"I'm not perfect!"

Here is a link to one of Ted Talks lectures. If you've never listened to one you're in for a treat. there's a wide range of topics by really great speakers. A friend passed it on to me just at a time when I was getting nervous about "doing the perfect demo" for my upcoming workshop in Naples.
I always tell myself that even if the painting doesn't come out as one my best at least the students would see the concepts and know that it's always a struggle which is part of the learning process and part of the fun. Then there's the noise in my head that says "when I was taking workshops I wanted to see great art being made, why wouldn't they?" This lecture addresses issues of courage, self-worthiness and perfectionism!! It affected me so deeply that I had dreams about it last night and woke up thinking,"yeah, I'm not perfect!" So I apologize to my students ahead of time if I don't get the best onion painting I ever did, but that doesn't mean I won't try!!

Onion and Grapes

Using a single sphere next to a cluster of spheres is a good way to explain massing while demonstrating how to paint a realistic object. Of course we'll cover how warm and cool colors are the secrets and which five tones are needed to round an object! All covered in my book!!
I've done this set up so many times and am amazed how different it comes out each time! I would have loved to do another attempt to get even more paint on the surface but I was one the lucky ones to catch this ugly 24 hour virus that's going around and it's really taken a lot out of me. The reason I didn't have as much paint on the board as I usually do is that I used the previous day's palette. Even though the paint seemed wet enough it really is never the same as freshly put out paint. Just shows once again not to be stingy or lazy; always shows in the end. I took a chance since these winter days are so short I didn't want to have to paint when it was dark out; I feel I can never see the colors even with all these natural lights. I envy those painters who can paint oils in their basements!
"Onion and Grapes" 3 3/8"x 2 1/2" oil on board

NAPLES, FLORIDA WORKSHOP

Just a reminder for anyone who wants to sign up for my 3 day workshop in Naples, Florida. It's January 19-21, 2011. Click here for their website.
I know I'm looking forward to some 75 degree weather and beautiful beaches. We just had 18 inches of snow so this thought is really nice. I'm going to fly down and my husband wants to drive!?? He figures we'll go to Key West afterwards and take a leisurely ride home. He says I can fly from where ever if I get restless. I think I'd rather stay in Florida but ah well, such is married life. He's always so good about supporting me when I give a workshop.

Having an Intention

This is the same painting as previous post. I thought it needed to be warmer and have a bit more color. You always have to be so careful with watercolor; too much and it's overdone, overbaked and beyond salvaging. Now I wonder if it looks more like a shallot. Oh well.
I do like having an intention before painting. It may be using three colors instead of my usual 15 or it may be trying to get the cast shadow and core shadow in one brushstroke as this study was. That was what I forgot a few days ago. But then it got me painting so that's good. Once I finished I forgot my intention. Maybe I'll write it down on back of the board before I start painting.
Onion" watercolor on board wc 1041

Garlic with Pencil and Limited Palette or "I can't remem ber why"

I can't remember why I did another one. I can't remember if I liked the first one and thought I needed to try something else. I do remember thinking now I should put it in a group; I never do just one thing in the center, what kind of composition is that? I also forgot to mention that both these were done with only three colors; new gamboge from Daniel Smith, cobalt blue (Winsor Newton) and quinacrodone red (Winsor Newton). I wanted to say that I liked working with only three colors cause I put them out fresh and they stayed wet! I live/paint in very well heated NYC apartment and everything evaporates so quickly. I think I may work this way for awhile and see if I get enough colors to keep me happy. I think the trick may be to work with more greys. I know artists need to expand and keep trying new techniques, concepts but at this point in my life I'm wondering if I'm just not adding brain weariness. My painting mornings are fraught with too many decisions even before I get near my drafting table: do I want to paint with oils or watercolors? what do I feel inspired to paint? which support do I use? which palette? do I need to go to fruit/flower stand for new subject? and it's such a short day (maybe cause I seem to be getting up later and later)!!! And what was I so excited about yesterday? There was something I wanted to try. I do write this stuff down sometimes cause I know I'll forget but how can I forget something I was so excited about less than 24 hours ago?
Thanks for listening to my rant. Just want to add that this isn't something new. It's been happening to me since I've been painting full time. Just felt like (and remembered to write it here!)
I don't know how well you can see it but I added some pencil at the end to define the left hand side of the garlic to try and make it look less than an onion. I figured if you can start with pencil and then paint you can end with pencil also.
Cool Allium" watercolor on board, 4x3 inches

Garlic

Merry Christmas everyone!! We usually visits our kids but circumstances didn't work out this year so I was able to get some painting done. Glad for the time since I've had this garlic on my stand for awhile!
Forgot by now what my original inspiration was for doing garlic (probably saw one during a blog hunt) so I went to local veggie store and spent many minutes pouring over their garlic; touching practically every one in the bin (good thing I finally got over my cold) while my friend patiently waited for me. Then I saw some juicy colored shallots and went through those. When I got home I saw an already half used piece in our bowl and ended up using it for the painting. Guess we've all been through this kinda thing. Hopefully I'll get to the shallot bbefore it turns color!
"Garlic" watercolor on board, 4x3 inches

Self-Portrait

I wanted to explore portraiture further and thought I'd use myself. Don't have to worry about offending anyone but myself!