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