Painting Spring

It has been too long since I've bee out to the studio really painting. I have waited to the last minute to try to create something for the Oregon State University Art about Agriculture Competition. I don't have any past paintings that would pertain, so I have to come up with something new.

I started by looking through some old photos I had. I remembered taking pictures at a tulip field several years ago and searched through for those images. After weeks of the cold and more or less black and white world the snow has created I fell for the rows of color.

Yesterday I started working on the background, making sure to use very vivid colors. I had to create my working man figure from my memory, as I did not capture one on film, although I remember people walking out of the field with huge bunches of tulips.

So today I continued on the painting and then took a pause to debate what colors to put on the main figure--bright or neutral. How much detail should I add? I had to contemplate my options before forging ahead.

 

I opted for dark neutrals on the figure. Details are limited to a few lines to help the viewer interpret the scene. I softened the background by adding some pale evergreens behind the closer horizon of trees.

 

I had tried for a heroic WPA look to the worker. His stance is good, but I could enhance his look to be more muscular and tough.

What do you think?
Title ideas?

All opinions are welcome. And remember you can click on the painting to enlarge it to full size.

Last Days of December

On the 20th of December it seems life started up again. We had the room redo mostly done, and family and the holidays took over as the prominent focus of our lives. The accumulating snow played a major role as you can see. As you might imagine the snow impaired the coming and going around here. This is a photo of one daughter and our three granddaughters out in the snow.

 

Then Kelly, the oldest, warms up in the hot tub with the little ones, Angelica on the left, Marin on the right.

 

We included some holiday traditions such as making a gingerbread house. I have to admit these kits they make nowadays are soooo much easier (and more successful) than the ones I tried to make from scratch years ago.

 

So from the evening of December 19th through December 23rd Mike and I had the three little grandchildren. Noah spent his first nights away from Mom and Dad. Rachel and Josh called frequently to check up on the little guy, but we all survived! Mike and I haven't forgotten everything about babies and we can still keep up with a crawler.

 

And finally Christmas Eve arrived!

 

For years our tradition has been to host a big Christmas Eve dinner and celebration with family and friends. Often the town folks stay overnight making it a big slumber party. Her are a few of the Christmas Eve photos.

 

Great-grandma Margaret (my mom) with Noah--the oldest and youngest.

 

Daughter Meg with (could it be?) a hot buttered rum.

 

Daughter Rachel and son-in-law Josh.

 

Marin on the go.

 

Angelica hatching a plan.

 

Friend Erika sharing a snack with Marin.

 

Mike's sister Eve.

The next morning Santa had come and the children's wishes came true.

 

After all the package opening the little girls got down under the tree with their new art supplies.

 

Rachel watches Marin from Marin's new Ikea chair. The little "art cart" was my invention for the granddaughters. I could write a whole blog entry about the frustrations of working with Mod Podge on the rolling suitcases.

 

Friend Jay asks "What was that all about?"

 

When it's all over, Mike and the cat take a well deserved long winter's nap.

Two days after Christmas, Mike and I are finally alone again. Mike had to push the last one out the drive.

 

Almost immediately I went out to the studio to paint a masterpiece--or at least a potential entry for the OSU Art and Agriculture competition. So for a while today I was creating a colorful tulip field and was thinking Spring. More on the painting later.

Happy Holidays to you all!

Mid-December Day when Dreams Come True

Well, it has been a crazy month so far. Mike and I put out a goal of having our living room redo done by December 19th--tomorrow! The slate laying started on Dec. 1st and we were assured it would take a week. That fit in perfectly with our 19th completion date. But on Dec. 5, the slate was less than half laid. As the saying goes "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" so we got two tile setters and one laborer the following week. By the 11th, the slate was down, on the 12th the grout was on and we expected the sealing to be done on the 15th--just a week behind schedule. Well, the sealant did go down, but it was Mike and me doing it.

Over the weekend of the 13-14th, I painted the walls. And I scared myself, they were so bold.

 

 

I had worked on this faux finish on a sample wall and was aware of the color and shine, but putting on the east walls of the room created so much drama that I started to question my own taste. I then worked on the simpler cream walls.

 

This is a light cream with a slightly darker hue, pounced on the wall.

Then I put on a rosy rouge to tie the walls together.

 

Once the floor was in and the walls were painted, it was time to start putting the room back together. We had Mike's grandmother's Oriental rug repaired, so even though it is thread-bare, it no longer has holes.

 

 

I began to have faith that the overall plan was going to be good. The rug tied everything together, and it started looking like home again. In fact, for Mike, he had everything he needed, once his recliner was moved in. Home Sweet Home!

 

The push was on. In the last two days we moved in furniture, put together new pieces, and counted on 3 peices of new furniture to be delivered today. And this is what was keeping us on pins and needles. Snow and ice.

 

 

 

So how could I blame the delivery driver when he was hesitant to drive the 45 miles out of town? But a small miracle happened, and the furniture arrived mid-day. Hooray!

So here is a photo essay of today's activities.

 

Good Gracious! A 28 peice bookcase!

 

Blending the old with the new, I dressed up an old lady with a little pizazz.

 

Here are the new chairs and end table.

 

Mike worked all day to get up our new monorail track lights.

 

And we finally took a break with an eggnog.

 

Though not everything is done, we have accomplished a lot in a short period of time, and I've gained insight. I've regained trust in my esthetic sense. I am loving the warm colors, the mix of old and new. I have renewed faith in delivery men who do their job in inclement weather. I can still do a full day's work with the help of ibuprofen. I am a lucky, lucky, lucky woman.

But don't think we've forgotten the season. We have a tree waiting to come in to the house to spread cheer and seasonal fragrance.

 

And every night and early morn we have a light display to cheer the weary travelers and the friends who drive to work in the dark.