WATERFALL

gouache painting  9 x 5 inches

I finished this last month from a photo that  I took while kayaking in Glacier Bay, just west of Reid Inlet two summers ago. 

I'm continuing with Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  Go take a look on  Leslie's blog where she posts all the participant's daily work.... over 200 people are doing this.   Its day 10 today, and so far, I'm surprising myself and have painted a painting everyday.   I've been posting my daily paintings on my other blog, Watercolor Postcards and you can see them there.

30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS

 watercolor and gouache 5 x 7 inches

To keep myself busy in January, I signed up for Leslie Saeta's challenge to paint 30 paintings in 30 days and I'm on day 5.  You can read about the challenge on Leslie's blog.  I am posting my paintings on my other blog,  Watercolor Postcards.  I hope you will take a look over there. 

SHELLS AND CHINESE DISHES

watercolor and gouache 6 x 11 inches

This is my favorite painting of the last couple of months.  And I really enjoyed doing it.  I've loved seashells as much as I love flowers since I was a child and love painting them as well.  And they are much better models than flowers.... they don't move.   The gray background is gouache.  The rest is watercolor except for some little touch-up on the shells.  I wasn't planning to paint the design on the plate, but like it better after I did.  Here it is before.

BEST WISHES FOR SOLSTICE

                                                 watercolor and gouache 11/5 x 8 inches

I was planning to print this out for a card to send to friends for a season greetings, but didn't finish in time to have printed.... my printer doesn't print color anymore and there is no place to go to have it done here, so I'll just post it here and wish all of you the best for the holidays.

I've collected several odd shaped frames over the years and am trying to use them.  I cut my paper for one of the frames and started out just painting the cactus and then decided what else to put with it.  I was thinking a seasonal theme.... the persimmons were going bad in one of our stores and I got them free.  I invented the container that the plant is in  as I couldn't find something to go with the bowl and plate.  After finishing it, or at least filling up the paper, I noticed my little swan (in a little painting here) that would have worked well with the rest.

I'm reminded, once more, after doing this painting the importance of planning the composition before I start.

CRANE AND LILIES

                                                 watercolor and gouache   8.5x8.5 inches

This was going to be pure watercolor, but I painted the background pattern too dark... the origami crane got lost in the pattern.  So I painted over the too-dark pattern with gouache.

LILIES ON BLUE

                               LILIES ON BLUE  watercolor & gouache painting  10x10 inches


I always seem to have some of these lilies blooming and I've painted them numerous times.  I use to think they were  Belladonna lilies, but recently learned they are Barbados lilies (Hippeastrum puniceum).  The bulbs form lots of baby ones.  Last spring I repotted a couple of large pots and had about a hundred bulbs.

I noticed after posting this that I had cropped out some area on the top when I matted this but didn't do it on scan, so if you notice something different, I'm putting the cropped scan in now.

STILL LIFE WITH GERANIUM

watercolor, 14 x 6 inches

The geraniums are still blooming after bringing them in from the sun-room last month.  I set this still life up to fit in a red frame that I've had for years.  An artist told me last summer that tall, narrow paintings will sell faster than  wide ones, because they are easier for people to find places to hang. Must be true.... I've already sold it 

SPAIN PAINTING

This is one of several little paintings I did in Spain last month.  You can see more at my other blog, Watercolor Postcards, by clicking here.

THE REST OF SUMMER

I've surely got some catching up to do here.  As the summer is ending and I'm preparing to go on a trip to Spain next month, I'd better get something  here before another month passes. 

Its been a good summer despite the rain.  I had one of those decade marking birthdays last month which make for some celebration and deep thoughts on where I've been and where I'm going in this life, and evaluating priorities.  My blogs are on the list, but not at the top; still something I want to keep doing.   So time to get going again. 


                            
                                                         SUNROOM  watercolor  7x10

There still hasn't been much painting getting done.  Here is the latest one that is finished, done on my sun-porch. There are a few small things I'll put on my watercolor postcard blog.

                                                         
                                                        7 BLOOMS woodcut, 5"x3.75"

I did this woodcut in July for a Baren Forum exchange.   I used 4 blocks, not reduction this time.


                                        


I've been opening my little gallery most days of the summer for a couple of hours.  I added some old glass, china and other  things to hopefully sell that I've accumulated over many years, filling up unused space and making a more interesting place for people to come to.   I definitely have too much stuff and it feels good to get rid of some of it. 

 

 This has been one of the best berry years ever here, and there is a fantastic field of wild strawberries behind my gallery.  I, along with several friends, have picked gallons and there are still a few out there.  I've also been picking wild blueberries.  Most of the berries are going in the freezer, but we've been eating lots of them for the last few weeks.

The garden took a while to get going with lack of sun in June and July.  Having Van here to help keep the weeds down is a big help.  I'm keeping the slug population down by going out at least 2 times a day and picking them off.  I've gotten about 60 so far today.  I use a spoon and put them in a cup of ammonia water. 

I've made a couple of trips to Juneau.  In July, I went to a retirement party for a friend on a whale watching boat and enjoyed the most spectacular show of humpbacks I've ever seen..... a pod of about 15, bubble net after bubble net.  I wish I'd taken a good photo. 

 I've spent lots of time studying Spanish and planning my trip to Spain next month. I'm getting pretty excited; will be leaving home on the 8th, with a few days in Juneau before flying to Barcelona where I'll stay for a few days.  I'll be meeting friends there and then off to this place to relax and paint for a week.  After that I'll be on my own for a week, and plan to paint and/or sketch everyday.

NOT MUCH PAINTING

Not much has gotten painted the past few weeks.  I have been pretty busy.  I got my little gallery open 2 weeks ago and am  at least a couple of hours there in the afternoon.  I'm getting out and walking more, dispite rain most days.  And the garden is finally all planted.... later than usual.     The weather in June hasn't been much better than in May.... there was only one day in May that it didn't rain and the temperature didn't get above 60.  The sun finally came out last week and the temperature was around 80 on Saturday, but it's now raining again.

Below are the only things I've painted this month that are getting matted and in the gallery.  I started them both and got stopped with rain, then went back a week or 2 later to finish: 

 This one I started with a pen and ink drawing, added watercolor and some gouache.  5x7 inches

                              This had some under-painting and is pure gouache.  3.5"x5.5 inches

This is the first summer ever that my husband has been home all summer, as he has sold our boat and retired from fishing.  I'm liking having him here, and its good to have some help with the garden.