INTERESTING BLOGS

Hey Friends, I wanted to pass along a couple of blogs I was reading earlier today BUT who wants to look at a blog post without an image? I prefer beautiful images and all I could come up with is THIS!! His Great Granny is holding him and he's hungry and not too keen on binkys.

Anyway - I was reading Carol Marine's blog and she had a link to an artist called Sharon Williams, who lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I think she's fantastic and thought you might agree.

Another blog I subscribe to is Casey Klahn's. He won an award at the Sausalito Art Fair and then makes a post to tell us Wanna Be's how to Paint for a First Place or a Best in Show. Very much worth your reading time. That's it tonight.
Happy Trails.

Third Place in Acrylics !

Hey Friends, Just wanted to toot my own horn a bit. Today the LRA had their annual awards reception at the Jefferson Center. Ted Batt, curator for the Lynchburg Fine Arts Center, was the juror. Nearly everything he choose was contemporary, or edgy, or experimental. Not much on realism, it seemed to me. So after looking at all the award winners, I'm a little surprised he choose one of mine. If I hadn't used the Masa Paper and all the imprinting, texture techniques, I doubt he would have noticed mine.
The Heron is rendered very realistically but the fun part was adding the rice paper and building up all the textures. A lot of contemplation.
Now I wish I had taken the time to photograph all the winners. There was some really good work in this show. I always enjoy their company.
I think the LRA will post some photos so check them out in the next week or so.
And it was confirmed the "Gift of Art" will happen on Dec. 5th at the Jefferson Center.
Happy Trails.

PS-Went straight from work-thats why I LOOK like a nurse.

THE SKECHERS ARE HERE ! ! ! !

Hey Friends, A quick note, you may find interesting. This is what I did this morning as soon as I got to my REAL job. Christine modeled the NEW "Skecher Shape Up" shoes so I could show what everyone has been clamoring for the past 2 months. They claim to improve a lot of stuff, like your posture and cellulite and back, etc. I don't know but I can say they feel really good! They are extra cush-y and you can rock while standing. They are extra ugly but because they feel so good, you can ignore the ugly.

I also thought you might like to know what I'm doing when I'm not painting. I work for "SUPER SHOES" here in Roanoke, Va. A GREAT place to work, if ya gotta. Great co-workers and the BEST manager in the chain. AND I must say our customers are as good as they get! I have met a lot of characters, that I really like, on my job.

So, there you have it. My life in a nutshell.

Happy Trails.

I FINISHED IT!!?

Hey Friends, Well, I finally made up my mind. I added the blue stripes to the tablecloth!
I think it added the missing something. Scroll down, peek at the last image of this, and tell me what you think. It is not varnished yet so I COULD change it.
I've been real busy last couple days, doing miniatures for the Christmas show on Dec. 5th. It's called the "Gift of Art"! Get it? This year it will take place at the Jefferson Center, downtown area of Roanoke, Va. I will be showing small paintings and miniatures. Stuff people can afford to give as gifts.
BTW-I got an email tonight from the LRA telling me I won an award in the annual SHOWCASE of ART! No, they didn't tell me which award. I should find out Sunday. The awards ceremony is 2-4 Sunday, Sept. 27th at the Jefferson Center. Hope you can be there.
Happy Trails.

Lamp Shade

Hey Friends, I told Kathleen Krucoff last week I would show her a lamp shade I made using Masa Rice Paper. Thought you might like to see it also.
A few years ago I ordered some Waxed Rice Paper just out of curiosity. Once I had it, just couldn't figure out how to use it in my art because it wouldn't stick to any surface using acrylic matte medium. So when I was redecorating a bedroom, I couldn't find a lamp shade for a floor lamp I had. Ta-Dah! I crumpled the waxy Masa, as usual. Spread it on some plastic and dumped liquid acrylics on it. When dry, I cut the shape out and glued with hot glue to the frame and added the beads, etc.

Here is the close up of the texture. It is an illusion because the paper is very smooth and flat. I love this paper! I've always wanted to wallpaper a small space with it. Can you imagine that?

Happy Trails.

PAINTING ON MASA RICE PAPER-Am I finished?

Hey Friends, Added details mostly. Dosen't seem finished to me. My brain keeps wanting to add color to the table cloth. Blue or yellow? I love blue and white stripes. Is that the answer? I'll wait to see if anyone has an opinion. Be back tonight!
Happy Trails.

Painting in Progress on Masa Rice Paper

Hey Friends, Decided to run with this post about the Masa Paper I showed in the previous post. In the image above I lightly indicated with blue watercolor pencil where the blossoms and vase go.

This image I started adding the darker areas and the first pass on the flowers.

Here is a close-up of the vase area. Do you see the batik-E texture still showing ?

Another layer of the darker color in the background and worked on the glass vase. Added the shadows from the flowers.

Another close-up of the vase area. I'll continue to post the layers of paint as I add them. I'm sure you have already gathered that I'm using the acrylics like watercolors. Keeping them as transparent as possible so the beautiful rice paper can shine.

Happy Trails.

MASA RICE PAPER-What's underneath

Hey Friends, Just a little random tidbit of interest - maybe. I scanned the above canvas which has Masa Rice Paper on it so you could see what the paper looks like before Painting on it. I had to make 2 scans and photomerge them in Photoshop. Too big for my scanner in one pass. Since it's too big the canvas doesn't lay flat on the glass and you wind up w/ that shadow on the left. Now maybe you've heard how much I hate Vista on this new computer, therefore I will not do any more experimenting until it's gone. Meaning, I won't take a crack at fixing that shadow.
The Masa paper has a wonderful batik-e look that I really enjoy painting on. You should get a sheet and PLAY! Daniel Smith Art Supplies sells it by the roll or sheets.
Also wanted you to see this paper before painting on it because I just finished a couple small paintings that started w/ this paper and I totally ruined them. The paper was wasted!!
I'll post them next time.
Happy Trails.

DESIGN STYLE GUIDE TREASURY

Hey Friends, I did it!!!! I goggled "how to make screen shot" and it gave me some directions for doing this in Vista. (I hate Vista) After doing screen shots about 7 times and saving in Paint, then cropping and rotating and photo-merging in Photoshop - the shot above is what I came up with. Whew. What a hassle. Still don't know how to get a full article in one screen shot. Kathy Reed, over at Design Style Guide, included my painting Monday Laundry in her treasury. I've had my paintings included in several treasuries but I've never been able to show you until now. Thank you, Kathy! Now I shall ask Google how to screen shot a full article and see if its do able in Vista.
Happy Trails.

FRIENDSHIP Original Painted Collage 6x6

Hey Friends, Hope you are having a Great Labor-Free Day! My work place closed early so I had the time to post this little girl on Etsy. I included a close up of the bottom edge so you could see the mini-dragonflies. It's just a thick layer of acrylic gel with the impressions of dragonfly and the actual DF embedded.
Have a wonderful week!
Happy Trails.

LA Series #3 Original Alla Prima Painting

Hey Friends, I just added this to my Etsy Shop. This is the third in the LA series. Soon I'll have to start an NR series!! After the handsome fella in the post below.

This is a close up of the model looking for stones to skip across the brook/creek/stream?

Happy Trails.

Sept.4,2009 NEW GRANDSON

Hey Friends, Big news of the Day/Year!!! NICOLAS IS HERE!!! He is healthy and beautiful. He weighed in at 8 and a half lbs. and 19"long. He seems to be a content baby also.

And here is his very Happy Sister. She couldn't wait for him to arrive so she could hold him!

Needless to say it's been an extra busy year for everyone. Now that Nicky is here and Jessi is home maybe things will quiet down for a while. I've got a small solo show coming up first of Oct. and I've got stuff to do!!!!

Happy Trails.