Halloween Challenge

I'm sorry to not have posted anything for so long. It was an incredibly busy ( and fun ) summer.  The leaves have changed to their "showing off colors" but as I type this, they are being sprinkled with a heavy wet snow. The area has been surprised by an unseasonal nor'easter and I am NOT ready to enjoy winter weather, yet. Thankfully,to ease me into the change of seasons, my dear friends Chris Beck and Pablo Villicana Lara invited me to take part in a Halloween painting challenge. Even though I have two black cats and a broom, Halloween is to me "All About The Candy". I hope you enjoy this painting as well as the others from the artists listed below. You can see all the paintings together on Chris or Pablos blog sites. Thanks for stopping in to check on my blog.

Chris Beck: http://chrisbeckstudio.blogspot.com/

Pablo Villicana Lara: http://www.mylittlepaintbox.blogspot.com/


Debbie Cannatella: http://www.dcannatella.blogspot.com/

R. Garriott: http://www.rgarriott.blogspot.com/

Jeanette Jobson: http://illustratedlife.blogspot.com/

Ron Morrison: http://watercolourproductions.blogspot.com/

Diahn Ott: http://artbydiahn.blogspot.com/

Suzy Pal Powell: http://www.suzypal.blogspot.com/

Terry Rafferty: http://terryrafferty.blogspot.com/

Kay Smith: http://kaysmithbrushworks.blogspot.com/

Deb Ward: http://debwardart.blogspot.com/

Brenda York: http://brendayork.blogspot.com/

Pittsburgh Aqueous Open 2011

Good news came in the mail the other day. Frosty Breakfast was admitted to the 2011 show in Pittsburgh, PA. This is a show that I remember my prof in college talking about all the time and I always thought, "Yeah, maybe someday..." . Gee wizz, I never expected that I'd be in it three years in a row ! I've had so many nice comments from friends about this painting and I'm sooo appreciative. It really was fun to do & reminds me so much of where I grew up in western PA. But it is actually from just around the corner from me here in MD.

The 65 th Annual Aqueous Open will be at Gallery Sim, 1735 E Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA from Sept 25 through Oct 30, 2011.

I'll be away for a short time starting tomorrow, but I hope to come home to more good news. Keep your fingers crossed for me and THANKS for looking in here !

Some New Works

Is there anyone still out there? I've been negelting this blog for too long. I'm sorry.

So...here's a couple of things that have been in the works. There are sooo many completed paintings in my mind but only a few committed to paper. The bottom is from a photo I took in NYC last year when the Baltimore group went to see the AWS show. And the top is from Chicago in June when I met with the group from the Artcolony. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back to either painting. We've had wonderful visits from friends that we haven't seen for years and next week I'll be on the road again. Until I can get back and show you some progress with these, please take some time to visit the folks at the Artcolony blog...link is on the side bar...or any of the other wonderful sites over there on the right.

Artcolony in Chicago

I'm home from a most wonderful trip to Chicago where I met with nine other artists from all around the country. The original group was to consist of more but schedules took priority and they couldn't come this trip. All of us are members of another blog called "Artcolony". Some have been members for years and had never met so they decided it was time and picked a central location and familiar area to two of our group. Without them we would have been lost...quite literally. Thank you Debbie & Mary. We toured around the city snapping thousands of reference photos for future paintings, cramming in visits to the Art Institute, the architecture boat tour, Dick Blick retailer (art supplies of course ), a zoo, botanical gardens, rides on the EL train, the "Bean" and of course reeeely good restaurants. We returned home, all of us exhausted and sore, with less money but rich with photos that should keep us busy for years and friendships that will last even longer.

Kaaren Oreck (WI), me (MD), Mary Jansen (IL), Debbie Cannatella (TX), Nita Hoyt (TX), Ellie Sethman (CA), Cindy Agan (IN), Maryiln Wear (CA), Jane Freeman (MN) & Mollie Jones
(TX)

Army of Women

Recently I spent a few days with two wonderful friends from North Carolina. We met at our favorite NC beach and caught up on families/kids news and picked up where we left off from the last time we'd seen each other...ie. being silly. The above photo is mine from that trip although it is not of my two friends, it is symbolic of the friendship most women have or should have. One of my all time favorite movies is "Beaches" and this reminds me of that too. Now, having said all this...I just a few minutes ago made an appointment for my yearly mammogram. It seems more and more people I know have been affected by breast cancer, either having it themselves or someone they love. Another friend recently forwarded a link to "Army of Women" which is a data base for breast cancer research/trials/programs/etc. I have signed up. I do not (yet) have breast cancer or have a history in my family but I'm thinking perhaps this is something we could all do to help those who do or someday shall. Please follow the link and sign up if you can.
By the way, in the photo the two women are walking into the morning sunrise...not into the sunset. ;)
www.armyofwomen.org

More Snowy Hydranges

Half sheet of Arches Cold Press with Winsor / Newton paints.

Full sheet ( 22" x 30" ) Arches Cold Press with Daniel Smith paints.

I needed see these two side by side to compare. ( The first was auctioned to help the tsunamie victims in Japan. ) I was trying to get more subtle shapes with the blossoms in the second painting. Not sure I accomplished that. As it photographed I don't see much difference in the values just the colors.
It's not untaped yet so I may go back in. But I'll let it "cure" over night & take an other look later.

Link

Where did April Go ?... or...John Salminen Workshop

I don't know how April slipped by me. I tried to use an expired coupon yesterday only to realize I was a month behind...geez. I guess I was really busy and didn't notice.

One exciting event was the annual workshop held in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic exhibition by whomever does the jurying. This year the honor went to John Salminen, the internationally well known painter from Minnesota. John & his wife Cathy, also a talented & well known photographer, wowed and informed a group of twenty five students from as far away as Florida and DENMARK. It was enlightning to just be in their presence ! John is probably best knoiwn for his urban watercolors but this workshop was intended to shake folks from their "comfort zone" and take away the fear of abstract painting. It worked. I believe twenty five students now have a new comfort zone after this experience.