Day 14, January 17, Monday

I so want you to enjoy an email "movie" that was sent to me and to laugh just as hugely and as loudly as I did.  Instead of "I'll Cry Tomorrow" like the old, old movie, I'll paint tomorrow, promise!

And then my son, not to be outdone, promptly sent me this link.  But you know boys! Bang 'em up, crash 'em up, shoot off a few guns.   Enjoy.

Day 12, January 14, Friday and now the weekend....

And then spending time on the internet checking out other peoples' Sketchbooks. You can upload photos of your pages, photos of your other work. A great way to spend valuable time!

A scotch and water is now in order as it's 6:48 p.m.

Happy weekend everyone

Day 11, January 13, Thursday

Cleaning up after my "arts and crafts" project otherwise known as the Sketchbook Project.  It's a really interesting site.  They not only had this huge nationwide (worldwide?) project where for a fee, you registered and received a moleskin sketchbook in the mail with a due date, but they also have monthly sketchbook challenges which would be fun to do with your children or friends...one was to empty your pockets at the end of every day, catalog the contents and send in all the collection envelopes. I thought kids (grandkids?) could have a heck of a time emptying Grandpa's pockets!

The next Sketchbook project? A Million Little Pictures.  You receive a disposable camera, you choose a theme, you shoot 27 photos (the number of negatives in the camera) and you return the camera by June 15. Signups for this project are over on March 31 so if you think you'd like to take part? Take a look.

Sketchbook is in tomorrow's mail, meeting the deadline.

Day 10, January 12, Wednesday

Worked off and on all day on the Sketchbook Project. Almost finished. Don't like what I've done as I got totally distracted.  The theme was to be "Coffee and Cigarettes" and I had in mind an ethereal set of photos, smoke drifting, coffee steam wafting....remembering moments in movies as the stars inhaled. Instead, when I got started, I came across a huge article on how the cigarette manufacturers have so manipulated the paper that the tobacco is wrapped in to control the amount and heat of smoke as it's inhaled, the filter has a series of very specific punches in it to allow only so much smoke, no more no less. The nicotine itself is no longer just tobacco. It's reprocessed, combined with paper goods, sprayed with chemicals......

I got so angry that the whole Sketchbook became a protest against cigarettes and what's being proferred by the cigarette companies.

The worst of all the items I came across:  The Marlboro Man, in 1992, dying of lung cancer, went to the Philip Morris shareholders meeting asking the company to voluntarily limit its advertising. The Chairman, Michael Miles, responded: "We're certainly sorry to hear about your medical problem. Without knowing your medical history, I don't think I can comment any further."  The Marlboro Man died of lung cancer three months later. Stunning in its absurdity.

Day 9, January 11, Tuesday

Uh, oh, I've already fallen behind by a couple of days. Been "swampo" busy with life in general and the Sketchbook Project which is to be postmarked Saturday. I submitted 2 paintings to the Valley Watercolor Society show.

Day 8: January 10, Monday

Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

Today, again procrastinating on the Sketchbook Project.  Found out that I have two friends who also signed up to participate and who also haven't even started on their sketchbooks. The books are to be postmarked Saturday. We all three must be procrastinators!!  There are over 28,000 people signed up to submit Sketchbooks.

And then I started remembering a blog I loved but the woman got tired of blogging and feeding all of our souls with her wonderful choices in music and books. She was/is a watercolorist whose blog I found several years ago when I first started looking for on-line mentors.  I so looked forward to reading her blog every day: to see if the robin had built its nest yet this year, to listen to some of her favorite music.  Her book choices were always intriguing.  And so I put my cd of "Les Choristes" into my cd player in honor of Suzanne McDermott.  This one song is my most favorite.  Oh how I wish she still blogged all of her wonderful erudition.  The link will bring up Suzanne's actual page with her fascinating comments and links. She's a musician herself, songwriter, performer and also leads the "Big Draw" which in and of itself is a humongous project.  Here's a link to her painting blog just because.



Sunday - Please Vote

Have several paintings that I can't decide between in terms of entering two of them in a local watercolor show. Would anyone who looks at this please comment on 2 favorites? I have to put the cd in the mail this coming Saturday.
As you can tell, I don't have a "style" yet.  ;-))

 a fellow painter

 arroyo sumac

 the yellow chevy's bumper

new hampshire doctor

Day 7, January 7, Friday

And then a hiatus in posting until Monday comes again. Today I puttered in the painting room, otherwise known as my son's bedroom and while mentally settling into "work" a friend called to se if I wanted to see the "Black Swan". Oh me, oh my. Fantastic. Was it real? Was it an hallucination? Did she die? Unbelievably good. Violent, rated R for some "interesting" sex. I'd say go see it and stay through the ending. Painting took second place today.

Another Year - hohum, depressing
King's English - phenomenally good
True Grit- fun remake
The Fighter - incredible casting, well done

Pick up my scanned paintings tomorrow and will try to decide which two, if any, I'm going to enter in the show.

Day 6: January 6, Thursday

Another dillydally day. Glued coffee grounds onto a coffee filter as potentially one of the pages in the National Sketchbook Project......and then went to see the movie "The Fighter".  Incredibly done true story starring Marky Mark (Mark Wahlberg who once was known for being an underwear model). He did a wonderful job and in spite of the boxing violence, it was very good. And that's the extent of my day.  Hope for more and better tomorrow or I'll be flat out of time. True confessions here.

Day 5: January 5, Wednesday

It's late and not much to show for today. Took 6 paintings to the camera store to be scanned onto a cd. Couldn't make up my mind as to which ones I would like to enter in the watercolor show. Gerald Brommer is the judge and I always wonder if judges like to see things that match their "style" of painting or if they just hopefully see some woozies of paintings and are thrilled that they were asked to judge. I think today was a dillydallying day.

Have been thinking for days about how to do my "Sketchbook Project" and finally this afternoon took all the stitching out of the Moleskin book that has to hold the project so that I could make some longer, wider pieces of paper. I need to get a'hustling on it.

And then when I went on the sketchbook site? They have monthly sketchbook projects some of which sounded so great that I had to email all the links to certain people. The easiest and what could be the most interesting was the "Pocket Project". Since i'm doing this post on my Ipad, here's the link to the big project with over 23,000 participants!!
Since my sketchbook theme is "coffee and cigarettes" I think I had better buy a pack or two of cigarettes to see if my idea will work. Stay tuned.

Day 4: January 4 Tuesday

Finally got my act together this afternoon and went into my lair. I'll again show the photos of what changed during this afternoon's session. Interesting experiment with my brother's portrait, the 4th of July boy. The one on the left looks awful here, but I tried a bit of a pointillist style and "in person" it's not all that bad.

And then there's the brother and my/his first cousin Swampy.  In person there's a heck of a resemblance.



Actually like one of the Carol Marine's out of all the many versions.

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Am playing "Rigoletto" as I while away my time. Fantastic recording with Pavarotti in his prime and Kiri Te Kanawa just beginning.  Just saw it performed in my local movie theater as one of the Live at the Met HD Performances that are being presented.  In case you don't know about this, but love opera as I do, the Met is broadcasting a Saturday matinee, once a month, live in HD.  It's a fantastic presentation where, during the 30 minute intermissions at the opera house, you, as the audience, are treated to back stage interviews with the performers, to tours of the prop rooms, to watching the stage being set for the next act. Wonderful way to "be there".

Day 3: January 3, Monday

If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.

The above quote is from a site "Inspirationz.com" which had an interesting video - came to me compliments of my watercolor teacher Peggy Reid who wanted to get us all "fired up" for the newest year.  

I worked this afternoon on the paintings of Carol Marine, hoping to have something finished in the next few days.  Can you see any difference in the paintings from when I photographed them two days ago and how they look tonight?  The fear is always that somehow we've wrecked it and will need to start again! Hope not.

Don't know what happened to the formatting but I can't seem to make this full column width tonight........

Day 2: January 2, 2011, Sunday

I did about 1/2 hour's worth of painting......Had to get all the equipment located, put in one room, set up the table, find the light, arrange the music....all those things we think we need to have in perfect order in order to be able to paint.  Went through all the portfolios looking for some very specific paintings that I have in progress hoping to finish two or three pieces in order to be able to enter the local watercolor show: due date January 15. With this piece of guilt in the background (this blog), I will paint and post every day.

Day One of 2011: January 1, Saturday

It's been almost exactly a year since I started this blog. I started it because of the Karin Jurick Portrait Thank You Project which was so much fun. And then Karin just won the painting of the year award from Katherine Tyrell via the web site: Making a Mark - an excellent, if not the best, blog all about art. Karin's wonderful painting 'Hands of Time' was given the "Best Picture of the Year on an Art Blog" award. I figure that for an outstanding accomplishment.

If you haven't been following Karin's 100 daily faces project, each face painted from a mug shot, they're fantastic and the whole series of 100 was presold after the first 3 or 4 were displayed on her blog. These magnificent pieces are only 4" x 4" - unbelievable detail in such a small space.
My goal is to once again post daily on this blog. There's a national project looming over my head: The Sketchbook Project which has to be postmarked by January 15. I read on a blog this morning that procrastination is considered a big part of an art project, that thinking about the project counts. Ergo: I'm still procrastinating.  I did get my studio (my son's bedroom) cleaned up today with everything once again set up after a long hiatus (haven't painted since October 1 when we left for a long trip to France with our adult son and daughter).

There's also a separate watercolor show (Valley Watercolor Society in Los Angeles county) that I'm trying to enter using one or two of the portraits I've painted in the last six months. I asked Carol Marine for permission to use her photograph if I get the painting finished in time. I've always thought her photo on her blog shows a joyous face, one who loves to paint!  She's one of the most faithful of the Painting a Day Group.

Park city or "on the road" -

Just finished a week long Ted Nuttall seminar/workshop held in Glendale, Ca. The class was full, 14 fantastic women who worked together so well. They're asking if we can have just that same group next September and I said I'd work hard on making it happen. I'm also scheduling him in California in March and June so check Ted's website for updates.

I worked on a painting of Carol Marine in watercolor. I downloaded her photo years ago from her website since it was such a cute photo and only just recently did i find her again because of the painting a day blog. When I've finished the painting, I'll post it.

I'm on the road in Park City painting plain air with 4 painter friends and our "old"teacher Jeanne Hyland. She gives us hints as to how to paint those majestic mountains. Maybe I'll post some of my work this year.

Day 21: After a long hiatus

Been drawing and drawing and not painting all that much this summer. Am taking a plein air class from a local artist who teaches at the Art Center College of Design, Rob Sherrill.    That's been a fun experience and also a totally mystifying experience. I know how to draw faces. I don't know how to draw trees much less paint them while the wind and the sun are moving everything around. 

Came across a fun blog/website about two months ago and I signed up to receive emails from him.  Lee Brown, who lives in Colorado, posts one wonderful photo a month that he's taken on his travels and then encourages everyone who wants to paint from the photo and submit their version to his website before the end of each month.  The previous challenges were way too challenging for me, or so I thought, but then this month?

The August challenge is of a bright yellow taxi Lee photographed while visiting Santa Barbara, California. I couldn't resist doing something with that taxi, so I finally painted something "to order".  Hopefully by the time you read this my version of the taxi will have been posted. I had a great time working on it.......the idea came to me because Lee said if you looked at the bumper closely you could see him and his wife standing there taking the photo.  If you choose to look/see what other people have done, below the photo of the taxi it says "click here to see the submissions gallery".

Just another fun site for everyone to take a look at.

And here's my version of the Santa Barbara taxi:

I leave tomorrow for a three days of painting with Ted Nuttall in Colorado. Have been drawing on 300# paper for days now, trying to have drawings ready to paint. So looking forward to this special event at a private home.

And if you're interested, I'm bringing Charles Reid to Pasadena, CA in May of 2011. Check his website for further info.

Day 20; An interesting web site talking about Roosevelt Island's waste disposal system

Someone sent me the link to this interesting web site. Found the whole discussion fascinating: waste disposal on Roosevelt Island in NYC.  The system was so far ahead of its time when it was created and now? It's just interesting. Take a look if you have the time.

Day 19: Arlington Garden's 5th Anniversary

In an earlier post, I mentioned the Arlington Garden, a fabulous Mediterranean Garden that was founded and nourished by a couple, Betty and Charles McKenney, Pasadenans through and through. We celebrated the 5th Anniversary of the founding of the Garden last Saturday. I had invited all the plein air painters I knew to come paint in the Garden and then to submit their work for an outdoor exhibit.  I think we had about 20-25 painters and we sold 12 paintings!! Wonderful money for the Garden's Foundation Bank Account at a 25% commission.  I actually sold my very first painting ever, the one I did of Brenda Swenson painting in the Arlington Garden!! Whoopee, is 2010 wonderful or what?

The Garden has many orange trees, being Mediterranean. The oranges were prolific this year and the local Boy Scout troop was asked to pick the oranges as a project. Then Waldo's made marmalade, all of which was sold at the benefit. I think 100 cases of marmalade total! I had gathered lavender over many weeks at the Garden, drying it and stuffing lavender sachet sacks which sold for $5.00 and which were all snatched up.  It was a wonderful, sunny day with everyone in a generous mood.  Maybe next year we'll try again as it was such a wonderful affair.

Day 18 - Looking for Challenge Sites

Found an interesting site, Daily Painters International which is posting challenges on a monthly basis. Challenge starts on the 1st of the month, ends on the last day as the last painting will be uploaded. May's challenge is "FRINGE" in any form.............

There's also the absolutely fabulous Virtual Paintout.  It uses Google's map of the world and you choose what you'd like to paint. Take the time to read the page in order to understand the challenge that's being post and then go for it!!

Then there's A Day Not Wasted.  Lee, the owner of the site, posts gorgeous photographs to be used as source material for paintings. He also posts one photograph as a monthly challenge, submit your painting, etc etc.  The photographs have my appetite for landscape painting definitely whetted! Take a look.  Also look at this date on ADNW.

Then there's Windows to the Words. The owner of the blog writes poetry and then posts pictures to accompany his "corny" (his words) poetry and as a challenge you paint from his pictures.  He gives awards. I enjoyed reading the blog as it was positive and fun........again. Take a look.

And then a site that in order to participate you have to have made a blog so that there's a link to your work.  This month's painting challenge, as hosted by Alice Thompson, on the Calypso Artist Movement, was dedicated to bad food! and then all the artists were going to critique each other's work via their blogs. A blog sounds complicated but it's actually extremely easy to set one up via google's blogger startup site.

And then there's Katharine Cartwright with a great idea.  Sketch as if your developing skills as a painter depended on it, but for only 20 minutes. Set a timer, 20 minutes only. Then email her the drawing/painting/sketch.  Brenda Swenson, a local artist, is actually "licensing" painters who can present a sketchbook filled with 75 consecutive days of drawing - just for the practice.

And last but not least, or for today anyway, there's Dana Marie's  blog with a posted subject matter for your painting project.


I'll be looking for more interesting sites like this. When we have no ideas but want to paint, there are possibilities out there.

Keep painting!

Day 17 - many days later

Back to painting after a several weeks long hiatus. Came home from my wonderful Charles Reid class in northern California and promptly left for Vermont and my friend's wonderful old farm. 

Back to Pasadena where I've become involved with a public garden: The Arlington Garden .   At the bottom of this link is a map to the Garden. You won't believe how beautiful it is right now and probably for the next 3 or 4 weeks!

This Garden, a Mediterranean extravaganza which uses no water, is in bloom right now - absolutely spectacular.  Thursday a group of plein air painters met there to paint and they'll be there again next Thursday, the 22nd. Tuesday, the 20th,  a group of oil painters are assembling in the afternoon.  Any artist who paints in the Garden is welcome to submit their painting for sale at our 5th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, May 8. You need to contact me though so that I'll know how much hanging space we need to display these wonderful works.  The Garden will take 25% of the sale price to help fund its Foundation.  There will also be fabulous Orange Marmalade for sale which was made from the orange trees on the Garden's grounds by Waldo's Jam Company in Sierra Madre, CA   There will also be lavender sachets available, again, made by hand from the many varieties of lavender found in the Garden.  (Tooting the horn here, inviting everyone to come to the Celebration in the Garden on May 8.)

A friend alerted me this morning to a painting done in the Garden on Thursday by Marian Fortunati. Enjoy her  painting of bearded irises.     I'm hoping Marian's painting will be one of those for sale on May 8.

Have found some more fun challenges for all of us looking for "things to paint". I'll post those in my next post. 

Come join us in the Garden!  Here's my painting from that day - actually Brenda Swenson was in front of me painting one of her wonderful paintings, so I painted her.  Enjoy.