a new view

The image on the top isn't finished, but I like the new view I found. It's a place I see quite often, in fact I've looked at it so many times over the years, that it's one of those thing you don't see any more. This view is on a cloudy day, we've had incredible weather lately and the atmosphere and clouds are beautiful.
Stormy, muggy, heavy moisture, lend to nice atmospheric stuff.
The first time the view struck me there were gorgeous long shadows stretching across the road. I haven't seen the sun then in order to go back and snap a shot. Soon, I hope.
I don't directly work from photos, although I will use them as reference if I can't get out in plein air.
The cloudy day view was done using the picture on the screen of my digital camera.

The sunflowers is newish. Still tinkering with white balance and getting the picture image satisfactory. This is ok, not 100%.

White Balance

seems like its all about balance isn't it?

in this case thanks to joe and co-worker pete for their advice on white balance.
specifically in regards to attaining color accuracy in the digital photos of my paintings. i tried it today and i'm much happier with the results! i have a few technical questions for pete, but i think i'm getting it!

on a different note (no pun intended), i've been reintroduced to a music i listened to in the distant past, again courtesy of co-worker pete.
Loudon Wainwright.
excellent new music. Loudon's new album, Strange Weirdos: Music from and Inspired by the Film Knocked Up, is great listening.

Camera Difficulty

Finished this painting yesterday. I'm happy with the painting itself, but I'm having problems with the camera. Sometimes obtaining a clear, sharp image of my work is a challenge. I'm getting to know the camera and its settings. Its a Canon Powershot A530. Yesterday all the pics I took seemed not so sharp. I'll try again this weekend for better results-I've gotten them before! I'm not a photographer, so it is taking some trial and error. The other problem with this camera is that it shows lots of blue tones. Where there are purples in a painting, they show up blue. So I tinker with photoshop and adjust it, but its not quite true. What to do?
Back to work today. Shocking...summer vaca seems like a dream!

Summer is winding down...looking ahead

Last day of summer vacation...
It's been a satisfying summer in painting terms. I've been able to dedicate lots of time to painting and from that I'm seeing growth in my work. That's Good!! My brain is bubbling with ideas that I'll put on hold, ever so temporarily, I hope.
Once the school year gets rolling, in a few weeks, I'll be able to get back in a painting routine.
The painting shown here is one that started off great, went through a slump and I was able to revive at the end.
Other things about summer, good visits with family, reading books, listening to good music, eating fresh veggies and fruit daily, fires in our fire pit, practicing lots of yoga---plus making the decision to spend the next year in yoga classes obtaining my 200 hours in order to become a yoga instructor.
A new direction!
Oh yeah, the other fun and new thing is we're going to build a barn. Bottom for the New Holland and all the other stuff of yard and garden, top will be a studio---larger than what I have! We'll spend the upcoming winter in planning, break ground next spring, build... then do interior finishing work the following fall and winter.
yay!!!

Sunflowers and Beach Glass

The last 2 days have been peaceful and sad. Vermilion with my sisters, mornings with lingering conversation, good coffee, great food (all day!), afternoon at the local farms buying fresh, delicious, yuummmmy produce and driving through great views of countryside and farmland. shopping in vermilion in thunderstorms. finding a large metal turtle that I want so bad. price is wrong for me. but....hmmmm... talking with an owner of a new and very interesting gallery. wine accompanied with much silliness while cooking dinner. a walk to the beach. collecting beach glass as the sun sets. feeling emotion about dad... memories. sad he can't walk the beach any more, walk in the woods, all the gifts he shared he can't be a part of.


an afternoon of collecting beach glass. maureen is 10 years old, soon to be 11. she found a giant blue piece of beach glass.

stop to visit mom and dad at the nursing home. sadness upon leaving. dad changes almost every time i see him.

Frogs

Finished the row of trees paintings. I love what happened with them in terms of color, shapes and lines. I started a new painting today and was able to transfer the same characteristics to the new painting.

What a funny weather day. We had lots and lots and lots of rain along with strong thunder and lightening this morning. Which then left us with a MUGGY day.
A tree frog made it into the kitchen (probably with a bushel of the never ending green beans). Much to Bob's surprise when he was pouring his first cup of coffee this morning and it jumped on his leg and suction cupped itself to him. So Bob caught it to put it outside, but it got away. I found it this afternoon hanging out on the kitchen table.

Revisiting a favorite landscape

This landscape was done about 10 years ago. I was in my oil pastel phase. A perfect medium for a busy life. The kids were all in school, I was working full time (still am) and pastels are easy to use, work on in a spare moment, without lots of cleanup that oils would have.
I love the section of landscape this depicts. The look of fields of color showing through a line of trees is beautiful to me.
So I had this landscape in a drawer. It needs new glass and I can hang it. One of those little jobs I've put aside. When I found it, I thought of trying it in oils.
One image is conventional use of color, the other not so conventional.
Here they are, oil on panel (old dresser drawer panels), now that they're posted, I see a few things to adjust, but they're done otherwise.

Morning and 4 O'Clock

After feeding the birds this morning, I was wandering around the yard with my coffee and the camera. The hibiscus that my kids gave me for mother's day has been blooming beautifully all summer. I took it's picture as it was folded up, ready to open.
At 4 )'Clock, its hot. I'm sitting on my studio deck and was surprised to see the flower had completely opened throughout the day. Amazing. Both the fact that it opened up like it did and more so that I missed seeing it happen. Next time, I'll check every hour or so to see it unfold.