A Deer And A Work In Process

Sheri Woodard has made some adorable small deer out of sticks and she brought them to Gallery Uptown to sell.  We had a pile of larger sticks from yard clean up and I thought, why not a larger deer out of those sticks...

Pretty skinny and I may shorten those back legs.  I'm also going to paint him because he's screwed together and I don't want the screws to be quite so obvious.  Then I have to figure out what I'm going to do with him, perhaps he'll just live on my patio this winter.

My other work this week has been a demo for my watercolor class.  I wasn't going to post it until it's done and I can't finish it until the next class; however, I missed posting last week so two projects this week seemed fair.  I'll post the finish on this and the house drawing later.

A Wonky Baby Quilt

Some things I've learned this week... putting a quilt together using old flannel shirts is probably not the best idea I've ever had.  No two shirts were the same weight flannel and old flannel just doesn't stay straight to cut which means nothing is going to be straight if one stitches on one of the lines in the plaid.  It's also impossible to match the plaids when all the plaids and the fabric weights are different.  On top of that, it's been a long time since I've sewn anything that required precision stitching and I need some practice sewing a straight line.

In spite of all that, I'm happy with the quilt because it's for my grandchild due in January and the flannel shirts belonged to my son, the future dad, who wore a flannel shirt every day when he was in high school.  He's now 31 but I still had some of those shirts.  My camera didn't get the full quilt it... there's a blue strip at the top too.

Another from the workshop and a work in process

This was my first portrait at the workshop.  I wasn't thrilled with the result but felt satisfied with parts of it.  The gentleman did have those bags under his eyes and before this workshop I probably would not have gone that dark with them.   I like drawing people, I also like sketching people.  The problem has always been painting them, whenever I do everything ends up extremely tight and the life of the piece is lost.  The only time that doesn't happen is when I'm padding a wash to a sketch.  I have a better idea how to go about doing this now that I've watched Charles work and worked on a couple myself; however, I have a long way to go.

Meanwhile a house in pen and ink.  This is something else I enjoy doing and I have an order for this one so better get to finishing it...

I have to walk by again to have a closer look at the porch.  I should be able to finish it in a couple days, then the buyer will decide if she wants a color wash on it.  Some houses are easier for me than others, because I love the house... this is one of those.

A Charles Reid Workshop

 

I had the good fortune to study with Charles Reid all last week.  I've taken a lot of workshops through the years and have to say, this was the best one I've taken.  I actually produced some work that is worth keeping and learned much that I will be incorporating into other work that I do.  Not the style, but simple things like brush work and color.  Interesting to me was that no matter if you were a beginner or very advanced, you could learn from this man and he really wanted you to get it.  The first three days we worked on still life.  My first one was not so hot but there was a part of it that turned out very nicely... I've blown that part up.

Day two was better, there are parts of it that I don't like but overall it's not too bad.   I especially like the wine bottle and glass.

I still have much work to do on brush stroke and  connections but overall am happy with where I am.

Days four and five were spent on people.  I have my own way of drawing people and don't have a problem getting a likeness; however, when it comes to painting that drawing... that's a whole different ball game and I'm rarely happy with the results.  His method of drawing made painting much easier because his drawing is looser... much like my sketches but more controlled.  My first attempt left much to be desired though he was kind and found some things he liked about it.  I can't find it on my computer right now so I must have really hated it.  Anyway by day two I was doing better, slow but better.  She isn't complete but this is our model, Tracy... in real life and in my work in process....  I have her mouth too small but this is what I got done in two hours.

I wish I could have brought him home with me to look over my shoulder while I work.  I'd love to have his wife along too as she is a delightful lady.  If you're a watercolor artist and haven't already taken a workshop from this man.... do if you have a chance. 

I'm off to a workshop

My spouse and I will be passing in the night.  He's returning from a weekend away and I'm leaving for a week away studying with an artist I've admired for a very long time, Charles Reid.  The second book I bought on watercolor painting years ago was Painting What You Want To See by Reid.  I love how loose he works.  I don't want my paintings to look like Charles Reid paintings but I know I'll be able to learn something from him.  I'll post something from the workshop when I get back.

Two In Process

These two have been waiting patiently for me to remove the mask and I finally got to it.  Now I have to look at them for awhile to decide where to go next.  They'll hang in my studio for awhile; I'll look at them as I pass by but won't concentrate on them yet.  Usually something jumps out at me within a couple days but not always.  I'll just have to wait and see.

I've done both of these images before but smaller.  The top one is 22 1/2 x 22 1/2 inches.  The other is 28 1/2 x 22 1/2 inches.  Those grey rectangles at the top are the clips that are holding them up, not part of the painting....

 

In addition to unmasking, I downloaded photos from a weekend in Bloomington, Indiana visiting friends.  I'd never been there before but would very much like to go again.  I loved the countryside, the limestone outcroppings gave it a texture that we don't see in my corner of the world and I love that type of texture.

A Monoprint and An Exhibit

Last week was lost.  I was busy framing and delivering paintings along with being nervous as I always am when I'm part of an exhibit.  To top it off this time I had to give a brief talk and that is something I really would rather not do.  But the week went, the opening went well.  I was one of four artists in the exhibit.  Another friend, Jackie Bonomo, was another of the artists.  Jackie and I go back to Junior High School, and this was her first show.  A couple other of our school buddies came over for the opening.  Here we all are, Jackie is in red, I'm in pink.  The next photo is me with the biggest piece I had in the exhibit.

A couple weeks back I took a one day workshop in monoprinting.  It was fun and I learned a lot though my print left something to be desired.  Before going to the workshop I biked to the Farmers Market.  There were some wonderfully colorful sweet peppers so I took them along.  Here is the result.

This week I'm working on clearing the clutter I left behind last week.   But not before heading in to Grand Rapids to see the 10 finalists in Art Prize.  A friend, Michael Westra, is one of the top 10 and I am so proud of him.  His piece truly is spectacular.  Here's a link, you can see the entry.