Japanese Magnolia

I am back in my painting mode. I have started working on paintings for the upcoming Art Shows and not my learning mode of painting portraits.

Here is my Japanese Magnolia. When looking at the photo I used a magnifying glass and it looked so three dimensional. It was like putting on those glasses to watch a 3-D movie. I tried to capture that in the painting and even though it looks 3-D it does not pop off the paper as much as I would like it too.

I have so many paintings to do and such little time to do them in. My mind is painting faster then the time I have left.

This weekend I have wonderful plans to go to Corolla, NC with three painting friends for three days. The Outer Banks of NC is a beautiful, breathtaking beach community with wonderful places to look at and paint and photo. We are also bringing some DVD's to watch indoors during our downtime or (knock wood) bad weather. It is going to be so much fun and I can hardly wait.

Ricco

Here is my latest portrait painting of Ricco. It really took a long time to complete and it was a struggle all the way. I'm not that satisfied with the painting but I must confess that it was a true learning experience. And I should be satisfied with that, right? I am but I would have liked it more if I could have captured his skin tones a little better, or had his eyes come out a little more realistic. I must say that I do love the bricks! They were so much fun to paint, no struggle at all!

Well now I need to move on to doing some paintings for the upcoming spring shows. They are right around the corner. I can't believe how much I need to accomplish by then. I will hopefully get most of it done in time. And the rest, oh well....

Just wanted to mention that I have updated my Art Shows and my Gallery so check them out.

Saturday Afternoon

Saturdays I usually teach a class at the classroom connected with Artistic Creations Art gallery from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. I have lunch after that and then I paint at the gallery for a few hours in the afternoon. (This is unless I'm in an art show for the weekend.)

Yesterday a gentleman came into the gallery and bought 5 paintings from me and the demo on negative space I had started in class that morning and finished up at the gallery. It was a wonderful experience and I am very thankful. Now I have to say goodbye to Koi IV, Sweet Lips, Website, Monarch Queen and In the Reeds. I will miss them. Now I have to get painting so that I have enough paintings to put in my spring shows!

Katherine

I finished this portrait after going to Suzanna Winton's workshop at Nancy Couik's studio in Raleigh NC. It is of her niece Katherine. She is a great teacher as well as a very nice person. She really has developed a very good teaching method of her way of painting portraits.

When I first came home from the workshop my brain was on overload. I took in so much information in such a short time that I could not even think about it. I was a little frustrated with myself for not being able to produce anything that I considered to be successful and was a little concerned about not having really absorbed anything. But then I started to paint and I felt like the floodgates opened and I was able to experience painting portraits on a whole new level. At times when I was painting I felt like I was in the "zone". It's that place that my painting comes without the interference of thought. I am satisfied with the painting and the process of creating it. Not that I think its the greatest painting I've ever done but I really feel that I have taken a step in the right direction. And I only have to continue on the same path and hopefully my portraits will continue to grow.

Currituck County Art Extravaganza

Tomorrow I'm supposed to be at the Currituck County Arts Council's 12th Annual Art Extravaganza. It is located at the Currituck County High School in Barco March 12th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. I've never been in it before but it's supposed to be a good show. The only reason I may not make it is because I think I have the flu. I'm all packed up and ready to go so as long as I have a good night I'll be there tomorrow. If you're in the neighborhood stop on by. It ought to be alot of fun.

Stylish Blogger Award

I am honored that Meera from ArtbyMeera has given me the Stylish Blogger Award. Thank you Meera for all of your support, encouragement and your friendship.

I have been requested to reveal 7 things about myself and to pass the award on to 7 other bloggers. So here goes.

1. My favorite days are those that I can stay in my pajamas all day and do nothing but paint. They are too few and far between.

2. I could open an art supply store with all the art supplies that I own.

3. I could also open an art book store.

4. Since I have retired from the real world I am busier than ever.

5. The saddest thing about getting older is realizing there are so many things that you will not have the time to do. (Like playing the cello, and speaking foreign languages, travelling across the world and many more.)

6. I truly admire artists in all different fields.

7. I love my coffee in the morning and afternoon as well as a glass of wine before I go to sleep.

The 7 bloggers I admire are:

Diana M. Davis Watercolor

Artcolony

Barbara Fox-Daily Paintings

Contemporary Realism

Watercolor Paintings and Oil Paintings Figurative Art Doris Joa - Romantic Realism in Oil and Watercolor

A Painting a Day Blog

Brush Paper Water

and last but not least

Art by Meera

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.