close up

copy of van gogh's sunflower - done in 2002

20 x 16 oil on canvas

so here's a picture of the ongoing project...i haven't had time to get to the studio in a while - i'm still not finished with this... lots of detailed brushwork that i need to work on - one of the reasons you do these copies..so you can learn...i was able to get a picture of the first copy i did of one of van gogh's sunflowers - the one i got scolded for...i'll post that below...(ok - so it's posted above)...and i also hope you can see some of the detailed brushwork in this close up of the flower.....! - anyway - i had a delightful day - played in a south central golf outing at otis park in bedford..very hilly and tough greens but a beautiful piece of property. my playing partner was a great gal and we found we had lots in common - sort of a six degrees thing...heading up tomorrow for a lesson with a guy who's coincidentally her instructor...small world...can't wait - i know he's going to tune me up just fine!!! davey got me two surprise hybrids yesterday so i'm all set@! gotta dash - i'm trying to get some paintings reframed and ready to go to the galleries on saturday.

a bit more...

i really like the way this is coming along...i'm trying to put myself in vincent's shoes...he uses such interesting brush strokes and i'll work on that some more - maybe tomorrow - it doesn't appear that he has any underpainting showing through and that's where i'll be original - i really think i'd like to have that happen in this painting. when i get it to a place i think it's finished (keeping in mind the old motto "it's never done til it's overdone"..and trying to avoid that!...)..i'll try and figure out my new program and get it properly sized and trimmed so you don't see all the extraneous paraphenalia in my studio (what a mess, by the way..). can't get to the studio any more today because we are gearing up for our third weddding in as many weeks - looking forward to this one because our whole gang will be there - and we have a designated driver, no less..we'll be putting our dancin' shoes on for sure!!!. (hope i feel good enough to paint tomorrow!!!!!)

a little more....

ok - so here's a bit more of the painting...is it beginning to start to look familiar??? to look like something? - to look like vincent's sunflowers?...(he always signed his paintings "vincent"..)..i did a copy of another of vincent's sunflowers..one big one that i saw in person at the chicago art institute..i was leaning over, trying to get as close as possible to see the amazing brushwork...and of course i got scolded harshly! - in fact, i can't tell you how many times i've been scolded in art galleries and museums...as if i'd ever actually touch anything...i'm an artist, for crying out loud!! - i know better - and yet they scold me! - and yet i still lean up close...anyway - i'll see if i can get a photo of the other painting and post it here. just got home from the rally for the cure golf tourney - it was hot, hot, hot and unfortunately i didn't take my A game with me but we still had fun..and now i'm trying to cool off inside for a few hours...possibly time enough to head up and work some more on vincent's sunflowers? hope so.. - somehow i always feel better when i can push a little paint around!

finally back!!

sunflowers..by vincent van gogh

i was planning to paint my sunflowers today and then i had a thought! - one of the best things an artist can do is to copy the old masters. there's so much to learn..color, design, brushwork...all of which are here in this sunflower painting. so i took a picture of his painting and then i'll take you through my process of copying him - i'm going to start with a ground that's a complimentary color to the mostly orange in this painting..so i've toned the canvas with a purplish blue...i really can't say whether vincent started with a ground color because he obliterates the canvas with paint...just like i usuallly do..but here i plan to try and let a bit of the ground peek through...makes a nice vibration...so we'll see...i tried to place the next image right here but i don't have the hang of that so it's on top...i've just started to draw the image on the purplish-blue ground...more tomorrow...

busy, busy...

i hate that i have no paintings to post but i've been busy - bills, weddings, babysitting a bit, some golf and i've been working on gathering donations for our local rally for the cure - a golf tournament to benefit the susan g kohman foundation. it's a nine-hole event held at the greenbelt golf course here in town...i donated a print of my "golfer girl" - the little 6x6 oil painting i did last year. they usually have almost as many awards, gifts and door prizes as there are people playing so that's' a good thing. i'm getting ready to mail out a long-overdue painting to my friend rick who's been patiently waiting! - and i'm hoping to head up to indy tomorrow to re-arrange stuff at the galleries up there. it's just hard in the summer to find time to spend in the studio - i figure life's too short not to grab each moment..and if the moment happens to involve golf???....or grands??????.....well.......

another interesting mouth.....

9x12 oil on stretched canvas
so here's another interesting closeup of a mouth...i find these so much fun to do! - i stopped in and got some more corn today at daley's and found out that the sunflowers were grown by a gal named karen nading. they're gorgeous! and i plan to paint them tomorrow - maybe i'll start on them right now!

sunflower studies...

i simply HAVE to get my juices going again...i don't know why this has been so hard for me - travel, golf, moving issues, grands, yard work...i haven't lifted a brush since my workshop until today. and it felt good! maybe tomorrow i can really set up a still life with these gorgeous sunflowers...feel like van gogh...or maybe i'll golf with my husband...who knows...life is too short, sometimes, huh? i still haven't figured out my new program so these photos are just raw. no editing.

geat big sunflowers!!

ok - so here's the scoop...i needed some fresh corn and veggies so i stopped in at daley's farm market on 46 today...a great place as those here in columbus already know...and what did i find but the most gorgeous HUGE sunflowers!! - they are screaming "PAINT ME, NO PAINT ME...PAINT ALL OF US...JUST PAINT!!!!!!!! so i brought seven of them home after running some other errands and recycling...stuff i needed to do. then i got orders to fill out my medicare thing and do the things you need to do to renew a passport...stuff just keeps getting in the way. it's only 4 p.m. and i'm thinking i might just head up there for some quick studies...these things are to die for...

back home again....

and now we're home...for a while...but there's so much to do...but i'm promising myself i will get back to painting as soon as i can...one wedding down and three more to go. i've promised paintings as wedding gifts for some of these so THAT ought to get me going! first...to this house!!!

at the lake

well..it looks like i outsmarted myself!! we came up to valpo yesterday for a family wedding this weekend. i was planning to pack my paints and then decided i wouldn't really have time..what with all the golf, walks, canoeing, games, family time, etc. so we woke up this morning to rain! - and i know we need it because the heat and humidity are intense. we have at least 5 fans going and the only place you can be comfortable is sitting right smack in front of one! but really!? fortunately i've started a good book..my friend AJ brought me THE HELP to read and i started it last night. looking forward to that! - plus ..for my birthday, my hubby got me a new golf bag and some fabulous new freddie couples golf shoes!!!!! they look and feel like bedroom slippers but i can't wear them if we manage to ever get out today...too wet! anyway..with jen finally in her new home, i may finally find time to get back to the studio - i have some commission work to get to and i have to deliver a painting that i want to finalize a bit...so much to look forward to!!!

better photos from the workshop...

c.w.'s garden painting -
david slonim's "a la cezanne" lily study

my small cow study - it's so difficult to paint animals ( or children, for that matter) from life because they refuse to stand still!

my garden painting. as they say..."it's never done til it's over-done!" (see c.w.'s from above to see what i mean...see the difference?

my cows in the pasture painting. see above note about painting cows from life....

my first attempt...the view from the veranda at trader's point creamery

well - i have been so busy since my return that i haven't had time to even take these photos til yesterday. jen and james are finally safely ensconced in their new home and the little family is absolutely over the moon!!! the kids were up til midnight last night going back and forth between each-other's rooms and having a ball while their parents sat on the patio with stars in their eyes and fireworks going off over their heads.
i have to think about art again!! - i'm hardly unpacked from the workshop but i plan to get up there today for a bit - i wanted to post better pics of things - i still don't get the hang of how to arrange pictures on these posts so i just described each one. happy fourth of july to everyone!!!!!