Cut Up....

Here's another view, this time cut up, just to stretch my creative muscles and get back into the swing of this 'daily painting' thang...... (I like this one the best, too, with better brush strokes, overall)

Pears on Blue cloth...

     Here are my pears on a blue cloth.  The colors never seem to be as vibrant when I take my pictures as I think they will be.... By adding contrast on Picasa I realize how I need to 'step up' the intensities !!! Pretty good to see that  (I totally agree, Layne !)   thanks for the comments, Nancy and Layne !

  For you Daily Painters out there.....

     I've found an easy way to stand your wet paintings up, without having them touch one another.  These little letter-holders I found at the Container Store... I had found a larger similar one made of wood that was for either plates or lids to pans, but these are better because they don't take up as much room..... Just thought I'd Share..

     Bet you could find something similar at Office Max or Office Depot.

Trying to remember all the wonderful stuff I learned in Carol Marine's workshop.... Looked over all my notes last night, just to refresh my mind.   Baby steps back to painting...... Just COULDN'T wipe this one, even if I needed to...... ha !   
    Here are two versions of the same painting. In the second one I used 'Picasa' to increase the contrast.  Which one do YOU like better?                                                                                                     
   

Soulful

Tap this morning, and then errands, and cooking, but managed to sneak in one portrait, while waiting for the meatloaf to cook......

Blast from the past.... another former student

  SORRY, but I CANNOT add comments right now.... HELP !
     My blog is messing up, not allowing me to even comment on my own blog-  IF YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PLEASE ADVISE....

Anyhoo, thanks for the comment, Suzanne, and here is the last painting for today.  time for some Football......

One more time... (can you tell I like this photo?) 
    

anyhoo, this is an old painting that I 'doctored' a bit... that is, literally NEVER successful, but this time I like it.    Fun to push this in new directions.

Pushing the proverbial envelope.....

     I tried a different approach with this one.   First, I actually used pencil to start to define the shapes, then I tried to be a bit more adventurous with the color.  I don't know of any 'rules' or 'formula' where this is concerned.. I just tried to add some bold color to give it some spunk !  which one do you like better?

Little (6 x 6) Serena

     After all my talk, I actually DID have a finished product.  Here is my student, "Little Serena" because she's on a 6 x 6 canvas board.   She's a very special girl, as is her identical twin, Selena.   They were both in my Art Foundations class at different times.
     I used to do the 'upside down' drawing with my students.  It's from a Picasso drawing of his friend, the composer, Igor Stravinski.  It is one of my favorites, from the Betty Edwards book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and teaches the concept of right brain skills overtaking the stronger left brain in order to tackle the task of drawing.   While painting Serena, I turned her upside down, worked a bit on the shapes and values, and when I turned her back over..... 'voila'  she was captured....

     This is always fun and successful to try if you've never done it !

I don't know why, but after a little 'time off' it is somehow very difficult to get back and get started again. Is it fear of failure? not sure, my good friend and teaching buddy and I used to discuss this quite often. Somehow, it's related to the fact that after spending hours at painting, one feels they must have a FINISHED PRODUCT to show for it. Unfortunately, though, that is not the right approach, I don't think. Just like stretching before exercise, I feel I must do some artistic 'stretching' and work the kinks out.... This morning I sat down (finally) at my easel and did some tried and true exercises. One was the 10 minute study, the other was the 'value' study, which really helps me focus on the seeing and painting the correct values. There is alot I'm trying to remember, since I've been away from it for several months.... I've done my quilting, babysitting, cooking, etc. and put the painting 'on the back burner' for too long now.... so..... I'm BACK

!

Newest Baby Quilt- almost finished.....

I've FINALLY gotten this baby quilt finished.... well, not exactly finished, but ready to be bordered, and then taken to the Machine-Quilter Lady in Eureka, Mo. to have her stitch all the layers together. It took FOREVER, because I accidentally used a different weave of fabric on the white areas, so they had to each be trimmed and put together SEPARATELY, because somehow they stretched a bit.... Well, I stuck it out and got it finished ! I wouldn't quit, because it's for one of my best friends daughters, who is having her first baby in March, making that baby, Pat's FIRST grandchild !!! Very, very, significant.... I'm so happy for all of them !! This design, I think, has charm because it's made from old-fashioned fabrics from the 1930's.... Much in the same way the first quilts were made, from leftovers, using old dresses and worn shirts. There is a certain 'fondness' I have for that look......

DisneyWorld 2012

It's been about 25 years since we've been to DisneyWorld, when our kids were small. This week we spent 4 days there with our son, his wife, and our 2 granddaughters. It couldn't have been MORE FUN ! We had a delightful time, getting to share this all with them, and reliving the memories over and over. We had adjoining rooms in a fabulous hotel, and got to swim in a really cool 'lazy river' pool one morning in the 75-80 degree temperatures. The adventures at the Magic Kingdom were so much fun, especially meeting all the Disney characters at the 'Chef Mickey' restaurant breakfast.... PaPa and I took the girls to that, and we SO much loved experiencing their joy in seeing all the characters as they came to our table, and signed autographs.
We met many of the princesses, and fairies, like TinkerBell, too. The girls, and their parents, got to have dinner in the castle with the princesses.....
During the day, the girls got to see Prince Eric and Ariel,(Gracie's favorite), get her autograph, and talk with her. Prince Eric even came over and gave Gracie and Kate a special kiss on the forehead, as he singled them out after they had met with him and Ariel. All the princesses are So adorable !!!

We LOVED being a part of all the FUN !!!!
The rides were so much fun, the lines were not too long. We were told this is the best time of the year to go there. Ted and Di, and Papa and I got to ride Space Mountain, which has special memories for our family... ha ha !
Added to all this, we had great meals and fun at our hotel, including dining in the restaurant, which goes out of their way to hire fabulous, entertaining and engaging waiters. We had some really good food there, and visited with some cool guys who worked in the restaurant, as well.
The flights were smooth, with the return flight attendant keeping us in 'stitches' with his quips. The whole plane applauded his fun-hilarious, entertaining antics ! We came from a 78 degree spot to St. Louis, with snow, and temperature around 22 degrees, a shock. It was so much fun...... We will always remember what a fun trip with our 2 favorite little girls !!!!

Published in Somerset Studio...

I was recently going to send a card I made to thank a workshop participant friend of mine for buying one of my paintings, when I realized I had never posted this on the blog. Last year my cards (and a book I made) were published in Somerset Studio magazines. I collage these cards, like my mini-journals,

using vintage authentic photos, and love creating with old paper, ephemera, and traditional art supplies. These were in one of the many publications of Somerset Studio magazines. It's really fun to see your creations in print. For this one, I was asked to include an article about the creative process involved.

My Tapping Buddies

I loved to tap dance as a child, and since I've never truly grown up, I still love to tap. I tap with anywhere from 5-12 regulars each week in Kirkwood, at THE DANCE CENTER. Our teacher, Karen is so fantastic ! She challenges us to learn new things, and is the best teacher I've ever had.
June, from class, had her annual Holiday luncheon today. She goes 'all out' on the food. She invited several people that she had worked at Saks Fifth Avenue with, a group of her friends who all volunteer to be ushers every week at the Fox, plus the tappers. I snapped a couple of shots of my really good tapping friends.

H A P P Y 2012 ! Another NEW YEAR - W O W !!!

Here's our group from the Annual New Year's Celebration. It's traditional to go to Tim and Pat's before dinner, Bartalino's (where Wayne is best buddies with the owner...) for a wonderful meal, and Wayne and Jackie's for delectable desserts. Yes, Wayne always makes 2 choices !!!
Great conversations abound !!! Always so fun !

We also visited Bus's Aunt Addie, who will soon turn 89 this year, as well as cousin Sharon, who got to stop by for a little visit. Hope you have a great year, Addie !