Next to the last day of my painting challenge! Day 29

I had been messing around with a photograph I had taken of a crow a couple of years ago. I used a couple of effect filters and one caught my fancy. So, I threw the blank canvas board on my multi-tasking counter and set to trying to render an interpretation in acrylics.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I think it needs something more ... or something less. I like the general feel of it, so I'll keep working on it, but wanted to post an exercise for today's challenge.

Here it is ... all 11 x 14 inches of it in acrylic on canvas board.

Day 28 Painting

Today in Spokane was raining off and on and chilly. It reminded me of my last day at Ocean Shores about 10 days ago, which was also blustery and raining. I took a photograph of the ocean during the storm and this painting comes close to capturing the stormy white churning of the surf.

There's more identifiable sky in the painting than there is in the photograph. I'll go back into the painting later and work more on toning back the sky. There was something about the rainy sky that obscured clouds. Haven't quite got it yet.

But it was a good exercise for today. This painting is acrylic paint on 11" x 14" canvas board.

Friday! How is this possible so soon? Day 26 Painting

While on my road trip along the Pacific coast last month, I stopped and climbed around on the rocks and saw limpets, broken pieces of seaweed, rocks and pebbles, a few shells. Today's painting in acrylic on an 8" x 10" canvas board is of one of those lengths of seaweed, and the strong shadow cast on that sunny day.

Today I also painted frames, since my display commitment is rapidly approaching. I think I have enough frames and now need to get everything assembled, priced, labeled and packed so I don't ding up the frame corners, etc. It's happening! Monday!

Here's today's painting exercise.

Day 26 Painting

I worked on a 10" square wrapped canvas in acrylic paints today. Played with arcs and angles.

This one probably won't make it into the grouping of paintings I'll be displaying MONDAY!

Egads! Monday! I was aware I had signed up to do the first display in October, but I was thinking the end of October.

So be it.

Here's today's exercise:

Painting Day 25

The painting challenge remains in place to try new methods and directions, but at this morning's meeting I committed to showing some paintings with the River Ridge Association of Fine Arts group, so I'm painting on a larger scale in hopes of having something to exhibit. Obviously this new wrinkle will influence what I choose to paint only because I would like to put together about 5-10 works that share a commonality, but I hope not too much influence.

I want to maintain the playful, exploratory nature of the challenge. Time will tell if I succeed in that endeavor. However, because today was rainy and cold--Fall is knockin' at the door--I decided to try painting autumn leaves.

The photograph is of a work in progress. I've not worked out all the angles of the composition just yet. Working in a larger scale in the same amount of time has been interesting. I got further along today than I anticipated. Huzzah! BUT, the painting is not finished.

Work in progress for September 25 is acrylic on 11" x 14" canvas board:

Painting Du Jour 24

Another little departure for me. I acquired a much used pair of men's Tony Lama cowboy boots at a garage sale. Don't know why. Just liked the leather and the stitching and that they were very used. It seemed there was a story in those boots somewhere. So, why not start off the story with an illustration, eh what? First pair of boots I've ever painted. Who would've guessed?

Thus, September 24th painting exercise. Acrylic on canvas board about 8" x 10"

Missing Paintings from Sept 18 and Sept 19

I think those are the ones I had uploaded to Facebook because I couldn't figure out how to upload them to my blog from iPhone. So, these photographs are the ones I used on Facebook. Not great quality, but at least they give you and idea as to what I painted those days.

Both paintings are acrylic on canvas board and are about 6" x 8"

Du Jour 23

While traveling down in California last month, I took several photographs of morning glories. I've attempted in today's painting to capture that subtle coloring. I'm afraid I can't do subtle well, but here's today's exercise.

Oh! I forgot to convert my missing photos from my iPhone and upload them. Tomorrow's another day.

Today's painting is with acrylic paints on canvas board 6" x 8"

Day 22 Painting ... Autumnal Equinox

Yes, you're right! I did miss a couple of days. I did have Paintings 18 and 19, and I'll upload them tomorrow. I did them during a quick birthday getaway and uploaded them to Facebook from my iPhone camera, but I couldn't figure out how to upload them to this blog. So, they'll be uploaded tomorrow.

However, I was distracted with other matters so Paintings 20 and 21 did not get painted. I'll catch up on them tomorrow, but for today here's just a single acrylic painting on paper. It's another one of those situations where I had a framed commercial print and I just painted over it en frame.

Here's approximately 3" x 3" Equinox Moon

Day 17 Light in Blue Blues

I happened to be staring at light coming in a small basement window and was mesmerized by how everything else in the room disappeared as I focused on the light. Our brains are amazing how they alter reality. Anyway, today's painting deals with this perception.

Tomorrow morning I head out to Ocean Shores, WA for a couple of days of solitary thought and perhaps some enlightenment as to who I want to be when I grow up. It's a traditional birthday vision quest.

My thanks to Mel's daughter-in-law for graciously allowing me to stay at their family vacation cottage. It will be interesting to see what I paint the two days I'm there. I don't think I'll be able to upload them until I return, but I'll see if I can do it all via my iPhone.

Painting Challenge, Day 16

I've a little quirk--well, among many--in that when I doodle, I doodle in threes; three little hash marks, brush strokes, lines. And they normally happen in clusters at angles to another cluster of three. Don't remember when I started doing this, it's been that long in the doing.

However, I've never done a painting of the marks ... before today.  This is solely acrylic medium on stretched canvas. I can see some areas I want to go back in and adjust, but the challenge is met. I enjoyed using a very dry brush to achieve the almost air brushed areas. I originally had three hues: Naptha Red, Burnt Sienna and Titanium White. But it seemed flat, so I added areas of Cadmium Yellow Medium and a Turquoise. It's getting there.

Du Jour 15 and they're starting to pile up ...

Awhile back I came across a small stainless steel fork, I think it may be a child's fork. I've wanted to do something with it, but was clueless as to how to incorporate it into an art piece. Apparently my mind went a little on the dark side, because today's painting is how I used it.

There could  be a story that accompanies this painting. Hmmm ... what would this painting say about your story?

This is acrylic, stainless steel fork on stretched canvas.

Du Jour 14

I couldn't find any canvas board or something primed to paint on for today, so cut a couple of strips of cardboard, glued it to a 7" x 9" cardboard and painted with acrylics, figuring it would seal the cardboard sufficiently for my purpose. I also took a little scrap of the Japanese chop from one of the calendar remnants and incorporated it into the painting.

Today's exercise:

I had fun using collaged items in the painting. I may play more with this approach. I enjoy the dimensional aspect, more of a 3D, sculptural treatment. Girls just want to have fun!

Painting for Friday the 13th ... figures

I've not been a pleasant person today and subjected those around me to my foul mood, regretfully. I've asked forgiveness, which was cheerfully given. It's all of my own doing. I suggested a garage sale to clear out a bunch of unnecessary clutter, and the idea was taken up. The garage sale is tomorrow ... I detest doing garage sales.

My day was one of getting ready, when I didn't want to get ready ... very childish, very petulant. I get through such things, but it's better when I'm by myself when I throw my little tantrums and none are the wiser. Alas, I live among people. I know, "Grow up!" Yes, to be sure. That is the sensible thing to do, of course.

Oh yes! The matter of my daily painting challenge. That, too, is self-imposed. I did finally eke out a bit of time to move medium around on a board. I'm not sure what to make of it. There was no preconceived thought. These are the few of the remaining colors I have in the Shiva oil stiks. The colors have no significance to me. It's all simply play and releasing of self-inflicted bad mood. If I were to self-analyze--my sister says I think/worry too much--I would say this painting indicates the patient keeps meeting herself coming and going and not making any progress. The patient does have a rather pleasant signature.

Monday will be a better day ...

Du Jour 12

Three minutes to go and still be Day 12 ... eeks ...

I was thinking about masks today and have wanted to try painting a face, of some sort or fashion. This is all about trying new things, so I pulled out my acrylics and painted this "mask." I started doing strictly an abstracted face, but then the connecting circles demanded to be included in this exercise, as well.

For a first attempt, I'm encouraged to try another.  This one is 5" x 7" acrylic and colored pencil on canvas board.

I was totally disenchanted with yesterday's exercise, so went back in and dinked around a bit more. I'm happier with the results.

Du Jour 11 ... in an equine frame of mind, so it seems

I've been running around like a chickie with her head cut off today, busy, productive. BUT, it dawned on me about an hour ago that I hadn't a du jour painting. I was tired, but I didn't want to break the challenge. It becomes easier to break it again, and then again.

I saw I still had Shiva stuff lying around. Grabbed what was at hand and set to.What to paint? What to paint isn't really the most important factor in this challenge. Discipline, developing a productive habit with which to continue is more to the point. I saw the acrylic I did yesterday with the Japanese horses ...

Yup! A horse, of course. It actually came off looking too much like a horse, I wanted more movement of legs, muscle mass. Didn't know what to do about background, which I didn't want to be "background."

I'm tired, I painted, task completed. Not satisfied with artwork, but am very satisfied I pushed myself so as to comply with a painting a day.

Below is a pile of photo cards I'm getting ready to ship to Redlands, CA tomorrow so they can go into the new show at Redlands Art Association. I have two matted and framed photographs and a framed oil stik painting that will be submitted for acceptance, as well. Feels GOOD!

The RAA Show "Redlands Celebration" will run from September 20 - October 18, 2013. If you're in Redlands, CA area, and you haven't been before, I encourage you to drop into this community art association sales gallery and classrooms. They sponsor a good many art classes and workshops for children and adults. This coming week, Ann Bingham Freeman (sculptress, painter, mixed media artist and instructor) will be facilitating a workshop to make an art book, if memory serves me correctly. This artist breathes creativity and much insight is to be gained from her teaching. I wish I could attend!

Du Jour 10 and RAA Show Entries

Today's painting is acrylic with collage. I came across an old calendar of Japanese prints and I think I'll have some fun with a few du jour paintings. This is 5" x 7" canvas board.

I'm also including the two photographs I've matted and framed to ship down to Redlands, CA for the next show take-in at the Redlands Art Association. When I was down there a couple of weeks ago, I admit I didn't take many iconic Redlands photographs. So, I was a little stumped when I discovered that this particular show has the theme: Redlands Celebration.

Alrighty then ... I happened to take a shot of Cajon Street with all of the palms lining the street, but the shot I had was more to chronicle, not to be a cool photograph--short-sighted of me, yes? Anyway, I played with my original image with some filters and after trying a number of different approaches, I settled on this image using a Cut Out effect. It reminds me a lot of a serigraph. I like the clean suggestions of shape and perspective. This is a 5" x 7" photographic image, which I've doubled matted in white in a matte black metal frame.

I'm sending another photograph of mine, using the same effect filter. I am pleased with the feathery green of Redlands Poppies, and the distinctive shape of that flower. This one has an image size of about 3" square. Yes, these are v-e-r-y  small, but I wanted to see how they ship before I try sending larger photographs/paintings.

It's been a busy, productive day. Hopefully some surprises tomorrow! Pleasant surprises, please!

Du Jour 9

Day 9 and I'm almost a third of the way through my September painting challenge. I've more scribbles for today's painting in pink and yellow. I enjoy connecting the dots ... is it as simple as this, as metaphor? Hmmm, just thought of this. Interesting. I'll give that more thought another day. As well as the lines connecting, I like the open spaces relative to the connections. I think, too, the lines keep the viewer's eye moving and I like that movement in the painting.

So, here be it:

I've been matting and framing some small scale photographs to ship down to Redlands, CA for a show take-in on the 20th of this month. There is a theme: Redlands Celebration. I've tinkered with some of my original photographs so that they look like serigraphs. I'll upload those photographs tomorrow, along with the painting of the day.

Du Jour 8 and a return to non-representational composition

I've felt something missing with the representational paintings I've done in this challenge or a feeling of dissatisfaction. I keep going back to the non-representational. Maybe because it for me then becomes only hue and composition. I rather enjoy that.

I've always wanted to render some of my Bondo Series photographic images (macro shots of distressed and damaged metal of cars, trucks, buses, tractors, what have you--metal) in paint. So, today I used a recent Bondo Series photograph just to get the juices going. As you can see, the photo and the Shiva ArtistStik painting have little in common other than a starting point. Once I started I didn't want to include the rust spots, which I so like in the photograph. The painting exercise took on a softer effect rather than the sharp lines of the photo.

It was a fun workout.

After stopping work on today's painting, I was feeling much more at ease, more satiated, than after I had finished, say, the driftwood or the seascape paintings. Perhaps I'm making progress in finding my own voice in my renderings in paint. One can only hope.

Crackling Eruptions in Green Aqua
Photograph, Bondo Series

Du Jour 7

I pick up old shabby chic frames now and then for vintage re-sale business I have. I had an old blue frame that already had a mass-produced print in it and I couldn't get that sucker off without tearing apart the backing, which I hoped to keep intact. Sooooo, long story short, I gessoed the picture that was already in the frame, left it in the frame, and painted over it. Voile! Today's painting!

This is a rather dusky dark painting of driftwood and shells. Because of the tight quarters, I've used a brush stroke here and there. Much darker than I set out to paint. Oh well, just envision strolling along the beach in the moonlight! Yes! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Bon Jour ... Du Jour 6

Well, kiddies, today's exercise is an example of a painting overdone! I should have just stopped messing with it, but kept adding and subtracting and adding. (I still want to do something else to it--will I never learn?)

But, alas, it is what I have for today.

Again, Shiva Artist's Paintstiks on canvas board. This one is, I think, 6" x 8." Tomorrow's another day, another painting :o)

Du Jour 5 ... continued ...

Because this painting exercise is all in the spirit of exploration and trying to push my own bad habits, I took the photograph of yesterday's painting exercise and applied a couple of effect filters to see what the same painting would look like if I had used a different technique or approach.

These two were fun and I like the relative loose quality. I would have had difficulty achieving these effects with the medium I was using, but fun to see possibilities for exploration.

Du Jour 5

Oops! Almost forgot to upload today's painting. Source of light is florescent so color's a tad icky, but at least you get the gist of the geraniums.

Another day, another painting ...

Du Jour 4

Yesterday I enjoyed playing with the circles in yellow, but in today's exercise painting, I went a little further with drawn lines into the oil medium. It seems contrived, but I like all the squiggly lines. Perhaps I can play more with them so they appear more organic and less deliberate, if you know what I mean.

I'm feel a bit constrained working within this small 5" x 7" format, but I think it's a good discipline lesson. I'll stay with it for the time being.

As I worked in the colors and the ovals, I was reminded of the work of Gill Daft, an acrylic painter in Redlands, CA. At one time I collected a number of his large acrylic paintings. Many of his paintings incorporated large ovals, bright colors. I haven't thought about his work in many a year. Nice to think of him again.


If not familiar with my Etsy store with my original photographic images, I suggest you check out www.kweststudio8.etsy.com. Let me know what you think!

Du Jour 3

I had fun trying something a little different today. I started out using the same medium as yesterday, Shiva Artist's Paintstik, but I also wiped some of it off, and then went back in with a black colored pencil and a silver colored pencil and drew some connected circles or ovals shapes. I liked the change in the surface when I wiped off some of the paint. It seemed to open up the little format.

I didn't have any reference for this painting, just followed an inner prompt and then stopped. However, once I started I remembered seeing some mobiles in a gallery down in Southern California and was intrigued with their balance and symmetry. So I just played with that idea.

Another day, another painting "finished."

Du jour 2

Another Shiva oil paintstik on 5" x 7" canvas board.

Antje, a friend living at Fernandina Beach, Florida sent a photograph of her beach to me. This is my interp. Wouldn't it be lovely to be able to paint her beach plein air? Oh yeah, baby!

So far I've strictly used the stubs of paint, no turpentine and brush work. No layering. Just get it down fast without thinking it.

One thing I've noticed is that when I see the photograph of the painting, I'm more aware of the weak areas of the painting. It's almost like a correction lens of sorts. I wonder if it's because of the 2-dimensional photograph allows for some distancing from the subject ... or ??? Don't know yet. I'll have to think more on this.

Painting du jour (Day 1)

This is another 5" x 7" Shiva Oil Paint Artist's Paintstik painting.

I didn't really notice when I bought the "mini assortment" that all the colors were iridescent. It makes for a different overall appearance when everything is iridescent. Que sera ...

I'm going to have to take the photographs of the paintings during the day to take advantage of natural light, or rig up a more effective lighting arrangement, as the colors in the photograph don't convey the brights or deep color saturation of the painting. I've also put the 5" x 7" in an old wood frame I had sitting around--really old--because the painting seemed to convey better framed.

(I'm trying not to get too picky. These blog entries are just to keep a running chronicle of the daily paintings. Jeez! Maybe my photographic endeavors will result in better product photographs by the end of the month, eh? Much room for necessary improvement.)

In any case, here's today's painting ... (drum roll)