my new oven !!! Left my old one (convection,stainless steel,warming oven etc) when I abandoned Buffalo, NY to move to SoCal  (southern California) . Purpose... to live near my boys and their wives  ( did I mention the BEACH !).  We like to have a Family night once a week if posssible. So today is.........

A pile of fresh spinach !!

Fresh tomatoes for a butter lettuce salad

Lemons for Limone chicken with linguine and peas

Baked croutons ,mmmmmmmm

Scones will seved with raspberry sorbet

This has been fun....dinner on 4 hours !! Just love to cook!!