Monotypes, Mistakes and More

I went to my studio yesterday to pack for an upcoming trip. Two hours later I finished painting a fun, loose version of something abstract/floral on a Plexiglass sheet. I was in the mood to transfer this onto printing paper to make a monotype....Have I mentioned that I may be a bit ADHD when in my studio? After soaking and blotting the Rives paper I placed this paper over the Plexglass sheet, rolled the print with a roller and "Voila!". What?!? 90% of the monotype was still adhered to the Plexiglass. I thought about framing the darn Plexi, then decided that was not my intended goal. I shrugged, muttered something off-colored, then propped the offending Plexiglass in front of my painting table and pulled out an Aquaboard, then began to paint. I liked the design and wasn't going to let this attempt go to waste. The end result is shown here. I am going to experiment with this piece by coating with wax/damar varnish as if this were an encaustic. We'll see where my mind and this project goes from there.
OK, back to my studio to pack for that upcoming painting trip............

Glenda, Elizabeth, Karen and a colorful Elephant named Mena!

Well, it looks like there are four of us in this art group. However, the elephant was just a guest....This was taken at Arts On Grand in Spencer, Iowa at our reception a few nights ago. Delivering and hanging the show was hard work, but alot of fun. Arts on Grand did the managing/food/drink stuff and did that well. Our job was to deliver over 50 paintings (many large) and hanging them with levels (or whatever those devices are called...). I learned so much, was thankful for the help from the gallery and my art friends and from Jay (Liz's husband) who was a trooper and hung all of the paintings with us! I do think he may have been the reason we ran out of wine for a bit during the show.........OK, I didn't see him drink one drop, but just thought of that!

Spencer is a warm, cheery and upbeat town with interesting and kind citizens. I stayed at a B&B called The Wild Rose nearby in Spirit Lake and that was a bit of heaven. It was large, quiet, and my back porch looked out onto a water garden and a large pond. The breakfasts were wonderful and quick. I had a tasty, hot, egg/cheese dish with warm, home-made cherry scones on my 2nd morning. The rooms are comparable to the more expensive rooms that I have stayed at on the coast. Can you tell that I had a good experience in NW Iowa?

Paint On Our Shoes

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20108150301

Well, tomorrow I leave for Spencer with >20 paintings. Two art friends and I are being featured at Arts On Grand in Spencer, IA. We will be hanging ~45 paintings in aquamedia. I am both excited and nervous about this venture. There have been a few write-ups in local newspapers and I attached a short write-up that even made it into the Des Moines Register this morning. What a great surprise that was!

I think the issue that is making me most nervous is giving an artist talk at the reception. Gads, I really do NOT like public speaking. Maybe I could just prop up an easel and paint something. I did this yesterday and had alot of fun just painting and seeing people's reaction to my work.

Wish me luck!!!

It's Not A Bowl of Cherries...

I finished this still life and learned a thing or two. I went into this thinking this would be about painting some pears. Wrong! It was much more fun painting the cloth than those pears. I had fun drawing the cloth with watercolor crayons, then dropping in watercolor, letting the wet paint run over the lines and activating/or spreading the crayon lines a bit.

This still life and painting will be set up at our show in Spencer in a couple of weeks. It should be a fun addition to our paintings in the gallery.

Another finish to 'This Just Made Me Smile'

I spent another hour or so today tweaking this painting. I felt the white flowers (or white, negative space) needed some more work. I also got lost in some line and color work (applied by large watercolor crayons, no less!). Now I feel better calling this completed.
Thanks for sharing comments and opinions on my last post. I found it interesting that a few more of you enjoyed the more representational painting.
I am finding that this looser, feeling-type of style suits my moods anymore. The tighter, photorealistic paintings were a big part of my past, but my paintings lately seem to be filled with a sense of abstract color and large, flowing brushwork.
This painting is now matted, propped in my studio and guess what? It still makes me smile!

Attacking the Leaners

Getting ready for a show that will be up in August. I have all of the paintings that will be hung at the framers, and now I am working on paintings that will be in mattes (in a bin) in the gallery during our show. The past 2 days I have worked on 2 paintings that were started previously. They were filed away (along with ~50 others!) waiting for further inspiration. I have completed these 2 paintings. They are in 2 different styles, representing 2 different periods in my painting life---or 2 different days of the week!

I would like to have your input as to which one you prefer. Don't be shy, it's just 'us' here! Your feedback is both interesting and valuable. Please go to the top of the right hand column here to cast your vote.

The top painting is a more traditional floral (no name yet) and the bottom painting I have titled 'This Just Made Me Smile'. I think you can tell by my title attempts which one I enjoyed the most!

Stylin' Leo

Today was a day that started out hard. It was raining and I was thinking alot about my nephew, Ben. I went out to my studio to finish up a piece for an upcoming show. Then got started on a warm-up exercise that kind of took over my day. I have a series of giraffe sketches and photos that keep coming to mind as I paint. I LOVE giraffes. I have a 12 foot one in my back yard who proudly displays holiday lights every year. Anyway, this guy was started by drawing with a small bottle filled with black gutta as I swayed along to a couple of Jack Johnson CDs. Then I flooded the Aquaboard with water and started painting with watercolor, large brushes and loads of water. A few hours later I was ready to sign this project. It ended up being a good day that was full of warmth, some fun, a few tears and lots of color.