Prep for art show entries!!!

Here are the three pieces of artwork I'm entering into the Visual Arts Center teacher/student show. All the work must have been created during the last year while taking classes at the center, which I've taken a photo course, and painting classes, so this is what I've done! The one of the flamingo is a photograph I took while at Flamingo Gardens which is located in Hollywood, Florida area. I took a class with a teacher named Spencer Pullen, who happens to be a FABULOUS teacher and he stopped me from being so darn scared of working my photos on the computer. Got the frame for a mere $9.95!

The one of the dog, is done in oils, and it's my favorite. Frame also was only $9.95!

The one of the little boy is the grandson of a friend of mine, he's SO CUTE, his name is "Dalton". He was at the beach doing what little boys do at the beach, playing in the sand and water. I think I did a post about the frame cost on this one...just the glue, the tiles were FREE.

They're not my finest work, but it's current work. Seeing that this is all I have to offer right now tells me to get my butt in gear...also, that I'm heading in the right direction!

Nice thing is I've encouraged a former student of mine to get back into her artwork, and that is good...we said we'll push each other. Her portraits are fabulous. I plan on telling her about this blogging method to keep showing her work. Her name is Erica, I've known her since she was like 14-15 years old. She's probably about 35 by now. (And Erica, if I made you too old, I'm sorry...)

Onto paint class right now...and I'm late as usual

Just had to make a quick post that I'm on my way to art class and I'm a little late but that's okay, I'm late for everything. At least I'm going.

Tomorrow night I'm going to an open house up in Venice with my friend Michelle who has an art gallery up there. I had the choice to go to a hockey game also, but the time with Michelle was asked first, so I fulfilled the request. Besides, who would want to go to a hockey game when you have something artistic to attend? It was an easy choice, but then, it wasn't a choice to begin with, I had promised someone else first.

I chose to post this picture because I felt it was the way to go.

Well, the best thing I can say about today was at least I tried. I went to Gilcrist park but just didn't feel right about being there. The weather was great, the day was crispy clear, there was a lot to paint, but my heart wasn't in it. BUT...I tried. I did one 8 X 10 painting of the sky and some water...when I went to put a boat in, it wouldn't take, of course the paint was still wet...the perils of painting outside! Then I tried to put in some seagulls flying and they looked like checkmarks in the sky...awful, so they came out. So what I finished up having was a painting of some sky and some water...big deal! GRR! So then I tried another approach, I went SMALL, focused...just did some juicy type plants, but it wasn't meant to be today...it came out horrible. Perhaps I was tired. I don't know, but I do know, it wasn't in me today.

Tomorrow is another day and tomorrow I am going to my last class of this session of classes in an advanced painting class. I wonder what I'm doing in there after my day today!!! But today was today and tomorrow is tomorrow. Tomorrow I will do better. Each teacher teaches you different things. My teacher Diane, taught me what I needed to know, that I needed to get back into my work, and to start painting from life again. Two things I definitely needed...thank you Diane! And Bob Cassell teaches me to go for realism, which I love, so perhaps I should focus there. In two weeks I start a class with a lady who does impressionistic with about 36 colors, whereas Diane uses minimal colors...both great ways to paint! I was taught with minimal and did okay, when I expanded my palette, I did so much better. So I'm curious to find out where the next class takes me. Going to classes help so much, it awakens your senses and motivates you to do something....anything, just work on the art girl! Even if you pull your hair out at times. (Oh, by the way, it's a good thing I didn't get my "extentions" put in when I was going to! Haha!)

Tomorrow's another day.

DAYS GO BYE-BYE

Four days went by and I haven't posted and I haven't done work, but I've been busy with other things. It's called life. My Dad's condo is going through renovation and I'm trying to help him with that, getting things done for him. That takes a part of my energy.

Of course there's housework which I never feel I can keep up with, and a dog, whom I adore, but still needs tending to.

If I didn't have my classes to go to I think I'd go crazy and I know I wouldn't be doing anywork, but instead do uncontrollable crying. I need to get a grip and funny thing is, it's always been my artwork that's brought me through it and tomorrow morning I am due outside to paint at Gilcrist Park. Thank GOD I have that to go to.

More artwork finished!

On my journey of creating 100 pieces of artwork this year, this week I completed a painting I started outside on Monday in my "Boot Camp" class with Diane Mannion. While outside, it was kind of glary, and the light was filtering through the backside of my canvas making it hard to see what I was painting. Sure I should have been standing in the shade, but it was SO COLD outside, yes!!! Even in Florida, it was cold! The 10 or so art students and I braved the cold with sweatshirts and long pants painting out hearts out, and wouldn't you know, some guy was in a bathing suit on a lounge chair taking in the sun...must have been from Canada! He must have been crazy, but then, he probably looked at us like we were crazy all bundled up. To each their own (but we outnumbered him...haha!).

In my other art class today (Wednesday), I worked on a variety of things. I first of all with the help of the teacher, framed the portrait of "Buddy"! Yipee! Now I can put it in the next show! I must admit, I touched up the nose to make it look a little shiny, like a wet nose every dog has!

In class I also did a quick wash of pink acrylic paint on an 8 X 10 stretched canvas. And I finished the plein air painting started on Tuesday morning in Dianne's Boot Camp.

What a creative day!

Also decided to go back to Saturday art workshop where there is no teacher but you can work on projects. Yes, I have a studio at home, but at home the laundry and other household chores call my name, and the phone rings, etc, just too many interruptions. Going there allows me the opportunity to really work. Except for the one lady who goes there who never shuts up. I've got to learn to tune her out.

Regardless, I'm doing my art! I'm a happy camper!

No artwork yesterday or today, but...

Haven't done actual artwork yesterday or today, however, yesterday, I picked up the tile to put around this painting as a "frame", and today, I started super-glueing it to the edge of the painting. It doesn't show well in the photos, but the tiles are very shiny! It seems to take forever to do cause it has to be done one tile at a time, and of course it has to be as evenly spaced as possibly, and STRAIGHT! It's definitely different!

Just a little frustrated...

I've done the artwork, but I'm having a hard time finding the right frame. GRR! BUT...I got a real bargain on one unique frame job I'm doing. I did a painting of a son of a friend and I wanted to frame it with shiny small tiles. Well, the tiles were the PERFECT color, so I brought the sheet up to the register at Home Depot but there was no price on it. I also brought to the register some superglue to glue them onto the canvas. When there was no price and I told the clerk there was no more sheets of that particular tile, he proceeded to GIVE me the tile free...now that's a bargain. He just put it in the bag. Guess they'd be throwing it out anyway. So that frame will be FREE...and it's a perfect match and fit...but I can't find a frame for my painting of Buddy. Patience...a home will find it.