Avian Blues

California Jay

Watercolor

4" X 6"

This was a really beautiful bird. The photo that I got of him was unimpressive. I'm not sure that I did him justice. I think the problem is that when your paper size is 4" X 6," you don't have room to paint the feathers in a convincing way. Here's a detail; it comes across a bit better.

I guess that I can't be pleased with all my results. This one is only okay. I had fun painting it. The next bird that I paint is going to be on a LARGE piece of paper.

The Walk I Miss

Pacific Star

Watercolor

4" X 6"

$50

Click Here to Purchase

Although I love Northern Virginia, I wish I could put on my running shoes and walk five blocks to the beach. This painting is based on a photo taken on a California walk in 2011 when we lived on the Monterey Peninsula.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere are Signs

I took quite a few pictures of signs in New Mexico...

When you live in the high plains west of Lubbock and Amarillo (as I did 2008-2011), you see big blue sky (unless it is windy) and dramatic sunsets, but you do not have a whole lot of beautiful landscape to see (IMO). New Mexico has some beautiful spots, like Whites Sands, the Lincoln catwalks, Gila Monument, and of course the mountains around Santa Fe, but all of these are far from where we lived.

The brutal heat and ridiculous wind do a number on billboards and signage. As a result, many that are not old or historic appear to be relics of years past. I started taking photos of interesting ones.

We left New Mexico in summer of 2011, but I kept taking pictures of signs, in California and our travels across the country to live in Virginia.

Eventually, some of these photos become artwork:

I love the graphic nature of lettering incorporated into my paintings, particularly if abstracted into shapes. It is an element you can find in many of them, from the beginning (gravemarkers, Chinatown and Ghiradelli Square in San Francisco) to the present (The Boardwalk, Pike Place, and an upcoming painting of Glen Echo). I anticipate more in the years to come.

Reworking

What happens when you let a painting sit around the studio? Sometimes you decide to take another shot at it. Wednesday was one of those days. There were things I liked about the original take, but overall, it felt flat or cutout or something. I think the visual flow is improved and I really like the red in the trees. I'm still trying to figure out "how" I like painting acrylics. I like the staining watercolor look as well as the impasto "oil-like" look. I'm trying to develop "my style."

Below, are my favorite acrylics of 2013. What do you think they have in common? Comments desired!

Wine Tasting Trip Memories

"Napa Riverfront"

Watercolor

It is our anniversary month around here, so what would make a good subject to paint? How about a scene from the vacation that we took to celebrate our 20th year of marriage?! It was such a fun trip! For once, my husband made ALL of the plans; each time he consulted with me, I would say, "Don't ask my opinion, surprise me." We stayed in a charming bed and breakfast, ate at one of Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurants and spent a day in a Packard limo visiting three vineyards (Frank Family, Bremer & Keever) and having a picnic lunch on Deer Creek. I'll never forget it!

I took the photo that I used to paint this photo from one of the bridges crossing the river on our walk to the Oxbow Market. What a great suggestion that was! It was definitely worth a visit. We had lunch at the Hog Island Oyster Company. (I don't remember what I had; I don't eat raw oysters.) Dwight fell in love with their "hog wash."

This is my second painting from that trip. My first, I titled Old Bike in Bloom and it was based on a photo I took on the top of a hill at Keever.

"Old Bike in Bloom"

Watercolor

18" X 24"

Day 30 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Jazz Man

Watercolor

4" X 6"

SOLD

Day 30! I've done it! Supposedly, tomorrow I will have a collage/composite of all my photos.

Today's painting is from a photograph that I took of a singer at the Monterey Jazz Festival. I decided to keep it on the abstract side and I like the play of color and light vs. dark. I rarely paint figurative pieces and doubt that I would do a large painting of this subject, but it made a good subject for a small painting in the challenge. That has been the case for many of my choices for painting this month...photos out of my wheelhouse, but that I liked and wanted to pursue. I hope that you have enjoyed them!

Day 26 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Lone Gull

Alcohol Ink on Yupo

4" X 6"

$40

Click here to purchase

I guess I take a lot of bird photos since I've painted three in 26 days. Don't tell my children, but I still like seagulls. I know most people don't. They are "rats with wings" in some situations. In California, the school lunch tables were outside and they would hang out and steal food straight off the kids' tables if you didn't pay attention the whole time. For this reason, my children have no love for them. I just wish I had captured that in photos!

I remember watching them at the beach and thinking how cool it would be to be able to fly like they do. They are very graceful in the air. We also had some metal seagulls hanging on the wall of our beach house porch. I remember looking at them and putting them in order of which wing positions I preferred. Weird, yes, but I hated the naps we were supposed to take after lunch and found many ways to avoid them.

Day 25 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Out the Window

Alcohol Ink on Yupo

4" X 6"

$40

Click here to purchase

This sweet mother bird built her nest down in our window boxes. I took this photo looking out my bedroom window and back into the living room window. (See the photo I was working from below.

I'm not sure what kind of bird she is. I originally thought she was a junco; now, I'm not sure. See the pictures below and give me your opinion. I am definitely not good at identification.

Dark-eyed Junco

 Western Bluebird

I had always wanted a house with window boxes and they did look lovely, but had to be watered A LOT. I'm still glad we filled them and enjoyed them while we were there. I wonder if the next renters kept them alive. I was planning to post a picture of the house with the overflowing planters, but I can't find a photo. I sure hope I have one somewhere!

Day 24 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Pacific Daydreams

Alcohol Ink on Yupo

4" X 6"

$40

Click here to purchase

This morning, I perused my thousands of photos looking for inspiring images to get me through the last week of the Thirty in Thirty Challenge. I have about 500 "art photos" from our ten months in Carmel, CA. We lived downtown near Dolores and 10th, five blocks uphill from the beach. It is a truly beautiful area and I miss being able to walk to all of my favorite spots there. It was too cold for this Southern girl; I wouldn't want to live there permanently, but....I daydream and look at my photos often.

This particular spot was a favorite of mine. It was almost as far toward Pebble Beach as I could walk on Carmel Beach. The rock I was standing on when I took the photo is covered in green mossy, seaweed stuff. If you tread carefully up and over it, there is one more tiny bit of beach. Sometimes, I would find small bits of sea glass there...and moonstones...and coral...and pottery. Yes, I have about ten pounds of stuff from all my walks. I was a little obsessed and I am not recovered, just removed from the trigger, lol. Here is the result of one day's walk.

 Enjoy the painting and your own daydreaming; it is a worthwhile pastime.

Day 20 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Sentinel

Mixed Media

11" X 14"

$325

Click here to purchase

Today, I finished my second quail, this time a majestic quail. I have to say that the top knot is what makes the California quail so appealing. I am not sure whether it imparts royalty or is a little bit silly, but it certainly makes me love them.

The palette used in "Sentinel" is a contemporary blend of neutrals and a blue-green. I find it soothing. I had a bit of a break-through when I wanted to add "something" to the upper third where it was uninteresting. I didn't want a big focal point and everything I tried drew too much attention. Then, the lightbulb lit up and I thought, "maybe the alcohol ink can tint the rice paper a color very similar to the area I want to change." Voilà!

Day 19 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Queen of the Covey

Mixed Media

10" X 14"

SOLD

The timing of the 30 in 30 Challenge, might not have been optimal and it took me a few weeks to realize that. Although I really enjoyed painting the 4" X 6" watercolors, I am giving up my spot at a community printmaking studio at the end of the month and need to finish several mixed media prints before my access to the press disappears. I spent two days last week in the printmaking studio working on several new pieces, one of which, "Wild Marsh," will be an exhibit next month at Glen Echo Park. The other main objective was to finish a series of California quail mixed media pieces that I started last fall. "Queen of the Covey" is the first of three prints featuring this intriguing bird. All three include watercolored etchings and collage on a monotype print. It was really rewarding today to see the first of these works completed. I really wanted them to turn out well, so I've been dragging my feet for fear of messing them up. I was so excited about the monotypes on Friday that I was inspired to get them done. Hopefully, the other two will be finished in the days to come, but I do have to do a bunch of framing for the Collective Ink Printmakers exhibit.

Day 13 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Crisp & Tart

4" X 6"

SOLD

Today was not a normal day around here. I wasn't able to paint "first thing" as I've been doing most days. Several exciting art developments happened around here later in the day, which occupied the time I thought I would be painting. Needless to say, my 10pm post last night is being outdone by my 11:45pm post tonight. Leslie Saeta may have even posted tomorrow's painting by now.

"Crisp and Tart" is a watercolor based on a photo I took last week in California. After breakfast last Monday, I sat with my husband and son by the hotel pool while all our friends and neighbors in Virginia waited for the polar vortex to roll in. Next to the pool was a large metal bowl of Granny Smith apples. As we left the pool area, I put one in my purse. It came back to Virginia. I don't think anyone has eaten it yet. I don't do a lot of fruit or still-life paintings. I like the way the bowl turned out and there are details of the apples that I feel good about. I have plenty of additional apple photos from apple picking last fall, so if you like it, say so. I might paint more.

Day 12 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

It is almost 10pm and I am just now writing the post about my "Painting of the Day." I never thought the most difficult day to find painting time would be on the weekend, but that is exactly true around here. I am not a morning person and though I got up earlier than usual, a sketch was all I got done before leaving for church:

So, fast forward through a Beth Moore video lesson, a great worship service, lunch with son while daughter at youth choir, explain chores, drop off kids, art meeting, cook dinner... Then, paint! Better late than never.

Birdhouse in My Soul

4" X 6"

$40

Click here to purchase

Day 8 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Hillside Shade

4" X 6"

$40

Click here to Purchase

Happy cows come from California! This sweet black cow was hanging out on the rolling hills beneath a tree. I find the countryside of coastal California peaceful and serene. I hope this painting makes you feel that way.

Day 7 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Mission Bell

4" X 6"

$40

Click here to Purchase

Today I am playing catch-up in the 30 in 30 Challenge. Yesterday was an all day travel day from California back to Virginia. My seating situation on the flight didn't allow for painting.

The subject of "Mission Bell" is one of the approximate 400 bells placed as guideposts places along the El Camino Real in California in the early 1900's. California Bell Company is still in business, if you would like to get your own. This particular one is on Rio Road in Carmel, CA just uphill from the Carmel Mission. I lived a bit further up and over the hill, but occasionally walked this road to go to the Farmer's Market. I will probably paint a picture of the Carmel Mission too, before the month is over.

Day 5 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

"Sea Holly"

4" X 6"

$40

I finished up this painting today while on a commercial flight flying across the whole country to cheer for my Auburn Tigers in Pasadena!

Somewhat appropriately, the painting for today is of sea holly that grows in California. I took a picture of it on a walk in Carmel. I thought it was the oddest looking fruit...sort if like a rounder, tiny ugly fruit, but with beautiful colors and glistening looking. I've noticed that you see it in the fake flower sections of craft stores, but until I saw the actual bush, I thought it was fictional.

Day 4 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

"Lighting Pescadero Road"

4" X 6"

$40

Sale Pending

There are many things I should be doing today besides painting, but here it is! Today's watercolor is of a lantern that hangs by a driveway in Carmel, CA along Pescadero Road. The ten months I spent in Carmel provided thousands of photos that I could paint from, but this one stood out to me today. I love the play of light and shadow the ironwork provides. It was simple enough an image that it made sense to paint it small. When I was just about finished, I decided the beige-y wall shape needed something and splattered it just a bit, something I haven't done in twenty years! Enjoy!