Sunday, March 17, 2024

daffodils

Quick sketch of some daffodils.
I was away last week; came back and all the daffodils are in bloom-- and the forsythias too.

Saturday, March 09, 2024

Friday still life

                                8x8
Painted these without drawing first, which I think sometimes helps me paint more freely.
Below, one I drew first. The white hellebore was a challenge and it in no way conveys the elegant beauty of a hellebore.
I never had a hellebore in my yard before but now I have this one, given to me by friends who now winter in FL and so aren't home when it blooms.

Tuesday, March 05, 2024

classwork

                                                                        10x14

Painted this in an online class with Megan Swoyer. I like painting with Megan, she favors a loose, painterly style and it's quite relaxing. She's got a nice group of students.
I feel like I overdid this a bit, especially the leaves, but it's okay.

Monday, March 04, 2024

try again

Had another go at the paintings from yesterday.
I painted this on a piece of Fabriano Artistico 300lb that they sent me to replace some (140lb) paper I bought a while back. (I bought several packs of 16x20 sheets of paper that were labeled Fabriano, but were not.)
On first try, I've got to say I'm not too keen on this paper: it's incredibly "soft," like painting on cotton balls.

Sunday, March 03, 2024

classwork

Starting a class with Paul Talbot Greaves. I have admired his work for a while: his greens are stunning. 
I can see I have some toning down to do in my colors and hope to try these both again ...think I was a little uptight when I painted these!

Saturday, March 02, 2024

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

sketchbook pages

Painted these hellebores with sumi brush and ink. Been a while since I used a sumi brush so my lines are clunky. Definitely want to practice getting a finer, more fluid line.
Below: pencil.

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Saturday, February 24, 2024

weekly still life

                          Wip 12x12
Last winter my friend Gina and I planned to get together and paint a still life each week. We never managed it!
This winter, so far, we've pulled it off three times.
It's good because I think we do each spend some time each week thinking about still life setups.

Friday, February 23, 2024

pattern exercise

I don't have many patterned cloths, if you don't count stripes. Always on the lookout for them to hoard for possible still lifes as I love patterns in paintings ... Matisse, Vuillard, Janet Fish ...
I rarely tackle patterns--i think they will be too "hard."
In the still life class I took with her last year Susan Abbott gave us an exercise that I think will help me get over my reluctance: Paint a pattern without drawing it. Just work your way through it, remembering there's no reason for it to be perfect!

Actually, it occurs to me I didn't quite do what she suggested, I didn't find the shapes by painting the negative spaces-- which are white here--but painting the shapes without drawing you do have to consider the negative spaces as you go.
I messed up here and there, but what an engaging way to spend a half hour or so.
Below is the bit of fabric painted in Susan's class.