Finished! 

ON THE EDGE

16 x 20 watercolor, spray webbing on 400lb cold press

 

 

"If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing."  -Coco Chanel

                                                                            Daily Show (sold)
                                                20 x 16 watercolor on 300lb watercolor paper

This one was finished just in time to hang it in my exhibit at Glen Vista Gallery, Kalamazoo Nature Center.  I am the solo artist and the show runs through September.  I am honored and thrilled and can't believe it.  Seems surreal to walk into a gallery and see my paintings. 

"Art doesn't have to match the couch"       -unknown

Long Beach

Watercolor on YUPO

30in x 8in

What can I say, I have been consumed with planning a road trip that has been the dream stage for over ten years.  And, in the midst of that was offered the opportunity to have a two month exhibit of my paintings-most of which were not framed.  I have framed about 2 dozen so far and have kept them all a simple white mat with brushed gold frame to give the show a very cohesive feeling.  Pictures of that in the future.  For now, look for hubby and me in our aqua Thunderbird on Rte. 66 the whole month of June.  And if that seems interesting to you, please check our blog www.66sunsets.blogspot.com that chronicles our adventure beginning June 2.  

“Anyone can slay a dragon ...but try waking up every morning and loving the world all over again. That's what takes a real hero.” ― Brian Andreas

A new year......another kind of beginning.....and I will try to post more but lately I simply have not put brush to paper often and I miss it. This is a small piece I did in the quiet following the holidays.

"There's no place like home" -Dorothy

Been gone a long time from this blog and from home a bit with three totally different "adventures"
I attended  a watercolor workshop on beautiful Mackinaw Island the first part of this month.

Victorian homes adorn the bluffs and I look forward to trying to paint this in the future.

If you look very closely and use your imagination, you can see the Mackinac Bridge on the right.

 

 Our instructor was Helga Flower, not only a talented artist, but a beautiful  and generous person.  I am blesssed beyond words to know her.  While on the Island, we stay at the Murray Hotel, owned and run by Pat Pulte, an artist in his own right.  Helga's style is very loose and she loves to experiment with whatever is around her....she is not afraid of anything!  I, on the other hand, am comfortable to keep dipping my brushes in my watercolor palette and leave the rest of that "stuff" alone.  But she pushed my to try new things.  We took out old paintings and scissors and created what we call fractured paintings.  

 I wish I had taken pictures of some of the other artists, they were so very different, every one of them.

A week on the Island and then a 4 day trip to DesMoines, Iowa with my best friend since 45 years ago!  We visited with her parents and helped go through a lifetime of "stuff" 
Then, back to Kalamazoo to pick up my brand new granddaughter, Harper, her brother Harry and my daughter, Kate to drive to Kentucky to visit my other daughter's family. 

Home now and could hardly wait to get back to my paints.  Here is what I matted today.

I promise, not so many words next time......just paintings.

I have been dabbling at this painting for a few days now.....I could have stopped earlier but I was still enjoying it!  So, maybe a bit overworked but the feeling of these lacy flowers comes through for me. 

 

6x9inches

Watercolor on YUPO

Sumac Saturday

10.5 x 8.5 watercolor on 300lb

The many colors of fall are a great inspirtation to me and yet I only used three colors here.  Alizarin crimson, olive green and quin. gold. 

All YUPO these days

Stones I
11 X 8 Watercolor on YUPO

Teal
14 X 10 Watercolor on YUPU

I have taken a break from blogging and been spending time just playing with paint and paper.  Many pieces sit around for weeks as I just look at them to decide what direction to go.  I hope to post more finished works soon.  

Loving Yupo

A fool-proof method for sculpting an elephant:  first, get a huge block of marble; then you chip away everything that doesn't look like an elephant.  ~Author Unknown

A Sugar High

10x8 watercolor on Yupo

for challenge at http://www.rookiepainter.blogspot.com/

I started this with a wash of rose madder, quinacridone red, permanent magenta and new gamboge and then as in "sculpting an elephant" I lifted everything that didn't look like a dish of candy.  What a blast!  In the past I avoided Yupo - found it very frustrating and gave up way too easliy.  But I just figured with these challenges.....why not make them truly challenging (which I find Yupo is) 

Finished....and this one practically painted itself. I love when that happens,
like it was "meant to be"

AUTUMN'S DANCE

7 X 13 on 300lb cold press watercolor paper

A good friend for free is better than two psychiatrists paid. - Robert Genn

......or lose yourself in these addicting doodles for therapy! I'm going to call them "Katoodles"! I have been doing these for about a month and now have my handmade journal book full of 71 of them. Help-I can't stop myself. Decided to put copies of a few together to make a "work of art"

Finished piece 24x30

Prints of 3.5 inch original Katoodles matted to 6 inches

APPLES ON GRANITE (sold)
10X14 watercolor and pencil on 300lb

I've been doing so much sketch/drawing that I can't seem to stop. These apples are drawn on top of a two-color watercolor background.

Bridges #1

14 x 22

Watercolor on 300 lb paper

I declare this one finished! I looked at if for months, took it with me to Helga's class and she suggested a bit more contrast in areas and then "leave it alone." I did and I am.

What can I say......? A tennis shoe.

PEONY MINI (sold)

7 X 7 on 300lb watercolor
Happy New Year...a day late. No excuses, just lovin' family here for the holidays and they took front seat to art. I have cut lots of paper to 7 x 7 to encourage me to get in there and paint, seems smaller is not so intimidating. Here is one I did today.

HYDRANGEAS IN VASE

8X8 watercolor on clayboard

3 PERSIMMONS

8x8 watercolor on clayboard

I have been playing again. A new "thing to paint on" is clayboard. It is not new...just new to me. I must say.....I think it is fun.

3 SUNFLOWERS

Watercolor on YUPO (plastic "paper")

9 X 12

I'm playing with YUPO.....again. This time I think I have something I like and almost what I was going for. These colors I love and YUPO insists that you paint very loosely.

LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE #4

LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE #5

LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE #3

LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE #2

LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE #1 (sold)

I have finished a series of paintings of shorelines. In each I used Krylon spray webbing for texture and am really pleased with the outcome. Each is 9x9 and matted to 15x15.

FRUITS OF SUMMER
(Sold)
10 x 14 on 300lb coldpress watercolor with collage and web spray.

Happy 4th of July....and 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th! Summer has finally arrived and I am looking forward to doing some plein air painting so needed to finish this piece. Blueberries are one of my favorite summer pleasures. Delicious, and a myriad of colors-yellow green to red to blue to magenta.

SPRINGBLOSSOMS
8 x 8 on 140lb. coldpress watercolor paper

DESERT VESSELS

7w x 11h watercolor on 140lb. coldpress paper.