Yellow Swing

It's summer and time to go up Nort' to the lake cabin. This a charming lake cabin that has been in the Jones' Family for many years. My neighbors, Paul and Anne, asked me to paint it from photos as a birthday gift.

I See the Forest

For Instructor Richard's studio class Mary brought garden flowers and a lovely yellow vase to paint. While I have never gravitated to painting still life from unsuccessful attempts in the past, I am enjoying the speed and vitality of a 3 hour session. After about an hour and a half I looked at the other two painters work and discovered that they really were painting the flowers and vase as the main subject matter. Amazing! I looked at the same thing and saw the table cloth, vase, shadow composition (oh, yeah, there were flowers there, too!). I am truly a landscape painter. I see the forest and not the trees, as it seems. (Left room for lots of commentary here--be gentle).

Which brings us up to date on my painting struggles and triumphs. Based on the above composition, it is apparent that I am able to view a subject and pick out simplicity of shape and form. The next step, and this is the critical one to make an OK painting a great painting, is what to put back in. The exquisite dashes and dots and sparkles that speak to the light source and follow form. To be or not to be? Oh, what to leave in; what to leave out? That is the question.

I have to learn to see both--the forest... and the trees...

4th of July

I admit it. I was a slug. Here is the only painting that I completed in 3 vacation days. Work with me on this...

Note to KK. Found the doll clothes that you made for me. Why didn't you go into fashion design? I had the MOST STYLIN' outfits for Cisette & Betsy. Sisters--S&S and I had a wonderful time reminiscing. Wish you could have been there.