Tear down and pack away

Lots going on today to get ready to tear down my art room and get ready for the building to start. The permit-gathering continues, our application is now in the hands of the City of Surprise....I hope they are kind!

For the duration of the build, my work table will live in the breakfast nook. Our home will look disorganized and strange for the duration of the build, with lots of things out of place, but it will hopefully be worth it in the end. Of course, I have Thanksgiving (with dinner guests), Christmas (with family here), two Art Chix sales, teaching watercolor classes both at the Art Club and here at the house, etc. going on during this build, shows good planning, huh? It will be a test of patience, but I am keeping my "eye on the prize" and know I will enjoy having a nice art studio in the end.

My first Watercolor II class starts Thursday, I will post whatever we are working on in the classes as they happen. My demo paintings never turn out to be masterpieces, but it is only fair to include them in a blog since that is the purpose of my blog, to share what is happening in my art world.

Carry on!

Macaw

This is a painting I did from a photo provided for members of the Watercolor Workshop online. Doris is also a member and her husband had taken this photo and she thought it worthy of sharing with the group. Thank you Doris!

Since I have been trying to loosen up a bit in my style, this was a step back to the more detailed, tight style but it was a fun step back! Isn't he/she (?) pretty? I just couldn't resist this flirtatious pose.

I painted this as a gift for a friend, I hope it will be enjoyed as much as I enjoyed painting it.

Magnolia in Crystal Demo - Final

This is the final version of my magnolia in crystal demo. I would like to do this in a half sheet size and with warmer, richer colors next time. I like the composition and thank Char of WetCanvas for her demo on this flower. Next time I will also try to avoid the use of masking fluid as I dislike the hard edges when the masking is removed.

I have gotten my magnolia in crystal bowl demo by Char of WetCanvas up to this point and am awaiting critiques from one of my groups before continuing. It has been fun so far, but I find I strayed from Char's original drawing somewhat. We'll see if I strayed too far! I am using my new Pelikan pan paints as a trial on this so I can see if I want to tuck it into my plein air setup. I need to add more darks and soften some of the petal edges a bit.

After visiting with our grandbaby again this last weekend I have more reference photos that have me all inspired to do another portrait. So many ideas, so little time!

I added a few more darks to this and will consider it finished for now. I have printed a tutorial demo painting from WetCanvas of a magnolia in a crystal vase that I am excited to start so that will be my next project. Lots of closet cleaning, etc. to get ready for the remodel that has to be done first, but I will have it sketched on the watercolor paper so I can sneak a few minutes here and there and get started on it.

I painted with the Thursday afternoon group at SCG Art Club yesterday and managed to get a good start on this sepia garlic painting. My friend, Carol (Dabs) Holt from the online Watercolor Workshop did this painting a few years ago and gave me permission to copy it. She got hooked on sepia about the same time I did. I am finally getting around to trying this for my own kitchen. I like the way the bulbs are sort of "emerging" from the shadows. I need to add more darks, but it is getting there.

Tomorrow is the SCG Art Club's open house during the Oktoberfest festival. I will be selling raffle tickets all day and, hopefully, selling lots of my paintings!

I am now testing my retention of the right steps to get back to the necessary pages to post to my blog site and add images. If I don't "practice" I will not do it correctly the next time!

This is a recent portrait I did of our granddaughter, Aubrey. I would very much like to become proficient in portraiture, and our precious Aubrey seems like such a worthwhile subject to practice with, in addition I can add more paintings to my Grandmother's Gallery.

Blog construction ongoing here! I am learning, slowly, how to upload photos and comments to my blog site, patience and time required! Next, I will do more design work on my blog homepage.

This is my most recent completed painting, it is a half-sheet size and is still on the board, awaiting my decision that it is truly completed. It is titled "Tumacacori Granary". We visited Tumacacori in southern Arizona this past Spring and it was so old and picturesque. This is all that remains of the granary, they stored their corn, beans and squash seeds in the jars on the left; as well, I assume, as in jars on those steps in the center of the room. The shadows and light vs. dark value changes were striking when we were there and I knew I had to do at least one painting of that.

My membership in an online critique group has been invaluable for helping me to see needed changes.

This is my first posting for my new blog. Testing 1, 2, 3, 4!