Better Late than Never

Here is the piece I meant to photograph yesterday (and forgot to). It is a 24 inch square oil. The piece isn't finished yet but I need for the oil to dry a bit before I go back in for some detail highlights!

Forgotten Image

Sometimes, I think I've done something and I've not. Like take the photo of today's piece. Went to Blogger to upload, and it is not there. I guess I never bothered to take the darn picture. And, now it is too dark to do the piece justice. So, tomorrow, I promise, I'll post it early. How stupid of me!

On another note, I spent part of the day cleaning out excess in the studio and made great headway. I lost umphh,though, and didn't quite finish. But it does feel good to get some of that junk out of there!

A Bigger One!

This piece is 24 by 48 inches. I started it yesterday and got this far today. Still needs some highlights. I'm having fun with the oils and so far, I haven't stuck a brush in my mouth--I used to do that with watercolor brushes to get the tip pointy. But, I do sport a bit of sap green on my jeans, despite my efforts to be a bit neater! Lucky for me, I've got my old jeans on!
This was a visitor we had today. Very snowy. I wonder where they are finding their food. It's not like I have any real landscaping (read vegetation) in my yard!

Unveiling

These are 2 oils I've been working on. I'm pleased that they look like my work. But, I AM TIRED. I'm getting used to the paints and brushes but am having to concentrate really hard. I think that is good for me. But, for now, I'm beat. Will check in tomorrow!

Challenging, to say the least.

Another day out in the studio with oils. Fun, but different! I think you get used to your own skin. In my case, oil pastels. I mean, if you are going to work with something and you do it EVERY SINGLE DAY, you do get used to it. Then, like an old pair of jeans, it gets more and more comfortable with time. So, I'm thinking the oils are sort of like those Levi's we used to buy, that stood up all by themselves until you washed them 10 times. They're not comfortable until then. So, I'm not giving up on the oils, even though I'm not yet comfortable with them. I intend to work at least a few more days with them exclusively. Then, I'll have to get back to creating some oil pastels so I have the inventory I'll need to carry me through some of the show season. For those of you who don't do art shows, when you apply--yes, we have to jury into each show we do, each time (unless we win an award!), you have to pick a category. In my case, oil pastels, is usually in the drawing category. So, when I work in oils, unless I could creatively figure out a way for them to be drawings, I would not be allowed to exhibit the oils. Sometime, maybe I'll feel good enough with the oils to actually apply in the painting category and see where that takes me. Until then, I'll feel confident about my oil pastels and continue my stretch into oils.

Get Ready!

Today I actually got my oils out. It has been almost a year since I've pulled them out. I'm not quite ready to share my work yet--I have high hopes that it will improve and then I can post the first one and show the progression. Wish me luck!

As Promised

As I mentioned yesterday, I have photographed--no snapped-- the pieces I've been working on over the last couple of days. These 6 barns are each done on burgundy pastel paper, 8" by 8". I frame them with a 3 inch mat and blonde wood frame. I kinda like 'em all together!
This is my framing station. Right now it has panels drying on it--they await a final varnish.

Simply Barns

Today I spent a bunch of the morning shoveling snow in the driveway and so I didn't get a full day of painting in. But, I did get these two barns done. I did a series of them over teh last couple of days but it was too dark to photograph by the time I got in. So, tomorrow I'll post them all together.

On another note, I am unable to use my email and the web hosting company hasn't fixed it yet. So, if you are trying to reach me by email, you might give me a buzz or facebook instead. Hopefully, it will get resolved soon. BECAUSE. IT.IS.DRIVING.ME.CRAZY.

And, it is still snowing!!!!

Snowy--again!

Some have more fun in the snow than others. Bug likes snow--no, Bug LUVS snow.
Dreary day so I picked bright colors!
Initial sketches of four barns.
Thought about ski-ing today but the wind was not cooperative.
Bug hunting bunnies--she didn't find any.

Back to Paper

For those of you who have been following, you may have noticed that all the work I've posted this month (or done this month, for that matter,) has been done on the gessoed panels. But, you see, I still like working on paper. So today I switched my easels--the one I use for paper has a giant sheet of masonite on it, to which I can attach the pastel paper. The other one has a cool winch and crank so I can raise or lower the work in progress. But, with the masonite, the winch doesn't work as well...Hence, 2 easels. I started these 2 pieces yesterday and got them finished today. I'm pleased.