Decisions, decisions

My very wise dad used to say, “Life is a series of choices and decisions”. (My very wise friend still says, “Choices and consequences”.) 

In preparing larger paintings while hoping for a show at a local-ish gallery, I have to keep in mind my mission, which is to show off the best parts of Tulare County with my art. One would think that choosing the best scenes would automatically result in sales; one would be wrong. 

It is painting the scenes that people love, scenes that ring a bell, touch their hearts, resonate, remind them of good memories, and doing all this in the most excellent way possible that MIGHT result in sales. (Anyone have a crystal ball that I can borrow?)

There is a scene that draws me back, in any season with water in the creek, and I want to paint it on an 18×36″ canvas. It is Yokohl Creek.

This version isn’t quite it, and won’t fit on 18×36″ format. So, have a look at the cropped version:

Better, so I started on the canvas.

But wait! Spring is the most beautiful time of year!

Shall I try to convert the view I cropped to spring colors? First, let’s crop this view.

This still doesn’t have the same visual pizazz to me as the brown version. What’s a Central California artist to do?

More will be revealed. . . (and I bet you can complete that sentence.)

Farewell at Dusk

This year I have been painting larger, in between completing the commissioned custom work. Smaller paintings do well at shows, but all my shows have been cancelled. (By “shows” I mean arts and crafts boutiques, fairs, festivals, and other assorted events.)

My idea is to build up a body of larger works so that when a local gallery decides to give me an exhibit, I will be ready. 

In that vein, I recently completed a 10×30″ oil painting of Farewell Gap (in Mineral King, of course) at dusk.  As you look at the progression, remember that things always look better in person (other than the model-type news babes on teevee, because No One could possibly look That Perfect.)

Farewell at Dusk, 10×30″, oil on wrapped canvas, $500 (looks better in person, but everything and everyone does except those news babes on teevee, because NO ONE looks that perfect, ever.)

I photographed it while still wet on the easel, and then tried to duplicate the color on Photoshop Junior. It isn’t right, but it’ll do for now.

 

Better in Person

I know, I keep going on and on about this giant circle of lemons. But if you could only see it in person. . .!

I vacuumed the studio, rearranged things to lessen the working clutter and make it look more like a gallery and showroom (as much as an 11×14′ former shed can). Then I set up the easel and covered the painting.

We laughed together about the unveiling, and the first thing after, “I love it!” was “It DOES look better in person!”

They brought their specially made frame, and it was PERFECT.

P.S. We look better in person too. Thank you for your concern.

Not Scared

Did I scare you with that rough painting of a rough cabin on a rough shutter?

These deer weren’t scared.

Let’s soothe your fears with some giant Sequoia trees.

Well, oops, it might have scared you to see them lying sideways. Let’s try it again while they are hanging up to dry.

I’m feeling so proud of this that my head might pop. That’s a scary thought.

Pippin’s not scared. He feels very safe behind the chimney next to the window near my chair. He scared Tucker away from that spot so his selfish little self could have it.

That Old Shutter

There were lots of cute suggestions for what to do with that old shutter.

Being the Central California Artist, I decided to simply use it for a painting.

Because it obviously came from an old cabin, I decided to paint a cabin on it.

Because I try to be businesslike, I decided to paint the most popular cabin* from the most popular place** on it.

That is one rough surface. Who thought this was a good idea, anyway?? Lots of layering ahead to get this up to snuff, whatever that weird little saying means.

*The most popular cabin I paint is the Honeymoon Cabin.

**The most popular place I write about is Mineral King.

P.S. The blue is tape, and the white is primer where it overlaps the tape.

On Leaving California

Not me. I’m never moving again, being deeply traumatized by leaving Lemon Cove and moving 14 miles east to Three Rivers almost 22 years ago.

A friend of a friend is leaving California. My friend would like to give her friend a little something as a token of our native state. Her idea was perfect – a 2×2″ painting of a poppy, the state flower.

Back when I thought I was ordering a dozen 2×2″ canvases to give them a try, I ordered a dozen packages of 10 each. It has taken awhile, but they are now all used up.

I was relieved to find a poinsettia which could be converted to a poppy.

It needs to dry, then it can sit on a cute little easel for the friend of a friend who is leaving California.

I think she deserves a medal of bravery for making such a huge change.

Finished?

Until a customer is happy, I don’t consider commissioned art work to be finished. However, I took a chance on this painting and signed it before the customer replied. 

A lifelong friend helped me work out the finishing touches of this painting. We sat together with the latest photo of the painting, using her suggestions and my Photoshop (Junior version) skills to try some things. We were both very pleased. Look at this “map” we created; every place we made a change, I put in an arrow so I could follow it later. (Be ye not dismayed – this is a photo with blue arrows, not blue arrows on the actual painting.)

I set up my laptop by the easel and began. It is very incremental, and you may not be able to discern the changes. Just be polite, ‘K?

Basically, I added shadows to some lemons, added darker ones hidden in the leaves, and then took some of the hard clean edges off the furrows (that is the dirt/moss area between the rows, not the eleven between my eyebrows – thank you for your concern).

Sequoias for Sarah

A young woman named Sarah works at the Silver City Store. She told me that she loves my painting on display there titled “Big & Tall”.

Sequoia Trees, Big & Tall, 18×36″, oil on wrapped canvas, $1200

(In case you are wondering why anyone could “love” this painting, remember that it looks way better in person!)

I told her that I could paint one for her in a size that would fit her budget (and suitcase – I believe she lives a fairly peripatetic lifestyle – and “peripatetic” is a great word that you might want to look up and adopt).

She was excited, and chose 6×18″. We discussed the cropping that would be necessary since this is narrower proportionately compared to the 18×36″. Sarah said she trusted my judgement, so I began.

First I found the reference photo. Then I folded paper around it and experimented with the cropping until it looked right.

Then, I mixed the colors and began.

I am getting used to the mess of a beginning painting; it doesn’t make me feel visually assaulted any more. Does this mean I am finally accepting myself as an oil painter instead of just a pencil artist who paints?

Maybe so!

 

Sold!

In spite of the slow start to the summer season in Mineral King and the closed campgrounds (WHY?? Do “They” think that camping is more dangerous than shopping at Costco??), Silver City Resort is going gangbusters. These are the paintings that have sold so far this summer.

Now if you will please excuse me, I need to get out to the easels!