Week 8 Waterton Canyon and Goals

I'm freaked out that tomorrow is March 1st and I'm still working on my goals for 2017. Like the goals I wanted in writing by January 1st - laminated on paper - preferable on a colored sheet of paper with decorated titles. Cute check boxes ... you know. That's the way things work in my head.
In reality the goals live in random piles on lined paper, on 2 different computers,  an iPad, a phone and crumpled notes in the bottom of my purse. In case anyone thought I had my shit together I just wanted to straighten you out. My website that says "under construction" would have been your first clue. Gonna try and fix that up this weekend.

Anyhoo, this painting just surfaced in my studio and I did it about 2 weeks ago. My friend Anita and I walked up Waterton Canyon to paint. It was really windy but if you persevere (and paint with more experienced painters) you can find that corner where the wind is almost temporarily blocked. Until it gusts again, anyway. I got one painting done and no pastels died.

My favorite things in the world are walking and talking with a friend and painting. Oh, and chocolate. So, I'm gonna keep plugging away and those goals can always roll over to 2018 I guess.

PS - I did get "instagram training" from my lovely daughter so you can now find me at @lisahutart

Windy Waterton Canyon

9x12 pastel

Holding on tight during wind gusts so

these expensive pastels won't shatter to the ground.

Anita brought her watercolors and knocked out a great painting

Check out her work at anitawinter.com

@anitawinter.art on instagram

Week 8 Florida Plein Air

I was lucky enough to travel to Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and the Florida Keys last week to paint. I had great weather the first 2 days and even managed to paint all day while stuck in a hotel during rain on day 3. I've never been to Miami and loved the art deco district and neat vibe of South Beach. I could paint those buildings all day. What a great problem to have, paint the buildings, or paint the beach? Lots of photos to paint from now that I'm back home in snowy Colorado. Or I might be on to my next adventure. I have lots planned for 2017.

South Beach, Miami - it feels electric here

Cool Vibe 8x10 pastel

Even on the day we flew home my husband found time to get me to a painting spot

in the morning! A work trip for us both but my work is definitely way more fun.

North Beach at Bayshore Drive 9x12 pastel

A beautiful drive through the Florida Keys.

We stopped for a quick plein air painting on Sombrero Beach 

Marathon, FL pastel 9x12

Palms through the hotel window

It's still beautiful even when it rains.

Ft. Lauderdale Palms 9x12 pastel

Even the lifeguard shacks are artistic on South Beach.

Art really is everywhere.

14th Street Shack 9x12 pastel

I believe every one has a "story" and I like to waste time people watching and wondering what their story is. These 3 guys (in work clothes) huddled under the lone umbrella in a sea of sun at lunchtime.

No Sun for Us

8x10 pastel with watercolor underpainting

Because I can't stick to one medium I painted this while it rained. OK, In real life it was

a bit grayer out - but I like to pretend the world is a colorful place.

Colorful Rain 9x12 watercolor

Week 7 - PAAC on Broadway or Will I Ever Figure Out Parking?

Last week PAAC met on Broadway to paint some buildings. We had a nice group of artists, but we were scattered around. I decided to stop right there on 1st and broadway and paint the Punchbowl Social. I liked all the colorful shapes around the building and I was also pretty darn proud of myself for the prime metered parking spot right in front of me.
When the meter ticket guy drove by at a quarter after 10 and mentioned to me that I could move my car just around the corner for a great 2 hour parking spot, I cheerfully said - no thanks, this spot is fine! Hmm, that didn't make sense, why would he mention a different 2 hour spot?
Think, Lisa.
I stared at the meter for an embarrassing amount of time then realized it was a 30 minute meter. Will I ever get this damn parking thing figured out? If it's not the meter reader, it's a huge bug, a moose, wild sheep or rain chasing me from my easel. All in a day's work.

Broadway and 1st

12x18 pastel

Debby McAllister in an appropriate 2 hour parking spot

right behind me

The perfect spot - I thought 

Week 6 PAAC at Chatfield - Winter Colors

I was out painting with PAAC yesterday at Chatfield State Park. This is a favorite spot just north of the gravel swim pond. I have several friends that like to paddle board, kayak and canoe here. The birds along the shore line and hidden in the marshy spots are plentiful. I had that "magical feeling" of true happiness that I talked about in a previous post. Realizing that selling work is awesome but just getting outside does it for me too. Every single day. I love being outside.
This was a 16x20 - cropped down, you can see that from the last photo in this post. I'm still working on getting those bare winter haunted looking trees painted in a way that I'd actually want to hang on my wall. Maybe when the leaves come back out ... spring fever has hit, sigh.

Winter Colors

11x14 pastel

Artists scattered around doing their jobs

Artists gathered around talking about their jobs

My spot!

Week 5 - On Life Drawing

I used to draw ALL the time and I really want more time to draw. Some things I like drawing more than others. I hate life drawing. I wasn't very good at it in college, I preferred design, color and typography. I have a previous rant about the overuse of the font Papyrus and if you know what kerning is you are instantly one of my favorite people. I've found that you are good at what you love ... not what you force yourself to do. Not much of that is helping me with plein air painting though.

Anyway, I know that attending life drawing will only improve my skills, so I go sometimes. My daughter, Katt leaves in a few days for Australia. In an effort to spend as much time with her as possible we went to several life drawing classes together. My mediocre results are below.

To see some amazing figurative work, you should check out Heather Arenas - holy smokes that woman can paint people. I may gut up and take a class from her one day. See her work at
https://heatherarenas.com.

Life drawing with Cliff Austin

This is the first time in oh, 20+ years I've tried sketching people

Katt is much better than I but her sketchbooks are put away

so I don't have her sketches to show you :(

Week 5 - PAAC and Colorado Preservation

Several months ago Colorado Preservation asked the Plein Air Artists of Colorado to donate paintings of the endangered places they are working hard to save. We had several paint outs at some of those spots over the last few months.

I wasn't going to donate - too busy, hassle of framing stuff,  I was traveling close to the due date, which pieces should I donate ... can't I just paint everyday and not deal with selling, paperwork, taxes, etc.? As a professional procrastinator, I waited until the last day to submit and then I was up very late several nights before it was due. I have procrastination down to a science. I could teach classes on it. Except I'll never get to that.

When I got the text that said all 5 of your paintings sold, I sort of didn't believe it. I mentally bottled that magic feeling, I'm convinced it will never happen again. Also, I was standing in an ARC Thrift store with 60 wool sweaters in my cart that I'm taking home to felt and make into mittens for the Alzheimer's Association. All sweaters were $1, I was already in my happy place. So, with a portion of the proceeds going to Colorado Preservation, and a portion to me ... it's definitely a win - win.

Please check out this worthy cause - Colorado Preservation, Inc.
http://coloradopreservation.org

Fall at Four-Bar-Four

8x8 pastel

Lost Ranch

11x14 pastel

(forgot to take photo before I framed it, sorry for bad pic!)

Sky over Four-Bar-Four

9x12 pastel

Frozen River in Granby

oil 8x8

Neon Colfax I

mixed media 20x20