New Mural, Day Two

The first task of the day was to mix a good color for the weathered building. That greenish tan was just the paint remaining on my palette from Day One.

IMG_2309

Often I have a beginning drawing student draw something made of old wood for a first picture because the results are usually pleasing. Painting old wood is just as forgiving and satisfying as drawing it.

This is how it looked when I stopped for a brief lunch break. I went outside and photographed some oranges, so it was a working lunch.

IMG_2310

Wow. Tomorrow I will add the dogwood branches in bloom on the left, detail the posts, detail the grasses, detail the downed log, and put the cherry on top – the BLUEBIRD!

Maybe. Maybe it will take 2 more days. My detail brushes wear out so quickly, and then doing the detail accurately becomes a slow and annoying process. It would make sense to keep track of which are the best brushes, and then just know I have to order a pile of them before beginning a new mural. I don’t think there is time to get more before starting mural #2, so I’ll have to baby these along.

IMG_2330

Isn’t this an interesting free-standing wall? It was fun to figure out the borders and that I could wrap the design just a little.

IMG_2331

Here it is from the other side. (Thanks, Captain Obvious.) The plywood on the floor is so that I don’t bruise my knees while kneeling on the river rocks that are at the base of the wall. Or, so that I don’t bruise my knees as badly.

IMG_2332

New Mural!

All murals begin with a conversation. It moves into photos, measurements, and sketches. This conversation began in December at a man’s home in his events room. (No, I’ve never been in an events room at a private home before. . . have you?)

IMG_2060

There are 2 walls under discussion. This is wall #1 as it appeared just before a Christmas party.

After some discussion, Customer chose a scene, which I sketched. He changed his mind, and sent me this photo of a place where his grandparents lived in Missouri until he was 5 years old.

P1000685

This was more familiar to me, and quite straightforward. I looked up Missouri and learned that the state tree is a flowering dogwood, cornus florida, and the state bird is the bluebird! (I LOVE bluebirds!) So, I sketched the scene, and Customer was happy.

Ed's mural #3

Two scaffolds were waiting for me, along with some heavy-duty plastic covering the floor and a very handy table.

IMG_2295

Don’t you wish you had an events room at your house? I taped off the top wooden trim and dropped a chalk line in the center so I could have a point of reference and a sense of true vertical.

IMG_2296

Then I had to move the scaffolds to draw the picture, a very simple scribble.

IMG_2297

Starting is slow process. Every mural has its own set of challenges, most of which are logistical rather than artistical. (Sorry – just had to mess with that word to make it match “logistical”.) There is a special level of concern when working inside of someone’s home instead of outdoors. I procrastinated a bit by making corrections in a comforting shade of teal.

IMG_2298

Time to put the scaffolds back in place and begin the sky. The photo’s sky was a very soft blue, which I made brighter. The whole photo is sort of dark, so I am aiming for brighter colors on everything.

IMG_2302

I took a short break to enjoy the view and was thrilled to see Sawtooth out the windows. This is a very pretty part of Tulare County, and this is the most beautiful time of year.

IMG_2303

Break’s over. Just paint. I feel a sense of urgency to finish and get my mess out of the events room so Customer and Mrs. Customer can resume their very interesting and active life!

IMG_2305

Snow in Three Rivers

In Three Rivers, February has the capability of bringing snow or wildflowers or both. It has long been my favorite month for weather.

IMG_2218

The morning after it snowed, several hundred feet in elevation above my home and studio. . . I had to walk a couple of miles to see snow sticking on the ground.

IMG_2219

That afternoon was COLD. I had the heater roaring in the painting studio, and kept poking my camera out the door.

IMG_2225

The snow rarely lasts into the afternoon, but this time it was different.

IMG_2226

IMG_2227

The late afternoon sunlight was beautiful. Snow in Three Rivers is beautiful. February is beautiful.

Oak Grove Bridge Painting in Progress

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Gordon!

Scroll to the bottom of this post for an update on The Bridge’s future.

As I work on this 11×14″ oil painting of The Oak Grove Bridge, I am thankful that there is no deadline. The idea is to take as long as necessary to make the painting as good as possible. And the hope is that in another 2 years (or maybe less), I’ll be saying “That old thing? Oh my, I paint so much better now!”

IMG_2200

The cliffs on the left, the rocks beneath, and the shrubs on the right, AND the bridge railing are all challenging.

IMG_2204

Cliffs, rocks, and shrubs looking better. The railing will have to wait.

IMG_2206

Is this improved? hard to see, hard to say.

IMG_2229

The railing is better, the rocks are better, and the ones that aren’t so hot? Cover with branches and leaves!

IMG_2230

This might be the most difficult corner. Too ambiguous.

IMG_2232

Any improvement now? Keep layering, keep looking for ways to improve and finish. Nevuh, nevuh, nevuh give up.

At a meeting on February 8, we learned that there are 3 alternatives for making The Oak Grove Bridge safe. Tearing it down is not on the list. The three alternatives will be explained at another meeting on February 23, 6 p.m. at the Three Rivers Memorial Building. After public input, which DOES affect the outcome, a choice will be made.

Wilsonia Cabin Drawing

Wilsonia cabin drawing

This is a simple board and batten cabin in a box shape, very reminiscent of Mineral King cabins.

The owner was delightful. Her extended family has about 3 cabins, all within shouting distance of one another. We talked on the phone at least one time and she was so encouraging as I was deep into the project of making The Cabins of Wilsonia.

(It is available here at this link: The Cabins of Wilsonia)

The original pencil drawing of this cabin is available for sale.

All the drawings from The Cabins of Mineral King have sold. Most of the original drawings from The Cabins of Wilsonia are still available.

I wonder why? I definitely draw better now!

Life is full of mysteries.

Want to go for a Walk?

Sometimes I go for walks.

No, lots of times I go for walks.

It is sort of assumed that when women want to hang out with friends that they go shopping and go out to lunch.

Not this woman. I call a friend and say “Want to go for a walk?”

It is one of the best things about living in Three Rivers.

Three Rivers IMG_2142

A peculiar sight. . . it happens occasionally on my walks.IMG_2143

IMG_2144 IMG_2145

Building Bridges

I build bridges with oil paint. They aren’t safe to drive over, but mine are only meant to be walked across in your brain.

Oak Grove Bridge

When I see a photo of the the photo next to the painting, the weak areas and wrong places appear. Yikes. Just try to be polite, ‘k?

IMG_2179

I drew this in pencil so I could bypass the Weak Areas Stage of painting. Isn’t it fun to see all these weird bright colors? It is beginning to be correct in the farthest away places.

IMG_2181

Keep layering, Central California Artist. You’ll get there, eventually.

IMG_2184

Okay, everyone gather in close for a family snapshot! (Yes, I know you aren’t fully dressed yet, and that you don’t have your make-up on, and that you forgot your earrings. We are recording real life here, not having a formal studio portrait, so just calm down.)

Remember, there will be a meeting on Monday, February 8, 6 p.m. at the Three Rivers Memorial Building to discuss the future of this bridge. There is conflicting info about the time and place of the meeting – for the real info, call Jason Vivian at 624-7135.

Wilsonia Cabin Drawing

Wilsonia cabin drawing

The light on this cabin is just beautiful. Light is EVERYTHING in art.

I never did meet the people who own this cabin. They might not even know there is a book called The Cabins of Wilsonia (available here. for $80) They might not even know that there is a great drawing of their cabin in the book. They might not even know that the original drawing of their cabin is for sale.

Isn’t it great to live in The Information Age??

Painting What I Want to Paint

The olives were just so you wouldn’t think I am freakishly obsessed with The Oak Grove Bridge.

However, what other people think about me is none of my business.

new bridge in progress

On my list of artistic goals this year is to do a large, fully detailed oil painting, of The Oak Grove Bridge. I’ve been painting it 6×6, 8×8, 8×10, 10×10, and woo-woo, 11×14″ for quite awhile. When I thought about what I F E E L like painting (I try very hard to be rational and business-like in my painting decisions but sometimes I get tired), I realized that it would be very satisfying to do a large and very careful painting of my favorite bridge.

Then I realized that I can. There are no pressing deadlines, no upcoming shows, no studio tour, nothing that requires cranking out lots of small (i.e. inexpensive) paintings to sell at these events.

I’m 56, self-employed, and free to paint what I want.

So there.