With Apologies to Monet....

Holly and Karen came to paint today. I really didn't want to work on any of our homework assignments, so I rifled through a stack of photos set aside for possible paintings and found the waterlillies. So, I had to give them a try. They're far more complicated to paint than they appear, and I worked on them most of the afternoon. All in all, they were a good learning piece. I have higher hopes for the next version!

Natural Elements

And the homework resumes, now that Christmas has passed. I took this photo on a trip to North Georgia with my dear friend Holly. It was a natural choice for the homework assignment to paint rocks.

'57 Chevy

I find painting cars a challenge, because they must be somewhat precise in order to look "right". Nevertheless, I painted this quarter panel of a '57 Chevy for Dave, my ex-husband; he will be receiving it for Christmas. I photographed the car one summer day in my driveway.

Framed

Not a great photo, but Spotty and Dotty are now framed and ready to go to their new home. I'm pleased with the final result and hope my friend will like them

I See Spotty...and Dotty

Spotty and Dotty are the beloved dalmations of friends. Both were rescues through the Atlanta Humane Society. Spotty (bottom photo) is the oldest and is deaf; when Dotty was adopted, the two became inseparable. I painted these pictures for my friend Lynn as a special "get well" gift.

I always look for feathers when walking and usually find at least one. This was a plain brown feather found lying on the beach at Harbor Island. I chose it for another homework assignment: paint the same picture twice, using warm colors for one painting and cool for the second. Though no feather is truly plain, this one did not distract with a variety of colors or patterns.

We Three Sheep of New York Are...

My friend Barbara took this photograph of her friends' sheep when she was on vacation in up-state New York three years ago. She e-mailed the photo me, and I have been saving it with plans for a painting. With a homework assignment for a painting using only black, white & gray, the fit was a natural. The sheep are beautiful and I may paint them again, using colors. Thanks, Barbara, Danny and Kathy.

First Snow

My friend Barbara shared some wonderful photographs made by her friend Charlie Smith. The pictures are really striking in composition and subject and, of course, I wanted to paint them! Charlie was kind enough to allow me to do so, and this is the first of several than I plan to paint. I loved the simplicity, the silence, the interplay between Autumn grasses and the remnants of a first winter snow. Thank you, Charlie.

Endurance

Another homework assignment: paint something white without using the color white. While on my morning walk with friends Mary Lou and Barbara, I pass this weathered lion at the end of a driveway. I liked the way he and the one remaining rose of summer both endure.

Next weekend I will be hosting members of our art class at my home for a "paint and play" party. To add to the fun, each attendee will bring a completed ATC painting to exchange with someone. Since I've never painted this small (2.5 x 3.5 inches) before, I had to practice. Holly visited today and we painted small. These six paintings are the result We had a wonderful, fun day. Good things CAN come in small packages!

Garden Abstract

And yet more homework.... The assignment was to complete an abstract, an art form with which I have little experience. So, I chose something "simple" - a photograph taken in my garden earlier this year. With an assist from Photoshop, I deleted detail and reassigned color. The process was a lot of fun, and I'm already thinking of other approaches.

Thanks, Karen. I'll have to look at it more closely to see if it meets any other "homework" requirements!

Almost Homework

Our pastel class will not be meeting again until January, and during the next two months our teacher, Marsha Savage, has assigned homework! This is my first effort in completing the assignment to use middle values only. The Ginkgo is my very favorite tree, and the leaves in Autumn are spectacular. From a distance, the leaves are an incredible buttery yellow. Up close, they reveal many beautiful colors. I managed to complete the painting without values 9 and 10 but unconsciously found myself using value 1 for highlights. Guess I'll have to try again.

Images from Creighton Island

The marshes surrounding Creighton Island are beautiful and constantly changing with the tides and weather. Always, though, they are colorful. This painting reflects a view from the causeway.

Art is very personal and everyone has an opinion, even the wild pigs.
"Miss Piggy" visited our campsite several times daily and also investigated the possibility of edible art supplies!

The weather was cold, windy and frequently overcast. The gift of those days, however, was a beautiful sunset at the end of the day!

Eat lots of color....

I'm frequently asked, "So, what did you do in class last night?" Apparently our instructor, Marsha Savage, has been listening to the nutritionists who advise eating lots of color in fruits and vegetables for good health. They may be puzzled by these, however; we were not allowed to use the local color. (My apoligies for the rotated pear! Through the mysteries of computers, it becomes rotated in the blog, and I haven't yet be able to make the correction; it's a learning curve. Meanwhile, just tilt your head to the left!)

Bessie's Best

My neighbor Bessie has a beautiful garden and allows my friends and I to visit and paint. She especially loves iris plants; they seem to know and reward her with glorious blooms. I couldn't resist a close-up.

Is the coast clear?

This squirrel was very cautious one morning as he (she?!) came down the tree trunk to raid the bird feeder. I painted him especially for a dear friend and neighbor whom we call the "squirrel whisperer". I loved the way the light outlined the squirrel.

Portrait of Annie

Original pastel painting of "my little girl" Annie.