Merry Christmas!

This last painting was a doozy.  I showed it briefly to my family on Christmas Eve, and it reminds me of all the wonderful family gatherings.  Mmmm.... I really miss how my cousins can mix a Bloody Mary

"Christmas Morning" 16x20 Oil on Canvas

Test Post

Morning after Christmas test post on my new iPad.



This is a photo of the painting I am currently working on.

Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!

This is not the best picture of this work, but when you have so many dark colors, it 1) skews the exposure and 2) you are fighting a mean glare.  In any case, this was my last assignment before my final, which is due in two days.  Eep!  The assignment was low-key painting, so it had to be indirect light, with an emphasis on lost and found edges.  I had a lot of fun with it.

I'll probably post my final project, and then I'll be taking a break through the New Year.  We leave for Saigon tomorrow night, and then fun Christmas festivities!  Don't worry, I plan on painting, but I kind of want to have a week or two to just have fun, without specific assignments over my head.  As the New Year approaches, I really want to focus on doing daily paintings as well.  I think that will really help strengthen my skills further.  In any case, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!

Sunny Side Up

"Sunny Side Up" 11x14 Oil on Canvas

Here is my weekly assignment for class.  I'm super excited to report that I got the ellipses correct, and that it scored me another A-!  I'm putting forth a lot of effort, but as this semester is coming to a close, I'm definitely noticing that it is getting easier and easier to do the higher quality work.  It still definitely takes time, but I'm making fewer mistakes right off the bat that take a long time to correct.  I still have so much to learn - the painting I'm doing on the side for fun has ground to a standstill.  I'm at an impasse on it, but I hope cityscape next semester can help with some of that.  In any case, it is a good feeling, and I thought I would pass it on.

What have I been up to the past week?  I'm not totally sure, but I seem to be busy.  All the time.  Where does it go?  I seem to wind up with a lot of "lost" days here in Singapore.  Because I am using public transportation it takes a long time to get anywhere, and then if wherever you go doesn't have what you need, you have just lost an hour.  Or half a day.  It gets frustrating at time, to say the least.  In any case, with the holidays fast approaching, I've been decorating, and thought I would share!

Available Art for Sale

Thank you again for all of your support.  It has been totally amazing and overwhelming!  I've had a couple people ask me for what is available, and I've already sold a couple pieces before they were ever officially for sale, so as per request, here is what is available.  Totally exciting, to tell you the truth, especially since I hadn't yet really started thinking about selling anything yet.  The ones that are available after Jan 1st have been sent in for my final critique, so I can't guarantee that they would be ready to open on Christmas.  Shipping is $25 on each piece, and I would need to have your order by Dec. 10th to guarantee delivery.

"Strawberries and Cream" 11x14 SOLD

"Fresh Squeezed" 11x14 $200 Avail. after Jan 1

"On the Rocks" 11x14 SOLD

"Cascading Light" 12x16 $250 Avail. after Jan 1

"Morning Line Up" 11x14 $200 Avail. after Jan 1

"Making Lemonade" 12x16 $250

"Motley Crew" 12x16 $250 Avail. after Jan 1

"Limeade" 11x14 $200

Motley Crew 12x16 Oil on Canvas

"Motley Crew" 12x16  Oil on Canvas  $250

Things are finally starting to flow for me.  This all still takes a lot of work, but I feel like I have finally learned how to paint.  I cannot say enough about the MFA program at AAU.  It has been a ton of work, and I spent all summer trying to hone my skills further, but the professors I have had so far have been just fantastic.  I've now gotten to the point where I feel like I can paint what I see, I just have to take the time and go slowly.  Things fall apart sometimes, but usually only when I am rushed or tired or can't focus.

I'm still amazed at how much focus it takes to paint.  None of the professors I have had so far just slap paint onto a canvas.  It is a handy illusion that a lot of people seem to think about us (along with the bohemian chic "you don't need money" image that I hate - it's a business people!).  But all of the really good painters I've met, spend hours analyzing what they are seeing.  You have to look at every highlight, every nuance, and then compare it to every other nuance in order to get it to look believable.  And this is all before you even learn how to make it your own - to put your stamp and signature style into it.

Okay, I'm on the cusp of getting slammed with the end of the semester.  Finishing up reworks (you can re-paint things to make your grade higher), and three paintings due in the next two weeks, plus Christmas and all if its craziness!  I'll keep you all posted, and hopefully as the semester winds down in the next couple weeks I can resume the daily paintings that are a bit smaller.  I've been really enjoying those, but just haven't figured out the rhythm and timing to do them in addition to the bigger pieces, schoolwork and travel that has been going on this fall.  Rough life, I know!  (PS - this was also an A-, wohoo!)