Fish Out of Water - Completed

And here it is. My first try at painting sealife.  I think I chose a good subject and I am pleased with the results!

Fish Out of Water - Take 2

This is my first creature to paint.  So far so good, I think.

Pic from my new Droid (G2 which I love)...

Fish Out of Water - Take 1

I started my new project tonight.  This one will be 24x48.  I've already named it "Fish Out of Water."  It will be for the Smith's beach condo.  They were our gracious hosts on numerous beach trips this past summer!

Paint overload

I paid a visit to Forstall's art this week to use a 40% off coupon. I came back with all this. The paint is high quality, 70% off, and they were so sweet to throw in the already squeezed tube. Ill take it!

 It is hard to get a good perspective in this photo.  My new brush is on the left.  The brush on the right was previously the largest brush I owned.  This extra large brush will make painting large canvases MUCH easier....


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Magnolia

Ok, folks.  It looks like it'll be awhile before I can work on the painting due to scholastic activities.  But I will leave you with this for now.  I took this the other day and it made me think...a magnolia painting would be fun to attempt!  I already gessoed a canvas in preparation!

City Grocery Update 2

It's been awhile.   Here is a reminder with a few updates from this past weekend.  I forget how long building paintings take me.  Right now the painting is in its ugly stage.  It always frustrates me but causes me to work harder.

I had a little help this weekend from this girl.  (Meet Savannah who belongs to the Smiths.  Savannah's Mom is Julie from my cooking blog!  She might look a little tired because she had just gone on a 2 mile jog with me.  Never mind the fact her legs are 1/4th as long as mine.  I've always wanted a dog to run with!)

Damar Varnish

During art shows I notice some paintings have more of a sheen than others.  Mine always carry a good bit of sheen because I love linseed oil.  That is part of the reason I started and stuck to oil paintings.  I want to be sure to protect my paintings as well (some of which in my house are over 8 years old).  I researched and decided to test out damar varnish on one of my older paintings I do not care for, the child in the pumpkin patch.  It passed the test.  I've applied several thin layers.  (Can I just say this stuff smells? I know it has turpentine in it but I think it actually smells stronger, if that is possible. My whole house smells even with my paintings upstairs WITH the door shut.)

The camera doesn't pick up the sheen well without it being a big flash of light.  Instead I will focus on a picture of the damar I used and save my City Grocery painting update for another day.  (Yes, I am back at it!)

Dean's Nursery Painting - Completed!

Dean's painting is done just in time for him and his family to visit this weekend. I am so excited to meet him. Next up... I am experimenting with a new Hobby Lobby discovery!

Double Decker Arts Festival (Oxford, MS)

My past weekend was spent here:

The Double Decker Festival (Oxford, MS) had a 24 hour delay due to the severe weather that passed through.  We were spared but unfortuantely Yazoo City was not.  It is amazing how beautiful the sky can appear after a storm.  Driving home was the perfect example.   I think this would make a perfect painting. (So perfect that I turned around and stopped the car for a picture.)

And before I forget...I left the show with this...thanks to my parents for the unexpected early bday gift!  It's a magnolia ( Mississippi appropriate).

Stay tuned for some artwork updates. I am motivated!

Sod - Backyard Makeover

This is not technically art related.  (I guess you can put a landscape art twist on it if you wanted.)  Last weekend my sweet parents came and helped me with my backyard. (We ended up getting some additional help.  Big thanks to Lance and Matt for being on-call).  I tried to prepare Dad for the worst.  Hopefully I built it up so it didn't end up TOO bad. The first 3 pics are examples of what we had to work with (including a tribute to the streets to my house)!

And of course I can't resist a good before and after...

Isn't it wonderful?! 

Dean's Painting - Update

It's almost done...waiting on it to dry so I can add wording!

Dean made an early appearance and surprised us all!  I am sure he won't notice it will get there a little late...isnt he a cutie?

Dean's painting

My bff, Ginny, is having a baby. (It is still sinking in.) Little Dean needs some art on the walls, and since he will be here in a MONTH, he takes priority! It needs time to dry, be packaged up, and sent to Florida! I'll let you guess the nursery theme. :)
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Miss me? (my recent travels)

Last week I made it to Texas, Florida, and Illinois. It made for a great mini Spring Break, although I was working half of it. 6 years later I still get spring fever and the itch to travel. I left my pocket camera at my first stop in Dallas. I am actually glad I did because it forced me bring my DSLR to Florida/Chicago.  

Having my DSLR with me was the most fun!  When my days of client visits were over in Florida I would "b-line" to take pictures before the sun set.  I had the perfect weather and I am so very thankful.

After Florida I headed to see a friend in Chicago and perfected the role of tourist.  The trip was a blast.  I wish I was going back this weekend.  I keep trying to find the best way to share my pictures.  I think they are fun (I may be biased).  I paint primarily from pictures so we will see what comes out of these.  I am going to try to share via flickr this time. 

Pompano Beach, Hillsboro Inlet, Lighthouse Point:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smscarbr/sets/72157623567535501/

Ft. Lauderdale:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smscarbr/sets/72157623557401229/

Chicago:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smscarbr/sets/72157623626515841/

*In case you were wondering...my pocket camera was found and given to Ryan, which made its way home by way of Ohio. I was disappointed in myself but not surprised, if you know me and cameras.

City grocery update!

blackberry style

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Couple Dancers and City Grocery

I still have detail work to do on the couple.  I am debating painting windows in the background looking through to dark branches.  Thoughts?  I almost like it simple.  Why am I painting this? Because I found a picture I like.

I sketched this from the picture to the left a couple weeks ago.  I started with the underpainting tonight.  I am trying to follow the rulebooks and paint the underpainting first.  (Ok, the dark blue is too dark for a typical underpainting but it'll be fine.)  Remember, don't judge by the underpainting.  They are always ugly and the colors are never final!  This one should be challenging to say the least.  Straight lines are my enemy!

yesterday afternoon

I present my first video in Lightroom 3 (in beta). I have no idea what I am doing...

P.S. I had a fun song playing by the Monkees but YouTube removed it due to Copyright infringement. Boo

I did it...

I can't say that I completely know what I am doing. I also can't say the design will look completely the same tomorrow...but you have to start somewhere, right?

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Painting on the brain...

I painted this weekend (had a GREAT weekend filled with adventures, parties and friends)!  Once I have painting on the brain, ideas pop up at random times.  Normally they happen in the shower or lying in bed. Today, however, they popped up as I was sitting at my desk.  I write everything down and have a bit of an obsession with sticky notes.  (They are one of the best inventions!)  I wonder how many sticky notes I will accumulate this week between work and art (I have several on my office door)!  Those are my random thoughts for the day.  I will update you more of what I did this weekend at a later date!

Poll Results

These results shouldn't come as a surprise (since I've had the poll on my page since December 14, 2009).  Thanks to you guys who voted...all 19 of you.  It looks like buildings were #1 and that is just what I plan to do (once I can get some pictures of my next project).  I am waiting on a very busy (ahhem) sissy to take some pictures in Oxford.  I will keep you posted!

42% buildings

21% people

21% sports

16% abstract

Sewing detour - apron

So tonight I didn't paint but I spent a lot of q.t. in my art room...sewing.  I had on every light, the tv, the sewing machine, and you will see I carried in my iron/ironing board.  I was seriously close to blowing a fuse.  The lights would flicker when the iron would switch to sleep mode.  (Mom can tell you I've always been an electricity hog.  Even paying the electric bill on my own now makes little difference. :))

This week I decided to take on an apron sewing project after visiting a couple stores.  I examined the aprons in the stores and thought "I could do that."  So off to Joanns I went.  The ladies in there talked me through a 50,000,000,000 foot overview but I REALLY relied on the girls in the office.  Julie is a sewer and Emily has sewn some as well.  Katharyn learned with me (she has sewn more than I have as well). I would work a little each night and, the next morning, bring in my list of questions.  A BIG "thank you" to them...Julie especially.  I seriously couldn't have done it without y'all.  I never would have guessed we would use the term 'interfacing' outside the technology world we live in. 



So this is what I decided on Tuesday night (I would have to go back and get interfacing once I learned that is not a technique but a product to make the waist band stiffer):

The next two pictures are my 'scrap bins.'  The girls were saying how it is a great idea to have a material scrap bin.  Well, I have PLENTY of material left over so I a bin to contribute scraps.  I've kept a bin for the random pictures I like and tear out of magazines for some time now (to the right).  Pictures I want to paint, for decorating, and even some clothes...

In case you are interested in the fabric I selected....

When I told Julie about my project she hinted (in a very tactful way) that I may need some major time to get this accomplished.  I, of course, was initially thinking I would knock it out in one night.  The first night I learned why Emily hates the patterns.  They don't come pre-cut.  Good thing I aced cutting in kindergarten....this picture is after 2 nights of work.  Not ONE stitch done.  (end of Thurs night)

Below is my workstation. I'm going to be finding string and pins for weeks....Efox, this table is WELL used now!

All this while watching....name that movie...

This is my view and you can tell I am actually READING the instructions.  UNBELIEVABLE...

I quickly learned that the iron is my best friend.  I can seriously say I got this iron for high school graduation and it hasn't been used too too many times since.  Tonight it earned its keep...

Everything became a little easier when it began to take shape tonight!

And it's DONE!!! Next time I would make the ruffle on the bottom smaller and the body of it larger.  I might add a cute white button something on the pocket... but not now.  Alison has a shower tomorrow and I am going to surprise her.  (Good thing you have been gone all week, Alison, so I didn't spoil the surprise!) The theme of the gift is baking because....well.  It fits.