Hidden Visitor in Red Railed Walkway WC!

Thanks for checking in to see the progress of my current watercolor in process,

Follow The Red Railed Walkway 

To see earlier progression images from today, visit my facebook art page.

Here, I’m preparing a primary triad for a wet-in-wet background wash. I’m using a warm and cool red to get the desired outcome.

Do you see what I see?

Because of working quickly, I didn’t notice this until afterwards, when viewing the downloaded images. Awed

Continuing….

Continuing….

Creating a little texture with water splatter…

The wet-in-wet background took about 10 min. Worked lightning fast to avoid hard edges.

This painting feels like it really wants to be painted and I have no choice but to follow

There is joy in the presence of the angels…

Follow The Red Railed Walkway

Several times a day, almost every day, I tell people to:

“Follow The Red Railed Walkway.”

This has taken on deep significance for me….because here is where I am spending most of my time now, the  John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. I tell people to follow the red railed walkway because I work at the Craft Shop and am giving newcomers directions….to the Keith House, the History Center and to the Studios where discoveries are made and potentials tapped. New students arrive each week, all following the red railed walkway in hopes of where it will lead…

I was in the right place at the right time to take this photo earlier this month. Just after a rain near 5pm made the red railing and the slate/stone path more color saturated and the background woods a darker value. Add the spring blooms and I have a reference photo for my next watercolor.

Working on a full sheet, I studied the photo and made adjustments to my projected sketch.

I began the masking process.

And continued with the masking process : )

I’m posting images during the painting process of, Follow The Red Railed Walkway on my Facebook Art Page and I plan on  elaborating on some of the processes used in the next few posts here. Like the students, I’m following the red railed walkway in hopes of where it leads.

Why I Love John C. Campbell Folk School

Do You See The Difference…

In These Two Paintings Of Florence?

Florence Before

Florence After

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After I completed Florence, I put her away for a few days. When I  looked at her again with fresh eyes, I thought she needed a little “pick-me-up” of some kind.

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A  soft-edged, subtle, background, diagonal wash…

seemed to help .

Celebrating My Mom

I first began trying to sell my art in the mid-90s. Several framed photos and watercolors with quotes had been in a gift shop on consignment for about 6 months with none selling.

I was beyond discouraged on the day I opened the envelope from Bittersweet with a check reflecting the sale of 3 photos. I phoned my mom to tell her of my success. She celebrated with me. That first sale had been just the boost I had needed to keep me going.

When I visited my parents a few weeks later, I was shocked to see those three framed photos hanging in the hallway of their home.

I turned to her accusingly, “It was you!”

She laughed, “I can buy your work if I want to!” 

And soon had me laughing along with her, feeling very loved.

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Celebrating my Mom.

She was strength and joy, fun and laughter.

http://www.finchandfinchfuneralservice.com/obituaries/Sabra-Plymale/

Florence, The Special One

If you’re keeping up with my Facebook Page, you know my latest fascination with Edward & his four lady friends

Edward & his friends: Marilyn, Margaret, Floosie and Florence, “Flo” to her closest friends, live at John C. Campbell Folk School and I am loving getting to know them through camera lens and paintbrush.

I was delighted to get this reference photo of Florence and have spent the day working on her portrait. She is an Ameraucana and the special one of the group. Maybe because her eggs are a pretty, mint green.

I’ve not yet been accepted into her inner circle to call her “Flo,” but I think she is considering it as she finally posed for the camera. Up until the two photos above, she has pretty much ignored me.

Here is the watercolor of Florence, last, but certainly not least of Edward’s Four. Portraits of Edward and the others are in my Daily Paintworks Gallery.

I’ll share most of the process of this painting over the next few posts. As usual, the first thing I do after the sketch is experiment with colors I want to use, this time, with Florence’s approval, of course

Edward and his friends are making my Spring a happy one!

Hoping for a happy Spring for all!

 

 

Busy Wren – Basics & Background

In my January 1, 2013 post, I shared the 2012 stats for my blog and mentioned an upcoming return to watercolor. We’re entering the second quarter of the year. My 3rd DVD, Piñata Alcohol Inks On Ceramic Tile DVD is now available at a $19.95 intro price which includes six demonstrations along with all the basics to work on and seal glazed ceramic tiles. I have a sense of completion and the timing seems right to turn my energy and focus to explorations in watercolor and water media.

While I will continue to play in alcohol inks as they are quite relaxing, freeing and fun, and occasionally showcase some outstanding work by artists who have purchased my alcohol Ink Dreamscaping DVDs, it’s time for me to do a little dreamscaping in watercolor. Let’s begin with the basics and background of one of my newest and cathartic, (dreamscaping can be cathartic) watercolors, Busy About Her Business.

Basics

I used Daniel Smith’s Extra Fine Watercolors: Mostly, Hematite, Tiger’s Eye, Genuine, Sedona Genuine, Purpurite Genuine with accents of Turquoise Genuine, Amozoninte Genuine and Rhodoninte Genuine. Also used Maimeriblu Raw Sienna.

I worked on 140 lb. Fabriano CP using sable and sable blends flats and rounds. The background and gourd were painted loosely and quickly using Winsor Newton granulation medium and a lot of dreamscaping, dropping  and guiding. The next few posts will show some of the process steps. Below, you will see where I began by masking some of the details.

Now, The Background

Here is the reference photo for Busy About Her Business.

I took this reference photo while in Virginia visiting my mother Spring of 2011. I have fond memories of the two of us sitting around her kitchen table in front of her sunny picture window watching this busy, Carolina Wren build her home. I took about 50 photos while we laughed at her antics of going in and out. In and out. Talk about a purpose driven life

We didn’t know it then, but that turned out to be the last spring we would sit around my mother’s kitchen table. Nov. 2011 brought with it a move into longterm care. My mother’s house has recently sold. That chapter has ended.

Is there any wonder this painting set-up felt more like a healing station for me? As I worked, I heard my mother’s laughter and felt the sun and the joy and the urgency of this little wren, fully present, busy about her business. She was so intent on building her life as each of us are so intent on building ours.

I am thankful to have my mother’s kitchen table, to touch the smooth oak and feel the memories made around it. So thankful for the joy shared and rekindled in the painting of this unassuming, little Carolina Wren…the gateway for me hearing my Father once again sing, Precious Memories, How They Linger…

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Anything calling to you to be painted?

Consider following where it wants to lead.

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May Each Of You Have A Spring To Celebrate & Remember.

Time To Watercolor

Recently, I was exploring around John C. Campbell Folk School Campus with my camera and found inspiration when I ran across a Plein Aire Weekend Watercolor Class.

It’s turned cold in these NC mountains the last few days making the desire to paint outside diminish, but not the desire to wet my watercolor brushes.

Feels good….for this…

To turn to this…

To turn to this: Busy About Her Business

12 x 15 , Fabriano 140 lb CP

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Stay tuned for the story behind this image and a little of what happened in between

Piñata Alcohol Inks On Ceramic Tile DVD

Piñata Alcohol Inks

On Ceramic Tile DVD – Now Available!

Topics Covered: Introduction to Piñata Colors I use, supplies, preparing tiles, sealing tiles, presentation of tiles for selling and 6 following demonstrations:

1. Primary Triad – Dreamscape No. 382

2. Primary Triad With Blanco – Dreamscape No. 383

3. Analogous With Rich Gold – Dreamscape No. 384

4. Night Sky With Silver – Dreamscape No. 385

5. Five Colors – Dreamscape No. 386

6. Have Perseverance – Dreamscape No. 387

Length: 75 Minutes

Watch:  Preview Clips

Autographed DVD Limited Time Offer Beginning April 1:

US Orders: $19.95, plus $5 shipping and handling

International Orders: $19.95, plus $12 shipping and handling

The Dreamscaping Shop

A Perfect Fit :)

 Excited about my new,

Just-the-right-size,

Easy-to-put-together,

Easy-to-clean, soon to be filled, white, resin shelves…that hold up to 40 lbs per shelf

A perfect fit for the 14″ x 22″ corner which a door opens against and a perfect fit for my studio budget!

Only $14.98 at Lowes!

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If you need these shelves too, click here:

Blue Hawk Shelves,

 Item # 0339944, somewhere in the back of Lowes