First Stages

Okay, I can't title every post "I'm so excited" but heck...I am. I'm so impressed with this first layer. I was sailing along with Kathy Mattea, Dizzy Gillespie, and Yo-Yo Ma (et. al. the myriad of my eclectic music collection). I wanted to try an under painting of black and white acrylic to sort out tonal values and lighting etc. WOW - it went so well - the picture fell right out the brush. Mostly - I got anxious at the end of my baby sitting time and made a few oopsies but overall I can't believe I painted this!

Oh...what is it? Hahaha... Izarah likes to wash her hands and spends long sessions in the various stages of soaping, rinsing and starting over. The morning light was pouring through the window behind her and...well I couldn't resist. I love her baby bum n tum!

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At LAST!

I am so so so excited!!!

I have "fixed" my painting after one of the boys put his finger through the finished painting. I was tempted to climb back into it to perfect a few more things I'm not happy with but a friend of mine said "OH! you are SO critical!". So I thought well...she's an excellent painter...maybe I SHOULD just leave it. So I am. It's finished! I've put a picture in but I've just seen it's too dark. My dear hubby got the pics to download finally so I will take ANOTHER picture and post it...later...to replace this one. **The pic has been replaced...now I see that the "fix" is actually visible. I'm still leaving it alone though!

I've also got so many ideas for my next project that I am just shivering with anticipation. I had a few "simple" plans but then I saw my daughter washing her hands one morning and there was just the most beautiful scene. I've got three different shots. I'm going to try to paint all three (I hope it doesn't take me till next year this time!).

I know I should try something more simple but...alas easy doesn't cause shivers up my spine!

Joyous painting and happy holiday preparations to you and your families! Thank you so very much for visiting and for your input.

The Joys of Technology!

I want very much to put up my previous painting adventures for your perusal however, technology is not on my side at this moment. I have figured out how to make the file smaller for downloading etc. My camera takes the picture but the computer keeps saying it already has the pictures and won't download them! So...I will keep trying.

On the egg and blue satin front...I am still painting. It's going better each time. I have a little window now so please excuse me. I'm off to paint!

Thank you so much for visiting. I hope you are smiling when you finish!

Happy Birthday Izarah

My baby girl is two years old today! She has been a surprise from the beginning and she continues to be a surprise! We had her party last weekend because Daddy, Ouma & Oupa were going to be away for her birthday

It's the last week with my partner away. Having the children to myself has been a joy and a West Coast Swing with music nearly too fast to keep up with. The babysitter came Friday and had to leave after an hour for a personal emergency.

I had already started in trying to make my eggs on silk look more like what I want them too. My children were going to watch me paint while they had lunch. I took all the paint off when the sitter went.

I've had some amazing finds such as Abbey Ryan and Daily Paintworks. They inspired me again to pursue my inkling that there is artistic talent hiding in these untrained tools of mine. Deltra and Christie's encouragement was also fuel for the creative fires that are dwindling with my energy reserves.

I took the children to the beach this beautiful afternoon, (mostly to escape the messy house!), and I was filled with such inspiration. (I tried to download a pic of our lagoon but ... the camera kept it for it's self!) I found two beautiful bugs and some amazing shells. I pocketed the items and I'm hoping to get an idea's box together. Fruit n Veg is just to fragile for me to try and paint at the moment. Nuts...I could use nuts and seeds...wow.. Now I haven't seen that yet! hahaha. Health food...muesli...hmmm. Take the ideas...I don't mind. I've got lots and lots! ...hmmm payments accepted for ideas??? Just kidding...I'll go to e-bay. No. Sorry I'm in a silly place.

Going to paint tomorrow. Have decided I really need to get some small boards primed and also some smaller brushes!

Happy Painting... I will be tormorrow. There's always tomorrow....lalalala

A balanced perspective

The above painting is a WORK IN PROGRESS. It feels like it might be a perpetual one. As a new painter I know it will take me LONGER than an professional artist and I know I should be patient. So the old 4X4 driving instructions of : As fast as possible as slow as necessary. - seems appropriate. I spent a majority of the time stressing that I was going to run out of time before the children returned. I spent the other bit of time trying to figure out how, if possible, to make this a "painterly" picture instead of the sad tight things I've made before. So it became one of those times where nothing was working.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome. Thank you for taking the time to visit and leave a note.

Hang On...Hold On...HELP!!!! is coming!

Whoa...today was tough. It's the second day into my husbands 14 day trip overseas. My three year old boy is feeling it heavily. My two year old girl has a tummy bug. My two older boys (7 and 5) are coming back from grandma's house tomorrow and they are not excited about it.

On the absolute dreamy side of life...I get to paint tomorrow!!! AND I might well get to do it again on Friday. I have made a definite painting date for Monday. I really can't manage without a painting session once a week at least.

I've toyed with the idea of posting some of my first paintings. The more I think of it the more certain I am this is a BAD idea. They are so sad and flat and tight. I just want to repaint them and make the happy to be on the canvas!

There will be a painting here soon I must just be patient. Thank you for being patient with me. Thanks for the visit.

Exciting Starts

I am jumping with excitement!!! I feel like a sesame seed on a hot frying pan. I am beginning this spring on a journey of commitment to my art. I want to produce a painting a week. I have heard of the daily paintings however this is far to much for me with my four children and starting homeschooling and all the other responsibilities of being human in a modern world.

I love art, painting, drawing, illustration, sculpture, any and everything to do with expressing of self and ideas and colour and....LIFE!! What an exciting time we are living in that we have such freedom.

I am currently working on my first "weekly" painting. It's a still life of three eggs on a plate with a luminous blue scarf. I love the light shining through everything. The intimacy and warmth. I love how when I'm painting it I get confused and the folds become like mountains or waves... I must work from a picture at this point as I paint very slowly and I can't leave something set up. I work in our dining room so I have to clean up after every session. A small mission for the joy of painting!