Sylvia

A rather sucessful unsucessful evening. My drawings were poor, but I stepped outside my comfort zone and worked in oil pastel and then pastel. Sylvia here is in chalk pastel. Intended to show my quick sketches in oil...maybe with some sleep my photos will be less blurry. So I learned much although my drawings lacked finish.

Milwaukee Skyline and Harbor

Amazing sights. Beautiful weather. Dark clouds passed on over yet blocked some heat. Looks like it's time to do some cityscapes/seacapes/combination. Wonderful to see the city without the ozone layer of Chi-town.

Milwaukee Art Museum

Had a wonderful day full of sights. Early to rise, bus trip north with Mom to see the Milwaukee Art Museum and visit the Germanfest. We were off to a late start as first bus broke down before arriving and about 40 minutes passed before replacement arrived. Museum seemed so small from the outside and viewing map was simply astonishing. There is so much space in builing appearing so small. We were only scheduled an hour and a half at museum and one couldn't begin to appreciate the treasures within. Focused on current exhibits of American originals. The Eight include Arthur B. Davies, William Glackens, Robert Henri, Ernest Lawson, George Luks,
Maurice B. Prendergast, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan. First generation of American Modernists. Charles Rolphs Artistic Furniture left me wondering where a man could find so much time to be so creative. From there we ran from gallery to gallery, not knowing where we were or the way back out. There had already been a maximum exposure to works and really the sponge was filling quickly. Wonderful place, hope I get back again soon.

Ever Lovely Jordan

Jordan keeps coming back for the work. Her fall school schedule is in Minneapolis, so we'll enjoy her temporary visits.
I stopped at Hobby lobby this evening for button kit to repair my new used dress with fabric covered buttons. Stretched past my financial comfort zone and bought new colored pastel paper for drawing. Didn't use the new paper as I also wanted to try out a few new watercolor pencils. These lovely renditions of Jordan are subject to water and paint brush when I get the nerve. I'll share what happens then!

Naperville Art League-Impact

"Ashley"

"Patti"
I framed up these drawings Saturday morning for exhibit in Naperville Art League's July/Aug Showing "Impact." Likely far off theme as usual... when will they theme the figure again? Both pieces viewed through my new reserved censored depiction of life. "Ashley" portrayed in the seated pose, and the super "Patti" modeling even with a broken foot is standing. Both are framed and available for $200.00 though the NAL gallery. Phone(630)-355-2530. Website in links at side.

Art Smart

We discussed Impressionism and carried on further into pointillism today. Olivia's piece garnered a more impressionistic nature than my example. Hers were tree roots and cactus. Quite interesting piece. We keep learning. Forgot my piece in the classroom... fortunately I took pictures before we left.

Patricia

Forgive the photo edges. I might scream as the computer has taken over and refuses to allow me to edit edges out of my photos! I will not stay up all night to argue with the uncooperative machine. Patricia's first night ever. Bashful at first, covered with gorgeous silk. She could have kept it on. All so very beautiful. I attempted to challenge myself working with hi-fi grays. Learning, feeling my way around. As we took on the hour pose I pulled into the conte fragments surviving in my pencil case from days gone by. And then white and black charcoal pencils. Not used in eons. Felt successful. Sketches could use more work. Seems to be a standing habit, working something and setting it free. I must learn new habits. Growing is good, but completion of tasks begun needs higher priority. David Hettinger is heading a workshop on portraits next Monday. Thinking I need to align my own stars and make it happen. Sponge like, absorption rate is going up.

Saturday Class

Trinity and I were working with perspective yesterday afternoon. Quite a difficult task, imaginary and new medium to discover. Trinity worked with a waterfall and sunset before penciling a nice tree. I worked on the same piece, attempting to make something of worth. Many hours to go to accomplish that. Did acquire much more appreciation for the work of pastel artists!

Jordan is in town

It's always nice to see Jordan although she is a waif of a being. She encompasses beauty and effort both. I stepped out of norm again and brought earthtone chalks with me to session. Noticed them in storage last night when looking for brayer for inking plates to print. Didn't find the brayer, but thought these would refresh and hone some skill while teaching perspective in Saturday's Art Smart class by adding some color to our buildings imagined. The colors were a bit dark, but I felt sucessful, although my CD player went on the fritz this evening and part of the evening we listened to classical opera via radio. There were chuckles and friendship going on with that! Somehow it accepted Celtic Women, A New Journey and then fritzed again, as if it was going to choose the evenings music. Must be that full moon eclipse going on.

Printmaking with Linoleum

"Vanity"


"The Flag"

Took some time this evening to print part of editions on current plates. Size of prints are small, 3x5 on "The Flag" and 5x8 for "Vanity" Vanity was not very easy to print and quite a few misprints will be destroyed. I shared a proof of "The Flag" last month with demo at Oswego Cultural Arts Center. I eyed some plexi plates sized for small intaglio plates in my storage and am certain I need to pull in a day to bevel edges and move forward with those. So much to do, so very little time.

Sidetracked

Intended to get some printing done, work on some matting, a little time in on dog portrait with holiday weekend. Didn't happen. Much catching up on housecleaning, repairing basement screens, trimming back out of control bushes, but 20 plus hours this weekend on downed tree in storm two weeks ago. Starting to kill the grass, so many drying leaves. Roof is leaking again. Flea patrol on the pets. Somewhere I had pictures of this tree and olive tree right after they came down. Intended to put up comparison. Exhausted as this day...worked at Mom's as my brother took down an 80ft dead oak...at least she had a crew of family members and brother's friend. Short exhilaration as tree came down. Dented the fender of my brother's truck...but most importantly no-one was hurt! Worked about three hours there before coming home to my own project. Oh but the find today at hardware store! Five gallon bucket of roof sealer for $5.00! Somebody is watching out for me!