Where I Stand Sunday

Getting up with the chickens...love that full moon!

Source Photographs That Go the Distance

"Shadows in the Wind"

6" x 6"

oil on Raymar canvasboard

for sale at ETSY HERE

 Continuing to attempt a different idea with my portraits and figurative paintings...this one is painted from a photo I took YEARS ago, when I was taking portraiture classes with Dodie Rufner/Ballentine in Colorado.  I was fortunate enough to go to the model's home, pick her up and drive her across Denver to Littleton, to our painting session.  She was dressed, as you can see - in full tribal dress.  I remember her being very quiet.  If I remember right, Cherokee?  And because I don't remember I will research and be sure about it before I state it definitely.   I have class notes somewhere in the studio...

maybe the information I need is there.  

The photos I took that night and the opportunity to paint her from a live session have given me MILES of painting pleasure. I remember I have painted her in different poses maybe 7 times over the past 30 years.  I only have one painting that is still with me.  

She is painted with 'eagles' in the wind.  These last two paintings may GO bigger this winter.  I like the bold colors of this one.  I have so many ideas in my head for the next one...I can't decide which one.  It may be an eeny-meeny-minee-moe.  This is me, who usually has to reach and stretch so far for the next idea.  So, keep em coming muse!!

I LOVE this time of year...the haze in the morning, the cooler temps, the good sleeping weather that it is!!  The trees here are gaining in the yellow/orange change.  Because the drought left this area so drab and colorless all summer, it's a good thing!  How is it where you live?

Where I Stood This Week

This week we had a visit from my Dad.  He drove all the way from Kansas City and stayed for several days.  He is 86 (almost 87). 

We were happy he made the trip...as we went lots of places, showed him lots of things and he helped my husband mow the acreage, among other things.

It was so nice that he was here as we slide into fall.

Nice weather and good times!

New Direction in Oil

"Prelude to a Fox Hunt"

6" x 6"

oil on Raymar canvasboard

for sale at ETSY HERE

I have been waiting to 'feel a change' in my art for some time.  My thinking takes me to a place in my mind where I know what I want to do, I have not had that breakthrough until late yesterday ~ this powerful need has been consuming me for at least a decade.  I think this is the one I have been pushing for - it is my springboard.  I have dreamt about it, I imagined it, I just couldn't get it to come out.  It's a genre that I had difficulty expressing.  I hope to get really involved in it - make it a commitment, a goal.

It's what I want to do with my ART. 

Does that happen to you?  Perhaps this made it's way to the canvas for me, through an encouragement I recently was given by another artist through a lengthy conversation we had, in addition to that angst I mentioned above (and yes, I had reallly been wrestling with this).   Her words basically, "Let it go, see where it takes you." 

So here goes...

Where I Stand Sunday

Today began - in the fog.  As it lifted, I tried to do some plein air painting with oil.  It has been so dry, the trees have suffered as well as the farmcrops and gardens.  Difficult to make 'pretty' out of 'dry' ~ even tweaking it, I found out.  But I gave it a try.  The sun finally came out about the time I was giving up. 

 

 

Yesterday, I took 4 paintings to McCook, Nebraska..about 2 hours from here with my friend, Gwen.  The Open Fine Arts Competition opens at:

 

McCook Art Guild

McCook Art Center 209 Norris Ave.

McCook, Nebraska 69001

308-345-4816

September 22 ("Opening" 1 - 4) to October 6, 2011

There are certain business hours, be sure to call ahead for that info.  Should be about 125 (2 dimensional, as well as 3 dimensional) works there.

What surprised us is ~ we learned that there is an abundance of 'artists' in that area of the Central Plains/U.S.A.

So now, the R.C.A.A. (Red Cloud Area Artists) is represented at this event!

It is so nice to be able to spend time with another 'artist' who loves talking 'art'.  Our shared ideas helped to feed our inspiration.

Anyway, it's exciting to be sharing my art in two events at this time, "Chrome, Smoke and Flames" in Russell, as well.

I also submitted three works to the 'Over 60 Competition' with The Artist's Magazine.  (OK, so now you know I am over 60. )  News of those selected for awards and to be featured in the magazine comes in December.

That has been my goal since being 'down' most of this year with my ankle break...to stand myself back up and GET OUT THERE! 

 

Now, time to get prepared for teaching a two-day workshop in

mid-October in Bennington, Kansas on "Painting the Figure in Oil" -

looking forward to it -

along with plenty of time in front of the easel 'til late October

when I have more surgery on my ankle area.

 

Where I Stand Saturday/Sunday

These pastels are remnants of some reworking I have been doing on a few pieces that never made it past the easel.  When I look at some of my older works, I see so much of what needs to be done.  So these two below got a 'pastel make-over' and are headed for a new show mid-September.  

 

This week, as well, I realized that each time I am able to spend a little more time, than 'hurry-up your show is tomorrow!' -  I understand and become more proficient with my mat cutting system..which is key to framing and presenting watercolor and pastel paintings.  I love having that time.   

 

Today I didn't feel like that duck in water you may have heard reference to, calm on the surface and paddling like mad beneath.  Nice feeling.

 

"Rainbow Bridge"

pastel on Canson paper

9" x 12"

 

"Chinle Arroyo"

pastel on Wallis sandpaper

20" x 12"

 

 

Where I Stand Sunday

According to the Salina Journal today, Kansas is experiencing the 6th driest year since 1895 (that includes the "Dust Bowl" years in the 30's). 

Today, I was in Russell, Kansas for the art show opening
and stopped on the way home, 'here'.

This little concrete bridge interests me each time I pass it, so I pulled off the highway to just stand and look at it.  My car thermometer read 104 degrees at 5:30 P.M.  Hot, hot, hot.  This bridge is over a dried out creek bed - the farmer enters his fields on this little dirt road that goes over the bridge. 

 

So many fields have dried ponds and dried streams.  I feel for those cattle ranchers.  I don't know where the cattle in some areas get hydrated.  The corn crops look like those dried out stalks you see in October bunches around Halloween.  Just ruined.  (No, we didn't get ANY of the Hurricane rain.) 

 

Lots of people showed up for our art opening at the Deines Cultural Center - which is a true gem of central Kansas' art venues.  I was able to do some 'drive-by' photos of people viewing the show.

 

 

This was one classy gal, she was all decked out.

I got a kick out of her.

You just never know when one or more of these will turn into a figurative study.

I like using them, because they are 'anonymous'.

 

The news article I mentioned above also alluded to the fact that "drought years, usually come in pairs or multiple years".  I don't think I am ready for that one.

Last year was the 4th driest year, so there you go, two years down!

(Whoops!  I am not laughing...)