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!