Bearded Iris

My challenge

 

The most challenging aspect of my study of painting is understanding and controlling color relationships, particularly those involving value and color temperature.

This is definitely a work in progress.
My version of a bearded painted iris..from beginning to end.

 

I have discovered that I do NOT do my best work when I am tired.

This was day 1

This was day 2

 

Again, a pure delight to see it come to life.

This painting was done from start to finish is less than 5 hours

When learning to paint, the worst thing you can do is compare yourself to others, fret over finished works and worry about your current level of ability. The best thing you can do is paint frequently, experiment with different techniques and be unafraid to make mistakes.

I really, really loved doing this one.

 

This is the first painting that I've completed that seemed effortless.

I believe this...

Painting, like drawing, is a skill that can be acquired through study and practice, not a magical inborn "talent" granted only to a few.

Painting #3-My Version of a Blue Kitty

The Frog

Here's the second painting completed in week 2.
My daughter and I painted from the same photograph.

 

 

Here is my version in oil

 

 

 

Our First Class

Judy recommend doing a monochromatic value study of a cup and saucer that she borrowed from the church kitchen-this was fun!

Leonardo got it right!

The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which always takes on the color of the object it reflects and is completely occupied by the images of as many objects are in front of it.
- Leonardo da Vinci

Summer is such a busy time at our house

Actually it all begins in the early spring.
Planning the garden, getting the plants, preparing the soil, planting everything.
I only do the planning, but it only takes a few weeks before the real work begins for me.
The picking, the preparing, the utilization of the harvest.
It all begins with strawberries and doesn't end until late October when the last of the vegetables are harvested.

This all relates to painting because the garden takes top priority.
But my daughter, Shawna and I took a painting class during the summer.
I didn't think I would have time for the classes, much less painting, but just like the rapid passing of the seasons, the class came and went, and the class definitely rekindled my passion for painting.

Judy Meyler, a fabulous lady and extremely talented artist was our teacher, and it was a wonderful experience for both of us. Here are some photos to show her unbelievable talent:

 

Such talent, her work captures every detail.

 

Some of Judy's beautiful florals-I especially admire these

 

 

 

And one of my personal favorites-Pretty Kitty

 

 

 

 

 

And so painting again becomes a priority!

 

My Little Chickadees

This was painted during the winter of 2012.
It was cold and snow was predicted, so it suited my mood.

I see dozens of things I would do over if I ever painted it again, but I love these little birds.
I spent so much of my focus and time painting the trees in the background that it overshadowed the chickadees. Next time I'll do it different.

The black capped chickadee is almost universally considered “cute” thanks to its oversized round head, tiny body, and curiosity about everything, including humans. The chickadee’s black cap and bib; white cheeks; gray back, wings, and tail; and whitish underside with buffy sides are distinctive. Its habit of investigating people and everything else in its home territory, and quickness to discover bird feeders, make it one of the first birds most people learn.  I will paint them again-soon.

It's been 2 years~

I would rather paint than almost anything else in the world, so why has it been so long since my last post?
The answer is simple..life gets first priority.
That's it.
And the problem with painting is that the more you do it the better you get. As with most things in life, practice makes perfect. And everytime these interruptions happen, I almost feel like I'm a newbie again. Yes in time and with patience it comes back, but I definitely digress.

At this rate I will always be an 'emerging artist'. Painting scenes from my life and memory, I slowly uncover forms, shadows and relationships not initially remembered.  The unsettling air in the paint begins to contradict the nameable world of flowers, bowls and coffee cups.  The paintings’ apparent delight quietly unravels into colored aberration, illusions into brushed marks, and despite the passage of time, I literally move into each new canvas and loose track of the hours and time.

 

This was completed in 2012. This photo doesn't show it, but it is a huge painting which hangs in the dining room, 36" by 48". It resinates from my childhood memories from the Napa Valley.