Day 286 Grass is Not Green

My artist friends already know. Grass is not green. Well, this grass wasn't. I'm always fascinated by looking closely at nature and seeing how not green grass is, and how not blue the sky is either.
This field was full of all those beautiful fall colors, purple, teal, orange, red and even lavender. Ideal for using about 40 different pastels. I painted this in September but just had not gotten around to posting. I'm cleaning up the studio since I've lost a few paintings - it's certainly time. If you have been to my studio, I'm sure you understand how that is possible. OK, I'm cleaning because the kids are coming home for Thanksgiving and they need a place to sleep!
Here's to all art being found by December 31st.

Grass is Not Green
8x10 pastel

Day 285 Love Letter

A friend of mine had her first baby a couple of months ago and I wanted to paint something for her baby room. Her decor is beautiful grays with splashes of red - perfect for newborns.
I've been in absolute turmoil over it for months. It seemed like such a big task - only because nothing would be good enough. Art is so subjective and personal. I really wanted to paint a huge painting because how can you fit all that joy, love, anticipation, and wonder on something small? I wanted to paint a whole world on this canvas but I couldn't.

I have friends that are gifted in writing, their words roll effortlessly (it seems) of the joys of parenthood, the hopefulness we all have for their their futures, the happiness we feel. I find myself mute so only managed a few hidden messages in this painting, love and joy.
This is my love letter to Lucca.

Love Letter
10x20 acrylic

Day 284 Evolve 1b

Here is the second "layer" on this large abstract that I'm working on in Karen Roehl's class. I only have 2 more classes then I will be teacher-less. I'd take classes forever if I had my way. I try to only take from instructors that I really like their work and know they have a good reputation as a teacher.

I've always loved school. I loved reading and art and would get lost in a book or drawing from my earliest memories. I'm especially fond of my 4th grade teacher, Mr. Cole who had us jump up and do jumping jacks every time we got too loud. Which was like every 20 minutes. He had it figured out. I also remember my 6th grade teacher delivering a book to my house that I won in a contest on the last day of school. Above and beyond, because we had a 45 minute bus ride to school. My favorite teacher was when I was a senior in high school, she gave me a scholarship to the art institute and changed the trajectory of my life. I was 18 years old and had no clue that you could make a living as an artist. Like most 18 year olds, I was clueless about a lot of things.

So keep on teaching all you awesome teacher friends - you never know how positively you may be influencing a person!

Evolve 1b
24x30 mixed media

Day 282 and 283 Closed for the Season

This morning PAAC painted at DeKoevend Park. When this was planned we assumed we would be standing on cardboard, in the snow on November 15th. But, we stood in 75 degree weather instead. The restrooms had a sign "Closed for the Season" but the park certainly wasn't. Moms, kids, joggers, bikers, dog walkers - it was a hopping spot for a Tuesday morning.

Day 282 Closed for the Season
8x10 pastel

Day 283 Closed for the Season II
8x10 pastel

My only complaint - when you drop an orange pastel under the easel

there is no hope of finding it.

Day 281 Not Following the Rules

This watercolor was done during an advanced training class with the Alzheimer's Association on painting techniques that we can teach our memory impaired artists.
I think the beginning directions were to draw boxes across the watercolor paper and then try each technique in a box. This way you could see what was happening and reference it later. I was a bad student, maybe was talking and missed the first part but when I looked up and saw everyone else painting neatly in boxes ... whoops. I'm normally a good student but I was channeling my other art class and I wanted to layer and layer and layer.

Apologies to our wonderful art consultant, Susie, whom I have high regard for. It's so weird, I am a rule follower in every single way except when it comes to art. Something to ponder.

Not following the Rules
9x12 watercolor

Day 280 Glow

This was painted from the road along Lake Granby during my September painting frenzy. I remember watching the sun change, the clouds come and go, and just trying to capture that beautiful glow. So far, I've remembered everything I've painted this year, and it's a lot. Many of my aspen paintings look pretty similar so occasionally it takes a few minutes. Then the memory of standing in that place comes flooding back and that has been the best part of this painting journey. Observation. Making myself slow down and just see. Sorry for the glare on the photo but I'm comfy in bed and not getting up to reshoot it.

Glow
8x10 oil
sold

Day 279 12x12 Red Sky

Sunset over Granby, probably about my 20th time painting it. After much little contemplation, too much texture. I see some things to fix. Maybe I should have worn glasses.
I glanced at my FB page the other day and noted that someone was concerned that I was a friend. I went through several thoughts, is this a new emoji? Did I do something wrong? What exactly was concerning? Then I put my glasses on and realized that they confirmed my friend request. Good grief, three little letters, such different meaning. sigh.

Red Sky
12x12 oil

Day 278 Squirrel Party

This is a copy of a painting by Brian Rutenberg. I love his abstract work and this was another exercise done in class. I'm sure it was to show how difficult copying artwork is, especially when it appears abstract or simple.
On a completely unrelated note (I tried to find a common thread and couldn't) the squirrels have been hoarding pine cones in our woodshed up in the mountains. It's a pretty comfortable place in the winter for them, luxurious even. Maybe they got bored last year ... but this year we found a large stash of mushrooms. They were carefully placed in a special spot away from the cones, to dry. Are they saving them for desert? Christmas? A random squirrel rave on a Friday night? How many squirrels actually live in that woodshed in the winter? So many questions.

We wouldn't want to be the ones to ruin their good time so we carefully placed the mushrooms back in their special spot. Hope I don't find cast off glow sticks, red cups or candy wrappers come spring.

Squirrel Party
24x12 acrylic on canvas

Look at that big bite the squirrel took out of the mushroom

Day 276 and Day 277 Exercising

I love exercises, and homework. These 2 abstracts were done very quickly as an exercise in Karen Roehl's class. Working quickly and shutting off your logical brain and tapping into your spontaneous/creative side is one of the goals. When you have 10 minutes or 5 minutes to do a painting - it forces you to work quickly and intuitively. In case you misunderstood my first sentence, I love painting exercises, not actual exercises. Now if I could do physical exercises in 5 or 10 minutes and it would do any good, that might be a different story.

Exercising 276

9x12 acrylic on canvas paper

Exercising 277

9x12 acrylic on canvas paper

Day 275 Ghostly Cottonwoods

The cottonwoods weren't spooky but just located at Ghost Ranch. This spot was at the beginning of the Box Canyon Hiking Trail. I painted it last month when I was at Ghost Ranch with my friend Jeanne. I started painting aspen at the beginning of September and painted cottonwoods through October. Two full months of fall painting, and it's still beautiful out!
I have lots of photos; cottonwoods, cactus, sky, adobe buildings ... you name it, to paint from this trip. I will never, ever get everything painted that I want to. I've struggled with all kinds of things this year - but never inspiration. My to do list of paintings is very, very long still.

Ghostly Cottonwoods
pastel 8x10

Day 274 Window View #4

There goes the leaves from my view. This was from my studio window again, and the leaves have gone from brilliant to dull ... to on the ground. Next painting I'm sure will be all gray.
Wonder why I've not been posting consistently? I'm out of control. Overbooked, too busy, same old story we all live.
Also, my email has not been working since november 1st. It's crippling. I spent 2 hours last night at the Apple "Genius Bar" and left with no functioning email still. They should call it We-Know-More-Than-You-But-Still-Not-Enough-To-Fix-Your-Shit-Bar. Genius my ass. I'm one week away from going back to a Dell.
No fears, I still receive emails but have no hope of responding anytime soon. So if you contacted me, and have been ignored, that's why. Really.

Window View #4
pastel 8x10

Day 273 A Good Day

Yesterday, I painted with my friend Anita in downtown Littleton. Love this little yellow house that always has a red truck in front of it, but I resisted the urge to try and paint too much in 3 hours. Then I had a nice lunch with some other friends, sewed more wool mittens for Alzheimer's Association and then on to my first acupuncture session. Painting everyday, hauling a 25 lb. backpack, hunching over a sewing machine ... there's a price. The Dr. also did cupping - it looks like I was hijacked by aliens and they did weird experiments on my body. No photo, that would be TMI.
Anyway, I did all the things I love; being creative, connecting with friends and working on better health. It was a good day.

A Good Day
pastel 8x10

Day 272 Evolve 1A

I mentioned yesterday that I'm in a class with Karen Roehl at ASLD. One exercise we are doing is layering a painting. For six weeks we will add another layer on the same painting and watch it evolve. So, here is layer 1a. Don't get attached - you probably won't see any of this base design once it's done.
My goals for 2017 include lots of drawing, continuing to paint plein air but also exploring the world of abstract. I have no idea where my work will take me and there's magic in that.

Evolve 1A
24x30 mixed media

Day 268-271 Blue Doors

OK, so this may feel like cheating but I'm making up the rules and it ain't. My goal for 2016 was to paint every day. I have with an exception here and there. Sometimes I paint all day and have 3-5 paintings. But, not all of them are viewable. I "tweaked" my goal to end up with 366 paintings. Since I am behind by about 40 paintings you are getting some groupings wether you like it or not. Did I mention I am making up the rules on this?

So, when I was in New Mexico painting a few weeks ago I was obsessed over all the blue doors on the adobe buildings. I tried painting them. It didn't work out. More than once. When I got home I made some cards representing those really cool (pun intended) blue doors with all those lovely tan/clay colors. Here are a couple of the cards that I made.

Blue Doors - Series of Cards
ink & watercolor on watercolor paper - various sizes

Day 267 November Geraniums at the ASLD

Today I started a class at the Art Student's League of Denver with Karen Roehl. I really love her paintings and am excited to take an abstract class from her for the next 6 weeks. Look at her beautiful artwork at http://www.karenroehl.com

When I left I noticed the geraniums still looked great on the front steps and knew I wanted to paint that next. Next, as in 30 minutes since I was headed over to my afternoon class at PHAC with Aimee Deneweth. I snapped a quick picture with my phone. Actually, I juggled a wet 24x30 canvas, my purse, 2 bags of supplies and then my phone. I took the picture and didn't drop anything, yay!

In case that isn't enough I am finishing a class on Mondays with Cliff Austin. Can you spell
C-R-A-Z-Y? I haven't signed up for any classes next year, which is probably a good thing.

November Geraniums at the ASLD
Mixed Media - acrylic, graphite, india ink 11x14

Day 266 Reynolds Landing

Today was a PAAC day and I got to paint with a couple watercolor artists at Reynolds Landing. It's fun to watch other artists, especially working in a medium I'm not that experienced in. If I didn't have 50 other things on the art to do list, I'd start painting in watercolor more too.
I also saw Ted Garcia who has been out everyday for something like 5 years? I'm impressed and tired just thinking about the next 60 days for me. I have high hopes to finish the 366 paintings I set out to do this year and then think about the holidays and all it entails. Notice that my title says Day 266 so I have 100 to go. I'm behind from the summer move and travels. You are likely going to see some smaller works coming up.

But for now, I'm painting bigger.
There might be some amazing artistic reason for that, hmmm.
Or it might be that I have frames in 11x14 size and I'm just getting a little tired of the 9x12's. Either way it's working for me. Go big or go home I say.

Reynolds Landing
11x14 pastel