JAL Studios

Just off my easel

2012-01-28T21:49:00.003-05:00

I just finished this painting. It is from a graphite drawing I did a few years ago. It has been percolating for a while as I decided what to do with it. It is 7x10, pastel on the new Mi-Teintes Touch paper.

Tea, Anyone?

2012-01-20T16:39:00.002-05:00

This is a little piece that I just finished. It is about 7x7, pastel on PastelMat paper. I am going to put it in my exhibit at Linger Longer, a coffee shop in Allegany, NY, in March.

From the Toy Box

2012-01-11T22:26:00.002-05:00

I'm trying out a new brand of pastels tonight. They are inexpensive and I wanted to see if they would be a good choice for when I am teaching a class and have to provide all of the materials like happens with conventions. I don't think I love them and I will probably stick to the brand I have been using. But I ended up with a cute little piece for my effort. I tossed a stuffed ladybug and a couple of antique or vintage building blocks on the table and painted them. This piece is 4x6 and is done on ArtSpectrum Colorfix paper.

Bailey

2012-01-09T18:04:00.002-05:00

It cannot possibly be this long since I have posted to my blog. According to the records, it was September. I have been very busy since then and I can't imagine that I haven't posted anything. Anyway, her is a commissioned portrait that I finished right before Christmas. This little Jack Russel is bright and perky. His portrait is done in pastel and is matted to 10x10. It is done on PastelMat using a variety of brands of pastels.

Orchids

2011-09-10T21:32:00.005-05:00

I have been working on an orchid painting. This painting is pastel on 6x12 PastelBord. I approached the painting by first doing an underpainting in Sienna tones. Once the underpainting was finished, the background was next. Then it was time to start working on the flowers. Here is a sequence of step-by-step photos. The painting isn't finished yet, but it will be soon.

Artichoke and Lemons - finished

2011-09-02T18:52:00.005-05:00

The Artichoke and Lemons is finished. The finished size is about 9x12. This is pastel on PastelMat paper. Next, I need to get it in a frame.

A Nantucket Basket

2011-08-11T18:24:00.003-05:00

I went to an all-day basket workshop today. The project was a traditional Nantucket basket. This little basket took a very long time to complete, but it is a lovely little elegant basket. It is just under 5" tall at the rim and about 16 inches in circumference.

ARtichokes and Lemon on my easel - phase one

2011-08-03T21:56:00.003-05:00

I started a new pastel painting today. I am working from a photographed still life set up. The subject is an artichoke and lemons. I am working on Clairfontaine PastelMat. I am working in a little bit different way on this painting. First, I did a value-scale underpainting of the artichoke and the lemons in Sienna tones. Then I blocked in the table and the background. The next step will be to begin adding color to the objects.

Boxer Completed

2011-08-01T21:20:00.003-05:00

I finished the boxer portrait today. She just needs to be framed and then can be delivered to my client. This painting is pastel on Clairfontaine PastelMat paper. The size is approximately 9x12.

Pinga Jar and Lemons finished

2011-07-24T22:10:00.002-05:00

I finished the painting of the Pinga Jar and Lemons. This is about 9x12 on Pastel Mat and is worked from a photo of a setup in my studio.

A new Commission

2011-07-24T16:25:00.003-05:00

I am working on a new pet portrait commission. This girl is a very elegant Boxer. I was given a great picture--a much better than usual photo--to work from and that makes the project a lot easier. I have a long way to go yet, but this is where I am now. This painting is pastel on Pastel Mat paper.

What's on my easel??

2011-07-14T21:08:00.003-05:00

I am working on a new pastel painting. It isn't nearly finished yet, but this is how far I've gotten. The painting is about 9x12 on PastelMat paper.

Pastel Studies

2011-05-12T12:59:00.000-05:00

I've been busy in the last week working on pastel studies. Here is the latest one. This is done on ArtSpectrum Suede Pastel Paper. It is about 11 inches square.

Today's project

2011-04-14T16:07:00.003-05:00

I have been working on things for the retreat for weeks and weeks. Last week one of our scheduled teachers cancelled and I am going to teach the class instead. It is a design from Kaaren Poole's book Drawing Birds with Colored Pencil. I was able to find copies of the book for a reasonable price, so everyone in the class will get a book in addition to their regular supplies

Studies

2011-04-11T13:03:00.003-05:00

I have been taking an on-line class with Daniel Edmondson, an oil painter from Colorado. The subject mater is all still life and, while he is an oil painter, I am doing the projects in pastel. The format of the class is that every lesson is a demonstration on DVD. It is accompanied by reference photos and additional supplementary information. After you watch the video demonstration, you paint the project and then send a picture of your work to Daniel. He then sends back a video critique of your work. It is a very beneficial program. Here is my latest project from the program.

More Baskets

2011-02-24T18:46:00.003-05:00

I spent yesterday in Franklin making baskets. The round one is the largest of a set of 3 nesting muffin baskets. I will be making a few more trips and will make one of these on each trip until I have the full set. The one with the feet holds a little bean pot shaped bowl that can be used for dip or salsa or whatever you want to put in it.

Travel Teaching

2011-02-13T21:38:00.004-05:00

I'm just back from teaching at a decorative painting retreat in Ohio. I taught 4 classes in colored pencil and took a basket making class. It was a very busy weekend. Once the retreat started, I was booked every class period. One of the classes I taught was called Your Pet in Colored Pencil. I had 3 students who each sent me photos of their dogs before the retreat started so that I could adjust the photos, select their pencils, prepare their packets and select some papers for them to choose from. For my demonstration/teaching piece, I chose to use one of their photos. This little Schnauzer had elements that each of the students needed to know about, so he was a pretty good demo choice. When I was selecting papers, I found a piece of purple card stock and that was what I used just to show them that you could be very creative in your choice of backgrounds as long as what you select supports the colors in your subject.

YUM!

2011-02-07T17:55:00.004-05:00

Here is another little pastel painting. I bought this beautiful mango and then painted it before it became dessert. The pieces is about 5x5 on sanded paper. Mangos have a very satin textured skin, so there are no really strong highlights, but there were 2 soft highlights from the overhead light and the window.

Yet Another Little Toy

2011-01-25T19:41:00.003-05:00

The toy series is a lot of fun. This little guy has been sitting on my desk for years and when the outside temperatures start the day at -16, I have to agree with him! He was sold by Avon maybe as long as 10 years ago. I can remember when Avon only sold cosmetics. Now you can get almost anything you want from your Avon representative. This little painting is about 6x9 and is done in pastel on gold pastel mat. Pastel Mat has become my favorite surface to work on. I painted him last night as a test of the possibility of teaching a lesson using Skype and a webcam. With a little tweaking, it will work quite nicely.

Another Daily Painting

2011-01-24T21:29:00.003-05:00

Here is another little painting in the toy series. This goldfish was a big challenge with its plush face, organdy fins, and suedey body with sparklies. These little paintings are really good exercises and a lot of fun, too. He is about 6x9 in pastel on pastel mat.

Daily Painting

2011-01-22T20:39:00.003-05:00

I try to work on a little something most week days and on weekends when I can. This little guy is one of my little daily paintings. He is about 5x5, pastel on sanded paper. He was a lot of fun.

Raffle Item

2011-01-15T15:06:00.004-05:00

I've been looking at this piece for 2 years. I was supposed to paint it as a large raffle item for last year's retreat. Instead, it just sat and then moved with us to our new home. Since I am the retreat chair this year, I figured I'd better get it painted. Besides, it is taking up space and I don't want to be contemplating it for yet another year. So, here it is. This not-so-little three-drawer jewelry box came to me already stained. The design on the top is courtesy of Connie Parkinson and comes from one of her books. I wanted a trompe l'oeil look. The jewelry hanging out of the drawers was my own idea. Once it has a nice finish applied, I have some white ceramic knobs to put on and I'll line the drawers with felt. I hope it is a big success and brings in lots of money at the retreat.

Treasure Boxes

2011-01-13T19:44:00.002-05:00

Each year the Town and Country Decorative Painters does a service project. For several years, they have painted Treasure Boxes. These are photo storage boxes that are painted and sent to the children at the Shriner's Hospital for storing their personal stuff while they are in the hospital. We use the photo storage boxes because they fit perfectly into the opening in the bedside table. Since the children can be any age from babies to 18 years old, the designs may be appropriate for any age. The February meeting is reserved for service projects, but I will not be able to paint that day, so I have done mine ahead. I painted two boxes and both designs will probably appeal more to the older children.

Painting Day!!!

2011-01-06T17:55:00.003-05:00

I finally got to spend time in my studio painting instead of organizing. It felt good. I decided to do a little piece just to warm up and get ready for bigger work. I took an apple from my kitchen and painted it in pastels on sanded paper. It is about 5x5. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's effort.

Holidays Over--Back to Work

2011-01-05T20:59:00.003-05:00

We spent the month of December working on projects in our house. We laid carpet squares in the studio/family room and then installed cabinetry for studio storage. After packing everything up so we could move it out while we worked, I have spent this week putting everything away. There is still a little more to do, but I actually can start back to work. Tomorrow will be a project day!

Here is my new studio storage. I am so pleased with how it turned out. It is a fairly small space, but the storage is spectacular!

Pastel Make-It-Take-It

2010-11-24T18:59:00.003-05:00

December is Make-It-Take-It month at Town and Country Decorative Painters. I am teaching a small pastel. I hope folks like it. The piece is 5x7 and is painted on Mi-Teintes paper using soft pastels.

More Baskets

2010-11-18T19:09:00.004-05:00

It seems that this has been a month for baskets. I just finished 3 baskets that will go in an open cabinet in my kitchen. They need to be stained, but aside from that they are finished and they fit perfectly. Now I can put the basket making supplies away and start on some colored pencil and pastel projects.

2010-11-18T19:09:00.001-05:00

Baskets for the gallery

2010-11-12T22:07:00.003-05:00

I have spent this week making baskets that will go to the Artworks at the Depot in Kane, PA. Since these are the first baskets that I will be showing there, I made smaller ones, I hope they do well.

Getting Ready for the Basket Luncheon

2010-11-04T19:13:00.003-05:00

The annual basket luncheon for Town and Country Decorative Painters is this Sunday. I;m busy packing everything up and making sure I haven't forgotten anything. The theme for this year is A Victorian Tea. My friend and I are making a theme basket. We have a tea set with a rose pattern as the centerpiece of our basket. My job was to paint a cookie plate to match. Here is one of the teacups and my cookie plate. The cookie plate is wood.

Where has the month gone???

2010-10-26T18:39:00.003-05:00

I have spent most of this month supervising our kitchen renovation. It is almost finished and I am actually able to cook in the new kitchen. In between my supervisory activities, I have done a little painting and made a couple of baskets. This basket was made as a wedding gift for my cousin. The weaving is in a twill pattern. It is built on a slotted wooden base. The overall size is 10x14x10-inches-tall.

A Fun Font

2010-10-07T19:31:00.003-05:00

Sometimes you find the answer to a problem in an unexpected place. One of my baskets for the luncheon is a basket of games. All sorts of games: jacks, pick-up sticks, a yo-yo, a cube puzzle, a deck of cards, dominoes, a wooden puzzle, and a glass chess set. In addition to these items, every basket has to have at least 3 painted items and I was really struggling over what I might paint. The container for this basket is a canvas storage bin. While I was noodling over ideas for painted items, I came across a font in MS Word called Game Night. The font consists of Scrabble tiles for each letter of the alphabet. PERFECT!!! Here is what the canvas storage bin looks like now.

Playing around

2010-09-29T19:40:00.003-05:00

I have to come up with several painted items for my baskets for the Town and Country Decorative Painters annual basket luncheon. One of my baskets has a tea theme. This is a journal with a papier mache cover. The design is created using watercolor pencil overlayed with colored pencil. The journal is about 6x8 inches.

Winston is finished

2010-09-11T19:04:00.002-05:00

I have Winston finished. He is such a cutie.

Winston's coming along

2010-09-08T19:02:00.002-05:00

I've been working a bit more on Winston. He is really a charming fellow.

What's on my easel

2010-09-03T15:13:00.003-05:00

My studio is finally a place to do a little work and not just to shove boxes around in! I was able to put in some actual creative work time today. Here is what I am working on. This is Winston. He belongs to the barber whose shop is next door to my chiropractor and he is the shop dog. I took this picture about a year ago. Winston was napping outside the shop on a bright sunny summer morning.

This work is pastel on PastelMat paper. The size is about 9x8.

A little time for work

2010-08-24T19:13:00.003-05:00

Finally! I was able to carve out a little time to play with my colors. I got some new pastel paper called PastelMat and wanted to try it out. It is a slightly velvety surface, but does not have a deep a nap as velour paper. So far, I really like it. This is not a terribly involved piece, but I wanted a stylized flower in a vase. I wasn't going for highly detailed and realistic. This little piece just might work for a 4-hour retreat class or if I make it smaller it could be a make-it-take-it, perhaps. The piece is about 7x10.

Move is over--finally!

2010-08-15T10:39:00.004-05:00

The never-ending-move is done! Everything is in one place. Now the unpacking begins. That is every bit as bad as the packing becasue we have moved to what we call "The Itty-bitty house" Still, I hope to be back to work in my studio soon. Especially, if Miss Windy keeps helping with the unpacking!

Best Laid Plans

2010-08-03T21:53:00.002-05:00

My student came today and we worked together on a couple of different projects. I need to come up with a make-it-take-it to be taught in December. I worked on this little piece and thought perhaps it could be done in 2 hours. Well, I was wrong. There is much too much for students to accomplish in 2 hours. So it is back to the think tank. Still, this was a fun little piece to work on. It is done in pastel on velour paper. The size is 8x10. I think it could be a nice 4-hour class at a retreat.

A little bit of painting time

2010-07-27T21:43:00.003-05:00

I was able to spend a couple of hours today playing with my colors and my student. It was such fun. I do miss my studio time. I can't wait until this move is completed and I can get back to work. Here is what we are working on. It is the Maine coast--11x14, pastel on a sanded surface.

Still sorting and packing

2010-07-23T18:26:00.003-05:00

I can see the end of this project. I will be so happy when it is over and done with. In the meantime, I thought I would share the beginning of a pastel painting that is in progress--calling to me. This is from a photo that I took in Maine when I went to the TEAM conference in June.

I miss playing with my colors!

2010-07-22T07:25:00.003-05:00

We are getting closer to actually being all in one place. I am at the sorting things to keep and those that are going to be sold. Fortunately, the sell pile is a lot bigger than the keep pile. We will be fully in our new home before August 15. Meanwhile, my colors are calling to me and I can't carve out time to play with them. I can't wait to get my new studio space set up and start back to work.

Studio is quiet

2010-07-17T19:37:00.002-05:00

We are in the middle of our move. The movers came on Thursday and loaded up. they delivered yesterday. Now we have to look at what of the remaining items go into storage and what get put up for sale. This move is stressful and challenging. We are taking the opportunity to cull our belongings--having a huge "hoe out" as one of my friends used to say. It makes for a difficult moving process. I will be happy when it is finished and my studio is set up in the new house so that I can start playing with color again.

Geisha is finished

2010-07-08T08:16:00.003-05:00

I have put the finishing touches on the Geisha statue. I hope my client likes her. I will be calling today to see if I can drop her off. She is pastel on grey Hannemuhle velour paper. The size is about 11x14. I must say I did enjoy working in the garden. There were enough positive comments about having an artist in the garden that the Garden Club wants to do it again for the next tour. They do this program every other year. A lot of people took my business cards and perhaps there will be some additional work as a result. These kinds of activities are what I call "planting seeds". You don't know the results until sometimes months later when you see what "grows".

Work in Progress

2010-07-04T18:23:00.004-05:00

Here is the second pastel painting I worked on in the garden. This statue is part of the gardenscape. She is far from finished, but as soon as she is done, she is sold. This one is pastel on grey Hannemuhle velour paper. This is a surface that I like more and more as I use it for different projects. It does take a little getting used to, but it really is a nice surface to work with.

Painting sold

2010-07-03T18:33:00.003-05:00

I participated in the Franklin Garden Club's House and Garden tour today. I sat in one of the gardens and painted. Earlier in the week I visited the garden to take pictures so that I could be painting something OF the garden and not just an unrelated subject. One of the features of this garden was a goldfish pond. I was able to get a nice few pictures of the pond and that is the subject I chose to paint. This piece is pastel on black velour paper. When it was finished, the homeowner bought it. I was very pleased.

Doing a good deed

2010-07-02T15:42:00.003-05:00

I had promised the Franklin Fine Arts Council that I would donate a painting that they could use as a fund raiser. I wanted to make sure it got done before we move, so I worked on this little piece last week while I was in Maine. It is based on a photo that I took of the downtown streetlights during the Christmas season. It is pastel on velour paper, 4x10. The framer has it and as soon as it comes back, I will take it to the Arts Council to do with as they wish.

Everglades Kite Snails--Finished

2010-06-30T15:29:00.003-05:00

Today I finished the Everglades Kite Snails. Finished size is 3x9. It is off to the framer this afternoon.

Everglades Kite Snails--Making progress

2010-06-16T21:53:00.002-05:00

Well, we are still working ont he Kite Snails. They are coming along pretty nicely. Another week's work should finish them up.

Newest Pet Portrait

2010-06-14T19:36:00.004-05:00

Finished this yesterday and the "Gramma" picked it up today. She was very happy. I hope the Mommy and Daddy are equally pleased. This guy is a 5x7 portrait done in colored pencil. He is a Brown Boston Terrier which is a very rare coloration.

New on the easel

2010-06-08T22:37:00.003-05:00

We started a new little painting today. These are Everglades Kite Snails. The only place they are found in the whole world is in the Everglades and they are an important food source for Kites (birds). They live in hollowed trees and are beautifully colored. I am so glad my friend goes to Florida and gives me photos to use for paintings. This piece is about 4x10 and even at that size the shells are many times larger than life-size. It is being done in pastel on velour board. This is just the beginning stages of the painting. Much more work to do.

Everglades Turtle--finished

2010-06-02T12:03:00.003-05:00

We finally finished up the turtle this morning. I am anxious to get him in a mat and frame.

New Make-It-Take-It

2010-05-28T11:04:00.004-05:00

I had to come up with a make-it-take-it for the conference in Maine at the end of June. This is a little pastel piece done on Mi-Teintes paper. The background is softened with denatured alcohol and then the purple cone flowers are painted over the top. The piece is about 6x9. It certainly isn't a fancy piece, but will frame up nicely and there is a good bit of learning to be gained from it.

Not much to show right now

2010-05-26T16:33:00.004-05:00

As we are getting ready to pack up to move, there is not much time to work on art. Much of my time is spent sorting, pitching, and dividing into "store" or "move" stacks for packing. Today three friends came to help sort through my studio. I am donating a lot of supplies and surfaces to the decorative painting club to use as door prizes for retreat or basket luncheon, large raffle items to be painted for retreat, and other club uses. Even after we filled up two vehicles, there is still a lot of stuff left behind. I think there will be a porch sale for art supplies. I am going to get down to materials I will actually use--colored pencils, pastels, and appropriate tools and papers. I will only keep a small amount of acrylic paint and brushes and a very small supply of watercolors--just in case. We had a nice visit, worked hard, and had a good time. Everyone was very tired at the end of the day.

Turtle Progressing

2010-05-19T14:13:00.003-05:00

Worked onthe turtle a bit more this week. He is almost finished. One more session and I think we will be able to call him done. He still needs work on his shell and then adjusting values. In this photo, you can see the reference photo in the corner.

Current Project

2010-05-11T13:54:00.003-05:00

I am working on a turtle with my student. She took the photo in Florida on a very bright sunny day. The turtle is sitting on a rock in shallow water with a reflection that is absolutely exquisite. Last week we blocked in the turtle. This week we worked on the reflection and the rock. He is coming along nicely, but there is still a lot to do. He is about 8x10 in pastel on Art Spectrum Colorfix sanded paper.

Pastel Lesson

2010-05-07T20:23:00.003-05:00

Today I went to see my teacher and start on a new project. I am doing a pastel painting of Miss Windy, my Lakeland Terrier. This is a big challenge. The idea of starting with pink and blue and purple--oh my! There is still lots of work to do. The likeness is there, but I am struggling a bit with how we get from this sort of psychedelic doggie to a very realistic finished work. This piece is bigger than life at 16x14 and is being done on gold velour paper.

An experiment

2010-05-03T09:14:00.004-05:00

I recently had an opportunity to buy some velour paper from a different manufacturer. There were a variety of colors including a bright orange. I bought a number of sheets of the tan, blue, and gray that would most typically be used with pastels and I also got some dark brown and some orange. The orange intrigued me because I wondered if you could get the same sort of luminous results with pastel on orange paper that Robert Warren achieves with his orange canvases. I played with the orange paper a little. These eggs are certainly not finished, but I did enough to figure out that for some subjects, the orange paper just might work. More playing is required, though. The eggs are actually more colorful than they appear in the photo. My scanner picked up a lot of the orange undertone and ignored the blues to a large extent. Watch for more.

Country Barn

2010-05-01T20:42:00.002-05:00

I don't usually do landscapes. They don't flow out of my hand easily and, while I appreciate them, they are not my favorite subjects. That said, sometimes it is important to stretch yourself. Today, I stretched. This barn is done in pastel on 8x10 velour paper.

Catch of the Day

2010-04-28T08:56:00.003-05:00

I thought I had posted phase one of this piece, but I guess I forgot. My student brought a couple of photos that we combined to develop this composition. The fish is a Cutthroat Trout. The piece is done in pastels on Hannemuhle velour paper. It is about 8x11.

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright....

2010-04-20T17:20:00.003-05:00

I had a lesson last week just before I left town for the weekend. We worked more on my tiger and got him ready for the fine details. I've done a little more on him since I came home, but he is not totally finished yet. He needs a little more fussing. He is approximately 15x20 and is done on Hannemuhle Velour Board.

Latin American Church--finished

2010-04-13T20:10:00.003-05:00

My student was back today and we finished the Latin American church. I am very pleased with the sky. Skies are a challenge for me and this one turned out very well. The finished size is a little less than 8x10.

What's new?

2010-04-09T18:50:00.003-05:00

Today I completed a small commission piece in colored pencil. It is 5x7 and done on grey-blue card stock.

New Project

2010-04-06T21:10:00.003-05:00

Today I started a new project with my student. She wanted to do a building, so we chose a photo of a church that my husband took somewhere in Latin America. It was a while ago and we can't remember exactly where it was. In any event, we are working in pastel on tan velour board. The piece is about 8x10. There is a lot of detail in the building and at this size, some of it will almost certainly be lost. The finished piece may be a bit more impressionistic than detail-perfect. It is coming along nicely, but there is still a lot of work to do.

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T18:24:00.003-05:00

Here is a little Easter bouquet of pansies and m&ms. Have a wonderful Easter with family and friends.

Downy Woodpecker

2010-03-30T13:29:00.003-05:00

This morning we finished the Downy Woodpecker. In the right kind of frame, he'll be pretty cute.

New Project

2010-03-25T20:11:00.003-05:00

Today I started working with a pastel teacher. I am absolutely thrilled! I was lucky enough to find someone who specializes in animals and works in a realistic style that is a good match for what I am doing and want to do better. We started working on a tiger today based on a photo that my husband took at a zoo. We accomplished a lot in 3 hours. I can't wait to go back again next month.

Bird House for Bike Trail Benefit

2010-03-24T16:04:00.003-05:00

I finally finished my bird house for the Bike Trail Benefit Auction. The birdhouses are given to artists to paint and then they are auctioned off during May Mart, Franklin's garden mart held the first weekend in May in Fountain Park. I really struggled to decide how to paint it this year. I finally found a design on the Plaid website that provided my inspiration. I still need to put varnish on it, but it is done and I can meet the end-of-March deadline. This one is much simpler than the one I did last year, but it is sort of cheerful. I hope it does well in the auction.

What's on my easel?

2010-03-23T10:59:00.002-05:00

My student and I are working on a Downy Woodpecker in pastel. This is about 7x9 on Colorfix sanded paper. The paper is a sort of greyed lavender color so it helps provide a good base for the sort of wintry looking piece. Last week we just laid in a background and worked on the wood siding. Today we started on the little bird. He is coming along nicely, but still needs a lot of work. The background was scrubbed in and then blended using a soft brush and denatured alcohol. Once the bird is finished, the background will need some additional attention.

More Splashing in Paint

2010-03-19T21:12:00.004-05:00

Once again today I played in paint. I had to paint a large raffle item for the retreat. I chose to paint a pair of nesting boxes. The large box is a design by Connie Parkinson. For the smaller box that sits inside, I used a part of the original design. The result is that you see the river and the bridge on the large box and then when you open the box, you are taken down to the river's edge. It turned out pretty well.

Playing in Paint

2010-03-18T20:49:00.004-05:00

Today I played in paint for the first time in quite a while. I had a wooden lid for a glass bowl that I had to paint for the Town and Country Decorative Painters retreat in April. This year's theme is Candyland and the bowls are the centerpieces for the banquet on Sunday. For my lid, I used a design by Connie Parkinson. I am very pleased with the piece. I really hate to give it away. Tomorrow I will varnish and then it will be ready to deliver to the banquet chair.

More from the beach

2010-03-17T19:48:00.002-05:00

Here is another of the little pieces that I worked on in my free time in Ocean City last week. It is pastel on Mi-Teintes paper, about 6x8.

Chocolate in Pastel

2010-03-16T13:53:00.003-05:00

Not only did I do the bunny in colored pencil while I was in Ocean City, but I also took some time to do him in pastels. The biggest difference in the appearance of the two pieces is that the colored pencil version literally shines because the pencil is wax based and when burnished it is somewhat shiny. The soft pastels have a mat finish. Both the colored pencil pieces and the pastel piece were done on the same color Mi-Teintes paper. The pastel version also has a few more areas of reflected color--tints.

Chocolate bunnies

2010-03-15T17:18:00.005-05:00

While I was in Ocean City, I had time to play with my colored pencils and my pastels. I had taken some pictures of a chocolate bunny that I wanted to do as a set and I packed the reference photos so I would have something to work on if I had time. I completed the set in colored pencil on grey-brown Mi-Teintes paper. The size is approximately 5x7. Sadly, the bunny was sacrificed for the good of the project--and a tasty bunny he was, too!

Back home!

2010-03-14T19:26:00.004-05:00

I feel like I have been away forever, but it was only a week. The retreat in Ocean City was very nice. My class was small, but the students were happy when they left and gave me ideas for things to submit for next year. That's a good sign. I made a friend at the hotel. Seymour kept coming to my balcony and right up to my sliding door to see what was going on in my room. I took a lot of good photos to use for reference.

The weather was perfectly horrible. When I left yesterday the ocean was angry--grey, big waves, loits of noise.

Food as Art

2010-03-09T17:10:00.004-05:00

You may have figured out that I am not at home. I am visiting family on my way to Ocean City, Maryland, to teach at a decorative painting retreat. My poor husband and my dog have been left at home to fend for themselves while I am off having a good time.

Today I went to lunch with a friend at the Tea By Two tea room in Bel Air, Maryland. It is a charming tea room with fabulous food. One of their specialties is what they call their Celebration Dessert. It is an absolutely decadent, but beautiful dessert that consists of a puddle of frosting in the bottom of a teacup to hold a small cupcake in place. On top of the cupcake is a fantastic frosting rose. When you have finished eating your dessert, they wash and pack the teacup for you and you get to take it home. We were celebrating my friend's birthday--a little late, but this is when I am here--so we each had a celebration dessert. Hers had a candle.

The reason I have shared so much information about this dessert is that you never know where you might find art. I have to say, this is not only decadent, but it is a beautiful work of art as well

Seagulls are in their permanent home

2010-03-08T18:53:00.003-05:00

I delivered my seagull painting to my cousin in Delaware today. It is now in it's frame and hanging on the wall. He is very happy.

A tisket, a tasket

2010-03-01T20:29:00.002-05:00

This is a really busy week as I am getting ready to teach at a retreat. I may not get a lot of painting done. But, tonight I went to a basket class I made 2 different baskets. I am very pleased with both of them. Creativity takes many forms.

Waht a difference a mat makes!

2010-02-27T15:32:00.003-05:00

The seagulls are now in their mat and ready to travel to their new home. I think my cousin will be very pleased. I can't wait to see it in the frame.

Flying Away

2010-02-26T10:42:00.004-05:00

The seagulls are finished. I took the piece down to my framer yesterday to have a mat and backer cut for it because I didn't have a mat board color that would work. The work itself is about 16x27. It is going to go into a 24x36 frame. This work is done on Colorfix sanded paper in pastels.

Here is a close-up of the gulls. There is color reflected from the sky and the sand in the white and grey of their bodies. According to my research, these are a variety of gull called a Laughing Gull.

One finished piece

2010-02-25T20:40:00.003-05:00

This week has been extremely busy, but I have still managed to get a little work in on my paintings and I actually have two finished. Here is the little girl that I started with my student last week. I am very pleased with the way she turned out. The finished size is 9x12.

The work continues

2010-02-23T14:11:00.003-05:00

I am making some progress on the seagulls. Here is what they look like after yesterday's work. A little more later today and some time tomorrow and I should be close to finished. This one is more like a painting-a-week!

Lots of work, but little to show!

2010-02-19T19:31:00.003-05:00

Lest you think I have been slacking off, let me assure that I am still working. This week I have worked up the drawing for my lesson next week. Today I started the seagull painting that I really need to have finished by the beginning of March. There isn't much to show, but here it is. I am working in pastel on Colorfix paper which is a sanded surface. So far I just have the sky and the sand. Becasue this is a very large piece (16x27), I used the pan pastels and a sponge applicator to lay in the sky and the sand. Now I can move on to my regular soft pastels to begin working on details. Tomorrow I can start on the grasses and next week finish up with the seagulls.

On my easel

2010-02-16T14:15:00.004-05:00

Today I have three different meetings to attend so life is getting in the way of doing a completed small piece. But, I still have something to share. My student this morning wanted to start on a portrait of a little girl. This is a not anyone special, it is a little girl she found in a very old Walter Foster book on portraits. The book is so old that the price printed on the cover is $1.00!! In any event, we started on that project this morning. We are working in pastel on Mi-Teintes paper. The size is 9x12. This is as far as we got today. We will work on her again next week. I suspect it will take another two lessons to finish her.

A new week, a new project

2010-02-15T14:40:00.004-05:00

Continuing my painting-a-day exercise, I was out running an errand this morning and found a little stuffed chick that chirps when you hold it in the palm of your hand. It was cheap and cute. The challenge was to turn something that is essentially a fuzzy yellow blob with beady black eyes, a plastic beak, and a plastic base with feet that houses the batteries into something that looks like more than just a blob. So today was all about texture. He is about 5x5 and is done in pastel on fine sanded paper.

Friday

2010-02-12T14:45:00.004-05:00

The daily painting yesterday was a dud, so I didn't choose to post it. When you are doing a little something like this every day, you are bound to end up with a few stinkers along the way. Today, I went back to one of my favorite subjects--vessels. This is a little white pitcher that was in my cupboard. It is done on velour paper in pastel. The size is about 7x9. The pitcher was sitting on my kitchen table and there are two windows in the room. This is why you see light falling on both sides of the pitcher.

Wednesday's work

2010-02-10T21:18:00.003-05:00

While watching the snow fall steadily all day, I needed something to remind me of spring and summer. I found a photo that I took at a farmer's market and I cropped it down to just one element. Today's painting is a basket of turnips. This is pastel on sanded paper. It is a little larger than usual at 9x12.

Tuesday's Painting

2010-02-09T12:30:00.002-05:00

I was away over the weekend teaching at a retreat in Ohio, so my daily painting got interrupted. Today I did a pastel painting of a small glass paperweight with a plant and goldfish blown inside. This is pastel on pastel board, 5x7.

Wednesday's experiment

2010-02-03T11:46:00.002-05:00

My painting for today is an experiment. I used suede mat board as my surface. The suede mat board is interesting to work on. It certainly holds the pastel, but it is far more difficult to blend. I don't know how often I might choose this surface. This piece is also a little larger. It is about 7x8. Because it is harder to blend, the whole piece seems a little rougher than most and the nap of the suede makes it look all soft-focus. It's nice to know that it can be used and it might be really wonderful for the right subject.

Tuesday's effort

2010-02-02T13:22:00.003-05:00

Today my time has been very limited. I started this little piece before my student arrived and finished it after she left. The little clay urn is unglazed and has a lot of clay/mud adhered to it. It is an item that we brought back from Central America and stands about 5-inches high. It is very rustic. The little painting is about 4x6 and is done in pastel on sanded paper.

A new week, a new challenge

2010-02-01T14:59:00.003-05:00

My Painting-a -Day personal challenge continues. I have started this week with a little silver teapot. This is pastel on 5x7 sanded paper. Sanded paper is really like very, very fine sandpaper. It is an interesting surface to work on. So far, I think my favorite surface is the pastel board, though.

Friday's painting

2010-01-29T12:27:00.004-05:00

Here is my painting for today. This is pastel on 5x7 pastel board. I was working from a photo that my husband took somewhere a few years ago.

Wednesday--reclaiming a piece gone wrong

2010-01-27T12:25:00.003-05:00

My painting for today almost ended up in the waste basket! I started this piece in colored pencil on a 4x4 piece of Ampersand Clay Board. Remember, part of the exercise is to try new products, techniques, and ideas. I don't like working on board with pencils. It has so much texture that it wears the pencils down very quickly, it takes a very long time to fill the texture so that you get a finished-looking piece. I was very unhappy with the results I was getting after about 40 minutes of working mostly on filling in background. At that point, I almost threw in the towel and threw out the piece. So, I walked away and thought about it for a while. I decided to try overlaying the colored pencil with pastels. In the end, I had a piece that is worth keeping. This is one seagull from a photo of a flock of seagulls that I am planning to use for a large pastel painting. I used my Pan Pastels to lay in the sky. Then I went to my soft pastels and worked on the gull. I used Conte pencils for some of the details, but they were not very effective over the colored pencil.

The exercise continues

2010-01-26T13:11:00.004-05:00

Here is my daily painting for today, Tuesday. It is 4.5x6 on Mi-Teintes paper painted in pastels.

Monday painting

2010-01-25T14:52:00.004-05:00

Today's painting is a little 3x5 pastel on board of iris. I was experimenting with the Pan Pastels on the background. They are very nice and blend easily to create nice color mixes and lay down in a very smooth application.

Friday's Challenge

2010-01-22T11:19:00.006-05:00

Today I challenged myself to take a single sketch and make two different small paintings from it. I did the sketch during a meeting I was attending yesterday afternoon. There was a plant in the lobby that I could see from the meeting room and I roughly sketched it in my notes. One version of the branch is primarily a cool palette with warm yellow-green accents. The surface is a 4x5 Masonite board that I apparently painted with a base coat of green acrylic paint a while ago.

The second version is a primarily warm palette and is painted on a 3x5 fine-grained canvas attached to a board. The warmer version is more vibrant and exciting. The smaller board forced a different placement of the subject and the result was a more interesting design as well.

I didn't like working on the acrylic base. It was grainy but the texture was uneven and it was difficult to apply the pastel the way I wanted. It would not be my first choice for a surface. The canvas was not bad to work on but would take a bit of getting used to.

Thursday's Effort

2010-01-21T14:06:00.003-05:00

I am sticking to my plan of a painting a day. I am giving myself 1-2 hours in the morning to work on and complete a small painting. Here is today's painting. It is called "Gardening". It is pastel on 5x7 grey pastel board.

Painting for today

2010-01-20T11:45:00.005-05:00

I have decided to try to make time to do a small painting every day. Today I got out the pastels once again and another 5x7 pastel board. This little piece is sketched from a set-up of a little Longaberger basket filled with small artificial pears and apples. For the background, I applied several colors and then used a watercolor brush and denatured alcohol to blend them together. Notice the left-hand light source. This is a challenge for me as I am so completely right dominant!

Today's Painting

2010-01-19T20:30:00.003-05:00

I spent a little time after my student left this morning playing with my pastels. I had a 5x7 Pastel Board that I wanted to try out. This product is made by Ampersand. It has a sanded (textured) surface and comes in grey, sand or white. I used the sand colored surface for this piece.

Pastel Sketch

2010-01-13T10:32:00.003-05:00

This is a small experimental version of what will ultimately be a much larger piece. It is done on Mi-Teintes paper with soft pastels and is about 9x12. The final version of the piece will be approximately 16x28 to fit in a very large frame. It is time to get it up on my easel and start working on it.