"Sun Sets For A New Day" - #30

     This was painted as a "special" request.  Special because Stacey and Ashley are big supporters of my paintings and Ashley, is a promising artist at age 10.  I asked them to give me an idea of what they would like in a painting.  Stacey emailed me two photographs, both of beautiful sunsets and told me her preference.  I was so inspired by that photo that I got to work right away.
     My enthusiasm was faced immediately with "how do I paint life-like clouds"?  It was indeed a challenge for me.   I "erased with paint" on the sky about three times.  I asked my husband for his critique.  He said the clouds were too heavy and not enough contrast in the sky.  After more experimentation, the paint got too thick that I had to start with a new canvas.   Cognizant of the need to be light, I started to use less paint and blended more.  The result, fluffier puffs of blue and shades of purple, blue, and white for the sky.

Lessons Learned and Hindsight - Since I painted this painting, I learned to look upward.   I don't think I would look at the clouds and sunsets ever the same again.  There will be much analyzing of the clouds and light and admiration of the beauty.   I am proud of myself for struggling through this painting.  The kicker is that no matter how purposefully one tries, mother nature's random and unintended brushstrokes will always produce a far more superior and original work of art.

"Waiting For Me to Come Home" - #13

Not every painting I did was a challenge or an attempt on my part to copy the work of a famous painter.  This simple painting was inspired by my cat.

In 2003, I was working long hours.  As I approach the house every evening, like clockwork, I could see one of my cats, Minnie looking out of the office window.  Seeing her brought me such comfort and love after a long day at work.  By the time I park my car and open the front door, she would be there to greet me.  What touched me the most was that she had to really hustle to get to the door that quickly!  It got me thinking of the many cats out there that sit by their windows, waiting for their owners to come home.  As a result, I came up with an idea for a painting.  I wanted to try something abstract - very simple. I painted the silhouette of three cats in one of the high rise buildings.  I didn't want the sky to be dark, so I painted it a relaxing soft blue.  This canvas is bigger than the ones I normally use - 24 X 30.

Lessons Learned and Hindsight - Like poets are moved to write poetry, painters are moved to paint.  Minnie passed away in 2007.  Maybe she is looking out a different window, waiting for me to come home one day.

"Sunflowers" - A gift for my new friend

When I first met Laurie, I knew she would become a good friend for life.  She is sunshine in a room.   Not long after we met at work, I was inspired to do a paintng for her.  I showed her a picture in the book, "The Captain's Garden, A Reflective Journey Home Through the Art of Paul Landry."  She liked it - the decor in her house is nautical country and it would fit in nicely.  I like Paul Landry's work.  Very old New England - lots of misty waterfronts, sail boats on calm water at dusk, and cottages with flower gardens and white picket fences.  All the images of what I thought New England looks like before I moved here.
     Laurie is a considerate person.  She insisted on giving me a gift in return.  I said no but made one request.  "Just get me a blank canvas to replace the one I used."  Hey, you never know when a new friend will drop into your life.
     Lessons Learned and Hindsight - When the people you give your paintings to frame them, you know they like them.  But when someone not only frames the painting but installs a picture light over it, then you know she really likes it.  Laurie loves her painting.

"Karen's Paradise" - In Loving Memory of Velvet

     I wanted to paint a picture for my friend Karen.  She loves nature and spends every possible moment outdoors.  She also loves her animals - her dog, Tele, and her three cats, Velvet, Spooky, and Willow.  I wanted to put her in a beautiful and serene setting with her favorite friends.  During that time, one of her cats, Velvet, was ill.  She was a senior cat and getting up in years.  I wanted to capture her spending precious time with them, especially Velvet.  I named it "Karen's Paradise."   After a few weeks, the oil paint dried and I sent it to Karen.  Velvet was nursed back to health.  That was in the summer of 2008.
     This August, I received an email from Karen that Velvet passed away.  Her little body was too weak to fight anymore.  Karen was overcome with grief.   I talked to her recently.  She said the painting reminds her of Velvet whenever she looks at it.  She said that without any sadness.  That's good.

"In Karen's paradise,  she is surrounded by prestine beauty and accompanied by her beloved babies, forever."  (on a card I enclosed with the painting)

A Road in St-Remy

Make a Smilebox slideshow

     The paint on this isn't even dry yet.  But I thought I would play around with a slide show presentation.  I saw this painting in a small art book, "The Life and Works of Vincent Van Gogh" by Janice Anderson.  Van Gogh painted this in 1889.  Not a good year for him.  It was after his mental breakdown.  Like many of his work in this period, his brushstrokes are heavy, abrupt and almost angry.  Poor fella, if only he had meds of our time.
     In the original, it is difficult to see the houses in the distance.  The colors are so busy.  More difficult to see is the lady with her shopping basket making her way down the stone steps, maybe on her daily trek to the market.  I tried my best to follow the details.  I did, however, added something.  I gave the lady a hat.  I just thought she was missing something.  Maybe Van Gogh forgot.  He had more things to worry about living in an asylum.
     Lessons Learned and Hindsight - Know when to stop.  The last picture in the slideshow is labeled "I think I am done".  That's because I said exactly that to myself.  I can go on and on, add a stroke here and there.  You can get carried away with a scene such as this one.   I sign, date, and label on the back of the canvas once I am done and that's it.  All brushes down.

Paint Brushes

The paintings are taking a well deserved Thanksgiving break.  So I am going to write about my paint brushes instead. 

Paint brushes?!!!  Who cares about paint brushes!  Oh contraire - I do.  Like the carpenter with his favorite tools or the chef with her own set of knives, painting with just any brushes won't do.  Won't do for many reasons.  You would not get the correct effect of the brushstrokes.  The wrong brushes would fatigue your hand.  And some brushes leave lots of annoying bristles or hair on the painting for you to pick up after.  To me, painting is like spreading warm butter on the canvas.  With the wrong brushes, it is just not as much fun.  My favorite are my Isabey mongoose and Kolinsky sable brushes.

Once, I Googled what type of paint brush did Van Gogh use for his signature brushstroke - the thick, dash-like strokes often seen in his skies and ground.  I did not find a definitive answer.  Experimenting on my own, I think it is the "round."  I was able to mimic the swirls and dashes a lot better with the round brushes.  I wonder, why did he lay on the paint so thickly?  Paint was expensive back then.  And he was broke.  Maybe for the effect?  Well, I digress.

I clean my brushes every time after use.  Because I paint with water mixable oil paint, the clean up is easy.  Taking care of the brushes is a discipline.  I use the Mona Lisa's Pink Soap Brush Cleaner and Preserver and The Master's Hand Soap.

  Lessons Learned and Hindsight - If I were to copy any artists' work, I try to remember to pay attention to the brushes used.  How to know - experiment before hand.  Also, I remind myself to change brushes.  It is easy to just keep painting with the same brush already in your hand. 

Just last week, my husband and I were at the art supply store for me to pick out a brush.  I couldn't decide between the two.  He gripped both and said, "If I were painting, I would pick this one.  This feels good in my hand."   He is not a painter, but he knows his tools.

My Introduction to Van Gogh - "Cafe Terrace"

     If you ask me what is my favorite painting so far, I think I am supposed to say I haven't painted it yet.  But if I really look around the paintings I kept, meaning the ones I haven't given away to my friends, it would be "Cafe Terrace, Place du Forum, Arles at Night." 
     The idea of painting a Van Gogh came from my girlfriend Jackie who now lives in Texas.  Back in 2002, I asked her for a painting suggestion and she simply said, "paint a Van Gogh."  I got a book on Van Gogh and picked this very colorful night scene.  The thought was that if it came out half way decent, I was going to give it to her.  Somehow, after it was completed, I found it hard to part with.  I never told her which Van Gogh I picked to paint, so I painted another Van Gogh for her.  She loved her painting and it was framed and displayed in her home in New York and later, traveled to Texas with her.  I get to keep this one.  : )
Lessons Learned and Hindsight - At the time I painted my version of Cafe Terrace, I did not know much about Van Gogh's troubled life nor how much I would learn to love his work.  My sense is that in 1888 when he painted this, he must have had an optimistic period to paint with those wonderful bright colors.  I read that he was enthused by the idea of night painting.  It must had been a crisp clear evening to be able to see all those stars!  Just like the town's folks, you can't help but get drawn into the painting toward the open cafe for a drink and conversation.

Painting #10 - "Jackie"

One day it dawned on me that Jacqueline Kennedy was most beautiful and interesting. So, I had to paint her. I bought a black and white photo calendar of hers and picked out the image I wanted to paint.

I really didn't have any experience with portrait. But I was inspired by her face. What I did noticed most were her eyes. I knew they were deep set and wide-spread. If I were to capture her in a painting, I have to get her eyes right. Then I noticed her thick lips and the arch of her strong eye brows. Then I noticed the 1960's hairstyle. She had a thick head of hair. Almost helmet like. Out of her whole face, her nose was the least noticeable.

I think I did ok. At least when people see the painting, they recognize it to be Jackie. (from the White House era) I recently heard that the reason Jackie wore those large sunglasses she made famous was because her eyes were so far apart and that regular sunglasses would not fit her. Interesting.

Lessons Learned and Hindsight - What makes a face unique? I remind myself when I paint a portrait - always look and "see the parts" of the face. What stands out the most? What stands out next and so on. Try to capture them all.

"Jackie" was painted in October of 2002. Since then, I have finished another portrait - that of my husband, Jonathan and penciled a self-portrait which remains unfinished. Hummm, I wonder why???

My First Picture - "Orange Chair"

As they say, the first is always special. May it be a baby, a car or a kiss. Well, my first painting is special too.

Years ago, I was single, divorced, and looking for something new to do. I had a week off from work and said to myself, "I am going to try oil painting." I bought some brushes, a small oil paint kit, and a small canvas from Michael's. I figured I need a space to paint. I turned a closet into "my studio". I had a white table and I put it in that space. Hung some shelves and sat down to paint. As I stared at my blank canvas, I looked around the rest of the room. A few weeks ago, I had picked up an old arm chair which I attempted to reupholster. It was finished to the best of my abilities and was sitting in the room. That became my inspiration because I thought the fabric I chose was so cheerful and I was proud of my "rescue". I imagined it in a much grander room with French doors. Always wanted French doors! Then one of my cats, Smokie came into the room and laid near the chair. So I put her in the painting too.

Lessons Learned and Hindsight - The little picture didn't mean much to me then. But looking at it now, I took my first step into challenging myself at something totally unknown to me. Smokie looks flat like a pancake laying on the painted rug! I haven't learned to paint with perspective!! But I am glad she came into the room and that I added her to the painting. Smokie has since passed away and it was sweet to have her as my first model. And those French doors - if you want something bad enough, you will have them. There are French doors in our small home now. (Our because I am remarried now.) The room isn't grander - just prettier.

I numbered the painting #1 and named it "Orange Chair in My Room". For those starting to paint, sign your work and date it. Also, number your work and give it a title. It makes it more interesting to look back. Also, anything can be an inspiration to you. Just look around!