I'm a Daily Paintworks Auction Pick this week!

I'm still moving things around in the new place...(translation living out of boxes that have more art supplies than "living" supplies)...and I got an email saying that my little plein air painting from the hayfield in Bracken County Ky, was a Daily Paintworks Auction pick.  Thanks everyone!!  Really brightened my day.  

I just put this little guy up for auction and you can view it here:  http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/535391

Happy Painting!  I'll be back soon with more painting tips!

Thinking "pink"...

I like pink.

So sometimes, I just like painting little flowers, teacups, whatever, that are pink.  Here's a little study I did recently. 

I'm living out of boxes for a few days after the treck back home from Florida to Kentucky, so I thought I would post this little floral.  I'm looking forward to ALL the colors as they come into bloom here in Ky.....but I'm still partial to my pinks!! 

 

Click">http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/530051">Click to Bid

 

 





Saving your brushes when using masking fluid or frisket

Masking fluid is a great tool for your watercolor paintings.  Most of the time when using it, I have a few old brushes that I save just for that purpose.  The photo shows one of them.  However, you can use your good brushes and still keep them in good shape by doing just one simple thing; putting your brush in some liquid soap.  Here’s what I do…

I just use whatever liquid hand soap I have at home.  BEFORE dipping my brush in the masking fluid, I dip the brush in the liquid soap and work it into the bristles all the way up to the metal,  then I just wipe it off with a clean dry paper towel.  No water. 

After that, I just dip the brush in the masking fluid and apply to my paper like normal.  When I’m finished, I clean the brush with soap and water and the masking fluid comes right out.  

I had been painting with watercolors for years before attending art school and had never heard of that before college.  Now I can use my old brushes like normal, but I can also use my good brushes for more refined detail work and don't have to worry about ruining them.  

I used masking fluid on the below painting to keep the lightest parts of the birds feathers.  

Happy Painting!!

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My Sketchbook is ugly.....

In school we had to do small thumbnail sketches as prelim work for larger paintings.  Consistently, I was "encouraged" to put a bit more detail in those drawings.  I still don't.  

Much like my handwriting, my thumbnails are "rough".  However, my sketchbook is an extremely valuable tool to me.  

I use it to work out formats and compositions, paintings for classes I teach, & to help me decide if I even want to do a larger painting.  

I'm always in awe of artists who show their sketchbooks & they truly look like works of art.  

That works for them.  My crazy sketchbook works for me.  :-)

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The blog is back!

Well, I took a year or so off from the blog, but thought I would get it going again.  Thanks to those of you who've let me know what you would like to see on the blog site.  Where to start?  How about a finished painting from a previous post of a work in progress.

Here's my Hollyhock.  I'm crazy about my flowers.  Oil on canvas, large format 54" x 42" inches.  

I started out on the wall and after I blocked in, stretched the canvas and completed the painting.  I love working on these large formats when I'm living in Kentucky.  (And have the space.)  I used several photos of this beauty while working.  Plus, I had the luxury that first season to walk outside and get some closeups.  I've been working on some smaller works un-stretched then mounting them on masonite.  Helps with traveling so I can just roll them up after painting outside. 
Happy Painting!!!

Working large and small....

I've been posting some work in progress of my larger works.  Here's an example of a 9 x 12 inch plein air painting and I've posted the photo to go along with it to show how I tend to "romanticize" my Kentucky!  I'm always intrigued with natural settings, but sometimes a building can be fun as well.  

This one was just done a week or so ago.  The landscape has already changed to reflect the fall weather.  

For this or other little paintings I have up for auction on ebay, just click on the link at the above right. 

Changing your mind....

One thing I've really allowed myself to do more this year is to change my mind in my work.  By that I mean, sometimes I'll start a painting...get pretty far and realize it's not working.  I used to try to force it, re-work it, cry & pray over it....well....no more.  Now don't get me wrong, I still cry, re-work, and re-do.  :-)  However, once I decide, it's not working, I put it away for a while.  If when I get it back out, I'm not re-energized to work on it, I let it go.  Just had one the other day.  Some foliage from one of my rambles about the farm.  36 x 36 inch canvas and  I just painted over it.  I'm doing more of this because I felt like I was wasting time on paintings, that weren't   "working" so to speak. 

I've ordered stretchers for the Hollyhock from my last post and can't wait to dive in on that one.  I've got a couple more large ones started as well.  I'll share them later.  

For this or other little paintings that I have up for auction on ebay, just click on the link at the above right. 

Missy...

One of my horses, Missy, is soon to deliver.  I've got a photo of her here, and you can see she's pretty round in the middle.  We pulled her from the rest of the herd down in Ky, but she's doing well up here on her own.  Once she saw that I was taking photos, my phone became of quite an interest to her, so they were blurred and too close up!  She's a sweet horse.  I've also posted a photo of the pond right next to where I was standing.  If it looks familiar, that's because it's one of my favorite subjects in my paintings. 

 

I took these on the same morning on my morning walk with Missy.  I love being an artist...I love the gift of freedom it gives me to work on my schedule so I can have these great moments. 

 

For this or other little paintings I have up for auction on ebay, just click the link on the above right.





Holiday shipping....

I was at the post office today shipping out a painting and the line wasn't bad at all...at least where I live.  Could be we're not at crunch time yet.  Always ask if you need something sent faster than my usual first class postage.  Especially this time of year. 

For this or other little paintings I have up for auction on ebay this week, just click on the link at the above right.  Remember my ebay paintings all start at just $ 0.99.  (That's right!!)  Thanks!



My Favorite Plein Air Sites On The Farm...

I've been crazy busy the last couple of weeks doing lots of painting and re-organizing before the fall.  I'm always talking about the farm where I do a lot of my outdoor work so I thought I would share a few photos from there.  One of these days I'm going to take a photo of my set up while I'm outside, but never seem to have my camera with me when I do.  (It's just something else to carry!!)  Anyway, some of you may recognize these sites.  I snapped a few with my phone one day while out there. 

The camera doesn't capture the distant hills and there are about 150 acres for me to tromp around.  It's a beautiful place and very inspiring.  I hope all of you are having a great week!!


For paintings I have available for sale on ebay, just click on the link at the above right. 

Hiking on Memorial Day Weekend

Had a great weekend.  We took Monday to go for about 6 miles of hiking at Natural Bridge, (which I've posted a photo), and Red River gorge...AKA:  Kentuckys land of arches.  It was in the 90's but was beautiful.  I was so inspired and can't wait to get to painting.  On the way home we stopped by the Kentucky Veterans Cemetary to pay our respects to some loved ones.  I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day!


For this or other paintings I have available for sale this week, just click on the link at the above right.