Tiger Lily Love

What is it about tiger lilies that make me smile?

I think they give me a similar joy to the fuchsia with their movement and grace. It is almost like a dance as they develop from bloom to blossom to the final pose before their fall back to the earth.

One day, I got overly excited over a cluster of tiger lilies at a phenomenal garden we visited. Next thing I know the dearest man in my life, George, bought me a dozen tiger lily bulbs. He even helped me prepare the bed for planting.

This summer I was overjoyed with their presence and display.

Here is the first of my tiger lily paintings.

It is watercolor and ink. Stay tuned for the water-based oil painting..........

Re Do

After a week or so of scrutiny; snatching glimpses at the oil painting as it sat in my studio, I figured out what was wrong with the Magnolia Blossom painting.

Let's see if you can figure it out.........

First rendition:


Now, the FINAL painting!


Do you see the change? It is rather subtle. Better, right?

Sunday Sketches

I am sill obsessed with the magnolia blossom!

Previously I posted the block print version.

Here is my latest rendition in oils.


It feels great to be painting again after a quiet time.

View more Sunday Sketchers.

Return of Froggie

What is it about those little green frogs which create delight.......
not just for children, but also for adults who cannot resist calling them "cute"?

A couple of Sundays ago, I shared a watercolor and ink frog sketch and story on Sunday Sketches. Here is the sketch....

Well, that little froggie stayed in my thoughts and sparked the desire to paint its portrait in oils.

Now, isn't he cute?!?

Trillium Addiction

I cannot kick the habit! The trillium wildflowers are still in bloom in the woods, and some are turning from white to pink. I am still captivated by the two plants I saw growing tall against the massive cedar tree.

Here is the oil painting version.....

On my third rendition which is a large watercolor painting.

Addiction is acknowledged.

Recovery, uncertain.

Is it Gesso or What?

WHAT IS GESSO?

Gesso is a primer. Artists sometimes apply it to a surface before painting on it. In fact, gesso looks a lot like paint.

Originally, gesso only came in white. Artists put it on canvas, wood, or other surfaces before creating a painting with oil paint or acrylics.

Gesso makes the surface a little stiffer. It prevents paint from soaking into the support (canvas, paper, wood, etc.), and it gives the surface a little more texture (called "tooth"), so the paint sticks better.

Today, gesso comes in many colors. White is still the most popular, but black and colors are also widely used.


Recently, I have been painting with oils on canvas. I painted gesso over a few old oil paintings. Having seen paintings with texture, I decided to create even more texture by applying the gesso with a palette knife.

A couple days later, feeling dry to the touch, I painted the cedar tree and its boughs that I see outside my window on the textured, gesso canvas.


Look closely, you will notice that the tree trunk has interesting texture which I was excited about. BUT, the next day certain areas where the paint was applied heavily with a palette knife began cracking.


QUESTION:

What caused the cracking?

The cracking does not reflect the shape of palette knife strokes.
It is selective; both in areas of thick and thin paint.
The gesso felt dry.

Ideas, anyone?

Sunday Sketches

Still focusing on the subject of trees...

Again here is the Lucuma tree in the background with the Nuqchu flower at its base. This is fuchsia-like flower which blooms year round in the Sacred Valley of Peru.

The Nuqchu is the main plant of the Earth Garden at Willa T'kia. Carol relates that the cascades of flowers portray abundance, not just material abundance but also love. Their powerful spirit is believed to bring love to the base chakra. You can find out more about native flowers of Peru and Carol's chakra gardens in her book, Chakra Gardens.

First painting is a watercolor and ink sketch.


This painting is an oil on 12" X 12" canvas.

Mini Oils

Third time is the charm, right?!

I gessoed over these 4" X 5" mini canvases for the third time.

With the return of spring come my favorite little birds.

I decided to capture my totem animal on canvas.

Oddly, they post large which misses the point.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird

"Free Bird"

Today I finished an oil painting that came about after the two "warm up" paintings of the other day (previous posts). I was not able to return to painting outdoors as our liquid sunshine here in Washington has returned.

Earlier this year I treated myself to a session with an astrologist. Looking at the astrological chart of my birth and the positions of the planets at this time, she dubbed me a "free bird." Interesting enough, the "free bird" showed up in my oil painting, but I did not recognize its significance until I sat back to take in the painting. Paintings usually sit in a predominant spot in my studio where I can frequently glance at them to decide, finished or not, do I like it or not, what does it need?

Not only did this comment about the "free bird" linger with me, but also very fitting for my soon flight to Greece for the month of September.

An interesting thing happened........

The painting was done horizontally. When I set it to dry, I placed it vertical. Oh my gosh, what a difference! Check it out....




I like the flight of the bird going up and the waves crashing from right to left.

Which one do you like?

Painting Transformation

Yesterday, I blogged about my outdoor oil painting experience.

Another stellar day found me back on the deck, painting.

I began with the storm painting of yesterday.......


and transformed it into a fall scene........


This may change again, who knows?

Afterwards, I looked at my palette and noticed there was still plenty of paint. Not wanting to waste it, I pulled out the other canvas from yesterday which I dubbed the ocean.


Quickly it transformed into a pond of lilies.....


I am on a roll. Started another oil painting.

They predict rain tomorrow :(

Stay tuned.....

Oil Painting

Finally, set up the easel on the deck outside my studio as I planned to do all summer. Unfortunately, it is almost fall. But, I did it!


Notice my black dog, Ebony, curled up nearby
I was gifted with two small canvases from a friend who did not like the way her portrait was painted. Big mistake was to gesso over the oil painting with clear gesso. I found myself throwing on dark colors just to cover up the portraits.

In the first painting, I was having fun mixing colors and watching the runs happen. I am using a water-based oil paint and liked the effects of using water. This painting reminds me of the ocean. The photograph is lighter than the actual painting and I do not know how to photograph oils without getting a glare. Any suggestions?


In the second painting, after I intentionally covered up the faces of the portraits with dark paint, I grabbed a glob of yellow, mixed it with red, and added water allowing the paint to run. It reminded me of storm clouds. I stopped before I ruined the spontaneity.


I thought of these as a warm up to my next painting.

To be continued.......

Edgar Degas

I learned a few new interesting facts about Edgar Degas while reading Trewin Copplestone's book, Edgar Degas, to my art therapy client.

Edgar Degas who lived from 1834-1917, became a professional painter through a change in his family's fortunes. He grew up the privileged son of wealthy and cultured parents and despite his interest in art was destined for a career in law until the failure of the family back. Not the typical starving artist!

Rene-Hilaire De Gas
1857
Oil
Edgar Degas was 23 years old when he painted this portrait of his grandfather.

Degas, being the oldest grandson, spent a great deal of time with his grandfather who was the source of his financial security.

More than any of his famous contemporaries, while possibly excluding Manet, Degas was a traditionalist painter. He was dismissive of the Impressionist technique as a method, although he participated in most of the group's early exhibitions. As a result, he is more closely allied in popular understanding with Impressionism than he himself ever wished to be.

Best know for his paintings of ballet dancers, Degas was an urbane and savagely witty man, choosing his subjects from the cultured society life of Paris in which he was a well known figure.

The Green Dancers
1877-9
Pastel and Gouache