Unfinished Cold Wax Paintings

 Hey Friends,  A little more about the Cold Wax paintings that I created in the workshop taught by Gina Louthian-Stanley.  The LRA sponsored the retreat at Camp Alta Mons in Shawsville, Va.  If you live in SW Va. you should consider joining the League of Roanoke Artists.

 Top image is a collage of various finds into the wax & oil. (I found the leaves on a walk,one little hydrangea bloom on the floor and the unfinished butterfly is a paper towel)  And the danged yellow wax mixture is still SOFT and comes off easily.!!  The image above is another collaged piece.  I have to finish the birds head and this piece seems to be hard enough or should I say dry enough to work on some more.  When I got the base coat of purples and yellow-oranges on the board I put it in the oven on the lowest setting to see what would happen.  Then collaged into it.  I think that's the only reason it's so firm/dry.

 This is a DF collaged into the gob of wax mixture and stamped .  Still to soft to do anything with it.

This was stamped several times, the shells added and Lilly pushed into the wax.  And I think I can work on it more now.  I will test spraying with a varnish on the driest one.  Should be interesting.
I love the process and the feel but I don't think I'll be spending much time with this technique.  I'm too impatient and I'll drive myself crazy if I fight my nature.  I would like to attempt a Dreamy fairytale theme I have in my head  for my granson's room.  I can put down a layer and let it sit and dry at it's own pace and come back to it every year until it's done.  It should be ready for my GREAT granson.

Happy Trails Travel Well

League of Roanoke Artists Retreat

 Hey Friends,  Our retreat at Alta Mons ended Sunday but I'm just getting around to showing you a few shots from the Wonderful workshop given to us from Gina Louthian-Stanley.  Gina is a wonderful teacher with lots of patience, a soft spoken easy going nature.  Love the lady !
Above is one of the streams on the property !  Loved this place.

 Because it is difficult to show with just a few brief pictures, I decided to start with one of Gina's demo's.  She started the above painting with NOTHING in mind.  Putting on the cold wax mixed with oil colors.  Just a dab of oil from the tube mixed well with Dorlands Cold Wax.  She pushes and spreads the mixture with her hands, spatulas, rubber dough scrapper and anything laying close by.

 In this shot she spent maybe 30 minutes will explaining as she went along, using various papers and templates to get a variety of textures.  Then she laid a piece of newsprint paper on it and wrote words with a stick !

 Added a butterfly and more papers,  gave it a rest.  She may keep it as such or put more stuff in it !  It is a wonderfully messy process with endless possibilities.  VERY slow to dry and that's the part that will prevent me from working with it very often.  You have to have a LOT of patience !

 Then we went for another walk, something I love.  This is a beautiful little spot here in SW Va.  I was told the original use of the place was a resort for the railroad big wigs.  The United Methodist Church bought the place for the use of their children and youth groups, such as the Scouts.

 Gina is barely visible on the left and she is conducting the critique at the end of the weekend.  I hated to see it end.  I was the last one to leave.  Had to have another walk.  Took lots of photo's.  This is Susan Young's work here.  I got photos of every ones work but it would be an enormous post.

 Here is Mary Anne work.  Unfortunately you can't tell much about it but the paintings are beautiful.  Mary Anne used the mixture like paint with a knife.

 Here is a shot of Susan's work.  More graphic and abstract than Mary Anne's.  Both styles are easy on the eyes.

A final shot of Gina's to be assemblage.  She started working on the textures, etc. of the long piece.  She will finish with wooden hands and a nest with eggs, etc.  Should be gorgeous.

I didn't get any shots of my pitiful attempts but I will and that can be a future post.  Gina's is a great teacher and I bet she would be happy to give a workshop for your group, so here is a link to her blog, which should lead you to her email,  http://ginalouthian-stanley.blogspot.com/

Happy Trails Travel Well

Art on the Parkway

 Hey Friends,  Bonnie Mason and I worked the crowd (Ha) at the Meadows of Dan location for this years "Art on the Parkway".  Above is just one beautiful vista.  Anyone would love it here!

 This is the intersection of the Parkway and Rt. 8 and another one, maybe Rt. 58.  Can you see the 3 antique cars? !  A lot of antique cars and trucks and motorcycles !  This is one hopping spot for the "Peak weekend for leaf peepers".  The amount of people was amazing ..........

 And here is Bonnie and yours truly.  The weather was great and a bit chilly once in a while.  We both sold some artwork and met a lot of nice locals and Parkway Travelers.  We both hate outdoor shows now BUT will be back next year !!

Thankfully our Bouncer/Bodyguard Mr. Wandy kept order in the parking lot !!!  We saw a few shady characters in boots and bibs but felt safe with him there.

Happy Trails Travel Well

Double Line Painters take over Salem, Va.

 Hey Friends,  Some of us "DLP" went to downtown Salem, Va. yesterday to get photos and encouragement.  It was a fabulous day - perfect for picture taking.  We pretty much covered the entire little city !  Bum knee and all.
The statue above was carved from a tree that used to stand right there.  It fell before the carving.

 Bonnie and Linda on the walk in front of Roanoke College.  A beautiful campus.

 Mary Anne and Linda at the "Country Store".What else would you call a store with Hawaiian umbrellas?

And we came across a storefront right on Main with a poster of the SPCA's 2013 Calendar !!  Which has Judy's prize winning painting on the cover.  How Cool is that?!

Now I must hurry to borrow my sisters truck and pack it with all the set up stuff for "Art on the Parkway".  Bonnie and I will be together (same space) for this show also. This is the last outdoor show for the year.  YAY!!

Happy Trails Travel Well

Plein Air Inspiration Show at 108

 Hey Friends, Just realized I have not invited you yet, to the BIG show at Gallery 108 in downtown Roanoke .  It opens tomorrow night, Friday, Oct. 5th with our monthly "Art by Night" but it will hang until the end of November.

 Bonnie made us very nice postcards for this show, up above.

And here is a sample of some of the works we created.  We were all at the same spots, painting together, but the paintings are so very different, you would never guess that. 

We are hoping you can stop by the gallery for refreshments while perusing our work.

Happy Trails Travel Well