What I See, Is Not Always What You Get

Peaceful View

Watercolor

4" X 6"

$50

Click Here to Purchase

One of my walks, on a nearby street, I saw this line of chairs. The shadows and shape were interesting. I took a photo. Later, when I looked at the photo, I kind of laughed to myself thinking, "Well, no one will want the driveway and street in a painting." Then, I thought of a photo that I had taken at the lake over the summer, where Adirondack chairs do face a lovely view. So, I decided to add an abstract "lake" to the composition I had. To see the inspiration photos, look further down. Enjoy! (I may paint a nighttime version too, when I get more paper.)

“Never, never, never give up.” ― Winston Churchill

It is so strange how alcohol ink paintings can go from one thing to another is barely more than the blink of an eye.

This "poor painting" started out as part of the Color Field experiment that I was doing for a call for entry. I had high hopes for the concept, but it just didn't end up looking like I had hoped.

Then, I reworked it and came up with this painting. Compositionally, the sun is too big and is competing with the grove of trees that actually looks pretty good. I decided to leave the trees and wipe the rest of the board clean and start over. On yupo paper this works well. On clayboard, the board doesn't release the ink as readily. As I wiped, I thought, "Wait a minute here. I like what is happening!" So, I stopped wiping, added a few drops of blender and paint and took a look.

It's one of my favorite alcohol ink paintings to date.

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." - Thomas A. Edison

Day 27 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

Crossing The Reef

Alcohol Inks on Yupo

5" X 7"

$40 SOLD

Yesterday, I felt like doing some simple imaginary landscapes. This one made me think of being out on a ship or boat and looking at the horizon. It is always so beautiful and serene, especially when the depth varies and you get different colors of the water, as in this painting.

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 1 - Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

I thought that I would be a little ahead of the game when this challenge began. I didn't count on my mechanical pencil having no lead during a long car ride, misplacing my travel watercolors in my daughter's room on vacation or being sick for the last three days.

Anyway, today I got up and did my first of 30 paintings that I will do this month. I gave it the title "Pond Dweller." I painted it from a photo I took at a pond on the Burke Centre trails this fall. I hope you enjoy it. Come back each day to see what I am up to.

"Pond Dweller"

4" X 6"

$40

To purchase, click here.

To see more daily paintings by other artists, visit Leslie Saeta's blog.