No. 30 Last Day in Leslie Saeta's Challenge....Thank You Leslie

 Hey Friends,  Last Day !  This is No.30.This is the last dictionary page that I've finished to date.  "L" is for Lad (like in boy).   I thought of the old rhyme, Sticks and Stones may hurt................So up in the corner is a real stone, and a real stick.  Could not find a bone small enough so I made the paper cut outs along the left.  Just love feathers so it made it's way in too.  And there is a photo of the lad throwing a stone into the river.

So now I will put this in my Etsy store.  And now I must get busy and finish my dictionary series.  I'm going to miss the pressure of a painting a day but Hope and Pray I don't lose too much momentum.  I know I won't be doing one a day but I'm shooting for every other day.  I've got a couple requests for dictionary art subjects - leviathan (never even heard that word before, had to look it up in the dictionary, Ha) and mermaid.  Won't they be fun to do.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 29 - Right Side of Diptych

 Hey Friends,  This is the other half of the diptych, I posted the left half yesterday.

 These close ups show you how much texture there is

 I used Golden's Glass Bead Gel to form the flowers.  Conventional work for the BumbleBee's.
This is in my Etsy Shop along with the other half.   Click Here.
The last day is almost here.  I think I'll post what I painted at Centerfest  in Bedford, Va.  This is a plein-aire piece and I asked for critiques, so it looks a bit better than the majority of my plein-aire works !  But I'm getting better, slowly.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Thought I'd throw this in at the last second.  For anyone that doesn't know what a diptych is.  And this is before I was finished.   Diptych's hang togather.

Day 28 of Leslie Saeta's 30 Day Challenge ! !

 Hey Friends,  This is the left side of a Diptych.  I'll post the right side tomorrow.  They are 12" sq. each.  I scooped a lot of glass bead gel onto the panel and shaped the petals with this gel medium.

 In this shot and below, I had made a bumble bee and cut it out so I could move it around the painting to see where the bee's looked best.

The little cup with a lid has my model in it.  Whenever I find a dead BB or a dragon fly, I save them to work from.  It's a lot easier than a photo.
Click Here for my Etsy Shop

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 27 of Leslie's 30 day Challenge

Hey Friends,  Second painting from the same place as yesterday.  The Greenfield Center in Botetourt.
Different shape, 8x8 square canvas panel.
If things work out with the Center, Double Line Painters may have a workshop there next year.  We are booked this year.  And a reminder that we, the Double Line Painters, will be showing and painting, Plein-Aire, at Centerfest this Saturday.
Centerfest is Bedford, Va. annual art festival held on the streets of this Historic little town.  The National D-Day Memorial is here, in case you're wondering why that town sounds familiar.
We will be set up on the grounds around Goose Creek Gallery, so come out and visit us.
This painting is also in my Etsy shop.
Check out the DLP blog for upcoming events.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 26 in Leslie Saeta's Challenge

Hey Friends,  Totally different art today.  Done from the other side of my brain.  Plein-Aire !  Sorta.  I was inside a big building in Botetourt called the Greenfield Center.  One side was glass and looked out onto this beautiful view.   The gorgeous Blue Ridge mountains of SW Virginia.
I totally enjoy painting landscapes but will admit I get pretty overwhelmed with so much to look at. It can be a struggle to stay focused.
I will put this in my Etsy shop.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 25 in Leslie's 30 Day Challenge

Hey Friends,  The letter "K".  Seemed at one point kachina was a good choice.  Now that I see it on my monitor, not so sure.  I like the colors so I'm not sure if it's all the white space that I don't like.?

At any rate, this is my presentation for Day 25.  Click here to go to Etsy.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 24 in Leslie's 30 Day Challenge

 Hey Friends,  Next in my Dictionary series - "The Jaguar".  Didn't we all want a Jaguar at some point in our life.?  I didn't want red, I wanted a baby blue.  Couldn't afford that so I got a baby blue VW Super Bug !

Just some detail shots.

 Click Here for my Etsy Shop.

 

This challenge is moving right along and will soon be over.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 23 in Leslie Saeta's Challenge

 Hey Friends, Another stamped image, using just 2 different sized hand carved stamps.  I started with the purple stained tissue paper and gelled it to the canvas.  This created little ridges ( it's almost impossible to get tissue paper on smooth) which made me think of seaweed.  So there you have the fish swimming through the seaweed in a purple ocean.  No, I don't drink or do drugs.  Some things are meant to be. 

 Here is a sloppy close up, sorry, to tired to fool with photoshop.  I will put this in my Etsy shop.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 22 of Leslie Saeta's Challenge

Hey Friends,  I must be honest,  this piece of work has not been shown before BUT I didn't paint it yesterday.  I made this about a month ago.  There now you can chastise me.  I made a post here on my blog sometime ago, I will attempt to link to it so you can see that I made the stamps for all of these critters.  I did enjoy carving the stamps and thoroughly enjoyed creating a design to fit them into.  So please leave a comment, tell me what you really think of this.
You can also check some close-ups in my Etsy shop.   Click Here.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 21 of the 30 Day Challenge

Hey Friends,  Here it is-Day 21 !  And I'm still here too.  I'm amazed at myself.
Todays presentation is, you guessed it, more birds.  This one started with the paper base and then acrylic gel stenciled on and then the bluebirds and last, I painted the bird bath.
And to toot my own horn, a lovely woman in Eugene, Oregon bought my dictionary collage of "Ibis".
Just pray I can keep this pace up after this challenge.  Or to be more reasonable, every other day.
In case you don't know I put my work in my Etsy store.   Click Here.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 20 Original Art Challenge

Hey Friends,  I had a big scare earlier this morning.  My monitor wouldn't come on!  Of course I called my daughter.  She said "check the connections and then turn machine off for a bit".  And it worked  Yay!!!  Just happy I don't have to buy a new one.
Above is a collage of avian stuff on a deep 6x6 canvas.  These are fun to do so last night I scanned some of my gran babe's piano practice book and a couple pages from her notebook with pencil written stuff.  Now I will go to the copy store and have some lazer copies made to use in these collages.  You need lazer copies so the ink won't smear and run when I get it wet.
Hope to get one done for tomorrow's challenge.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Leslie Saeta's 30 Day Challenge - No. 19

Hey Friends,  Day 19 - Whew.   Still hanging in there.  Another in the series of Dictionary Art.  I guess I wasn't thinking when I decided to do this series.......I mean that's 52 little paintings !  Did not realize how long this would take, but I've already picked out each subject for each letter.
In my defense, I started this in the dead of winter.  I was obviously bored with the usual suspects.
But look up there, aren't they silly ibis?
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Painting No. 18 - Leslie's 30 Day Challenge

Hey Friends,  I decided to throw a few of my Dictionary Art into this challenge.  After all I must work on them if they are to be finished.   Why did I choose hammer for "H"?
I use a hammer to make my frames but mostly because I always think of my Dad when I see a hammer.  He was a rock mason and carpenter.  His right arm was a bit bigger than the other from swinging a 20 lb. hammer ( I could be as crazy as a bat on that 20 lb thing) but that's what I remember.   I also remember that he always tried to drive a 6 penny nail in 2 swings.
And that is a real nail there on the piece.
I'm trying to become more efficient in my posting on this blog and the DPW store.  I haven't listed anything there for a while because it ALL takes up so much time.  My desire is to post on this blog, then put the work in my Etsy store and have the DPW link to Etsy.
I'm gonna give it another try.  Wish me success.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

16th Day in Leslie's Challenge

Hey Friends,  Day 16 in Leslie's challenge !  And this has been a challenge.  I can't imagine doing this for a year....and if I did, could I still keep my other (real) job and keep my Babes once a week?
I would have to hire an organizer.  Ha Ha

A lovely lady in Lynchburg named Betty bought these two little jewels.  Bless Her.  I created these just for the fun or joy of using birds.  And the joy of using my hands and brain and papers to make a pretty little something.  These are 6x6x2 so they are chunky enough to sit anywhere Betty wanted them.   In a window in the bathroom or over the sink.  The book case or the end tables.  I do believe I need to make some more.  Speaking of organization maybe I should get back to my dictionary page art !  AND more of these.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 15 of Leslie's Challenge

Hey Friends,  The title is " Lessors on Parade".   In case you don't already know, we have lessor and greater flamingos.  The Lessor is the prettiest to me.  It's brighter pink and smaller.  The greater is of course a pale pink and ganglier..   They are both beautiful and I love to paint both.
This is a parade of Lessors and they know they are hot stuff.
This was purchased Saturday at the fab Lynchburg Festival by Nanci for her darling granddaughter, at least I think I'm remembering that correctly.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

No. 14 in the 30 Day Challenge

Hey Friends,  Just got home from the wonderful Lynchburg Art Festival .  Again I love this festival.
I was ready to go home, fairly happy with the sales at about 3pm and then this wonderful lady named Nanci came along with her family and bought 2 of my most favorite pieces.

She really made my day because she loved the work and she was willing to pay money for them.  That doesn't sound right.  What I mean is besides willingness to pay, she genuinely loved them.

She bought the one above and I'll show you the other one tomorrow.  I'm doing it this way so I can get them posted for the 30 in 30 day challenge.  Don't think of it as cheating.  This challenge and this show schedule I'm on are wearing this chick down.  To remind you, I've got two gallery shows in October with the Double Line Painters.   And I need to finish those and make more for this challenge.

Anyway, Thanks for stopping by and a big ole Thanks to Lynchburg and the wonderful folks I met today.

13 Paintings in 13 Days

Hey Friends,  Here is the companion piece to yesterdays challenge.  This title is "Singing with My Love".
I could see this turning into a series.....Ya never know.  These two hang out a lot together and always have so much fun.  Maybe they should write a book ? !
No time for funny business today.  I've gotta finish framing and pack and what else?
See you in Lynchburg tomorrow.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

12th Painting in the 30 Day Challenge !

Hey Friends,  I love fantasy art or maybe they are called illustrations.  Like James Gurney's work, in Dinotopia.  Of course, my stories are snippets, just a peak into a couple of strange brain cells.

The title here is " Listening to My Love's Story "

 I remember once in a while to take photos as I work along - so here we go.  Above, I'm thinking of which papers I want to use.  That's the gel I used to glue them on the ampersand panels and the crackle liquid, I will put on after the paper is glued.

 Here I'm showing you my process of sketching the bodies in different positions and then cutting them out of Masa Rice paper and staining with acrylic ink.

 This shot and below is showing you how hard it was to decide on something such as what color to make the shadows.  Above is a green shadow.  And I just noticed I need to go back and highlight the birds eye.

And here is ablue shadow.  Can you see the piece of glass?  You lay that on the painting and put your color choices on it, so you don't mess up the original !  I learned that tidbit from Julie Ford Oliver.  Can you tell how old my art table is?   It was white years ago, now it's sort of a splattered egg look.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

11th day-Painting! in 30 day Challenge

 Hey Friends,  I used the same reference photos that I had for the bluebird diptych for this one.  This year I hung out a finch feeder sock with thistle to see what happened.  And....."GoldFinches" .....showed up !!

First time I've ever seen any around here.  So sweet and cute and paintable.  Loved it.

By the first of Sept. it seemed they had all left but I read in one of my many bird books that they lose their beautiful gold color after mating.  Such a shame.  I'll have to wait til next year for more photos.
Happy Trails.
Travel Well

Day 10 in Leslie Saeta's Challenge

 Hey Friends,   A good friend gave me this tiny nest.  She found it in her yard after a hard storm.  I'm hoping the Mom and Babes had already left to find a bigger home.   I took photos of my Babe, Lillie, holding it, to paint from.  She is so sweet and indulges my every photo wish.

 I cut this string of paper birds out of some deli-paper I had painted for another project.

 I drug a toothpick around and around in some heavy gel for this nest to have texture.  And I used more deli papers in the background, along with stencils.

 And I'm just showing these 2 photos to NaNaKat  'cuz she loves birds as much as I do..   I've had my moulding saw outside all summer 'cuz it's so crowded in the studio.   Wrapped in plastic and a heavy tarp, folded 4 times and clamped with big work clamps, 8 clamps!

But a silly wren got in there and with all this material.  I hope she raised some babes without trouble.  I never saw her come or go and I passed by at least 50 times a day!  Moma Birds on a Mission !!!!
Happy Trails
Travel Well (little moma bird)

Bob-O-Link in wax

Hey Friends,  My latest avian themed presentation for the 30 in 30 challenge.  This is a collage of  cold wax mixed with oil paints that is applied to an inflexible surface such as ampersand products.  Then you heat and while very soft imbed stuff in it such as a picture of a Bob-O-Link and a strip of glittery tissue paper and gold stuff and some webby stuff (sorta looks like a weave up there on the left side).

 Then you apply more cold wax (clear or with more oils added).  And then you must wait about 4 months for it to dry.  I'm told others don't have such a long drying time.  I don't know why it takes so long for me, that's why I don't work with it much.

I had to go back in with white oil to touch up his head and the little flowers.  This is a very tactile, expressive way to create. I enjoy it a lot but I'm too impatient.  It just doesn't work with my personality.  It's good to know your limits, in my case anyway.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

BlueBird diptch - Right side

Hey Friends,  Here is the other half of my diptch, the right side.  These are 12" squares.  Look at my last post to hear about YES canvas.  I failed to say I get this canvas at ASWExpress.
I'm at my GrandBabes birthday party today and I posted this last night !  Hopefully everything went fine.   I'm enjoying this challenge this time.  I failed the last challenge.  Thanks, Leslie!
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Blue Bird Diptch

Hey Friends,  This is the left side of a dyptch.  I'll post the right side tomorrow.  I was at my youngest daughters house this summer, actually spring, because that's when I snapped a 100 photos of a large old lilac in the back yard.  There were some birds, and plenty of Bee's but not a Blue Bird. 
I believe what was really there was a Titmouse, so I just used his body shape for the BB.

I really enjoyed painting these.  I used the "YES" canvas and very fluid acrylics.  It felt very much like watercolor.  The Yes canvas is very smooth and it claimed to be for all fluid media so I gave it a try and love it...I've been using it for a long time with acrylics and oils so now ya know you can use it like watercolor paper too!  I have never cared for the texture of canvas so Yes was a great find.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

30 Days of Painting

Hey Friends, Here is a quirky one for you to ponder.  The title is " I Live Here Now ".....If you are not a painter, or one that produces work for sale, you will not understand how difficult it can be to give a painting a title !   Some times I think of title right away that fits but makes no sense to others.  In most cases that's because it's very personal or betrays a child hood moment.

This is a collage using painted deli-papers and scrap book paper and lots of gel medium.  And a crazy little bottle made to apply hair color with several little prongs that dispense the color.

And this pretty little blond is printed and painted on Sumi rice paper.  I did another version before this one, bigger and more complicated.   I'm saving these works (the challenge works) for the festival coming up in Lynchburg.  I'll list them in my Etsy shop if any come home with me.
Now back to the painting table !
Happy Trails
Travel Well

30 Day Challenge

Hey Friends,  Our neighbors way down the road, have a small, city farm of sorts.  My gran-babes love to go there.  They have chickens, ducks, goats, a dog and a pond!
This little painting is acrylic and painted while my babes chased the dog, Rumi.
I took a bazillion photos of their ducks in anticipation of Leslie Saete's 30 day challenge.  So far I haven't done any ducks but hope to be caught up soon.
I'm busy preparing for my favorite art festival in Lynchburg, Va. on the grounds of EC Glass High School on Sat. Sept. 14th.
And today I'm helping with an Ice Cream Social at the Green Ridge Center in Botetout on Rt. 220.
I had better get this posted on Leslie's blog and start packing !
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day Two !

Hey Friends  Saw a small gang of Red-Winged Black Birds at Judy's house this summer.  She lives in Botetourt County.  Also saw some grackles there.  Took me a couple months of searching but I finally figured out the birds were Grackles !  Since then I've seen a couple at home.  They are pretty but I'll probably find out they are a pain to paint, with that iridescent head.

This Red-Wing's background is a collage of painted deli papers and stenciled gels.  The bird is painted.  All done with acrylics.

Now I need to get back to the studio,  I'm working on a large diptych for the Goose Creek Show.  The Harmony Equestrian Center is the subject.  Got my fingers crossed !!

Happy Trails Travel Well