Hearts for February

Weaving strips of watercolor paper...gluing down on an 8x10 canvas...layering colors... rubbing back. I love the textures and colors that come up with this technique. I want to do a whole series.

paint and scrape

I just purchased a video by Robert Burridge and am trying out some of his techniques. I rather like some of the texture that comes up in painting over gesso and then rubbing back some of the paint. I think I will experiment with this a little more.

Pinkie's Prom Dress

I love the fashions of the late 1950's early 60's. My Mom use to buy old prom gowns at the goodwill store so that me and my friends could play "Miss America". I love the stiff bodices and spaghetti straps and the wonderful hour glass shape but I'm glad I don't have to wear the scratchy things.

I am glad to get back to painting after a little nesting incident (I felt compelled to clean and repaint a lot of the house). Oh well, everythings bright and fresh now and will leave me time to go outside in warm weather and paint. Besides, what else do you want to do when it is 15 below!

Happy New Year

I made this painting for Haleys boyfriend Max. Max is a firefighter in Yellowknife and is amazingly passionate about his profession. He is the fellow you want to see charging through the flames to rescue you.

I want to wish all my artistic friends a creative, prolific and lucrative New Year!

The Billy Boys

This may be the last painting that gets posted for a while. I just returned from a trip to Illinois to check on my father. He is in an assisted care home. Parkinson's disease is robbing him of his movement and I am seeing early signs of dementia. But he is still trying and his odd sense of humor still kicks in occasionally. It is going to be very hard for all of us in the time ahead.
My daughters are coming home for Christmas, the first time we will all be together in three years. I am busy cleaning up this huge cavernous house that has been neglected for painting and travelling (much better things to do). Cleaning, gift finding, then painting (for a limited time only).

Spiral

Spiral is an experiment in the technique of layering successive layers of color and then scraping or rubbing back with alcahol. I like the texture of the various layers peeking through and am planning some decorative works employing this technique.

Creston Grrl

This was my third and last entry for the "Red" show in Creston. This painting was based on a photograph of a fierce and punky young woman in one of my painting classes a couple of years ago. I think it takes a lot of courage and creativity to wear the outfits she chose in a small town the size of Creston. It is easier to be different in a city but in a small town, you are a decided target.

I am not happy with how the painting turned out. I wanted it to be much looser and fresher(and fiercer). But I still like the subject matter. The background started out light and splotchy and just looked anemic. The Painting seemed to demand the red for itself. I would like to do the painting again but the image was lost when my computer failed this summer. It took me over a year to get her photo from a fellow student. There must be some kind of kharma going on here.