Not Easy Being Green [altered book 2-page spread]

The theme of the book I am working in this month is “green thoughts”.  As I contemplated ideas for the book I thought “it’s not easy” and then this nutty idea materialized.  I added a serious thought on the second page…  “it’s easier than ever being green.  Especially in Calgary”.  I cut the blue box out of some propaganda we received from the City when they distributed them earlier this year.  I am a BIG fan of this program.  We recycled before but it’s amazing how much easier it is, and how much more material is recyclable now.  But, I digress.  One more spread and I’ll be ready for the exchange later this week.  Ciao!

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Lily sketches

The lilies in my garden are blooming like mad [crazy late!!!] and I took some time today to do a few sketches.  These are red lilies and I hope to use one of them in a mixed media piece I am working on.  That’s about all the art I’ve done this weekend.  We’ve had beautiful weather and I’ve been enjoying it.  I hope you have enjoyed your weekend too.  Ciao!

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Hot Summer Day [7”wx15”h, acrylic]

I wanted to get back painting with my fluid acrylics and I did that today with this little sunflower painting.  We’re having beautiful summer weather here and it just called for hot sunflowers.  Since I didn’t have any handy I grabbed a couple of photos and, after wetting the paper with mist, I panted for about an hour.  I like it…  it seems a bit like they are all hungry for the sun and working to get to the front of the sun-line.  Kind of like all us sun-starved Albertans.  Enjoy!

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Playing With Gold (4”x6” watercolor)

I have some new art supplies [thank you!] and I just couldn’t let another day go by without playing with them.  It’s hard to see in this photo but the lightest gold in these sugar maples is Schminke’s Horadam Gold…  it’s mica that gives this paint it’s lovely shimmer.  I chose the sugar maples as a natural subject for trying out this paint.  I suppose this little painting might suggest that I am looking forward to fall.  I wish to deny this up front – I am really enjoying this summer weather.  Ciao!

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Blue Vase (21”h x 15”w, watercolor)

This painting began as a loosening up exercise with lots of texturing in the first wash.  I had a blue vase in mind when I began but it certainly evolved differently than I thought it would.  Here’s a photo of how it looked after I removed the texturing materials [plastic wrap, foil, bubble wrap, textured papers, plastic mesh, etc].

The goal was to impose some order on the surface without destroying the interesting textures.  Enjoy!

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Fairy Ferris Wheel [10”w x 14”h, watercolor]

Tomorrow we leave for the Quist family reunion at Alberta Beach.  During the weekend a silent auction will take place in an effort to cover some of the costs of hosting the reunion.  For some time I’ve planned to bring a painting to contribute but, as usual, I procrastinated on selecting a painting and framing it.  Last October 17 I posted this painting as a work in progress.  Since then it has been sitting in my pile of paintings to tweak.  Today I tweaked it, stretched it, and framed it.  I met the deadline - phew! 

Painting is a funny thing…  it’s not over until it looks “right”.  With watercolor, sometimes “right” was and hour ago!  In this case I left this painting last October knowing it wasn’t done but not able to figure out why or what to do next.  The littlest things make such a big difference – I darkened the background behind the larger flower and softened a few hard lines.  I’m happy with it and I sure hope somebody else likes it enough to bid and help with the expenses.

I’ve had a summer cold/asthma bout this week so I’ve not been up to painting and posting.  I’m feeling a bit better and I hope to get my groove back early next week.  Cheers! 

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African Violets (14”x10” watercolor)

Today was a blah, overcast day and I had no idea where to start.  Exasperated at myself, I grabbed this African violet and started in with my paints.  It didn’t start out having a particular composition in mind but I love that dark stripe in the background that I used to balance the fuller right.  That was, I think, a good decision.  I hope you like it!

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