TEAPOT - 2

Second layer of washes - beginning to work on the handle, top. reflections, roses, lace.
You can see a light raw sienna wash on the lace, and a slight blue on the edge of the drape of the lace over the edge of the table.
Added more yellow to roses and began some shadowing of the roses.  In retrospect, wish I had NOT begun the shadows now.
I believe this is how it looked when I began the presentation to GCWS.

BLUE TEAPOT - START

Here is the start of a teapot in casein. This was part of my mom’s tea set which still has the sugar bowl, but the creamer must have long since been lost or broken.
I had a demo about casein to give to the GCWS at the beginning of August, and decided this would make a good photo to work from – lace and roses and a solid reflective surface!
I enlarged the photo and marked my reference spots onto the board and then drew in the rest. The centers of roses are just sort of squiggles that make them look like roses, and lace is, well, get a few of the open areas dead on and our eyes tell us “look – lace!”
blue teapot

Here is the first wash.

BALL JARS FINISHED

I did a few more “nit picky” things and now I think it’s finished.

Sometimes you just enjoy a painting right from the start, and this was one of those. I enjoyed every mark I put on the paper and every stroke of paint that went down! Wow, that just hardly ever happens.
For some reason my husband grew fond of this one, too, and was interested in the whole process!

I’m pretty happy with this one.

Muncie’s Pride, 15x20, watercolor on Arches 300#

BALL JARS 4

Gradual addition of paint to the jars and closures. I love painting rust! Not sure what that says about me!

BALL JARS 3

Here another wash of color has been added, miskit still applied.

Then I removed the miskit and began working on each jar, slowly(!).

BALL JARS 2

(Photos are taken as the painting developed and there is a curl to the paper, if you are wondering why the odd angle of the jars!)

Here is the painting with miskit to preserve white reflected areas.

This is the initial wash.

There was a 2nd layer of miskit applied to retain more light areas.
This is the 2nd wash of color.

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

After a lovely dinner with Rhonda and Nick Simmons last Monday night, I was in a great mood, until I was faced with a disastrous Tuesday.
It began with vandalism to our mailbox. We have had several instances in the past that are more “prank” than vandalism (allegedly) done by a young neighbor, but this definitely crossed the line. Both another neighbor, who was also targeted, and I called in the local sheriff. There is no way I can show the photos of the lovely “artwork” the little demon left on my mailbox and on two places on the county road. Enamel spray paint will take some time to wear off the road, and never will wear off our mailbox.

Then, to add insult to injury, later in the day while putting out more paint, the end of the tube split and created a little tiny hole that I didn’t notice until the cobalt blue casein had squirted onto the front of my shirt. Even though I sprayed it with everything in my laundry arsenal and washed it immediately, it still retains the blue dots.
Some days you just look forward to bedtime!

BALL JARS

I took this photo of some Ball canning jars in Metamora, IN, an old and historic town close by. This photo has been in my head as a possible painting for a while and I finally decided to do something about it!

I enlarged the photo and got my reference marks for the jars, and then drew. I meant to keep good track of how long this painting took but part way through I forgot to remember to keep track of the time!!! And, of course, I forgot to take a photo at each stage. Just too much to remember when I get into “painting mode”!

GREATER CINCINNATI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY AUGUST MEETING

On Wednesday, August 4, I gave a presentation about casein to our watercolor society.

I don’t think people realize what goes into making a presentation, unless they have done it. A couple of weeks were spent in getting 3 paintings ready to demo, in addition to some info to pass out, and something to work on for the w/s following the program. And, not to mention having to load it all into the car, from the car to the building and all back again in unbearably hot and humid weather! Thank goodness my casein paintings are lightweight and portable!  And thank goodness there were kind people there who volunteered to help - namely Les, Jean, Ritzi, Rhonda, Sally, Jo and Jane!

And then there is always the concern – a la Sally Field – “will they like me, really like me?”

I had started two paintings to work on and brought one to start so I could show the group how I typically (not "always"!) begin my paintings, whether working in w/c, fluid acrylic or casein.  Rhonda was kind enough to snap a few photos with my camera, so here are some photos of yours truly hard at work!  (Unfortunately she seems to have left off the "Raquel Welch" filter and therefore I'm not really sure who that gray haired older woman is in the photos).

First up was the beginning of a bromeliad which I had drawn out.  I wet the board and applied water and paint for my start.

Next I worked a little bit on a painting of daffodils and fruit, which I have previously painted in fluid acrylic on canvas.  I showed the group how I paint apples, pears and bananas - in preparation for the afternoon w/s.

Then on to my tea pot.  I showed them how I painted in the rim of the pot to achieve a golden ceramic color; then I painted some lace for them - again in preparation for the afternoon w/s.

Last but not least, here is a photo of a portion of the group.  We usually get 40-50 people at each meeting; sometimes the summers a few less since people will be travelling on vacations then.

I received many favorable comments on the demo and w/s afterward, so even though it was a long day, it was also a very rewarding day.

For a few photos of the w/s after the program, go to Rhonda's blog, her August 5th post!

WATERCOLOR BATIK - TULIP

Of my recent watercolor batiks, this one is my favorite.  I'm very happy with the vibrancy of the colors and the shading I achieved.
w/c 1/4 sheet size
Tulip, Watercolor batik

BEST OF AMERICAN WATERMEDIA and GEORGIA WATERCOLOR SOCIETY

Well, I didn’t really believe it until my book came, but two of my paintings - Sunlit Pears II (casein) and Roses on Grandma’s Quilt (watercolor) have been published in Best of American Watermedia J-Z! I’m very flattered – to be in a book with Chris Krupinski, Pablo Villicana Lara, Laurin McCracken, and many other fine painters. And by no means am I comparing myself to them – I’ve got quite a way to go for that! As my daughter told me “You better step up your game, Mom!”

But, still, I’ll take compliments wherever I can get them!

My congrats also to Chris Beck who is in the volume A-I.

In addition - my painting Agave (watercolor) has been accepted into the Georgia Watercolor Society Juried Members Exhibition - the juror was Linda Baker.