2nd FRIDAY ART WALK AT GOOSE CREEK, BEDFORD, VA.

Hey Friends, I've been busy with a business class and almost forgot to post about Sally Koopman's beautiful show at the Goose Creek Gallery in DT Bedford, Va.

It opened this past Friday night and will be up thru sometime in April.

Don't know is you can see the red dots up top but I think 5 of them have found homes. I know she is super excited about that.

They had a pretty good sized crowd when I left.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

Happy Trails

NEW WORK AT GOOSE CREEK AND A NEW POLAR BEAR FOR CRITTER SHOW

Hey Friends, Finished up a new Polar Bear for the Critter Show going into Second Helpings on April Fool's Day.    This one is 20x16 and has 4 mates to go with it so far.

This is a photo of the new art hung at Goose Creek in Bedford today.  The monthly artwalk is this Friday from 5 til 8.  Would love for you to come to Bedford and look at all the beauties.

A good friend, Shelley Koopman, has a new exhibit opening there also.  Click on her name to read all about her museum series.

Enjoy this taste of spring.

Happy Trails

Process Shots for "the FLOWER VENDOR"

Hey Friends,  Every now and then I remember to take photos as I work on a new piece.  This is the beginning of the bright collage I made for the WILD THINGS show in Bedford, Va.

It starts on a cradled panel made by Bud Shaw from Bedford.

Here I'm painting the sides with black gesso.  And yes, when I finished I had to go back over it with black.

Here is the first step of putting the collage papers down.  I had scribbled with a permanent marker on the Hen's shape first.

Then I painted on the green grass and used the palette knife to make the flower stems.

Already painted the flower shapes here.  And now I'm rubbing miceous iron onto the hen.

Here I've added details, such as the lines on the flowers and the feather lines.

I decided I didn't like the dullness of the Hen and went back with white acrylic and Liquitex markers.

I enjoyed this process but I also find it just a bit frustrating thus I don't make too many of them.

Another difficulty is a title.  Not just for the collages but any painting.  Originally I was gonna call her "the Happy Gardener" then the "Flower Gardener" but finally thought of "the Flower Vendor".

I enjoy posting these process photos and hope you like to see some of the back ground work, instead of the finished product every time.  Of course during a challenge such as in January's posts, there isn't enough time for me to take photos.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL PAINTINGS OF HAPPY CHICKENS WITH WATERMELON

Hey Friends,  Wanted you to have a closer look at these chickens.  They are available at the Goose Creek Gallery in Bedford.

And this coming Friday is when the 2nd Friday's Art Walk will happen.  So make plans to go check out all the pretty paintings and holiday gifts from the local artisans.   Then go to Bella's for an Italian masterpiece of pizza !

Happy Trails

WORKING ON THE LAST PIECE FOR THE ELEMENTS SHOW AT GOOSE CREEK !!

 

Hey Friends,  Thought it might be of interest for you to see the beginning of this last piece for the ELEMENTS show.  This will be a dyptch.  This is the stained Masa Paper drying in the parched grass.

 

And this shot shows you what gelato containers are good for when empty! Gesso is easier to deal with in smaller jars.  The cradled panels had to have gesso barriers before gluing the Masa down.

 

This is the beginning of adding bird shapes.  Very loose and splashy.

 

I have a water soluable graphite pencil that I love and it proved useful on this wet paper.

I had forgotten how much I love to work on Masa.  I must use it more often. 

It should be easier to deal with on hardboard versus stretched canvas, the gluing stage I mean.

 

I will do the gluing in the morning so we shall see.

 

Have a wonderful and peaceful Sunday.

 

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL PLEIN AIR PAINTING AND STUDIO PAINTINGS DELIVERED TO GOOSE CREEK

 

Hey Friends,  Hope you all had a great weekend, I did.  It feels like spring is here now.  I was out painting of course.  And I found these "Summer Britches" hanging on the line, waiting for me to get there with my paints!  And some beautiful pinkish clouds waited for me.

I put her up for auction in EBAY.  Click there. 

 

And new art was installed at "Goose Creek Gallery" in Bedford, Va.  Love that place.  Above is a whimsical piece that sputtered around in my brain for at least a year.  I feel that anything that takes that long to be born is going to be a disappointment.  Do you think so?  Have you ever spent that much time thinking or planning something?  I rarely do.  Most people would say I'm too impulsive.  That I don't give it time to brew.  I finally thought of the title "She Wanted His Heart But......"

 

 

This is Dragonfly # 24.... A long line of DF's done and yet to be.  Never have gotten tired of painting them.  I have gotten tired of chasing them to photograph.  So I am always real happy to get DF photos from a dear friend in Florida.  Thanks Cathie.

 

I will post the other deliveries to Goose Creek tomorrow.  Don't want to wear out my welcome.

 

Happy Trails

New Guy on Ebay and Bedford's Centerfest is tomorrow, Sat 27th

 

Hey Friends, I just added this silly little cocky rooster to my Ebay auctions.  He is painted on painted paper background with machine stitching on it. The auction starts tonight.

Click Here

 

This painting above was done at the Evergreen Lavender Farm this summer.  I will have it at the Centerfest Festival tomorrow in Bedford, Va. along with others.

Hope you can stop in for a visit.

 

Happy Trails

Leslie S. 30 Day Challenge starts tomorrow

Click Here for Ebay

 

Hey Friends,  The painting above was painted at the Wharton Gardens in Bedford, Virginia.

I remembered for the most part to stop and take photos every few minutes.  One of these days, I will get a timer for my plein air bag.

 

The beginning of course.

 

First indicators.

 

Got the darkest down.

 

Yes, I left the banana plant out. (probably a canna)

 

Got most of the important stuff down already.

 

Almost done.  I backed up to get a different view and now you can see that is Mary Anne back there.

 

This angle makes a glare, but I'm quitting.

 

I enjoy showing you how some paintings come together so easily.  I love plein air and that makes it easier too.  I wouldn't have enough space on a blog to show you some of the pain I must go through to get some paintings done.

 

Also I want to let you know I'm participating again in Miss Saeta's 30 day challenge.  She thinks it makes it easier to pick a theme.  I had thought about tropical or lavender paintings.  Then I decided to drive myself crazy for 30 days and do stuff I don't normally do.  Like trying to simplify or abstract stuff a bit, just some techniques that are hard for me to do.  They don't come natural.

May be a big mistake BUT maybe I'll learn something.

 

Happy Trails

New Work and New Shows

 Well Howdy Friends,  It has been far too long since last post but I've probably already burned your ears about my computer problems.  Now I have the new Windows 8 and new mouse and everything seems to be working fine except for Mozilla Firefox.  Blogging is easier in Firefox but it won't let me, says I need to enable cookies.  Blah...Blah...

 I've had a great summer and feel like crying 'cuz it's coming to an end.  My babes are back in school so I've had some time in the studio.  Love to paint.  Top photo is the beginning of a commission.  I started on Masa Rice Paper.   This was gelled onto an ampersand painting box (like gallery wrapped canvas but made of wood and gessoed)

 Here is the deep sides covered with more Masa and lots of water bubbles.  I positively love the way it turned out and want to do something similar.   I can visualize leaves around the sides too.  I've got several new ones to post here in next few days.  Please come back with your cup of coffee and visit.

Here is a hint of a couple new shows I'm participating in with the Double Line Painters.  A group of six women that just love to paint..  Both shows are in October so I will remind you again.  For now pencil in on your calendar, Sept. 14th at EC Glass High School grounds in Lynchburg, Va.  I should be getting the postcards for that show this week.  It is sponsored by the Lynchburg Art Club and is my favorite local show.  Hope you can come by, visit and take a piece of inspiration home.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Art Shows in Roanoke and Bedford, Va.

Hello Friends,  Busy time of the year for us, the Double Line Painters.  We have divided to conquer both of the local art shows for this area.   Some of us will be at the SAS, Sidewalk Art Show, on the streets of downtown Roanoke, Va., June 1 and 2.

Some of us will be at the newer show at the Sedalia Center in Bedford, Va.  This new show is very promising and something all of us wish we could do.  But I'm being cautious, sticking with the old for now.
This is a beautiful place to hold an art show, reminds me of the Crozet festivals in Va.

Hope to see lots of you there and please tell us if you read any of our blogs.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Plein Aire Painting with the gang

 Hi Friends,  The weather here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of SW Va. has been awesome the last few days.  Warm days and cool nights, birds are busier than we are and certainly prettier.

We took a little trip up or down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Peaks of Otter area and visited Gross's Orchard.  Beautiful place.

 We wandered and took lots of photos and drank up the wonderful sunshine (after this long dark winter, the sun showed up just in time to save my sanity).  The naked trees are apples.  They bloom after the peaches.

Here is a close up of a peach. Such a gorgeous pink.

 This shot is from Ikenberry's in Botetourt county on Rt. 220.  I like the perspective here.

 All of the surrounding farm land and distant mountains just look like a beautiful velvet case a diamond ring would sit in.  Can't wait to see what I can do with my paints. And I must get busy, 'cuz we will be showing our works and painting at Ikenberry's in 2 weeks !!   Yikes!

Here is a shot of Ikenberry's Greenhouse with lots of blooms to drive you crazy.

And here is what Midge, Judy and Linda painted that morning.  Most will need more work at home, in the upper photo.  Mary Anne and mine in the lower photo.  Mary Anne's on the left is pastel and mine are acrylic.  I'm sure we will have these at the Ikenberry show.

Happy Trails