Too Much

Ever heard of De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis? Wish I hadn’t. It means I did too much of something. A right-hander did too much with her left hand. Now my left thumb is in a weird splint that removes the opposable function of my thumb.

It is temporary. I said, ‘IT IS TEMPORARY!” This second shout is in case the splint is muffling the ears on my thumb and it hasn’t yet heard that it needs to heal quickly.

Perhaps having 2 opposable thumbs is really over rated.

A Customer-Friend (or is that Friend-Customer?) asked for seven 2″ square paintings. He knows a lot about a lot of things, and likes his art to have significance. Because of this admirable quality, he researched the 7 top fruits and nuts produced in California and chose them to decorate his kitchen. (I know some really interesting people, by the way.)

My normal way of holding the mini-canvases on my left-hand is currently unavailable. (My normal way of doing many things is currently unavailable but for purposes of the blog I’ll just stick to the subject of painting.)

There are many little items in the workshop where I paint because I share the space with my Always-Prepared husband. These little clothes-pin-like items worked perfectly, but alas and alack – a lack of enough of them drove me to improvise.

I don’t know what these pipe thingies are but they fit just perfectly into the back of the canvases and my 4 non-splinted fingers wrap around them just fine. As an added bonus, they are free standing.

An added benefit of the little clothes-pin-like items is that I can pinch them onto the edge of a cardboard box flap. (American ingenuity at work on a Chinese box)

The paintings are not finished – they need to dry, get retouched and signed, dry again, get varnished, dry yet again and get shipped.

Images of Home or The Bridges of Tulare County

There are about 2 weeks remaining for the show, Images of Home, at the Tulare Historical Museum. Here are 2 more pieces that I painted specifically for the show.

Buckeye Bridge, 16×12″, oil on wrapped canvas, $250. (just sayin’)

Michael said this is really the Paradise Bridge. I believe him, because he helped to build it. Since it is located just beyond the Buckeye Campground in Sequoia National Park, I think of it as the Buckeye Bridge. Hence, the name. My painting, my name. However, if you wish to buy it and the name is somehow a hindrance to the process, it can be changed very simply! (again, just sayin’)

Oak Grove Bridge IV, 18×24″, oil on wrapped canvas, $500

This is my favorite bridge. Did you know that?

Images of Home

The show at the Tulare Historical Museum will be hanging through July 16. The museum is at 444 West Tulare Avenue, open Thursday-Saturday, 10-4. I think everyone who works there is named Linda, so if you want more info, call 559-686-2074 (but listen carefully if you call in case there are other names involved.)

Please, someone tell me if I am sounding pushy. Seriously and honestly speaking, I would like anyone with an interest in Tulare County’s beautiful places or my art or who would like to just hang out in someone else’s air conditioning to see this show before it goes away!

And, Cousin Maggie lives very far away and requested to see the paintings.

Dogwood, oil on wrapped canvas, 10×10″, $120

A friend saw this at the show and wanted to know more about this gorgeous flower. 2 weeks ago we took a trip to Giant Forest to see them in bloom. That is late, but this has been a strange year. We had such a great time climbing Moro Rock and exploring around Crescent Meadow that I forgot to take any new photos of dogwood blossoms! Cousin Maggie, do you remember my dad annoying your folks by referring to the dogwood as “fried egg plant”? Why anyone would want to annoy your sweet parents is a puzzle to me!

This one is sold, but if you are totally in love with it, I can paint it or another similar scene for you. Just being conversational and friendly, not pushy! (Didn’t want you all to think I succumbed to the pressure of those pushy art marketing articles.)

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