Happy New Year!

I am not in the mood for winter.

The following paintings reflect this.

The first 4 are ACEO's that are going up for sale on e-bay.

The following is a large painting that was a long awaited special request

for the Texas Kryder's. 



Title:  "Seventy Degrees at Sunset"

(Actual colors are much more vibrant, photo wasn't the best.)
***

O.K., I have done one wintery, snowy painting in the last couple of weeks.

I'm still not sure about this next painting.  I think it might not be

finished yet, but maybe it is.

Now that we are past Chirstmas and heading into January, which is usually

very uneventful, I hope to have much more time to devote to painting!

Happy New Year!



Hibiscus

Yesterday I took another watercolor class.

I have been under the weather for two weeks now, it zapped my creativity so

getting out and making myself paint was a really good thing.

Hopefully I am fully on the way to getting better now, I think I am because

I finally feel like picking up the paintbrushes again.

The class was called "Intimate Florals".

Here is the completed project....

The only other painting I have completed in the last two weeks is this next one. 

I like it but I think its a little dark. 

This is probably reflecting the fact that I was not well when I painted it.

"The Light Within"

5x7

watercolor with pen and ink

Painting the Night

I attended another one day workshop with Cindy Briggs.

The subject for this workshop was painting night scenes.

The following is what I painted.

Keep in mind there is a limited amount of time to paint so

I needed capture the essence of what she was teaching.

Lets just say the stone masons who put in the windows

failed to use a level. :)

I plan on going out this evening to capture some night shots

in downtown Bend so that I can practice. 

One of the most valuable tips I picked up:

When you are painting figures, (that are all situated basically level, not on a hill)

to create an appropriate sense of perspective between those nearest you

and those receeding into the distance,

all of their heads should be basically at the same level.

I have been working on other paintings as well

but because many of them will be gifts or Christmas cards

I can't share them at this time.

I will share this one.

This is a housepainting I did for a relative who just

purchased this as a vacation home.

Happy Holiday Season!

So Busy!

Robin's Egg Blue

As promised here are a couple of pictures

of Blue Pear Gallery set up in Autry's Four Season's Florist.

It is surprising to me how long it took to get everything together. 

Prints, cards, plastic sleeves in various sizes, acrylic card spinner, frames, mats, stickers....

not to mentions the paintings.  Fortunately, for the notecards, I was able to draw on the

multitudes of artist trading cards I have stored in my computer.  They enlarge just fine!

The framed paintings will look better mounted on the wall but other merchandise

needed to be moved  first and we didn't have time for that before the event last Thursday evening. 

 "Morningstar Frost" is the only one on the wall so far. 

 It is the pastel in the background with the yellow/lavender color palette.

I have one new painting:

"Robin's Egg Blue"

Watercolor on 300lb premium watercolor paper

5"x5"

After finally getting everything up in the flower shop I took a few days "off"

to take care of the house and laundry, which had gone begging for a while. 

Everything is clean and tidy now and today I will resume painting. 

I plan to do some pastel work so I think I will lay out the drop cloths,

turn on the air filter and get busy!

Consider the Miracle

Alright...I know I missed last week.  But, I have a good excuse.  I have been very busy getting everything together to put into the flower shop.  I set up Wednesday the 2nd. ( In one hour that will be today.)  I decided to write this blog tonight because I won't have time tomorrow, I didn't want to miss two weeks in a row!  I think everything is in order.  I'll post pictures of my set up next week.

For now here are my latest paintings:

"Consider the Miracle"

Watercolor

8" x 10"

"Brothers Memory"

Watercolor with Pen and Ink

8" x 10"

Be sure to check out my new on line Gallery

http://www.bluepeargallery.com/

(There is also a link on the upper right of this blog page.)

This will take you to Fine Art America where I have set up an

on-line gallery and store.

Cascade Sunset

I attended a one day workshop yesterday... "Cascade Colors". 

We completed 2 paintings, I will show you the one that turned out nice.

Title:  "Cascade Sunset"

Size:  10" x 12"

The main things I learned:

1.  Shadow colors always need to have some warm colors added to make them come alive.

2.  Mountains are painted mainly with the shadows.

(more obvious in the other painting that you won't see).

3.  Add more color than I think the painting needs to achieve a dramatic look, it fades as it drys.

3.  In sunrise and sunset paintings the clouds "glow" from the bottom.

4.  When painting skies, get in and get out, don't mess with them...let the colors mix on their own.

I will be taking two more workshops over the next couple of months with this same instructor, Cindy Briggs. 

http://www.cindybriggs.com/

I played with collage this week too.  Very fun...very messy...you should see my studio!

Still learning but here is one for you to see:

Title:  "Mystic Child"

Size:  8"x10"

Yes...That is my Grandma Verda. I used a photocopy of a very old picture.

Last but not least...the two chickadee paintings that I showed you last week sold!

One for $10.95 the other for $17.50.  I had them up for auction and they both went into bidding wars.  Not too bad for little 2.5"x3.5" paintings.  I kept the rights to use the image so I can make prints or cards, etc.

A Few Small Paintings

I actually sold a painting this week!  (clarification: to someone I am not related to.)  It was a small Artist Trading Card and it wasn't a huge sum of money, but still...I sold something.  Several small paintings will add up, money I can use to buy new paint and paper.  The basic need of artists throughout the ages. So I painted a couple more to put on e-bay.

I also completed a set for a "Snow Queen" Swap.  I participate in swaps to stretch myself and also for the fun and social aspects of it but I have limited myself to one swap per month.

I am continuing to work toward getting my work into the flower shop, waiting on the next cash infusion so I can make prints!

Lupine and Indian Paintbrush

"Lupine and Indian Paintbrush"

Watercolor on 300lb. paper

Painting Size 7.5" x 7.5"

I have been doing exercises in loosening up this week.

The following are a few Semi-Abstract Landscapes.

These came about because I was getting frustrated with my landscape paintings,

they all felt too "manufactured" to me. 

So I started pouring paint down wet paper.

I happened upon an interesting interaction between

 Mayan Blue Genuine and Quinacridone Deep Gold paint...

can you pick it out in these paintings?

"Storm Glow"

Painting size:  4.5" x 6.5"

"Rural Stillness"

Painting Size:  4.5" x 6.5"

"Beside Still Waters"

Painting size:  3" x 4.5"

"Reflection on Golden Pond"

Painting size:  8" x 10"

There are more...

These were really exciting to do and I think it's a technique I will continue to use.

Nasturtiums and Purple Sage

This week in the world of Blue Pear I am working on larger paintings.  I find larger paintings more difficult, I don't know why.  This one is "Nasturtiums and Purple Sage", 11"x14".  I'm still working on it, deepening the darks and cleaning up edges.  I haven't decided if I am going to leave the upper left corner light or go really dark with it. My thinking is the red might really pop with a darker background.  On the other hand it might overpower it and once it is dark I can't take it back!  I have a tendency to overwork paintings and this one is looking pretty good right now so I don't want to go too far.

On the business side of art here is a peek at what I am cooking up.

Having fun with my logo and seeing what can be done with a painting at the same time! From upper right:  Round stickers for the back of notecard boxes etc., lined paper notebook, totebag, box of notecards, business card and a single notecard.  I would have to charge around $28.00 for the totebag unless I can figure out a way to sell large quantities, I'm not sure about that one.  It is pretty big so maybe that wouldn't be too much???  It's a fun Christmas present idea if nothing else.

Full Steam Ahead

This last week has flown by.  I have been very busy pulling a "business" together.  Because I have started other businesses this one is falling into place nicely.  I will post business cards and such in a week or so, I have worked on a logo design and integrated everything together.  A business plan is emerging that I am feeling really positive about and it is giving me a direction to head and all the steps to get there.  Focus!

There were a few commitments that I made prior to deciding to go full steam ahead on the business so I have been working hard to get those done before diving 100% into painting items for Blue Pear Gallery.

First I had to finish the bookmarks for the Above and Below Bookmark Swap at Illustrated ATC's.  Here are the finished products.  I decided to paint just three as the fourth is always a gift for the person hosting the swap and optional. 

These are 2.5"x6".  I really like the one with the sailboat and the wreak, pure imagination.  I might have prints done up of this one....

Deadlines

Just remembered that I commited to a artist trading card swap for haunted houses and the deadline is fast approaching.  Nothing like a deadline to keep you painting!

Take a look:
Did I create mood?
They don't have titles yet.  Any ideas?

These were great pracitice on stormy skies and really fun to do.  I found a technique of painting then washing off then painting again then washing off really builds layers and can create some interesting effects.  Found that out by accident....like so many things I figure it out by trail and error.  Painting lots of paintings that nobody ever sees but learning with each one.

Next I have to work on 4 bookmarks for a bookmark swap I committed to and it has a deadline too.  The theme is "Above and Below".

Newest ATCS

 I think this little fairie has a story to tell . . . so I will try to tell it in pictures.  I have already started the series and I will post as I finish.  (I'll also work on the image resolution.)

My garden is a great source of inspiration so my second series begins here with the Elephant garden guardian. 

I think the creative river is flowing again.  Sometimes you just have to wait it out.

Getting started

Sometimes you just have to jump in.
So I am.
We will see where this leads.......