More Joy Less Struggle.

OK, cant make this painting work. So rather than pushing a lot of paint uphill and having it roll downhill every night, I'm cutting my losses and I've re-gessoed it and will start over with a different subject. Much easier to paint with joy than with a huge struggle.

So bye bye and will see you later (maybe).

Antler Flower - 54 x 36 inches - Acrylic on Canvas Stage GONE

Hands are much better.

OK worked on my truck yesterday and replaced the ABS Tone rings. (don't ask) Found out something new for me, 220 Ft Lbs on a Torque Wrench is most of my body weight and half a big grunt. Truck will now pass inspection. :)




Hands felt really good yesterday while wrenching the truck so went to bed a little nervous but woke up with hands a little stiff but ready to rock and roll. Sitting around not drawing or painting has been driving me nuts, so today will be a day of art and relief.

Today, back to painting. Iced hands every hour and ibuprofen since Thursday and no more trigger finger and hands are much better. So... off we go

BTW have been invited to the Shoe Factory Art Co-op ( www.shoefactoryarts.com ) for a meeting tonight on joining as a Stakeholder for a new venture there. Beth Brown, Director, has found more space for a permanent gallery for local emerging artists. So we help pay rent, volunteer time, show off and sell our art. Best of all we get to have monthly meetings where artists will have a supportive network of other creative minded members to network, brainstorm, and help guide the policies and direction of the "House Artist" gallery. 


Love it!! So I'm in on this with both feet. Its hard sitting in the studio for months at a time with out some one to bounce ideas off of. Well my dog Boo has helped but he always agrees with me.


More later and everyone have a great day making stuff!

Hmmm Next painting?

I got Trigger Finger (Flexor Tendinitis)

Crap! Found out that I have trigger finger in both hands. Ring finger in each hand locks up during the night. So Ice, Ibuprofen and no painting for a while. Poop!

Hands are sore in the morning and feels like they are being squeezed in to a ball. So thanks to the we I have found out that I have Tendinitis of the hands. Hummm. Seems that I have to stop stretching my own canvas for a while.

Well I will have to take it easy here for a while.

If anyone has any suggestions on a fix, I will pay attention!

Thanks. 

Per a reqest Iris III

Per the request of my lovey wife -

Iris III - 12 x 12 - Stage 1

Iris III - 12 x 12 - Stage 2

All done! Let it dry, sign and gloss coat and off to the next one.

Iris III - 12 x 12 inches - Done

Small Iris Done!

Small Iris - 12x12 inches - Gallery canvas - Acrylic
Done!

Taking a Break from the Big Painting

Taking a break from the Big painting and working on this one as fast as I can. I need to clear my head on the big painting so I have found that working on a small one and banging it out in a day pumps me up to start on the big tasks.

Don't know what works for you but this always works for me when I get hung up with painters block. :-)

Small Iris - 12x12 inches - Gallery canvas - Acrylic

Here some more after walking the dog and having some lunch. All is not work you know.

But there is about 3 hours in to this one painting already.

Small Iris Stage 2 - 12x12 inches - Gallery canvas - Acrylic

Emily's B-Day Present

Did a quick 6x6 inch portrait of my niece Emily today. Her B-Day is tomorrow and this is what she is going to get!

Emily - 6x6 inch - acrylic on canvas on board

More Purple flower - Fri

Just some more wiggling around on this one.Define and find colors and shapes.

Antler Flower - 54 x 36 inches - Acrylic on Canvas Stage 4

Purple Flower - Mon-Tues-Wed

Wednesday - did some more work and here is where we half way through the day. More to follow.

Antler Flower - 54 x 36 inches - Acrylic on Canvas Stage 3

Tuesday - Working some more paint on the canvas and then grabbed the carpenters pencil and started to figure this one out for detail work.

Antler Flower - 54 x 36 inches - Acrylic on Canvas Stage 2

Monday - Starting a new flower painting today. Here is the photo that I took of a flower across the street. Wish I knew what it was. Looked on line and could not find anything like it.

Reference Photo

Antler Flower - 54 x 36 inches - Acrylic on Canvas

Iris Done.

Well I will let this one sit a bit but I think that its time to sign and topcoat and get it ready to go.

Iris - 3 x 3 feet - Acrylic on linen

Got a pic of it hanging in my living room, over the fire place.

Iris

Iris Stage 4 - 3 x 3 feet - Acrylic on linen

More work done this morning and then off to the dentist. Can't wait to get back and drool over my palette. Good thing that I'm using acrylic.

Iris Stage 5- 3 x 3 feet - Acrylic on linen

Happy One Year Blogging Today.

Its been one year since I have started this blog. Lots of things have changed and some have not. So this year I need to work on those things that have not changed. Need to push myself more. Nuff said. Lets move on.

Well, I missed the dead line for the The Shoe Factory Art Co-op, "June Art Exhibit; "Earthly Delights: The Art of the Garden". Seems that the weather, working at the cabin and other things seem to have taken its toll and I just could not get the energy to get going. Cold, dark and rainy days are just not my thing. So now that the sun is out and the temps are up.... I have my energy back.

So now to pick up where I left off.

I had taken some reference pics of flowers that I just did not feel good about. So with the Iris's coming back on the upper deck patio I think I have found what I'm looking for.

Here is my ref photo after some resizing etc.

Here is the start of the painting after I have blocked it up and thrown some color on it.

Iris - 3 x 3 feet - Acrylic on linen

A few interruptions to my work day but still making progress.

Iris Stage 2 - 3 x 3 feet - Acrylic on linen

more fiddling with shading and details, happy with it so far.

Iris Stage 3 - 3 x 3 feet - Acrylic on linen