Ummm

Graphite, decoupage and watercolor on watercolor paper

Hmmm....umm...LOL
If you can figure this one out, definitely drop me a note.

Saturday

My favorite shell.

Attended another craft/flea fair, but this time the only good thing about this affair was having an extended period of time to sit and talk with my mother. It was the first time since attending such sales events that I just barely made my table. The venue itself was completely inappropriate for me, but still there was much to take away and learn from as the day rolled by. Thankfully, by mid morning it warmed up. Sitting and not selling is better when the sun is out.

The worst part about such a day is reloading stuff into the car you didn't think you'd have to touch again cause it would be in the hands of another person. Needless to say, I unloaded the boxes and crates once home and just left them in the living room. I'll deal with them tomorrow.

Of course there is always a huge amount of reflection when art isn't sold or isn't accepted readily. This had nothing to do with my art. It was just a different type of venue and as I purged negative thoughts about my work (cause that is what happens to artists when things like this occur) my book of poems by Tennyson caught my eye. I said to myself that I would illustrate the first paragraph I saw when I opened the book. How fitting it landed to a paragraph about a shell and I immediately felt the need to pick up and study the most beautiful shell I have ever found on a beach. It's just one of those things I can't explain, cause it doesn't look like much, but it is a permanent piece in my studio and is always near where I can view it. I've drawn it so many times and I have yet to come close in capturing its beauty. I've come to the conclusion I probably never will capture it but it is always a challenge to try.

"The Shell"
Graphite and watercolor on watercolor paper.




"See what a lovely shell,
Small and pure as a pearl,
Lying close to my foot,
Frail, but a work divine,
Made so fairly well
With delicate spire and whorl,
How exquisitely minute,
A miracle of design!

~Tennyson

Chair Restoration

Chair taken from a dumpster.

More diversions from work in the studio. I happily welcome such diversions because they seem to keep my creative excitement flowing and they expand my imagination and skills. This chair was pulled from a dumpster, cleaned and then painted and given a xylene transfer.

White paint placed on chair.
I try to follow the grain of the wood when applying paint

Chair painted white.
Adding some dark patches in the crevices.

Oreo can't resist hanging
out under the chair. I couldn't resist snapping a shot
of his cute feeties...

Chair complete with Xylene transfers

Another shot of the chair

"Sweet Dreams"
Graphite, watercolor and acrylics on watercolor paper.

Hey Jude

Dude, that mustard yellow shirt...
its gotta go.

Hay Jude....
You need a beauty day!

So it was only a matter of time when someone would ask, "Hay, do you paint statues? My statue needs painting." This guy was in pretty bad shape. I believe the last time he was painted was before I left PA for college...which was (cough) many years (cough) ago. As far back as I can remember into childhood this statue graced our neighbor's lawn. It's safe to say he's probably older than I am.

Scraping, priming and painting fabric green...or blue...or red (traditional colors on such statues) was pretty ho hum but that medallion? Ohhh.....painting that in gold was my favorite part! I like using that gold paint. I must find more projects to use it on.

Ahh...I love when they are
all primed in white.

Yeah, work that medallion.

Earlier in the day I found a bird egg and of course needed to sketch it. No blue in this world comes close to the beauty found in a Robin's egg. I couldn't even reproduce it with my paints.

I love finding eggs.
I have a small collection which is now growing!

A decent attempt

More...

Quick sketch of the baby bird.

I woke with much anticipation of drawing and painting another baby bird I found yesterday while mowing the lawn. It was yet another beautiful example of beauty in decay and I was most intrigued by the tiny feathers that had started to grow on it's body already. The way they grew and the colors within the white of those feathers would offer a great challenge artistically.

I placed it on the side, in what I thought would be a safe place, but in the morning it was gone. Vanished. All I could recall from my memory was it's overall shape and a little bit of color.

Bistro section