Mud Pie #4,5,6 and 7

Mud Pie # 4

Pastel on Canson Light Grey TonedPaper

8-1/2 x 11

Nothing much to say about this one except it happened quickly about 20 min and it was pleasant to do. Now for #5.

Mud Pie #5

Pastel on Richeson Premium Sanded Paper

8-1/2 x 11

So now I chose a deep rust toned surface. I found painting on this rich underlying color was sublime.

I can see myself doing more large paintings on this color toned surface. Today's painting was good for me. I learned something besides having fun. Now for #6

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Mud Pie #6

Pastel on Suded Mat Board

8 x 11

Senious and moody is what I'de call this one. It was a pleasant but somewhat frustrating experience. Definitely not fun. Lets see what #7 will bring.

Mud Pie #7

Pastel on Richeson Sanded Rust Toned Paper

8-1/2 x 11

Wow! I chose to do this one as a demonstration at Timberline Gallery's December Art Hop.  Not only did I have fun doing it but I had an audience and it won an applaud at the end. Time frame 25 minutes. I'm having fun. I want to do more like this. Stay Tuned.

Mud Pies 2 and 3. Are we having fun yet?

Mud Pie #2

Pastel on Canson Paper

81/2 x 11

I didn't have fun doing Mud Pie #1. I had a painting that never went anywhere but I saved it to finish or redo it at a later time. I pulled it out for my first one because being on suede mat board made it easy to put a complete new painting over it. Each layer can completely cover over the one before it on this surface. For Mud Pie #2 I chose canson paper because I have a lot of it, I like it and it's very ecomonical also I didn't want to use more expensive surfaces yet, wet feet I guess. Something began to happen to me on this one, I started to have fun and the painting was done so fast I decided to do another one.  Here it is.

 

Mud Pie # 3

Pastel on Canson Paper

81/2 x 11

Now were talking, Oh boy I am having fun. I'm caring less about what you think of the painting and more about how much fun I'm having. I'm picking pastels like selecting candies from a Mrs Sees chocolate sampler box. I threw in some florescent pastels on this one.  The journey has begun.

The First Mud Pie

Mud Pie #1

Pastel on velour

9 x 11

Here I was , my first attempt to creat something in which the priority was to have fun, no demands except to stay with the size and composition I set at my guidelines and also within my time limit of 30 -45 minutes, nothing more yet I found myself thinking in terms of creating a successful painting. I wanted to have fun but it was clear this wasn't happening. Soon I found myself wanting toget it over with so I could get on to the larger signature paintings I was working on, something that was a worth while endeaver. To only have fun, to let the child in me come out and nothing more.... what a concept. I can't just have fun, I had forgotten how , wow , but oh well. I finished the piece. I didn't want to go on with it. I reached a point where I was sort of content with what I did and one that met  the guidelines that I set for myself. That was that. Maybe next time I'll have fun, at least I made a start.

More to come..............

I would really love some comments about your experiences or what ever input you want to share with me.

Painting To a 100 ? How About 40

Mud Pie #7

Todays 40 Mud Pie Challange

If you haven't seen Marla Bagetta's blogsite, I suggest that you do because not only is she a wonderfully expressive pastel artist but her art is inspiring. Recently her work was on the cover of The Pastel Journal along with a feature article about her doing the same theme painting 100 times. It was so inspiring that I convinced by classes to do the same project. We modified it to 40 paintings doing two a week . We decided to do a rectangular format with each person picking their own compositional theme. Mine is slightly varied which we are allowing.  We set a time limit of 45minutes to an hour or less. I'm doing it along with the classes. To date I have done 7. We call it Project Mud Pies. So far I can tell you the I am having fun  which is what this is all about. It's also freeing me up. I feel the difference already when I'm working on signature paintings. Thank you Marla. Her blogsite is
http://marlabaggetta.blogspot.com/ also check out the blogsite of Karen Elizabeth Margulis at http://www.milesofcanvas.blogspot.com/ . Also a wonderful site.

Lily Pond Delight

Pastel on Canson Paper

                            18 x 24                      $750

Have you ever found a gem, a forgotton something that makes you ask yourself. I wonder why I put this away? Be it in your clothes closet or junk drawer or attic. Well I found such a gem in my art supply and storeroom some months ago. I painted it maybe 10 years ago. I rediscovered it about three years ago but then it got put away again. Now I'm standing here scratching my head ...Why did I hide it again. Was it that I didn't think it was good enough to show or perhaps my tastes have changed or was it because it wasn't time to expose it. Of late I have gone back to a more traditional style of painting, a style I painted in some years ago. One of a slower more deliberate pace starting with more of a detailed sketch, one on which I paint more gingerly working every day in a steady slower pace and guess, what I'm loving it. It's as if I want to enjoy and linger a bit with almost every stoke. Could it be with the aging process as I get older I want time to slow up? Maybe you can tell what you think this means. Have you done this and what were your reasons for doing it.

Please let me hear from you.

Face The Wall

Untitled

Painting in Progress

My intention is not to show you a work in progress but notice the little photograph on the wall about 8 ft from where I stand when painting. I have found that when I place my photo a distance  away from me (in this case, approximately 8 ft ) at the beginning of a painting, I become freer, my composition is more accurate and I lose any anxiety I may have at the beginning of the painting process. It really works. After a brief initial sketch I jump right in concentrating on shapes, not the objects within the shapes. I keep the photo on the wall until all areas of the painting are filled in. Usually at that point I bring my photo up closer to me to work on the next layer of smaller shapes and so on until I end up with the photo attached to my easel.

Here is Today's class doing the same thing.

Note - It's important to position the photo in a place where you can comfortably see both the photo and you painting without moving your head. I lose an important connection if I have to adjust my head each time I paint or look at the photo. So that means I scan either my painting or the photo while looking at the other for example If I concentrate on the photo I scan my painting and my application of the pastel at the same time or vice versa. I hope I haven't confused you. Just give it a try, I think you'll see what I mean.

Bye, Bye for today,  oh by the way we got some snow today. It was great while it lasted.

The Pond Series

The Pond #7

Pastel on Sanded Paper

                                   8-1/2 x 11                 $250 

Hello there you all out there in Blogland. Well, I'm back and it feels good to be posting again. I have not posted for a while do to a whole, opps, interruption by Sonny who just came up to me for a kiss . Maybe he was thanking me for letting him sleep inside last night. It must of been 27 degrees out there. Oh, in case you haven't guessed , Sonny is our black lab mix rescued dog who is as lovable as the day is long. So where was I? Oh, yes back to posting I've not posted due to a whole mish mosh of things like too busy with classes, appointments, Thanksgiving .....the truth is my habit was interrupted by being away for a while without access to a computer ( should get a laptop) and the though of posting most every day when I was/am so "busy" was abhorrant to me . Over time worked it's way back into what few working brain cells I have. So here I am and today's post is one of a series of small paintings inspired by our lovely Heron Lake here in Yosemite Lakes Park where I live. I hope you enjoy it.           

I Am Honored to Receive This Award

I am  honored to receive this award from Julie Mitchell whenthespiritmovesme.blogspot.com

Julie creates fabulous spirit dolls. You have to check out her blogsite. Thank You Julie.

This award comes with some rules:

     1.Thank the person who gave this to you.

     2. Copy the logo and place it in your blog.

     3. Link the person who nominated you.

     4. Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know.

     5. Nominate 7 'Kreativ Bloggers'

     6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.

     7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

Sooooo.....Here goes with my seven secrets revealed.

       1.  I have an aversion for dirty socks and rubber bands.

       2.  As a teenager, I stole a lipstick from a Five and Dime Store.

       3.  I never saw ET.

       4.  I dig Taj Mahal

       5.  I worked at an airport in the middle of the desert buying buying toilet paper and other things for an aerospace company.

       6.  I have a white scar shaped like the nike logo on my left arm.

       7. I'm a spider solitaire nut and make I up my own rules.

Seven blogs I want to share this award with. These blogs imspire me, they light up my days and make me want to go directly to my studio and paint. These are amazing blogsites.!!!! 

There are two more I would also like to nominate CarolSchifStudio and

Mixed Messages  but they have already been awarded with Kreative Blogger. Check them out.

 Here are my nominations.

Painting and Pastels
Painting Every Day
Pastel Painting

Painting My World

Painting My Way Through Life

Plein Air Painting Journal

Vivian Helena Creats

Back From My Trip

Untitled

6 x 6

Pastel on Suede Mat Board

It's been 40 years since my last trip to Israel. It's a lot to process. I don't want to be glib about what I saw and felt. But I'll do the best I can. I felt a hugh gap between what I saw then and what is now. I felt a desire to be there to witness the growth that took place . Anyway, what I saw was a dynamic nation with high tech industries, Building going on everywhere, highrises sprouting up like sprouts. I had wonderful visits with my family and did a lot of touring around the county. I was too absorbed with my surroundings to paint even though I brought some supplies with me. When we got back it was like culture shock all over again. Getting back into a routine, getting caught up with life at home well that's something else. I will respond to the trip through my art in the future . For now my new classes are starting up so I'm busy with that. As to my blogsite, I will post for the time being at an erratic pace.

The painting for today is one of a series I have been commissioned to do.

Scenes from our trip.

                  Jerusalem beautiful as ever.

            Art gallery in the old city in Jerusalem

             Scene from the beautiful Hula Valley

Big Trip

Burst of Autumn   available

8 x 10

Pastel on Suede Mat Board

It really feels like fall now with our first big rainstorm yesterday. Fall colors are starting to pop up all around here which reminded me of this painting from my inventory - enjoy.

Well, I have some really great news. My husband and I will be traveling to a very far away place tomorrow. We will be gone for 2 to 3 weeks and  because neither of us have a laptop and we will be on the go so much, sad to say I won't be able able to blog until we get back.  I'll tell you about it when I return.  I just put in a slide show on my side bar so please check it out and enjoy it while we're gone.

Also if your new to my blog or not, here is a review of some of my paintings from previous posts . Again enjoy.

Bon Voyage for now.

  Dancing Lights     SOLD

This was my very first post in August.

Hillslope in Spring      available

Originally called Blooms on Hillside.

Sunset Serenade       available

Blue  lagoon      available

Heron Lake Enchantment II     available

Marcia's Lillies       SOLD

Winter at Fish Slough IV       available

Gossamer Pond II       available

Simon's Monet II      available

Solitude       available

Winter's Glow      SOLD

House Addition Warming Party and Art

Foothill Spring Rhythm

17 x 24

Pastel on Canson-Mi Tientes Paper

This painting was in the preview show  for Sierra Art Trails artists open studio event held last weekend

at Stellar Gallery in Oakhurst, California ( see post of Sept   ). It's back at my home studio/gallery now.

 It's amazing how a painting can bring so much joy to the viewer and to a home. I just came back from an open house gathering at the home of a dear friend who is an artist who loves and collects art. The open house was for a new addition add on of a bedroom ,studio and bathroom all very lovely and built with fine craftsmanship. My friend has a lovely home. One cannot help but notice her beautiful art. It lights up every room, catches my eye instantly. Her home is warm amd welcoming. The atmosphere is inviting. The art engages my interest instantly. It's a happy home.

Frogs and Fog

Lagoon Morning Fog

14 x 16          

Pastel on Canson Mi-Tientes Paper     $700

It was spring, sometime in late March in the mid 90s when we went on our first backpack of the season in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. It was a beautiful spring day. Perfect weather, incredable flowers were in bloom ( we even spotted some shooting stars along the trail). Anyway we set up camp overlooking  a lovely lagoon. Now this lagoon is a hangout for frogs, cute brownish frogs as I remember. We all retired early for bed. It was sometime in the wee morning hours when I was awakened by a surround sound symphony of, I want to say, thousands of frogs croking in unison but it was probably hundreds. Anyway it was incredable, I shall never forget it. I went out of the tent to use nature's out house to find myself shrouded in thick fog also unexpected.  It was at 3:00 am when suddenly in unison the croking stopped. Now that was something to behold. I will always associate this painting of the logoon with the frogs I heard that night. The next morning when I saw the beauty of the lagoon with the fog beginning to burn off showing a glimpse of sun breaking through, I thought to myself how priviledged am it to see and experience this. I'm a studio painter who takes digital pictures but actually being there and experiencing makes all the difference in the world to me . So a photo I use but it's my memories and feelings I refer to when painting. The photo is a reminder and should only be a reminder. How do you out there in blogland feel about your camera.

Someone please comment.......

A Decision for Now Has Been Made

Winter's Cool

7 x 6

 Pastel onLa Carte Pastel Board  $70

I was gone most of the day taking care of business (went to my framers) and personal things ( Dr. appointment, flue shot, marketing and several other stops in Fresno). Just finished dinner while watching the playoffs. Yeah GO DODGERS now COME ON ANGELS. Anyway while all this was going on I sold some more paintings and got a nice commission to do. It's been a crazy day for this artist who is used to most days of mostly solitude. Don't get me wrong, I love to sell my work almost as much as I love to paint. But given a choice I'de rather we walking around the lake, chatting with people we know while walking, walking our dog in the neighborhood, doing a few chores around the house and painting, listening to music, painting some more and blogging. I really like blogging but people this women rathered frazzled at the moment has realizied that for the time being I am going to suspend blogging daily and doing a painting a day. I have some major works that need to  be executed and my classes will be starting up soon. It is a sad but necessay decision that had to be made for now. I will continue to blog and to post but not on a regular basis for now anyway. Please you out there keep checking in with me don't give up on me. I will keep checking in with you when I can. Love to all for now, I may be back tomorrow. I may not. I'm taking each day as it comes.

Timberline Gallery

Pond's Edge

8 x 10

Pastel on sanded paper

So I worked at Timberline Gallery in Oakhurst today. I love being there. It's such a lovely gallery filled with wonderful art works. I took some pics while I was there to show you . Here they are. You also click on http://www.timberlineartgallery.com/ .

                                      

These are my paintings.

                                      

It was a very pleasant day. I had time to do some painting, will show you tomorrow. Tired now going nitey nite.

Photos Are Not for Copying

Storm Clearing

11 x 14

                         Pastel on Pastelboard              $300

Yosemite had its first road closure due to snow yesterday and Yosemite valley had a low of 9 degrees .

It was chilly here in Coarsegold. It felt wonderful. I'm sleeping peacefully with two blankets, yummy.

The beginning of fall colors, the brisk chilled air and a new season is budding and I'm thinking time for an artist's photo excursion day here in the foothills and maybe Yosemite.  While I paint from my memories and feelings, I use my photos as a reference. They are an important part of my painting process but they are not for copying. Photos jar my memory but memories,feelings and emotions are what drives me in my painting process. For example, this painting started with a photo of Oakhurst on a cold blustery day with on and off rain, sleet, hail and snow. There was no lake around and there was no clearing of the storm in sight. Once into the painting process I was reminded of a place I had been to with a lake and a glimpse of the storm clearing coming in the far distance. Hence you have "Storm Clearing".

Question: How do you regard your photos if you use them in your painting?     

The Day After: A Walk Around Heron Lake and Back to Painting

Today's Painting

Merry Pond

6 x 6

                  Pastel on Suede Mat Board          $70

Got a good nights sleep. The sun is out, the air is cool and crisp. What a glorious day. No more house and gallery to clean and curate. I feel so free and The best news is...I can paint and resume walking around Heron Lake again . How good is that!!. I'm off to Oakhurst with my husband to play catch up and run a lot of errands. Who knows I may in all probability run into other artists and of course talk about art and Sierra Art Trails.

Question:  Where does your inspirations for your creations come from? 

It was a Good Art Trails

Heron Pond Study

6 x 6

                Pastel on Suede Mat Board         SOLD

It was a good day yesterday with the sale of four paintings and my classes which begin in November are filled up as well. I enjoyed some wonderful stimulating conversations. Met new people as well as returnees. What does this day have to hold. Your answer is as good as mine. Ill be back tonight to finish my post. See ya Later.
Well it's near closing time now. I am as tired as I can be, no sales for today, but happy to say my classes are overflowing and Oh, I forgot Timberline Gallery in Oahurst sold a plainting yesterday. Soooo all in all, this year was a good year for me at Art Trails. and I met some wonderful people. But you know something folks. I'm glad it's over. Now to have dinner and probably go to bed early.

Friday Night Kick off for Sierra Art Trails at

Artist Ginny Burdick's lovely studio.

Here I am with Ginny.

Art Trails has begun at my home and studio.

Art Trails is Here

Marcia's Lilies

Pastel

                              16 x 29                    SOLD

It's a beautiful day here in Coarsegold. It's 4:00 pm now, two more hours to go for today. It's so nice to meet with people who appreciate art. It gives me warm fuzzy feelings. It makes me feel gratified that all those solitary hours spent in my studio gives pleasure to viewers even if only for a brief moment of time. To those who linger on in silence communicating with the painting, I bow down , I say to myself wow I have touched someone in some way. One heart and sole to another. And to those who buy a painting or two from me, well, I am ever so grateful. Complimentary words are wonderful to hear, but we artists need to buy our supplies, even more we need the nourishment our patrons so lovingly give with dollors. Continuings question ... Why do you paint? What do you get out of it?