New Venue

Pin It Down on Main Street Sports Bar and Restaurant in Carrollton is showing a lot of work from local artists.  Rhonda and Junior Welch have added a gallery  up stairs where you can see a wide variety of paintings, photography and other art from local artists.  I'm honored to have a few of my paintings on display there also.  Go upstairs and take a look. 

Monday Morning

Acrylic

$100

Scented Air

Acrylic

$100

I love this painting because it reminds me of early summer 

and

because it also reminds me of the scent of summer flowers and their beauty.

 

Thanks, I needed that!

Last Light

I love skies.  

I love how the light from a sunset or sunrise washes across everything it touches.

We were having some beautiful sunsets when I painted this.  

This was a truly fun painting to do.

It sold from Gallery 104 in LaGrange, KY in December.  

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Outside Looking In

Outside Looking In

Wouldn't you just love to be able to walk by a beautiful window like this 

or better yet, 

be the person peeking out from behind the gauzy curtains

watching the world as they envy your beautiful home.

This framed 16 x 20 acrylic is on a stretched canvas.

$200 + $10 shipping 

Here's a closer look at the window.

This was a really fun painting to do.

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House Hunters

House Hunters

For Sale:  Rustic Home, wide open spaces, great view.

This Eastern Blue Bird is checking out the possibilities

of this fence post for a home.  

It is just as advertised.

A closer look at the detail on the bird and fence post.

This is a framed 8 x 10 acrylic painting on masonite board.

$90 with free shipping until Dec 15.

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fun painting

Pin It  Since I paint mostly landscapes or birds, this one was fun to do.  I like the wispy curtains in the windows and everyone who knows me, knows I love flowers.  

Thanks for taking a look.

Terry Harrison Webinar

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I just finished listening to a webinar with Terry Harrison on his book Brush With Acrylics and it was very good.  I leaned a number of different techniques and tips during the hour session, but the one I can't wait to try is how he paints cedar trees and weeping willow trees.  You can go online at northightshop.com to find his books.  I'm on their email list and that's how I got invited to the webinar.

Earlier in the day I finished a painting I did from Jerry Yarnell's online school.   I'll post it later.  I really like it and everything I learned while painting it.

The hardest thing for me is drawing and I've been working on a painting I needed to put a bluebird in.  I've been dragging my feet because it's hard for me.  I sat down today and drew the bird.  I'm pretty happy with the results so I'll be painting that later today or in the morning.

Hope you all have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Bold Brush Contest winners

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https://mail.google.com/mail/?tab=wm#inbox/133adfcabb395012

Here's the link to the winners of the Bold Brush monthly contest by Fine Art News.  One of the painters I follow is one of the finalists.  So Cool.  Congratulations.  Never really met him, but love his work. His painting is titled Richard, and his name is Fongwei Liu.  You have to scroll down several paintings, but you'll get there.

Thanks for looking.

If you haven't been to my website to check it out, I'd really appreciate it if you could take a minute and go there.  Let me know what you think.  www.finenatureartbyslgraves.com.

Have a great day, now that the rain has finally stopped here in Kentucky.

Jim the cheese maker.

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http://www.inkbarreltv.com/inkbarrelCMS/system/networks/in_madison_courier/index.php?console=open&id=3750

This link will take you to a video the Madison Courier made of my sweet husband Jim while he was teaching his most recent class of making cheese.  It is only 2 min and 40 sec., but it is really a neat video.  Please take a look at it and enjoy.

This really has nothing to do with art, but it's really pretty cheese.  Maybe I should paint that.

Thanks for looking.

It's Live

Pin It I did it!  I finished my website and this morning I activated it.  I would appreciate it if you would go on there for a few minutes and wander around and let me know if it's easy, if it works like it's supposed to. 

Thanks guys,

I appreciate your help.

Sharon

http://www.finenatureartbyslgraves.com/

It's Almost Ready

Pin It    I've been working on the website!

All the live long day!

(and half the nights)

But, it's almost ready.

I'm just sitting on it overnight making sure I'm ready to launch it.

I just kept finding things to correct and improve,

but. . .

I really think tomorrow will be the day. 

Thanks and stay tuned.

Being Brave

Pin It The Website is coming!  The Website is coming! 

 OK not as  life changing as the British are coming, but I hope effective, none the less.

I bought a domain name several months ago and have been thinking this whole thing through and studying the how and the why of it.

I got real brave this week and decided now is the time

and this is the hour!

I've spent several days building this website and I'm hoping by early next week to have it up and running.

I'm really being brave just announcing that.

I've learned to be brave and take courage by putting my art work out there for you - real people to see.

Thanks for helping along the way during the journey of the past year.

Stay tuned for bigger and hopefully better things to come.

Where it all begins!

I am always amazed that from this mess comes art. 

Art is so many things to so many people

and yet,

it all starts here. 

The vision is the actual beginning, but

when the paint begins to hit the canvas,

sometimes the vision changes. 

I love paint.

Things I can't do by drawing,

I can do with paint.

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My Etsy Shop link

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http://www.etsy.com/shop/finenatureart

This is the link for my etsy shop.  Stop by and check out all the different items I have there.  There are many paintings, painted home decor and some other oddball items.  Kinda like me.

Thanks for looking.

Creek Painting Progression

This is the photgraph of a nearby creek I took last winter.  Behind it is the sketch for the painting I'm going to show the progression of. 

The funny thing about showing the progression of a painting is, you have to remember to take a picture as each round is completed.  Sometimes I forget that part. 

This is after the underpainting and the furthest trees. 

I really had a great time with this painting because I used some tourquoise deep in the sky and in the creek.  It's not a color I usually use, but I love it so much, I know I'm going to be using it again.

here I'm starting to build up the snow and get some highlights and minor reflections going in the creek. 

This is where I forgot to stop and take a photo. 

Sorry.

But here's the finished painting. 

It's an 8 x 10 acrylic on masonite. 

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Hot Cars and Working Artists

Tonight was the final Quads night of the year in LaGrange, KY.  Quads is a primo car club and the 4th Saturday of the month they block off the streets in LaGrange for a super car show.  Many of the shops stay open during the show including Gallery 104.

Tonight there were artists sketching and painting on the sidewalk, a man making copper jewelry and a woman cutting out stained glass pieces. 

It was a great night.

This is a painting I added to my display at the Gallery. 

18 x 24 acrylic $200

If you're interested, please contact me.

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The Party's Over

Pin It    I just returned from Myrtle Beach, SC., where my husband, Jim and I had a much needed vacation. 

We stopped in Bardstown, KY where I took a class on composition, design and perspective from Jerry Yarnell.  It was a great class, met some great people and I learned a lot. 

What I learned on the beach

One day Jim and I were walking along the beach and the surf was up and the waves were high.  As we walked through the very shallow water we weren't seeing many shells.  When we walked out further into the rougher and deeper water we began finding some very interesting shells.  What a difference a few feet made.  It wasn't until we got out of our comfort zone, the safe shallow water, that we began to find some really pretty shells.

You can't walk where everyone else walks if you want to find a beautiful treasure.  You have to strike out on your own to find the true treasures in life.  If it were easy, everyone would do it.   

Trees, Beautfiul Trees

This tree is in General Butler Stated Park in Carrollton, KY.  It stands near the tunnel where the train ride goes.  It is an impressive tree amongst many trees.  When my 7 year old grandson KJ saw the painting he said, "is that the tree in General Butler, by the train ride"?  I was so shocked he knew what tree it was. 

This is one of my favorite paintings.  It is currently in Gallery 104, LaGrange, KY.

Contact me if you're interested in it.

$75 plus shipping.

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In a Cabin in the Woods

Safely Inside

Can't quite see the "Little Ole Man at the Window Stood".

but if he's in there he's all safe and snuggly warm and greatful to be inside.

The cabin is deep in a pine forest and reminds me of the "Little House in the Big Woods" book by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

I had fun painting the snow here, getting highlights on it. 

This is currently hanging at Gallery 104, LaGrange, KY.

$150 plus shipping

Last Light

Last light is a 16 x 20 acrylic on a canvas panel. 

 I love sky and this sky was lots of fun.

Off to the left is a cute little home with a rocky road going in front.

I love the glow of a setting sun and the colors it spreads across everything.

This is another of my new paintings in Gallery 104 in LaGrange, KY.

If you're interested, please contact me.

$150 plus shipping

Waiting

is the view from my front porch and that rocker is always waiting for me to sit a spell.  It seldom happens.

This 8 x 10 acrylic on masonite is framed in a beautifully carved look

resin frame.

It is currently in Gallery 104 in LaGrange, KY

and lists for $75 plus shipping.

These sticks were made for walking~

I know this is not my traditional blog posting, but this is not the traditional creature.  I think this is one of the most interesting creations of our Heavenly Father.

Do you suppose he just wanted to see our reaction to this kind of bug?

My reaction is somewhere close to Awe!

He (or she) was on my screen door this morning as I was shaking out rugs.

I went in and out several times and he stayed put.

I decided to get my camera and record him for all posterity to see.

And here he (or she) is!

Enjoy!

Another Lesson from the Garden

Looking at my flower gardens recently, I made this observation.  I have a bed of impatiens that I have watered religiously this entire summer.  No matter how oppressively hot and steamy, I'm out there lugging my hose around giving these plants a long cool drink. 

They have rewarded me for all my work and expensive water with very little growth, few flowers and a rather sad display of color. 

Now however, with steady rain and cooler temperatures, they are thriving.  They are growing like, well like weeds and have beautiful color. 

The Lesson

I guess the lesson is it takes the Real Thing, and not an artificial substitute for things to grow or improve.  My hose water was a poor substitute for the life giving water from a watchful Heavenly Father.  To become a better artist, it takes real practice, practice with purpose and lots and lots of looking, seeing and then more painting.  Can't read about it, think about it or look at others art, although all those things can help.  But to create great art, I must honestly evaluate my work and then work to improve brush stroke by brush stroke. 

That darn cat can't spoil my fun!

I couldn't paint this scene outdoors the other day because my goofball cat wouldn't leave my stuff alone.  I've seen this scene a gazillion times because it is in my back yard, so I took my little self inside yesterday afternoon and painted it.  Granted it doesn't exactly look like this.  I added the pine tree on the left and the bales of hay are closer to the fence, but this is basically how it looks.  The leaves are beginning to turn, the ones that weren't dehydrated in the summer heat and it's beginning to look and feel like fall.  Notice I didn't paint that darn cat in the picture. 

It's an 8 x 10 on masonite board. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Cats don't make good painting buddies

After finishing a number of errands and getting paintings ready for the gallery rotation tomorrow, finally this afternoon I had some time to set my easel up outside and paint.  I hauled all my gear outside and found a semi-level spot to set up to paint some round hay bales out by our fence.  Enter Misha, my Halloween black cat, and end of painting efforts. 

She is my only non-feral cat in 10 years and she was very friendly today.  She rubbed all over me, my crate I use to hold my gear and just about knocked over my pallet.  It didn't take me long to realize I was not up for the impending wreck she was making of my plans. 

Oh well!  Tomorrow is another day. 

Egg on my face!

The Quad's car show and meet the artist night at Gallery 104 got canceled because of the weather, only I didn't get the info until too late to let anyone know.  I'm so sorry.  If you went, I'm even more sorry. 

Have a great day!!!

Quads and Meet the Artist

Tomorrow, Saturday, September 24 is Quads night in LaGrange.  Now what, you say, is Quads night?  Quads is the name of the classic car club in LaGrange and the fourth Saturday of the month they have a large car show all around the courthouse and up Main St.  I don't know why they call the club Quads, and I asked several people at the car show last time and the best answer I got was there were four guys who originally formed the club. 

Anyway, Gallery 104, which is on Main St. is also open that night as are many businesses in downtown LaGrange.  Many artists usually come to the gallery and sketch, paint, sculpt and make jewelry.  I will not be able to attend, but I have been the last several months and it has been a lot of fun. 

Change is a good thing
Monday at Gallery 104 is what they call rotation day.  Everyone brings in new work and we all get new spots to display on.  Basically the whole shop changes in one day.  So if you've been to the gallery, after Monday you will need to go again because most of everything will be new. 

The progression of a painting

Here I've just blocked in the sky and I have an undercoating of burnt sienna where the grass and road will go.  We've have had such beautiful sunsets lately I was inspired to paint this.  I didn't realize it would give me such grief or take so long.  The sky which was the inspiration was not the problem, it was the rest of the painting.

This is quite a bit later, but I got the silhouette trees, the house the road and the rocks in.  I also put some silver lining on the clouds.  At this point I wasn't unhappy with the painging, but it wasn't singing to me either. 

Here I added some small pine trees and begin the fence on the left.  The left side of the painting developed very nicely, but this is where I began to lose it on the right side of the road.

Here I'm working on the fence making the posts darker and giving them some highlights, but I added too many bushes on the right.  As this point I'm completely lost on that side of the painting.  I finished up the left side and then let it sit for several days while I did other things and thought it over.  I came back this morning and decided what I wanted to do, got busy on it and finally finished it.

This is the finished painting with the right side completely re-worked.  I made the pine trees larger, less groupings, but larger rocks, the grasses and weeds look better.  Sometimes a painting will absolutely kick you around as this one did for me. 

Railroad Show Entry

This old wooden water tower waits to be pressed into service filling a steam locomotive with essential water to keep the train producing steam and moving forward.  "Waiting to Serve" is my entry in the Gallery 104, LaGrange, KY railroad show.  The show will hang from mid-September through October. 

LaGrange is an interesting old town with a railroad track running right down the middle of their main street.  I've never seen anything like it and that's part of the charm of this beautiful town.

$75 + shipping. 

Please contact me if you're interested in this painting.

Just thought I'd show you the train running down the middle of the street in LaGrange.  It's really weird to be in one of the shops and see this train whizzing by.  But it's been happening for years so the locals are pretty used to it. 

Progress or lack thereof

I painted all day yesterday because I'm working on an entry for the train show at Gallery 104 in LaGrange, KY.  It has to be in Wednesday night by midnight.  I like most everything about the painting, except the train.  To me it still looks like Thomas the Train.  Very amateurish.  I also worked on a painting built around a sunset that I am truly enjoying and I am very pleased with it's progress.  I also had an 8 x 10 board I've had the background finished on for over a month and decided to put something on it yesterday as well.  Sometimes when you leave something at the end of the day and are not completely thrilled with it, the next morning you look at it and say, "I do like it".  I don't know if the painting fairies go to work on it during the night or just exactly what happened during the night to let me see it differently.  Maybe fresh eyes really can see better.  It has happened more than once to me, and I bet to other artists out there.  I'm going down in a while, let's hope I like it better this morning. 

Hav a great day and thanks for stopping by.

My Olde Kentucky Barn

"My Olde Kentucky Barn" was my entry in the KY State Fair.  I listed it on ebay and can be found at http://www.ebay.com/itm/150657726350?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

Thanks for looking and have a blessed day. 

Lessons from the garden today

Today I was teaching my 2 year old grandson Aidan how to water my flowers.   I was kneeling down next to him and holding both his hands on the hose and showing him where the plant goes into the earth is where we are trying to get the water.  Than I realized, no matter how well I teach him today, I'm probably going to have to teach him again tomorrow and the day after that and on and on until he finally is watering plants and not the house.  Because, after all he's 2.  So no matter how much I practice painting today, I'm going to have to work on it again tomorrow and the the next day until it is part of me, like buttoning a shirt.  Just a thought.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE !!!

I'm sure everyone has been on pins and needles (hehe) to see who would win this original painting of golden mums.  Well in this picture you can see I'm pulling out the name.

And if you look real close, in this picture the name is Patty Whtehouse Schwartz.  Patty and I have been friends snce I was 5 and she was 4 and reconnected back in the spring after not seeing each other for over 20 years.  She was one of the very first people to join my blog, clicked the like button and then gave me a commercial on her facebook page.  Thanks Patty.  I hope you enjoy this painting. 

To all of you who didn't win, I hope you check out my blog from time to time.  I'll give away another painting sometime between now and the end of the year and you'll have another chance.  Thank you so much for joining my blog.  I'll be posting the progress of a painting I'm working on, you can see what's going on in any shows or galleries I'm currently in and I also have the section on other artists.  You could spend all day checking at the beautiful work representd there.  

Thanks again and have a great day. 

Car Art

Gotta love these souped up hot rods and classic cars.  This mustang is one of my favorite cars.  I had a 70 red mustang after I graduated from high school.  These cars are art in themselves and are so much fun to look at. 

Gallery 104 was one of the many shops that were open and there was a large crowd of people who came in and several artists were on site painting, sketching and creating jewelry in metal.  

Hope to see you there next month.  It is the 4th Saturday of the month. 

More lessons from the garden

Today while watering my flower beds I learned that everything needs to be nourished, including me and especially any talent I have.  Talent must be fed, encouraged, practiced and used.  My flowers that have soaker hoses look much better than the flowers I water with a hose, which tells me that it is better to get a little nourishment on a regular basis than to receive a lot of nourishment for a short amount of time.  So painting every day for even a short amount of time is better for my talent than long periods of time spent painting. 

Meet the artist at Gallery 104 in LaGrange, KY

This Saturday night from 5-8 p.m. Gallery 104 in LaGrange will be open and many artists will probably be present painting, drawing, sculpting and making stained glass.  Last month it was a lot of fun.  There is also a car show by the Quads Car Club and goes all around the old Court House and on the main drag in old LaGrange.  The cars are great, music on the street, great art.  What more could anyone want.

The Garden Path

Finished this today.  It's my front yard and the path leads to my rose garden.  Maybe I'll paint that next.  This is an acrylic on 8 x 10 masonite board.  Thanks for stopping by.

Call for artists

All Aboard…only two weeks left!Calling all artists to enter our 2nd Annual LaGrange Railroad & Antique Festival Art Show, September 13 – November 4, 2011!A multimedia juried art show featuring trains & train related subjects(railroad people, still life, etc)  Come celebrate our railroad history! Entry deadline is midnight , September 7, 2011.  Prospectus attached.  Awards reception is Thursday, September 15, 6-8pm.Contact Ann Stroth, Chairperson at 502-241-4206(cell) or estroth@insightbb.com  for questions.

This is at Gallery 104 in LaGrange, KY where I have some paintings.  Just trying to spread the word and give everyone an opportunity to enter. 

Thanks for looking.

Yard painting

This is the view off my deck.  The path leads up to my rose garden and my husband Jim has worked so hard this year to keep all the balls in the air and the yard looking great, even through all the heat we've had.  I've painted the deck with a rocking chair on it and it is in the current offerings on here, so I thought I'd move about 10 feet and paint the next portion of the yard.  When I get to the rose garden, that should be fun because I have an antique sink in the middle of it.  I know it sounds crazy, but then you must consider the source.  I like the sink and I didn't have room for it in the house, so I put it out there.This is close up of the very unfinished painting.  I will continue working on it and post it when it's finished.  I think it is so interesting that a painting can look so flat until the highlights and detail work are added.  On the left the trees started looking really interesting once I added those touches of bright green blades of grass at their base.  Painting is so therapeutic for me.  It also helps me see things and look at things more completely. 

Learning in the garden

I was watering and weeding in my flower garden today and what I learned was that no matter how well I weed my garden today, I will like as not have to weed it again.  Weeds always come back.  Flowers and vegetables take more work, but the weeds always come back.  What that taught me is no matter how much I want something good (flowers and vegetables) like becoming a better painter, I have to paint.  If I want a better golf swing, I need to swing the club, shoot better hoops, I need to practice free throws or 3 pointers.  What if I want to sell more widgets, then I need to make more cold calls or luke warm calls.  What if I want to pull weeds out of myself, anger, an addiction, overeating.  I have to work on that everyday.  I have to pull those weeds everyday.  So to plant the good stuff or take out the bad stuff takes daily work.  I don't have to paint a masterpiece every day, but I need to work on something or improve on something everyday.  My masterpiece will come. 

painting makeover

I gave my girls paintings for Christmas of a scene from our vacation a few years ago to the Outerbanks.  It was beautiful, but it rained a lot and Kelsie and Caleb got caught in a rip tide.  That was very scarry.  Anyway, when I was at Monica's this past weekend, I looked at that old painting and decided I really needed to redo it because it was really horrible.  So I did and here's the new one.  I'm much happier with it, but probably in a year or so, I won't like it so much.  But I'm happy with it now.  And I am so ready to go to the beach right now.  I told Jim I could pack in an hour.

Would you like a free painting

"Golden Mums" will be given away at the end of August to one lucky person who has become a follower of my blog.  Once you have signed into the blog, scroll down to the bottom until you see become a member or follow.  Click the button to become a follower and sign up.  Everyone who signs up will automatically be in the drawing for this painting. 

Good Luck and thanks for looking.

Roses and Hollyhocks

I painted this 12 x 12 acrylic flower garden as a gift for a baby that will be born in early fall.  I went to her shower today and her mom had requested everyone wear pink.  It was such a clever idea and it looked so cool to see that whole room filled with pink.  The soon to be grandmother really knocked herself out and gave a daughter a beautiful shower. 
I had an idea for this painting, but my first attempt did not turn out as I envisioned it, so this morning I started over and was pleased with the final result.  I like painting on this gallery wrapped canvas and plan to do more.  No need for a frame and it's fun to try to paint the sides as part of the painting.   

The View

The View of a cardinal perched on a leafy branch searching for his mate or thinking about dinner is the inspiration for this 5 x 7 acrylic on masonite.  The frame is solid oak and has been stained to enhance the colors in the bird. 

This painting sells for $50 and can be purchased at my etsy shop at FineNatureArt.etsy.com.

Thanks for coming by and viewing this painting.  My daughter thinks it's my best work.

Just keep swimming swimming swimming

My grandson loves the movie Finding Nemo.  At one point Dorie says just keep swimming swimming swimming.  And I kept swimming today as I made soap, lotion bars and started a painting.  I went to my favorite deer sighting place and took photos of many deer in a field.  The painting is a gift so it won't be for sale, but when I get it done I'll post it cause it's turning out pretty cute.  You know how you get an idea and then sometimes it turns out well and other times it doesn't.  This is turning out pretty good. 

My etsy address is http://finenatureart.etsy.com/.  There's lots of birdhouses, several paintings and a few other items.  Please take a look.  The whole site is a lot of fun.

Another way to view and/or purchase my stuff

I now have an etsy shop with not only paintings, but a lot of hand painted home decor items like gourds, bird houses, wall plaques, and of course paintings.  Please take a minute to view it if you have the time.  You can find me at http://www.etsy.com/people/FineNatureArt?ref=si_pr.  Thanks for stopping by.

Tooooooooooooo Hotttttttttttttttt

It's so hot and we have had very little rain for close to two weeks.  The leaves on my trees are no longer on my trees, but are crunchy things in my yard.  There is only one good thing about it.  I will be doing much more painting because I just can't go out in weather like this.  I'm working on flowers and birds.

Great Day

Tonight was a Meet the Artist night at Gallery 104 in LaGrange, KY.  They have a great car show on the main streets and many of the artists in the gallery were there painting, making jewelry, sculpting, making stained glass and enjoying each others company.  And, (drum roll please)  I sold a painting!!!!!!  It was a very great day.  The above painting is the one I sold.  Thank you!!!!!

Finished is a state of mind.

Waiting

With a hot steamy summer upon us and lots of work to be done in our gardens, it is a challenge to get paintings started and even tougher to get one finished.  I usually work on two or three pieces at a time, so sometimes you finish several in a few hours.  That happened this week.  It's funny how wonderful it feels to look over and see several finished pieces. 

Standing Gurad

The View

Pretty In Pink

Standing Guard

Standing Guard

This is an 8 x 10 acrylic on masonite and is ready for framing or can be placed on a small table top easel. 

$45 includes shipping

This tree is in General Butler State Park in Carrollton, KY and if you've ever ridden the train ride there it is back by the tunnel.  To me it looks as if it is standing and watching all that goes on around it.  I bet it could tell some stories of what it has seen during it's life time.  I photographed it on a ride with my grandson Aidan and painted it the same week. 

Standing Guard

Standing Gurad is an 8 x 10 acrylic on masonite and is a tree in General Butler State Park. If you've ever taken the haunted train ride it is back by the tunnel. It stands alone and appears to be watching all that goes on around it. This painting is ready for framing or can be placed on a small table top easel. $40 and it's yours.

sites of Carroll County

A few years ago I took a drive out E. Rt. 36 and saw this shed.  I took a photo of it and I painted it recently.  You can actually drive under it.  It was hiding beneath all the vegetation growing all over it.  I don't know if I could find it again, but it was one of many great photos I took that day.  This is an 8 x 10 acrylic on masonite and is framed with wooden deluxe frame with a dust cover on back and wired to hang.  $75 + shipping.  

Learning to paint in the Garden

Musing!  This morning Jim and I were outside picking green beans for the market.  He said, "sometimes there will be a whole lot of green beans in one little pocket."  Got me to thinking about how negative space is so important to make a painting come alive.  Some artist somewhere in time probably learned that from a green bean plant.  Hundreds of years later goofballs like me are still learning it from other artists and green bean plants. 

The Envelope Please

Here is a painting I've been working on that has been giving me fits.  It is of our barn.  I have changed it somewhat because I have artistic license, hehe, but it is our barn and our sheep and even our hay.  But I can't work on it any longer so that must mean it is finished.  It seems awfully green to me, but everytime I added another color it didn't look right either.  Have you ever finished something and were not sure if you liked it or not.  That's sort of where I am.

Thanks for stopping by.