indoors NM

(7x11)

In New Mexico I painted from photos of tropical flowers. Sounds a bit absurd, but for the first several days that we were in NM, it was cold, cloudy, and rainy. When the sun came out on Thursday, everyone spilled from the studio of the Espanola fabric arts center--a very cool space filled with giant looms--where the workshop was held into the weedy driveway and yard: it was hard to paint indoors after that.

 
(11x15)

 
(7x11)

outdoors NM

Ghost Ranch (11x15)
I've been back from my New Mexico trip for just over a month and may be finally getting back to some semblance of routine ... though I still have not made it back to spin or yoga: tomorrow, always tomorrow.

A couple of the paintings I did in NM and a couple of the subjects from NM I am hoping to paint: tomorrow, maybe the day after that ...

Near Echo Amphitheater (11x15) unfinished

 

Unsent postcards

 
Virgin of Guadalupe, Santa Fe

 
Ristra, Chimayo

Ghost Ranch

gratitude and nonattachment

(9x12)
My friend Shelby does beautiful paintings of horses. Having only been on a horse once in my life, I never gave them much thought, but her paintings were so expressive, they made me look. This is my first attempt, from a photo at Paint My Photo. I hope to have some opportunity to photograph horses in NM.
I had to paint something to post this morning just to say thank you for all the comments on yesterday's post: when I woke up this morning my inbox had so many comments to moderate in it--I was, and am, really touched and grateful. You inspire me.
Giving  more thought to my "reasons" for not painting, I think that the real root of it--in spite of tiredness, time constraints, and the very real necessity, which Melinda noted, of having time out to let ideas percolate--is attachment to outcome: my original sin. Sometimes I feel I've overcome it, but then it creeps back: I guess that's just one of struggles we face.
I do think just keeping the paint wet is a good strategy for keeping the focus on the doing, not the outcome. Maybe if I paint a simple object every day--an apple or a flower--not an arrangement, not a scene, then just toss it aside I can re-cultivate nonattachment. ...

premature anticipation

(7x11)
It's been awhile. I don't know why ... Well, I haven't been painting; there are always so many "reasons" I can come up with, but I guess they don't matter really, since it seems to happen periodically, unavoidably.
My excuse this time is just being busy making money. I'm self-employed and have a compulsion to finish whatever I'm working on; so that, even when I put it away for the day, I either can't relax or my brain is too tired. Also, I have so many things I want to paint--too many, especially my Chinese lanterns, the one success of my garden this year--which leads to paralysis.
But, I'm going to New Mexico later this week, for ten days!, to paint. So maybe I've just been saving my energy?
So, back 10/13, with, I hope, some new work.

end-of-summer crunch

 
(5x7)
A quick (unfinished) sketch of some backyard trees is all I've been able to manage lately.
Every year the end of August is a mad dash to do everything I'd been planning to do all summer; and it's usually a busy time for me with work too.

Below is a little painting I donated to an auction to raise money for ALS research; the auction's on Labor Day: I hope it brings in some money!

tug

 
(7x11)
I painted this from a reference photo at Paint My Photo where this photo by James Swanson is posted. Paint My Photo, unlike some other "reference photo" sites, really has photos you want to paint!
I'd prefer to use my own photos, but I have to get out there and get some good ones!
In my haste to post this, I see I've forgotten to put in some little details--like the captain's belt!

Robyn asked me in her comment to name my favorite watercolor books. I have had so many, but the ones I look back to whenever need inspiration are Jeanne Dobie's Making Color Sing for color mixing; Janet Walsh, Watercolor Made Easy,  and Gail Speckmann, Wet-in-Wet Watercolor,  for technique; and any book by Charles Reid or Lucy Willis for something to aspire to.
And see the fabulous and erudite Katherine Thomas's post on art books at Making a Mark.

bumpers

 
(4x9)
From a reference photo at the Painting Loft; I zoomed in on the bumpers.
I finally opened up a block of Kilimanjaro paper I've had for awhile and tried it out. It's okay, but, for some reason, I think it responds better is you use a lot of pigment ... I think I could have painted this more lightly, transparently, if I were using my favorite, Fabriano, but I could be wrong--maybe it's just the heat and humidity!
I used a triad of bright violet (Holbein), new gamboge, and ultramarine. Added a bit of azo orange too, which mixed nicely with the bright violet.

peaches

 
(5x7)
A challenge from the Painting Loft, a supportive community of artists with numerous groups and challenges.
I did a rather elaborate drawing of this first time around: and painted it so weakly and tightly--I immediately tore it up (sorry now: wish I had saved it to post!).
This time, I worked smaller and did not spend much time drawing. I turned the reference and my painting upside down and started with the peaches; after I put down color, I'd flood it with clear water. It helped me not get too involved with what turned out to be a surprisingly complex subject.
Though I wish I had stopped sooner: the unfinished version below is brighter and has more of a focus.

beach day

(4x6)
Went to the beach yesterday and it was lovely; nice rolling waves to float on.
I made this little sketch in my Strathmore journal, attracting the attention of a few little girls who were shyly fascinated.
Also surreptitiously took a few photos for later paintings.

brandywine shoal light

(10x15)
A lighthouse in the Delaware Bay, one of the prettiest.
Now that I've photographed I see I need to darken the values in the foreground a bit.
 As I did to Negotiator, below.

one for two

 
(7x11)
Two seagull paintings I've been working on today: one works, the other not so much! In the second one, I can't really see the eyes in my photo, but I went ahead and tried to paint them anyway: bad move.
I'll let it dry and see if it's salvageable, if not, redraw it and try again.

 
(7x11)
Marnold commented on the fishing boat name, Negotiator, in my last post: it's fun to look at and think of boat names. My kayak is La Estrellita Amarilla; I wanted to call one of the boats Spuyten Duyvil (Spitting Devil, or literally, "devil's spout" in Dutch) but no one else can remember it.
There are two fishing boats down here whose names I like, the Instigator and the Agitator, in large part because that's what we used to call my two younger brothers when they were little: they were forever at each others' throats--one instigating and the other agitating. I was always put between them to keep them apart: call me the Separator.

negotiator

(11x15)
I think I need to make the water darker on the right, but I'll wait a few days.
Tomorrow, back to Smilla paintings, but today I'll be trying to retrieve all the photos in my Picasa file, which turned up empty this morning: that's what I get, I suppose, for letting other people use my computer: Never again!

Afternoon update: By doing a "system restore" on my computer, I was able to retrieve my 1000-plus photos!

 
(11x15)

Independence Day

 
(5x7)
Happy 4th of July from the Delaware Bay.

 
(5x7)

smilla and roses

(11x15)
A small numbers of details to finish here, but I can't be sure I'll get to them this weekend!
Yesterday I did another drawing of Smilla, this time with gladiolas and hostas. I'm going to keep this series with Smilla going as long as I can, and as long as Smilla cooperates with new poses. 
Spending some time this weekend planning a bulb garden in an about 4x8-foot patch just inside my gate: the irises and daffodils were so beautiful this spring, next spring I want many more, and allium, lilies, and anemones too!