Finishing "One Sunday Morning"

On my way out to the studio today, I had to stop and smell the roses. As lovely as this looks, without the fragrance, you really cannot appreciate how wonderful this rose is.

For those of you who know me well, or have followed my blog for awhile, you know this is the fence covered with my deceased sister's climbing roses. As I went by today I had to say again, " Thank you Mary Jo!"

When I entered the studio, here is the painting as I'd left it a week ago.

One Sunday Morning, 10 x 14 inches

Several of you out there had sent me suggestions about where to go from here. Some ideas I followed, others I ignored. But the first thing I did was get rid of the plant.

I had originally included it for two reasons: it added to the creation of an interior space and it was there in the photo. (Just because something is in a photo is the WORST reason to include it in a painting!)

 

After the plant was gone, I could really see that it did not add to the story. So I moved on to other improvements. I had to reclaim the exterior horizon. I also lightened the floor to the right side, and lifted some paint from the table legs to keep the negative space of the table legs which I really liked.

 

As I looked at the painting, I was very happy with the really strong design elements, but felt the colors were too harmonious, making the painting dead. So I picked cad orange to add pizazz. It is scary to start adding an accent color, but I just kept telling myself that I was the artist and that I needed to follow my own instincts.

 

I then put it in a mat--always a good way to look at a piece near it's finished point--and smiled.

 

One Sunday Morning, 10 x 14 inches

What do you think?

One Sunday Morning-a painting

A few weeks ago I read the Donna Zagota article in the Watercolor magazine, and decided I wanted to try a painting based mostly on shapes. Following her work, I wanted to also start from an intimate subject matter. The handiest scene to photograph was Mike and Shredder, our furball cat. The light on this particular Sunday morning was inspiring.

 

The inspiration

After trying a few thumbnail sketches, I settled on a composition with an exaggerated figure and strong diagonals. I transferred the sketch onto a small piece of 300 pound Arches, a paper I rarely use. The sketch sat on my work table for a month until I had time in the studio this weekend. I used a limited palette, 4 colors to be exact. The under-painting was done with yellow ocher and manganese blue, a combination that creates some great greens. I did all my mixing on the paper, not on a palette.

 

The underpainting

I used cobalt blue and burnt sienna to create darks and began to add details to the figure. The cat was poorly positioned (too close to the center) , so I tried to make the cat part off the figure shape and downplay its importance. In this photo, the L-shaped composition is clear. I've left only hints of the exterior landscape.

 

The painting taking shape

From here on out, I added detail, used gauche to regain some white, softened edges, created some positive/negative interest in the bottom of the painting.

 

One Sunday Morning, 10 x 14 inches
Now that I'm looking at the painting on the computer, I see that I need to soften the edges of the white swoosh under the hands. Now it is competing for interest.

I do have some questions:
- Is there too much empty space out the window?
- Do the hands need more detail?
- Should there be more transition of value in the floor?
- Is the plant between the figure and cat too busy?

Love your feedback!

Who ya gonna call? MOLEBUSTERS

 

All summer we've been chasing moles around our lawn. This has been their best year--our worst. Up until yesterday, we were sticking a stick of "Giant Destroyer" down the hole one day, and finding another pile of dirt 2 feet away the next.

 

We recently got a tip from an exterminator, telling us to use a bucket and our leaf blower to really push the gases into the entire tunnel system. By cutting a hole in the bucket, fitting the tube of the blower into that, we are able to do some real damage.

 

My job is to dig into the dirt pile, find the entrance into the tunnel, light the bomb, and step back. (All done in my pj's.)

 

Then Mike steps in with the MACHINE.

 

This is the entertaining part, we watch as the sulphuric gas begins to rise through the grass, traveling deep into the tunnels. Yes, maybe I should feel a little bit bad for the mole, but they are the trespassers here. They can dig up all the 3 acres of pasture they want, but I want a green lawn without mounds of dirt!

So what do you do to top the morning's mole hunt? Yesterday we spent the afternoon floating the McKenzie. Let me take you along with a few photos highlighting this beautiful river on a fall afternoon.

 

Ready to launch

 

Mike at the oars

 

A lunch of Greek salad, bread and beer

 

Fall colors

 

An osprey nest on the far left

 

Looking back after passing under one of the bridges along this stretch of river

 

The fall light makes it hard to see these rocks until you are past them, looking back

 

The low light makes these deciduous glow when backlit

September---A Raft Trip down the Rogue River, A Painting Heads off to Hawaii, and Hannah Grace Carter is born

September has been quite a month! It has flown by and many different aspects of my life have collided, making the month memorable.

First we had a five day white water raft trip to prepare for and experience. This year we invited our friend Julie for her second trip, and Joe for his first. Julie we met in Hilo, Ha, and she has since moved to New Orleans. Joe is from L.A. Although they don't have much rafting experience, both are enthusiastic volunteers who pitch in whenever/however they can.

 

Preparing for the morning launch.

Julie arrived two days early and we spent an entire day in the kitchen as Julie prepared a dish to trump her last year's jambalaya. This year it was shrimp in picant sauce, certainly equal to the jambalaya. And then her cookies and salad to accompany the main dish were to die for!

 

Julie and Mike on the river.

Our group consisted of four rafts and one hard shell kayak. We planned a longer trip, 5 rather than 4 days, which allowed for a layover day. That sounded like a great idea until we got a week of fall rain prior to the trip. Sitting on a raft or in camp is not nearly as fun when one is wet and cold. However, the morning of our trip, the weather changed to a lovely, sunny day and that weather continued throughout our trip.

 

Our group.

As always, the Rogue River is rich in wildlife. We saw more Great Blue Herons than ever, and they were not shy.

 

David (Mike) worked diligently on his skill with a sling, in preparation for meeting Goliath (bear), which never happened. But look at the rich stock of ammunition he had!

 

There are many things I really enjoy about a fall trip, one is certainly the autumn light, lower and richer in color. I especially like the morning light.

 

My niece Cathy, back lit with morning light.

Although no one in our group wears a helmet, it is not a bad idea. Our friend Joe came prepared for adventure and any mishaps that might occur.

 

Joe wearing helmet.

And were there any mishaps, you might ask? We did not flip, or even have a tube go underwater, but Mike did once again come up against his personal Rogue River Nemesis, Mule Creek Canyon. Or should I say #@$$%# Mule Creek Canyon. This is a stretch of water where the river narrows into a long rock cliffed canyon. The hydrolics are amazing, unpredictable and have parts named the Coffee Pot, because you go in and get percolated!

On the next to last day, we got on the river and had the two hardest parts of the trip ahead of us: Mule Creek and Blossom Bar. This means that all rowers start getting pumped full of the adrenalin necessary to maneuver the large heavy rafts through these class IV sections. Mike is always particularly nervous about Mule Creek and this time was no different. We were third in line (the kayak and its paddler were on a raft through this.) We watched as the two rafts in front of us traveled through the early sections and it looked like a pretty smooth ride for both.

We inched our way forward into the most turbulent part of the canyon. Suddenly the river god reached up with a hand, grabbed the raft, and nailed us to the canyon wall! It was incredible, because here in this amazing water, we were just still, not moving anywhere. There was a slight sideways to and fro, but the stern was stuck, right against the wall. Mike pulled on the oars with all his might for several minutes, but nothing happened. I got a bit alarmed when he announced he was taking a break! How the heck do you take a break in a situation like that? But soon I heard him making the most primeval growl imaginable. I felt,through the raft floor, his entire body push against the water with the oars and finally we broke loose. Later we talked about how long we were paralyzed by the river--the guesses were anywhere from 3 to 30 minutes. No one was watching a watch!

But we weren't done yet, we had Coffee Pot ahead of us. And our rower was almost tapped out. As luck would have it we had to take a spin or two there before we were done and on our way through the last milder part of the canyon.

I'm including a link to a video of someone else's ride through Mule Creek, in case you are interested in seeing the place.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNFht-5Y0-s

It's hard to tell how much that experience is going to effect the rower's ability to do the next rapid, Blossom Bar. In this case, Mike did an incredibly clean run through Blossom Bar. We didn't kiss a rock!

On the last day, on a wide smooth stretch of river, I took this photo of this lone tree, attached to a rock. Once again we said goodbye to a wonderful trip through the Wild and Scenic portion of the Rogue River.

 

Arriving home, I had a letter of acceptance from the Hawaii Watercolor Society. Last month I sent off two digital images, and my painting "Jungle Ginger" was chosen for the HWS Open Show. Inserted into the letter were comments from the juror, Linda Kemp. This is a first for me and a very nice touch. I think every artist wants to hear why a painting appeals to the juror.

"Both of these paintings are interesting and dramatic! The broken shapes, pattens and use of texture are quite exotic. My choice was influenced by the rich darks and less defined forms in Jungle Ginger."

 

My month is ending meeting a new grandchild, Hannah Grace Carter. My younger daughter had an induced labor, so Mike and I were able to be there to help out with the other two children while Rachel and Josh concentrated on the new baby. I'm staying here for a few extra days while Rachel and Hannah rest up and the rest of the family adjusts to this change.

Hannah is perfect in every way!

 

Rachel and Hannah this morning.