Chalkboard #2 RECEPTION

"Reception" masked off.

In progress, creating as I go. I didn't plan this one out.

Animals enjoying lemonade, strawberry shortcake and pie at the reception.

Back to the ol' drawing board.

I have a new project to work on the next couple weeks, I am returning to the chalk board! Some friends in Indy commissioned me create a series of chalkboards for their wedding. I am excited about this project and am especially looking forward to the next 3 boards. The couple suggested that I portray them as animals after seeing an "Outing for Foxes"...as long as the bride isn't a turtle :) I am looking forward to putting my watercolor characters on a chalk board. 

Today I finished this 15'' by 34'' WELCOME board. Can you find the little welcoming snail? He is all dressed up and very excited to attend the wedding and enjoy the reception with all the other woodland creatures.

Please click on the image for detail

Caroling Woods

I am working on building up some seasonal pieces for the holidays. It is kinda funny thinking about snow, hot chocolate and caroling this time of year, but this painting felt like a breath of fresh air during some 100 degree days.

Recently my paintings have been split up into little tiny chunks of time, taking a couple days or weeks to complete. I started this drawing in July and brought it on vacation with me to finish at Lake Okoboji where I was staying with my husband's family. One day on the lake front one of Casey's Aunts asked me what I was painting. Sitting surrounded by cousins and family I thought in my head.... "well, its a painting of a cardinal, mouse, hedgehog, rabbit and squirrel Christmas Caroling.... that sounds really stupid...." so I just said out loud, "I am working on a Christmas scene." I was actually embarrassed by what I was painting because it sounds so silly! I have decided that in the future, when someone asks me what I am painting, that I will proudly say... "A frog playing a violin..." or whatever silly thing it might be.

I am really pleased by the sky! I have avoided painting sky, weather, or any sort of atmosphere until now. The swirling sky was the most challenging part of this piece! I compared this winter scene to my "Snow Cats" I painted in April and I am so excited to see so much improvement in color and composition! I think I am getting somewhere!

Little Red Riding Hood

Here is the cropped version of Little Red Riding Hood. My other methods for capturing the whole image did not work. I wish you could see all the lovely strawberries and the top of Grandma's house, but you get the idea :)

My! What a big trash can of sketches you have!

It seems like I posted Reggie the homing pigeon weeks ago! Since then I have crumpled up one sketch after another. Remember all those great inspiring ideas I had during camp? Well, since I couldn't paint all those weeks I completed the paintings in my head, and I should have remembered that once I have completed an illustration in my head, it refuses to come out on paper.

So I went in a completely different direction. I love golden age illustration and I love the classic fairy tales, so I decided to illustrate Little Red Riding Hood by the Brothers Grimm.

This drawing was really difficult. I erased and erased. I wanted the wolf to look monstrous, but I didn't know if he should be sitting or standing, paw out, or paw down. So I tried them all. This is my first illustration with a child in it, so I had to work to make her look right. I made Casey stand and hold flowers behind his back. We argued over the size and length of her arms and all sorts of other things. I had to remind Casey that even though he was my model, that a little girl's body was much different than his :) He did help me eventually get her right.

I also wanted to include the surroundings from the story: dense woods, a strawberry patch, big white daisies and a path to grandma's house.

The drawing finally came together after 3 days of working on it a couple hours at a time. I took the drawing into Choice Printing to get it scanned because it was too big for my scanner. Today I finished the painting, but I will have to post it later after I get it re-scanned in town.

Reggie the Homing Pigeon

Yesterday was the first day I had time to paint after 2 months of directing camp, travel and summer activities. I was so anxious to start and am still anxious to paint the 7 other ideas that have been floating around in the back of my mind!

Earlier this summer, on the first day of Jr high camp a homing pigeon arrived with a storm.  He had two little bands around his legs and the Sheriff said he probably needed a rest and would be on his way soon. Sure enough, 5 days later with the next storm he took off. He was a friendly little bird, and Casey named him Reggie.

One of the cool things about Reggie is that he shimmers! My friend Sara passed on a Daniel Smith watercolor sample sheet and I was excited to find Iridescent Sapphire and and Duochrome Cabo Blue to make his neck feathers show off like a real pigeon. I also used Pearlescent Shimmer over my red paint on the postage stamp to tie it all together. He is perched on our mail box with the rolling hills of Iowa behind him.

Art Reception at Lotus Moments

My first art reception was a success, thanks to the friends and family who helped buy and prepare food, several bouquets of flowers sent from my Mom and Dad in Oregon, a surprise visit from my little sister, many friends who came and the beautiful space provided by Lotus Moments.
I am so pleased to announce that I sold 10 pieces of art work - way beyond what I expected - and received a couple commissions to complete before Christmas. I was so encouraged by everyone who came :)