Holiday Shop and wash #81 #82 #83

This has been a very busy couple of weeks getting ready for our Holiday Shop.  Five of us local artists and friends combined our various crafts and had a fun, very successful shop.  The day was beautifully frosty and sunny, and people from all over town stopped by and left with lots of great local gifts for themselves and others.  Many thanks to our friend Betsy who let us use her wonderful farmhouse for the day. It has so many perfect rooms that all flow together-it was a perfect showcase.

 Above: Carly Bakes' cookies, Betsy's recycled tin jewelry, and my paintings and notecards.

Above: Betsy's fabric pins-they look great with everything. Below, lavender products by Karen of Lockwood Farm. Pictures to come from Jan's Pottery and Martha's candles.

 #81

#82  I felt a bit rusty doing these washes-it had been 2 weeks since picking up a brush and warming up definitely took longer. Also, the 4" x 6" size doesn't lend itself to looseness for me. bigger is better to get the flow going!

#83 I liked doing this one better. I used Kosher salt when the colors were pretty wet and the crystals really spread. When dry more brush strokes were added. An overall abstract-y look that's fun to do.

Christy Lemp wash #78 #79 #80

Time is flying as the holidays draw near!  I'm busy painting some small scenes to offer at a local holiday shop in a couple of weeks. 

 Close-up of an owl in progress-this feather theme grabs me this month.

 Barn next door-always so picturesque in winter!

No reference for this one-just a memory of a lake scene in town. It looks a little bare, but things are starting to look that way as winter approaches.

Christy Lemp wash #76 #77

I guess the rooster from last week inspired me to try some more feathers. This is a peacock feather; they have so much punchy color but are so delicate at the same time.

 Painted from the outside in towards the center. The colors kind of ran in together and the yellows got a bit muddy.

 Painted this from the center outwards this time and went for some brighter colors, including winsor green (blue shade), winsor blue and violet, brown madder.

Here is Mr. Rooster altogether and finished from last week.

Christy Lemp wash #73 #74 #75

Another week has flown by and holidays are pushing their way into everyone's already busy schedule. Time to schedule, prioritize, and take time for yourself a little bit.  I loved doing this little painting-after a year of having this little tree and its reflections in my head, and many swipes at capturing it, I think I have what I was envisioning.  I better paint some more while the technique is still in my brain.

the next two are close ups of a rooster that  I chose to use for my painting class.  I was desperate for a subject as it was 9:30 a.m. and class was at 10:00.  I trolled thru my photo captures and remembered this rooster from a nearby farm.  He is a beauty. I always hesitated doing this animal because so many artists already do them so well, but I'm glad I jumped into this one. He was so pretty, and the brush seemed to be painting him without much help from me!  I'll post the completed picture next time.

100 Washes: #71 #72

Continuing on with my 100 washes challenge on this blog, so here goes: these are two more in my pursuit of night time reflections.

This is all wet in wet, painted several stripes of light yellow and then prussian blue and winsor violet in between. This let each color float into each other just a bit.
Masked out little spots of light, which I haven't removed yet. Very wet all over, dropped in violet and crimson in the tree, then prussian blue around the tree but leaving space around the tree for the color to float in. I like the glow this created.

Candles or Pumpkins?

The days are getting shorter and candles are getting lit on the mantle again for dinner. I needed a subject for painting class, and I'm still obsessed with capturing nighttime reflections, so decided to try these. However they also look like pumpkins and that's fitting since Halloween is next week! Will let this rest and decide later what they want to be. what do you think?

Fall Swoop

Who can resist such beautiful fall scenery; everything in a gold wash from the sun last weekend. For a couple of hours I was in heaven sitting on my beach chair, just painting things on my front porch. Rich colors are such a boost, especially today; a week after all this beauty it's pouring rain and windy! It's cozy to paint indoors too though, and soup is simmering in the crockpot. I cannot complain!

Vermont

The flower painting workshop was terrific. Annelein Beaukenkamp is a hard working teacher, giving demos, tips, one on one attention, and much encouragement to all of us for three whole days. Here are a couple works in progress from the last day.

going to Vermont

Ohhhh, it's been such a busy August, as I'm sure everybody's was. I tried my hand at oil painting for a class that strengthened composition principles. I can't say I have high hopes for ever painting in oil, but I do think that reworking the brain every so often is a good thing. It stretches the mind, makes you think in different ways, and gets the neurons firing.

After each painting in oil, I would go back and do the same composition in watercolor, more determined to create the feeling I wanted. It worked for one painting so far, which I will post later. I am off this week to Vermont for a "flower power" watercolor workshop by Annelein Beukenkamp. It will be a much needed break and change of scenery. More than that, it marks the beginning of a new chapter in life for me without my children at home for long stretches. Two are in Europe for the year; a new chapter for them too! I'm planning on traveling to see them in the spring (Belgium and Germany) and hoping for painting opportunities!

Lockwood Lavender Festival

What a wonderful weekend! You couldn't ask for a better venue than Lockwood Lavender Farm's Festival to have an art show. The views are serene and beautiful, the air is naturally lavender scented, and everyone is happy.

Never get tired of this scene. I've become a sheep fanatic! Is there any more innocent looking animal?
All of us artists (17 or so) were nice and busy throughout the weekend. Business was brisk with art and lavender lovers. Thank the Lord for family and friends' help so I could escape and get a few photos! Not to mention help with setup and takedown. Some brave people do this every weekend in the summer-they must have special powers.

We had a spectacular 4th of July-beautiful clear warm weather, and everybody enjoying all our lake town has to offer. Every year I want to capture a scene from this weekend. This is a little color study from memory-maybe a real painting will finally emerge.

Birdy view

Quick little bird study from our windowsill.

Dreaming of spring

Spring is officially here, but only some brave little crocuses peeking right now. These are flowers from imagination, dreaming about when I can paint from real life!

serene view

a wash I did in our painting group the other day. No pictures, just let colors mix on the paper. Sometimes they look hideous, but I like what happened here.

Summer sheep

I'm on a sheep kick lately as I just love their innocent look. They always make me stop and smile. These guys are from Lockwood Farm, site of the fabulous Lavender Festival in July. (I will have a booth there with up to 15 other artists. July 9-10 2011)

quiet paddle

just fooling around here. Maybe develop into a Christmas card at some point-with a tree in back of the boat?

Christmas tree on the pier

I love the tree they put out on the pier over the lake every year, and so sad when they take it down. To me it's a symbol of the beauty and simplicity of the season. I'm trying to get it as a painting.