Framing the 30

My framing table has taken a pretty hard hit this week!

I've not been slacking but I cannot show just yet--I am working on some commissions that will remain under wraps for a while yet.

But, its been dreadful hot so I've also been in the studio framing up a storm!   

In both August and September I will going to paint outs such as this one in DeSmet. This year we can show a few other works as well, so I am framing some of my favorite from the "30/30" project (April).   I am continuing the experimenting from the 30 days with the framing.  I've tried a few new things, and am very pleased at the results!

Some of my small works in their new 'outfits'!

I've went with a few different styles, I just can't pick one for every piece.    Some are in vintage frames, some in new, some have various styles of matting, some not at all.










Paint Outs are some of my favorite things, and this year I'll have my pal, Arty, for company!  

Have a Cow!

A friend called a few weeks ago with a request...paint her mom's favorite cow for her birthday.   We didn't have much time, but I was sure I could do it, and she'd already had photos emailed to me.  

I chose to use Uart paper again, its my fav!   I used 600 grit, and cut a piece a bit larger than 20x24ish, the size the client thought would be best.

I have never painted a cow portrait before!   I've painted cows in a distant herd and in a corral behind a main subject of horse and rider but never as a center stage star!   But, all painting is the same basically--you paint what you see; focusing on the lights, darks and textures.  

Norma Jean    20x20 on Uart600  pastel   Sold

Behold Norma Jean!   This was a ton of fun.   The wayward fuzzies on the top of her noggin where the best.   Client wanted a background of simply South Dakota scenery.

The giftee was most pleased!   I was invited to the party where it was presented, which was great fun as I usually dont' get to see that part.   That, to me, is some of the fun--I get to be part of a really great gift, surprise, or making of an instant heirloom.   I am always honored when I am chosen to be involved. 

Priorities

What are your priorities?  Family?  Work?   Painting flags on garage doors or building habitats for skunks?   Whatever it is, that is what you need to keep energy and time for.   Its soooo easy to get bogged down with a million other things that seem important.

That's what happened to me this summer.   I thought I wanted to raise some meat goats along with my dairies.   I got a few, who had kids, then I had lots!    And little by little, that took more time than I realized, til one day, I looked up and realized I hadn't rode a horse or done any, ANY?, artwork for over 2, maybe even 3 full weeks, and my garden was a mess.

Um, NO.   this had to stop.   So, I called a goat person who bought my herd, and kept my 2 sweet milking does.   Now chores take 20 minutes or less!  

Its worth your time to think about what is your focus.  Not what is your husband's, kids', or neighbors, what makes YOU happy?   What is it that makes your heart flutter?   Go do that stuff!  

I kinda felt like I was giving up when I seen my herd get on her trailer.  For about 2 minutes.   Then I seen what I did give up--fencing, trimming, feeding, etc.....and I gained time.   Time that you can't get back.   I'm happy I got to try my hand at the meat goat thing, but even more happy its gone now.   Copper, maybe he's not so happy about it tho!

Summer Solstice

It's Summer Solstice time.   Seems early this year, but so does everything else!   We had some serious rainfall earlier this year, and many areas still have more water sitting than usual, including us.    

In front of my 
house, there is a low spot, and it was so overflowing, we now had lakefront property!    I was walking my dogs and as the sun set, my really-big-puddle turned magical.   The colors were like sherbert, and the 'pond' was still and almost like a mirror; except where some bug made a ripple.   

I thought for a split second to grab my gear and do a sketch, but the skeeters were so hangry that a few photos would have to do.  

This needed to be bigger for what I had in mind, and I cut a piece of Uart600 and set to just do an underpainting before bed.  

I wanted to try a very 'hot' underpainting as I knew I was doing lots of cooler colors on top.   So I laid in hot oranges, reds, and golds.   I planned to take a photo and go to bed.   Wellll....didn't happen.   I was itching to do this painting for weeks, and thought since the top area was dry already, I'd just try a couple spots.  

Several hours later, I went to bed, almost done.  A few tweaks the next day and I present to you "Summer Solstice", 20x32   

Wash Day

This blog title is both for my painting and my reality!   Nothing better than fresh sheets off the line for a good night's rest.    I had this painting 'done' months ago, but something wasn't actually done enough for me.   It seemed a bit void and I felt adding a bit more of a human touch would be useful.

   So yesterday I got it back to the easel, and decided to add the wash line and the chimney with some smoke.   I also toned the barn down from a bright red to a more weathered hue;  that pushed the viewer more to the house, and was a bit more realistic.   I am again going to call it done.  We'll see if it stays that way!

"Wash Day"   11x16 pastel on uart500

Evening Service

Evening Service   10x12 on colorfix paper    $115.

Another piece from DeSmet;  my friend Connie and I stayed in this spot for well over an hour, probably well over 2 hours, watching the amazing cloud formations and full moon.   Just as it got a bit darker, the lights in this little country church started to glow out the windows, what a sight!   With the full moon behind, and yet still lit from the setting sun, how could I help myself!? 

This was done alla prima, "all in one setting".   After my 30 in 30 project, it felt very natural to step into my studio, late at night and paint.  In fact, it felt really good.  This is 10x12 on a dark dusty blue paper, so some of my work was already done for me.   I found some things kind of hard--my 'go to' dark cool green wasn't even near close enough dark this time!   In this situation, it looked maybe even lighter than a middle value.    I found this same thing several times as I worked, nocturnal painting is tricky!  

Here is my 'wall of work'.   All but 2 of my 30/30 paintings, taped to my wall behind my easel.  I like seeing them all together!     Now to start framing some of them.    

Plein Air again!

Ah, I just love to paint outside.   It doesn't even matter that much if the piece turns out, just the experience is worth the effort.  

I love my full french easel, I guess when I am getting 'serious', but some days I just head out with my sketchbox.   A lightweight folding camp chair and a messenger bag with extras, and I'm good to go!     

My sketchbox doesn't have a ton of pastels, but its plenty.   I also have a few pastel pencils tucked in; a warm and cool grey, a black, a white charcoal pencil, a pale yellow and ochre green.   As a pencil gets short in the studio, I save them for my sketchbox.  

Arty came along and chased frogs and birds while I painted.   The wildlife was so loud!  

With a storm moving in, it was very still and the colors were subtle, doubled by the large 'pond' from the heavy rains all week.    I did an underwash of a sienna tone on uart paper.    I liked the way the old corn stalks looked like whisker stubble!

plein air--May 6    uart500   6x12