A ramshackle tree and even more ramshackle flowers.

 I lost the tenderness of the first time I posted it.  Did different treatments for different parts of the tree but I like to think that the ramshackle has some charm.

 Kind of an experiment to see what I could do with just two of my favorite go to paints, indigo and burnt yellow.  Needs a little mop up work, but I think I am on the right track.  Eager to try another two paints only painting.

August 30, 2025 — Elaine O.

Finally! It's taken a while, hasn't it? There are things I like and things that frustrate me—like the ripped paper from leaving the mask on too long. It was an experiment; I masked a couple of highlights, painted around others, and tried to lift others. From now on, I'll stick with the "paint around." Best results (for me) and no ripped paper!

14" x 11"

A Little of This and That

 Facebook knowing everything about me, sends watercolor reels to my feed. Short without color or equipment tips and usually accompanied by music, they play over and over so you can keep up. Took out a sketchbook never used and doing the ones that appeal to me.  Very instructive to watch the brush strokes. Great way to keep going when I don’t know what to paint. 

A couple more trees

This is a reworking of that tree that had a couple branches hanging down from the lowest branch which I could never do so I yupoed them out and worked on the tree and on that verdant meadow.

 A tree on that lagoon on the north side of Graceland not far from Ernie Bank's tombstone.  I think it looks promising at this stage.

August 24, 2025 — Elaine O.

I don't know whether to blame a) those lazy, hazy days of summer, b) the general busyness of life or c) the fact that without Saturday class sessions, there's no accountability. Anyway, I've made some progress on this painting, but it still isn't finished.

14" x 11"

Going Small

 8 x 5-1/2. Trying it small before a big one is attempted. Have fiddled with it so much that now I’m sick of it. In the reference photo there’s a beautiful historic fence and that dark area has rear view of heads and torsos of onlookers. That was all too much. 

A few odd paintings….

 This one’s not too odd, but it’s just trying on the frame for size…it all works well imo…

I love these peaches…

Now here’s an odd painting. If you look at it too long, you’ll get seasick! I was out to prove I could paint cloth just like Elaine, but I can’t and I’m not really very good at setting up still lifes either! But it was an interesting exercise.

A couple of beach scenes, top one still in progress. I like the sky in the second one but I have to work on my squiggle people…I saw a painting in a thrift store that was a watercolor beach scene that was just flat blocks of color and it worked so well…not getting the same effect here…

Stuff I did this week

This is the way last week's coneflowers ended up.

 This was kind of an experiment, I sloshed a lot of indigo and sepia on the yupo, let it dry a bit, blotted it, repeated that a couple times aiming for a sky vibe and only then thinking of what to do next, and this is what I did next.

August 16, 2025 — Elaine O.

Another busy week in the neighborhood meant fodder for the sketchbook....

... and not a lot of time for actual painting. What's that saying about life being a bowl of cherries?

Stop talking about the lamp!

 

Well, I hope this clarifies all the issues concerning the lamp! Not my best work but it’s done! Now go have a peach….

Still a work in progress….