Cactus Flower

This is my sixth and final painting that I did for the One Foot Square show at the Artist's Gallery.
The yellows are a little brighter in real life. I loved mixing the purple with the yellow for the shadows of the flower. It is another one of my "dirty color" mixes. I also like the hint of cactus in the background.

I have been busy, as usual. I'm teaching four classes a week from Wednesday to Saturday. So I have three free days, so to speak. But there are always meetings and other art related things to do. This is all besides painting. But I do like to have my teaching days and my free days grouped together like this. I have been pretty much painting daily. So that is good. I do need to decide on at least one large painting for the Spring and Summer shows as well as some smaller ones. I have been thinking about doing a large Magnolia painting. That ought to be fun.

On Wednesday I'm bringing in three of my paintings of flowers to be in the Artists Alley Art Show at the Mid Atlantic Home and Flower Show at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. The paintings are in the lobby before you have to pay for the Home and Flower Show. The show will be up until Sunday at 6:00 pm. If your in the neighborhood stop by and see some great floral paintings.

Magnolia Bud

I put my Magnolia Bud in the Chesapeake Bay Watercolorist's Winter Art Show at St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children and I am so pleased to tell you that it won Honorable Mention. Thanks to Norman Goodwin who was the judge of the show.

I started painting this painting a few times and was disappointed in how it turned out. But I loved the photo so much that I finally painted this one and I really do like it. I do love painting magnolias and green is still one of my favorite colors to paint. I tried to vary the greens in the painting so that the leaves were distinguishable. The bud is so delicate with just a little bit of color on it. I have been thinking of doing a large Magnolia painting for the Stockley Gardens Art Show and I think I just might do it.

Seashells on the Beach

I had so much fun painting the rocks that I decided to do seashells. (Some of which I like better than others.) I think the style of both paintings are very similar and different than my usual style. Afterall I didn't even use the color green!

Tomorrow I'm going to Charlotte, NC for a three day workshop with Suzanna Winton. I am so much looking forward to it. Just think of me spending three days working on portraits without a care in the world. (At least until I come home.) She is a wonderful teacher and her portaits are amazing. Check her out at www.suzannawintonwatercolors.com. The only thing that could be better is if it was in a warm place!

Textured Rocks

Here are my Textured Rocks. I really had alot of fun painting them. I used salt, rubbing alcohol, wet in wet, plastic wrap, tissues and masking fluid to create them. I have been fascinated with textures lately and have been exploring the tricks of the trade in more detail than before. It is amusing using watercolor tricks as they are always surprising how they turn out.

They are one of the six paintings I've done for the One Foot Square Art Show at The Artists Gallery at 608 Norfolk Ave., Virginia Beach, VA. The Opening is Friday, February 4th from 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm and runs until February 26th. (The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.) If you have a chance stop by and see it.


I'm sure that you have seen some of the new things on my blog. I have added a new and improved gallery and will be adding to it soon. I hope that you enjoy looking and reading about my art as I certainly enjoy sharing it with you.

Monarch Queen

Here is my Monarch Queen. (Again I question telling the gender of small animals.) She was alot of fun to paint. Another 8 x 8 painting for the One Foot Square show. I enjoyed using the warm bright colors and hoped they would keep the chill away.

As you can see I'm in the process of changing my blog a little bit. I have put some of the topics that were on my sidebar on separate pages and you can just click on them across the top of the page. I always welcome feedback so if you have any comments please let me know. I will be redoing my gallery and hope to post that soon.

Hanging On

I had mentioned a while ago that I was going to paint a "froggie" and here he is. (I really do not know how you tell the gender of a frog but I have just thought of him as male.) He was so much fun to paint. I have used the photo of the frog in black and white to teach values for a while. But this is my first time painting him in color.

Right now I'm trying to paint for some upcoming shows. He will be in the "One foot Square" show at The Artist's Gallery, 608 Norfolk Ave., Virginia Beach. The Opening is Friday February 4th from 6:30 to 9:30 and the show will hang until February 26th. The gallery's hours are 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Tuesday through Friday and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays. If you haven't been there it is a very nice gallery and they have wonderful shows. The phone number is 757 425-6671.

Camellia

Here is my Camellia. I must say that the photo does not do justice to the light in the painting. I will try and take the phot again on a sunnier day but I did not want to delay the post.

When I went to Raleigh, NC for my Art weekend I saw these flowers. They were in the back of a garden next to a glass doorway. I had to climb through the garden and risk falling (not to mention embarrassment) in order to capture the photos. But I knew at that point that I had to do it. And now I think that it was worth it.

Recently I sat through a demo by Susan Check, a magnificent watercolorist, where she painting trees and she used watercolor pencils as well as watercolor crayons right along with her watercolors. I can't say that I've never thought about doing this before but that I never thought I would do it in any way other than a demonstration of things you can do. When painting this Camellia I really felt that the watercolor pencils would help me get the texture in the petals and I think that they did.

I want to mention that I have paintings in the CBW Winter Show at St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children at 317 Chapel St., Norfolk, VA until February 26th. They are having an Open House on Friday, January 14th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Off The Wall Art Show

Tonight I'm going to the Opening for the Off the Wall Art Show held at Norfolk Collegiate. There are over 70 artists participating in the show. Last year they had some exciting and beautiful art there and I'm guessing they will have more this year. If you get the chance stop by and visit. the hours are: January 8th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, January 9th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm and January 10th through 12th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Virginia State Capital Building

Yesterday I went with a group of six members of CBAA (Chesapeake Bay Artists Association) to the State Capital in Richmond to hang approximately 90 paintings. Due to the way we were required to hang the paintings it was a very time consuming task. It was a long and busy day with little challenges along the way but it was also very satisfying. I feel that we were successful in creating a room filled with art that was displayed in a very appealing way. My Koi IV and Sweet Lips are my contribution to the exhibit. These paintings will hang in the West Conference Room at the State Capital Building until February 28th.

Happy New Year

I want to thank everyone who reads my blog for their wonderful input and comments both on the blog and to me personally. You all have been very encouraging to me and my art and I want to let you know that I truely appreciate your kind and supportive words.

I also want to say Happy New Year to all my family and friends. I hope it is a good year for everyone filled with love and health and a little bit of that old fashioned prosperity! I also hope that we continue to grow in the directions we choose to go in and enjoy the ride along the way. May 2011 be a great year for all of us.