Ice Storm

This is one of my paintings that I will exhibit at Riverview Gallery in Portsmouth's Holiday and Winter Art Show. The event starts Friday December 4th with an Opening Reception from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. It runs for the entire month of December. You can find it in Olde Towne Portsmouth at 1 High Street. Stop by if you have the chance and experience a Winter Wonderland!

This is another example of painting in watercolor and white gouache. First I placed down a blue wash then went over it with white gouache. This helped to cool down the background to allow the tree branches to be able to freeze. (Figuratively not literally.) I went on to paint the trunk and branches with cool colors and the smaller branches in white. It really was alot of fun and I really like the look of it. And I did not even use a drop of green!

Magnolia II and Magnolia III

If you have not figured it out yet I love painting Magnolias. I was not that familiar with them as I grew up in the North. But when I moved down here I became fascinated by them. I have painted them many times, in many media and colors and styles. They are always fun to do. I guess over the last ten years or so they have become my friends.

These paintings came from demonstrations in one of my classes. I was presenting how to paint in light colors and how to paint in dark colors. I probably did not get my light colors as light as I had wanted to but I got carried away with the colors of the petals. (How unusual for me to allow color to dictate my Painting choices.) In painting light colors you need to mix your color with a good amount of water to make it very light in value and when painting dark colors you need to mix the color up very thickly, but not so it is dry. This goes back to one of my "rules" of watercolor painting. Always keep scrap paper by your side to test colors as well as techniques for your painting.

It is helpful to keep painting the same subject over and over again. It helps you explore and re explore all the different way one subject can be presented. It becomes a learning process that I do not know if ever wears out. I'll tell you if I ever get tired of painting Magnolias!

Golden Mountains

Recently in one of my classes, Jenny Wong did a demonstration of how she uses gouache in her landscapes. Jenny is a very talented artist and her landscapes are beautiful. Check out her website at http://www.jennywongart.com/.

When I paint in watercolors I hardly use gouache at all. Sometimes I use a little bit to depict snow or mix with another color to show an area that needs to be more opaque. I mostly paint with transparent watercolors and I enjoy the build up of transparencies that allow your colors to come alive. Adding the gouache gives a more opaque covering of the paint. I think the colors are bright and clear. It gives a look almost like acrylics or oil painting. It is just a different way of painting.

I enjoyed doing this painting. It gave me a feeling of freedom. Was that because there was no sense of needing to be successful? Or perhaps because it was a simple subject? I really do not know but it sure was fun and I will try it again.

Santa's Stocking

Santa's Stocking was a very good show. It is always alot of fun.

I have to say goodbye to my Magnolias IV and two other paintings that I sold. I will really miss my Magnolias IV. It was a fun painting to do. It was my third painting that I did on Masa paper and I really like the textures and colors of the painting. I think it will enjoy it's new home.

Santa's Stocking

It's time for the Santa's Stocking Arts and Crafts Show. This was the first art show I was ever in. It's more of a crafts show but there are other artists that participate in it. It is a great place to show my art, and meet new people and see alot of old friends.

It is at the Kempsville Recreation Center at 800 Monmouth Lane, Virginia Beach. The show is this Saturday November 7th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday November 8th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

So if you have some time this weekend and/or want to get a head start on unique purchases for the Holidays come on by. If you say that you saw it on my blog I will give you a 10% discount. Come on by and say hello. I'll be happy to see you!

African Violets

This is my first oil painting. When I first started taking art classes as an adult, I started with a drawing class. Then I started taking watercolors. I figured acrylics should be the next step. I started taking a class that offered both oil and acrylics. I painted three acrylic paintings. I did not like that the paint dried before I was done blending it. So I tried oils and immediately fell in love with it. I had so much fun blending the colors in this painting especially on the teapot.

I'm planning on doing some oil painting as soon as I finish teaching this semester of classes. It should be alot of fun.

Contest Winner

Congratulations Meera !!! You won the drawing in October. Thanks for being one of my loyal followers. Get in touch with me and let me know which print you would like. Also I will need your address to send you the print.
I am going to hold the drawing again in November. To be eligible you need to be one of my followers and/or make comments on my posts. (Comments on facebook are great but they will not win you a print.) Good luck to everyone.