Still rotating around the workshop among the many paintings in progress. At some point I may stop showing you these, because I want you to attend the show at the Tulare Historical Museum. And, when you attend, I want you to say “WOW!” rather than “Oh yeah, I saw that one while it was being painted”. Not sure when that point will be reached. More will be revealed. . . or hidden, in this case.
Learning, learning, always learning. When I stop learning, I will be dead! Here is my current personal painting lesson (and I may be the “meanest” teacher I have ever had!) If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that I love this bridge to the point of ridiculousness. Apparently I am not alone, because each time I draw or paint it, it sells. The most recent version hasn’t sold; because I know the subject is a winner, I had to take a hard look with my most critical attitude at the painting. Without going into specifics, look at the Before version:
Now look at the After version:
Now that I have seen it on my screen, I can see that my lessons from this painting aren’t over yet.
Okay, now maybe it is finished. Maybe. Perhaps. I’ll let it mull awhile longer.
This many! If you compare the photos to those in the January 13 posting, progress is evident. It is a bit random, as I choose what to work on based upon 2 things: degree of wetness and colors already mixed on the palette.
This is 16×12″ oil on wrapped canvas. It represents 2 days of exploring Yokohl Valley last March at the height of wildflower season. I spent an inordinate amount of time on it, and almost had to break out my blow dryer to have it dry in time for the show! “Yokohl Valley Revisited” at the Tulare Historical Museum opened last night.
The title of this paintings has 2 meanings: a fair amount of trespassing was involved in gathering my photos. Number two: in the Bible “trespasses” means sin; I think it would be a sin to turn this gorgeous place into a city. I can just hear my Very Wise Dad saying in his overly calm voice meant to soothe but also a bit infuriating, “Everybody has to live somewhere.”
Yesterday my husband had a birthday. I remember thinking how stodgy and middle-aged my parents were when my Dad turned 50, and now I am married to a 58-year-old man! We had to stick around the house waiting for a plumber (the more stuff you own, the more stuff breaks). After getting that situation situated, we went up to the BLM land for a little walk. (All walks are little compared to last year’s training for the 21-miler.) I share these images with you because it gives you a glimpse into the life and through the eyes of a foothills artist in residence.
This is a face screaming “OOO NOOO, not 58!”
Here is a list of what I am learning so far in 2011
1. How to use the Total Gym
2. How to update my website by adding pictures
3. What a mistake it is to not photograph every piece of art
4. What a mistake it is to not label every photograph of art
5. That plantar fasciitis takes forever to heal
6. That it takes a very long time update my website
Here is a list of what I would like to know:
1. Is 1000 miles too many in a pair of walking shoes?
2. Do people actually consistently use the Total Gym?
3. When will my website be ready?
4. What should I paint on my repaired garage door, now that I feel more confident it won’t end up in the county dump?
5. Whatever was I thinking when I didn’t bother photographing some paintings or keeping a list of which was where or checking in regularly to the stores that were selling for me???
6. Will I learn from #5???
Here, let’s try to take the edge off of the hard lessons of life:
Think of it as a “bridge over troubled waters” (and no, I don’t know the title, size, when it was painted or who has it now.)
When my art studio was in Exeter and I lived in Lemon Cove, people assumed I lived in Three Rivers. I’m guessing this was because of my occupation of pencil artist. (Given the choices of of towns in Tulare County, this is a reasonable assumption.) Now that I actually do live here and have become a painter, I recognize a multitude of reasons that any artist would want to reside in Three Rivers.
We are surrounded by beauty that takes no effort to see. There are incomparable views from my yard, studio, mailbox, and even from in my neighbor’s pool. The beauty continues as we go to the post office, the Memorial Building, the golf course, or maybe even from the dentist’s office!
Then there is the beauty that might require a little more effort to take in: the North Fork, the South Fork, Kaweah River Drive, and the Salt Creek area of BLM land come to mind. If you are able to walk, there is so much more that becomes visible. In fact, I wrote a series on my weblog called “Peculiar Sights in Three Rivers” documenting odd items that appear to the pedestrian in our town.
Another great enticement to living in Three Rivers is the shorter drive to Sequoia and to Mineral King. In less than an hour you can be among the big trees and in a little longer than an hour, you can be in a valley that I have heard resembles the Swiss Alps.
Everywhere I look there are subjects to paint. The wildflowers could keep my brush flying for several seasons. The gates alone could occupy my pencils for a year. I could produce an entire series of drawings and paintings simply of loading chutes. Curves in the road, bends in the river, the autumn leaves, light on the rocks, Moro Rock from every possible angle, Alta Peak from every attainable viewpoint, sycamores all around town, the grand oak trees of every variety, the assortment of fence styles – every one of these subjects could be depicted in pencil or paint.
It is true that there is beauty in almost any location if one learns to recognize it. I certainly had plenty of subjects available in my former locations. Now, the accessibility of paintable scenes is almost overwhelming!
This will be a long entry – if you are just wanting a quick look, you might want to return later for a more thorough reading!
Colors is the studio and gallery of Three Rivers artist Wendy McKellar. It is at 41763 Sierra Drive, just upstream from the place that sells Shell gas. In addition to being Wendy’s studio, it is an art shop, a collection of local art and crafts as chosen and displayed by Wendy. Stepping into the building is like a grown-up (but smaller) version of Small World in Disneyland (minus the annoying song). It is all color and light, and even makes a non-shopper such as myself want to look and look and look!
This is how the place looked with my work set up in front. Notice the lack of high visibility of pencil drawings – the store/studio/gallery is called “Colors”!
Here is a bit of Christmas merchandise – all of it handmade/handcrafted/created locally by people I know. (Couldn’t decide among all those appropriate words and since this is an infomercial, decided to use them all!)
The flower is for sale. The chairs are not. The colors together just grabbed my attention to the point of distraction. The only cure for that sort of Color Junkie problem is a photograph!
Who could resist a retail establishment that looks this charming? The ultimate compliment around here is “OOH, this looks just like The Coast”. I believe Colors qualifies for that sort of effusiveness (it means “expressions of gratitude, pleasure and approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner”.)
All of these paintings are available at Colors. They are 6×6″, oil on wrapped canvas, $40 each (same price as if you purchased them from me directly.)
But wait! There’s more.
Just kidding. Had to throw that in so you felt as if it truly was an infomercial.
Here is the address and phone number. It opens at 10:30 a.m. (but I can’t remember which days or the closing time.)
p.s. Happy Birthday, Wendy!
Not “sundried” but “sundries” – it is a word that means “various items not important enough to be mentioned individually”.
Sometimes the sun is so good coming through the windows of the workshop that I can prop small paintings on the door for photography purposes. Kind of handy to not mess with the tripod!
This was the Stocking Stuffer boutique. It was more of a girl-hang-out day than a work day.
