Images of Home

Better hurry, they’re going fast!

I’ve been reading lots of articles on marketing art. Some say to create urgency for greater sales. Hmmmm, sounds pushy. Others say to just be conversational and make friends, and the sales will come. Now that sounds far more natural. Guess I’ll just do what comes naturally to me – show and tell.

The show at the Tulare Historical Museum (in Tulare, California) will be hanging through July 16. Here are a few more of the pictures I painted for the show. These are California poppies, because I am a California artist (Hey Google-man, did you catch that??)

They are 8×8″, $75 each. Just being conversational and friendly! 😎

Irish Collage

Ever notice the word “collage” is the word “cottage” minus the t-crossing? I confused myself with my sloppy handwriting and couldn’t figure out what my notes meant – collage drawing or cottage drawing! Here is the Cottage Collage for Mrs. Bob in its current state of development:

And, for the sake of Mr. Google, this is a California artist’s report on a pencil drawing, a commission pencil drawing of several Irish scenes. Instead of being politically correct, I am trying to be technologically correct.

That Wisconsin Art Show

Remember I posted about entering a competition – juried and judged art show in Wisconsin? My 2 pieces are now in the show. They did not place, but they were juried in and look great on the site! This is the piece that is in the exhibit book but not in the show (go figure. . .)! The show is The Richeson 75, and as a California artist, I am quite pleased to be showing off the beauty of our state in Wisconsin.

WIP, part 2

Work In Progress, remember? Wowsa, that castle is full of teeniny little parts. Have a look at hours and hours and hours of drawing. Of course I exaggerate to make a point – you knew that, right?

Back in the olden days, the latter part of the last century, before digital cameras and personal computers and all that, I used to regularly draw from 3-1/2 x 5″ photos from a film camera. Hard to imagine. These days a 4×6 seems like a pathetic little miniature photo!

W.I.P.

That means Work In Progress. I just made it up, but I’m probably not the first to do so. I’m also making this up, revising as I go, and Mrs. Bob said the most wonderful thing to me about that:

“Do whatever!  You’re the artist and I relish that…I love your work so do what you think looks best!”

Wow! This is the most fun possible with art – the challenge of a collage, Ireland (sigh), drawing with pencil, and complete freedom to use whatever ideas develop. Life is good. 😎

Did you really think those were armadillos??

More Inspiration

Here are the other paintings that are for sale in the Silver City Store so far this summer. 6×6″ square to fit in suitcases, $50 to fit budgets. Can be purchased by emailing me at cabinart@cabinart.net. Still just sayin’. (Still feels weird to talk that way. Can someone please tell me where that came from and what normal people say before that phrase inserted itself into the common vernacular?)

Mineral King – Vandever

(not an original title, but it is straightforward and accurate)

Redwood Canyon

(Some have called them Aunt Tillie and Uncle Pete)

Trail

Anyone want to name the exact place on the exact trail? No, this painting won’t be free to the one who gets it first  but you can have the thrill of being A Winner!

Farewell Gap

Oh-oh, we could get confused here! This is the view where I always say “Farewell, Farewell”.  (Phoebe says “You always say that” whenever I say it.)

Sawtooth

See? Inspiration!

About 4 miles below Mineral King is a place called Silver City. There is a resort there, along with an enclave of private cabins. At the resort is a store, called, of course, The Silver City Store. It is there that I was employed when I met my husband 26 years ago. (dang!) Now, they sell some little paintings for me. Here are a few for you to see.  Of course you can buy them by contacting me, but I didn’t want to look pushy by putting a Paypal button beneath them. They are all 6×6″ to fit into travelers’ suitcases and $50 to fit into travelers’ budgets. Just sayin’. (Are you impressed by my use of popular lingo? Feels weird to talk that way.)

Farewell Gap

Spring Creek Bridge

Bridge Below Atwell

Honeymoon Cabin (yes, that again! You know you love it!)

Timber Gap

(should have titled it Betsy’s Tree or Lone Red Fir!)

Back to the Land of No Electricity

2010-2011 winter was a big one, 210% of normal for the Kaweah River drainage. Mineral King, AKA The Land of No Electricity is at the headwaters of the East Fork of the Kaweah. The elevation on the floor of the Mineral King Valley is 7800′, the road is 25 miles long to reach the place and it should take about 1-1/2 hours if you drive conservatively (recommended!)

And that concludes our geography/natural science/history lesson. Now, for the visual aids. (If you are wondering what this has to do with being a California artist, the answer is that much of my inspiration comes from Mineral King.)

Farewell Gap, the very full stream, the cabin – this is the classic and probably most photographed scene in Mineral King.

Lots of snow up in Timber Gap, the grasses are low and the willows and currants are not yet leafed out. Summer is a bit late-ish this year.

A tree across the stream took a hit – it was a Red Fir, and they seem prone to snapping off unexpectedly.

When we pried open the back door, all swollen with moisture, this was how the back porch and yard looked!

The front was quite inviting (that is my knitting on the ground – it is about time for another slightly weird sweater)

This is a mountain quail, a cousin to the California state bird.

Thus we commence the summer season of 2011 in the Land of No Electricty!

Delight Abounds (more on the Collage)

Mrs. Bob reviewed the sketches. To my delight, she had an immediate first choice! Bob looked it over and suggested a change. To their delight, I immediately erased and redrew the good suggestions, and we were all pleased with the results.

Isn’t that a royal mess? Good thing Bob and Mrs. Bob know that I can draw or they might just say “I’ll think about it” and hit the door!

Beginning a Collage

Drawing is one thing; planning a drawing is another; planning a collage is on another planet of complexity! I love love love to do these. The first time I thought of it was on a backpacking trip. In order to take my mind off my aching feet, I began designing pictures in my head. Because I wanted the trip to be a real vacation, I brought no pencil or paper along. This meant I started scratching in the dirt with a stick so I could see if the idea of multiple subjects in one drawing was even feasible. When I got back from the trip, I began the planning of 3 pictures I referred to as My Big Fat Masterpieces. This will have to become another posting, because the point of today’s post is to show you the beginnings of the collage for Mrs. Bob, lovely wife of My Favorite Customer.

Here are the steps involved.

  1. Spread out all the potential photos.
  2. Decide which photos are the most likely candidates.
  3. Choose which are the main subjects and which are secondary for filling smaller spaces.
  4. Draw boxes that are proportionally correct to the size of the finished piece.
  5. Begin sketching the general shapes.
  6. Rearrange the shapes several times so there are options for the customer.

Here is the result of those six steps:

Hint: Turn your head sideways for the 2 on the bottom. Which arrangement do you like best? Hard to decide, hunh?