May 26 Good news.! Just found out I'm going to be a grandmother (Nana) again.
Youngist daughter sent us an e-mail. That's all I know for now.
May 19 I can't believe May is 3/4 gone. Time does fly. I have been painting a lot. I have 9 paint a day completed so I'm 10 days behind on that. I have them listed on my site. I thought of putting them on e-bay but don't know how art sells there. Any comments from anyone? Memorial Week end is the downtown business men first annual show. I won't be on the street though - weather is always ify. I'll be in C.C. Dithers with my art and doing a demo.
I usually sign up for several art fairs but haven't done all that well on them and with the price of gas, well that has got to be hurting the art fairs.
May 3 Last night was the annual Four Mounds show. Dwight Walles, Coleen Howland, Jane Schuter Sandra Princple and I were the only artists from Galena. The weather was bad, rain , sun then more heavy rain. Not many people showed up which I'm sure was a disappointment for the committee. They work hard for it and had a wonderful selection of food and wine. I sold but not many did. As they say "you can't sell if no one is there". After the show I went to Tom Jewel Vitale opening at Outside the line gallery. Lot of people there but don't know about sales.
April 18 A new gallery, Brio, in town had their offiical opening tonight. It went really well. Lots of people, good food and wine. Don"t know how much art was sold but people were very impressed with the gallery and the art. I certainly wish them luck - the more gallerys and artists the more Galena will be thought of as an art town. I continue to work on my 2 series. I have 8 completed. sould have 10 but I decided I didn't like 2 of the pieces. The women of the America's is coming along - 5 are complete and now I am doing rough sketches and research on the rest. I am pleased with the completed ones though.
April 14, I had a question about how to use a value finder. I always use one and everyone in my classes use them. Values are basically the lightness or darkness of a color. I once heard that if the values right any color will work. It's true. Holding the value finder up to your eyes I have my students arrange their pastels or tubes of painting in order of dark to light. and do a painting using only values. I think the one that surprises them the most is that red is really a light value. I keep the assignment down to 3 values limited to light, medium and dark. When doing a painting hold the value finder up to your eyes. Notice what value dominates. Only one value should be the most imprtant. If, when looking at your painting something seems wrong, check your values. Usually its because one value does not dominate the painting. The old masters usually had the dark value the most important which brings a bold look to the art. Impressiones used the middle value which gives a softer look to the painting. I hope this helps.
April 9 Well I have ben accepted to 2 gallery shows. The Farmington Museum of art in New Mexico and the Chicago Pastel Society show. Not to bad 1 rejection but 2 acceptances. New Mexico will get the Kneeling Lady and the Pastel Society has a portrait of Aviya. I am also in the Galena Downtown merchants show in May,
So far I have 4 of the large paintings completed and almost finished with the 5th. I checked out some frames for the Misty Mississippi series. I visited a gallery in Iowa and they were also interestered in them. I have to send photos to them.
April 3
Just when I thought spring could be here - it snowed. First rain and now snow. Tomorrow is another first Friday for Connie Holms. I hope it goes well for her. Missy and Maribeth were feature artist for March and then did well. I just about finished with my navajo women and it looks pretty nice. Four more to go. Recieved the info on the Rhine cruise for next May and there seems to be a satrong interest in it. It's early yet - but I would love to do at least one major tour every year
March 25,
I just returned home from a 9 days in Amsterdam on a river/canal cruise. It was wonderful. Because of this cruise, I am planning an “artist and other aventurers” tour for May 2009. This is a river cruise down the Rhine River, and will feature the castles of Germany. The cruise will give the artist a chance to “plein air” and others to simply enjoy the scenery and visit some castles.
Just before leaving for Holland I found out, I have received a grant from the Northwest Cultural Arts Alliance. This will be applied to my newest series “Women of the Americas”. The show will be a series 24 x48 inches of oil paintings showing native women of the Americas in their traditional native clothing with a backdrop of design elements from that culture. Hopi Maiden is shown here. As of now, I have completed three paintings and will include at least five more. The exhibit will also include portraits of some of the women of the various cultures. The fall show will be at Spring Street Gallery here in Galena. I have included a picture of one of the completed paintings.
I am continuing to work the series “Misty Mississippi” and which will be held this summer at the Round Tree Gallery in Platteville WI.
Other shows I will be part of is the Four Mounds show in Dubuque and the Galena downtown merchants show - dates of each will follow
Thursday art classes are going well But there is still room for more students both mid level and those new to the world of art. Location and time is 9 a.m. at the Home Owners Association.
I will be giving a series of all day Saturday classes on portraits, still life, landscape painting and Tromp l’oel (fool the eye)
May 3 Last night was the annual Four Mounds show. Dwight Walles, Coleen Howland, Jane Schuter Sandra Princple and I were the only artists from Galena. The weather was bad, rain , sun then more heavy rain. Not many people showed up which I'm sure was a disappointment for the committee. They work hard for it and had a wonderful selection of food and wine. I sold but not many did. As they say "you can't sell if no one is there". After the show I went to Tom Jewel Vitale opening at Outside the line gallery. Lot of people there but don't know about sales.
April 18 A new gallery, Brio, in town had their offiical opening tonight. It went really well. Lots of people, good food and wine. Don"t know how much art was sold but people were very impressed with the gallery and the art. I certainly wish them luck - the more gallerys and artists the more Galena will be thought of as an art town. I continue to work on my 2 series. I have 8 completed. sould have 10 but I decided I didn't like 2 of the pieces. The women of the America's is coming along - 5 are complete and now I am doing rough sketches and research on the rest. I am pleased with the completed ones though.
April 14, I had a question about how to use a value finder. I always use one and everyone in my classes use them. Values are basically the lightness or darkness of a color. I once heard that if the values right any color will work. It's true. Holding the value finder up to your eyes I have my students arrange their pastels or tubes of painting in order of dark to light. and do a painting using only values. I think the one that surprises them the most is that red is really a light value. I keep the assignment down to 3 values limited to light, medium and dark. When doing a painting hold the value finder up to your eyes. Notice what value dominates. Only one value should be the most imprtant. If, when looking at your painting something seems wrong, check your values. Usually its because one value does not dominate the painting. The old masters usually had the dark value the most important which brings a bold look to the art. Impressiones used the middle value which gives a softer look to the painting. I hope this helps.
April 9 Well I have ben accepted to 2 gallery shows. The Farmington Museum of art in New Mexico and the Chicago Pastel Society show. Not to bad 1 rejection but 2 acceptances. New Mexico will get the Kneeling Lady and the Pastel Society has a portrait of Aviya. I am also in the Galena Downtown merchants show in May,
So far I have 4 of the large paintings completed and almost finished with the 5th. I checked out some frames for the Misty Mississippi series. I visited a gallery in Iowa and they were also interestered in them. I have to send photos to them.
April 3
Just when I thought spring could be here - it snowed. First rain and now snow. Tomorrow is another first Friday for Connie Holms. I hope it goes well for her. Missy and Maribeth were feature artist for March and then did well. I just about finished with my navajo women and it looks pretty nice. Four more to go. Recieved the info on the Rhine cruise for next May and there seems to be a satrong interest in it. It's early yet - but I would love to do at least one major tour every year
March 25,
I just returned home from a 9 days in Amsterdam on a river/canal cruise. It was wonderful. Because of this cruise, I am planning an “artist and other aventurers” tour for May 2009. This is a river cruise down the Rhine River, and will feature the castles of Germany. The cruise will give the artist a chance to “plein air” and others to simply enjoy the scenery and visit some castles.
Just before leaving for Holland I found out, I have received a grant from the Northwest Cultural Arts Alliance. This will be applied to my newest series “Women of the Americas”. The show will be a series 24 x48 inches of oil paintings showing native women of the Americas in their traditional native clothing with a backdrop of design elements from that culture. Hopi Maiden is shown here. As of now, I have completed three paintings and will include at least five more. The exhibit will also include portraits of some of the women of the various cultures. The fall show will be at Spring Street Gallery here in Galena. I have included a picture of one of the completed paintings.
I am continuing to work the series “Misty Mississippi” and which will be held this summer at the Round Tree Gallery in Platteville WI.
Other shows I will be part of is the Four Mounds show in Dubuque and the Galena downtown merchants show - dates of each will follow
Thursday art classes are going well But there is still room for more students both mid level and those new to the world of art. Location and time is 9 a.m. at the Home Owners Association.
I will be giving a series of all day Saturday classes on portraits, still life, landscape painting and Tromp l’oel (fool the eye)
February 17 The Historical Museum finished their ebay auction benefit. My offer of a personal portrait was won by a local couple. I look forward to doing it.
I hate to bring up the weather but it sure is a part of our life this winter. Snow and more snow and of course the cold.
I recieved the info on the trip to Holland this week end. I leave the 13th of March from Chicago and return on the 21st. It really looks great. I am anxious to see if it will work for an artist tour next year. A boat trip up the Rhine, along with history and castles. I'll keep everyone who is interested informed. If anyone is interested please e-mail me and I'll send them info as I get it.
February 9
I have finished 3 more "Misty Mississippi". That gives me a total of 8 so far. They're done quickly - no more than 1/2 to 1 day tops. I'm doing tham for a show this summer but I'm also doing them to paint looser. I have ideas andrough sketches for my "Women of the America" series but I can't seem to actually start the paintings
I have been reading Richard Schmid's book "Alla Prima". It is really a good book. The examples of his work a great and his thoughts and explantions of painting techniques are the best I've come across in a while. A definite must have for artists. Another artist/author I enjoy is Harley Brown. Both artists have a loose style of painting that I hope to be able to perfec for myself. February 4
Well today I finished one small painting (8x10) and I'm almost finished with a second one. They're part of the Misty Mississippi series.
Now I have to get to work on "Women of the Americas) show.I have some rough sketches for 8 of the paintings but need to work out deails and do some more research,
Went to Hal Martin's exhibit at the Dubuque At Museum. He first does a very detailed sketches/drawings for all his work and which helps to work out any problems in before doing the final painting. There is a lot of detail in his work that only Hal understands. I asked him once what they mean and he said whatever I want them to me - art is personal. February 2
The only good thing about this weather (-6 today) is that I can do more painting - who wants to go out in this weather. I started a new series which I call Misty Mississippi. I sent them to Red Wing Gallery in Minnesota. It currently is a series of 5 paintings with more to follow. They are small (8x10) oils and will run around $300.
I have also started work on a series of large painting. The series is called "Women of the America's. It will be a series women in their native clothing with designs of that culture as a back drop. It's a large undertaking. It is planned for a show at Spring Street Gallery here in Galena this fall.
Currently I am finishing up a painting for a client. It's a half circle, 36 x 72. It is one of two paintings. The first was finished a year or so ago. They are both the same size, "Fall" is over one patio door and "Winter" will be over the other, both are done in the primitive Grandma Moses style.
