It's Showtime: April 2021

Friday, April 30, 2021

Alan and Michigan

I like a lot of things about this watercolor painting on gessoed canvas but I’d like the iron supports to be more delicate. I was able to take a lot of dark and heavy colors out but I really need to start over.

Saturday, April 24, 2021

elaine t. Apr 24

I resumed the Goonie Bird lawn ornament picture. Not much to show for the past 3-4 weeks, but it's a start!

Elaine O.—April 24, 2021

Here's the beginning of a new series...actually, two! This is a waterlily from our vacations in northern Wisconsin. I had fun painting it and rather like the 30's vibe, so I think I'm going to do a few more.

Mercer Water Lilies 9" x 12"

It seems I've also inadvertently begun a series of Forgotten and Unloved Colors. I've been going through my paint tubes and using ignored, forgotten or unloved colors with the purpose of using them up, or seeing if I've changed my mind. Last time, I used Light Red; this painting features Terre Verte and Lunar Black. It seems I like the colors and properties much more than I remember so I don't think this is going to be a successful attempt to pare down my paint collection!

a new finch

Finished the three sea gulls. Kind of looks like one of those cheesy plastic skycatcher things, but at least you can see the seagulls.

And here's another finch. Who can guess what he is being watched through?

Oxygen

On May 25, 2020, at Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota, the lives of 5 men intersected from 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and what happened in that half hour changed the racial landscape of America. The 46 year old male, George Floyd was handcuffed and pinned to the ground by the knees of Officer Chauvin on his neck for 9 minutes & 29 seconds. Mr. Floyd lost his life amidst the pleas of bystanders & the courageous teenager who videod the whole incident. Officer Chauvin, 45 years old, was found guilty on April 20, 2021 and the other 3 arresting officers, all younger than 40 years, will be tried on August 202

1. Without the video as proof of the end of life of Mr. Floyd, the outcome would be another story. For almost one year of social media exposure of the officer's knee on the neck of the deceased, I got used to the officer's face looking at the camera. I never bothered to look at the face below the knee. I am sorry! When the " Guilty" verdict was announced this week, I researched for photos of Mr. Floyd while he was calling for his Mama during his final moments of his own oxygen. Before I started this painting, I prayed the prayers for the dead and also for forgiveness. I hope I have communicated a sense of respect and remembrance!

Friday, April 23, 2021

Alan

I worked on my portrait a little bit. I had already applied fixatif so it was hard to make small changes.

I worked on The Big Maple a little bit and did another by doing the yellow background first and then cutting in the tree. I made the bark a little rougher. I might try it again in winter with snow.

I’m going to paint some landscapes from my youth. This is from the lighthouse pier in Grand Haven. My grandfather and I used to fish here first thing in the morning and catch buckets of pearch. There’s a lot of detail work to be done. This is watercolor on canvas which give me a lot of room for adjustment.

Sara’s Pear Trees

Here’s the finished Pear Trees on Nagle Avenue. 12 x 16. It’s a weird painting for me — I think it’s the first time I didn’t use a reference photo or pant direct from life. It’s watercolor and gouache— and how did Facebook know I was using gouache? Yesterday I got an ad for a gouache portrait painting class! Anyways I enjoyed the process and I like the painting. I feel it’s a little weighted to the right side and tried to balance that a bit, but not sure if I succeeded. Won’t make Showtime tomorrow, so leave me your comments!

Saturday, April 17, 2021

Elaine O. — April 17, 2021

Finished!


Field Trip, Donna and Sue 12"x 9"

And I started experimenting on this. I'm not sure if the experiment isn't working or if it's just in that ugly center state and needs to be rescued.

Sara Springs Ahead...

I worked on this a bit to unify the pink coat. I hope I got rid of the “third child”.... But I did add a leg at the bottom of the swing. Right now I’m really over winter and this painting...FYI light is bad on all my pics today...

Direct painting from a photo. Was focusing on shapes and values. Doesn’t really look like us, but we do look human imo...

Couple of quick sketches...

I painted this pear tree (actually two trees) this morning, just from my memory! If you drive Nagle Ave to the expressway you can’t miss them! The tree had a lot of white gouache on it but I like it. It’s painted on hot press and I’m not finished yet.

Can you see the three seagulls?

Greeta & Trees

Palm trees from photos

The third one is me copying a painting by Jeanne Dobie.

Boni and Lete Redux

Today's painting is an attempt to paint in the style of ala Cezanne: Man with a Straw Hat by using the same pair I painted last week as the Homestead couple. I used purple & blue colors from the inspiration painting for the pants. I painted the floor in violet and green. I mixed the colors for the wife's blouse like the multicolored shirt of Cezanne's model. For the background, I painted the colors with no definition like the walls, windows or a room. I found it liberating! I did define the chairs like the reference. I am satisfied with the faces as if I am connected with the cousins. Thanks teacher Pat for introducing me to Cezanne and that I could express my art in my own way ala Suzanne ( smile for the day)!

Friday, April 16, 2021

Alan

I’m done with this. No more for awhile.

I’m going to start a series of landscapes from my youth. This one is The Big Maple. Watercolor on Yupo.

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Elaine O. — April 10, 2021

I'm still working on this. I think I'm very nearly done. I just have to add a face and fine tune things.... oh, and Sue needs more teeth.

Field Trip 12" x 9"

What's taking so long? I've been intrigued by the tree budding outside my window. It's the first one on the block... not that it's a competition or anything. But I've been doing daily sketches (approx. 3" x 3- 1/2" or so) as this goes quickly once it starts and I don't want to forget any of the stages.

Sara’s Snowbunnies #2

I think I finished this up today. I haven’t worked on it for two weeks. I’m pretty happy with it, altho I wonder if the swing is too dark...my attention is drawn to Quinnie’s face, but then, I’m her grandmother....now I have to read up on how to wax it to preserve it.

Scary Alans

This one is from before using a photo and tracing it. A more human face would be nice.

This is the dreaded mirror self portrait. I worked it so much that there's not much paper left.

Then I tried a contour drawing from the mirror. Scariest yet. But I liked the eyes and mustache.

Then I went back to Yupo. Haven't finished it but I like the direction I'm going. I don't know what's going to happen but I'm enjoying the ride. I think that, at least, it looks like some kind of art.

Still working on that damn sky.

Friday, April 9, 2021

The Homestead Owners

Today's painting is inspired by a photo of my cousin & wife sent thru "messenger" technology. During this 2 year pandemic, we reconnected with cousins from my father side. The eldest son of my paternal grandfather settled in southern Ph & my uncle & wife had 5 sons & 2 daughters. My father & youngest uncle settled in northern Ph near Manila.

Sadly, 4 male cousins died already. The surviving male cousin, Boni & wife Lete owned a homestead on top of the mountain while their house is located at the foot. Their house is in a land locked area, airy, surrounded by trees. I was inspired to paint my cousin & wife, because he resembles my father & if I had a brother, it would look like him. Like my father, Boni is bony ( he he he), has deep sunken cheeks, high nose & square shoulders. It was challenging to paint a skinny older male to reflect the physical presence & at the same time show his life's experiences as a homestead owner on a mountain. Happy April showers to all!

Saturday, April 3, 2021

Happy Easter Anniversary

This 3 hour painting is inspired by our wedding photo during our first kiss after the nuptial mass. My loving mother shouted "Tama na" or " Enough" because that is the first time that she saw both of us kissing in front of her & the church attendees! The church erupted with laughter & good will! I was tired before I painted this because initially I thought there was no Showtime today. But when I saw Ken notice & Pat inspiration photos I realized I am lucky to have a zoom art class on Holy Saturday before Easter! I started 9:30 a.m. & was done 12:30 p.m.! Hallelujah! Happy Easter!

Elaine O. — April 3, 2021

I'm still working away. I am seriously considering cropping away the bottom and right sides to get closer to the subjects... still thinking.

Field Trip 12" x 9"

Greeta Keeps Copying

James Champney paints the artist painting trees

From Tom Lynch’s book

Getting a little boring but hoping it will pay off when trees are in future work and when the trees here really start to show their foliage

Fixin’ stuff

I added darker shades to in the sky and trees to make the house more interesting.

And now I’m trying to begin the dreaded “mirror self portrait.” I’m starting with this drawing then tracing the outlines leading to a painting.

Took this photo of the equinox. Which turned out pretty good, but then I take these every year so it was not that special.

But looking at it more closely I saw these seagulls in the upper right which made it much more interesting.

Here is the start of the painting. The seagulls are not in it yet. I will move them to the other side of the sky, but not sure exactly where or how big they will be and maybe I will change them a bit to make them more legible.