The more you move...

The more you want to.  Right?  Spring is right around the corner and I've been exercising and getting healthier over the past several months.  So it really doesn't seem too far fetched when I state that I am anxious to be more active and am thinking of an outdoor hobby.  I know, I know... "Susan, you're an artist, and artists stay in one place".  Yeppers, that staying in one place may have contributed to an excess of 40 to 50 pounds being packed onto this 5'4" frame.  So I'm thinking Rock Gardening. 

I don't have the patience to grow flowers, and actually I'm not that good at it.  Maybe some Cosmos or something that practically grows itself, but I was thinking rocks and cacti or succulents.  In doing some quick web surfing I found these images...

 Of course I'm not thinking anything this elaborate. Even though I have the room for it.  I'm thinking something that I can do by myself and even change or add to each spring if I still have this unusual desire to be outside lifting heavy objects.

Something like this might be possible. I do have lots of paving stone/tiles and rocks left here by the previous owners.  She loved rocks also and they are tucked away in several places.  I would love to get to the place, strength-wise, that I could heft rocks up into a wheelbarrow and move them from place to place.

I know this is a bit ambitious.  I just want it to be mine.  Something that I have done.  Not something my landscapers ( whom I adore, by the way) or my very strong and handsome husband has done for me.
But something I can putter around with and get some exercise while I doing it.  Oh, I know I could get the clippers and trim the ivy from around the trees or pick up sticks and pull weeds, but what's the beauty in that?

So let's put on our thinking caps and come up with a fun rock garden for me to do.  I have the space to do it.  I can rake and hoe by hand.  I don't really want anything that involves tillers or anything that will make me want to give up.  You get the picture, don't you?  Something doable that will show results.

Let me know what you think.  This is going to be a good Spring, I can just tell.

Life aint nothin but a funny, funny, riddle...

Isn't it funny, how all summer long here in the blistering humidity of the Old Dominion, I sit and think of how much I long for cold and snow and then after eight or nine weeks of the stuff, I'm so done with it? 

Now I'm wishing it was warm and sunny.  I want to work in my yard, picking up sticks or tromping around down below the house revamping  plans for more landscaping in the woods.  Even though our humidity is sometimes excessive , I love it here. 

We don't have earthquakes much to speak of (only one that I can remember) and tornadoes usually pass us by (well, there was that one that came through several years ago) and usually the snow is minimal in our area (except for last year when we had about 24").

So we put up with the occasional bout of bad weather, but we love the area.  Everything is nearby.  We have the strawberry festival,

lots of shopping, our fitness center is only one mile away, and of course there's always bowling.

Whenever we get the urge to catch a movie, most of the new releases are playing at several different complexes. 

If you are in the mood for outdoor activities, we have everything you could ask for.  A nice little zoo, all kinds of places to hike and picnic and a recently completed greenway that winds around for miles. Now that I'm getting in better shape, I hope to take advantage of these new and improved trails.

So whether I'm sitting inside watching it snow while I do needlepoint, or gazing out the laundry room window watching the wind whip the trees, I always know that this blustery season is temporary.  The sun will shine and soon I'll be kicking up my heels in that sunshine and singing the last line to  John Denver's famous song in my own way..."thank God I'm a country girl".

Well, that's it for me for today.  We'll talk soon.  Enjoy your winter and dream of spring.

What Cha Doin?

..."feeding Alexander".

Now that my friends, is an obscure reference to an old Gravy Train commerical.  It's no wonder people never know what I'm talking about.  I still speak in the vernacular of vintage television commercials and after school specials.  I can't remember to cut the broiler unit off, but I can recite decades old adages and such.

What about you?  Do you find yourself retrieving ancient information from your memory banks?  Anyway, I was just wondering if it was just me.

Still no new art to take fancy shots of to dazzle you with.  I'm still working on needle point and going to the gym and trying to get healthy.  BUT in between these things I do manage to read some.  I am currently reading Rise and Fight Again by Charles Bracelen Flood. It recounts four of the most disastrous defeats of the American Revolution.  I just finished the section on Fort Washington and read about the horrible deaths of the prisoners that were basically stored in churches and warehouses or violently stuffed into the bowels of docked warships without any food or water.  Some very sad passages in the descriptions of these soldiers.

I also read fiction.  I like the lighter crime novels.  The ones that just say someone was killed and then the local librarian or book store owner proceeds to solve the mystery.  I also like Southern writers like Fanny Flagg and can always relate to the scenarios that she refers to. I don't usually care two hoots for romantic fiction, but have enjoyed the books by Tracy Chevalier, due to their historical information and well researched facts.

So while it is snowing outside, or the wind is howling, or you just want to cozy up and read, what do you choose.  Let me know.  I always want to know what my friends are reading.

Well, that's it for now.  Take care and stay safe and warm.

Where in the world???

Where has she been?  I'm such a slacker.  Between going to the gym and growing my hair, I just have really been slacking off on things.  Things like a new blog post...and new artwork...you know, that kind of thing.  In my defense, I have been using my break from the easel to do some needlework.  Longer days and warmer temps will be here eventually and the needlework will be put up.  For some reason, needlework just seems to be a winter kind of art. 

I did finish up a butterfly that was started last year...

I started another butterfly as a companion piece...

I finished, (but obviously haven't pressed) a counted cross stitch from two years ago...

And I finally got around to taking a picture of a cute little needlepunch that I did last year.

So, as you can see, I haven't been without art during my self-imposed painting break.  I'm just painting with thread. 

One thing is for sure, if I ever do get painter's block, there is always another art to motivate me. Because in addition to all my painting supplies, I have (and I know I'm the only one) large stashes of yarns, fabrics, patterns, books and magazines, and of course, my friend the internet to motivate me if I become bored with my current artsy adventure.

The thing is, if it's knitting, I have tons of supplies.  If it's sewing, once again I have tons of stash.  I have jewelry supplies that would complete any store inventory and whatever I need in the way of polymer clay is always only a few steps away.  I have vintage craft kits from the 70's just waiting to be completed and a box full of naked Barbies waiting to be repurposed.  Blessedly, our house has a great storage area that is the length of the entire house and DH has been great about helping with shelves and tables and whatever we need to keep things organized.  Shucks, I even converted the downstairs walk-in shower to a supply closet.  It wasn't always like this.  I have done many an art piece at the kitchen table, and who hasn't put that sewing machine in the kitchen at one time or another?  That's one of the great things about artists.  Whether it is fabric or fiber, painting or polymer...we will figure out a way to do it.  Why? Because it's just who we are.  We may take breaks from projects for long periods of time and devote time to other things when necessary, but we always go back to art. 

So if the little artist within you has been too busy, or too uninspired...indulge yourself tonight.  Take her out for a while and immerse yourselves in something that you used to just love to do, or perhaps haven't made the time to do.  It could be finishing a previously started project, or simply reading a how-to book. You know you want to...so like those Nike ads say...let's just do it.

That's all for now.  We'll talk soon and maybe I won't be such a slacker next time...but don't hold me to it!

Do you have rules?

We all have rules that we live by.  A civilized society, as we blessedly still somewhat are, must have rules to survive.  I'm actually referring to the self imposed rules that we live by in our personal lives.  Most of my rules are logical, such as increasing the size of the pin hole in the plastic top on my coffee to go cup.  If there isn't a "breathe" hole in the lid, you have to almost suction the coffee into your mouth, so I take something sharp, like a pin or the tip of the largest, sharpest knife in the house and enlarge this little hole.

You may be able to notice a small circle on the top of the lid, that is actually the pin-hole that I'm referring to.

It's quite similar to poking a hole in the bottom of the cranberry jelly can at Thanksgiving.  Because that works with the cranberry jelly, I've known folks that pierce the end of every can that they open.  So you see the kind of rules I'm talking about.  We have rules when we cook that may or may not be based on fact.  Remember the story about the newlywed that was cooking a ham for the first time by herself and had her husband looking everywhere for a handsaw to saw the end off the ham bone?  "You've got to find the saw, Mama ALWAYS cuts the end off the ham". Finally to avoid additional frustration, the husband (who are sometimes a lot smarter than we give them credit for) asked her to call her Mom and ask why you had to cut the end off.  Her Mom answered incredulously,  "honey, it's because my pan is too small for the ham."

So you may see where I'm going with this.  We have a new year upon us and maybe it really is time to reevaluate our self imposed rules.

Lots of my rules are food related.   Some of them are a bit weird and nonsensical.  If I have made a sheet cake and have snuck in and eaten some right out of the pan with a fork, then I think that I have to cut the uneven part off, so it will look neat. Hmmm, might it be I don't want anyone to know that I've been in there?.  Of course, I do eat the part I trimmed off.  Good thing I don't bake many cakes.  I have a friend that doesn't like to eat a sandwich if there are no potato chips.  Or perhaps you don't want to eat beans without cornbread.  You know, food rules.  Like the one that says you have to eat the entire pack of something, even when it's more than one serving.  When we do have cookies in the house, and that is rare these days, I wont take an uneven amount in my hand.  I don't want one cookie, I want two or four.  I know, I know....

So since we're going to be taking part in the fitness center weight loss challenge, I am going to have to change some things.  "They" say that you shouldn't work out every day, that you should let your muscles rest a day.  Therefore, I only do cardio on some days and weights on others. Seems that I remember back when there were farms, that folks worked every day and for that much, we know that anyone that has a physical job, they do it every day without have a day to let their muscles rest.  So, for me, that is a rule that bears some thought.  I have been going to the gym everyday trying to build up my endurance for the competition, because I know the trainer is going to push us to get the most out of us that she can.  Today, the hubby was very tired and we went back to bed and didn't hit the gym.  I will probably work out at home today and hopefully over the weekend.

We are also invited out to eat with friends Saturday to our favorite restaurant, a Japanese Steakhouse, as a belated Christmas gift.  We're both looking forward to that.  Usually that's where we go when my sister (Peri) comes in from out west, so it will seem a bit odd being there without them.  Other than working out and eating out, that's the extent of our plans.

I have been working on a counted cross stitch kit that I started last year (I think) so hopefully soon I will have that to show.  My art table feels neglected, but sometimes that's just the way it is. I'll be full of new ideas for paintings soon, but until then it will words of wisdom and wit and perhaps a few pictures here and there.

So dear friends, enjoy your weekend and when you sit down to enjoy your celery that you refuse to eat without peanut butter and raisins, think about some of the self imposed rules that may have you stymied.

It's 2011...how can that be?

Just a quick post to say Happy New Year to everyone.  I hope you all survived the crazy weather, the disruption of snow removal, the falling of birds from the sky and all the other wild things that happened over the holidays.

I haven't done much during my holiday week, but I did manage to make one painting.  They say that copying the Masters is a great way to learn.  This copy of Renoir's Head of a Girl started out simply as a quick sketch to decide on the colors that I would use when I do it for real.  For that reason, I used acrylic paint and not oil.  Those of you that you know me wont be surprised that I got bogged down with it and instead of doing a quick color sketch, I tried to replicate the look of oils using heavy bodied acrylic paints.

There are lots of methods and techniques to use with acrylics and I do so love working with them  especially because of the fast drying time.  On the other hand, that fast drying time is the one thing that will always separate acrylics from oils.  That is the reason that I will be copying this painting again soon and using oil paints.  The blendability, as well as the color mixing, is so different.  All that being said I offer for your viewing pleasure my version of Renoir.

I tried to use the same size canvas as the original in order to keep up the appearance of it being a copy, but as you can see, I just wasn't able to get the colors very close to the version that I was using.  Now not having seen the original (which I have read is the ideal way to copy a great work), I really wasn't sure how true the colors in the art book were.  At least it is recognizable as the head of a girl, so I'm happy with that.  I probably will do another version of it some time.

I will be working on a huge box of photographs from my past for the next several days (I hope it doesn't turn into weeks) and won't be painting much.  Organizing old photos and checking out negatives and sorting out photos to scan or reprint can take up some time.  If you have any ideas on making it easier, please feel free to let me know.  Otherwise I'll be immersed in the 50's, 60's, 70's, and early 80's for a bit.  Wish me luck.

That's it from me for several days.  Take care and have a great week!

What's on my easel...

I just couldn't stand looking at that photo of me in antlers any longer, so I'm showing what's on my easel.

This still life painting of a bowl of fruit has been calling me every time I go by it and I always sit down and work on it some more.  It's been on my easel all week, but today when I went into the studio, there was silence.  I suppose that means that it's done for now.  We will see.

This other one, a garden of imaginary flowers, was created while learning which brushes make which strokes, but it turned out to be a colorful surprise.

It's been quiet here on the home front.  I am staying in for the most part.  The hubby and I went out yesterday to run errands and to swing by the mall.  I was thinking, for some unknown reason, that everyone had gone back to work and school. Wrong...circle gets the square. (Hollywood Squares reference). Traffic was heavy and everyone and his uncle must have gotten gift cards this year.  Well, I don't need anything enough to put either one of us through that pain.  Hopefully, next week things will calm down and we can stroll the mall, hand in hand, and find all kinds of deals that have been overlooked by the masses....uhhh, right.

In any event, I'm staying in and keeping warm and waiting until Friday when the mercury is supposed to rise to 50 degrees.  Can you imagine what kind of holligans warm weather on New Year's Eve will bring out?  Looks like I will wait until next week to hit the mall.  Sheesh, this is unending...

So that's it from me for a few days.  Stay tuned for more art and as they used to say on television in the old days..."keep those cards and letters coming".

It's Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve and I don't have a current Christmas picture of us to post, but the sentiment is the same.

As we remember that this holiday is to celebrate the conception and birth of Christ, we know that how ever we celebrate it, whatever our belief is, as long as we remember to honor Jesus, we will be blessed.

I hope you all have a wonder filled and joyous Christmas.

Merry Christmas

from

Susan and Family

Finally, I can post this...

I have been chomping at the bit to post this, and finally it's been delivered.  This is the present I sent my sisters, a portrait of one of their cats. 

This is a pastel portrait that I did in October and have been quiet as a mouse about it.  I had it framed and sent it to them this week.  They loved it. This kitty is named Zipper and he is such a ham, he poses for the camera every time we get out to the west coast to see him.

I have done several other things, but I wanted to show you this in the meantime.

Merry Christmas, Peri and Peg-Peg, we love you bunches!

It's just two weeks til Christmas...

Yep, two weeks until Christmas and the only decoration I have this year is one poinsettia that we got at Home Depot.  Actually the only reason I even have that was to have something to paint.  I haven't done a still life for several months, so I thought a seasonal one would be just the ticket. 

I had fun doing it and while I'm sure I could have probably staged it better somewhere else in the house, it just worked for me on the mantle.

We have spent a very quiet week here, going to the gym, doing a bit of shopping and watching some television.  It's funny, even at my age, I still get teary eyed at the Christmas television specials.  It doesn't matter if it's the old faithful ones from our youth, or the Christmas episode of a current sitcom, I still get weepy. Always have, probably always will.

In addition to being weepy, everyone here in my neck of the woods has been on pins and needles, due to the abduction of a local 12 year old girl.  Her Mom had missed work two days in a row, so on Monday, concerned co-workers call the police and when they entered the house, unfortunately, they found the mother, Tina, murdered.   The daughter, Brittney was not there and it was soon discovered she had been taken by her Mom's boyfriend, apparently on Friday.  An Amber Alert was issued immediately and finally last night, they were seen in San Francisco in a Safeway.  A shopper recognized them from the Amber Alert photos and called police and they were able to arrest him without incident and get Brittney.  The officials aren't releasing much information, but at least she's safe and on her way home. 

I hope everyone is staying calm, cool and collected over the holidays.  My shopping is done, and after we go to UPS Monday, I can sit back and relax.  I don't stress out much this time of year.  The hubby and I get things we like throughout the year, so we don't worry that much about special gifts for each other.  I ordered art supplies from Dick Blick and he will probably get something from Musician's Friend and we both like to order shoes from Zappos.  So this season hasn't stressed us out in the least.

Well, that's it from me for now.  Stay safe and warm and remember to tell the people that you love, just how much they mean to you.  Take care, we'll talk soon!

Getting ready for the weekend

Hey out there.  Seems that Friday is going to be my day to post.  I am sitting here patiently trying to recover from my morning workout.  One thing about going to the gym is that I seem to challenge myself more than I do when I workout at home.  Perhaps it's the fact that I have to actually get ready and drive to the center to do my workout.  I know it's not the money, as the fee is only $39.00 a month.  I haven't researched any other health clubs, but that seems reasonable enough when you have access to an indoor pool, group exercises and every kind of weight and exercise machine that you may need or want.

Sorry, I got a bit off subject there, I was going to discuss the fact that I like to compete with myself.  Each time I go to Zumba I go a little bit faster, or reach a little bit higher so that I still am sweaty and slightly red faced when I finish.  It will be sometime down the road before I am not surprised with the image that I see in that wall of mirrors.  Don't get me wrong, I don't have a poor body image at all, it's just that I'm not used to seeing myself all jiggly and breathless when I look in my mirror.  I usually have a makeup brush or a curling brush in my hand and am in another kind of zone completely.

Oops, I did it again... I was going to mention that even on days that I don't have group exercise to motivate me, I push myself to walk faster and even run a bit when I'm on the track.  I like to use the recumbent bicycle and cross trainer machine and each time, I try to work a bit harder in hopes of building up my strength and endurance levels.

I promise that all of this is actually leading somewhere, so try not to doze while I get to my point.  What point am I trying to make?  Stick-to-itiveness! Yep, that made up word that says so much, it's now in the dictionary.  Perseverance, tenacity, just plain old staying power...whatever you want to call it, it's got to be what makes the world go around.  You just can't get anywhere by fizzling out, or by giving up or by quitting.  If you think you can, you might as well just sit in the floor and cry because you won't get what you want from life.

Having a goal and working for it is healthy.  If you are like so many of us and you sit for hours at a time, try to set simple goals like getting up and walking around the room every hour.  It is so easy to be at the sewing machine, or the art table or surrounded by colorful yarns and forget to move.  Yep, we forget to move.  It's a good thing that breathing is involuntary, or we might forget that, also.  So, let's challenge ourselves this month and at least set a goal to make some changes, and possible move more.  Park at the end of the lot at the mall (making sure you are in a safe spot if you will be shopping until dark), or take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Even little things like standing up straight, instead of leaning on the shopping cart will also make a difference in the way you feel about yourself.

Normally, I don't rant about these kind of things on my art blog.  It's just that I think it's important to do my personal best, because I seem to just feel better when I do.  That's why I did a second version of my bucket and tree painting.  I liked the first one I did, which is on the right, but I wanted one that was more transparent and went with the barn paintings that I'm doing.

(Click on the images for a larger version)

So that's what I did this week, as far as art.  I am also thinking of doing another version of the covered bridge in this same fashion, so be on the look out for that.

Well, that's it for me for today.  Hope you are ready for a great weekend.  Take care of yourself so you, too can do your personal best.

Everything old is new again

When it comes to art instruction books, it doesn't have to be a new publication to help you improve your techniques.  I am currently using a book published in 1984 called Acrylics, Translucent Techniques for Landscape Painters, by R. Bradford Johnson.  Now, I do have to admit all the paintings tend to look the same, as you are using the same techniques used in the previous exercise and adding new ones when you go to the next tutorial.  Of course, each person puts their own spin on color mixing and such, but they do all tend to look like copies from the book. All that being said, here are three paintings that I have done in the past week.


This was my first one, and I sort of forgot that I was going for translucency, and painted in a more opaque fashion.




The second one adds weathered wood and rocks... 

This third one throws snow covered trees  and stonewalls into the mix...

The next one will have a windmill and a rusty tin roof on the barn, so I really am learning as I go.

Hope everyone had a good week and a good Thanksgiving Day.  I have to get on the computer and get some shopping done, but other than that, Christmas shopping for me will be very easy.  I'm not much on decorating these days, but I still have some money left on a Bed, Bath and Beyond gift card, so I think I'll scope out some new, and hopefully, easy to display, holiday lights.  No Griswold lights for us, but if you are into that type of decorating, check out this site.

Well, that's it from me for now.  Take care and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Happy Friday!

Hope everyone is gearing up for a fun weekend.  Since I didn't want to see that same artwork all weekend, I thought I would post this recent practice piece...

Looks like water is a recurring theme in my work. I got a bit wonky on the head of this bird, and it looks like those bird creatures in the cartoons. I was trying to make it's feathers stand out a bit, but he does look a bit furry, doesn't he? 

Anyway, that's what's on my easel this week. Perhaps I will change things up a bit next week.  I have been taking lots of reference photos of the trees around my house.  I really like to draw and paint trees. Who knows, maybe I'll try my hand at some wildlife next time.

In the mean time, have a great weekend, get ready for Thanksgiving and try not to over indulge.

Another week has gone by...

Yes, it's hard to believe that another week has gone by.  I worked out five days last week, but am taking the weekend off to recover.  I was so sore last week, I think I may have overdone it on Thursday, but I'm feeling good today.

Anyway, I said that I hadn't really done any art to speak of.  That is never actually the case, I always have something in the works and I'm always of the opinion that if it's not "perfect" I just can't post it here.  Well, fiddle sticks on that.  I'm going to go ahead and post everything that I have going in the art studio.

I have been working on an oil painting.  My first in about six or seven years.  And I've only done two others, so oil is not something I am experienced in.  You may recognize the covered bridge from my trip several weeks ago.


I cleaned up the studio and set out my acrylic paints and tried my hand at some impressionist work.  This one of the boats in the harbor is very unfinished and may be destined for the trash bin, but that's yet to be decided.

This last one is in acrylic and is quite large for me.  At 16 x 20, done in acrylic on watercolor paper, it is taken from an exercise in an oil painting instruction book.  I am much more in favor of the fast drying time of acrylic so I am adapting some of those techniques to my acrylic work.  We will see how that goes.

 


So this is what I have been working on.  In between going to the fitness center, keeping up with everyday stuff, and just enjoying life in general.

We have been watching the new AMC series, The Walking Dead and it is super gory and very scary.  If you are into zombies, this is the show for you and you can catch up on past episodes here.  If you are uncomfortable with yucky special effects and don't sleep well after viewing something of this nature.  Do Not, I repeat Do Not, watch this show.

So that's it from me for now.  I hope everyone has had a great week and is rearing to go into the next one.

What's up with you?

As some of you already know, I take art by spurts.  I spent the entire summer painting and having a blast.  I still have several paintings I want to do as Christmas presents, but I have reached that time when I put up my paints and let things simmer for a while.

In my last post I may have mentioned that I am trying very hard to "get into shape".  At this stage of the game ( umm, age 57) I'm not sure what that shape will be, but I do want to be flexible, have endurance and a healthy cardio system.  So I've been hitting the gym lately and am actually liking it and looking forward to my next visit.  The Zumba Gold class was pretty intense, but got progressively easier with each class.  This week I am going to attempt to add something called "hooper-cise" into the routine, so I'll be sure to keep you posted on that.  My swimming lessons were successful, but with cooler weather here, I'm not too hep on getting in the pool.  Maybe a water aerobics class here and there, but I'm not sure.

What does one post when you no longer have kitties doing crazy things, and your jewelry making has been on hold for months and your artist's muse is on vacation?  Let me go to my archives and see what I can come up with.  I'm sure I must have some pictures that could be revisited...

How about revisiting my old halloween costumes?   You may have noticed my new profile picture.  The last year I worked I was a mime, so I am using that for my ID shot for a while.  One of my favorite costumes, (which my sister said didn't look like a costume at all) was the year I dressed up as Mommy Dearest and carried a wire coat hanger.  So just for grins and giggles, here I am as Joan Crawford.  Enjoy!

Yep, it's me with heavily drawn eyebrows and bright orange lipstick with lots of rouge on my Mean Mom cheeks.

On a sad note, I just wanted to mention that my sister told me that one of her friends took his own life last week.  He was a lovely young man and one of the first folks she met when they moved to California.   Due to his brief appearance on the Batchelorette, his untimely death by his own hand, is now world wide news.  This makes it even sadder, in my opinion, that the grief over this loss has to be so public for his family.  There is, of course, always more to the story when a death like this takes place, things that I won't go into here, but I offer condolences and I do pray that he will be remembered for the nice guy that he was. Julien you will be missed by those who loved you.

So that's it for now. I hope everyone had a good weekend and is preparing to be healthy, creative and happy next week. Remember to tell your loved ones how much you care and give them a big hug.

Welcome November...

Wow, can today be the first of November?  Finally we are getting some cooler weather.  It has been in the 80's here all Fall.  Kind of hard to get ready for Autumn when the air conditioner is still humming along. 

I have two more paintings to share.  This first one is based on the photograph taken by my friend Karin at Countryfolk Keepsakes.  In addition to being a very creative primitive fabric sculptor and doll maker, she is Mom to several furbabies and often we read about their antics.  Anyway when I saw one of her photos, I had to paint it.



My version of it...



And then I decided to play "what if" and added some large pine trees and came up with another version





 Karen suggested I add her little busy friend "Stan the Beaver" who resides very nearby. Maybe next time.

As I mentioned last week, I was going on a bus ride to view the leaves and to take pictures of some covered bridges.  We had a lovely time and even got to ride up the mountain and have lunch at the famous Mountain Lake Resort.  Here is a shot of the view from the bus.

 Not bad for a moving vehicle, huh?

Here is one of the bridges that we saw

and we even got to see bovine

So, as the old folks used to say..."a good time was had by all".

Well, I have decided to start hitting the gym, so I expect I may not be quite so prolific in the art department.  Last week in addition to my swim classes, I used the stationary bike, walked the indoor track and took a water aerobics class.  This is the last week of my swimming lessons, so I am signing up for Zumba Gold that starts tomorrow.  It's the easier version of Zumba, aimed at true beginning exercisers and those that might need to go a bit slower.  Hey, I'm not too proud to admit that I fall into that category.  Let's hope that's all I fall into.

Remember if I don't talk to you before Tuesday, get out there and vote.  All states have elections and I really feel that our voices can be heard. Your vote does count.

So that's it for now, hope everyone has a great week, being creative and loving life.  Do something fun and if anyone asks why...tell then Susan said to!

Evrything about this is "wrong"

I used the wrong brushes, and the wrong paints, but following along with Terry Harrison  on Artist's Network TV, I came up with a reasonable copy of his tutorial.

This painting was done using liquid acrylics instead of heavy bodied paints, I used regular sized brushes instead of big brushes and my canvas, an 8 x 10, is a bit smaller than I'm used to.  Actually, I'm quite happy with it and am now off to my art table to work on another one.  As long as I'm having fun, that's all that matters.

So don't forget... stay happy, healthy and creative!

Just checking in...

Well, just making a quick post to say hello.  I am getting back in the groove and have done several more paintings.  One I cannot show because it's going to be a Christmas present for someone that reads this blog, but one that I can post.

It's another seascape, painted from a photo that I took while in California.  I won't bore you this time with the progression of the painting.  As much as I loved using stick pastels, I am have great success painting with Pan Pastels.  They are so much fun.  But anyway here it is.  I took this shot right after sunset at Carlsbad Beach.  Hope you like it.

In addition to keeping house, taking swimming lessons and painting, this week I am going on a day trip to see four of Virginia's covered bridges and to soak in the fall colors of nature.  We will also be having lunch at Mountain Lake Resort, the film site of Dirty Dancing. Expect lots of photos, hopefully some that can be used as reference photos for numerous autumnal paintings.

Well, that's it for today.  Hope everyone is having a great week.  Enjoy yourself and stay creative!

Sea Scape Progression

As some of you may remember, one of the reasons I went to visit my sister was to paint.  Here is a pictorial progression of my seascape.  The reference photo that I used was from the Wet Canvas website.  I am having so much fun using Pan Pastels that my other pastels are crying.  Don't worry little stick buddies, I'll get back to you soon.

Phase 1- I work from back to front...



Phase 1 A - This shows me applying the pastel with a sponge


Phase 2 shows the progress


Finished painting




We had a great time painting, and while I still have some great vacation pictures, I thought I would toss in some art.  I am going to work on another seascape today, from a photo that I took at Carlsbad Beach.

It is rainy here today and while I like rainy days, it is a bit more difficult to become motivated.  We'll see how things go.

I did sign up for a second set of swimming lessons and am currently practicing kicking with my legs and not just my feet.  Whew, playing in the pool is fun, but practicing technique is hard work.  Well, you know what they say about practice.

I guess that's it for today.  I hope you enjoy the photos of my progress on this beach scene.  Tune in later for another one.  Take care and enjoy today.

I feel like I've been gone forever...

Well friends, I'm back from vacation and everything seems topsy turvey. Unpacking, getting back in the groove, taking swimming lessons, trying to get DH back on our regular schedule of eating good food and well...you know the routine.

I did have time to load some of the pictures I took while out in San Diego.  I stayed at my sister's other house, the one she uses as an art studio and the one that has a beautiful pool.  We had lots of fun and I was very brave and even swam in the deep end of the pool.  Those swimming lessons were money well spent.

Anyway, until I get everything back in order here on the home front, I'll only have time for a few pictures, but she has such a lovely home, I know you'll enjoy this virtual tour.

We start in the hallway, looking toward the foyer.  Take a glance in the living room, dining room, breakfast nook, living room and kitchen.  Later I'll take you outside for a glance at the pool, their beautiful landscaping and maybe even a night shot.

Hope you enjoy this first installment of the photo tour.

 Down the hallway...

Formal living room on the left

On to the breakfast nook...

And then into the kitchen...

Off the kitchen is the den...

I also took several other pictures of the foyer and formal dining area, but blogger with it's newfangled features, wont let me post them because of them being vertical.  Does anyone know how to get past that?

Anyway, that's a start and hopefully in the next day or two I can show you how gorgeous the outside of the house is.

In the mean time, I'll be doing laundry, shopping and generally getting back in my groove.  Yep, it'll all be about how Susan got her groove on.  So until then, let me know what everyone has been doing and remember to stay creative and artsy in your own special way.