Model with Flower

 

 

15x20 acrylic

This week's painting was a bit of a rush as I had to get to my Book Club lunch! Pity to have to go have fun, but someone has to. Anyway, one of our favorite models with a flower in her hair was the subject. The background is rather light and thin compared to some of my paintings from the model. I liked the fresher effect.

Reclining Figure Painting

Here's a recent acrylic painting of the model. I think those red brush strokes added at the end are my favorite part.

Painting at Dusk

This 24x48" Acrylic is of Camelback Mountain at dusk as seen from the freeway. It was challenging to depict the time of day which is when a bit of light is still in the sky, but lights are coming on. I had to try to keep it indistinct the way our eyes don't work in the evening, but yet add enough information. I used a painting knife for the second layer after the underpainting. I used color that I felt more than saw like that crazy green sky.

Wind Up Toy Painting

This little 12x12" acrylic is of an old wind up toy frog. It is marked that it is made in USA Occupied Germany so just after WWII no doubt. I had fun painting it. We had over a dozen wind up toys in a cardboard box that we kids played with. I am a frog lover so I hung on to this one. I sure would like to know where all the rest are!

New Freeway Painting

This morning I finished up this 40x40" acrylic of the freeway overpass. I drive this frontage road frequently and love the light hitting the structure. I challenged myself to have a pretty minimal composition. The emphasis on the overpass was what I hoped to focus on. The less you have in the piece, the more you have to create interest without relying on the details provided by the subject. Color, contrasts and paint application instead. I used painter's tape here and there, but really am not trying to make precision a part of the work...the impression is what I am after...I start really loose with the painting rather than a careful drawing.

BIG Freeway Painting

60x48"acrylic

This large freeway was fun to paint..I was attracted to that cast shadow. I got the stretcher bars from a yard sale with one of those cheesy decor paintings on it. I stretched a new canvas and really had fun working this large for the first time in many years. I used to love to do large abstract paintings that would take over your whole field of vision. This was not the same since I did have a subject, but I did enjoy playing with paint on a large surface.

Glendale City Arts Council Show

Where did this year go? I guess my facebook posting took over for a while and haven't caught up here. I enjoy reading the long and well thought out blogs of so many artists that I must support this medium! Please forgive me dear Blogspot! Lots has happened so far: I participated in the City of Glendale (AZ) Fine Arts Council exhibit. It was the 50th year they have been at it. You can certainly tell by the smooth and efficient way this show is run. The entry prospectus is very easy to use and contains all the labels to attach, the cards for acceptance notification and the details about the show. Everyone delivers the work and they hang it all for a showing. Then the declined work is picked up and the show continues until the ending reception. This is such an encouraging way to run the show where all have a chance to exhibit. A few years ago I talked an artist into entering. He was new to Arizona and was disappointed that his work did not get in. We joked about the thick skin it takes to be an artist. Later he called to say his work sold anyway! What a nice end to that tale.

This year I was delighted that my biggest entry sold for a good price. Yippee! It is the 30x40 acrylic "Salt River" that was featured in Art Collector magazine.