fort de soto

Visiting my brother and friends this week. Finally got a couple hours of painting and drawing in!

And rescued a brown pelican who was wrapped in fishing line.

arya & sansa

                                8x8

Was putting the paints away since I'll be away from home for a few days, but my palette had a few puddles of paint on it, so I made these quick sketches of two of my cats.

I'd like to go back in and refine them, but there's no time!

yellow rumped warbler

                                5x5

Took a photo of this little fellow at one of the birdbaths in my yard. The color is not quite right ... but I didn't want to adjust it and lose the freshness.

Getting colder here now and so I suppose the warblers will be on their way.

wren

 5x8

Lots of wrens in my yard, kicking around in the leafmeal, hopping along the deck railing.

classwork

11x15

For our last class this year, Michele Clamp have us a beautiful reference of goldfinches. I love the birds' postures.

Got away from me in some places, but I'm not unhappy with it.

The poppies, on the other hand ... I'm going to put this aside for a bit. Maybe I won't be so displeased next time I look.

Then I'll go in and finish the leaves and vase.

12x16

titmouse

                                6x8

Where I live, in southernmost NJ, titmouses are--like dark-eyed juncos and fox and white-throated sparrows--cold weather residents.

Though it's been unseasonably warm, so much so the yellow-rumped warblers are still in my yard, in numbers, I saw my first titmouse the other day.

Such a pretty little bird.

marbled godwit

                            6x6

A little loose, a little tight.

Below, a couple of goldfinches, the last assignment in this session of classes with Michele Clamp.

I missed the last two classes and am now trying to catch up before the next session begins.

It's great to have the option of watching the video later but I find I'm more likely to get the work done when I attend class in real time!

shorebirds

.                             8x6

                       Western gull

I took a fun class with Megan Swoyer this week: painting shorebirds in a free and loose style, a painterly style. I do like trying to be not so literal and also letting the paint flow.

I enjoy painting with Megan; one, she's really nice and a great teacher and two, I usually paint differently than I would on my own ... I stretch a little.

Marbled godwit

In the painting of a Curlew, below, I used a Daniel Smith color I don't usually use, hematite; it's a browish gray that really granulated--i love it! You can see it around the head and behind the far wing.

goldfinch

                              5x7

A little goldfinch. I have always found yellow hard to handle. But I may be getting better at it. Maybe thinking "warm" or "cool" helps?

classwork

12x16

This week's painting in my class with Michele Clamp. The stripes on tabby cats are daunting, but Michele's methods--especially identifying values and softening egdes-- really helped.

I had some anxiety about "messing up," which is usually a self-fulfilling prophecy, so counterproductive, but sometimes I just get in its grip.

My Sansa and Arya, posing.

yellow marsh

                            7x10

Not much time for painting last week,or probably this week either ...

But I did manage this little scene.