CATCHING UP

Hey Friends,  It seems my life may be getting back to normal ?!!

I'm home after having a total knee replacement and spending 2 weeks with my sister recovering.  Now I have to do a few, once a week PT's at Heartland.

Just FYI, don't be afraid to have this done, it was a breeze (except for some pain) which I'm sure you would expect.  My Doc, Dr. Preston Waldrop, must be a wizard with the saw and knife, because I have healed so fast.  2 weeks and 4 days ago he operated and I've been walking without a cane or walker for over a week.

I admit it feels weird and still ACHES at night when I've been on my feet too much.  And don't be afraid to try different pain meds because some of that stuff will make you very sick at your stomach.  I have tried at least 8 different kinds and none have worked as well as plain ibuprofen.

The only photos I have taken are of my constant companions, Max & Hamilton, above, while at my sisters.  Sweet but yappy little dogs.

OK enough about that.

I have not used a paint brush since the 8th of May.  Hoping to change that today.  Maybe I will have a new painting to post tomorrow.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend, drive carefully.

Happy Trails

Plein Air at VWCC

Hey Friends,  I went with my plein air tribe to the arboretum at VWCC this morning.  The sun was missing so it was a wee bit chilly.

There was still color from the perennials and blooming trees.  And my favorite, the benches are everywhere.!!  I didn't quite finish my painting but we packed up to get our hot coffee.

My blog will probably be neglected a bit for a week or so, while I get a bionic knee !  Wonder Woman watch out, HeeHee.

HAPPY TRAILS

EXPERIMENTING WITH FRUSTRATION

Hey Friends,  I have spent the last hour or so playing with charcoal and alcohol, turpentine, water on Lana WC paper and canvas panels.

Look at all the lovely pastels my Friend Mary Anne gave me.  I want to use them so I'm experimenting.  There was a small piece of charcoal in the box.

I ground it up and it's in this tiny cup.  I got one piece of paper wet all over and shook the charcoal all over it.  I dribbled and splashed drops on 2nd paper.  Then shook charcoal all over it.

Both tests were DUD's.  Above and below.

I poured water fast all over this 2nd one.

And here it is dried and sprayed with fixative.

THEN I thought maybe I could smear the charcoal on the paper, THEN splashed turps, alcohol and last water.  

THEN I had the brilliant idea to glaze the paper with Golden's glazing medium, shake the charcoal on it, then splash the alcohol.  Did that on both the paper and the canvas.

What a bummer.

I want to figure out how Casey Baugh used Charcoal on paper and made it look like acrylics that bubble and spread with alcohol drops.

His paintings with this effect are in the new Art Collectors Magazine, featured in the very front.

Next I will try black pastels.

If anyone out there in the blog-0-sphere or Facebook knows what I'm trying to acheive, please be kind and show me how to do this.

I'll love ya forever.

Happy Trails

MOONLIGHT SAIL

Hey Friends,  This is 12" x 4" study I made for a larger painting.

This is now at the Little Gallery at Smith Mountain Lake.

This week and next will be very hectic, with doc appt's and getting life ready for a knee replacement.

I'm sure my blog will be one of the first to be neglected

Hope to get some posts scheduled to self post.  Should be interesting.

Happy Trails