JUST WHISTLE

A small painting I finished today.  It's a little wooden whistle.  Sweetie has a bunch of these in various colors, so I may paint a few for fun.  This one will probably go on the Small Works blog in the next week or so. 

Other than this, I've been sorting out my small paintings that will go on the Small Works blog; and working on the lesson for my beginner students who are coming for their 2nd meeting Tuesday.  They want to learn landscapes - something I don't do!  So...I have to do some studying of my own and paint a few so they will be able to learn what they want.  Of course, I'm going to make them learn to do washes and learn about granulating colors and which colors are warm and cool, too.  I won't make them draw for a while - don't want to frighten them away!

I also watched Merle Rosen's DVD on acrylic mediums.  Makes me want to try these things now - but I have to wait a while.  I'm definitely getting more geared up for the Myrna Wacknov workshop where we'll do stamping (creating our own stamps), collage work, and other experimental things with acrylics, inks and watercolors.  Watching Merle's DVD made me think of some other things to put in my travel bag to take to Myrna's workshop - including an apron and a few pair of latex gloves (because I hate having my hands covered in acrylic paint).

What delicious things are you having for Easter dinner tomorrow? 

WHAT A PROGRAM!!!

Our regularly scheduled meeting of the Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society was great!  Our guest speaker/artist was Merle Rosen, a Cincinnati artist and a Golden representative.  She showed us watercolor artists so many new and exciting things that our heads were spinning - but in a very good way!  Each member who attended the meeting also went home with some swag:  a goodie bag full of little jars of tempting things to try from the Golden family of acrylic mediums.

I ran my fanny off being Merle's little helper during the day and maybe that's why the time seemed to rush by for me - but I learned about several things I may have to try in the acrylic paint and medium areas.  Merle will be just the person to help me out with that because she offers lessons at her studio in Cincinnati.  I intend to start doing that as soon as I return from my Kanuga Watermedia Workshop this month (I'll have a week of painting fun with the one, the only, Myrna Wacknov - and then schedule a few 2-hour sessions with Merle to learn more about acrylic paints and mediums I may want to explore).

So that dullness that had overcome me recently has now been replaced with excitement and thoughts of something new coming my way.  Who knows where this will take me?

And, in case you haven't yet noticed, I am putting some of my small watercolors up for sale on a different blog dedicated just to that.  See my sidebar for the addy or go HERE to see what's up on the blog for the first week of April.  I hope to have something on offer each week.  These are steals at the price I'm offering them, so I hope you fall in love with one and just HAVE to have it!

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Pickin'

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

APRIL POSTCARDS SENT TODAY

In the Postcard SWAP group, we are to send 1-2 postcards each month, going down the list of members so everyone eventually gets a postcard from every member. 

These 2 April postcards will be mailed out this morning.  One is going to Texas; one is going to Ontario, Canada.  Mailing these, one never knows how long it will take to arrive - one mailed 2 states over often takes as long as one mailed out of the country.  So which one will arrive first?

We are allowed to do any medium, but oil, but so far everyone is doing plain watercolors (I guess because we began as a watercolor group and that's what we're most comfortable with). 

Adding the quotes (cut-out and glued on the front), one wonders if they will make it there or be torn off by the time they arrive.  We'll see.

I hope you have a good day.
I had a very long to-do list to get done yesterday. 
I got it all done.
But in the process, I've caused some problems with my neck and shoulders,
so I am moving gingerly today.

SOMETHING NEW: SMALL WORKS ON OFFER

Here's something new. 

I'm going to be painting some small watercolors (no larger than a fourth sheet = 11" x 15") and putting them on a separate blog.  All work will be unmatted and unframed; every piece will be less than $150.00.

If you're interested, you can always go over to the other blog, called Small Works in Watercolor (see sidebar for the link when this post is gone), and email me your interest.

It's just something new I'm trying. 
Pop over and see my first offering, if you're interested.

I'll still be posting my works in progress, studies, lessons, and other larger miscellaneous paintings here.

SUNDAY SHARING

Since I have 3 new followers who have blogs, I'm going to feature them today as part of Sunday Sharing.

1.  All I can decipher about this artist is that the blog is called Ondedacqua and the artist is Italian.  But you don't need words.  Just go there - and if your breath is not taken away by her/his first painting post you see, you do not love watercolor.  This is one of the most beautiful things I've seen in a while.  And continue on and see more.  You will not be disappointed.

2.  Markku's Art blog is by Markun Makela, a Finnish artist who loves to capture the winter landscape in his home country.  Take some time to scroll down and see the great photos of spring flowers blooming and boys and dogs playing...then go down to see his paintings (in acrylic, I think, based on how they are framed).  Beautiful light-filled snow scenes will greet you if you take some time to keep looking.  He is truly talented and his blog was very enjoyable to visit.   

3.  Last, but not least, we have the blog called Heavy Afternoon Rain.  A Taiwanese artist who is just beginning working in watercolor, and has just begun his/her blogging journey.  I really enjoyed seeing the pen and ink drawings - so dark like a graphic novel. 

If you have some time, visit these 3 bloggers today!  And have a wonderful Sunday.  

And if you want to get a poem a day delivered to your email, check out this site.  
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/613
April is National Poetry Month!

POETRY

Love, Delight, and Alarm [excerpt]

by Karen Weiser

Then the treehouse burned.  And continued

                                                                  unobliterable as the sea

                                  to burn.  The photo of it burning

hangs on its wall, taken from high up,

                                  but not that high.  The firemen

approach cautiously, minus the

                                   four-part regimented solace, that

would repeat.  If the act of

                                    painting is Drawing the boundaries

of a fire, can I disappear

                                    into the initial combustion?  If the

act of painting stops time or at

                                    least its cornet of fronted tremendous,

I could disappear into the Encyclopedia

                                    of Animal Life as the cherub's sleepiest

wet tusk.  I could start with a dexterous

                                    periscope and end by feeling

time, the largest block of it

                                    I can conceive collectively

                                                                     Smell I the flowers, or thee?
                                                                                  See I lakes, or eyes?

SATURDAY NIGHT = DATE NIGHT WITH A TWIST

5-7 p.m.  MANIFEST GALLERY (2727 Woodburn Avenue in East Walnut Hills) is hosting 3 terrific exhibits; and they want you to try this novel idea:

Instead of dinner and a movie, how about dinner and a gallery show?

Just come to Manifest Gallery between 5 and 7p.m. this Saturday (alone or in tandem), enjoy three terrific exhibits before we pack them up and ship them away, then pick up a special Date Night coupon for 25% off your dining bill at Suzie Wong's at DeSales Corner (valid same night only).

After dinner at Suzie Wong's...

7-9 p.m. - PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE at Manifest DRAWING CENTER in Madisonville

MANIFEST DRAWING CENTER, 4905 (floor 2) Whetsel Avenue in Madisonville (near the public library).

In celebration of Manifest's seven years as an organization and our Drawing Center's one-year at its Madisonville location.  Manifest's staff and board of directors wants you to see the exciting creative space and the hundreds of life drawings hung studio-salon-style, and to learn more about the history and future of this exciting other half of Manifest that most folks don't get to see. The open house is also a chance to meet some of our participating artists, as well as tour our studios where on average over 400 participants each year undertake serious drawing education and expand their skill and vision for creativity.

Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

L IS FOR...

Spent some time painting with my grandgirl, Alaina, Monday.  She is becoming quite a good little watercolorist and it makes me happy to see how much she enjoys it.  She and I painted while grandgirl Jocelyn and Grandpa Jerry played air hockey (Jocelyn got to paint later).  We included a visit to the park where we all got pretty muddy (the ground is really saturated) and had to put our socks in the laundry when we returned.  Jocelyn and I even ran around the back yard kicking (okay, I tried to kick) the soccer ball and Grandma Rhonda almost had a heart attack!!  It was a good day except Jocelyn had a horrible cold - or maybe it's allergies (the pollen count in our area is in the thousands!!! when it's normally in the hundreds right now).

So the title for this post?  Well, Alaina says, when someone beats her at a game, with her finger and thumb up to indicate a large letter L, "I'm a Loooozer!"  We all laugh and let her know she is not a loser just because she lost a game!  But, of course, you often feel like a "Looozer" when you don't get into a juried show, and that's what just happened to me. 

I'm of a mind to believe that this painting is jinxed so it didn't have a chance, anyway.  A waste of money and time spent getting it matted and framed and then reframed (because a 3/4 inch frame was put on it when I was pretty sure I asked for a 2 inch frame), and then reframed again because the framer shot nails through the 2 inch frame the second time around.  Jinxed.  So...I shouldn't be surprised that it didn't get into the WACC Show.  And it didn't.


However, today, I drove out to the country to paint and visit with Deb and Sharon and although we didn't make any earth-shattering artwork, we did take a very nice, long walk around the lake on Deb's property and I really enjoyed that.  The ducks on the lake, Stray larumping along ahead of us and getting as wet as he could, and the redbuds blooming made for a perfect end to the day.  And Deb's painting of geishas got in the WACC show (as it should - it's a gorgeous painting!).

So, if you're in the area, do stop by the WACC Juried Show in Mariemont at "The Barn" and see who got in the show this year. 
When?  Opening reception April 1 from 1-4 with awards at 2 pm. 
Where?  Woman's Art Club Cultural Center, 6980 Cambridge Avenue, Mariemont, OH.  How long?  Exhibit continues 1-4 pm April 5-7, 12-15 and last day is April 29.

Congratulations, Deb!  You're a winner!

CAW GIRL IS FINISHED BUT NOTHING NEW BEGUN

I'm calling her finished. 


The grandgirls are on spring break this week so we're spending the day with them, just having fun (there will be some painting involved, too). 



Then this afternoon, I take my painting to the WACC for judging into their juried show (I hope).  (Not this one but another I've had matted and framed.)

Tomorrow, my two beginner students come over for 2 hours of instruction.  I've got their lesson plan all ready for them :)

SUNDAY SHARING

Sunday Sharing is all about highlighting 3-4 new followers who have blogs...

1.  Nora MacPhail's blog is full of wonderful drawings, sketches and watercolors.  She is from Toronto, Canada, and I think she's one you should check out and, perhaps, keep on your sidebar :)  I love her figure with the pink bow in her hair!!

2.  Susan Roux, a Maine artist, is on An Artist's Journey and she wants to take us along with her.  I think you'll enjoy the journey, visiting and viewing her work in oils whether it's a lovely, lyrical figure or a soft, pastoral landscape.  Beautiful work all around and well worth visiting!

3.  Dreams of Pure Love is the blog of self-taught artist, Bevie.  I couldn't find out where she is from but her blog is full of her beautiful jewelry, her ATCs and her knitting, as well as lots of photos of trips and visits to friends along the way.  One word of caution, though:  if you have a slow modem or dial-up, don't try because there is a lot of add-ons and advertising on her blog that even made my computer very slow in loading the information and photos.

4.  If you are a scrapbooker - or even if you're not but you enjoy seeing some of the creative ideas scrapbookers have - stop over to Kiki Halbert Designs and see some of the things she highlights there.  Interesting stuff, pretty stuff, funky stuff, shabby chic stuff (obviously never use the word shabby because that words looks wrong the way I typed it - will have to check the spelling!). 

I'll have more next Sunday.  But for now, visit these blogs and enjoy.  You may find a new favorite or two :)

CAW GIRL - ALMOST FINISHED

Finished except for her shadow (and the shadow of the crow).   
Full sheet (30w x 22h) Arches 140# paper. 
Poured the first few layers and then used those same colors (plus a few more) to darken and shape the girl and the crow.

STRATHMORE WORKSHOP - WEEK 4

For our Week 4 lesson in the online Strathmore/Cathy Johnson workshop, we were to incorporate lots of texture by way of splattering or other means + add in some paper collage bits.  Here's what I did.

The shapes in this one started by laying down watercolor over one of Mary Beth Shaw's stencils :)  This one makes me think of spring.  (You can't see the yellow in the upper left well - it got bleached out by the camera, I think.)

Although we had a bit of rain, off and on, today, the flowers are still beautiful.  The white blossoms on the trees (ornamental pears, I think), are blown off and covering the ground like a light dusting of snow :)

I can't make myself stay inside and paint.  I just have to take advantage of this weather and warmth and sunshine - pretty soon it will be so hot, I won't want to go outside - then I'll catch up.

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Spring!!!

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

SPRING EQUINOX

Spring Equinox = Yellow

from Magdalen Walks
by Oscar Wilde

The little white clouds are racing over the sky,
  And the fields are strewn with the gold of the flower of March,
  The daffodil breaks under foot, and the tasselled larch
Sways and swings as the thrush goes hurrying by.

A delicate odour is borne on the wings of the morning breeze,
  The odour of deep wet grass, and of the brown new-furrowed earth,
  The birds are singing for joy of the Spring's glad birth,
Hopping from branch to branch on the rocking trees.

And all the woods are alive with the murmur and sound of Spring,
  And the rose-bud breaks into pink on the climbing briar,
  And the crocus-bed is a quivering moon of fire
Girdled round with the belt of an amethyst ring.



I had a watercolor lesson all planned for 2 beginners who were coming to the house to learn to paint today; but something came up and they couldn't make it.  So we rescheduled for next Tuesday.  So instead, I may paint something for myself today.  But not before getting outside for a walk and a time to enjoy the neighborhood flowers and trees in full bloom.

THANK YOU

Thanks so much to everyone who commented here and in private emails on my brother's heart attack.  We were all surprised when he was released yesterday from the hospital.  So the congestive heart failure/fluid buildup must have gotten better (they gave him a chest x-ray to check).  He now has to take care of himself for 1.5 weeks before he sees his new cardiologist for further information about the other blocked arteries and the pacemaker (which was discussed in the hospital).  I hope he doesn't go back to smoking!!!  And I hope he takes his pills like he should.

STRATHMORE WORKSHOP - WEEK 3

Mixed media for week 3 is just deciding whether you want to use watercolor alone, a drawing in graphite and then watercolor, or a drawing and watercolor and pen with waterproof ink. 




Since it's the time of year for the Peeps to come out, I thought I'd revisit this one and put it in the journal.

I took a photo of it before and after I added the black ink.






We could not have asked for better weather lately.  In the high 70's with sunshine and some clouds.  A touch of breeze.  Warm.  Beautiful.  Perfection!  And the flowers and trees blooming in the neighborhood are wonderful. 


So what if allergies are acting up?  It is worth it!

I hope you are enjoying the full glory of spring in your area (unless, of course, you're in Australia or South Africa or somewhere that you are having a glorious fall - I hope!).

MERCY NOW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5MG1ZfFiZ8

A song by Mary Gauthier (pronounced Mary Go-Shay). 
My brother could use a little mercy now...he's in the hospital after having a heart attack (100% blockage in one area of the heart and 80% blockage in another area + has had a stent put in and is now in congestive heart failure).  All this from smoking (as his doctor says). 

He wants to go home.  I wonder if he will. 

FACE STUDY

I had a drawing I didn't like - didn't want to change it.  Venting frustration, I tore the drawing in pieces.  Looked at this piece and thought, what the heck, do it. 

So I painted this piece - a face study (from a torn painting).

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

CAW GIRL POURED - A BIT MORE

A bit more. 

And now I see that the face isn't right - I need to place and redraw her features before painting (which I already tried and then saw how badly drawn it was). 

I can do better...

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Worn

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

WEEK 2 HOMEWORK FOR STRATHMORE ONLINE WORKSHOP

This week, we are to paint something using lots of texture.  Cathy Johnson, our leader and teacher, painted an old barn/grain storage building.  I decided to use one of Sweetie's photographs of an interesting lock against wooden boards in the sunshine of St. Augustine, Florida.  I used my artistic license and painted the lock and metal blue with violet shadows.  I think it was just a dark grey metal, in real life.

And for some reason I feel totally drained of energy lately.  At first, I thought it was the head cold, but now I'm not so sure.  Sweetie says it's the time change but that's only an hour change so I doubt it.  I can feel a slump coming on and have to fight it off before it gets me and I don't want to do anything but sit and vegetate...I'm thinking a lack of direction is the culprit.  What do I want to paint that will energize me and get me going?  Perhaps I need to put these crows away for a while and do something else - something bright and colorful and warm and fun.  But what???  I certainly can't blame the weather for this mood - it's 75F out today and supposed to be the same tomorrow!!!

MONDAY MORNING PROGRESS

Well, we had a busy weekend!  With the Woman's Art Club meeting on Saturday afternoon and then Sweetie's TriState Photographic Society year-end banquet Saturday evening (where he brought home 2 ribbons), we were busy Saturday.  Then Sunday we went to see the grand-girls play soccer at their indoor arena and got to go out to lunch with them and their Mom and Dad and little brother and other grandmother and a friend.  A very enjoyable weekend!

Now it's time to get back to work.  This painting wants me to get more done.  Here's where she stands right now.  I'm doing a type of glazing to get the body color and shapes - not really dry glazing and layering paint but doing it while still damp and shaping the forms a bit more carefully than I normally do. 

I've come to the conclusion that I'm a bit haphazard in my technique and working habits and need to become more professional and work harder and take more time.  At least, that's my thinking for today! Who knows what I'll think tomorrow! ha ha

SUNDAY SHARING

Today, it's time for Sunday Sharing.  I'm sharing blogs of those artists who are following my blog and have just recently signed up.  So let's see what we have on the menu today!

1.  Jose Galarzo is the name of this artist living in Valencia, Spain.  It is obvious that he is a very talented watercolor artist, and I fell in love with many pieces he has on his blogs (yes, he has several so you may want to sit back with a cup of coffee or tea and spend some time enjoying his work).  Scroll down to that mustard yellow marsh scene and have your breath taken away!  I love his dark palette and his loose, watery style.  And if I understand it correctly (I did the translate and one never knows how good it is), he is using pure pigments and gum arabic and making his own watercolors?
 

2.  Watercolour Fancier is the title of this European blogger and artist's blog.  Again, I fell in love with many of her works (although she says she is just beginning her watercolor journey).  You won't find beginning work here, but a painter who has a true feeling for nature and shows it in her lovely landscapes.  Soft, delicate, and so lovely!!  You are in for a treat!

3.  The Sunbeam is the blog of a piano teacher and reiki master in Minnesota, US, who calls herself Humbird.  Perhaps she has an affinity to hummingbirds the way I do to crows?  Visit her blog - she captures photos and then adds her own poetry to the images.  A very nice way to begin a lazy Sunday morning.

I hope you do visit and do enjoy these blogs.  Have a wonderful Sunday and a great week to come.  I'll be back with more work on the caw girl tomorrow :)

WOMAN'S ART CLUB PROGRAM

Today, I drove over to Mariemont to sit in on the monthly meeting of the Woman's Art Club of Cincinnati and see the guest artist/speaker, Christina Wald.  Christina has done illustrations for children's books, logos, magazines, and other things all over the country for the past 15 years.  She had a lot of her work to show and did a nice PowerPoint presentation, too.  She has a blog of her work and a webpage, if you're interested.  You can find more info here.



I also got to view the current show - the students of Nancy Nordloh Neville's watercolor class - before and again after the meeting.  The show is called Just Add Water and the students each had several paintings showing, as well as Nancy's paintings.  That show continues through March 25th.



Not too warm today, but the sun was shining and it was a nice day for a drive.

And tonight we SPRING FORWARD!

POURED PAINTING

Remember the poured painting I began before going off to the workshop and then life taking over so no time to paint?  Well, I finally got back to it.  She's just been sitting around, staring at me with that LOOK so I had to get back and do something. 

Starting with her dark colorful hair and the crow, I used the same 3 primary colors I used for the initial pours.  I admit, I did add in a touch of Alizarin Crimson and some Shadow Violet in places to give it a bit more darkness and color.  Other than that, the same colors (still in the baby food jars mixed from weeks ago except the yellow had dried out a lot). 

Prewetting the areas and then touching in color and shaping more as the paint dries.

If you're interested in seeing how this one started with the pours and the colors, go here:
http://rhcarpenter.blogspot.com/2012/02/pouring-on-paint.html

More to come as I slowly work into her body - saving her face for last.  I may get some more done this weekend if I can break through this head cold :(

WHAT A LOVELY SURPRISE GIFT!

This week, I received a lovely gift from "across the pond". 
I'd forgotten that Maggie Latham had asked for my mailing address weeks ago because she was going to send something to me.  Completely forgotten.  And those are always the best kind of surprises!

This little package, wrapped in white paper with a raffia ribbon, came inside an envelope that had, obviously, gotten lost along the way from the U.K to the U.S. - and spent a few days in Australia! ha ha  I hope it had fun there and that it was warm and sunny.

When the package came, I made Sweetie open it right away and stop reading the outside!!  And inside, this beautiful note, a lovely painted card!! and and and this blue notebook, created by Maggie herself and painted blue and mailed to me over the pond!! 

It may just be too pretty to use, Maggie, but I THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!


I am always touched by the wonderful people who enter my life due to this blogging and art thing I began a few years ago.  There are some truly amazing people out there in the world.  So when your world is feeling small, petty, or just tired, think of those kind hearts who have reached out to you just because they "know" you from your blog or art page or Facebook or whatever and know that no one is alone, ever :)

Sending you a big virtual (((HUG))) today, Maggie!

And our GCWS meeting yesterday was great.  Our guest artist/speaker was Nancy Nordloh Neville and she brought a still life set-up of daffodils and silver pots and spoons to paint.  It was a very enjoyable 1 1/2 hours and her watercolors are just so lovely and full of light.  And I didn't do too badly my first day as Program Chair :)

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Whooo!

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

SMALL CAW GIRL STUDY - STAGE 2

I did a bit more to the study.  Now the claws on the crow are too big.  I'm going to have to practice bird feet!  I may want to even put them in using just graphite in the future.

Tomorrow I have a lot to do as the new Program Chair for the Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society so it will be a busy day for me.  I said I would take minutes/notes and photos, too, since our new Recording Secretary won't be there.  So will do that, introduce the guest artist/speaker, Nancy Nordloh Neville (a very well known tri-state artist and teacher); and help her with the small critique session after the program. 

I JOINED THE STRATHMORE WATERCOLOR SKETCHING GROUP

Cathy Johnson, artist and writer, is running a workshop (free!) for Strathmore and I signed up for it months ago, thinking I would have time.  I'm going to have to make myself do the "lessons" but they will be enjoyable.  On my Strathmore Visual Journal (140# watercolor paper) 9 x 12. 

 I think you can still join up, if you want.  We just began March 1st and Cathy has a reputation for being an excellent teacher.

http://www.strathmoreartiststudio.com/group/workshop-2-cathy




Here is my first journal entry, recording my new Daniel Smith Shadow Violet watercolor.  I think it separates and looks (on the palette) like Moonglow (also by Daniel Smith) but I like it so will have to see which one I like the best.  (This is just on half sheet of the 9 x 12 sheet in the Visual Journal). 

MORE POSTCARDS TO GO OUT

March sneaked up on me.  It's already the 4th and I haven't mailed out my March postcards yet.  I will do that Monday (have to have postage so have to go to the post office).  These are going to TX and PA so should get to their destination quickly.



MY FRIEND, DEB WARD

Pop over to see my friend, Deb Ward, on Carrie Waller's blog.  Deb is the Friday Featured Artist and I learned things I didn't know.  Of course, I can't tell you all the things I DO KNOW about her - she wouldn't be my friend if I told! ha ha

And for those of you who are behind in catching up with my blog, I got to meet Carrie at the recent Carol Carter workshop.  We both drove down (me, alone; she, with 2 little boys in the car) to southern Illinois to take a 3-day workshop from Carol recently.  It is always fun to meet fellow bloggers and find out they are just as nice in person as they are online :)

SMALL CAW GIRL STUDY

I drove over to Deb's Thursday morning - a beautiful drive in sunny, warm weather - to paint with Deb and Sharon.  I admit, we spent more time talking (catching up) and having the nice lunch Deb provided than we did actually painting.  And I didn't have anything planned.  So did this little study for another caw girl painting.  Just working on color choices and such to see if I want to paint this one larger.  I'm thinking I'll leave the Caw Girls with white or pale backgrounds so they stand out.  I like that and I don't really want to place them in any recognizable background situation.  I will work on this a bit more, adding to her shadow and touching some areas in the face but I like the unfinished look of her face now.  The crow's claws/talons need to be larger and longer, too. 

Ordered some Daniel Smith paints (mostly refills for ones running low) and got those in yesterday.  A new one = Shadow Violet that Carol Carter uses.  Have to try it.  Going to make another order from Cheap Joe's today.  I'm stocking up on things for the spring Myrna Wacknov workshop I'm taking this April!!  Talk about something totally different :)

Have a wonderful weekend.  We are in the path of some serious storms coming.  I hope it doesn't blow up a tornado.  I can't imagine what those people in Missouri, Illinois and southwestern Kentucky are going through right now after the Feb. 29th twisters hit so many towns. 

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Leap!

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter



I know this is One Word Wednesday, but I do hope you'll LEAP on over to Carrie Waller's blog and view my post about the Carol Carter workshop she and I both attended.  (I am her very first guest blogger).

GUEST BLOGGER

I've been working with Carrie Waller, editing my typed notes from the recent Carol Carter workshop Carrie and I both attended in Illinois.  Carrie will post the words and a few photos of mine on her blog.  So I'll be a guest blogger over at Carrie's blog this week.  Check it out, if you get a chance.  And go over and check out her Monday post about the workshop - as well as see my mug with the beautiful Carrie!!

One of the best things I took away from the workshop was Carol's uplifting and inspiring words and emails to me during the workshop and after.  She truly is a wonderful artist and a wonderful person.  What a treat it was to meet Carrie, too, and learn a little bit more about her life and her art.  She brought in framed paintings (which she was sending off to the Louisiana watercolor show) and wow'd the group, who couldn't believe she painted them!  A very talented, beautiful, strong woman, is Carrie Waller.

PRIMARILY CROWS REWORKED

I went in and softened the shadow shapes and lightened them a bit, then added a bit more to the crows.  Done.  And ready to enter the WACC Juried Show and hope it gets in.  I've decided to go ahead and just enter this one since Caw Girl #1 didn't work out. 

The paintings you enter (you can enter 2) have to be matted and framed because they are judged in person.  So you have them ready to hang, take them to the gallery, drop them off and then wait for the verdict.  If you enter 2, you still have to return to pick up the one that didn't get in.  (It would be much easier for everyone if they judged based on cd or online entries showing the paintings.)

So...my question is:

When you can enter 2 or 3 paintings but only 1 is juried in, is it better to enter two similar style paintings or just enter your strongest painting?  What do you artists with more experience than I in entering shows do? 

This one is at the framers now and will be ready for the March 26th drop-off date. 

WORD VERIFICATION AND SPAMMERS

There should be a special place in hell (or whatever you believe in that is similar) for Spammers.  I just received 7 new posts - all spam.  They were sent to my spam folder in Blogger but I did see them in my gmail account and reported them as spam.  What a crock!  If it gets to be too much, I guess I'll go back to the word verification and hope Blogger eventually makes it easier for those of us with older vision to post without giving up from frustration.  

Spammers Suck!  May they all be infected with viruses in their computers and bedbugs in their homes; they should wake up with horrid cramps in their fingers so they cannot type their malicious messages.

Guess Blogger knew this was coming down the pike so that's why the word verification got so complicated.

NOTHING LIKE A LITTLE PRESSURE...

Well, I overworked Caw Girl #1, trying to fix a few things I didn't like.  So...I've started over, thinking about background first (like Carol Carter does) and leaving the figure for last.  Here's the old one (really overworked but it doesn't look so bad in the photo - but trust me, it's bad and I couldn't put that in a show!); and the new start. 

New one = full sheet (30 h x 22 w).





I have until tomorrow to finish it, if I really want to try to get in early for the juried show.  Of course, I could just take my time and take the pressure off and enter in March (like most people will do).  And that would give me enough time to see which one I like the best (and if I like the old girl best, I could redo another just like it only better).

How do people who do commissions deal with the pressure?  I don't like it.

REMOVING WORD VERIFICATION UNTIL BLOGGER REGAINS THEIR SANITY

I removed the word verification hurdles my posters have to jump through to post on my blog.  It's under your settings and comments - it asks if you want word verification so choose NO.  You can still have moderation on so no spam will get through.

I know it's a hassle to do the word verification now.  Two words instead of one and they are crunched together, overlapping and often blurred so much you can't tell if it's a lowercase l or a capital I or maybe an R or what the heck is that???  Just to prove I'm not a robot!

Let me know if you still have to do it to post to my blog.  I just changed it tonight.

SUNDAY SHARING

Yesterday was a busy day!  Helped as a Special Judge for the SEFNK science fair at Northern Kentucky University in the morning; then picked up the grand-girls and took them to see the Macy's Arts Sampler Day at the Woman's Art Club "Barn" in Mariemont.  They each looked around at the artists, talked to Nancy Neville (who was doing watercolor painting) and they each painted their own acrylic painting on canvas, courtesy of Linda Trucksis, who was letting the kids do their own thing for free :)  Then we had a nice lunch out and a sweet for each of us and back home (they had a soccer game later in the day).

But today is Sunday Sharing and I have a lot of new followers to share.  I'm sure they came from Carol Carter's Facebook postings of the workshop where she linked to my blog so they could read more about it.  I hope they see enough to like to return to view my work again :)  So...let's get to it!!

1.  Ioana Geacar has a self-named blog (although she also spells her first name as John).  Either way, she is Romanian, and shares some wonderful photography.  If you have missed winter in the U.S., go over and see the winter they are having and which she is documenting.  I like looking at winter much more than experiencing it!

2.  Lancerika is the blog of Erika Morrison, American born but has lived in Venezuela, Spain and Holland!  Her work, which she describes as self-taught and abstractionist, is very surreal and ethereal - take a look, take some time, read the poetry and enjoy the paintings!

3.  Serap Demirag is the blogspot of Serap Demirag!  Now, I wish I could translate all the words (the translater I used was pretty poor) because I know it would add even more to the beauty of her work.  I won't even try to describe it - she calls herself a fantastic realist painter.  I urge you to not miss this one!  Floating worlds, beautiful, serene colors and compositions, paintings that are pure meditation.  Lovely!!

4.  Last, but not least, Don's Blog is the blog of a new watercolorist living in Bristol, U.K.  Don took up drawing and painting in his 60's and is having a good go of it!  Go over and give him some encouragement on his journey with watercolors and welcome him to the fold :)

That's it for today.  Today, I will be in my little art room working on a 2nd painting to enter into the Woman's Art Club juried show - deadline for early bird entries is the 29th!

FRIDAY, FINALLY

Mom was discharged from the hospital yesterday.  I got her all settled and back home after a few errands.  All is well.  She's not completely strong and healthy yet but she's back home with meds and instructions (which she may, or may not, follow).

So...that means today I can paint!!!

The 119th Annual Juried Exhibition at the Woman's Art Club of Cincinnati is having their show April 1-29 and I have to have 2 entries.  So...time to sort through some crow paintings and see what they will be. 

I'm pretty sure Caw Girl #1 will be one of the entries and want the 2nd entry to be crows, too.  Early bird deadline for entries is February 29th so I have to choose now.




And tomorrow is Science Fair day.  So I will be busy with that several hours tomorrow.
Sweetie has done this every year for a long time and I somehow "volunteered" to help so it's a lot of getting there early, helping sign in the judges and make sure they have their information packets and know where to go, then walking around the display area to choose just 2 entries for most artful exhibit.  It's usually not too difficult:  I don't have to choose based on their scientific merits, just what their work looks like (eye-catching, colorful, interesting materials used for their info boards).  This is grades 4-12 and the winners are supposed to come from the middle grades so it's just 4th and 5th graders I have to worry about.  The kids come from all over Kentucky.

IN THE MAIL

One of the things I had to catch up on at home after being away for 4 1/2 days was mail.  Most of it was easy - throw out the junk, keep the bills to pay later, and look at anything interesting.  Here was something from our Naked Postcard Swap that was waiting for me when I got home.

It's a lovely postcard from Barb Sailor in Ohio.  She said she wanted to send me a reminder of warmer weather.  Isn't it pretty??  And what a nice thing to find waiting for you when you return from a trip :)

Barb's blog is on my sidebar and you can see her work there.  She is an artist and a teacher in northern Ohio.

Thanks, Barb!  It's being added to my postcard book right now :)

And I promise I will post actual works from me soon.  With Mom in the hospital and catching up on everything at home while still spending time with her, there is no time for painting right now - but soon!  I am itching to try some of Carol's loose wet washes and flows of paint on some crows!  Plus, I have to get back to the poured painting I began before leaving for the workshop.  So much to paint, so little time.

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Morning

Photo by R.H. Carpenter

BACK TO REALITY

I admit, I was sooo anxious to get back home and see my Sweetie (and sleep in my own bed again) that I left the hotel at 6:30 AM (as soon as it was light out).  Called Sweetie and told him I was on my way home.  And began the 5 hour drive.  The bridge was open across I-64 in Louisville so that took off the problem of my GPS misdirecting me and getting me lost in Albany, IN the last time I was through there.  Smoothe sailing (or driving, actually).  Got just outside of Louisville and stopped for gas and had a huge smile on my face as I went in to get a coffee to help me stay awake (on the road for 3 hours at that time and feeling a little foggy).  Talked to a lovely Indian man who understood completely my feeling of "being home" as soon as I got into Kentucy :)  He said when he moved from India to New Jersey, he always felt that way when returning to New Jersey - I didn't ask him how he felt when returning to India (perhaps he never did). 

Anyway, from Louisville, only 1 1/2 hours to home....until I got onto I-75 North and the four lane highway was down to 2 lanes because they were tarring the left 2 lanes.  Inching along and trying to stay alert, I saw a little Honda jump right in front of an 18-wheeler and if he hadn't been alert, she would have had the rear of her cute little car crumpled like paper - stupid drivers!!  You know how it is - the left lane is moving faster so you have to be in that one, but then it stops and you have to jump into the right...dumb!!

Got home safe and sound and was so happy!  Talked a mile a minute to Sweetie as I shared everything with him.  When I finally took a breath and as we were having lunch, he told me my aunt called this morning and she had to take my mother to Emergency again this morning!  So...I talked to my aunt and found out it's the same problems = excessively high blood pressure and inability to breathe without oxygen and treatments so they admitted her and got her a room yesterday afternoon.  It's not critical so I didn't go visit yesterday but called my sister so she went and I'll go and stay with Mom today and find out what's going on (hopefully, I'll be there soon enough to see the doctor visit).

So...back to reality, good and bad, for me.

But just so you have something beautiful to see today, here's a few more photos from the workshop (the flowers is a better picture of the painting than the previous one and the steer is the little framed painting Carol brought from her original Cash and Carry Christmas show - much more realistic than Carol's purple cows :) but just as well painted).

Carol talked about Joseph Raffael (Google him) and his work and this one reminded me of his type of painting in sections (but he paints on huge, wall-sized sheets that are made by stitching 2 elephant size sheets together).










A moo of a regular color :)  I looked at this one when I drew Gorgeous George and then put it away so I wouldn't be influenced by the colors in her painting so forgot all that white when I painted George.

Closer looks at Carol's leaves of her magnolia flower - this is why I love watercolor!!!

I hope my report of the workshop and all we did and all Carol shared (THANKS SO MUCH!!!) inspires you all to pick up those brushes soon and get juicy!!!


And Happy Fat Tuesday!




Now off to the hospital to see Mom and find out what's happening this time (she was just in the hospital for the same thing in December so this is coming on too soon for me after the last time).