Art from the Heart

BIRD BRAIN

2012-01-22T22:20:00.001-07:00

Outdone by a bird

According to the dictionary, a "Bird Brain" is someone who is stupid, foolish or scatterbrained.
I stumbled upon this substantial little nest on one of my walks the other day. In all my efforts to design, create, and accomplish the very best artwork I am capable of, I find myself effortlessly outdone by a delicate creature the size of a baseball working with only a beak, some feathers and 2 clawed feet. The question bears asking, "Exactly who is the bird brain?"

WORKING THE HERD

2012-01-18T09:47:00.001-07:00

WORKING THE HERD

Just finished #3 in my Cowboy Series. The fun part of this series is capturing the movement of running horses. The light, colors, and posturing are all key. I learn so much with every painting. I am loving what I'm learning from this series!

"Working The Herd"
6x6" Oil on Canvas Board

THE ROPER

2012-01-13T11:39:00.002-07:00

THE ROPER

"THE ROPER" is the 2nd in my cowboy series. The horse is one of the most graceful, beautiful, powerful creatures on earth. My past experiences on horseback have produced feelings of freedom, fear and wonder, all rolled up together. The way the horse becomes the extension of the rider is an amazing interaction . . . Not to mention a lot of fun!

"The Roper"
$150 / 6 x 6" / Oil on Canvas Board

ROPING THE WIND

2012-01-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

ROPING THE WIND

Horses are BIG in my new state. Prescott, Arizona boasts the world's oldest official rodeo, Prescott Frontier Days. For an entire week, the town welcomes the competing cowboys with a grand assortment of horses, bulls, parades, shows, dances, and competitions. In honor of this rich history, I'm painting a series of cowboys and horses. This is my first.

"Roping the Wind"
$150 / 6 x 6" / Oil on Canvas Board

THE PUMPKIN PATCH

2012-01-09T15:13:00.004-07:00

The Pumpkin Patch

Fall is my favorite time of year!
I love the colors and smells, the excitement of the changing of seasons, clothes and foods, the crisp, cooler weather and the promise of the holiday season to come. After 22 years in Alaska I'd forgotten what a real fall was like. My first autumn in Prescott was gloriously long and insanely beautiful. Every day was a colorful journey through God's incredibly creative, ever-changing masterpiece. I enjoyed every moment. I started this piece the last week of October after a visit to a local pumpkin farm. On Halloween day we closed on the house we bought in Arizona, and my life became "Fruit Basket Upset" once again. I was able to finish this little painting this week after setting up my studio in the corner of my laundry room.

"The Pumpkin Patch"
$150 / 8 x 8" / Oil on Canvas Board.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

2012-01-06T22:09:00.000-07:00

I know all two of you who follow my blog think I've forgotten how to post, but 2011 was so full of changes for me that I had to drop off the face of the cyber world for a time. But with the holidays behind me and all of my art stuff once again gathered together (after 2 moves in 6 months), I hope to begin anew at this thing called blogging.

The art highlight of 2011 for me? In September I attended a 5 day workshop with my good friend and fellow artist, Nancy Angelini Crawford in Pasadena, CA. It was an oil painting workshop hosted by Dreama Tolle Perry and Leslie Saeta. I came away renewed and refreshed. Thanks to these wonderful teachers, my art now has a new direction and purpose, to go along with my new Arizona surroundings.

Here's wishing you all a very happy and blessed 2012. May you find much creative joy in your journey this year.

Nancy, Leslie, Dreama & Kristy at the 2011 Pasadena Workshop

My Greatest Creation

2011-06-14T22:35:00.003-07:00

The spark of creativity burns brightly in my being, although I often try to douse its fire with busy-ness. This past week has been filled with the logistics of a move from Alaska to almost Mexico and all it entails. In the middle of a hectic week, we celebrated one of my greatest creations: my first-born child Rosemary, who has come to live with us in Arizona for a while. My 2nd and 3rd children are also great, But Rosemary was the one who who opened the floodgates of Mommyhood for me. I revisited my own childhood as I became a part of hers. With Rosemary, existence became a dance instead of a drudgery. The world was filled with singing instead of sadness. Imagination became the normal way of life, instead of the exception. Happy Birthday, Rosemary. What a wonderful, fulfilling 27 years it's been.

Big Move in a Small Life

2011-06-07T12:11:00.006-07:00

I've some really big news for all my (2) fans who faithfully follow this blog . . .

I finally purchased a Mac! That, and... oh, yeah... I recently moved to Arizona.
I have high hopes that because of these changes I will be able to recharge and reinvent myself. Although I will dearly miss my old PC... aaaand Alaska... it was indeed an opportune time for change since I just passed my 56th year on the planet. When the moving truck arrives with my paints, brushes and easel, I hope to begin a new chapter in my life; this time as an Arizona Artist.

Gotta go! The coyotes are calling...

Adding some fluff

2011-02-04T00:35:00.000-07:00

Once I had my grizzly roughly blocked in, I took a step back and made some needed assessments. I decided the bear was much too skinny, so I rounded him out and fluffed him up some.
Stepping back from your work is an important part of the painting process. To see the whole picture, you have to literally walk away from it. Otherwise you will focus in too much on individual sections and lose the total composition. The end result will be disjointed and technically compromised. Move as far across the room as you can, and study the whole composition. Jot down notes about what needs to be done. As you paint, try not to stay focused on one section for too long. Work all around the painting, moving from one section to another, keeping the end in sight.
This bear is almost ready to meet his little ground squirrel friend.

Rough Grizzly

2011-01-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

The next step in this painting is to block in the bear, focusing in on the overall shape and the lights and darks. I want to portray friendliness between these two natural enemies, and that is in the back of my mind continuously as I work on posture and expression.
A common theme runs through my art whenever I paint animals; the relationship between animals who are natural enemies in the wild and how they might relate to each other if their predator/prey conflict did not exist. In the early chapters of Genesis, this was in fact the reality. Before Adam and Eve chose to sinfully reject their relationship with God, they had an idyllic existence, overseeing an animal kingdom devoid of fear and death. I like to imagine the time when it will all be put back as it was, as God has promised He will do. Check out Isaiah 11 if you want to learn more.

Brushing in the Background

2011-01-17T02:02:00.000-07:00

After I projected my sketch onto the canvas, I used watercolor pencil to draw in the subjects. Then I blocked in a springy blue and green background. At this point, the bear's profile is far too skinny, but I will adjust this when I put fur on him. I blocked in 2 layers of background to make sure I had enough coverage. I didn't want the canvas peeking through.

Commission #2

2010-12-31T16:31:00.001-07:00

Having delivered "Exubearance" to Town Square Art Gallery for framing, there's no time to sit on my laurels. I need to begin immediately on the next painting in order to make the deadline for Pediatric Dentistry of Alaska's new office opening. Since this next painting will hang in the clinic where the children are being examined and worked on, I conceived this sketch as an act of friendship to put the kids at ease. When I first sketched it out, the little arctic ground squirrel was offering the big grizzly bear a fireweed blossom. As an afterthought, I quickly sketched out a toothbrush on a piece of vellum and taped it over the fireweed. Dr. Beck liked this idea. Stay tuned to see how it works out.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T01:44:00.000-07:00

Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. May you find new, wonderful ways to be creative and add beauty to your world. God bless us, every one!

Make-a-Scene Magazine

2010-12-21T23:56:00.000-07:00

My friends Briony and Josh Fryfogle at Make-a-Scene Magazine did a nice little article about my recent paintings for Dr. Beck's Pediatric Dentistry of Alaska. You can check it out on the following link.
http://makeasceneak.com/category/arts/
Thank you, Make-a-Scene, for tirelessly promoting the arts in South Central Alaska. You guys are great!

Exubearance

2010-12-19T01:02:00.001-07:00

After I finished up the kuspuks, detailing them with flowers and trim, I lightened up the fireweed and worked in the shadows on the gravel. I brushed layer upon layer of fur on each bear, building up fuzzy, shiny coats on them. Following my client's direction, no bear is looking directly at the viewer. They are lost in the moment, joyful and carefree. I named the finished piece "Exubearance". Dr. Beck wanted a painting in his entryway that welcomed children and made them feel at home. I hope this painting achieves that. If it does, then I have done my job well. I hope it brings joy to all who see it. If you're in the neighborhood, drop by Pediatric Dentistry of Alaska on the Seward-Meridian Highway and take a peek.
Tell the bears I sent you.

I Love Acrylics!

2010-12-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

Whenever I work with all 3 of Dr. Beck's bears in the same painting, I never know which one will turn out to be the mischievous subject. It appears the polar bear is it in this painting. But because of the quick drying time and opaque coverage of acrylics, things that don't look right can easily be fixed. As you can see, I painted over the polar bear's right foot and turned it downward so it doesn't look so strange any more. I also rounded out the head a bit more. The bear seems to be cooperating nicely now that I've fixed the foot. Time to move my focus again so I don't obsess over this rascally bear. I block in the gravel and finish the black bear's kuspuk. This painting is very close to being finished.

Move Along

2010-12-10T16:18:00.002-07:00

Rather than bog down on the problematic polar bear (after fooling with it for quite a while), I blocked in the grizzly and black bears. The reasoning behind this is simple. If I allow myself to focus in on one part of the painting to the exclusion of the rest, the whole will suffer and I probably will work it to death and not be happy with it anyway. If I move along and focus on other areas, the answer to the problem usually becomes clear to me. Also, I need to make sure the colors all work together at this foundational point. The polar bear's kuspuk actually started out as purple in the color sketches. It looked too middle-value, so I changed to the lighter, brighter value of yellow, which works much better.

A Work In Progress

2010-12-08T01:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes what looks fine in a sketch doesn't translate well when it's blown up to a 2x3 foot canvas. As I lay down the bottom layers of fur, I realize I'm not happy with the polar bear's right leg. The angle is awkward and doesn't look right. I also have a problem with the face. The nose is too long. I'll have to tweak these two problem areas until they seem more real. Too bad I let that polar bear model go home early. I could use a few more poses to choose from.

Beginning the Bears

2010-12-01T00:44:00.004-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I thank God for my family and friends, my art and how happy it makes me, and the joy of living in the awesome state of Alaska. There's no place like it, and it inspires me every day to be the best artist I can be. I'm so blessed.

Now that I've finished the background scenery, blocked in the fireweed and put the base color on all the outfits, it's time to start on the bears. Here I've added some shadow and expression to the polar bear since it's the one who insisted on being brought to life first.

Back to Front

2010-11-22T01:00:00.002-07:00

After brushing in the background the way I want it, I start moving forward, blocking in the shadows under the fireweed and putting the base colors on the kuspuks the bears are wearing. I'm using acrylics for the 4 paintings I'm doing because they dry really fast and this project is on RUSH mode. I will use the same palette throughout the series to maintain continuity with my colors. This painting will hang in the foyer, but the next 3 will be spread across 3 adjacent walls in the clinic where it would be obvious if the colors didn't match.

Pediatric Dentistry of Alaska Commission

2010-11-19T01:59:00.003-07:00

I started a new commission for Pediatric Dentistry of Alaska. They have been building a new office near Wasilla. Dr. Roger Beck has worked hard over the years to establish a top notch dental practice for children and he cares deeply for youngsters and their dental health. He has very clear ideas about what he wants his practice to be like in the community and what kind of building would make his patients feel welcomed and cared for. Dr. Beck asked for a painting for the entryway with three bears; a polar bear, a grizzly bear, and a black bear, just like the logo I designed for him several years ago. After several meetings with the doc to establish the layout of the design, I was ready to begin painting. Here's the beginning of my commission. Check back soon to see the progress of this fun painting!

You're an Artist

2010-10-20T11:32:00.003-07:00

I wish I had a dollar for every time someone tells me they aren't artistic at all. When they discover I'm an artist, they are quick to tell me they can't draw a straight line (neither can I...that's what computers are for) or all they can manage is a stick figure (Stick figures are the basics of every good life drawing!). Listen to what I'm about to say...
In some way, in some form, you're an artist.

It's my belief, based on what the Bible says, that we humans are all created in the image of God. God is the Creator. He C-R-E-A-T-E-D each one of us uniquely different. We are
C-R-E-A-T-E-D in His image. Hence, we are all creative.
Hence, you're an artist.

Don't argue. Did you ever rearrange a room?
You're creative.
Did you ever put together a fashion ensemble or plant a flower bed?
You've got designer genes.
Did you ever experience pure joy over a brand new box of crayons and coloring book?
You're an artist.

So for all you naysayers who insist you're not creative and don't have an artistic bone in your body, I'm giving homework. In the next10 days, go to the store, purchase the pumpkin of your choice, and carve it into whatever kind of Jack-O-Lantern you desire. Sure you won't cut a straight line or make it look like a real face. But the process of scooping out the slimey stuff, designing the carving and executing that design will put you in league as Michelangelo. Then, when it's nice and dark, put a candle in that sucker and light it!
Bingo! You're an artist!

Palmer Art & Garden Fair

2010-08-03T22:51:00.001-07:00

I had a fun time at the Midsummer Garden & Art Fair in Palmer on July 24th. The Palmer Museum and Visitor's Center invited me and fellow artist, Jeanne Young , to come paint plein air in their showcase garden. Amidst a huge tea party, live music and, of course, some gate-crashing wind and rain, the flowers were in full glory, showing off for the tourists and visitors who wandered by. I heard much delighted "oooing" and "aaahhhhing" as people discovered flowers they didn't know could grow in Alaska, or at least didn't know could grow that big.
I enjoyed meeting new people and bumping into a few old friends. Although my watercolor got rained on near the end of the day, I learned a lot. The rain even improved my painting! I hope to go back again and again. Hats off to the Master Gardeners who care for this garden, and to the Museum for offering it for our enjoyment. For more information about the Palmer Museum and Visitor's Center, follow this link.
And if you're in the neighborhood, make sure you take time to walk through and check out the beautiful things Alaska can grow.

Assayer's Office Phase 2

2010-07-20T20:41:00.002-07:00

Moving along on this painting, I worked on the background. Or maybe I should say "overworked the background". Oils have proven to be a lesson in futility for me. I'm sure I would put my mentor, Paul Penczner, to fussing at me in his precious Hungarian accent. (R.I.P., Mr. P ~ I hope Jesus has put you to work painting murals on my heavenly mansion's ceilings!)

My "Painted Ladies" have fallen head over heels in love with oil, especially when combined with plein air painting. I have lagged behind, finding reasons to not to learn this new trick. Either it's the rain or the mosquitoes or vacation or not enough time...my list of excuses goes on and on. I have a dream that one morning I'll wake up and decide I'm not going to let oil painting kick my butt.

But until I can run with the big dogs, I guess I'll stay on the porch.

Alaskaland Mosaic is Finished

2010-07-15T17:31:00.002-07:00

It's finished! I decided to use a buff-colored grout after consulting with Terri Ann at Arctic Mermaid Mosaics (http://arcticmermaidmosaics.com) . I chose this color because I wanted the animal images to pop out from the background. I think I achieved that goal. Overall, I'm pleased with my first solo mosaic creation. Mosaics are a fun way to design and play with color. If you're the type of person who can't sit in front of the TV without doing something, you should try mosaics. It's soothing and energizing to spend time creating something so beautiful, colorful and functional.
You'll be addicted in no time.

The Finish Line

2010-07-13T23:16:00.012-07:00

After a couple of vacations and too much distraction, my mosaic is all tiled and finally ready to grout. I have taped the sides and back to keep them clean from the grouting and will paint them black after I'm all done. My first on-my-own mosaic is about to be complete. Finally.

Hawaii

2010-05-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

Apologies for not blogging lately.

Like so many other Alaskans who tire of long winters and what we call "Breakup" instead of "Spring", I took off to the island of Maui in Hawaii for a much-needed WARM vacation. The colors, tastes, sights, sounds, and incredibly ambient temperatures were solace to my frosty soul. I fell in love with the beautiful people there. I fell in love with the flora, the food, the landscapes, the weather, and especially the new world opened to me via a snorkel, mask and fins. I left with white skin and a sour attitude, and my yard still had mountainous strongholds of snow. I returned with an awesome tan and a new outlook on life to green grass, everything budding, swallows nesting, and sunny skies. Aaaaahhhhhh. Summer in Alaska.
Ready.
Set.
GO!

Changing Horses

2010-05-01T21:16:00.003-07:00

Here I've switched to a water-based oil study of the Assayers Office in Hatcher Pass. The day I took the photo reference was a grey, flat light day. I'm hoping to brighten up the light a bit. I'm also exploring a more painterly style with this picture. In case you're wondering what that means, here's the definition:

paint·er·ly adj.

Of, relating to, or characteristic of a painter; artistic.

Having qualities unique to the art of painting.

A style of painting marked by openness of form, with shapes distinguished by variations of color rather than by outline or contour.

I usually paint realistically in oils and acrylics, albeit using whimsical subject matter, so this is going to be a fun change for me.

Here comes the Eagle

2010-04-14T21:27:00.001-07:00

My last critter is the eagle. Because of all the feathers, I feared this would be the hardest one to cut, but it went smoothly and quickly. Here is the partially finished eagle mosaic, minus a leg, its feet and the background. It's been snowing all day here. Spring has decided to go back to bed for another week or two. This is the time of year Alaskans experience what we call "Cabin Fever", where we feel cooped up and antsy. I sure hope we have a nice summer in spite of our tenacious late winter weather.

Moose Mosaic

2010-04-09T21:12:00.001-07:00

Now I've added the moose. This mosaic is shaping up nicely. I hope to have it done in time for the May thaw when we put our porch furniture outside. Spring is slow in coming as it always is. It feels like one step up and two steps back this time of year. We've still got acres of snow on our property and lots of mud where there isn't snow. I'm glad I have my creative projects to keep my mind off my box full of flip flops under the house.

On with my 2nd mosaic

2010-03-31T11:06:00.001-07:00

I'm back to my mosaic now that I've finished my little Spring watercolor. I've completed the bear image. It's slow, peaceful work I usually do at night when the sun has gone to bed and the light is no longer good for painting. I like to have an old movie on while cutting and gluing pieces down. Last night I watched (or rather listened to) To Kill A Mockingbird, based on the excellent book by Harper Lee. It's one of my all-time favorites and reminds me very much of my own childhood in the South. If you're ever looking for a great book or movie, this is a must.

Tulip Surprise

2010-03-29T13:08:00.004-07:00

After adding a nice brown ink outline around the main parts of the picture and deepening a few more shadows, I felt the picture was still too white overall. So I lightly painted in floor boards in a warm brown. Then I brushed in a pale, washed-out blue onto the wall behind my subjects. I left the mountains and hills in the background without an outline to make them seem more distant. I think this paintings says, "SPRING!" and therefore, I consider it a success.

There is much discussion about painters vs. illustrators, and are illustrators true artists or does that title only apply to those who adhere to some purist sense of the word? I've dealt with this question all my life and I've seen a lot of methods and styles come and go in popularity. Because N. C. Wyeth was chiefly an illustrator, does that make him less of an artist? Because Monet was chiefly a painter, does that mean his work is more relevant than Fredric Remington's? The wonderful thing about art is, there is room for everyone and everything. From crayons to digital media, it's all creative. God made us all in His image. My art may be quite illustrative, but if it emulates the One who designed me to be who I am, I'm happy with that. In the words of the famous runner and missionary, Eric Liddell, whose biography inspired the movie, Chariots of Fire, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."
I believe God created me with a whimsical nature that expresses itself in many ways, one of them being my artwork. And when I create in that way, I feel His pleasure.
Happy Spring to all of you from Singing Creek Studio!

The Devil is in the Details

2010-03-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

As I work out the details for this little painting, I like to step back and observe from across the room to see what needs to happen next. My friend Talya taught me do this, and it's a good tool to have in one's bag of artist tricks. Sometimes I'll prop a painting on the hutch in my kitchen where I can see it from anywhere I happen to be working. I'll look at it over and over again, analyzing what needs to happen next. One thing I noted from my observation of this picture was an overall flatness of my foreground characters, so I deepened the shadows on my bears and dog. I also added a wood grain to the molding around the window and door and added color to the molding where the wall meets the floor.
I think it's almost finished!

More Color

2010-03-22T16:43:00.002-07:00

I'm layering in background color, trying to keep it soft and distant. I've also decided to add more shadow to the outfits the bears are wearing. Next I think I'll bump up the color on the foreground subjects to make them move forward, towards the viewer. I like the old-fashioned feeling the costumes impart. Did you notice Mimzy, my Jack Russell terrier on the doorstep? That's her favorite place to be.

Happy Spring!

2010-03-21T02:27:00.001-07:00

In celebration of the first day of Spring, and in anticipation of Easter, I started a new little watercolor. It's full of flowers, blue sky, and the joy of Springtime. I have only just begun to block in color and some of the shadows, but I can already see the personalities of my mama and daughter bear emerging. I'm alternating between this painting and my mosaic this week. In Alaska we have another month before Spring is really here, but we're having warm enough temperatures to start melting the acres of snow on the ground. We call this time of year "Breakup", and to enjoy it one only needs a good pair of knee high rubber boots and a love of puddles.

There's a Bear There

2010-03-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

I started the next easiest form which is the bear. Its rounded edges and few small details make it a somewhat less difficult design. I am switching between the bear and the background rather than doing only one color tile at a time. By doing this, the whole design progresses along at a consistent pace, rather than one color at a time, which makes it more interesting.

Backgrounded

2010-03-16T00:56:00.001-07:00

I chose opaque, cream-colored tiles for the background of my mosaic to add contrast. It took lots of cutting and sizing to fill in around the black fish silhouette. As I cut, I'm thinking about what color grout I should use to fill in around the tesserae when it's all finished. I'll probably change my mind several times, but for now I'm thinking a light tan would look good. I've got soooo much more to do before I get to that point, though.

Do you like puzzles?

2010-03-14T18:03:00.001-07:00

If you like puzzles, mosaics would be a good fit for you. I spent about 4 hours piecing together this salmon. Mosaicing is a very relaxing, peaceful time for me. To begin, I graphed out the pieces I though would look good on a piece of tracing paper. This was just a guideline for me, because I continued to adjust it as I snipped and glued the pieces onto the base. I'm working on placing my tesserae closer together than I did on my first project. Here's my day's work...

A fresh start

2010-03-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

Don't you love a fresh start?
I have begun a new mosaic design. This one I'll be doing all by myself, although Terri Ann at Arctic Mermaid Mosaics has promised to be just a phone call away if I need her expertise. I've purchased my own nipper tool (for cutting), glue and tesserae (tiles, marbles, etc.) and sealed my base piece of plywood. I've tweaked my design to fit an improper cut ("Measure twice, cut once, blah, blah, blah ... oh, crap!") and transferred it onto my base via carbon paper. I'm ready to start cutting the tiles and gluing them down. Check back tomorrow to see my progress.

Finished 1st Mosaic

2010-03-05T15:41:00.001-07:00

After working through some heavy proposal work for the last couple of weeks, I finally found myself with some spare time to finish my mosaic mirror. I'm so happy with this first project! Though I can easily see the glaring mistakes in design and execution, overall it was a pleasant learning experience resulting in a beautiful, functional piece of art. I've already got my next project in mind and am off to Arctic Mermaid Mosaics in Wasilla with a list of items I'll need. So many projects ... So little time!

My First Mosaic

2010-02-21T18:47:00.002-07:00

I had the immense pleasure of participating in an all-day mosaics workshop at Arctic Mermaid Mosaics in Wasilla, AK yesterday. The owner/workshop teacher, Terri Ann Kilborn, is an accomplished mosaics artist and loves to share her expertise with others. Throughout the day she led our small group of beginners through the process of prepping, cutting, gluing, sealing, and grouting our designs onto 9"x9" mirrors. We came up with our own designs and drew them onto the wood square around a mirror. And though they were very different, they all turned out simply beautiful! We enjoyed the process and the relaxed, encouraging atmosphere Terri Ann provided, not to mention the wonderful food and music to put us in the creative mood. It was so much fun to spend all day and leave with a piece of heirloom artwork. If you are interested in learning about mosaics, please give Terri Ann a call and sign up for one of her workshops. You'll be glad you did. Her website is http://arcticmermaidmosaics.com .
Here is a picture of my un-grouted mirror:

All I Want For Christmas

2010-02-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

I've finished my Christmas bear by darkening the color of the hat and vest to a deeper, velvety holiday green. Using my trusty x-acto knife, I've scratched out a few highlights I had managed to paint over in the eyes and on the goodies to make them pop out a bit more. THEN, the very last thing to do was to outline all the Christmas treats and facial details with a #0 Rapidograph. This pushes them forward, while keeping the bear's fur a bit softer. I think I'm finally finished with the Christmas card that SHOULD have been done last October. How's that for follow-through?

The obvious title?

"All I Want For Christmas".

Off with the Frisket!

2010-02-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

Next it's time to rub off the frisket. Bears, like me, have a very big sweet tooth, not to mention a penchant for salmon, squirrels and berries. I decided to shower this big guy with all the yummy bear snacks I could imagine. I spend time adding detail to the wonderful Christmas treats spilling out of his hat. I also pull out highlights on his fur by stroking a damp brush over the brown coat. This is a fun process and I have to make myself stop or I'll diminish the areas I want to keep in shadow.

Seeing Green

2010-02-08T21:55:00.000-07:00

Next I wash in green on the top hat and the vest. Putting in a large area of dominant color like green changes the look of the whole painting. The frisket is still in place to protect the areas I want to keep clean and bright.

Frisket

2010-02-07T23:10:00.001-07:00

Once I've transferred the drawing to watercolor paper, I want to make sure certain areas stay clean and unpainted until I am ready to address them. Using a toothpick, I apply frisket to these areas, which appear grey in the photo. The frisket effectively repels water and paint so I can freely wash in the large color areas. As I start to build up layers of wash, the painting begins to come alive.

Drawing = Painting

2010-02-04T17:36:00.000-07:00

My New Year's resolution to draw every day is still going strong, although I have to admit I've missed a few. But every day is a fresh start, so I recommit with each new sunrise. The pile of drawings in my last post ended up in a painting which could possibly be next year's Christmas card. Here's the drawing I picked to turn into a watercolor. It's a grizzly dressed up in his Christmas best with a top hat full of magic. This should be fun.

Draw, draw, & draw some more

2010-01-13T13:39:00.001-07:00

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to draw every day. Whether it's for just 30 minutes or 3 hours, the practice of drawing will undoubtedly make any artist a better painter, sculptor, and even a better photographer. Drawing helps you see better. To quote Maurice Grosser from Betty Edwards' book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, "The painter draws with his eyes, not with his hands."
Here are some thumbnails and preliminary sketches I've done this week.

Happy New Year 2010!

2010-01-01T15:56:00.005-07:00

A Happy and Blessed New Year to Everyone!
The beginning of a new year is a time of reflection and resolution. We can see where we've been and where we want to go. I hope you have at least one resolution that will multiply your opportunities to be more creative in the coming year. I also hope you will resolve to look for God's personal gifts of love and grace to you each day. It could be a moose that crosses the road in front of your car, stopping for you to marvel. It might be a rainbow or a snowfall or a verse that speaks to your heart. It could be a friend's hug or a child's song or a secret prayer that was answered in a way that only you would appreciate. Every day He showers us with love and grace. We only need eyes to see.

The Escape Artist

2009-12-26T16:04:00.004-07:00

This little snowman has had enough of being cooped up inside his safe little snow globe. He would rather brave the exciting freedom of the unknown rather than live inside his glass house, however secure it may have been.

I painted this little scene as an invitation design for a show I was in last year titled, "Escape Artists". This painting sold shortly after the show to a young man going through a very difficult time in his personal life. Having recently resolved to live his life differently, he identified with this snowman's pluck and courage.

Sometimes truly living your life means breaking out of your globe.

Seal Santa

2009-12-23T01:12:00.003-07:00

In the spirit of Christmas, this polar bear Santa is handing out gifts of fish to a happy group of Alaskan seals. Normally, the seals would be dinner for the bear, but my imagination doesn't work that way. I like to try to forget we're all part of the food chain here in Alaska.

Salmon Claus Is Coming To Town

2009-12-19T12:51:00.007-07:00

You'd better watch out!
You'd better not cry!
You'd better not pout!
I'm telling you why.
Salmon Claus is coming to town.

He's spreading joy and showering gifts on all good Alaskans who shovel all their snow, chop all their firewood, and don't complain about the cold, the dark, the wind or the power outages. Will he visit YOU this year? Five more days until Christmas!!!

Eskimo Wise Men

2009-12-16T01:37:00.003-07:00

My three Eskimo Wise Men are traveling through a snowy Alaskan landscape to bring the Christ child their gifts of adoration. Only 9 more days until Christmas! Snow always sets the Christmas mood. Growing up in Tennessee, I rarely saw a white Christmas. But in Alaska, every Christmas is a white Christmas. We had a beautiful, deep snowfall today. Everything is blanketed in a soft, sparkley white. It's magical. And it's just in time for Christmas!

Thank you, Frontiersman and Primrose!

2009-12-13T01:49:00.008-07:00

I had the good fortune to be the featured artist in this Friday's Frontiersman newspaper just in time for my Second Saturday reception at Primrose Retirement Community where Douglas Girard and I have a December show. Special thanks to Suzanne Bach who wrote about me and my artwork. Here's a link to the article if you'd like to read it.
http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2009/12/13/valley_life/doc4b22a23973b14293689409.txt

I enjoyed meeting everyone who turned out to see the art at Primrose today. I met so many nice people. I appreciate the encouragement and hope my paintings bring you holiday joy throughout the Christmas season.

Since it's getting close to Christmas, I'll be posting some of the holiday paintings I've done. Here is one I sold to one of my best friends last year. It's called "Under the Mooseletoe".

Finished Fall Fandango

2009-12-09T02:15:00.004-07:00

I redid the trim on the parky to my satisfaction and matched the geometric trim on the hat to the mukluks. I added a little ermine to the top of the fur hat. I shortened the bear's nose and softened his face. Over all, I was satisfied with this painting. The bear is happily singing and drumming an autumn song.

If you'd like to see this and the Winter, Spring and Summer Fandango paintings, along with several more, I'm showing at the Primrose Retirement Community, 889 N. Elkhorn Drive, Wasilla, Alaska, through the month of December. I'd love for you to drop in and see them!

Parka Problems

2009-12-06T19:18:00.005-07:00

As I worked on the facial features of my drummer bear, his personality came through a bit more. He began to look like he was singing instead of just smiling. I started adding detail to the parka, hat and mukluks. After I finished the trim on the jacket, I thought it was too geometrical and decided to change it. This was a matter of personal preference. One of the great things about acrylics is the ability to paint over and change things. I'm sure the geometric trim on the parka would have been fine, but I wanted continuity. Check the next blog to see what came about.

Pants and more background

2009-11-27T00:32:00.004-07:00

I continued to slowly work out the tundra, softening the appearance of the grasses. I added some spruce to the foothills and worked on the dancer's pants. I also put soles on the mukluks. I hadn't decided on exactly what kind of hat I wanted him to wear, other than I wanted it to be ermine. Ermine are the same animal as a common brown weasel (stoat), only the coat turns a pure, clean white in winter from it's camouflaged brown in summer.

Fall Tundra

2009-11-19T12:41:00.004-07:00

I used fall colors to block in the tundra at the bottom of this picture. Then I roughed in the mukluks so I could indicate the shadows beneath his feet. I hope to establish movement and give my audience the feeling of the rhythm of the drum beat while the bear sings along.

First Layers

2009-11-13T14:00:00.002-07:00

Since I'd already painted the sky background in, I naturally continued with the purple mountains and the alluvial hills. I began to establish the wide range of colors, from the bright blue sky to the autumn-colored fields as I moved from background to foreground. Then I painted in the first layers of the bear's head and front paws. It will take many layers, moving from dark to light, to achieve the furriness of the face. Roughing in these areas at this point enabled me to get a feel for this bear's emerging personality. Admittedly, I went out of step by painting the drum face in before the parky behind it, but sometimes I find it expedient not to stick to the artists' code.

They're more like guidelines, anyway.

Onto Canvas

2009-11-10T18:30:00.003-07:00

My next step in this painting was to reduce my original drawing to a thumbnail, then project the picture onto my 24"x36"canvas. I then used burnt umber to "sketch" in the picture onto the canvas. The background always goes on first, and I always work top to bottom, left to right, I painted in the sky with a bright blue, so typical of our Alaskan fall.

Fall Fandango

2009-11-07T16:13:00.005-07:00

Autumn in our neck of the woods near Hatcher Pass, Alaska, has lingered into what is normally the snowy first month of winter. We're still awaiting that first big snowfall . . . the one that comes and stays until the end of April. In celebration of this odd weather pattern, I'm posting the progression of Fall Fandango.

I wanted to create a drum dancer for this painting. Y'upik drummers are always male, so this bear will follow suit. I sketched a quick idea onto paper, including some of the elements I wanted to portray. This polar bear is wearing a white parky and a fur hat while beating his drum. The termination dust making its way down the mountains indicates winter is on its way.

Portrait Workshop

2009-10-28T23:00:00.005-07:00

This week I took a portrait workshop with Dodie Ruffner Ballantine, an inspiring teacher and professional portrait artist. I love workshops. They push me outside my comfort zone and make me demand more of myself as an artist. They reveal my weaknesses and affirm my strengths. Thanks, Dodie, for being such an encouraging coach.

Dodie will be back in Anchorage in May to teach a pastel workshop through Blaine's Art Store if any of you Alaskan artists are interested. I definitely hope to be there! If you'd like to see Dodie's wonderful pastel portraits, visit her website at www.dodieballantine.com .

Two Jacks

2009-10-21T10:12:00.007-07:00

I love holiday celebrations. A good percentage of my artwork deals with the seasons. I painted this watercolor of my Jack Russell terrier next to our Jack-O-Lantern last year. Usually a very patient model, he looks a bit disgruntled having to play second fiddle to a pumpkin.

End of Autumn

2009-10-16T22:46:00.004-07:00

I had to revisit the blueberries in my yard one more time before the snow comes for the winter. It's getting steadily cooler each day. Most of the leaves have left the trees and frost coats the grass at nightfall. The colors of fall are my favorite. The beautiful reds, yellows, greens, browns and blues are stunning in the autumn light. Winter will soon be here. Perhaps these berries will feed a hungry vole family or snowshoe hare during the long, cold months ahead.

Ghosts of Independence

2009-10-07T23:23:00.006-07:00

I've finished my painting of the Independence Mine ore trestle at Hatcher Pass. Since I don't normally do landscapes, this was a stretch for me. It took a lot of discipline to relinquish painting a bear or a hoary marmot or even a stinkin' chickadee in there somewhere. But other than the lack of animalia, I enjoyed this painting. Underpainting laid a good road map, so I knew where I was going. Limiting myself to only 7 colors kept me from painting myself into a color corner, as I have been apt to do. In fact, I liked doing this painting so much that I'm going to head back up Hatcher Pass to find my next landscape. Ladies and gents, I present my finished acrylic, "Ghosts of Independence".

My greatest work of art

2009-10-06T17:31:00.004-07:00

Whoa down. Life's been pretty crazy lately and I've let my blog slide. Although I am gifted with an abundance of creativity, God neglected to give me organizational skills. What a sense of humor that Big Guy has! I started taking an Adobe Photoshop class at the local community college in September. At the same time I began teaching an 8-week course on the Old Testament book of Judges. I've been pounding the homework for both of these classes while trying to finish my Hatcher Pass picture in time to enter it in the Palmer Museum's Rasmussen Grant competition. Weekends have been devoted to helping my husband finish his pet project...his new garage/shop. Unfortunately, all this leaves little time for blogging about art work. I do want to tell you what I consider to be my greatest work of art, though - my marriage. Joe and I enjoyed our 28th anniversary last week. If you knew our history, you would realize this is a very large miracle. I attribute the success of our marriage to God. Without His grace and intervention into our lives, we wouldn't have made it this far this happy. Here's to the next 28 years!

Snow, rocks & rails

2009-09-11T22:36:00.005-07:00

I'm closing in on the finish line now, but still have work to do. I've added in rocks and gravel on the shady slope to the right, added layers of glazing to the receding snow bank, and now I'm laying color on the weather-beaten rails. I'll continue to go over the picture, making adjustments anywhere I think they're needed. It won't be long until it's finished!

Being Out-Created

2009-09-07T23:13:00.004-07:00

Creativity is such a big part of being an artist. I put hours of planning and drafting into every painting I do, hoping to invoke a response from all who see it. I agonize over every brush stroke and color, never sure how it will look in spite of my planning. After painting for several hours yesterday, I stepped outside to clear my head and enjoy the crisp, Indian summer. To my delight, there was a gigantic rainbow arcing high above the fall foliage. I called my husband to come and look. Then I ran back in to get my camera so I could capture this beauty digitally. I felt so many things gazing upon this beautiful scene...excitement, joy, amazement, awe, a desire to share it...and in a moment it was gone.

I had to smile at being so effortlessly out-created by God and His temporary masterpiece.

Moving forward

2009-09-01T13:39:00.004-07:00

I'm continuing to move towards the foreground in this painting, lightening the rail ties with layer upon layer of acrylic paint. I've also begun work on the rocks beneath the trestle before I put the final touches on the wood beams above. Although the painting looks like it's close to finishing, there is still much to be done. Once I've covered all the underpainting with overpainting, I will go back over every square inch, adding finishing touches and corrections.

Pleine Aire at the Fair

2009-08-31T10:48:00.005-07:00

On Saturday I had the opportunity to spend a sunny afternoon at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer pleine aire painting at the Valley Arts Alliance gallery. The Wild Bird Rehabilitation folks were there with 2 hawks, a great horned owl and a blue jay. They spent the afternoon educating fair-goers about the birds while I painted their red-tailed hawk. Lots of folks wandered by to be unexpectedly delighted by an up-close encounter with these majestic birds.

Back on track

2009-08-27T10:50:00.009-07:00

I'm slowly working my way forward on the trestle tracks. I posted this picture to show you how slowly the work goes when I'm building layers on the old wooden beams. This represents a full day of painting! Throughout the Alaskan midnight sun summers, heavy ore carts filled with earth dredged from the mountain used to constantly rumble along this track. According to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, "In its peak year, 1941, APC employed 204 men, blasted nearly a dozen miles of tunnels, and produced 34,416 ounces of gold worth $1,204,560; today $17,208,000."

I didn't make the deadline for the fair, but I'll keep working at a pace I am comfortable with. You can't rush a masterpiece!

The Trestle

2009-08-25T10:26:00.003-07:00

As I begin to block in color on the distant part of this abandoned ore trestle, I am impressed by the amount of toil and sweat that went into building the Independence Mine. Every timber and rail had to be brought up Hatcher Pass with trucks and then ferried up the mountainside. Many of the heavy ore carts are still there, rusting on their tracks as if frozen in time. I think about the type of individual who worked at this huge mine, braving the elements and myriad dangers to blast the gold from its hidden veins inside the mountain. I hope this painting can in some way be a tribute to the rugged Alaskan spirit of the men who worked here.

Foothills

2009-08-24T11:40:00.004-07:00

Now that I have put color on the sky and mountains, I move the next step forward with the foothills. I maintain a loose, fuzzy approach without much detail. I've kept continuity with color, limiting my palette to only 7 colors (counting the burnt sienna used for the underpainting). I'll begin the distant trestle area next. Maybe if I work hard I can finish this picture in time to hang Wednesday in the Valley Arts Alliance Art Pavilion for the 2009 Alaska State Fair which starts Thursday!

Sky and Mountains

2009-08-21T22:13:00.004-07:00

Time for color! In acrylics, I always work from back to front, so on this painting I started with the sky. Even though I've plotted my course with a detailed underpainting, I'm not bound to it. It's like the Pirates' Code...they're more like guidelines! So after a lot of arguing with myself, I decided to add clouds. In order to make the background recede, I blur the edges of the mountains. Later I will bring the foreground forward by making it more detailed.

Underpainting

2009-08-17T23:20:00.004-07:00

Over the years I've wandered away from the traditional, old masters techniques of my first painting instructor, Paul Penczner. I've often sacrificed quality for quickness, and good design for rambunctious color and subject matter. In the name of creativity I've often justified an undisciplined approach to painting, and sometimes it's served me well. But at the encouragement of my friend, Karen, I've pulled out and dusted off an old technique that my respected teacher, and many other artists, wouldn't think of doing a serious painting without...it's called "underpainting". Underpainting is "the first coat of paint, esp. the initial painting on a canvas in which the major areas, tones, colors, and forms are indicated in mass." Although Mr. Penczner's color of choice was burnt umber, I used burnt sienna on this painting of the old ore cart trestle at Hatcher Pass. The next step will be to glaze colors over the underpainting.

Berry Time

2009-08-10T11:52:00.003-07:00

As I look back over my inspirations for paintings, I realize I return again and again to berries. This is one of my earliest whimsical watercolors. An Alaskan grizzly cub enjoys her bounty of berries as her neighbors look on. She's getting ready for winter hibernation just around the bend.

Bountiful Harvest

2009-08-08T12:49:00.013-07:00

The wild blueberries around my home are perfect for picking right now. But I had to stay one step ahead of Mimzy who was eating berries almost as fast as I could pick them! An hour of picking in the woods in front of my house yielded this big bowl of blueberries. They are now washed, divided into 1 cup bags, and tucked away in my freezer for future creations in the kitchen.

Blueberries are one of my favorite subjects for painting, so I also spent more time taking pictures for my reference files. As I roamed through the woods around my home, I was reminded that God is a great provider to all the earth. How wonderful to live in a place where His bountiful blessings are all around me.

Blueberries!

2009-08-07T13:26:00.004-07:00

One of the many joys of summer in Alaska is the advent of bountiful berries, especially blueberries! These yummy wild blueberries are smaller and tarter than their domestic cousins and grow right in my yard at Hatcher Pass. I love gathering and freezing them for baking warm cobblers, scones, and pies on cold winter days to come. The beautiful purple-blue berries and bushy blue-green foliage are an artistic inspiration for happy painting times during the long, snowy winter months to come. Thinking of painting and baking in my cozy home while the snow flies outside almost makes me wish winter would hurry up and get here . . . almost.

26 Glacier Cruise

2009-07-26T19:52:00.004-07:00

I had the opportunity to take the Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier, Alaska last week. It was a wonderful experience. Glacial ice is truly beautiful. Since it was a cloudy, rainy day, the massive fields of ice appeared much more blue than they would have in bright sunshine.

The devil's in the details

2009-07-21T11:52:00.004-07:00

The last step in this painting is to finish all the details. It's an exciting time because I know the end is in sight. After carefully peeling away the masking tape, I cleaned up the edges of her parky so it comes to the forefront. I added the sparkle in her eyes, accessories to the costume, and tiny spring flowers to the tundra beneath her dancing feet. This painting is finished and now has a life of its own.

Painting a picture is like giving birth. ; )

It's been a while...

2009-07-09T20:24:00.003-07:00

Whew! I've been on an extended vacation to Greenville, Folly Beach and Charleston, SC and Atlanta, GA visiting family and the ocean. While I was Outside, entertainer Michael Jackson died unexpectedly, the governor of South Carolina temporarily lost his mind, and Alaska's own Governor Sarah Palin announced her resignation. Everyone we ran into who knew we were from Alaska asked us about Sarah. People everywhere are interested in her next move and want to know what we think of her as a governor. I'm very proud of Governor Palin, and I tell anyone who will listen about all the great things she's done for our state.
But now it's time to get back to play...er...I mean WORK!

In this photo, I've added detail to the headdress and the fans. I've also begun working in earnest on her face to make her happy and cute. I add layers and layers of brush strokes with small, splayed out brushes to give her a furry, soft look. It takes time, but it's well worth the effort.

Fur and Fans

2009-06-20T07:21:00.004-07:00

To save the parky hem from overpaint while I work on the bear's legs, I used masking tape. This way I can keep a clean edge while allowing me to lightly stroke on the layers of fur. The paws are in front of the cuffs so I didin't need to tape the arms. Since fur takes many layers, I like to work on several sections simultaneously, allowing an hour or so dry time between each. Next I added texture and design to the dance fans. Female Y'upik dancers use ornately designed fans. Male dancers also use fans, but theirs are plain. This little bear's fans are made of woven grasses and tufts of fur. I started to add detail to the mukluks, too.

Time To Get Dressed

2009-06-16T11:26:00.004-07:00

Now comes my favorite part . . . THE BEAR! It's time to get dressed in a beautiful spring parky. I quickly roughed in the colors for the parky, head-dress, belt and mukluks my spring bear would wear. I also put down the first layer of fur on the body. I liked the color and form of the parky so I went ahead and added some details after shading. The tiny pink flowers on the light green background shout "SPRINGTIME!". I added some soft, grassy texture to the foreground so it wouldn't look so flat, placing her shadow beneath her dancing feet. This painting really picked up speed, and I loved the direction it was going. I could see the personality of this polar bear emerging during the process of adding paint to canvas. I love being an artist.

Fixing the snow

2009-06-09T20:22:00.006-07:00

I took out a lot of the lacy look of the snow on the mountains and added green to the foothills. It looks more realistic, but I still wasn't satisfied with it. Since I tend to obsess over these kinds of details, I decided to move on with the subject in the foreground. It's the part of the painting I'm really excited about.

Snow Melt

2009-06-07T01:14:00.003-07:00

I added melting snow to the mountaintops but it looked more like a lacy tablecloth than the quickly retreating snow of May in southcentral Alaska. I will need to work through this for a more satisfactory outcome. I learn so much from every painting I do. It's one of the things I love about art.
Stay tuned!

Clouds & Mountains

2009-06-05T01:22:00.003-07:00

Next comes the clouds. I painted in fluffy, spring clouds. Then I blocked in the basic mountain shapes. I don't need to spend a lot of time on detail because I want the background to recede. Detail tends to bring things to the forefront. I'll save that for my main subject.

Painting the sky

2009-06-02T12:55:00.002-07:00

I like to paint from the back to the front, from the left to the right and from the top to the bottom when I paint with acrylics. I start with the sky, quickly brushing in a beautiful bright blue spring day in Alaska. A blue with the promise of warmth and growth after a long, cold winter is the color I'm going for. I make the sky deeper blue at the top of the painting, slowly blending to a lighter pastel blue at the horizon.

Sketch on canvas

2009-06-01T00:59:00.003-07:00

Once I have my line drawing, I shrink it to about 3" x 3" using my copier. Then I project it onto my canvas with my projector. Using watered down burnt umber, I quickly sketch over the projected lines with a paintbrush. Since I wanted the backgrounds in this series to add continuity to all the paintings, I put my Winter Fandango painting next to the new one to make sure the horizon lines and mountains matched up. Now I'm ready to paint!

Spring Fandango Drawing

2009-05-30T10:50:00.004-07:00

I liked how Winter Fandango turned out, so I decided to do a series of seasonal polar bears in Y'upik dress. The next season was Spring. Since the winter bear was a male, I made the spring bear a female.

A good painting starts with a drawing. I usually do 5 to 10 quick thumbnail sketches to play with the layout of a picture. I choose the best one and make a more detailed drawing from it. Here is the drawing I did for Spring Fandango.

Winter Fandango

2009-05-28T10:42:00.005-07:00

Native Alaskans are resourceful and artistic, using whatever they have available to them to beautify their world. I especially love the costumes they wear to celebrate their gatherings. Inspired by the unique head-dresses and prayer masks used in Y'upik celebrations, I began a series of paintings of polar bears celebrating the seasons in Alaska. Winter Fandango was the first in this series.

Portland Rose Garden

2009-05-19T01:30:00.002-07:00

The Portland Rose Garden is a beautiful place to visit. Although it was still a bit early for roses, we enjoyed the dogwoods, the azaleas, and many other early flowering shrubs and trees unavailable to us in Alaska due to the long, harsh winters.

Portland Zoo Polar Bear Exhibit

2009-05-14T15:30:00.003-07:00

I had a great day at the Portland Zoo. This zoo is dedicated to making the visitor's experience as up close, personal and educational as possible. I especially love the polar bear exhibit. Polar bears are at the top of the food chain in Alaska. In this picture there's nothing separating me from the bears but a thick plate of unbreakable glass. It's incredible to be that close to this powerful creature. And kinda creepy. It was dinner time when we were there. Lucky for us, the park attendant tossed fish down to the bears, so they didn't pay much attention to the excited crowd pressed against the viewing glass to watch. I love painting these beautiful creatures so I took lots of photos for future painting projects.

Portland

2009-05-12T10:31:00.002-07:00

I'm down in Portland checking out the art scene. Portland definately has a different skew on the art world than we do up in Alaska. It's actually warmer and sunnier in the Last Frontier today than it is here in Oregon. Today we're going to visit the Rose Garden and the zoo. I'll be scouting subject matter for my next series of paintings.

Blue Poppy Blues

2009-05-06T13:18:00.002-07:00

I am an over-worker. I can work a painting to death. With watercolors, instead of clean, translucent colors I often paint and paint until they are muddy and dull. With acrylics, instead of bright, sparkling hues I time and again create flat, monochromatic messes. I have many artist friends who suffer from the same can't-walk-away-from-this-painting disorder. It's a curse. In my excitement to get somewhere quickly with this painting, I rushed through the process of layering in the background values and colors so I could get to the forefront. I didn't take time to evaluate, because I was too busy painting. Constant reevaluation is the key to successful execution. This painting needs to be scrubbed back down to the subtle, fresh colors I started with. Then with much conscious effort, I can begin again being vigilant to NOT over-work.
We learn more from our failures than we do from our successes!

My first painting with water-based oils

2009-04-24T12:28:00.003-07:00

This week I started this picture of a blue poppy and trollius using water based oils, which I have never tried before. First I brushed a thin coat of water-mixable linseed oil over the entire canvas. Then I quickly blocked in the background and general flower areas using titanium white, cadmium yellow light, magenta and lots of pthalo blue (red shade). This sets the stage for the brighter foreground to pop out from the background. While the rest of the country is enjoying springtime, in Alaska we are in the middle of "breakup" - that time of year when a whole winter's worth of snow melts into mud. Painting these flowers from a picture I took of my perennial garden last summer helps me get through this yucky, muddy time of in-between winter and summer.

Camera Magic

2009-04-21T12:48:00.004-07:00

As an artist, one should never stop learning. To get stuck in one medium, one style, one subject, is to stagnate which means death to creativity. This semester I have FORCED myself to learn how to build a website - a stretch for my aging brain. I also have been learning Adobe Illustrator which is no small feat. Recently I took a photography class to try to understand my camera better. Carrie Lambing, an Alaskan photographer and good friend of mine, taught me about f-stops and shutter speeds and doing things manually from now on instead of defaulting to the auto-mode (rats!). She gave homework to instill the message that practice will make me a better photographer. She's right. This is true of all forms of artwork.

In a little over a year Carrie has gone from being a good photographer to being an EXCELLENT photographer with a personal style that brings out the inner beauty and character of the people she shoots. She did this by immersion in her craft, studying every aspect of her tools, and practice, practice, practice. I look forward to our next session.

You can check out Carrie's art at http://carrielambing.com/ .

It's official...I'm a blogger!

2009-04-16T23:58:00.004-07:00

Hey all you folks out in cyber space!
I've joined the ranks of the blogging community and I'm here to talk about art and creativity. I've been spending waaaaayyyyy too much time working on my website (almost ready!) and not nearly enough time doing art. Although creating a website is art....um...well...kinda...in an electronic sort of way...I'm itching to throw some paint around. I have loads of ideas and lots of goals, so hang on to your easel and come tag along.
This is going to be fuuuuuuuu-un!