My First Victorian House

I call this my first Victorian House because I plan to draw/paint more of them. This is one of many  on Buck Avenue on the route I used to walk and take photos on; perhaps you remember that.

I started this drawing on Thursday, working on it for two hours; brought it home and continued to work on the ink drawing over the paint; and on Friday I went back in the morning to the same spot and continued to paint and draw in the unending plethora of details to this gem of a house.

I truly enjoyed the process. I love old houses.

I lived in a really old rundown Vic years ago for about fifteen years. They tore it down when we moved out. It was that rundown. But this one brings back lots of memories from that other house. We then moved to another old Vic out in the country and this house also has aspects of that one, especially the porch and being two stories and white.

While I was painting on Thursday, two teen aged girls came by and stopped to look. One of them exclaimed: "Did you do that? Oh, of course you did!" as she stands there watching me draw in front of her. "It's beautiful!" She said. "Is this a hobby?" I told her, it was more like a passion!

She liked that.

My plein air buddy, Karen joined me this morning and we both did our own thing; then we went to lunch and got to know each other even better. She invited me to join her this Sunday with a group of young (20 somethings) artists in a neighboring town to make art together. I will tell you more about that after the fact!

I hope you are having as much fun this weekend as I am!!!

Big House on Buck Ave.

On the first day I drew in graphite pencil and watercolors and came home and added black ink to the part I had painted that day. (photo of first watercolor stage is on yesterdays post)

 Today I had a free hour and a half so I went back to the scene of the painting and finished painting the rest and sat there to add the ink as well.

Only one passerby stopped to chat, this time a woman, who had her opinions about this great house and how expensive it must be to maintain. It is very large and stately looking. I hope my painting gives that impression although there is a whole other side to the house on the right side that did not fit in my picture. Not to mention the sides and back where the pool is. This house could be a many days project from many different angles.

I plan to paint more of the beautiful homes on this street. This is the street I used to take photos on during my noontime walks. With all this painting I am getting a little behind on my walks. In reality I will most likely be getting a larger behind from all the sitting and painting...but one has to have ones passions!

Henry Dear Henry Where I HAVE YOU BEEN?

Henry V  came home this morning looking like someone had put thick stiff mousse in his hair.

It was sticking up all over his head, was hard to the touch, but did not have any particular smell.

I've no idea what he got himself into.

 but I sure got a kick when I was walking through the house a while later and I found him on top of the washing machine with the other dirty things as though he too was waiting to be washed!

Silly cat!



Happy Animal Wednesday!

And this is a watercolor I started today, but did not have time to finish. I'll show it again when I have had time to go back to this spot and finish the painting. I've already outlined a lot of it in black ink and it is already popping off the page!

My plein aire experience today included two different men coming by to chat with me about my painting. The first guy just seemed fascinated by what I was doing and told me he was impressed.
The second man had been painting his picket fence with a fresh coat of bright white across the street. He came across to ask me how much I charged for a portrait! I told him I didn't think I was quite ready for that yet. He told me I was welcome to draw and paint his house if I wanted. I might, it's much smaller than this one and quite cute.

On Monday I Painted The Chamber of Commerce

On Monday I had some time to kill in the morning after an appointment with my hearing specialist.

Since I was already downtown I drove around to find another building to draw and paint.

I decided on this one. It was originally a library, but now houses our Chamber of Commerce.

I liked the columns and awning and red doors.

 So I pulled my painters chair out of my car, plus my bag of supplies...I am ever ready now to paint anywhere, any time. I plunked myself down on the sidewalk in front of my parked car. And I got to work.

 A gentleman came out of the building and came to see what I was doing. He jokingly said they'd like to hang my finished painting inside the Chamber.

 I went on to paint and then to draw over the original drawing with black ink in both medium and fine pointed pens.

And here she is.

The building is actually an off white color...I couldn't decide what to use to get to that color so just used some green with a lot of white that was in the paint palette from a previous days work. And decided it was fine. The flag in the window on the left side is actually a reflection from the larger flag hanging up in front of the building (but not seen in this picture). My focal point was that ornate front and those four tall columns!

This took about an hour and a half start to finish.

I Painted in the RAIN!!!!

On Sunday morning I woke up rearing to go: To Paint the town red!

I knew which building I wanted to paint...this old 1889 red brick building that was on the opposite side of the street I had painted the day before. It was over cast and rain was predicted. It was dry when I arrived at ten a.m. And there was no sun on my side of the street, as had been the case on Saturday. So it was perfect for my needs!

 But perhaps a half hour into my session it started to rain...at first I did not even notice. A woman came to stand under the awning, under which I was sitting, to stay dry and it was only then I came a bit out of my right brain zone to notice that sure enough, it was raining! But I was staying dry...the rain coming to with in inches of my chair.

 I got to use the new MASK liquid I got yesterday at the thrift store!(If you missed that story scroll down to the earlier post)
 It worked perfectly!!! I'd never done this before, but had the right tools (a long wooden skewer) to dip into the stuff and spread it where I wanted the paint NOT to go. I waited until it dried and then did my pink/red wash over it.

 Then I rubbed it off with my fingers and it left the white paper to define my buildings bricks.

Some might say the painting was finished here as a "true watercolor" painting...however, I like it when I add my black artist pens...

 ...in bold, medium and fine lines to define what I was seeing. I like the way it makes it pop!

Did you notice the bird sitting up on the roof? (far left side)...the flags were all tattered and torn from years of use I presume. I wonder if they ever take them down? I was there 2 and a half hours!

I think the sky tells you what the weather was like!

Kids seemed the most excited passing by to see an adult painting outside. One woman stopped to tell me she had seen me getting started when she and her husband were going into the restaurant. When she came out I was finishing up. She said: "You are fast!" and "You are very talented!" It feels so good to hear this. One of these days I am going to fully own it too.

Downstairs from this part of the building shown here is the Mirage,  the hair salon where I get my hair done!

Find Me At Seth Apter's Altered Page Again Today and Yesterday's Plein Air Painting Downtown

Today something I said will appear on Seth Apter's Blog, The Altered Page.

 I was asked to name a tool I use in my art work...I am not even sure what I said  so I will join you there to find out today, Sunday September 25th...Let's go see!!!!

On Saturday, to keep practicing, I took myself to our old downtown and set up my chair and art supplies in a doorway that I felt was not used and out of the flow of traffic to draw and paint the buildings on the other side of the street. All this in continued preparations for the big Paint Out in Calistoga the first weekend in October. In Calistoga I may try to paint some of the historic buildings in their downtown area so I felt practicing on my own town's old buildings was a good start. All of the buildings had cars in front of them and I did not want to draw the cars, as the buildings were my focal point. Thus the white left undone portion of the page. I drew what I could see.

My Lookie Lous were a little girl who shouted: "Look she is painting!!!", and a woman who stopped to look, exclaimed: "Oh watercolors"....very nice!"

I enjoyed my hour and a half...I think this may have become my new addiction.

THRIFT STORE FIND: I haven't shared my thrift store finds in a while, but today's was too good to not tell about. I had gone to Michael's first looking for some Art Masking Fluid for watercolor work. Well it was quite pricey, between $7 and $15 depending on the type. I was looking at the Winsor & Newton brand that they carry. I didn't bring my coupons with me so I decided to wait.
From there we went to the thrift store to see what we could find. I nearly fell over when I found a full bottle of Winsor and Newton Art Masking Fluid, the exact bottle I had just left behind at Michael's for
$2.00! I kid you not!

Okay, enjoy your Sunday...see you over at Seth's Altered Page!

A Perfect Morning at Lagoon Valley Park

I got up early this morning and drove out to the park in Lagoon Valley. I wanted to sit where the ducks and geese hung out. I wanted to paint a picture with life in it. It could not have been a more perfect day.I sat out there soaking in the beautiful surroundings, the perfect temperature, the beautiful scene.

I set up my chair and paints.

 and watched the geese and the ducks enjoying themselves on their island, then in the water, and THEN they all came to visit me!!! Just marched off the island and out of the water and came to say hi, what are you doing? Are you an artist? Are you drawing us and our habitat? "Yes!" I said, I am an artist and I am drawing you is it okay? "Honk, honk, honk" they said, which I took to mean sure, why not? We are easy going ducks.

 My new friend Karen showed up about an hour and a half into my painting process and she set up her easel deciding to stay in ducks land too.

 I loved watching her paint with oil, using her paint spreader, (it has another name but it escapes me just now) she even let me try it on her canvas. She is a font of art information!!! And she seems to like sharing it with me for which I am much appreciative.

 So we drew and painted and enjoyed the view and the ambiance. Karen thought perhaps we might go to Calistoga next Friday and practice painting there after we scope out the environs. She also agreed to go to the Paint Out in October and share my cottage with me! Hey, I have a new friend and it is grand!

 And this is what I did today!

Tell me what you think! I appreicate all feedback, suggestions, and kudos.  ;-)

Practice, Practice, Practice...Painting

On Wednesday I went to our city park

and painted this scene with the red metal art structure and the huge tree in front of me.

I sat on a park bench, with my supplies on the picnic table where for an hour and a half

I drew and painted. One gentleman wandered by and said: "You are an artist."

I said: "I'm trying to be."

 Next time I am just going to say "Thanks."

 On Tuesday I sat in the Town Square, this time facing away from the bakery, and drew and painted the  Mexican Restaurant, Los Reyes, across the square.  I worked on my shadows...but they keep looking like water to me. And the place was NOT flooded. Also there were little rod iron fences in front of the diners which I left off. I wanted to see the people. I like the little man on the bench. He looks like my DH.

Two young women stopped to admire what I was doing. One exclaimed: "Beautiful"...boy, that sure feels good. She asked me if I sold my art. I said sometimes. But she didn't offer me a price. :-)

It is getting easier to meet my public.

Stacks and Stacks and Stacks

 Seth Apter on his blog, The Altered Page,  asked for artists to share their "stacks" with his blog followers.

My first photo is a drawing I did of the stacks of books and magazines and other "stuff" that gets stacked on top of our coffee table; and underneath it as well.

and below: you see the real McCoy!

 A different day with some of the same books and some moved around...since my husband and I share this space some of what you see is his and some is mine. (that's his baseball cap, for instance!)

 This is "my end table"...and those are all my books and magazines stacked on the bottom shelf. They are a combination of mixed media, fiber art, watercolor and knitting magazines and books.

 Here I have drawn what is currently on top of the end table: plastic boxes of artist pens, beads, & buttons; books and more magazines...and my sketchbooks and painting art journals.

and here is a photo of the same stuff.

 We bought this new coffee table early in the summer to replace a much smaller one thinking the bottom shelf would give us more room for our stacks and thus make the top of the table look neater.
Didn't happen. As we just keep adding more stuff to the stuff on top after shoving more of the top stuff to the bottom shelf.

 And one more area of stuff next to my chair is where I stack my box of embroidery floss on top of books which are on top of knitting yarn in two baskets and painting supplies in a third.

These are our "stacks" in just one room of the house and I did NOT show several more of my husbands stacks by his chair which tend to roll over onto the floor in that area. We are nothing if not well read!

To see more STACKS visit Seth Apter's Blog where he will guide you to the blogs of other STACKERS!!!
****


And for all of you who participate in
Animal Wednesday with me
see Henry V
looking for his prey
hoping to add
one more
rat
to his
STACK
he started
yesterday
!

Sunday And the Grandkids Second Day with Us.

They got out the fabric checker board and set it up to play...

 On Sunday morning GD created her very own art retreat under the redwood trees!

 GS got in some great quality time with his beloved grand father.

 GD drew with waxy pastels.

 They both played around in the back yard enjoying the warm weather.

 I give them each a "Goodie Bag" filled with things to make and do from what I find at thrift stores

and garage sales. Here GS is cutting out a mask pattern he'll then transfer to a red paper plate

and cut out a mask for himself.

 At night they lay in the hammock again and looked at the stars as they came out. There's one, there's another!

In the morning we sat at the out side patio table for breakfast. And as we were eating our cereal and fruit my grand daughter turns to me and asks: "Grandma, do you believe in God?"
And the conversation went on from there...so interesting to watch a 7 yr old wrap their mind around that one. ;-)

Grandkids Visit and New Baby Picture

 We picked the 7 yr olds up on Saturday after their soccer games...and brought them to our house. We had a busy afternoon and evening (but I'm showing Sunday photos first). Grand daughter said she wanted to make a quilt for her stuffed monkey, Mono; and grandson said he'd make one too for Blue Bear. They wanted to make them on the sewing machine.

First we went into the garage where all my fabrics are stored and they picked out "doggie patterned fabrics." GD's piece was perfectly sized she said to just fold in half and put "the soft stuff" (batting) in between; GS chose a cute dog fabric and a perfectly blended solid piece for his backing. They both were able to lay the fabric on the soft stuff and pin the three layers together for sewing.

 GS worked diligently sewing around the outside first; then using lines in the pattern to follow for quilting across in both directions. He even learned to thread the machine himself.

 They both quickly learned to use the buttons on the machine to go backyards to secure a finished line of stitches, to lift the foot off the fabric for turning; and to lift the needle when necessary. And both could reach the foot presser and found agreeable pressures for moving the fabric along.

 GD wearing dress up clothes shows off her finished quilt on which she hand sewed a gold ribbon bow of her choosing. (I did the bindings, but they tore the fabric for them. They could have sewn them too but they were getting tired.) GS was equally proud of his finished quilt and he sewed a button to each corner for embellishment by hand. They took a break to eat bread with mayonnaise  before lunch.

My son sent this photo today via email.

Our littlest grand baby girl just one month old...laying on the festival quilt I made this summer for her parents, and her of course! She has an audiology diagnostic test in the works...hoping for okay news.

Needless to say I was in grandma heaven all weekend long.

I Did It Again, This Time By Myself in Town Square on Saturday

I got up early

and drove down town to our town square, around 9 a.m. on Saturday.

There was a live jazz band setting up, people at the Pure Grain Bakery having coffee and pastries, it was warm so many people were taking their refreshments outside. I decided the Bakery would be my subject matter and I wanted to draw people today. I did this sketch in twenty minutes.

 Then I took out my new tubes of paint with their "real artist colors" like burnt umber, phthalo blue, viridian hue, burnt sienna, sap green, ultramarine, yellow ochre, crimson, flesh tint and payne's gray just to name a few. And new brushes, but I think I got too inexpensive a set as the wide brush kept falling off the brush handle! Not good. But it continued to work for me when I replaced it a few times.

I loved my morning of plein aire painting.

People came up to see what I was doing. Some just said good morning. Or Are you painting? Or You ARE painting...like that was a strange thing to see someone doing downtown. One man blessed me for doing it. One woman said she was a painter too, but she only did it at home. One little boy jumped up on the rock I had my paints resting on and said he was a super hero and was there to save the world. I thanked him.

I went on painting.

The band started up and the jazz music seemed to get inside of me in a very good way.

 Into the second hour I got my pens out and started my outlining. I love how this makes everything pop.

After about an hour and a half I had to leave as we were to pick up our grand kids and bring them to our home for the weekend, so I finished the sidewalk once we got home. There are still a few touch ups to do...but I like what I did.

It was funny, when I looked up toward the end of my outlining and found the people I had been painting had all left those tables. It was as if they had walked out of my painting. It gave me a good laugh.

When I hold this picture up and stand back I can see the layers, the depth of it. from the tree to the tables to the pillars to the bakery walls and even inside the bakery behind the big windows.

I learned I can do this, enjoy this and really move into a whole other realm.  I told my DH that it didn't bother me when people stopped to chat a bit, as it was as if they were talking to someone who was altogether other than myself. I'm not quite sure who she is, but she is very comfortable being an outdoor artist.