Pomegranates IXV – oil – 8×10 – wrapped canvas – $80
Pomegranates continued
Pomegranates VIII – oil – 8×10 – wrapped canvas – $80
Pomegranate Season
Honesty
When one draws, there are those (who do not draw) who say, “WOWthatisSOgood” and many other complimentary gushing things. We who draw or paint need this admiration. It feels good, it encourages us to continue, it gives us confidence. What it does not do is help us to improve. We have to tell each other the truth if we are to make our art be the best that it can be. In my drawing classes, it is imperative that we are honest with one another. Those that know how to draw have a wealth of experience to offer one another. It has to be done carefully, because sometimes discouragement can set in. “The bark on your tree looks exactly right, but the leaves are looking a bit like cat fur” – that is the kind of feedback often heard. And even that isn’t quite enough. So my leaves look furry – HOW do I make them not look so feline-ish? (That is where the teacher is supposed to have answers.) My students get the chance to be honest with me. Most of my work gets shown to my students so they can have a go at it. They are just as honest with me as I am with them (and we DO try to be kind in our criticism). I listen carefully to what each one says and consider each suggestion and usually do what they tell me. (Perhaps I should be paying them for lessons!) I actually enjoy hearing them tell me the same things that I have told them, because it confirms for me that they are learning!
I drew the river and while showing it to a class, one girl said, “Can I say something?” I said, “PLEASE do!”, while remembering that she is a guide on river rafting trips. She gave me a ton of little tips about how the water should look as it flows past rocks. Brought to mind something Jack White wrote – “If you don’t know your subject, someone else will.” Thank you, HJ! (This is not the picture – I didn’t photograph that other one and it is sold, as is this one.)
Inspiration through change of scenery
We snuck off to a different place for the weekend, and it was beautiful. There was almost more time on the road than at our destination, but it is better to view that as an abundance of knitting time. Artists are told to see new places for fresh inspiration and then come home with “new eyes” (I could use a bit more distance in my vision, but I don’t think this is what “new eyes” means.) Here is some of what we saw: This is Kokanee Salmon, swimming upstream to spawn (that means to lay eggs). Nice color – the shockingly brilliant red against the duller greens, complementary colors.
It snowed up high. The orangey-yellow and blue are good together, almost complementary colors.
Tahoe means “big water” – it is! And in this shot the mountains are bluer than the lake, although there were other views that showed the reverse.
The aspens are changing more slowly than in Mineral King, even though the elevation is the same here. I saw a tree with orangey-red leaves at the top and it was still green at the bottom! There were cars pulled over all along the highway – lots of cameras out there!
Telephony pole
Remember this painting? I started it back in July or August, and I promised that there would not be a telephone pole in it, despite its beginning appearance.
Out of the Valley – oil on wrapped canvas – 11×14″ – $154
All Better!
Here is how this painting is supposed to appear, minus the blurriness.!
Kaweah River – oil on wrapped canvas – 11 x 14″ – $154
Into the Valley
There are 2 valleys in my life: one is the Mineral King valley, and the other refers to the San Joaquin Valley. When we are in the mountains, we talk about “heading down the hill”, or “going to the valley”. This can mean driving to Three Rivers, Visalia, or points beyond. When we are in Three Rivers, we also say “heading down the hill” or “going to the valley”. This can mean Woodlake, Lemon Cove, Exeter, Visalia, or points beyond. This painting is titled “Into the Valley” and in this case, it refers to the trail leading from Farewell Gap down into the Mineral King Valley.
Into the Valley – oil – 18 x 24″ – $432
a day in the life of an artist
You would hardly believe the list of things I have done today, even if I dared bore you with it! Instead, have a look:
Well, 2 were actually started yesterday. It is a little hard to see what they all are, but more will be revealed (as you probably know by now). There are a number of shows coming up in the fall that could require many paintings. It is hard to estimate, but I’d rather paint like a maniac than not have enough for people to choose. Even with painting like a maniac, there might still not be enough.
Meanwhile, there are several portraits and house drawings to be done in the studio. So when my brain is a bit fuzzy from oil, I head over to the drawing table, and look who is waiting for me:
A little bragging
Because I have this great new camera, I took it to drawing lessons yesterday to show off a little. Two of my students happened to finish and sign their pieces, so I showed them how to photograph their work and explained what it takes to get it to look right for the internet. Aren’t they good? The lion is called “Tawanda” and was done with a limited palette of colored pencils, a box of 24 colors by Staedtler-Mars with a neato triangular cushioned grip. The boots are untitled as of yet, and were done from the student’s photos. Outstanding work, people!!
