>It’s supposed to rain tomorrow. Good news for the allergies, bad news for the yard sale I’m supposed to have today and tomorrow. Can you say “Yard sale interruptus?”
And Sunday is Easter and yours truly has an ambitious “dual meat” plan worked out – boneless leg of lamb AND a Ham since David, who grew up seeing sheep shorn on the Welsh countryside, doesn’t like lamb. I hope to squeeze in some painting time along with the cooking but am not holding my breath.
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I lucked out and hit the Art Supply Warehouse canvas sale late last week and bought some bigger sized canvas in bulk (6 packs) at great GREAT prices! They have arrived and now I just need to cover them.
I lucked out even more yesterday when I took my presentable watercolor paintings to Hobby Lobby to find mats for them. Yeah, sale there too! Half off, so I got some perfect mats for most of my better watercolors and will do what I can to find affordable framing options for them too. While at Hobby Lobby, I researched how to frame canvas panels I’d painted that I will be showing. The Hobby Lobby staffer explained they go in open frames without glass, obviously, and usually use foamcore behind to back them to the right depth. Nice staffer, helpful concept, but though the frames were on sale and very affordable, I will look around and hit the sale on the first day they have it next time, rather than wait until late in the week. (The staffer explained they have this sale usually every 2 or 3 weeks.)
Lastly, the painting above is a quick and vibrant one on a small 12 x 12 canvas. Comments from my facebook fans (where I’m Moesse the Eclectic Artist) and from friends I’ve emailed it to indicate this style and color combo is very popular. I think I’ll be doing several more of these graphic ones for the show.
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So, as I wrote previously, I’ve decided to tackle this gorgeous converted church in northeastern Wales called the Dragon Theater. It looks a little different today, but my version is from a photo I took while visiting my hubby’s mom’s family there in 1995. I absolutely fell in love with it – the town, region, and especially that church/theater.
The stained glass window is what caught my eye and I think I’ve nailed it here, or at least come close. I’m not sure about the rest of it – the village building surrounding it are my interpretation, and the stone wall had cars parked there which I’ve discarded. It definitely needs some punching up but I know I’m gonna love the end result, no matter what because of the memories it evokes.
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I missed the class last week and almost missed today but decided better late than never.
I had spied this gorgeous winter photograph scene (sans people) in a magazine and thought it would make a beautiful painting.
What I came up with is much different from the original reference piece, but from what I understand, that is a good thing. I have learned to weaken the horizon’s values and make foreground bolder and stronger. I love the little people I have added to this, and, as a former hockey coach, tagged the hockey players in facebook using names of the kids I coached who are now, 10 years later, facebook friends! My sons (also tagged as players) haven’t discovered the tagging yet but Pete enjoys the painting and wants it for himself. (He got the Haybales one I painted in December, by the way, so he and Kris are even in “Moesse Originals”.
PS: If you notice the brown dog on the ice? He’s tussling with a pull toy with an oddly shaped dalmatian. They’re supposed to be Smokey and Baxter. I’m getting bolder now!
Today’s lesson: You may end up with something completely different than what was planned. That’s perfectly fine and the end result may be a pleasant surprise.
>This is from another photo I saw that caught my eye. The simple elegance of the image drew me to it and I think i’ve captured at least some of it.
Try as I might, I didn’t make it to painting class this week so I did this on Sunday. I would love to paint more but it’s becoming a sort of guilty pleasure as the dogs need walking, food needs cooking, work needs doing, and house needs cleaning. Argh! 
On the plus side, I’ve been turned on to Dailymile.com which tracks your exercise distance in case anyone’s interested…
Today’s lesson: Don’t be afraid of simple and basic since it can translate into something elegant and beautiful.
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After creating so many paintings for other people, my husband and I decided it was high time I did one for us!
We both loved the red/orange tree branch one I had given my son Kris, so I did another like it for us. Except ours is huge (24 x 36) and now hangs in our dining room! It is simpler than the other. I tried using a heavy, thick brown paint (Liquitex Super Heavy Body) for the branches to give it more texture, but honestly, it was awful to work with since I was applying with a brush. I’m sure using palette knives it will do great, but with a brush, forget it! I had to redo parts of it several times over (the sky areas, especially) and decided to outline most leaves with a strong blue, the compliment to orange, to make them pop. I think it’s a pretty decent one. Especially in digital version and when you stand far back from it.
Today’s lesson: If you plan to use Super Heavy Body paint, use a palette knife!
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These three pics are from unfinished works girls in my class were working on when I left. Lynne, the nice “mentor/friend” I mentioned, is working on the cow with bee on it’s nose one.
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My son and some of his fellow Iraq Vets who all served in Hit, Anbar Province, and Jake Krapfl, another Iraq vet from the 82nd who spoke at the conference.
View from the hotel room, located right near the Pentagon.
Pat and Sherman.
I surreptitiously took these shots with my IPhone.
