The hydrangeas in my backyard are so beautiful this year.... maybe because of the mild winter we have had. Today's painting shows the 3 different colors of flowers scattered on two of my bushes. I think the periwinkles are the prettiest !
I set this up before I left for Arkansas, about a week ago. Yesterday, I was anxious to go and get my eye surgery, and wanting something to occupy a few hours. I started this, no drawing at all, just began with my brush, locating areas of extreme light and dark, and letting the image just emerge. I started to see a shoe there, ( these are very old, and worn, from an antique sale... ) and I just kept refining. It was kinda fun, no hassle or pressure. The little quilt is one I made for my granddaughter for her baby dolls, out of left over fabric from a baby quilt I recently completed. All in all, I like the results, because they truly are looser than my usual paintings. Since these could have actually been 'baby boomer ' shoes, I named it "Naptime, circa 1950", with the help of my daughter...
Our daughter graduated with an MAT teaching degree last weekend, which meant I stayed for most of the week to help her pack to move back home to find a job. This Monday I had surgery on my other eye... SSOOOO I'll be back to the studio as soon as possible ! You know, life sometimes 'gets in the way' of the painting routine !! ha !
Change of pace, today... I found this huge peony in my yard... I inherited a bunch of peony plants... I don't remember this really big one... it was fun to paint.
It was a great Sunday, filled with sun, heat, bratwurst, and LOADS of fabulous antiques. It was the annual Maestown Antique Fair. Maestown is a little historic town (and I DO mean LITTLE) in Illinois. I shot lots of pictures, some of them will work as paintings, but they really are complicated to paint. I'm trying to get the impression of bodies and shapes and activity. This is new for me, but I'm gonna keep trying. The colors are really intense, due to the direct sunlight. More to come.
Funny that's the number of this painting. It's my daughter and our former next door neighbor, who grew up together since age two. They are now 33, turning 34 this year ! Here's a picture of the two of them at the new Crystal Bridges art museum in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Tracey is in school in Fayetteville Arkansas, and will graduate with a masters degree in English education this semester. She's worked so hard and this degree will compliment her photo-journalism degree from MU. She got to reconnect with her old buddy this year, which is a joy that most people don't get to do.
We're so proud of you, Buffy !
Tomorrow I'll re-evaluate and maybe put a few finishing touches on this !
I've seen this woman walking before, with her yellow hat... well, this time I stopped, and asked her for a few pictures, and she graciously obliged. Something about that hat !
