Small Fry

This is a painting exercise for my art class. I wanted to do it because I've always wanted to paint fish but I always get so nervous about it. It's a painting of a painting...Those bother me. I don't learn as much as I feel I could if I had the real thing sitting in front of me challenging me to decide the colors. What I did try to manage in making it my own was to re-frame it and focus on my version of it's focus.

I've got a great picture I took down at the river this summer...have a fabulous idea for this...I'm hoping to work it out soon.

PS...just realized I haven't signed it! I'll sign it and repost this.

Basking in the Glow

Here as promised here's my 6X8" baby... I wiped the bowl of pears in the exact center of the picture!

I am pleased with this first attempt and particularly the reflections. I'm also very pleased...well actually that I finished it!!

The photo is the best I could get from my light/time.

Any comments?

The Journey of a thousand steps...

Well...I'm in a very reflective mood again but what I want to impart is something MORE. My goal is always MORE...there is always more there is great ABUNDANCE to be had - always. I find lots of people are more comfortable in a box or with limits...I'm not. Direction is good...limit is ...limiting. Boundaries are also good...limits are different but similar. It's a long discussion...so let's go to the point!

FIRST...THANK YOU so much Susan(her blog Painting Daily is a huge inspiration to me)...I am so very honored and humbled by your Lemonade Award. Funny I was considering painting Lemons last week! As with you this may take me a few days to respond to properly and I would very much like to do my best to attain that goal! Thank you so much again.

SECOND...This is officially the last month I am going to pursue painting in my art class. It's the second painting I've come home so frustrated about that I just wiped the whole mess. I felt so...disappointed with my ability to verbalize my idea and cowing to the beliefs of my teacher who's favorite sentence when asked WHY for the umpteeth time is "Because that's what I told you." Now...I must make the point that I have said this ONCE in my parenting journey and I loathed the experience so having my teacher do this to me is very unnerving. I changed the entire direction of my painting based on those words of hers and I hated it. I told my self it's fine because the goal is to paint small and to paint something more loose and "quick" like a daily painter. The goal was to finish it in my 2 hour class. Well...you must be kidding. BUT...I will continue for the rest of this month to make a point to myself. I can disagree and still be agreeable because the other person is responsible for their response??? How does that sound? I must be authentic to me...that's the long and the short. I must paint for me.

THIRD...The posted picture is my elder two boys being absolutely silly (in case you missed that!) the night before their Daddy was to return home. He's leaving again after two days home. We are hoping to have him for the coming weekend. So...when Susan says I'm a busy Mom...well...sorta.... I'm a looney Mom. I'm trying to paint/draw daily (I'm managing once a week at present...but at least that's something!), mange being a unwife/unmother/unhomemaker and knit. I'm homeschooling...this is SO great check out SelfDesign Global .We do a sort of enthusiasm led learning. I'd list all the other things I squish into my time but...those are my focus points (I think..;).

So those are the big points. Thanks, Be Authentic to self, and Be Silly!

I'll post a picture (good, bad or unfinished...by ....let me see....let me be realistic...uh...WHY?) ok... Tuesday evening: 12 May 2009

How are you doing with your life goals??

Wow...didn't think this tiny pic would down load...but here she is. Is it boring? Please let me know. This is my play on white on white...I know...the stamens and background aren't...I know. That's the whole play! See?

Hope you enjoy it!

Still Here!!!

Ah yess...an exciting underpainting. I'm working on the colour now...I've made some changes (wish I'd done them in Acrylic!!) But I'm impatient too...

I'm trying to do a white on white but I think it's getting a bit too colourful. We will see tomorrow. I will try and finish it tomorrow.

Hubby was sick...then me...then Easter...now Mother's Day..blah blah. It goes and goes. Grab and ride it hey?

Our Photo shoot seems to have given beautiful photo's. I will try to share one...think the file might be too big. I'm not techy so I have no idea how to make stuff smaller either!

Hope you all had a great Easter. Please remember to plan for Mother's Day!

Continued Delays

It continues to be a time of great movement and changes in our house. My husband has been interviewed for a parenting magazine and this week in the middle of his raging cold/flu we did photo's at the beach and in the surf. Also we had a overseas business guest stay with us on the same day. Whoopee don't we have fun. Needless to say I sometimes think my husband gets more rest at work than at home. He was home most of the week and the two day's I can paint were eaten away.

I have continued my research and I've continued to find amazing and inspiring information. Here are the links:
Women Painting Women this is a new site and every time I explore it I utterly moved to tears at so many different levels. I have taken the opportunity to explore these artists further as well.

In my continued search for improving my colours for my self portrait I've discovered some interesting items on this site : All the Strange Hours · Making and Thinking About Visual Art

I've got a lot to say as I've been pondering a good deal - as usual - however at this point I'm not certain that words are the appropriate expression at this point. Perhaps painting is. I may have time if I hurry! Here is another site...with some similarities to my heart... Anne Ordinary Day

Alrighty then...off for a try!!!

I WIPED it!

Well...after all that enthusiasm my oils were just too dark or not opaque enough or both! I kept trying to make it work and my colour scheme is just not exciting me the way I envisioned. After at least 6 hours work - I've taken it all off and I'm starting again!

Maybe I will start some life drawings just to get my eye hand coordination improved. Something about the painting kept leaving my leg so fat and square looking. I was obviously not "getting my eye in".

I found this amazing page through another site...darned if I can remember the name of the site...I think it was: Art Studio Secrets - Art instruction and demonstrations - the amazing page was: Color Scheme Designer 3.

Our computer is still eating poison from somewhere and isn't working as it should. We are taking it in for an overhaul...soonish. So I might disappear - but I'll BE BACK!

I LOVE UNDERPAINTINGS

I'm am so excited...I was really nervous about doing this self portrait and then...I did it big in Acrylics. WOW!! I love doing an underpainting. I feel I have such freedom to explore and mess and fool about! It was nerve wracking trying to get the sketch down and "right". I always feel that's a week spot. Then I decided to do dark colours for the underpainting so I could REALLY fool around with the oils on top tomorrow. The nipples aren't correct...I know. I will make it right tomorrow. I've ran out of time and was starting to get really careless.

My art teacher said to me last time she wants me to really let loose and do some wild brush strokes - which was just where I was heading anyway! This painting is HUGE...it's um...about 60x90cm (that's roughly 2'x3'). I've got this giant trepidation that she's going to refuse me to paint this in class because of the subject. I'm not worried though. I'm feeling that the time for the class is truly coming to an end as it seems so is our time in Pringle Bay.

Fiddling About & bad photo's

Ah yes..well. Breathe. mmmmhhhaaa. YES. My children are woggling about me while I try to type and I'm trying to remain in love and joy as they pull my hair and play a game about me in an effort to let me finish my computer time.

Here is another pic of You Can't See Me. I did decide to fiddle with it but I am unable to get a nice photo of it. I've also included a little detail pic of my favorite part!

I also have done a sketch for my self portrait and furthered it with watercolours while the children explored my brushes and pushed my parameters... BUT... I'm very shy about it for some reason and absolutely unable to objectively determine anything about it! From basic composition to colours etc. I've sent it off to loving friends and select family for input.

Thanks so much for the visit! Comments are most welcome...

You can't really see me...

I keep thinking I'm done with this one but then I see something I'd really like to "make" better. Knowing how it is to leave well enough alone.... I've left her so long....for now. I'm very happy with the overall aspects of the pic. There were some very special accidents that I think led to a strong feeling of depth in some parts.

Sorry for the absence...I've been in a real twirl.

"Can't see me" is 25cm square. The colours are a bit stronger than they came out here. I'm not sure the reason.

Hopefully there will be a self portrait next!