Girl in Swimsuit

So,  haven't painted in about 3 weeks -- life is getting in the way!  I hate it when that happens.   But, I painted today - did a 6x8 study of a girl in a swimsuit.  Here she is:

It's All in the Hat

While I was up in Petaluma last month taking a painting class, one of the days we had this model who donned this darling hat.  So, took a couple photos of her.  In today's painting class, I decided to try and paint from my photograph.  It is a loose, impressionistic version of the photograph.
Linda

No faces, just pomegranates

My painting teacher had an empty easel for today's class,  so I decided to fill the spot.  We painted a still life of pomegranates.  Great day!  Stopped at the Oceanside Museum of Art on my way home as I wanted to see the exhibit of Francoise Gilot - a French woman who had 2 children by Picasso and was married to Jonas Salk and lived in La Jolla.  She is 90 and still alive - and spends her time in La Jolla, New York and Paris.  She paints mostly abstracts, not a subject I am usually drawn to, but loved the colors and it wasn't so abstract that you couldn't pick out birds or trees or sailboats.  Lovely exhibit.
Here is today's painting:

Workshop of Faces and Figures

I recently took a 3-day painting workshop from a teacher I have not taken from before - Al Tofanelli.  He was terrific!  We had a live model all 3 days of the workshop and did lots of small studies.  We started with  10 minutes value studies in black and white . . . here are three:

 The next day we stayed with faces, but moved to a limited palette - again, these are quick studies, not finished paintings:

The last day, we did figures - 40 minutes poses:

The workshop was super fun - only 6 of us in the class -- and on the last day, 4 of the 6 students had to leave at noon - so I had a semi-private lesson in the afternoon.  This workshop only reinforced that I love doing figurative work.
Linda

Another face . . .

I received an e-mail today that contained an inspiring quote:

"A writer -- and, I believe, generally all persons -- must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource.  All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely.  All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art."    Jorge Luis Borges (writer)

I am still trying to shape my art . . . here is the latest face:
Linda

Self Portrait

What better way to start a figure and faces journey than to practice on someone who is readily available:  me!  I had painted a couple of self portraits several years ago.  A photo of the first one I painted is posted first -- a very dear friend of mine said it looked like John Lennon!  Not quite the look I was going for.  Ha!  So, here is the first one (it is okay to laugh):

Okay, now here is the latest painting -- and I don't think anyone realizes how difficult it is to get a likeness of someone until you actually try to do it.  So, I don't think it looks like me -- and it is a little primitive, but I have to start somewhere.  I do think it is interesting to see how my painting style has changed over the last several years.  So, i think the important thing is to keep painting and see what happens.  Will keep you posted . . .
Linda

A different path . . .

I feel that by taking from the same teacher (as opposed to workshops from different teachers) for the last year has helped me to become a better painter - but, more importantly, more confident in my ability as a painter.  Put simply, I now know I can paint.

My interest in figures/faces in art goes way back.  Whenever I go to art shows, galleries or museums, I am always dawn to the figurative work.  I have dabbled in efforts to paint figures/faces, but haven't pursued it seriously.  I have drawn a lot of "caricatures" for my watercolor cards - and that's what I like, loose, impressionistic, whimsical - not photo realism.

As in anything else, practice is the key to improving.  I have decided to really concentrate on figures/faces for the next 6 months.   This will be an experimentation of sorts - to have fun, try different media and see what emerges.  I will post some paintings/drawings as I travel on this artistic path.

In that vein, I am taking a sketch book with me everywhere (actually drew some people while at jury duty today).  Here is a photo of a couple little drawings I did the other night while watching TV -- it will be easy to make them into gift tags.
Linda

Lily Pad Paintings

This afternoon, I headed over to work and hung the 2 lily pad paintings.  Took me awhile to get them exactly even, but voila! Here they are . . .
Linda

Getting Funky!

So, in class today we painted a still life with sunflowers.  I love sunflowers, but have not had great success painting them.  Once I got my canvas covered, I decided to wipe it all off and start over.  My teacher told me not to wipe it out, but said "you have to funk it up!"  So, I took out my palette knife and got funky. 
Here are today's sunflowers!
Linda

Lily Pads - Part Deux

Okay, here is the second painting of the lily pads - to be hung next to last week's painting.  Once the paintings dry and I hang them up at work, I will show you what they look like together.
Linda

Daisies

Did a quick little painting of daisies this afternoon.  I love daisies - they are so cheerful!
Linda

Lily Pads

There is a large vacant wall at work and a couple people keep asking me to do a painting for that wall.  So, thinking it would be a good place to show a piece of my work, I decided to do 2 paintings to hang side by side, each 24x24.  The following is my first attempt, next week I will try to do the companion piece.  We'll see how they look together and I will go from there. 
Linda

Still Life and Figure

At my last painting class, I decided to paint what the rest of the class was painting (a landscape at the San Diego Mission).  I believe painting is my expression of a particular subject matter.  I can paint a sky orange or green if I want, because it is my painting and my expression.  And I believe it is important to listen to my inner voice - it's really amazing to feel an instant connection to a particular subject - or have something not move you in any way.  It's important for me to be excited about what I am going to paint.  Last week, I didn't listen to my inner voice - I painted along with the rest of the class.  That painting ended up in the trash!  But, yesterday, I had a better day . . . I first painted a small (8x10) lemon painting - and then I had time to start a figurative painting, which I finished up last night.
Here are yesterday's efforts . . .

Roses

I think most painters will tell you that roses are difficult to paint -- here is my very loose rendition of roses - I can't decide if I like the foreground color - I may wipe it out and try a different color.  That's the beauty of oil paint - you can always change your mind!
Linda

Blue and White Hydrangeas

Well, after feeling so good after last week's painting, I thought I would attempt some more flowers.  Hydrangeas to be exact.  Ugh.  Okay, let's look at the positive.  I love the red background, which I probably wouldn't have been bold enough to try in my early painting days.  I am getting better at painting glass vases.  I will divulge that the painting was of 2 white hydrangeas - one in light and one in shadow.  So, okay, it didn't turn out that way.  I will call it Blue and White Hydrangeas!  Who will know (except you and me)????  But, most importantly, I want to appreciate that I am progressing and still learning each and every time I paint a painting.
So, here are my Blue and White Hydranges.
Linda

A Good Day!

Went to painting class today, but new beginning student in class today, so was pretty much on my own, which was fine.  I just jumped in and started painting.  I am pleased with the results.  It feels like all these years of working hard, painting a lot, and taking classes are starting to pay off.  I am feeling more confident as a painter and having lots more fun!  So, here is today's painting:

Also, I learned today that 1600 pieces of art were submitted to the San Diego County Fair - so feeling very lucky to have gotten 1 painting in the show.

Tea House

Had painting class today - subject matter was the tea house at Descanso Gardens in LaCanada.  I have been there many times - a beautiful place to visit, but would not have thought to paint the tea house.  The interesting thing about today's painting is that I painted the painting quite loosely in a thin layer of paint.  Then I went over the painting with thicker paint, applying it with a palette knife.  I think it looks sort of "edgy" - but fun for a change!  Here it is . . .
Linda

And here is a photo of a painting I did last weekend with my friend in the Bay area . . . it is from a photo from Umbria, Italy.

Mary

I was away for the long weekend visiting my dear friend Mary (and her husband Phil) in the Bay area.  It was a wonderful weekend.  As a gift to Mary, I gave her a portrait that I had painted of her.  (I think she liked it!)  Here is a photo of the portrait.  Also - I did get one painting accepted into the San Diego County Fair!
Linda

Lady In Waiting

I am attaching a photo of a painting I did in class today.  I had painted a smaller version (8x10) a few weeks ago - today I painted BIG!  It is 24x30. 
Linda

Workshop - Day 2

Today we were doing figurative work and were supposed to be outdoors, but it was raining this morning.  We stayed in the studio and continued with value studies with 10 minutes poses.  Here are a couple of mine . . .

After lunch, the weather improved and we moved outside into the parking lot - the light was very different from being in the studio. So, now we are moving to 15 minute poses (really not a long time when you are trying to do a little study) . . . so, a couple more examples:

and then, towards the end of the day, we painted a 20 minute pose:

It was a great workshop - even tho it is challenging to make color/value decisions, do the drawing, paint the painting in just 20 minutes.  When I left today's class, the teacher complimented me on my work - but also said "embrace the mistakes".  Again, another life lesson!
Linda

Workshop

Today was the first day of a 2-day workshop with Peggi Kroll Roberts.  Not only is Peggi a wonderful artist - but she is a wonderful person as well.  Today we did value studies with still lifes - tomorrow we will have a live model and will do figurative studies.  Here is a sample of today's studies . . . will post tomorrow my figurative work.
Linda

A New Avenue

Well, I have always been drawn to figurative paintings and portraits - not the formal type portraits, but those done in the impressionistic style.  I have tried doing figurative work in the past but haven't really stuck with it for any length of time.  I feel like I am ready to explore it.  So, along those lines, here is a painting I did today from a black and white photo in a magazine.

Also, I have decided to enter 2 paintings in the San Diego County Fair - it is a juried show, so won't know for a while whether or not the paintings are accepted.  I entered the "House on C Street" - painting that I mentioned in my last blog entry (that I decided not to put in the gallery show) and the following painting - "Le Cafe" - will post any results.
Linda

Gallery Experience

When I started this blog back in February, I posted a photo of a painting of a house in old town Tustin that I was hoping to enter into a show at a gallery in Tustin.  The requirement of the show was that the subject matter of the painting had to be something in Tustin.  So, last week, I took my paperwork to the gallery and was told that I could not put my painting in the show with a "NFS" (not for sale).  I was also told that I had to price it low because I was an amateur and that the gallery would keep 50% if it did in fact sell.  Yes, I am an amateur - I don't think that is anything to be ashamed of.  And I am not ashamed of the fact that I put my heart into my paintings - and become attached to a few that I am particularly pleased with.  The gallery owner told me that as an amateur I would paint a lot more paintings and it was better to get the "gallery experience".  Maybe I am just not ready for the "gallery experience".  I like to compare painting to a photographer who sometimes takes 200 photos before he gets that one photo that he is really proud of.   Yes, I will paint a lot more paintings and grow as an artist, but if there are a few that are special to me, I will continue to enjoy them and only part with them when I am ready.
Here is the painting of the "House on C Street".
Linda

Something yellow

I had a friend ask for a painting of "something yellow"!  Hmmm.  Yellow isn't a color I use a lot.  At least she didn't specify the subject matter.  So, attached is my first attempt at something yellow.  More attempts will be needed for sure.

I am off to paint plein air at Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad tomorrow . . . will post any attempts.  It's just fun to say Batiquitos!!!!

here is something yellow . . .

Koi Fish

At today's painting class, I chose to paint something different than the rest of the class.  They were painting a seascape - it just didn't speak to me.  So, I tried painting some koi fish.  I also realized that I need to get out and take some photos so that the paintings that I do from photos are from my original photographs.  So, that's on my agenda for tomorrow!
Here is today's painting . . .

Water Lilies

Here is my latest painting from yesterday's art class.  My routine is to bring any painting I do (whether it's painted at home or in a class/workshop) and set it up on my mantle for a few days.  I will walk past it several times a day and, usually, if something needs correcting or touch up, then I can do that.  That is the beauty of oil paint, that it stays wet for a while so editing is easy.  In this painting, I had another flower bud in the background.  This morning I took it out - it was too confusing. Linda

A new (not original) painting

I am attaching a photo of a painting that I COPIED from a wonderful artist, Catherine Grawin.  I saw this painting in her studio and loved it!  When I told her, she said, so paint it!  I am not going to reproduce it or sell it - it will just be for my own enjoyment.  I haven't copied paintings in a long time -- it's a great way to learn to paint in the beginning - the composition is already there and you don't have to figure out colors.  It can be overwhelming in the beginning - at least it was for me - so much to figure out.   Lots of teachers use copying as a teaching tool to beginning students so you can get comfortable with the media.  Anyway, I love the painting and here it is . . .
Linda

 

Chianti

The hardest thing for me with painting is not to have expectations when starting a painting -- and to not be disappointed when it doesn't turn out the way I expected.  I guess that applies to life also.  In today's class, our lesson was to learn how to paint glass.  We used a Chianti bottle and a wine bottle.  Let me tell you, glass is not easy!  I am attaching a photo of my painting.  I guess in life, as in painting, lessons are for learning - and in that respect, today was a success. But I may have to do a few more paintings of glass to get the hang of it (and maybe drink a little Chianti while I am at it)!
Linda

Farm on Old Milky Way Road

I had another very fun painting class today.  I painted a farm - always good practice to paint architecture and the landscape.  And I have a couple ideas for paintings percolating in my brain!
Here is today's painting:  (11x14)

Camellias

I absolutely love flowers, but I don't feel that I have been super successful with painting them.  So, today in painting class, we painted a vase with white camellias - I painted them very loosely and infused the background with lots of color.  I had a lot of fun painting them!  So, tomorrow I will try again - will post any attempts.  My painting is 11x14.  Here is a photo . . .

Plein Air at Torrey Pines

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day - perfect for plein air painting in San Diego County.  I took a 1-day workshop at Torrey Pines State Park - in the morning we painted a view of the coastline and, after lunch, we painted a view of Penasquitos Marsh looking toward the Torrey Pines headland.  I will post a photo of the view and then my painting.  For me, painting is about my expression of what I see - I do not want to ever do a photo realtistic painting - I can take a photograph for that.  I want to express what I am feeling when I look at my subject matter.  As you can see, I infused the scene with a lot of color . . .
so, first the photo:

now, my painting:

Linda

Today's Painting

I had a good painting class today - the subject matter was clouds.  The teacher told us to just "make up" a foreground (easy for her to say).  I usually am either painting what I see or using a photograph as reference material.  So . . .  I made up the foreground.  It was not the focal point of the painting so didn't need to contain a lot of detail.  Actually, I paint in a loose style - and the clouds are even a little abstract.  Anyway, had a fun day - good comraderie, a glass of vino and painting!  What could be better than that?!
Linda

Monday at the Mission

I wasn't sure if the weather would cooperate for 4 of us gals to paint plein air at the San Juan Mission today, but it turned out to be the most beautiful day!  Because it was a holiday today, there were lots of people at the Mission, which is the main problem I have with plein air painting - I get so uptight with all the people who stop to look at what I am painting, comment on my painting - even though I have yet to have someone say something negative about my painting!  Two of the gals I painted with today sold their paintings right off of the easel!  It was exciting!  We tried to make them pay for lunch, but they wouldn't go for it!  So, here I am painting at the Mission.

.

Saturday's Painting

Had my painting class in Solana Beach today -- I will attach a photo of the painting I did - although I am not happy with it.  It is not finished - but I realized that I don't have as much success with a painting if the subject matter is not something I connect with or really want to paint.  Today's painting is of La Jolla Cove - which is a beautiful spot.  I have to remind myself that I cannot expect to have success every time I paint a painting - and  also try to remember that I am learning more from the challenging paintings.  So, I must be learning a lot!  ha ha.  The big bold strokes you see are the teacher's - she helped me quite a bit today.

I am hoping to paint plein air at the San Juan Mission on Monday with 3 art pals (if it's not raining) - will post if I do!
Linda

Greeting Cards

I love making greeting cards for my friends.  It's so funny because no matter what they look like, I seem to get a good response!  It's lovely.  And, just like with the faces I do, the greeting cards are meant to be funny and silly and whimsical!  I try to carry a sketch book with me at all times - for doodling or jotting down ideas when they come into my head.  Sometimes it's as simple as seeing something somewhere and it sparks an idea.   Or sometimes I just sit down and start drawing a card and see what evolves.  Then you add a little glitter for sparkle and voila!  I have this habit of sitting watching TV and working on my cards.  So, I have attached a couple of examples that I worked on last night.  I am off to Solana Beach tomorrow for my art class - hopefully will have a painting to post tomorrow . . .

Linda