Charleston Art Tours

Just a quick plug for Charleston Art Tours - the brilliant idea of local artists Karen Hagan and Martha Sharp. When you or your friends come to Charleston and are overwhelmed by the galleries and artwork, they will provide a guided tour through some of the best in the city, and show you what's new. They've garnered a wealth of information on both local and national artists and will share it all with you for the two hour tour.

Click here for their link

"Grey Scarf"

When I was in Paris, Sam and I were walking past a cafe where these two girls were having coffee. I walked past, then got the nerve to go back and ask if I could take a couple of pictures, and they obliged. The scarf, the pose and the old world feel inspired the small painting last week.

This was done before I took a two day life painting class from Jill Hooper. She demonstrated the classical approach that she has studied for years both here in the States and in Florence. An incredible painter and wonderful teacher, she showed us a glimpse of what she has studied over the years, and I cannot say how impressed and in awe I am of her talent.

Should be interesting when I start my next painting - I may be a bit better, may be totally confused! One thing I did learn and found so helpful was "sight size" method and think it will help so much with the measurements I struggle with.

"Grey Scarf" 10x8

available

"Rita"

So far - this is my favorite. I think doing 4 a week was a bit ambitious, so scaled down to two this week (will post the other one later). I am in the throes of switching over computers and feel technically challenged and overloaded. Throw that in with my camera class and all I dream about is f-stops and programming. yuk.

Again from a photo, but at least did what I set out to do. Love her skin tones with the warms and cools, and think I'm getting better with all the practice. Next week is the dreaded self portrait...but better do it before I get any older.

"Rita" 10x8

First Week Portraits

I finished the first week of small portraits, and it's been a great learning tool. As I don't want to paint like the old masters, but with more transparency, I chose a demo of Carolyn Andersons that I relate to for the first one - nice quick, broad strokes.

The second one is a study of a piano player in a Paris flea market that will one day be a large painting. The bottom left is Sam and the one next to her is Morgan (his rapper pose). Sam says I am cheating by using the sunglasses, but I like the look. She's probably right though, so "eyes included" will be next week.

All done on 20x16 - ordered more portrait linen to try these on as there is too much grain I think for the little paint I'm using.

Back to portraits...

I decided to go back to my idea of working on portraits every week, and took a 20x16 canvas, divided it up into quarters, and do a small one everyday. I think it's like doing the scales of the piano, you just need to practice over and over again - without the commitment to having a finished piece. That way I can just paint, experiment, be loose and work my way through the process.

The bad thing is that they are done from photos right now - the good thing is, when i rope someone into sitting here for a couple of hours, I'll have done my practice.

To the right - my daughter Sam

10x8

"Best Friends"

I am finishing off my last painting before packing for vacation - a much needed one for both John and me. Not even sure if I am taking paints with me so I can take a break, but not sure that's possible. I know there will be one day that I will regret not having them with me, and the FInger Lakes are really beautiful this time of year. I can't wait to sit at the end of the dock and dangle my feet in the water, see my friends, and have fires at night by the lake.

Wanted to post this painting done of a couple's dogs I painted a few weeks ago. My first dogs - and very happy they looked so much like them!

"All Things French"

Company is gone, and I am back in the studio getting ready for the show in Greenville, NC this week. Most of the small paintings are shipped but I'm taking the big ones with me, and really excited about the show being hung. Jennifer Young is the other artist who has done traveling and painting in France so it will be nice to see and hear about her travels.

The work is a collection of places I've been, painted on location, or things I've bought in flea markets in Paris - preview on line at City Art Gallery

Stop in if you are out and about in Greenville this Thursday, August 5 (6-8)

Tree House

Grandson Jonah is here for ten days and before he got here we started on the tree house for him. Great fun, and it has now grown into the two level, "overflow guest room". It's a good thing I paint and not do construction because I am a total klutz with the nail gun - not bad with the saw though. Either way, Jonah loves it, the neighbor kids love it and I have gone through $50 worth of juice boxes. 

Roof goes on tomorrow, and John is the hero of the neighborhood.

I have total respect for anyone who has kids and tries to get in time for painting - not sure how you do it.

"Glads"

Fellow painter and blogger, Karen Appleton, talks about "pieces of a painting that you fall in love with", and does a great job (the best I think) painting bows and presents. I was thinking about certain paintings I've done that have those special spots, and "Glads" has that for me. It was one of those times where you have the still life set up, the light is just right, and you know if it isn't fast and loose, tomorrow just won't be the same. And white always has a special appeal to me. Creating shadows that aren't just spots of purple, and hold a special quality all their own.

"Glads" 30x15 (detail shown)

Piccolo Spoleto

A nose for art.......

4 days left!

"Longchamps - #7"

"Longchamps - #7" 24x36 oil. Sorry the image isn't the best - still working a bit on this one, but having a wonderful time all week painting, listening to Jazz, and working on images from France.

John has been asking for three years when we visit Paris, to visit Longchamps,so we all took a day to go to the races. It worked out well as I was content on taking pictures, and they were all busy studying the racing forms. (No big winners by the way - I bet $10 on number 2. Lost by a nose.)

Painting animals has been a nice new challenge, and Piccolo Spoleto is going to consist of a lot of people, cafes, music, birds, etc. Except for my favorite kinds of still lifes (vintage stuff), a lot of things with movement.

"Wing Tips"

One of the places I love to go when I go visit my daughter, is the flea market in the North of Paris. This year was even more fun because John went with us and was totally amused by the array of goods (and prices) of the vendors. I was on the hunt for an egg beater (found), and these shoes that I had seen last fall. I now have lots of inspiration from our Saturday trip- the first being "Wing Tips", 10x8 oil on board, painted in my little apartment in the Bastille.