Wisteria Welcome

Wisteria Welcome

During the painting process, I often ask myself,

Self,

What in the heck are you doing?

That is the worst painting you've ever done.

Pack up your brushes.

This is going in the trash heap.

Do you see a trend here?

This 14" x 11" is the first painting I've done for me for a good while.

And it was kicking me all over the studio for several hours.

I've been a little consumed for my new gallery which will be opening July 9.

This is painted from a photograph I took in Augusta, KY.

I made a still shot video of the progression of this painting,

and it wasn't until I put the arbor in that I was able to back myself off the ledge.

When I put the vines in, then I began to sort of smile again.

As I added the leaves and first level of purple of the wisteria, 

I finally thought, OK, I can finish this.

So you work for three or four hours on a painting

and finally the last 1/2 hour it comes together.

It's a wonder I finish anything.

 

Welcome Wisteria

14" x 11" unframed on stretched canvas

$150 + $20 shipping.  

Click here to see a progression of this painting.

 

  

My Great Big Fat Crayons

My Big Fat Crayons

Remember those great big fat crayons in kindergarten.  We usually had about eight to use and looking back, that’s really all we needed.  If we knew how to use them, that should be all we needed.

All colors are made from three primary colors, red, blue and yellow and then adding white in some instances.  Black is the presence of all colors so I usually mix my own.  I’ve had the same tube of black paint for four years.  I almost never use it.

Artists spend their lives learning how to mix color and go to great lengths to understand how they work with and against each other.  But we’re going to keep it real simple here.

My pocket color wheel, seen below is pretty beat up because I always have it next to me while working.  It’s been splashed with every color on it.

Opposites Attract.

On this side of the color wheel, the color directly opposite any other color is its complement.  If you see red, green is directly opposite so they are complements.  What does that mean?  I could write volumes on it and we still wouldn’t know it all.  Mixing the two opposites grays the color.  It doesn’t make a gray color, it makes the color muted or toned down.  Let’s say you had grass and you needed a shadow on it from a tree or a cloud, add some red to the green you’re using, and you have a shadow color that works.  

That purple iris has a shadow across part of the petals, add its complement, yellow, and you will have a color you can use as a shadow on the purple iris and still be pleasing to the eye.  

Placing complements next to each other can draw your eye into a painting, but use it too often and your eye doesn’t know where to look.  But that’s a topic for another day.

Here is a color chart using just the colors I use in my group painting classes, yellow, red, blue brown and white.  I use the brown just to cut down a little on some of the mixing for my students.  This was made just mixing one color into another color, not a combination of two colors and mixing in a third color.  I also used white in the chart.  

The main colors are across the top and the directions are on the left.  The first box on the top row is yellow mixed with red, the box under that has white added to it.  Then I added to blue to the primary color on the the top, then some white and so on.  

The last row has the brown in it.   Then I skipped a row and the next row has a brown mixing all three primary colors.  Next I added white.  Color charts are very interesting when learning how to mix colors.  

Remember those great big fat crayons and get out there and create something. 

 

Hydrangea Love

Hydrangeas are Loved

and photographed,

and painted,

and loved some more.

 

Shelley has her masterpiece completed and is working on her signature.

 

Check out how beautiful her hydrangea is.

Hydrangeas are full of color 

and love

and beauty.

You can paint them any number of different colors and they will all be right.

Next time I take one of these pictures,

I hope you're right there feeling just as super as Shelley feels here.

Trying Something New

Trying Something New

usually kinda scary.

I was painting on canvas paper and out hoped a few new types of paintings,

for me.

These daisies were an experiment and I really like the effect.
14" x 11" with matt $100 + $6 shipping

You probably saw this one earlier this spring, but it goes with this type of painting.

14" x 11" acrylic on canvas paper and matted.

$100 + $6 shipping

 These potted geraniums are part of another experiment.

14"x 11" matted acrylic on canvas paper.

$100 + $6 shipping

Flying without a Net

Flying without a Net

Creating art is normally a solitary pursuit.

You work alone for most of the time, sometimes days at a time.

Some people equate it to flying without a net.  

You know what you like,

the colors you like,

the subject you like,

BUT

and that's a pretty big but,

you don't know how your art will be received.

There are no focus groups,

no marketing surveys,

no product analysis

for art.

It is made because the artist has to make it, draw it, paint it, sculpt it, whatever it,

it has to be made.

Having said all that, sometimes you get some validation 

and it feels SO GOOD!

I went to Art in the Garden in Augusta, KY this past weekend

and I had a wonderful time.

 

This framed 10" x 8" acrylic found a forever home.

Here's a link to my facebook page to show Mary with her new hydrangea table.

These are two of the three paintings I did of Augusta scenery.

 

Walls of art.

 

The two paintings in the matts are two acrylic paintings I did on canvas paper.

I matted them and I love the colors in them.

 

 

Forever Pink was painted from a set up I did.

This is a vase I've had for 30-40 years and I love it.

We raise all these flowers.

 

Walls from a distance.  

Talking to lots of people about my art is validating in itself, even if no one else liked it.

But, when you hear great comments it is so good for your artistic soul.

Thank you to everyone who stopped and talked with me.

Thank you Barb Pask for coming the two hours to Augusta, KY.  It was so great to see you.

I'm sorry I missed you Missy and I hope you feel better soon.

I try to have a lot of variety in types and prices of art,

and I did sell 8 of my painted roof slate shingles. 

Art in the Garden has lots of great music, a variety of artists,

and a tremendously beautiful setting.

Fellow Artists, How Do You Do This?

Artists Who Do Art Fairs,

Just How Do You Do This?

I only do one show a year, and it is this Saturday in Augusta, KY.,

and to my fellow artists who do this all season,

MY HAT IS OFF TO YOU!

Getting ready for a show is hard work and I'm exhausted.

• I did several paintings today,
• cut mats and mounted some paintings I did on paper,
• framed several pieces,
• picked out what pieces I want to take,
• and on and on and on.
   
  
  
  A few weeks ago I went to Augusta to plein air paint and to photograph some of the beautiful homes there to use as reference material.
  
  
  This is Rosemary Clooney's home on Riverside Dr.
  Heather French Henry now owns it and has a great museum there as a tribute to Rosemary.
  
  
  We used to live near Augusta and I owned a flower shop there.
  I worked for Rosemary, her brother Nick and wife Nina on many occasions. In fact, when I moved my shop across the street I rented a store from Nina Clooney.  She has her own shop open there now.
  
  
  I loved the doorway of this beauty with its metal railings and brick stairs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Walcott Bridge is in Bracken County,
  and if you didn't know it was there, 
  it would be easy to miss it.  
   
  I spent several hours there painting earlier in the month,
  and this 18" x 24" was painted from that plein air study and photos I took that day.
  I lived pretty close to that bridge.
   
  
   I took the photo reference for this painting several years ago when I was there for Art in the Garden.
  Augusta has one of the few operating ferries on the Ohio River.
  It goes back and forth across the river all day long,
  and it's a favorite for many to hop on and take a ride across.
  This 11" x 14" has been framed in a barn wood frame.
   
  These will all be available at Art In The Garden
  this Saturday in Augusta, KY.
   
  I'll be in booth #20 on Riverside Dr.
   
  Stop by and say hi! 

   

A Badge of Courage

She Had the Courage

• She came to class to work.
• She followed the instructions.
• She drew her own rooster and did not use a pattern provided.
• She did a fabulous job, especially on those feathers and that head.
• You Can Do It To!

Here's Your Next Opportunity

Tuesday, June 10, 6 p.m. at News Auction Barn, Carrollton, KY.

For $40 I supply everything you need to do this painting,

except an apron.

This is definitely very do-able by you!  

You will learn how to:

• paint hydrangeas.
• paint a glass vase
• do highlighting and shadowing.
• Have fun, Glorious Fun!

email me at slgraves6@gmail.com or leave me a comment and I'll get back with you.  

Hope to see you soon with a big drippy wet brush in your hand. 

Fear!

 

What is fear and why do we have it?

 

There are some good reasons for fear.  We can be kept from harm and unsafe conditions.  We can feel that something is wrong and our fear can keep up from such things.

 

Fear can also keep us from trying something new that we might truly enjoy or be good at.  What if I can't do it, what if I mess it up, what if, what if. . .

 

We can be paralyzed by fear.  We can let it keep us from so many good things, just being afraid.  Self doubt.  Low self esteem.  

 

I've heard from a number of people they can't draw and paint and even though they would like to try my painting classes, they don't think they can do it.  

 

I hope you won't let fear keep you from learning a new skill.  I'll walk you through every step of the way and you will find you can do it.  

 

 

 Tuesday June 3, 6 p.m. at News Auction Barn.

 

June 10, 6 p.m. News Auction Barn.

 

$40 for all supplies and instruction to complete either of these paintings.  

 

Don't let fear hold you back!