The Last Days of Summer

I know some folks consider summer ending at the end of August, but when it is 86-90 degrees in September, I consider it summer. Unfortunately the wild fires that have surrounded us bring in so much smoke that it is most unpleasant to be outdoors. However, it doesn't keep our plant life from enjoying the warmth.

When we rebuilt our home, I really wanted a small pond outside my studio
and here is why!!

The smoky skies also add color to the sky creating gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.

Raya's backdrop is eye-catching. 

And, thankfully, the house and studio have good air filtering systems, so spending some time creating art is another way to spend these air heavy days.

 Don't forget rafting!! The first week or two of September has always been our favorite time to raft the Wild and Scenic Rogue River with our rafting family. And luckily the skies over us were clear, the days were warm and the star-filled night sky was spectacular. 

**You may remember that 3 years ago we had another great Rogue raft trip, and the day after the trip ended, our house burned down in the Holiday Farm Fire. It's hard to keep those memories at bay!

Here are some pictorial highlights of our raft trip:

This year Mike and I slept on cots.
This is the night before launch when we set the cots up on our trailer.

Only our first night at Almeda Campground allowed fires. I love the lighting!

And we're off! Day 1 of 5 days.

Did you know Barbie can also be a kayaker?

There is always a bit of looking forward to the next day's rapids and camp spots.

We have the best of dinners!

Mike thought he might see a UFO!
Oh wait, it's a helicopter with a bucket.
There is no escaping the wildfires.  

White water kayaking at its finest!

Heading into Mule Creek Canyon, known for the Cofee Pot!
It percolates your vessel then spits it out!

Amazing rocks

And then there is this breathe-taking reflexion. 

We saw very few deer.

And quite a number of herons.

At the end of our trip, we have our eyes peeled to spot the Haiku Tree.
Yes, it is still there growing out of one rock!

Awesome Autumn wishes to you all!

My Blog Has a Wonderful Memory

A Gift to Dan and Mary
(A painting of an event they hosted in their garden before the Holiday Farm Fire burned down their home.)

A few weeks ago, after the summer rush of family, friends and activities, I decided to frame some new paintings I'd started as demos and finished at home. I also had this painting I'd created years ago that I'd been saving to frame and give as a give to our friends, Dan and Mary.

Sometimes traditional matting and framing just doesn't seem right as I wanted a more modern look for this art. This modern look I was seeking means mounting (gluing) the paintings on to a wooden cradle board. That process also means finishing the wood sides and covering the raw wood with a product to attach the painting to.

*A cradled panel is a wooden frame with a board attached to it. They accept almost any medium and are excellent for showcasing detailed artwork. Cradled panels are ideal for painting, sculpture, mounting, and so much more. The durable wooden structure can prevent paintings from warping over time.

I had done this several times over the years, but not recently. I began to question my memory for doing this process correctly. Then a brain lightbulb went off! I was pretty sure I had written the details of this process in a blog. Quickly I opened my blogger and searched for "cradle".  Sure enough I found my blog titled: How to Mount a Painting to a Cradle--Step by Step, posted on March 2, 2013. Wow! All I needed from 10 years ago!

Before putting the art down, it must be spray varnished with a UV protection spray. Then on to prepping the wood cradle.

Protect the edges of the panels before painting on the GAC-100

 

Determine whether you want to spray paint or stain and varnish the edges of the panels.

Apply the glue to the painting and press any bubbles out with a brayer.

Weigh it down for several hours or overnight

And now the big reveal! Four beautifully mounted paintings ready to hang on a wall.

.

The Great Escape
Mixed Media, 12x24

Just a Touch of Turquoise
Mixed Media, 15x21.5

Into the Sunset
Mixed Media, 10x30

Stripes
Mixed Media, 21.5x15

The Garden Party
Watercolor, 15x21.5

How to Start and When to Finish

I have been using the same melamine boards to support my watercolor papers for years. A while ago I looked at the surface and was fasciated by the pattern on the white top of the board that had developed  over time.

Shapes are all over the place, but this one spoke to me saying, "create something from my wear and tear."

Of course I have mulled it over and over in my mind for a few weeks and finally decided to create an abstract piece of art based on the pattern. From there I had to determine what skills to pull out of my creative painter's tool box. 

Step One: Copy the pattern onto a piece of paper and cut it out. 

Step Two: Attach the shape onto a piece of Watercolor Paper and use my mouth atomizer to spray a background. I chose to use gray and black paints for the spraying process.

Tracing paper was not the best choice to use as the original cut out.  The tracing paper curled up around the edges and allowed a bit of sprayed paint to soften the edges. 

Step Three:  Choose a color palette and plan for the saved paper. I decided to go to my comfortable way to create, black and white and red. Then on with pattern making.

Step Four:  Add the red, but where? Slowly I began adding the reds here and there. I took my time, stepping back, and moving forward to paint one small shape, then repeat. 

I was not channeling Mondrian intentionally, but as I finished (or is it?) I certainly saw a connection.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

I Blinked and Two Months Flew By

 It was a surprise today when I pulled up my Blog to see that my last posting was 2 months ago. When so much is packed into one's life, days become weeks and weeks become months. But it has been interesting and active times!

Newport

Having the opening of my solo show in Newport, Oregon was one of the big events. The series, Educate the Girls of the World represents 16 paintings focusing on my greatest interests education, equality, and women's rights. After matting and framing all of these pieces, I was able to display and see all of this series in one place. 

Newport Visual Art Center scheduled a reception and art talk, which was a first for me. This exhibit has also been given an extension and will be on display until the end of August. If you are at the coast, drop in and see my art. Olive Street Gallery is in the Performing Arts Center, 777 W Olive St, Newport, OR 97365, Tues-Fri, 10am-5pm. From there, the exhibit will move on to Albany for the month of September.

Tied in with my show was a wonderful workshop at the Visual Art Center. The classroom is the best ever, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I also have to give kudos to the great group of artist who took the workshop.

Family 

Mike and I were thrilled to have our daughter Rachel and two children here for most of the month of June. Her husband even flew out for one week. Since their move to Florida, our visits will be few and far between. Here are some of the highlights of their visit.

The Swing

For 30 years the crazy high swing was one of the remarkable things on our property. A photo of me swinging on it after the 2020 fire was even published in the Register Guard Newspaper. All were amazed that the swing survived the fire. But it was not forever. A windstorm came along several months later and blew down a tree which tore the swing down. But since it was a property icon, we hired a tree climbing friend to put up a new one hanging from about 70 feet. It's not the same, yet greatly enjoyed as you can see!

Hikes

Living on the McKenzie River, there are so many wonderful hikes to take. Although I wasn't along on all of them, here are a few photos on the McKenzie River Trail.

Bullfrogs and Other Pond Activities

Killing bullfrogs (with a pellet gun) in our ponds is a popular activity (especially among males). Whether you approve or not, the bullfrogs are invasive and kill off our native animals. 

https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/american-bullfrog

Catching and releasing salamanders and putting tadpoles in a glass jar to watch them develop are other country kid things to do.

Games, Cooking, Gardening, and Shooting Arrows

There was nary a boring or quiet moment with a wide variety of activities going on through the month here.

And that about wraps it up. If you've made it all the way to the end of this very long post, here is your reward.