Spring and Sun Tea

Have been very, very busy lately so no time to jot down thoughts here.  Finally we got away to the cabin this weekend for a little R&R with friends.  We hosted the Saturday night doin's with BBQ ribs, bologna and everyone else brought the sides.  It was a wonderful evening of food, laughter and general chatter.  Since the sun was finally making an appearance I decided to channel my mother and make sun tea.  

Unfortunately no one enjoyed this fine brew.  Wine was the beverage of the evening.  

We had cocktails at J&S's cabin and got some wonderful snapshots that I hope to paint.

Oh how I love spring. 

I painted Thursday and was just not in the mood and could not find any inspiration but found a lovely shot of some purple pansies I took last year.  So my canvas went purple and after putting on Facebook it was apparent everyone loved it.

I just was not feeling it but I guess I done good!

Just adorable!

Saturday Ramble

 Isn't this beautiful.  It's a crappy picture but the orchid is stunning.  Last year I bought three of them and put them in the window of our master bathroom suite.  They were blooming when I bought them and then the flowers dropped off, then this winter this happened.  They all three began to bloom again.  I know nothing about how to grow the things and didn't cut the, what I thought was dead, stem.  There is also a white one and a purple one which I broke off the flower stem and they all are blooming.  The window is south facing but towards them are the french doors to the north.  Success!

"Rio"

Since back from Scottsdale I've joined a portrait group to get some exposure in painting portraits.  Sometimes it is quite challenging.  When I'm in the moment of painting I like what I've done but when I get home and look at the picture I take (to finish) and the actual painting, well, I see the flaws, oh the flaws. 

This poor guy, "Martin", seems to have grown his face might long.  I'm not sure how to fix it and someday will attempt to fix it.

Also, we are back in the usual Ross class and Thursday he was surprised by a lady who came in to meet him.

She had this painting that she purchased at a local antique store and looked him up to find out about "the artist."  He was flattered and everyone was in awe.  He said it was done in the early 80's sometime for a bank somewhere.  Ross Myers is an amazing artist and I am lucky to have been under his tutelage the past few years! 

It was an amazing painting. 

The Aftermath

I have been home from Scottsdale two weeks now!  It seems forever ago yet just yesterday.  I hit the ground running that Monday and it seems like I just can't get down time.  Between work, watching Rio and more art stuff (that is the fun), I feel exhausted.  Could be it's because I'm still fighting off a upper respiratory thing I got two days after being home.  In fact two of us have been sick after going to Scottsdale.  Sleep has been an issue too with Clayton being so very restless at night which wakes me up and then I just can't go back to sleep.  Last night it started off like that again with me getting an hour into the night sleeping like a baby then AWAKE!  He could not get settled after The Hubby came to bed and then both of them were snoring like logs while I lay there looking at the ceiling in the dark.  Toss and turn, toss and turn I was uncomfortable then the next thing you know the alarm is going off and it's morning.  Yeah, sleep!  

Since Scottsdale, I've been really interested in pursuing the portrait thing.  I have even joined the Whiteside Portrait group where we just do it.  It is a challenge.

This is one of the ladies that went to Scottsdale with us.  On the lunch break one day she posed in the model chair and we snapped pictures.  I decided to paint her this weekend.  It is not done as she looks a bit dead without color on her face but I like it so far, too bad it doesn't look like Lana, maybe soon.

I did work on Robert and think I have him finished but I'm not happy with it. 

Then in the Whiteside group we painted Hubie yet again as our model for the day did not show up.  He is such a sweet man but now I have two paintings of Hubie.  This one is okay except I have got to carve his ear down. 

Now, my favorite muse, Rio.  I am working on her in my regular art class with Ross and I am loving it so far.  It will be finished on Thursday I think. 

Scottsdale

We are done, we, meaning the 6 of us that traveled to Scottsdale to The Scottsdale Artist School for a week with David Leffel, Sherrie McGraw and Jacqueline Kamin.  Three of us arrived together from Tulsa to meet up with Linda who drove with her husband the week before to take Rose Frantzen.  Rose was supposed to be during our week but that somehow was "changed".  Hopefully we get her to Tulsa sometime, soon!

When we arrived it was a quick bite to eat then off to the school for our first demo/lesson.  Sherrie and Jacqueline painted while David talked about painting and what they were doing.

 

(Sherrie and David are married and cute together!)

Back to the hotel for rest and believe we were going to need our rest.  It was up at the usual time as home and we were off to the school to begin our learning.

I chose to do still life first and set this one up. 

The bag was a gift from Afton for Christmas and held my brushes!

After a full day of intense painting we ran back to the hotel to try and freshen up and then were off to the Legacy Gallery for another demo!  Our school hours were from 8:30-4:30 then it was to the gallery at 5:30 to 7:30 for demo's Mon-Wed.  David was first up with a portrait. 

 

Absolutely beautiful and beautiful to watch him create this.  Amazing really.  He is considered to be a modern day MASTER!

Of course by the end of most evenings we finally were able to eat, drink and be very weary and then get ready for the next day.

I decided on Tuesday to switch and do a portrait, which I have done very, very few.  The model walked in and I was elated.  He was beautiful and so much fun.  His name is Robert and Robert is a poet.  When I finish this that will be the name of the painting, "The Poet".  

I HAVE GOT to fix the eyes on the close up.

One morning we had a demonstration before class on how the Rosemary Brushes are made.  The daughter of Rosemary, Semi. stayed the whole week to sell brushes, which I added to my growing collection!  Fascinating to watch and they are all made by hand.  I have ordered many of them and they ship from England within the week usually.

The next day it was back to the portrait stuff.  I cannot remember her name. 

(This was packed in my suitcase the way one of the ladies brings her paintings home but unfortunately during transit it was damaged a bit.  Have to fix it this morning.)

By Wednesday night I was DRAGGING and skipped the Wednesday night demo which was Sherrie painting the school director in costume, Dan.  

After the demo I was picked up at the hotel for dinner.  For some reason three of us had problems with swelling in our feet and legs.  I don't know if it was sitting on a tall stool all day or altitude or what but it was such an issue.  I even stood a bunch to try and alleviate the swelling, but it was best when I put my legs up a bit during the day and definitely at night.  

Thursday I was back to still life. I had to do another still mainly because when I was setting up the still life the first morning I mentioned to Sherrie that there were not enough veggies to paint.  Well, Tuesday morning she had made a special trip to buy baby beets and artichokes just for me to paint.  That was extremely nice of her.  She mentioned again on Wednesday that the veggies needed to be used so I felt obligated to paint them.   

In setting up the picture I found eggs on the table of stuff to choose from and found three eggs.  One of the eggs had hairline cracks in the top and when I set it on the stand my thumb went through it.  I thought it was perfect since the beets were wilty.  

I have a few touch ups that need to be done since I have looked at it a bit longer but I like it.

This is the little garden area that I rested a few times.  It was a bit chilly the first three days we were in Scottsdale but there was SUNSHINE!  

Thursday evening was the Art Walk to look at galleries.  Unfortunately my feet and legs were feeling the effects and so I sat a lot to enjoy the evening air, sights and sounds of Scottsdale! 

I did get to see a Daniel J Keys original at the Legacy Gallery and was THRILLED!  I love his stuff and have watched a few of his videos.  Just beautiful.

An Edgar Payne painting to view with my friends, Charlotte, Linda and Lana.  They were given a private showing of some of the works upstairs that are getting ready for a auction.  The last auction this gallery had brought in $16 million.  

I was outside but the crew had a private showing of the Edgar Payne and this Fechin estimated to bring $250K - $350K at auction!  WOW!

Friday I was tired and out of ideas and I did not want to paint another vase and flowers, so at breakfast I decided to paint breakfast.  I grabbed the cinnamon roll, some fruit loops, milk and  banana and found an orange at the school supply table.   

I set it up and then David came over, loved the idea but tweeked it a bit by moving the cinnamon roll.

It was quite fun to paint! 

And when David came around again he said, "OUTSTANDING!"  I was absolutely thrilled! 

Yesterday, Saturday and the quick drive to the airport which is about all the scenery I was able to see of Scottsdale.

 

David Leffel and the girls!

Lana, Maria, David, Linda peeking through, Charlotte and me! 

One of many dinners.  This was at Banderas.  So yummy.  

Mary Ann, Charlotte, Lana, Maria, Me, Charlotte, Linda and her husband James.  James was our chauffeur all week long.  He shuffled art supplies, paintings and ladies back and forth and in the car.  What a great guy to put up with us.