The ART of Practice

On Mondays, we can paint with others at the gallery.  I was in a quandary about what to take for my first time. I don't paint away from my studio very much.  When I work I need LOTS of space, because I use lots of different materials and the gallery area is not really set up for that one.  So, not wanting to push anyone's space with lots of stuff, I chose to fill my carpenters bucket with watercolor materials and took an Arches pad.  It worked out just fine.  Had fun and lots of chatting.  Getting to know others and finding out  I really am in the right place - finally.  Kansas (where we lived anyway) had so little to offer for ART experiences like this one.  'Bloom where you are planted' has always been my motto, but I like it better when there are plenty more gardeners who are serious about what they do.  I imagined that I wouldn't get much done, but I did.  Here is a watercolor I started and am thinking about where to take it.  I used a reference photo from Unsplash.com - a 'free to use' photo site that is just full of unique and awesome images.

Add a Gallery

I have waited almost a year to get involved in the LOCAL art scene.  Having many issues on our house and property - I (we) have taken some time to address those things where I was needed as help and backup for many a project.  That has slowed enough now,  that I decided it was time to take a step forward.  It's part of what brought me here (back to Colorado, where I have spent most of my life - to Westcliffe), the ART SCENE.  

There are numerous ART opportunities and places in a town of about 500...being a hot tourist and getaway area in the warm months.  I chose "3rd Street Gallery" as my starting point and have joined the 'Sangres Art Guild' - I am only 15 minutes away.  My art is now hanging in the 'members' gallery on the second floor and I have entered three pieces in a month long show called "Wild Things" - right up MY ALLEY.  Show starts on the 26th of August.  Opening reception is September 1st, located at 59000 Highway 69 in Westcliffe, CO.  So excited!  The gallery is closed from Jan to May - as we all need some 'hunker down time' in the winter.  Many restaurants and shops close, as well.  A good production time in the studio - anyway - while wiling away the winter cold.  

There are artist 'painting get togethers' every Monday at the gallery, so you know where I will be on Mondays.  'Gallery sitting' will be on the agenda, as well.  I have my times already scheduled.  It is a perfectly and smoothly run business - no kinks - no hassle - just nice friendly people (of course, haven't met anyone that wasn't just super nice - here) - can't wait to be INVOLVED!  I now wonder, why I waited so long...but 'life' comes first, always. And I am elated beyond belief that I am back, living in a place that SUPPORTS the arts - I have new friends.

Busy, Busy Summer

We have been busy on the Lazy K - updating the house and our grid system, having another outbuilding added to our property, RVing and just plain busy!
I have been able to get a few paintings going and done.
First a commission..

"Orcas" 12" x 12"

acrylic on wrapped canvas

(AR from pixabay.com)

and next a new 'work in progress' - watercolor and pastel merged

onto Uart mounted sandpaper

14" x 18"

Color is not coming out right in the photos. Will get it fixed by the time

I post the finished piece, hopefully very soon.

Carrying ON

Sad news, my class ended - abruptly - sometimes life happens to YOU 

and you have to accept it DOES to others, as well!  

Anyway, I have learned so much and my learning curve 

has jumped by leaps and bounds!!

I have such confidence going forward - I feel like I can tackle anything portrait wise

and that was exactly what I was looking for.

Here are a few of further works developed in the past few weeks.

BTW, have been painting the outside of my house along with this.

It is looking great, waiting for some new exterior shutters for the front

and am going to attempt a little bit of landscaping to improve it's drab

existence up to this point in it's life.

Charcoal done from a source photo provided from unsplash.com

This is Jake - my cousin.

Done in charcoal, and Dr/ Martin's No Bleed white.

I loved doing all the beard and hair and one of the

joys of using photos of people with sunglasses, is painting them 

and trying to capture the abstract

light or objects of what is reflected in them.  What made

this most fun was capturing his character

and I think I nailed it.

Daily Painting Results

More practice from my class.  We work from photos that are offered for use on UNSPLASH.  Sometimes they are zoomed in, sometimes they are flipped, whatever is needed for the lesson.  

On a roll, found some time to do a commission portrait of a doggy.  Also re-sided and painted our solar/chicken coop shed.  It was left with the wire grid on it for stuccoing, but we wanted to side it with T-111 like the house is.  It was an eyesore, but NOT ANY MORE!  My painting ARM and shoulder are working overtime.  Fighting to keep them healthy right now.

charcoal, pencil and acrylic paint

charcoal

charcoal 

Derwent Inktense and acrylic paint

(love the nose ring!)

charcoal B & W

dog portrait process

 and here is the final, the color sure didn't read right on these previous photos from my iPhone. 

I had to Photoshop the color on the final to make it look like it really DOES.

Practice, Practice, Practice

loved this face - can't wait to have time to fully explore this one as a complete face..

eye in marker, acrylic washes, and pencil..

3/4 turns on the lips watercolor and pencil..

charcoal/conte pencil eye..

many eyes - charcoal with colored pastel, 

have this one along with all the others taped to the easel,

looking at me as if to say, "Get Busy!" 

(DH says it's spooky to walk in the studio now.)

Why am I doing this - when I already paint complete

pieces and commissions?  It's practice..

just like an athlete, to stay good at what you do,

one needs that practice and reviewing.  In this case,

it's right where I need to be, as I look to the future

to be doing more and better (to me) portraiture.

Distance Learning

Even as a teacher, one has to brush up on skills, technique and latest practices..it is no different in anything you do.  I am currently taking an online mentoring class with artist Tonja Sell, who's in Michigan.  I admire her work so much. I took a class from her last year, and my own 'crafting' ability leaped by miles.  This course is on Gesture Drawing and painting.  Here is what I have done so far - amongst the other daily 'have-tos' of owning a new place and fixing it up. After I painted the deck skirting outside yesterday, I got to paint and draw.  Here are yesterday's pursuits:

 Got out the old newsprint pad and charcoal just like the old days - feels good and I love learning and practicing!  AS you can see, we are practicing figures and face features - starting May 1:

showing action and movement

 not as easy as I thought, I feel really rusty on my gesture ability

this one was difficult as this woman is balancing in a handstand on two blocks, what strength!

Working on combining materials in ways I am not used to ~ is part of the learning too.

Here's looking at you!

I bet you can tell where all this practice will eventually lead 

with what my subject matter will be when I get back to 

finished pieces?

AS time allows, I have a few commissions to do as well.  

Will be fitting them in soon!