Two Flowerpots

Oil on canvas board. 5"x7"

Flower Pots

Oil on canvas. 16"x20

Still working to capture color. White is a real challenge.

Color Study 14/Three Pots

Oil on canvas. 16"x20".

This is today's homework. I had a great time flinging paint around!

Chopsticks

Oil on canvas. 11"x14"

This isn't a color study, but I tried to incorporate some of the theory into these objects. I realize this is just playing chopsticks in paint. Tomorrow I'll spend time really practicing my painting "scales" so someday I'll be able to paint beautiful music!

Fall Down Seven Times-Get Up Eight

This lovely article was written by Jon Miller of the Kaizen Institute (formerly Gemba Consulting) and describes the power of perserverance:

Change is like the boughs of the willow in a breeze. We can seldom control more than the very leaves and tips of branches, never the whole tree itself. When faced with absolutely solvable problems going unaddressed or imaginable future states not being approached, it can be extremely frustrating for the change agent. We're talking mad-prophet-in-the-wilderness level of frustration. In the face of seemingly intractable obstacles in leading people towards improvement, one can tempted to give up and walk away.

Ono no Tofuu is a renowned 7th century Japanese calligrapher whose will to continue was similarly tested at one point in his studies. Taking a walk in the rain he saw a frog leaping towards the leaf of a willow tree to catch an insect, falling short and plunging into the mud. The frog leaped again and failed again. The frog leaped again and again until finally it attained its goal. Tofuu was both humbled and encouraged by this, and found the strength to go on to become a master calligrapher.

This "willow and the frog" story of persistence in the face of adversity is commemorated on many Japanese works of art. It even became a stamp, as seen above. Sometimes we just need the simplistic willpower and leg strength of a frog. Leap, fall, leap, fall, try, fail and try again. How small is this willpower? It is the smallest thing. It is merely intention, decision, volition. Yet the non-frog parts of our brains put all sorts of walls between us and this small act of will. We need to be reminded to leap, leap, and leap again.

There is a Bible verse that reminds us of a similar lesson, that if we had faith even as small as a mustard seed, we could command a mountain to move and it would. In the Ramayana the monkey god Hanuman is cursed with forgetfulness that he is a god with great powers. He despairs until he is reminded of his powers, leaping over the ocean to rescue Sita from the demons.

There are many stories from many cultures that remind us that with faith and will, nothing is impossible. The irony is that if you don't believe this, you will never find out whether it is true.
_____________

Cool, huh?

A link to Jon's blog, "Gemba Panta Rei," is located on the right side of this page.

Color Study 13/True Color Study

Oil on canvas. 16"x20"

Here's a "for-real" color study that I did in my art class this evening. I learned that my recent color studies weren't truly color studies at all. This was much, much harder. My homework assignment is to continue to do color studies (real ones this time) and make sure the canvas is covered in paint within 15 minutes. Farley's a tough task master! I'm really pleased, though. I feel like I'm learning a lot from him.

Anyway, I'm pooped and I have a raging headache from staring at colored boxes all evening. I'm going to have a late dinner and call it a night.

Color Study 12/Painting Kata

Oil on canvas. 10"x14"

Kata is a Japanese term for the repetitive practice that one does in order to improve. It's more than just repetition, it's a mindful,structured practice. Kata is used when learning martial arts. These color studies are my painting kata.

Color Study 11/Balance

Oil on canvas board. 8"x10"

This painting is of a simple soup bowl. Sometimes, after a particularly hectic day, the most satisfying dinner is soup - it seems to bring balance to the day. Painting does the same thing for me. It's a quiet time after the craziness of the day and it brings balance to my soul.

Color Study 10/ Left-handed Coffee Mug

Oil on canvas board. 8"x10"

It's easy to tell which is my coffee mug - it's the one that sits with the handle on the left side and lipstick stains on the back.

Most of these color studies are done with a palette knife - the idea is to concentrate on color and not focus on form. For example, do you see a wrinkle in the bottom right-hand side of this mug? It's there because the color isn't right in that area.

In the interest of time, I'm using a brush for the background. I'm still fighting backgrounds - should they be worked first? I don't know. I have so much to learn!

Color Study 9/ Pitcher with Onion and Garlic

Oil on canvas. 16"x20".

In our art class, we're learning to paint color rather than form, which means learning how to see color. So interesting...I could happily paint all day every day.

Color Study 8/ White Bowl with Tomatoes

Oil on canvas. 18"x20"

Yet more tomatoes. I know I should move on, but the color red is just so satisfying.

Color Study 7/ Orange and Plums

Oil on canvas. 16"x20"

It's good to see plums in the market - hopefully that means warmer weather is on its way.

My Uncle Bob has just completed a book about his son, Danny. Danny was a wonderful young art student with promising talent. His life was cut short in an act of mindless violence. My aunt and uncle have honored Danny's memory by founding a scholarship for young artists in need. The proceeds of Uncle Bob's book, "Daniel's Dream," will go toward maintaining the Daniel Robert Lynch Art Education and Scholarship Program.

Color Study 6/ Eggs in a Basket

Oil on canvas. 16"x20"

I continued to work on this painting - I thought it was too dull and blah. This time I used a brush. I like it better after the touch up.

As you can see, I was careful not to put ALL my eggs in one basket. Better to be safe than sorry, I always say...well, maybe I don't always say it.

I'm not sure if Farley, my art instructor, would count this as a color study since I mostly painted it with my fingers. I only occasionally picked up the palette knife and brush. It was a heck of a lot of fun to paint, but probably not what a real artist would do. Tomorrow I'll get serious about my color studies.

Color Study 5/ Four Tomatoes

Oil on canvas. 12"x14"

Here's another color study. It was a little easier this evening. Tomatoes are always fun to paint.

Color Study 4/ Oranges

Oil on canvas. 16"x20"

These are supposed to be oranges, although they look more like orangish blobs...dang it!

Color Study 3/ Small Bowl with Garlic

Oil on canvas. 16"x20"

Color Study 2/ Three Pears

Oil on canvas. 16"x20"

This is my homework. It's the second in a series.

Color Study

Oil on board. 16"x20"

I'm going to be taking private painting lessons periodically. My first lesson was yesterday. My homework was to do a color study. I haven't finished yet, but this is the color study in progress.

Three Amigos

Oil on canvas. 6"x6"

I'm drawn to, and driven crazy by, transparent objects. These three guys kept calling to me to be painted. I put it off as long as I could, but tonight I finally gave in - only because I couldn't find anything else to paint. It wasn't as horrible as I'd feared. I might try it again sometime.

Waiting for Fun

Oil on canvas. 6"x6"

These guys sit patiently at Nana & Papa's, waiting for Jonah and Graham to come again.

White Pitcher on Red Plaid Cloth

Oil on canvas. 5"x7"

Another attempt at capturing reflections in a white object. This was the Daily Paintworks challenge for this week. I've posted this to the Challenge website. You can see this painting as well as those posted by other painters. Here's the link:
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Challenge/A8476C9A-B21A-4A8A-97E3-6D2D18AD0826

Cocoa Mug

Oil on linen board. 5"x7"

I did a retouch of this painting - the background is a little darker. It still needs work, but I think I'll move on. I've also posted this one on the Daily Paintworks Challenge.
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Challenge/A8476C9A-B21A-4A8A-97E3-6D2D18AD0826

Sugar Bowl

Oil on canvas. 5"x7"

Orange and Slices on White Plate

Oil on canvas. 5"x7"

Daffodils in Red Vase

Oil on canvas. 8"x10"

Today's painting session was tough. It often feels like one step forward and three steps back.

Saturday's Teapot

Oil on canvas. 11"x14"

This brown teapot has modeled for me several times. I never get tired of trying to capture all of the reflections in its little round shape. The miniature narcissis (narcissi?) are the first ones to bloom in our garden.

Natasha

Figure drawing class at Maude Kerns.

White Coffee Mug

Oil on canvas. 5"x7"

Three Tomatoes

Oil on canvas. 8"x8"

I'm trying something new, based on the challenge put out this week by Daily Paintworks. The challenge is to change colors with every brushstroke. It felt like a breakthrough for me! I had to slow down and consider every stroke. This painting is still overworked, and occasionally I fell back to my old habit of dabbing, but overall, I think it's an improvement over what I've been doing. I can hardly wait to start the next painting.

A Different Drummer

Oil on canvas. 8"x10"

I took advantage of the snow day to paint some colorful oranges. Hurry up spring - I'm starved for color!

Radishes

Oil on linen board. 5"x7"

Well, after a few days of computer hassles, we're back up and running. Here's another veggie painting. I'm going to donate the tomatoes, onion and garlic, and this one to the Garden Variety Art Show, to benefit the School Gardens Project. What a great idea to put vegetable gardens in the schools!

Tea Kettle

Oil on canvas. 8"x8"

This painting was an exercise in using a limited palette. I used only three colors - yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and white. It was difficult, but a good learning session.

I darkened the background on the garlic and onion painting and like it better. Scroll down and see what you think...

Hang On Little Tomatoes

Oil on linen board. 5"x7"

The sun has left and forgotten me
It's dark, I cannot see
Why does this rain pour down?
I'm gonna drown
In a sea...of deep confusion.

Somebody told me, I don't know who
Whenever you are sad and blue
And you're feeling all alone and left behind
Just take a look inside and you will find

You gotta hold on, hold on through the night
Hang on, things will be all right
Even when it's dark
and not a bit of sparkling
Sing-song sunshine from above
Spreading rays of sunny love - just

Hang on, hang on to the vine
Stay on, soon you'll be divine
If you start to cry, look up to the sky
Something's coming up ahead
To turn your tears to dew instead

And so I hold on to this advice
When change is hard and not so nice
If you listen to your heart the whole night through
Your sunny someday will come one day soon to you

Garlic and Onion

Oil on linen board. 5"x7"

It felt like this painting went pretty well. I'm slowly learning to use fewer brushstrokes. Still having trouble with background color, though.

Rose

Oil on canvas. 6"x10"

Well, tonight's painting didn't go so well. I got off to a good start, but then got lost once I started on the background. I'm trying to mix a good grey background color, but can't seem to get it. My greys are too blue, too brown, or too, um...grey. I'm going to do some research to see if I can find the elusive color I'm looking for.

Tuesday's Tulips and Iris

Oil on canvas. 16"x20"

This was so much fun. I got lost in the painting and only now realize that it will be midnight before I'm able to get to bed.

Tulips and Iris on Monday Evening

Oil on canvas. 8"x10"

These flowers are still fresh and beautiful. Painting them several days in a row has been a wonderful exercise. I hope they'll last a few more days. I'd like to try painting them again.

Tulips and Iris

Oil on canvas board. 8"x10"

Yellow Tulips with Purple Iris

Oil on canvas. 8"x10"

I received this early Valentine's bouquet this morning so that I could paint it today. It's so beautiful...the flowers were tight buds when I started the painting, but blossomed as I was working. It was pretty neat to watch the transformation.

Pinot Gris With Single Red Rose

Oil on canvas board. 8"x10"

A few of my favorite things...

It wasn't intended, but I think it's funny that the rose looks like it's levitating...

Oranges

Oil on linen board. 5"x7"

10 Minute Challenge

Oil on linen board. Two 5"x7" boards.

Just for fun, the painting website, "Daily Paintworks", often holds painting challenges. This challenge was to paint the same subject about eight times - each time taking no more than ten minutes. It was very hard, and I wouldn't say it was fun, but was a great exercise. I feel like I learned a lot this evening. Here's the link for Daily Paintworks:
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Challenge/1A9D96CC-C3F6-4EA1-AC8D-F0634F8C2369

Fuji Apple

Oil on linen board. 5"x7".

This little apple was the perfect subject to paint after dinner. I was looking for something simple in color and form, and this little guy filled the bill. He'll be great for lunch tomorrow, too!

Teapot

Oil on canvas. 8"x10"

French Press

Oil on canvas. 8"x10"

Some painting days seem to go better than others. I'm pretty happy with the way this painting turned out. It needs more work, but I'm going to leave it alone for now.

Round table

Oil on linen board. 5"x7"

Friday Afternoon

Oil on linen board. 5"x7"

This is the first time I've painted on linen. It's wonderful, but way too expensive. Linen board costs a lot less if you make it yourself and is supposed to be fairly easy to do. It's worth a try.

Miranda

This was done in my figure drawing class at Maude Kerns.