Cottage House

Saturday was painting class - what I like about being in a painting class is the collective creative energy of the group and the interaction between fellow students and the teacher.  Generally, people are very complimentary and encouraging about each other's work.  I know I can do a painting in my studio but it can be a solitary experience. 
So, here is my painting from yesterday.
Linda

Superbowl Pear

I am still experimenting with the palette knife.  Using the palette knife versus using a brush is sort of like preferring crunchy peanut butter to creamy.  So much texture with the palette knife - much smoother with the brush.  Both are very fun to do . . . I feel like I don't have near the control with the palette knife - but that keeps me loose!  so, here is one crunchy and one creamy.
Linda

Traditional Still Life

Painted a traditional still life today . . . in sort of a Cezanne-like style . . .

Rooster

The last day of the workshop, we gathered all of the skills we had learned with the palette knife and worked on a rooster!  Here is my specimen!
Linda

Happy New Year!

It probably seems like I fell off the face of the earth - but I haven't!  Life just gets in the way sometimes.  So, here we are in the New Year and I can start off with a resolution of painting more often.

Last week I took a painting workshop in South Pasadena with a great artist (and great person as well) - Leslie Saeta.  It was a 3-day workshop and we painted ONLY with a palette knife the entire 3 days.  The workshop was held in Leslie's studio (which is actually the carriage house behind her house that has been converted into her studio).  And one evening Leslie even has us over for dinner.  The entire 3 days were terrific.

On day one of the workshop, we did these apples . . . while trying out this new technique.  This painting is on a 6x6 panel.

The second day of the workshop, we painted boats and reflections.  The boats are on an 8x8 panel:

If you like a "painterly" style painting, you will like palette knife paintings.  You can really see the strokes and the paint.

So, Happy New Year - here's to more painting and more often!
 Linda

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