GLADIOLUS

Took a couple of photos of the glads Sweetie brought home the other day.  Not for me, but as props for the little tree frogs!  Oh, well, I got to enjoy them a little bit and may try my hand at painting them - lots of shapes, though.

MOSSY - TWO VERSIONS

Worked a bit more on the painting of the mosses on paper.

Then I put down gold gesso on watercolor paper, let it dry, and began the painting again on the gold gessoed paper.  

Not sure about this version as it seems I'm lifting color every time I'm putting color down - so will think on that a while and come up with something to help darken and shape the mosses.  

MOSSY START

And you thought it would be another honeybee painting!


No, this one is an abstracted painting, the reference photo one Sweetie took on a nature walk months ago.  It's a close close close-up of moss on a fallen log.  Pretty great photo and I wanted to try it.  


This is just the first steps BUT
now that I see it, I see that mistake in composition (the whirly-gig type shape in the right side is a no no.)  AND
I also wonder if maybe I should try this on gold gessoed paper (there are a lot of gold tones in the photo).

And speaking of gold gesso, Daniel Smith used to make it, then stopped making it for some reason.  But now - YAY - they are back in business (artists probably called and asked for it to return).  I just saw the latest Dick Blick catalog and it's in there - a bit pricey but it spreads on a lot of paper/canvas/board/whatever so lasts a long time.  Get some and try it if you want to try painting on it as a ground - you can use watercolor (spray seal the painting when finished), acrylic and oil paints on it.


I have about a 1/4 pint tub left so may order another (just in case DS stops production again).  And I think I will start over with the mossy painting on gold gessoed paper.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUNNY BIRTHDAY

My Sweetie is having a birthday today!

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!!

A WEEK GOES BY QUICKLY AND THEN IT'S AUGUST

Selling another painting in the Honeybee Series this week.  The buyer wants to put it in her cubicle at work :)

She Works Hard for the Honey




When you're busy with other things (meaning things other than art), a week or more can rush by.  That's what has happened to me.  I have 2 things on the drawing board to work out, but haven't gotten farther than the thinking stage.  Maybe next week.  Summer seems to have taken it's toll and I'm just lazy with it, spending time sitting in the sunroom watching the hummingbird at the feeder, coming and going dozens of time a day.  Watching the birds start their day with 5 bluejays squawking over the suet feeder and each taking a noisy turn.  Listening to the pool filter running (Sweetie got it up and running for the summer birthday gathering here last Saturday).  Summer.  It has not been as hot and humid as last year so that's a good thing.

Happy August

Sweetie's birthday is this month ❤💓

2 x HONEY

Selling the painting, A Taste of Honey, from the Honeybee series made me want to do another similar piece to add to the series.  So I have started this one.  

This one is also on gold gessoed paper with some stencils of a hive in the background.  It's painted with watercolor and some gouache.  I didn't want to make it exactly like the one I sold so added another little bee.

It's 11 x 15" and I'm calling it

2 x Honey

THE HONEYBEE SERIES - PART 2

Bee Warned

Bee World

Squadron

The Little Visitor

The Messengers

Bee in Magnolia

Bee Card

She Works Hard for the Honey

2 x Honey










This is all, for now!

THE HONEYBEE SERIES - PART 1

Running Out of Time

The Last One

Summer Bees

A Taste of Honey

Bee Quilt

Bee Cycle






Elizabeth asked that I put all the Honeybee Series paintings together to easily see in one place, so I am working on that.  For some reason, I'm having fits trying to fit 3 across (I just can't make it work) so will put this into 2 postings with all the paintings down the left side.  You can click on an image to enlarge it.  I am trying to put them in the order they were painted.  

FLYING TO SINGAPORE

My friend and Pilates instructor, Kelli, is buying this painting this week.  It's always fun to sell a painting. 

It's obvious that I am not painting for the money.  I don't ask much for my work (in fact, I sometimes think people see my work as "less" because I don't ask for thousands of dollars).  This is my choice.  I would rather my work be out there among people who like it than ask thousands and not sell a thing while everything piles up in my little art room.  

So...everything I have painted is for sale, including my Honeybee Series paintings.  They are reasonably priced (often under $150) because they are unmatted and unframed (matting and framing them always adds to the cost - and putting something in a juried show always adds to the cost because you need to put a good price on those works to get the attention of the judges - yes, it makes a difference.)

This painting is about 10.5 x 14.5 inches on gold gessoed paper.  I spray sealed it after the painting dried so it won't smudge.  Kelli will be packing it in her suitcase and it will be flying to Singapore!  Have fun, little bee, in your new home :)  And thanks, Kelli, for loving one of my pieces enough to purchase it.

I know many of my blogger/art buddies sell their work and I wonder:  does it still make you feel good to sell a piece even if you don't get "big bucks" for it, or is it more important to how you feel as an artist set a high price on all your work and then sell less frequently?  Do you feel like you are not honoring your work if you set a low price on a piece?  It's something we all have to work through if we want to put our work out for sale.

I will miss this little honeybee and her trip to the honey dipper, but I can paint another (as the artist, I retain the copyright for the piece even though this one will be far away).  In fact, I have something else already begun.

SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE HONEY 2

This one is finished.  I don't think I'll add anything else.  

Painted collage paper and watercolor on Arches 140# coldpress paper



She Works Hard for the Honey

SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE HONEY

Working more on the collage and watercolor piece.

She Works Hard for the Honey

watercolor and collage

THE MESSENGERS

Added some words and this one is done.


The Messengers

watercolor on Arches 140# coldpress

YOU SOMETIMES DON'T KNOW HOW SOMETHING WILL TURN OUT

This painting began like this with a loose, pale wash of color on the drawing and then...

I put a little bit more color on, but was not that happy with the next stage so washed over the whole thing with a weak wash of gesso/water/acrylic gel medium to start over.

In starting over, I used watercolor crayon and watercolor pencil as well as watercolor pens at the end to outline the shapes.  

As you can see, I cropped it closer to focus on the center and the bee.  

ANOTHER FINE MESS

Well, I worked on the magnolia with the bee and really worked and worked and - can you say OverWorked???  It happens.  Especially when I'm not focused enough.  

So...how to fix a bad watercolor painting that cannot be wiped back to white?  Make it so it can be wiped back to white = get out the white gesso and gesso over it lightly enough to see the drawing underneath and start again.

That is what I did, drawing a bit heavy-handed but I'll work around that later.  I think this will be a mixed watermedia piece now = watercolor with watercolor crayon and watercolor pencil added.

Hang in there and we'll see where this goes!

SOME STARTS BUT NO FINISHES + NO DECISIONS

I seem to be making a lot of starts but not finishing anything.  So, I'll just share the starts and, hopefully, I'll finish this sometime soon.  

Another magnolia with a little honeybee inside.  


There is something very appealing about this first wash of colors.

But, of course, you cannot leave it that way and must darken and shape things as you move along.  


This is on a half sheet (15 x 22 inches)
of Arches 140# coldpress paper.

I think I'll call this one 
Little Visitor


I think I may be starting a lot of things as a way to not choose anything for any of the upcoming shows = displacement activity.

GREATER CINCINNATI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY SHOW, AUGUST 2017

The postcards and newsletter reminder for the upcoming GCWS show came out.  I am so thrilled that my painting, AMI Morning Leaves (which won first place last year) is on the front of the postcard and in the newsletter.  These little successes make me want to continue whenever I get down or wonder why I keep painting.  

There are several entry forms on my desk right now for juried shows - and for the 2017 GCWS show.  So far, I haven't been able to summons the energy to get it together and some are due this month.  It's now or never this year...

Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society Summer Show

Exhibit Open August 4 - 27

2016 First Prize Winner

This show of watercolor works will vibrantly reflect the expertise of the 80 members of the Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society. Connect with the artists and their art at the free reception: 

Meet the Artists Reception
Sunday, August 6, 1 - 4pm

Engage closely with the works of art that range from colorful landscapes and vibrant still lifes to other imaginative topics. Awards will be given during the reception.

Juror for the exhibit is Rachel Wolf, the editor of "Splash", a North Light publisher's book showcasing the watercolor products of hundreds of artists throughout the world. She will award three financial prizes plus several honorable mention ribbons.

Gallery hours are 10am - 2pm weekdays (closed Mondays) and 1 - 4pmon weekends, through Sunday, August 27.

COLLAGE STUFF

Tore some painted paper up into shapes and glued them onto watercolor paper with acrylic matte medium.  We'll see where it goes from here.

HAPPY 150TH BIRTHDAY CANADA!

THREE TO THE HIVE

A bit more work but not finished yet.


Have to choose the words I want around the outside of the hive.

WHAT'S THAT SOUND?

I think it might be bees! 


You know painting the magnolia with the honeybee led me right back to bees.  There are three here in this newly started painting and I'm thinking about adding words around the outside.

Three to the Hive

on half sheet (15 x 22 inches) on Arches 140# coldpress paper

HAPPY

Bought this great little pencil bag at the Blick Art Supply Store in Savannah last month.  

And wet a 1/4 sheet of watercolor paper and then dropped in alcohol inks.  Just for fun.

A FEW THINGS

Finished this one.  I "cheated" by using some gouache in the center to pop the stamen and the bee.  I don't really consider it cheating - at this point in my painting, I want to use whatever works best.

Honey Bee Magnolia

15 x 18.5 inches
on Arches 140# coldpress paper

And I returned to this to work it a bit more.  Not happy with the pop of the petals on this so tried to make it more so.  Still not 100% happy but...whatever.



Virginia Bluebells

15 x 22 inches
on Arches 140# coldpress paper

BEE MY MAGNOLIA

Continuing to work on the magnolia with the honeybee inside.  Slowly slowly.  I want some shape but not too much value change in the shadows so I can keep the white petals.  

Happy First Day of Summer/Summer Solstice!

HONEY BEE MAGNOLIA

Using a photo reference from our trip to Savannah, Sweetie captured a honeybee inside the magnolia flower and I had to try it.  First wash - using only Lapis Lazuli blue pigment for the shadows so far.  That center will need to be slowly worked to bring out the curving pieces and the red in the bottom of the stamen(?) and then the little honeybee full of pollen.

The background dark is Shadow Green and it is a bit varied in real life but looks almost black here.

This one is a half sheet (15 x 22 inches).

FINALLY BACK TO WATERCOLOR!

A Delicate Balance

22 x 30 inches 
on Arches 140# coldpress
watercolor paper



Time has ticked right by since June began.  We worked on painting the deck, I cleaned in prep for Sweetie's sister to come and stay a while, we took a long weekend trip to the Chicago area and back (to see Sweetie's brother and sister and kin), and we had more visiting with Sweetie's sister as she saw people she wanted to see here in our area after returning back from the Chicago trip.  And, for some reason, I was in horrible back pain by Wednesday evening.  Why?  Oh, could be from painting the deck, cleaning the house, doing laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, entertaining, sleeping on an air mattress for 2 nights during Chicago area visit.  Whatever caused it (or accumulated to it), it was painful to sit in the hard bottomed chair and listen to the program at Newport Aquarium Wednesday evening (although it was a good program, I was getting fidgety but it hurt to move and hurt not to move).  

This was as bad as it's been for a while - so took it easy, reading, feet propped up and ice on my back for 2 days but I was getting so antsy to get to my little art room and paint.  It's been so long!

So today - Saturday - I finally made it back to the magnolia painting I started earlier this month - and it's finished (or very close = may soften some edges).

Hope it was worth the wait!

And what have you been doing this June??

TIRED

I don't know when we began painting the deck.  But it seems to be going on - forever.  

So tired, we didn't even do anything (didn't go out, didn't see Summerfair, didn't get a meal, etc.) on our Anniversary (Saturday).  Just stayed around the house trying to rest for Sunday's major cleaning of the inside of the house.  

I really hope this stuff lasts for years and years because I can't imagine having to do this again next year or even in 2-3 years.  What a job!  

I have to say, it's looking really good, though.  And the birds like it (the red-bellied woodpecker came back to the suet feeder today so he/she is either tired of cicadas or says, "Thanks for making the place look nice for me!" ha ha).  We have the suet feeder, the birdseed (on the table) and the finch feeder back out and we have a male - who chirps and cheeps and pips when he arrives - and female hummingbird - who is silent except for the whirring of her wings - coming to the feeder now.  I don't mind the mess - although it did cause a twinge when I first went out and saw all the seed and stuff on that pristine deck floor (knocked there from the feeders and 2 little chipmunks, squirrels and several birds).

But - there is still more to do...how can that be?  


Sweetie's sister coming for a week's visit Wednesday so housecleaning is the job of the day (or two).







Sorry no artwork...and you may have to wait a while (maybe I should just take the whole month of June off from the blog