Daniel Keys

Hello out there my friends.  I know I've been kind of quiet lately but I have been BUSY!  Two weeks ago was the couple of days travel to Arkansas then back to work a bit.  Then next up last week was the big 60th Birthday Bash that I barely had time enough to recover from when this week rolled around with the painting workshop.

This week I have been planning on for months.  This workshop is why I have been purging my closets and cleaning out my home studio.  Not only were we to have the Daniel Keys 3-day workshop but I was hosting him and the artists at my house for dinner.  

The workshop began on Monday with him demoing painting roses.  Roses are hard ya'll but he makes them look easy.

He demoed in the morning and we were to try our hand in the afternoon.  So we began.  It's always a little scary for me in the beginning of a painting in front of the artist but I did it. 

I kind of like it but not really sure.  It's done and I think they look like roses! 

Day 2 and 3 is still life.  This is his still life he set up using my great-great grandmother's pitcher.  He loved it and I was thrilled.  It was a beautiful set up or composition.  He says that composition is not important but this is where I truly disagree with him.  I think it is most important.  You don't want an ugly set up to paint it won't be fun and pleasing to the eye.   

He began on Day 2 with this...

and makes it look so very easy...HAHAHAHA! 

Day 3 he filled in the pitcher and the bottom half and we continued on with our still life that we set up in the afternoon on day 2. 

OH MY GOSH!!!

Isn't this just beautiful.  I have to tell you a few months ago I had been looking for a painting of his to buy but let me tell you they are hard to get.  They are snatched up so fast you have seconds when he puts them out there, unless you want to pay THOUSANDS...and I mean thousands of dollars for them.  One day I happened to be on Facebook at just the right second when he posted another studio/workshop painting of pansies and a red canary.  The price was right and I fell in love with it.  He had it through a gallery, I clicked BUY and in that golden second it was MINE!  I was thrilled.  

Now back to this little jewel.  Normally the students of the workshop put your names in the buckets for whichever painting they would like to purchase and they draw names.  If you want it you can buy it then and there.  That bucket was FULL as was the roses painting.  My friend Linda's name was drawn for this one and I was thrilled for her.  A few minutes earlier she had told me if her name was drawn that she would let me buy it from her but I was NOT going to hold her to that.  She was thrilled with it as was I.  But as we went home that night after the three days her conscience was not letting her enjoy the purchase.  Plus she felt strongly that the piece belonged with the real pitcher.  WHAT!  She sent me a text that next morning before we were to go to our regular art class and told me she wanted me to have it if I wanted it....well, YES!  But, I wanted to make damn sure she was not going to regret it because she got it fair and square.  She assured me that it was what she felt was right and folks...this beauty is now mine. 

Oh my gosh isn't it just lovely.  I can't wait for it to dry and be framed and hang on my wall along side the canary!  Thank you so very much my friend!

Oh and this was our set up to paint...

and my painting for the last two days. 

I am tired, truly tired today, this morning.  It has been a whirlwind few months and I am absolutely pooped and it's not over as I am to go to our high school "60th Birthday" picnic at four today.  Folks it is getting hot here and not looking forward to it.  Oh I love the hot but not when I am mentally exhausted.  Still trying to decide if I want to NOT go but in the end I probably will.