Sleeping Rhino

Another result of spending a day with Leslie, she has a way of unwittingly (well, I am unwitting, she is not) luring me in a direction that makes me become more ambitious than I really am.  After painting this drawing I did over a week ago, I actually completed another larger drawing and started to paint it….something that rarely happens when I am alone.  Granted, this piece is little like the titmouse, but, normally that’s a day for me.   Nothing wrong with a little push in the right direction I suppose.  Thanks Les, and I’m still not sure about this one.

Tufted Titmouse

I tried this titmouse to keep in line with my new found interest in painting animals.  I used masking fluid to help create the bird’s furry feathers and was almost able to use the same pallet I had out from the giraffe.  This is much smaller than my usual stuff at only 8″x9″, I didn’t want to get too adventerous yet and thought a smaller piece would be easier.   I’ll have to search my zoo pictures for a new reference idea, practice makes perfect, doesn’t it?  Well, it at least makes things a little better…..

Great Neck-SOLD

So, I spent the day at Leslie’s house, host of what has become a  great “teaching” artwork  blog site called Lesliepaints .    I have had the good fortune of being friends with Leslie for over 12 years, a friendship that has definitely influenced my artwork, as well as  my ambition to continue to paint and she was the driving force for this blog site.   Leslie encouraged me to act upon my expressed interest in varying my work from primarily landscapes and architecture to adding animals to the mix.   When I wanted to start doing this, of course, I called her.  Painting with Leslie is like nothing you have experienced while painting alone.  While she enjoys watching another artist’s style at work,  her input is priceless, noteworthy, entertaining, useful and appreciated.  This giraffe is from the same photo Leslie used to compose her piece Giraffe Portrait.   It is always interesting to both of us to see the different colors and style that appears when we do the same piece, this mainly derived from our trips through the Indiana countryside painting landscapes plein air style together.   Our finished pieces were always a world apart and fabulous to see.   An artist’s style is definitely their signature, every artist has their own and all are definitely unique and wonderful.  This was a fun and informative day, thanks Leslie.  I may be on my way in the animal world.

ST. PAUL CHURCH IN ITS NEW HOME AND FRAMED

The people who bought this piece from me were excited to have it custom framed and matted and get it hung in their home, so they sent me this photo.   Ignore the reflection of their stained glass lamp in the upper right corner.   I thought that was very cool of them, I think they did a fabulous job on matting and I am very impressed with this elaborate frame.  Makes an artist feel good about what they do when see their work this way and being enjoyed.  I’ll certainly miss this one, it was one of my best.  But, I did have prints made before it was framed, so at least I have those.  Still, nothing is like the original.  Thanks to Depra and Stephane for sending me this.

First Impressions

Okay, the message isn’t genius, but I thought it would be fun to do my cartoon fish, Glub,  in a comic style with blocks.  This one is “first impressions” , as that is what is important when encountering a member of the opposite sex, isn’t it?….maybe not, but for Glub, bigger is better for his first impression with this hot number…..regardless of the minimal humor provided, this style is fun to do….it is ink and colored pencil

Round Barn Winery Near New Buffalo Michigan

I finally finished this one, it was a long road, consisting of  many layers and patience I am normally void of while doing a piece with this much going on.   I managed to make it look alot like the barn in Michigan, so since that was the goal, I guess I am happy with it.   This is watercolor, ink, gouche and masking fluid.  I applied several layers of color on the barn over masking, then applied more masking on the colored layers before applying a layer of white gouche over top to finish the barn siding. I am always excited to start a new piece, but then wind up equally as excited to finish it!

CITYSCAPE

Cityscape in watercolor and conte.  This won first place in the landscape category at an art contest for me, the reward was a certificate for art supplies, which was nice to have, since supplies are certainly not cheap.   This is one of the looser pieces I have done, I think it worked for this piece and is a good example of watercolor, when I was in college, an art professor told us that “one in every 500 watercolors is a good example of the medium”, I completely disagree, and Leslie White , is a good example as to why, almost everything she posts is a good example of what this medium is about–thanks Leslie.  My sister hounded me for this one, so I gave her a copy, but eventually, I had to give in and give her the original.

A Photo from Deva

This fabulous photo was taken by a young photographer, after my posting of a sunflower I did in watercolor, she has definitely done this beautiful flower far more justice than I did and makes you think harder about us all, “loving mother earth”, thanks Deva and thanks for keeping nature real and beautiful for us.

Bev’s Yard

I had forgotten all about this piece I did while sitting in my sister’s back yard in Sacramento, until I got here and saw it on the wall.  That was a fun day, it was beautiful outside, of course, and I did this lazy day ink drawing, she loved it, but I always tell her it is just a “scribble” mostly…I did most of it by just scribbling around with the pen to give the illusion of foliage, that’s what I mean by lazy…didn’t even take the time to draw leaves!  But I will say, this style was fun and moved fast creating good energy.   Good day….

NOTE CARDS BY DISSEN GALLERY

HISTORIC FORT WAYNE

I had this set of “Historic Fort Wayne” (set 1-includes: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, CLub Soda, The Sunbeam Bread Sign and Smith Airfield) notecards made from some of my artwork and was very happy with how they came out.  I am always looking for new ways to express and share my works.

INDIANA LANDSCAPES

I titled this set, “Indiana Landscapes” (set 1–includes:  The Noble County Infirmary Barn, The Spenverville Covered Bridge, Haigg Schoolhouse and a Northern Indiana Landscape) and hope to do two more sets with different works of each of these categories soon.   I think the works  look better reduced onto cards!  I told the printer she actually made it look like I could paint.  These are fun to do and have to share with friends and family.   I hope my month long visit to Sacramento brings me some new and interesting subjects for new works to incorporate into other ventures with art.