Blogging

This is Mandy, my mother's dog. I painted her as a Mother's Day gift. I took a photo on Mother's Day and painted Mandy yesterday. With sluggish sales for the month of May, I am more enthusiastic about pulling weeds than I am about painting this afternoon. Maybe later.....if I can still walk after the weed pulling.

Two 5x7 quick sketches done in the studio, using photos taken at Catherine Creek, painted while viewing the images directly from the camera. Holding the camera in the left hand while painting with the right. Good practice. Paintings are $40. each.

They are done on 140 lb. Fabriano soft pressed watercolor paper.

In the beginning...

Today while watching the rain fall outside the store window, where I am without painting supplies, I decided to learn something new. After watching a video on blogging, it occurred to me that now is a good time to create my own.

This particular painting is my first posting because, it is a favorite of mine; it was a wedding gift to my daughter; and it represents where one part of my life ends and other begins (from orchardist to painter).

I intend to use this blog to communicate with fellow painters, many who join me on fair weather Tuesdays for outdoor "plein air" painting, and to create a partial record of my painting activities which I hope will inspire me to work harder at creating that perfect painting.

This particular painting is a full sheet painting, done on hot pressed watercolor paper in approximately an hour. I received a phone call when I began the painting, which lasted to its completion. I believe the intensity of the call allowed the creative right side of my brain to work while the critical left side was occupied. I painted what I saw without rethinking every stroke.