Entry #800 - Nothing to Write Home About

The plan was to go to the dentist in the morning after a walk (and shower!), come home for lunch, and then spend the afternoon painting.  If that had happened, there would be something to show for it or at least to discuss.

It didn't happen.  After my appointment, I had to make a trip to my drug store to fill a prescription for an antibiotic to combat a rather large area of infection.  Who knew?  When the root of a tooth is dead, it doesn't feel anything so all I had was an occasional hiccup from a neighboring root.  Anyway, it took a little while to fill the prescription so I sat happily reading my Kindle until I realized I'd have to go to the grocery store next.  Having been warned about eating with a numbed mouth (biting one's tongue can cause a painful wound once the numbness wears off), I mentally ran through the contents of both the pantry and the refrigerator.  Not much there requiring little chewing except yogurt.  After learning of the side-effects of my antibiotic, I am glad to have that yogurt!

The grocery store supplied me with some of their soup as well as a couple of other items. By the time I was backhome, I was surprisingly tired. Daughter called, we chatted, and then I had a late lunch which took care of some of the tiredness but not the lassitude (wonderful word!) that hung on for the little bit of afternoon that was left.

I chalk that up to the lingering effects of the appointment-tension and the post-appointment relief.  Maybe I'll get some work done tomorrow.  

Fabric Painting

Have you ever painted fabric?  I mean on fabric other than stretched canvas.  Until today I had not.  Read on to see if this is something you might like to do.

My small art quilters group met today at the home of one of us who live on the eastern side of the Hudson in a beautiful more-country-than-suburban area.  My Garmin got me there with no problems - except for the road construction which my friend had warned me about.  C had pulled out every ordinary acrylic paint, every unusual kind of paint (glitter, metallic, texturizing to name just a few) and brushes, every imaginable pattern making tool, every conceivable necessity for this project that one could even think of and several one could not and lined it all up on her driveway.  She knew where the shade would be at various times of the day and made sure we wouldn't be in the sun.  One of the best tools she had was a window for each of us, and yes, I do mean a regular house window (though just the glass out of heavy frames).  The perfect work surface for wet fabric painting!

Each of us were to supply our own pre-washed fabric - preferably muslin , and I realized last night that my supply of muslin was down to a skimpy 12" x  24' piece!  I had whittled down my yardage bit by bit without realizing how little was left.  I had to improvise.  I wound up taking the scrap of muslin and 4 chunks of drop cloth.  I strongly recommend muslin over drop cloth (the paint sinks right into it instead of flowing across the surface).

On the drop cloth pieces I experimented with really painting as opposed to dyeing.  I wanted to know what that would look like.  It's an experiment I'll have to repeat due to the limitations of the drop cloth (see above).  But it did teach  me that even acrylic paints lighten considerably in drying if they've be watered down too much!  Waterproof markers will run if they are still freshly applied when wet paint is brushed over them.  One should begin with dyeing instead of painting to get a better feel for what does and what does not work to well.

After lunch, I moved on to my one piece of muslin and made the decision to turn my hand to dyeing.  What a difference!  We also found that the Fabric Medium among C's supplies made a huge difference in allowing the paint to move across the fabric - the muslin with its smoother surface was also a factor.  My friends let me use some of their fabrics so I was able to make three dyed pieces, two of which are still at C's house to finish drying.  Here's the large piece that dried sufficiently for me to bring home:

Neat, right?  You can be sure I will be painting and dyeing fabric again!

Making the Final Drawing for the Mews

An apology to everyone who was confused after reading yesterday's entry with its proliferation of abbreviations.  A UFO, in quilting parlance, is an UnFinished Object.  My UU (really don't like that very much and will have to come up with something better - maybe Double U) is a UFO Undertaking.  Enough about that for the time being (wish I knew how to create a simple Glossary for this blog).

During today's painting class, I did some drawings for the Mews project.  The tricycle was the first one I attempted from memory.  It will have to be checked, I think.  The second was the large standing planter (masquerading as a garbage bin right now), and the third was the window box.  

Then I cut them out and . . . . . 

placed them on one of the studies-for-color I've done.  Once home, I re-sized them to fit and put a bit of tape on on the backs of the flower containers so they'd stay put at least until I decided where they belonged.  The trike was moved around a bit until I made a slit between the pink and the dark gold buildings and slipped it in there.  It's where Sharon suggested it might do best, and I agree.

The final step was to attach all additions (including  another slightly larger window box on the pink building after fixing its perspective a bit), on the "real" drawing that has all the building details, and make a copy of the whole thing.

 Lots of steps involved as I made up my mind about the final composition.  While it may seem like a lot of unnecessary steps, being able to re-size and duplicate drawings and to move things around without damaging either the items moved or the base drawings, was really a time saver.

Now I have the master for transfer on to the watercolor paper! 

UFO Undertaking

The borders went on the mysterious wall hanging today (cheers!!!).  They are only 2.5" in width which is not what I wanted, but by having them relatively narrow, there is enough fabric left for the binding as well.  That is a major coup!  There is a piece of fabric ready to be put to use as the backing (ugly but serviceable), and I'm pretty sure I have a piece of batting that will suffice.  

I am now free to return to projects that have been put aside.  My intention is to start on my UFOs and try to get two completed before allowing myself to start a new project - after which another two UFOs will be tackled. Help keep me honest by asking me every so often how I'm doing on my UFO Undertaking, okay?

Of course, the handwork I do in the evenings isn't part of the UU.  Well, actually, it is in a way.  I was about to crow and say tonight I picked up a new project to do some handwork on, but it isn't new.  It was started last month, and it's been re-visited only in my mind.  That vacation from working on it allowed me to be a bit more thoughtful about it this evening.  The difference with my night work will be that I will allow myself to work on whichever unfinished piece is ready to be worked on.  Since most of these are "art" or "near-art" they require more willingness, more enthusiasm than the pieced works do.  That's why I've built in a "willingness on my part" factor.

Sound possible?  I hope so.  Tomorrow I'll have a photo of my handwork and maybe some news on the art (as in paintings) front.

Until then . . .

Finding What Was Lost

That was some thunderstorm today.  Short and powerful but not a tornado in our area fortunately.  And of course, the rain started about 15 minutes after I watered the plants.  

The nicest thing that happened this weekend was finding enough of my background fabric to squeeze out a border for my little wall hanging.  I could have sworn I had a piece left but couldn't find it.  That made me think I had used it for the last few strips I needed.  Of course, what really happened was my brain dropped a critical piece of information and buried it under a pile of unrelated memories.  Turns out that piece of fabric was hiding in the bag I took with me a week ago when I went to various stores looking for a possible match. It was my work bag that I used last Sunday, and I thought I had cleaned it out. Turned out I overlooked one pocket - the one in which I stuffed that fabric.  You can't begin to imagine how happy I was to find that elusive piece even after spending a good portion of my time figuring a way around the problem.

Oh well, the solution will stand me in good stead in some future border.  Solutions like that can be put away in a mental drawer and pulled out to be used when needed.

As long as I can remember what that solution was and in which mental drawer I stored it!

From Sewing to Pursuing Possible Paintings through Photographs

While I spent my day working on the wall  hanging I can't show here, I do want to spend a little time talking about it (but only a little time).  I finished the center portion, but then discovered that my fears at the beginning of the project were based in reality.  Since I had pulled my background fabric from my stash, I knew I might not have enough for the borders.  After measuring and confirming that I had been correct, and indeed, I don't even have enough for what I considered might be my fall back design for the border.  After sitting and thinking and doing even more math (you know how much I love that!), my level of discomfort went up as I came up with an idea that I think will be really great.  If I have it figured correctly.  We'll see!

Then I took a break and went outdoors to water D's bonsai, check the plantings I did yesterday, and see if I could snap some photos that might make future painting subjects.  See what you think ;

In this first one, the crimped edges of the petals would make me suitably un - comfortable!

Oh, the colors and shapes of these make me swoon!

And then there is this one - drama personified.  But is it a painting? or really a photo? or even, maybe, a drawing?

Busy Day

What a day! Our tree man came - rain and all - and took care of some tree limbs that were in need of removal.  They (arborists) are amazing; they need more than a smattering of knowledge about trees and the machines they use.  To say nothing about the danger of the job. When he left, our trees were safer for people wandering under their branches and let in more light all without compromising their integrity.

The light rain we had this morning made it possible for me easily to do some planting.  The white flower garden now has two more white delphiniums - let's hope they all (including the one I added last year) make it through the winter and are ignored by the chipmunks.  My white lilies were found over the winter by the beasties, and only one came up in the spring.  It grew and set its buds, but one morning I went to get the newspaper and found the lily stretched out on the ground.  The bulb had been completely eaten leaving the stalk with no roots.  Sigh.  The same thing happened in the back yard, but until this year, the front was safe.  "Was" being the operative word.

The rest of the day I spent sewing on another secret project which I hope to have finished by the end of the week.  

All in all, it was a successful day - except for the "no painting" part.  

Progress in the Studio

The heat seems to be making me muzzy-minded tonight so I'll make this short.  

The first thing we all did when we got to the studio for class today was give Sharon our money for the latest order of sable brushes.  Excellent news that Sharon as a small business owner and as one who has placed several orders in the past was given a good discount on all brushes.  Nice, since as you can imagine, sable "doesn't come cheap".  The other bit of good news on this front is that it appears the US has lifted the embargo on sable - for brushes, anyway.  That last bit has to be checked a bit further before we get all excited about it, and even then, who know if US imported brushes will be the same price we are paying now or more or less expensive?  Time will tell.

Then we all settled down to work on whatever our current project is.  One student is trying out a variety of media trying to get a good feel for the best fit.  She worked on pencil sketches today.  Another woman is continuing with her exploration of acrylic paints; she's done quite a few and has mixed feelings about them.  That leaves three of us chasing the elusive magic of water color.  

My time was spent on another study for the mews.  I experimented today with seeing if I could paint the buildings without laying down a pencil sketch first.  It is possible, but with buildings, doorways, windows, etc., I think I will draw very lightly first.  Another thing I worked on was adding some additional items to make this area looked lived in - flower pots, window boxes, and a few other things.  

My plan at this moment is to do some sketches of those new additions, and then start two paintings as final drafts hoping that at least in one of them, I can stay out of my own way.

Discomfort Walked In

Here is the photo of the unfinished study of the "Stourhead Stables" (aka the "Blue Doors" which is the title I would have used if I hadn't been afraid that I wouldn't remember where and what that building was).  The basics are recognizable - especially if you've seen the finished article, but a lot is clearly missing.

Here's what my brain was thinking.  The final painting is complete, and this study helped me get there so it deserves something.  I'll make it an experimental study and introduce that hint of discomfort.  Okay, explanation time: being slightly uncomfortable keeps one from being predictable or from getting into a creative rut.  Discomfort is a desirable state.  

That's when I decided to finish this study using ink.  By the time I worked with a set of 4 Faber-Castell artist pens in sepia, I was humming.  Not a good sign if I were look for a sense of discomfort.  Then I added Inktense colored pencil and that worked.  I've never worked much with "real" colored pencils (as opposed to the ones designed for children) and the small bit I've done was disaster.  Discomfort walked in and sat down for tea.

Here's what happened to that study you saw above :

While it isn't a great work of art, I think it has some merit.  And I've learned that experimenting is worth it.  Now I know using pen with watercolors is something I'd like to try from time to time.  The colored pencils???  Not so much.

Clive Amazes Again!

Last week brother D and "sil" E came for a two day visit which is why there were no entries at the end of the week.  We were having such a good time I actually forgot to write!

I assure you one of things we did was take a stroll around the gardens - not that there is much to see.  Nothing has been done in the back for a couple of reasons which seemed good at the time but now make me wonder.  We talked about ticks, and D came in sporting a couple of them (fortunately not deer ticks) which simply reinforced the idea that neither of us should undertake cleaning up the garden alone.  We know that we need to check each other for those pests as neither of us is good at scanning our own back.  At any rate, privately I suspect that my real reason was that I wanted to spend time painting or sewing rather than weeding.  Oh well - next year for the big back yard gardens.

This conversation started because I wanted to exclaim over our clivia plant.  It bloomed during the winter for the first time in years and years which excited us both a lot.  So I figured that in order to get a repeat bloom next winter, I should try to do this year what I did last (I can hear you snickering from here because you think I can't remember what I did).  Anyway, it is out on the front porch, and I have been watering very sparingly.

It isn't working.

Clive (my pet name for this plant) is flowering now.

Fate of an Unfinished Study

Even when a day seems mired in necessary chores, the brain keeps working - possibly in its subterranean depths hidden from the conscious mind - on problems or ideas related to the creative part of the brain.  That always amazes me; I know I've written about how I may go to sleep with an insurmountable problem but wake up with its solution clear in my head.

Anyway, today's "solution" was about a small issue - too small really to even rise to the importance of being classified as a "problem".  When working on studies for "Stourhead Stables", I had one study that I really liked but left unfinished.  At that time I was ready to leave the drafts behind and go on to a finished piece.  After that painting was completed, I still had this unfinished study.  The only two things I thought I could do with it was first, work it into another, almost identical version of the stables, or second, file it away somewhere.  Neither suited me. 

While I was doing housework today, a possibility snuck into my head so unobtrusively that I didn't realize it was there until this evening as I sat almost dozing in front of the TV.  What if I took the unfinished study and completed it in a very different way?  Drawing the missing details in pen and ink would not only be unlike the painting; it might turn out to be rather interesting.

At least doing it will be.  

I'll take before and after pictures and post them when it's done.  

Beginning a New Oil Painting

This house has not smelled like oil paints in a looooong time.  It's been two years this coming August since the construction of the studio began; that's when the decision was made not to risk wet oil paintings being knocked over or coated with dust.  That's when I started working with water colors, but now I have decided to do what I've been threatening to do for some time now.  Begin working in oil again.

 There are several views of the lake I have never painted, but one in particular is special and has been calling my name loudly enough that the correct size canvas was ready and waiting for me.  I had also had time to think about how I would go about painting that particular scene.  

 

My decision was to under paint with complementary colors using a brush instead of my usual palette knife.  First, I used a brush because I wanted the under layer to be mostly smooth so the top layer would glide over it.  Actually, it's the way I usually paint my skies anyway and then layer clouds with a palette knife.  

Why the complementary colors?  It's not something I have invented; I just decided to try it and see how it works for me.  Here's the reasoning.  If my palette knife doesn't cover every infinitesimal bit of the canvas and the under painting shows through, the complementary color will make that area sparkle.  Remember, we're talking about tiny spots here - so small that when I show you the finished piece, you probably won't be able to see those wee areas.

So, are you ready for this beginning of the latest lake painting?

Notice that I did use my palette knife after all.  Can you see where?  Also I clearly didn't have as much time as I would have liked to work on this today; I was able to work with only one color.  If you know your complementary colors, you know that orange is the complement of blue, and the different shades and tints of orange show where, in the finished work, you will see different shades and tints of blue. Therefore, you can also figure out that I have under painted the sky, distant mountains, lake, and pond areas.  

Weirdly satisfying.

Fellowship of Hand-Piecers

Do you ever start a project, work on it enthusiastically for a while, work more slowly as time goes on, put it down, and walk away?  Then one day you come across it while cleaning out the deepest, darkest corner of the closet no one ever opens and say, "So that's where it was!  Maybe I should finish it."  The cycle may repeat until you either throw it away or . . . 

FINISH IT!!!

Behold, the "Carpenter's Star" wall hanging with hand-pieced pattern blocks as it looks now - hanging on my design wall(with a corner refused to stay where I put it).  It has borders and is ready to go off to a quilter, but getting it to this point once the blocks were finished was a trial. When I was ready to cut the background and border fabrics I had selected back at the start of this project, I discovered that they just wouldn't work.  I also discovered that I was so tired of the project that I couldn't even begin to choose an alternative.  

That's where the Fellowship of Hand-Piecers came to my rescue.  At the end of  the search, they had several very good possibilities lined up from which I could pick.  It was Sue R who spent the most time and came up with the best choices for me, and I owe her a return favor.

Thank you, Sue, call on me when you need a helping hand!

Realization of an "Artistic" Sort

Oh my, it's been almost a month since my last entry!  First there were computer problems that necessitated the installation of a new hard drive, anti-virus program (which should have been on all ready but wasn't), and finally, a return to Geek Squad because a virus was still lurking. And if that weren't enough to delay my entries, D and I went to D.C. for a week.

Now we are back, and life is beginning to return to normal.  I do have photos from D.C. which I will share over the next weeks, but today I want to talk about other things.  On our trip to Washington, I took drawing materials with the firm intention of doing some en plein air (art done outside) work.  That is something I have very little experience doing; you may have noticed that I work from photographs a lot - rarely out in front of my subject.  So I took what I would need to do that sort of sketching with me.

I've written before about obvious solutions, conclusions, realizations, that take me an embarrassingly  very long to arrive at, and this is one of them.  By the end of the week in D.C., I had only one sketch - that of the interior of our hotel room completed one evening while I was alone. 

The last part of that sentence was my "Aha!" moment.  I was alone when I got out my drawing materials!  

Almost all of my time I was with another woman in friendly companionship as we traveled around from site to site.  Almost every evening, I was in the hotel with D and sometimes others who were there for the same meeting he was.  I didn't have the opportunity to sit alone on a bench on the Mall, garden, museum, metro station, or hotel lobby and work in silent concentration on drawing.  When with people, I expected to be social, to converse, to listen.  "Silent concentration" would effectively shut others out and be rude.  Had I been traveling with other artists or with D at a time when he would be immersed in his own interests, I would have allowed myself to close myself off and focus on drawing.

Will I take art materials with me when I travel again?  Yes, always.  There is always a chance that the right opportunity will occur, but if I return home with blank pages, I won't be upset for now I understand why.

Computer Glitch

For the last few days I have been struggling with a recalcitrant computer.  Tonight I couldn't get it to work at all so I am now on D's computer.  Tomorrow I am taking the machine to be serviced which is difficult but necessary.  D is at a point where he needs to spend a lot of time each day completing reports for his three major activities; that puts my desire to blog, check email, play solitaire, etc., low on the totem pole.

The positive note for today is that I cut out almost all of the pieces needed for a wall hanging that I must have made by the end of July.

I will let you know how my poor computer is feeling and how long she might be ill and write entries when I can.

Until then, keep smiling!

Readying a Quilt

This is the week quilts must be mailed to Vermont for the Vermont Quilt Festival.  My quilt is almost ready, but there are still some things I need to complete.

First, there is a piece of muslin masking my name and quilt information as required.  However, that piece of muslin has the registration number from my guild's fall quilt show written on it.  I either should take that piece of muslin off and make another or simply put duct tape over the number and leave it.  That's a lesson learned because you know what I feel I should do!

Second, I should check - again - that there are no loose embellishments or or other surface problems.  I think I'm all right there, but because of the packing/shipping issue, I do need to check.

Third, another requirement is placing the quilt in a plastic bag, and I have to check the one I have to be sure the quilt will fit.  Yes, I should have done that sooner, but it's a new regulation (or new since the last time I sent a quilt to that show) and I forgot about it.

Fourth, after re-reading the instructions for getting the quilt from here to there, it will have to be taken to UPS for mailing.  Even that may take a while depending on any number of things.

Fifth, once the quilt is mailed, I shall have a glass of wine!

Peonies Instead of a Selfie

Another day of errands, and this time some were even important.  Okay, as important as groceries (more of those came home today, also).  First on the list was a hair cut; if I could stand it, I'd take a selfie of me pouting and fluffing my hair.  No, wait, I don't think I could do all of that at one time and take a selfie, too.

Oh, I did take time to cut a few peonies instead of that selfie.

We're getting ready to take a flying trip to our daughter's home to check on her and our grandson who took a grounder in the face Monday.  He's up and doing fine, but we need to see for ourselves.

Tomorrow night is the last meeting of one of my quilt guilds so I won't be writing an entry tomorrow night. 

Have a terrific weekend!

Monday as Usual

Laundry Day, and that's about it.  No artwork but a wee of sewing before errands claimed the rest of the day. So I will leave it at that for today. However, here's some kitchen photographs:

The ingredients for pasta primavera in the foreground with lots of fruit for later in the background - all newly washed.

Tomorrow is studio day.  I wonder if I'll come home with a signed painting?

Stourhead Stable

Well, what did you expect?  No one offered a better name for this painting so I was left to my own devices.  Does it look like a stable?  No, actually it looks more like a garage for elegant early automobiles, but the word "garage" doesn't actually trip lightly off one's tongue.  So "stable" it is - for now.

Day 3's work:

At this point - well, some things I like and some I don't - as always.  It's already overworked, but it isn't finished.  The copper beech that hangs over the building (whatever you want to call it), the bushes and the burn barrel need more work, and heaven help me I wanted to be able to do something about the bush on the left talk about overworked!) and the driveway.

Today's work is, I hope, the end even though I know Sharon will have suggestions to make it better.  

For example, the copper beech, and that's just for starters. 

Stourhead Painting Days 1 & 2

The fact that we had construction-caused outages of our computer, television, and computer had an up-side.  It gave me more time for - yes, organizing, of course, and painting. But on Monday, I decided to draw and to use a "dip" pen which I don't think I've done since my college days.  A dip pen, as you've probably already figured out, is one that is actually dipped into a bottle of ink.  They are used by calligraphers as well as people who like to sketch.  Since it had been so long since I'd used one, I decided just to play.

 First, I just drew over the outline of the call box (telephone) already done in pencil; straight lines can be difficult for anyone using any implement, but it made a great way to start.  Fortunately, I had a very good nib (pen point) in a cracked but still extremely comfortable pen shaft, and quickly I rediscovered how good it feels to draw with this tool.  The practice was in straight lines (as in driving look where you're going not where you are) both long and short (call box and grass/weeds), curvy lines (tree and red flowers), and textured surface (tree trunk and stone wall).  I used India ink which is both waterproof and fade resistant, but the downside is that it doesn't flow.  One cannot make a wash with it.  Ah well . . . one can't have everything.

Tuesday was studio time, and I was able to get started on the Outbuilding (I could really use another name for this painting; anyone have an idea? please let me know!).

Not too exciting at this point.  The roof is almost a disaster except it's only the first wash.  That means that I might be able to do something about it.  I did like the start of the trees in the background; they have promise.

Today I feel better about the roof, still like the background even though it's not finished yet (though nothing really is at this point), but now the bushes in the left foreground and on the building itself need help.  

Oh, the yellowish dots in the tree overhanging the building?  Don't worry about them; they're masking fluid that can be removed when I'm ready to add the red for the copper beech.

Experiment with "Blind Contour Drawing"

Sharon sent us a link to an interesting article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/magazine/letter-of-recommendation-blind-contour-drawing.html

It makes good reading, and I remembered doing this exercise years ago.  As I remember, the experience was fun so I thought it would be worth trying again using a window sill in the family room as my subject:

Unwittingly, I included an additional restriction; I did not raise the point of my ballpoint pen from the paper.  So the following was completed without looking at the paper and without raising the point of the pen.

Here is my continuous line, blind contour drawing, and I love it!  As the article suggested, I find this sketch so unlike my own work that I feel quite liberated - as though it were done by someone else, I can comment on it objectively.  Unlike the author of the article, I don't find this work ugly.  On the contrary, I like it quite a bit.  It looks like Cubism, doesn't it?  I would not have been able to do this without the freedom this exercise gave me.

Now, will I do it again?  Yes, because I find the results interesting and because it is freeing.  I do look carefully at the relationships between objects differently.  Do I get a Zen-like feeling about the objects?  No.  Or maybe just "not yet".  I think I will add this to the studies I do and see if it makes a change in my work. 

Stourhead Study #4

After a walk which at one point turned into a run (we saw the garbage truck - four to five hours early coming down the street, and we hadn't put our bins out yet), we took care of errands and had lunch.  D then got caught up on computer work while worked in the studio.

But I did get to painting practice today.  It is silly of me to call these "wash" studies because I haven't really been using much in the way of large watery paint areas - or washes.  My studies are too small to do much more than work with a few watery puddles.  Anyway - today's work:

Not what I was hoping for, but I realize that I learned a few very good lessons.  Here a just two of them.  First, as Sharon told me, it really isn't wise to use pieces of watercolor paper that have already been used so I wind up using the wrong side of the paper (yes, there is a significant difference), nor is it wise to use inferior paper.  I made both mistakes.  Because of that, there is no light in my final study; it was like working on drawing paper.  Oh well.  Tomorrow I'll cut up a piece of my good paper; that's hard for me to do!

Second, because I started the roof with alizarin crimson, the copper beeches ( left side and right top) aren't going to work.  The roof is too warm especially if I'm going to include copper beeches and maybe even if I don't put that kind of tree in.  

I'll have to think about that.

Stourhead Studies 2 and 3

Painting class was time well spent for me and for the two others who are the only others who made it to class today.  A is working on several studies of an eagle, and they all look very promising.  Sharon shared the work of a watercolor artist (check out her website www.jeanhaines.com/gallery ) who does some really fine, loose watercolors with bold and unique colors.  J is completing studies for a very complex still life with many pieces of silver.

And I worked on two more studies for my painting.   They are all on taped on the back of my drawing pad which is made of amazingly sturdy cardboard.  The one I posted yesterday is on the lower left.  The first one I did today is on the lower right.  I wanted to work on the limestone from which the building was constructed and the colors for the doors (the first blue wasn't purple enough) and roof.  You'll note that I didn't pay much if any attention to the actual shape of this building; this one looks very boxy - perfect for today's purpose.  The more periwinkle color is what I hoped for, and the yellow ochre limestone, while more intense than in the photo, gives the warmth I want.  The shaded portion of the building off to the far right appeals to be an older section. The stones incorporated in the wall are larger than in the rest of the building.  In the "newer" portion, I used some gray to indicate the stone work, and while I don't care for the way I did that, I like the gray.  The ridge of the roof is a good warm color, but the roof itself doesn't have the right cool tone it needs.

The last one I had time to try out is in the top right hand corner and makes use of a drawn building.  My intention in this one is to double check the colors and methods I like, to get the roof right, and see that all goes together well.  And, I hope it will build "muscle memory" which will help me make my brush strokes deliberate instead of tentative.  If it doesn't work for this painting, maybe it will for the next.  I know what regular practice can do in other areas, but I, fool that I am, I haven't applied it in this one.  

The  final test paper?  Just in case it's needed, and knowing me, it very well may be.  More practice is worth the time it takes.  Why does it take so long to remember something one has already learned?

First Watercolor Study of Stourhead

This morning there were more plants to get in the ground than I realized, and some that I thought weren't going to be planted yet but were included because I just changed my mind.  That lovely rose and fourteen others were planted, and I feel a great sense of satisfaction.  Completed a task feels good.

What makes me even more pleased with my day is that I also managed to prepare for tomorrow's painting class. That entailed tracing the Outbuilding drawing on to watercolor paper.  Not an exciting task - especially when I thought I hadn't placed the building where I wanted it on the paper, but that turned out not to be the case much to my relief.  What pleased me the most was having the time to set up and do a preliminary wash study.

Before starting this study, I quickly sketched an approximation of this building on two other pieces of paper.  Then I decided just to start a study without a preliminary sketch reasoning that I needed to figure out how to lay down the colors and also what colors I might want to use.  When I mistakenly dipped my brush into a dark red, I decided to go ahead and try it.  As I thought and you can see on the right hand side of the building, it made the shadow too warm.  

I have to do more studies, but at least this is a start.

Weekend Doings

What a weekend!  Good friends came down for the weekend.  We went to the Lupine Fest at the Pinebush, attended a talk on the significance of Grant's (as in Ulysses S. Grant) Cottage, ate ice cream for supper, and went to a concert at the Linda.  And that was just Saturday!

Did I do any wash studies as I had planned?  No, I'm simply too tired tonight to work on that (I even dozed off during the 6:00 p.m. news which I rarely, rarely do).  What I did do was more planting in the front yard.  Again, I'm taking a risk, but - fingers crossed - the colder nights should be past.

Our daughter gave us this wonderful big white planter last year, and it was fabulous in the copse of oak trees that is in our front yard.  I like to take a picture of it when it is first planted (which I did last weekend)  so at the end of the season I can see how it has changed,  That way I can tell what works and what doesn't.  This year I've done pretty much the same thing I did last year, but this time I used fewer coleus plants and no sweet potato vines (they weren't out when I purchased the other plants).  I think those changes will make a significant difference - on the minus side.  My guess is that not having those plants will diminish the look due to lack of strong contrast.  We'll see.

And here is the smaller white planter Daughter gave us this year.  Since I planted it today, it includes a white geranium (an experiment as I'm not a real lover of geraniums as specimen plants), a few white petunias to carry the planting over if the geranium decides to stop blooming for a while, sweet potato vine, and a new plant - ornamental millet (the two spiky plants - no room for three). Over-planted? oh yes, but . . . I like planters to be exuberant, to spill over.

Now I have only a rose bush and red day lily to plant.  The rose is my favorite Blanc Double de Courbet and will go in the front on the berm.  Right now it's on the patio in back, and every time I go out there, its sweet subtle fragrance reaches out to me.  Its white blossoms look like a lady's hankie folded over in her hand.  Can you tell I like it?  The day lily will go in the day lily border on the side of the house, and that will be it until we get the back gardens cleaned up.

Those practice watercolor washes?  Tomorrow is another day.

Stourhead Photo Revisited

E mentioned in a comment on the value study I recently did, that she didn't remember the building at all and would I mind posting it some time.  Although I sent her the photo in an email today, I realized that she would not be alone in not remembering it.  It has been a year since our trip to England and there were a lot of images posted in this blog.

As we took the path that led out of Stourhead Gardens proper up to the area where the bus waited for our tour group, D and I again saw the "maze" on our left that we had noted on our way in, but this time it had a visitor - make that two visitors:

A little red-haired girl and her red and white Cavalier King Charles Spaniel were have a great time running through this maze.

As we passed that spot, on our right we saw this structure.  Now, as I may have mentioned, I cannot remember if we saw it from the road that led into town or if we were still on Stourhead property.  I only remember I had to take pictures of it.  I could imagine it being thatched at one time (the roof line seems like that of the thatched cottages one sees, doesn't it?), and the limestone walls with the blue door and greenery are equally lovely and warm.  The pebbled/stony driveway is another perfect touch.  

If you scroll back to the value studies, you'll see, I hope, my start at rendering this pretty scene.

Spring Flowers and the Art Group

The first flowers of spring - well not quite, but they're among the first of our white ones.

Lily of the Valley with their shadow and the dictionary in the background - fragrance and delicate beauty all in one.  That's why I love the contrast with the sturdy, handmade vase.  These little flowers, despite their tender appearance, grow with no fuss or bother almost anywhere and thumb their little noses at molly-coddling.

Then there are the anemones.  These little pretty ones are probably not as popular as the lilies of the valley because they're not fragrant.  They grow in more of a singular fashion and look like gawky teenagers, but to see them bob in the breeze is such a lovely sight that one finds no fault.  Imagine seeing a field of them?  Wow.  Too bad I cropped the white bleeding-hearts out!

The highlight of today was the joy of sitting with my art group to discuss our past, current, and future works.  K started us off with her underwater series.*  Now I haven't seen all the pieces of this series, but I have seen enough to be able to comment intelligently on the progress she has made.  In each piece she has taken risks by trying new techniques and new materials.  That takes such a lot of courage!  The piece she is currently in the throes of finishing is headed for a show and the judging will give her some more valuable feedback.  She also did something that I really thought was a great idea.  She made a"book" with sandwiched pages (batting with fabric on each side) on which she tried out stitches but more importantly made notes on what she had done.  How smart is that?!  Since we all forget what we did almost as soon as we do it, this idea will be real help.

Next C showed her series of which she brought two pieces to see plus a photo of the third.  She talked about the "rules" of art quilting that she supposedly broke by adding a border on the first one although to me, the borders gave the work the appearance of an art nouveau tile, a look I loved. The fact that her focal point was in the middle was a composition faux pas, but it wasn't a hideous problem.  Her second piece (photo) was an awesome foray into the art world in black and white.  No border, offset focal point, and "engagement of the edges".  The third one was a different story.  None of us felt it was yet where it could go, but K and I didn't like C's proposed solution of cutting it up into 2" squares, shuffling, and then sewing them back together.  I countered with larger tiles of varied sizes, and K offered adding non-patterned fabric in between some tiles to break up the busy-ness.  By the end of the discussion C had several ideas including some additional ones of her own that spun off the other new ideas.  

The work I had and the ideas I have for it met with approval and so did the drawing I have of my next new project.  Until I have some real work done on the ideas, there's not a whole lot of constructive criticism they can give which makes me feel as though I'm wasting their time.  To add to that, I really have to complete the several projects that are started, and I can't do that until I get the organizing of the studio completed. 

Which gives me incentive to get that finished!

*Actually, she started with her book. I've been deliberately vague about the works we discussed today because I forgot to get permission to be more specific.  

Drawings - Stourhead Out Building

Here is the drawing on tracing paper that I wrote about the other day.  I decided to try the photo by putting white board behind the tracing paper.  It worked - sort of.  See for yourself:

It's hard to see everything, but the building itself shows up well.  All the squiggly lines you see behind the building as well as on the building indicate trees, bushes, green growing things.

This is one of three drawings that I plan to paint in watercolors, but none of them are traced onto watercolor paper.  In today's class, I told Sharon that I didn't want to spend class time on something I could do at home.  Instead of that I wanted to do a value study of this subject while she could catch me if I headed off into trouble.  She not only agreed with me, she also encouraged me to do several watercolor wash studies also.  Developing muscle memory will help be become more fluid (pun intended) with my brush work.  Since I did learn that a value study really helped with the mis-named "Painswick Gardens" (February 8, 2015 "List Lost? Forge Ahead"), I am finally willing to spend the time on studies.

Here is the value study.  It isn't finished, but it is well on its way.  Again the trees above, behind, and in front received the most attention.  I find that it is relatively easy to figure out where the shadows are on things with definite shapes - like buildings - but trees?  Well, you have to look carefully to see the masses of light and dark.  Having a sense of what's going on makes putting brush to paper a heck of a lot easier.

Or, at least, that's what I hope!

Three Drawings Ready

I told D that after a very long, hard winter, a day like today (like the last several days) is more splendid than a spring day may seem to people who live in more temperate climates.  I do believe that, but don't forget that I am also very well aware that being retired makes a HUGE difference in the way I perceive winter's woes.  I am not a Pollyanna (does anyone read those books these days?), but winter doesn't bother me as it did when I had to drive in it to get to work.

It has been just lovely:

This is the view of our side yard looking past our two flowering trees (the white one down by the road is almost invisible in comparison) to the paler pink tree in our neighbors' yard across the street.

In addition to glorying in the day, I spent a wonderful time with two friends from teaching days.  We laughed, ate lunch, reminisced, visited a bookstore, laughed some more, and simply had a grand time.  All three of us are now retired so I hope we can do this a little more often.

Once home, I managed to work on two drawings.  One is the call box (phone booth to us) from Painswick, England with the village church in the distance.  I hope I have the proportions right this time.  Before I had drawn what was in the photo, but as Sharon pointed out, it didn't make the most effective composition.  Now the call box dominates.  The other is a drawing of an outlying limestone building near Stourhead (of rhododendron fame) with super blue doors and a wonderful roofline.  While I don't think it was part of the estate we visited, it was on property nearby and caught my eye.

I can't show you either of them because they are drawn on tracing paper which is difficult to photograph well.  Why did I do that?  Well, the usual way of doing this is to draw the picture on regular drawing paper (as I did with the London Mews), then trace the drawing, and then transfer the drawing using graphite paper onto watercolor paper.  I know.  Phew!!  So I tried to make two of the compositions easier by eliminating the initial drawing stage. That's risky because as you probably realize, tracing paper is very thin and doesn't take kindly to erasures.

However, as I had actually already drawn both the call box and the Stourhead building, I felt reasonably confident that I could repeat the subject since I knew it rather well, had already made the more egregious mistakes, and now had a reasonable chance of getting it right.  

Fortunately for me, all went well.  The Mews needs to be traced, but basically I am ready for class with three drawings!

Self-Portrait after Two Days

Showing the photograph of my self portrait before any discussion this time:

If you have ever read any science fiction or fantasy, you may remember that in order to enjoy the story, you have to "suspend disbelief".  When looking at this portrait, even though it is not a finished work that you may think will change significantly, try to believe that this is a human person.  The colors are definitely not what you would expect to see in a healthy individual, right?    If you can overlook the unusual complexion, I think you can begin to see me.  The majors parts of the face are constructed as much as possible, with a single piece of fabric.  The forehead is one piece, nose, upper cheeks, above the lip, and lower cheek areas are all single pieces of fabric assembled like a jigsaw puzzle.  We used batiks that have a number of different colors in different values within the single piece of fabric.  For example, my left upper cheek (on the right in the picture here) is one piece that changed from a dark green to mid-value blue to white to dark yellow.  That change in fabric color is what gives the face contour.

Okay, that being said, here's what I have to do with what is done so far.  I am not wearing glasses, but it looks as though I am.  I tried to construct each eye orbit with a single piece of fabric.  As Esterita Austin pointed out,there are too many shifts in value to accomplish the way I did it.  My eye area looks flat; the left eye in particular looks like the lens of a pair of glasses.  That needs to be changed.

She also told me the neck area is usually done with one piece rather than the two or three I planned on using.  I didn't think I could get the range of colors/values in one piece, but I'll look at my fabric again.  

I am happy with my mouth and teeth even though I didn't follow her guidelines with my lips.  In order for everything to work together, she wanted us to use only the piece of fabric we had (provided by her though we got to choose the one we wanted from her supply) so the face would have all the same skin tones.  If you look at the lips, you probably can tell that color would not be in my piece of material.  I cheated and took that lip color from a different source reasoning that I always wear lipstick.

My iris color will also be filched from another source.  My eyes are not skin tone (whose are?) so I have no compunction in altering Mrs. Austin's guidelines again.

Then I will go on and finish the eyeballs with iris, neck and upper shoulders, and finally the hair and shirt. The should be a lot of fun!

Esterita Austin Class

This was day one of the class on self-portraits with Esterita Austin.  What fun it is!  She's a low key, very helpful teacher who spends a lot of time going around to stop and check on how everyone is doing.  She has no problem helping out, giving advice when asked, making suggestions, gently reminding one about something she said 14 times that has been ignored, etc.

It is a class on self-portraits, but some have brought in photos of other dear ones to do instead.  No problem.  My idea is still the same as it was; her only comment was that it will be a large piece.  Doesn't bother me.

It will be fun to share it with you when it is further along and get your impressions.

How to Feel Good

I wish we could sit down, have a cup of whatever suits us, and just chat about what's going on in our lives.  Today was a good day, and I'd love to share it with you.  Think about it . . .

While at painting this morning, I worked on drawing the second of the two scenes from England that are in the planning stages.  Yes, I started the first drawing two weeks ago, and this new one isn't close to being finished, but I still feel a sense of accomplishment.  That's what makes today a good day.  Small steps are still steps in the right direction.

"So," you ask, "what happens if the work you did today turns out to be awful and has to be discarded? Where's the right direction now?"  

The direction isn't the quality of the work.  It's the fact that work was done that makes it important.  The next time the work may be even worse or it may be better but either way is okay.  

Each time we manage to sit down and put thought, time, and effort into our art is time hugely well spent.  We wind up feeling so good that we're eager to talk about it, do more work, share the sense of accomplishment, offer a listening ear and encouragement to others so they, too, can get to work and wind up full of a sense of well-being.

How does that chat sound now?

Have a great day working on your art!

Words to Live By

At Quilt Camp, Maria brought in "Words to Live By" to work on.  This wool and fabric quilt came as a kit that was sold locally and was very, very popular.  I think Maria's is only the second one that I have seen completed.  In the spirit of full disclosure I have to admit that I, too, purchased the kit but haven't even begun work on it.  I began by changing the backgrounds, collecting some different colors for the flowers, birds and other motifs (but not all of them!), and wondering what phrases could replace the ones in the pattern.  In short, I shouldn't have purchased the kit!

Okay, that's the odd kick in my gallop which does NOT affect my pleasure in Maria's quilt or appreciation of the beauty of this quilt.  See what you think:

Maria, this is gorgeous and the work you have done is superb!

Air Plant

ME and I went to Quilt Camp this weekend, and we were both able to accomplish a lot.  I didn't take photos this time - well, I did take one which I'll share later, but there were people there doing amazing work!  

Once home again, more headway was made, and for the moment anyway I feel that everything is under control. I spent a bit of time reading before undertaking the Sunday-watering-of-the-plants routine.  Look at what I found!

This is one of the air plants D"s sister N gave him for his birthday.  While I was watering the fern plant in which this one nestles (and the two Tillandsias* behind it), I realized this one is in bloom!  I think the flowers are the lovely purple buds you see along the red flower stalk.   Look at the very end of the purple flower at the tip.  See where it has opened up and the yellow stamens are poking out?  Really neat.

Enjoy your day!

*  "Tillandsia, more widely known as air plants, make up the largest genus in the bromeliad family, encompassing more than 600 species."

from Air Plants: the Curious World of Tillandsias by Zenaida Sengo.  (p 20)