Happy WARM Tuesday

Today we had temps in the low 70s F and almost all of the snow is gone!  Hoorah! I was busy making a 36"x36" canvas for my daughter's painting.  I cut up a 2x4 piece of lumber to make the stretchers. The idea is that I'll take the canvas off of the stretchers for mailing when the painting is finished, dry, varnished and etc. Sounds like a good idea - we'll see.

The last of the snow! That's the rain barrel that jumped out and kicked me in the leg for no reason! The barrell with 60 gallons of water frozen solid and it JUMPED and hit me! Amazing!  :-)

Me in the sizzling heat of 73 F making the 36x36 canvas. :-) 

73 is hot when the temperature 2 days ago was freezing and 5+ inches of snow! 

Good grief!  More photos in my Art Studio Blog.  

(I was smiling - the photo just doesn't show it)  Really!

First days of Spring - Snow, then & now

Sunday March 21, 2010. At least 5 inches of snow on the ground (and everything else for that matter).!

I cleared a path across the deck to get to my studio.

Tuesday March 23, 2010.  0 inches of snow on the ground. 

There are a few "clumps" of snow here and there on the ground and on the North-facing roof tops. The ground (lawn) is moooshy soggy. And the mud sticks to the bottoms of our shoes - good for making bricks, maybe?

Cherry Blossoms Study #1 - Study for Work In Progress

Cherry Blossoms Study #1  11x14  Oils on canvas panel

Study for Work In Progress.

This is an 11x14 "sketch" for a painting for my daughter. The final size will be 3 feet by 3 feet on stretched canvas.  I didn't have a "small" square support/ground to work with, so I used one of my canvas covered masonite panels.

Question to knowledgeable artists:  is a canvas panel called a "support" or a "ground"?  I looked at the Golden Paints.com  web site and I interpret them as saying that a "support" and a "ground" are essentially the same thing only different.?!  Aaaack!  I'm assuming that the support is the material to which ground is applied.  Then my oil paints are applied the the ground that has been applied to the support.

So . . . . . what is the thing called that I frame (maybe) & hang on the wall? 

A PAINTING! (DUH!)

What is a Ground?
Historically, a ground is a surface specially prepared for painting by applying a layer of paint of even tone in preparation for further painting techniques. Acrylic Gesso can be used as a ground in the true sense, or a layer of gel, medium or paint can also be used for this purpose. With the availability of so many suitable products, a ground can be very specifically tailored for the requirements of the artist. 

What is a Support?
The term "support" refers to any material onto which paint is applied. Canvas, wood, and paper are common painting supports, but the types of supports used for artwork are very extensive. Cave walls and animal skins were among the first supports. Plaster frescos and wooden panels later became prominent, which eventually gave way to linen and cotton canvases. Modern supports such as polyester canvases, AcrylaWeave® and Syntra® panels will most likely succumb to other advancing technology. The search for the ideal support is perhaps a never-ending quest, and is very much influenced by the types of materials available at the time. 

Henri Rests A While

Henri Rests A While  12x16  Oil on canvas panel

This painting of Henri is another really wonderful from the blog Menton Daily Photos by Jilly.

After reading Jilly's narrative accompanying the photos of Henri I think that he's a guy that I wouldn't mind "hanging out" with.  There is another photo of Henri on "his" page that I might attempt but his expression in this photo spoke to me.

Thanks, Jilly for letting "us" look at your world!

I thnk that I'm not going to do any more with this, but . . . .   I think maybe his eyes need some attention.

Having a snow morning!

Snowy Sunday March 21, 2010 morning!

That's my studio in the back yard. There is four (4) inches on the ground (roofs too, I suppose). I think that it's a safe bet that I won't be going to my little studio very soon today!  :-)

Melissa's vegetable garden in the back yard. We almost put some onion sets in the ground but decided to wait until after Easter.

Looking south down the street in front of our house. Very pretty to look at.  The snow has covered the street since I took this photo earlier this morning.  I had to use my "snow shovel" to grope for the morning paper in our driveway. FOUND IT!  And thanks to the carrier delivery person, it was completely dry! 

Having a snow day - March 20, 2010!

Yesterday afternoon the mid-afternoon temperatures were in the mid 60s F.  About the same time today, SNOW and temperatures in the low 30s F.

4 PM Saturday

A dusting of sleet & hail

5 PM Saturday

1/2 inch fluffy snow on top of the sleet & hail. Very slippery.

The dogs like to eat the snow.  Go figure. They also like to run then put on the "brakes" so that they slide.  I don't encourage them.

Theme Day: Changes

Theme Day: Changes  12x16  Oils on canvas panel.

It's funny how "we" find wonderful photos to give us inspiration to make a painting. A blogger friend made a watercolor painting from a photo image on the blog built by "Jilly" where I found the photo for this painting. The website is Menton Daily Photo and contains beautiful images and descriptions of the subjects in and in the area of Menton, France.  The subject photograph blog post for this painting is Theme Day: Changes.

I could probably touch up this painting here & there, but NAH! I'm going to leave it alone, relax & enjoy Jilly's blog posts from Menton, France.  This is probably as close to being in France as I'll ever get!

The Eyes

The Eyes  9x12  Oils on canvas panel

I "found" this photo in "Georgia - Between Caucasus and Black Sea", the blog of Jemal Kasradze

Mr Kasradze is a professional photographer in Georgia, Russia and does (in my humble opinion) beautiful and thoughtful photography.  I'm confident that you will agree after you visit his web site.

 

Woman Outside in summer

Woman Outside In Summer  20x25  Oils on canvas panel

Image update 3/31/2010.

I have some work to do, but thought that I'd post the painting anyway!  I need to let the paint dry then I'll put in shadows and do some glazes.

Overall, though I'm not totally unhappy with what I've done so far.

3/31/2010 - Wednesday afternoon.  Although I had done all that I am going to do with this painting, I made a new photo just this afternoon for this update. 

4/7/2010 - couldn't help myself - I had to "fix" some things.  NOW it's finished!

I'm not sure that the title of this painting makes sense, even to me.  There she sits wearing a sweater, a blanket over the back of her chair and a jacket on the other chair.  Maybe it's early Spring?

Bouquet on Piano

Bouquet on Piano  9x12   Oils on canvas panel.

I saw this bouquet in a YouTube video and paused the video enough to make a sketch! I honestly don't remember the subject of the video; a comedian I think.  The sketch was something that the dogs growl at it's so bad. I put the sketch in the recycle box.

I know absolutely ZIP, ZERO, NADA about flowers but these looked pretty and that's enough for me. I'm garden-challenged and am not allowed to pull weeds in our gardens at home. 

High Desert Adobe

$75.00 plus shipping

High Desert Adobe   9x12  Oils on canvas panel

I made a watercolor painting (a sad thing) and liked the subject better than the watercolor painting.  So I made a painting with oil - in my comfort zone.

It needs "something" but I'm not sure what. I'll put it aside and the "fix" will come to me - I hope.

 March 17, 2010 Update


I stared at the "original" painting and came to the conclusion that the roof was crooked in relation to the building - so I fixed the roof! I also darkened the building shadows and glazed the distant mountains & any shadow with Cerulean Blue.  I'll keep this!

Shurok - Painting #2

S O L D

Shurok - painting #2  12x16  Oil on canvas panel

I made a 9x12 painting of Shurok after he died not long ago and sent the painting to his "mother" who is one of my "blog friends".

I liked the composition and the kitty (and his mom) well enough that I wanted a painting of Shurok for myself, so I made the painting - again. It helps me feel better!

I made this canvas panel as well. It's a piece of masonite with a pine "frame" and gallery-wrapped with 100% cotton duck. I'm not sure that I am comfortable not framing my paintings in the traditional sense. I just need to make sure that the sides are painted to match the main painting.

Sometimes you feel like a NUT, sometimes you don't! :-)

Hex Nuts   9x12   Oil on canvas panel

I did this today in a few hours just because I felt like doing it.  I saw a picture while surfing public domain photographs for cherry blossoms. Why a photo of a hex-nut was shown amongst the cherry blossom photos is . . . . . . . .

I used Gamblin's Silver "metals" oil paint mixed with white & Gamblin's Portland Grays (light, medium and deep) for highlights. It looks really "different" when the light hits it just right and the silver shines. It doesn't photograph well, but the silver sheen is there. I made the canvas panel - covering a 9x12 piece of Masonite with 100% cotton duck canvas.

Art Shows Dilemma

I belong to two art "clubs" in the area (NW Arkansas) and both are having a judged art show about the same time. :-)

Show "A" allows 3 submission.. Up to 2 of the 3 might be chosen to be displayed in the show for judging and one possible award. I have to choose 3 paintings to submit for show "A".

Show "B" allows from 1 - 5 entries per artist. All entries will be displayed and judged for awards. I have to choose 5 paintings to submit for show "B"

After much agonizing and going back and forth I've made a "list" of 10 that I'll be choosing from - see the images below.

Please take a look at the ten paintings then tell me which 3 for show "A" and which 5 for show "B" - any painting can't be in both shows!   :-(

#1 - RR Crossing On Smith Ridge Road

#2 - Two Dollars An Hour

#3 - Last Bus to Zurich

#4 - Flamenco Dancer with Red Fan

#5 - A Couple on a Park Path

#6 - Farmer Reading His Newspaper

#7 - Lady With Yellow Scarf

#8 - Harvest Time - Gleaner #1

#9 - After The Ice Storm

#10 - Cupcakes

Which three (3) would you choose to be in the juried (to be entered) show?

Which five (5) would you choose to be in the other art show?

Leave a comment with your "votes"!  Thanks for looking.  :-)

An award - times three!

Another sunshine award!  An avalanche of 3 Sunshine Awards within a week! I need some real sunshine and some warm sun. This Sunshine came to me from Millie whose blog is http://millienguyen6.blogspot.com/   Millie makes AMAZING watercolor art. I work in oil paints and tried watercolors not long ago. After the first watercolor painting I put the watercolors into a drawer! :-)

The rules for accepting the award are:

- Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
- Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
- Link the nominees within your post.
- Let the nominees know they received this award.
- Link to the person from whom you received this award.

Some have already received a "Sunshine Award" but they're getting another!  :-)

My first 6 are:

 1. Carolina Alzamora 

 2. Tony Kucera  

3. Irina Rekhviashvili  

  

4. Pilar B de Sala    

5. Sylviane Le Cann 

 6. Jill Polsby   

Some of my art in Picasa

I played with Picasa today and made some photo albums of some of my paintings. You can see them at http://picasaweb.google.com/Avocaken - I hope!

Please let me know by leaving a comment (below) if you have problems seeing the three (3) albums!

My art guild (Rogers Art Guild) is in the initial phase of building our website and i'm hoping that the individual artist's galleries will hopefully be made more simple using Picasa.  We'll see!

Uncle Jemal

Uncle Jemal   12x16  Oils on canvas panel

"Uncle Jenal's" name is Jemal Kasradze a gifted photographer living in Tbilisi, Georgia, a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Mr Jemal;s blog is one where I can spend hours looking at his photographs. Beautiful.

The photo for my painting is taken from his blog ID photo. His niece, Irina, is one of my good blogger frineds.

As usual lately, I need to put this painting down and get back to it later.

An Award! (times two!)

My good friend Irina Rekhviashvili awarded me this "Sunshine Award". Irina created and posts to several blogs with truly amazing content. Take a look at her "profile page" and her "My Blogs" list.

I learned (DUH) that another good blogger friend Liz Pearson (Art With Liz) had presented me the Sunshine Award as well! I feel really dumb to have not acknowledged her kindness.  But, maybe, that's because of my male gender! :-)

This is my first (and second) blogers award! Part of the honor and duties is to "pass it forward" to 12 other bloggers.  A probliem is, I don't know if I know 12 bloggers that haven't already received this Sunshine Award!  :-)

Check back once in a while as I add names to the list of blogger recipients!

An Artist In Venice Italy

An Artist In Venice Italy   16x20   Oil on canvas panel

I have a good start, I believe. This much was done in about four or five hours. I need to let the paint set up a bit then work on the arttist, building details and especially the water.

This is from a photo but for the life of me I don't know where it came from - aside from the internet.

 February 27th - Ready to call this "done". I'll put this painting aside then look at it in a few days. the figure to the far left bothers me.

Anuka - A Work In Progress

Anuka    16x20   Canvas panel

A Work In Progress.  I started this painting around 10 AM this morning I got this far by 2 PM.this afternoon.  Then I had to stop for the day. 

I have the foundation done pretty well (I think), now I need to make my darks darker (DUH?)  and just get the painting DONE!  The photo of my painting shows the painting a little lighter than the painting and there is some glare on the right side. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!  :-)

I saw the photo of Anuka in a blog with gorgeous photographs taken in Georgia "Between Caucasus and the Black Sea". The photographer,Jemal Kasradze, is the uncle of Irina one of my "blogger" friends. Irina also makes some of the photographs in "Uncle Jemal's" blog.  :-)  You should take a look at both blogs ,they're really good.

I worked on this piece today (Feb 25th)  but I still have more work to do. Obviously!  I was able to darken her hair and I'm relatively "happy" with that. BUT, her face looks like one of the characters from The Munsters TV program!  Make it DARK DARK DARK There, I've said it and I know it!  But, dang, why are darks so hard for me? :-) 

Fiddly dee, tomorrow's another day!

 February 27th - worked on this painting some more. I'm beginning to like her eyes more. The photo doesn't represent her hair well - it's much darker in the painting.

Young Artist - Finished

Young Artist   18x24   Oil on canvas board

I'm trying to have the figure back lighted (back lit?) and it's proving difficult for me.  The photo picks up brush strokes more than I'd like, but . . . 

I still have some work to do - obviously. I thought that I would post this "work in progress" since I hadn't posted anything in quite a while.

After some adjustments. :-)  Feb 20, 2010

Her eye and arm need some work.  duh

After some adjustments. :-)  Feb 24, 2010

I'm calling this one DONE!

My @#$%^ digital camera is repaired!

I sent my @#$%^ digital camera to Georgia for repairs and it came back as good as new! AND the camera has agreed to focus for me! (I think that it missed me)

The company is:

V-Photo of Atlanta, Inc

4300 Red Rock Point

Suwanee, GA 30024

Their email is vps6950@bellsouth.com and the website is http://vphotoatlanta.com

They had the camera back to me way before their "ten day" turnaround. And I can't tell by looking at the case that they worked on it. But the LCD viewfinder works and the pictures are in focus (when I don't wiggle).

I recommend this company to anybody that needs their camera repaired. They're good people who gave me a written estimate before I sent the camera to them.

SHUROK - a friend's friend

Shurok  9x12  Oil on Masonite

This kitty named Shurok was the friend of one of my "blog friends". Shurok died not long ago and it has saddened me that my "blog friend" is so sad.

I made this painting without permission and I hope that my friend will not be offended.

I always make a painting when somebody or a pet in my family died. It has helped me help myself grieve and remember.

Maybe this little painting might bring back some happy memories.

Taking A Break - a work in progress

Taking A Break  18x24  Oil on Masonite

A WORK IN (not much) PROGRESS!

I started this a week or two ago then did a "manly thing" and hurt my leg so I couldn't get around for a while.  I'm making this from a photo I took at the Bentonville, AR Public Library Cafe. The lady in the photo is Melissa (my wife) and I'm the chunky blob on the right side.  I'm not EVEN TRYING to make a likeness, just  a reasonable-looking couple relaxing with an espressso.

I've putzed around with this for a couple of days now and it's beginning to shape up, but . . . .

If I were a carpenter I'd use a bigger hammer. Maybe I should use a bigger brush!   :-)  

At The Flea Market

At The Flea Market  18x24  Oil on Masonite

I did a smaller version a few months ago but I wasn't very happy with it.  The jury is still out whether I entirely like this version.  

The "backpack" lady's hand needs some work, I see and those guys on the right aren't quite right.

Gripe gripe gripe!

House of China - Eureka Springs, AR

House of China 16.5x24  Oil on panel

From several photos taken last summer in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  Beautiful little town with many, many turn of the century homes and buildings.  A real fun tourist stop!

The House of China sells asian things. I'm not a shopper, so I don't know what to call the things in the store. But my daughter and my wife sure did enjoy buying a few things!

No news is good news.

We had another January 2 day snowfall last week that dumped 4-5 (or more) inches of snow at our house. How deep depends on where you measure. In our flat front yard the snow is about 4 inches deep. The snow is around 12 inches where the wind has blown the snow into drifts - around trees, shrubs & the corners of buildings.  We're getting "warm" temps (mid 30sF) in the day time so the snow melts but then the temps droop into low 20sF during the nighttime and the melted stuff freezes.  Traveling on our country roads is risky business!  We haven't been driving for almost a week.

I hurt my leg two weeks ago by trying to move a 50 gal barrel full of frozen rain water into a sunny spot. The barrel had other ideas and the barrel clipped my right leg.  I had to go to the emergency room to have it looked at. Nothing broken - just a HUGE bruise & swelling on my right thigh.  I'm able to exercises now to "rehab" my legs.  I think that my @#$%^ camera told the barrel to "get" me.

I have no photos of the paintings I've done or am working on. My @#$%^ camera is in Georgia at a camera hospital having the LCD viewfinder Iand I, hope, it's focus attitude) repaired. I dropped my camera just right so that the viewfinder was broken. The camera thinks that I did it on purpose. Maybe YES, mayber NO. I'll never tell. I'm not sure when I'll get the @#$%^ camera back.  I was surprised that it was less expensive to fix it than to buy another camera.

Enough blah blah blah.

Bummer - my @#$% camera is broken

Those of you who have read some of my postings know that my @#$% digital camera and I agreed to disagree about the reality of FOCUS.  Two days ago I dropped the @#$% camera and only the left side the display displays anything. The right side is just . . . . . BLANK.  I suppose it's karma or some digital camera revenge thing getting back at me for talking smack about it.

I'll make some phone calls or use the internet to see if the @#$% thing can be repaired. I'm guessing that buying another camera will be "less expensive" than repairs.

Totally bummed!

Bowl of Fruit with Copper Pot

Bowl of Fruit with Copper Pot   20x24  Oil on canvas panel

This was the subject of my posting a "work in progress" for a few days. I'm calling this one DONE!

Many, many thanks to my blogger friend "Carolina" for her critiques, advice,  support and most of all her honest observations. Her input has helped me with several projects and I consider her my best friend in blogger-land.  Check out her blog at http://loquemegustaaquiyahora.blogspot.com/.

Railroad Crossing At Smith RIdge Road

Railroad Crossing At Smith Ridge Road  12x16  Oils on Masonite

This is a railroad crossing Smith Ridge Road about a mile from my house near Avoca, Arkansas. Smith Ridge Road isn't the main road now, it's been bypassed by Smith Ridge Cutoff. Smith Ridge Cutoff is blacktop and the "road" isn't.

Right now, January 9, 2010 both roads are iced over but we're due to "warm up" into the 30s soon. I HOPE!

Melissa in a Blue Mumu

Melissa in a Blue Mumu  12x18  Oils on Masonite

I've been working and working and working on this one. Getting the folds of the fabric in the beautiful blue mumu has been tough for me.

AND since the beautiful lady is Melissa, it's doubly difficult. True to my limited talent as a portrait painter, I've missed her likeness by a LONG mile.  :-(

But I'll keep on keeping on and sooner or later I'll figure it out!

Silver pot with bowl of fruit

Silver pot with bowl of fruit  12x16  Oil on cavas panel

I originally did this painting in 1994 and I didn't like it much then and I liked it even less in the last few days! :-)   Sooooo, I did a "do-over" and am liking it more now.  I'm not completely satisfied - yet - but . . . .

I'm pretty sure that I'm not done with this one.