LEARNING HOW TO PAINT THE OVANNES AND SERGEI WAY

 

Hey Friends,  I'll probably get my hand smacked but I put in the labels, NFS, .  I am trying, finally, to follow along on a demo post, Made by Keene Wilson, about a workshop with Ovannes Berberian.

 

I set up my own still life outside, this morning.  If I had not given a lot of thought to what I wanted to use with what few flowers I had on hand, last night.  I don't believe I could have made an arrangement before noon.  Arranging a still life is hard.

This photo shows the marks I made to show location of each item. (That's how HE does it).

 

Then I spent a good amount of time blocking in the colors like HE does.  I tried hard to stay loose and paint SHAPES, not things.  And that ain't easy for a fiddler.

Looks pretty ugly at this stage, huh?

 

This photo shows all the colors in place and the refinement starts.  I read recently that if you can paint still life's you can paint anything.  I used to think if you can paint the figure you can paint anything. Not so sure now, the still life is TUFF, like a figure.  Is that why so many painters prefer the landscape?

 

 

The sun has really changed by this photo and the blessed gnats have arrived to cheer me on.

If this is finished, obviously I will take a better photo.  I put her in that block studio you see in back to rest or age gracefully.  If she has not aged properly I will do another practice painting on her.

Normally I'm pretty busy on Fridays with my Gran Babes but they needed/wanted to spend some time with their Daddy.  Isn't that great?  Love it.

I have another smaller one I started this evening and hope to finish it tomorrow.

OUTSIDE.

If you have not given it a try, makes plans to paint a still life outside, Maybe tomorrow!!

 

Listening to the sweet birds whispering to each other and the breeze waving the trees is so heaven like, that I hate for anyone to miss it.

Happy Mother's Day to All

Happy Trails

Merry Christmas

 

The final holiday greeting for 2014

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

Hoping all my friends and new collectors have a joyous, healthy holiday !!

 

Artwork provided by Lillie

Happy Holidays

 

Wishing All Happy Holidays

 

"The Christmas Train Rolling Through Our Town"

 

Artwork created by Nicolas

Finally Opened a Print Shop on Fine Art America

 

Hey Friends,  I believe you and I were getting pretty tired of every post heading straight to EBAY !  Probably me more than anybody.  Anyway, no more of that business for the rest of this year.  There are still a couple items on there for auction but nothing new will be added for this year.

 

I finally stayed in this chair long enough to work on a print shop ( I know of NO other way to put it) at www.FineArtAmerica.com.  They "refresh" which means they update every 24 hours so you won't find me on there yet.  Maybe tomorrow.

 

I won't have a great deal on there for a while.  I don't want to fill it up with old stuff.

 

Thanks for stopping by and Hope you find the time to stop in at FAA after the Holidays.

 

Happy Trails 

Travel Wisely

It's HERE Again !

 

Hey Friends,  I have been busy prepping new work for the 42nd Lynchburg Art Festival !

The lavender piece above will be there, waiting for YOU.

 

 

I'm hoping you can make out to EC Glass High School for the best little art festival around.

We artists love it for the easy set up but most of all because the collectors in this area are so warm, generous and apprectiative of our work !

 

Hoping the weather is kind to us Saturday.  They will reschedule for Sunday if it appears Saturday is NO good.

 

Happy Trails

Plein Aire Painting on the James River Overlook

 

Hey Friends,  Have you heard the expression " The One That Got Away "?  Well here is one that got away !!   Accidently got away, but I got a photo before it slipped back into the wild.

 

Here's the story.  You know how women have to take everything but the kitchen sink on every trip?  We had the car pretty well packed for the return trip but then had to figure out how to protect an oil painting from rattling around and smearing itself all over my car.  So one gal had a brilliant idea that required tape that she had to fish out of one bag and that bag had this painting laying on top.  (Acrylic so it was dry)  The brilliant gal laid the painting on top of the car.  Just like I've done 100 times with a drink, except this time, when I stopped, no liquid poured down the windshield.

 

I hope some art loving hiker found it and stuffed it in his back pack and signs it when he gets home.

 

We had a wonderful day.  And it doesn't bother me one bit that this is the ONE that got away.

My friend is far more important than the painting and I don't want her to feel bad, at all.

 

Happy Trails

Travel Lightly

What Do You Think?

Hey Friends,  I'm asking for opinions.  I know we all have differing opinions and most of the time I don't trust mine so I thought why not ask you guys.  A couple weeks ago I posted an old painting of a cliff I saw in Michigan on Lake Michigan.  A well known, I would say well respected, painter left a comment for me.  He said something like "Strong work & beautiful painting".   I was thrilled and totally surprised by his taking the time to comment.  I always liked the piece but it never sold so I thought I was wrong in thinking it was good.  I do know how to ramble, huh?
Anyway, I finished these 2 and can't decide if they are any good.  I must confess they look better on my monitor.  They look brighter.  Usually I say "They look better in real life".  Not this time.

Both are from the same little stretch of the Roanoke River in South Salem area of the new Greenway.  I want to make a much bigger one and I'm hoping you guys can tell me what needs to be fixed before going bigger.  In the 2nd piece I'm standing on a cliff looking down on the river and man fishing.  I'm going to keep these for a while at least until I get the bigger one finished.
I hope you leave comments and I thank you in advance.

Happy Trails
Travel Well