Ah Spring, A couple of warm days and I'm smiling!

After a recording stint the other day I treated myself to a restaurant lunch at The Fish Market. It was such a beautiful day and I got a table right on the water! Fortunately my Winsor & Newton pocket watercolor set came in with me in a little green nylon bag. However, the results were mixed. I did the view twice. I used my little view finder very briefly because it was too difficult to keep using it without drawing a lot of attention, but it did help. The watercolor version was abysmal, althought the waiter loved it:
(well, I just tried to put the image of the watercolor version HERE, and it went to the top. How do other people get pictures where they want them?)


Anyway, then I did a quick pen and ink. It may have come out better because after the painting the watercolor the scene was more familiar and it made it easier. (I'll try to put the pen and ink here:)

Well? Howcum that worked and the other didn't? Sheesh.

Anyway, that's how I celebrated the coming of Spring! Next Saturday is a plein air Paint Out in a local park. You can register for two start times 6:30AM (to get the sunrise) and the one for sane people at 8:AM. I am the latter, thank you very much! Although it would be a treat to paint the sunrise, I know myself too well.
It's odd though, they will be having a judging at about noon. A bit early. All entries must be framed or be gallery wrapped canvas. ?? That pretty well eliminates watercolor doesn't it? Unless there are some remarkably prepared artists out there with frame selections in their cars. Hmmm. Nope, not me.

Fortunately, knowing myself as I do, I am going for the experience and fun of it, and if I come up with something viewable, great! This will be the first road test of my Christmas present, the Monet Traveling French Easel. It has attached wheels and a telescoping handle.

Late last night I thought I was going to bed, but I found myself sitting at the easel with an oil still life on which I've been working. The new Charvin oils had arrived and they needed to be tested, right? So, some of the shadows are better, the leaf I didn't like because it looked like a plastic leaf (well, it was) was turned into a lime and a couple of citrus leaves. Better (IMHO). Fortunately, at that easel is a floor standing Ott light from my needle work equipment so working after dark is not so bad. Actually, I like to never got to bed! The lime needs some dimpling though.
My thoughts and love are with the people of Japan, land where I was born, and remembering:
"The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea."  There is no good that is beyond the power and scope of God, Father and Mother of us all, and he cares for us all, even as "the lilies of the field."

Take Time for Art, Monday is for Marketing!

Hello everybody, what a beautiful morning. The only thing missing to make it perfect is I haven't picked up a brush yet. I have been loading pictures into etsy for sale, then realizing I hadn't watermarked them, so I am in the midst of going back and fixing that. Ah, this time saving device, the computer! I spend a lot of time on this thing. Especially for something that saves time. Anyway, here is a painting of the mustard bloom in the Napa/Sonoma area of California (9X12 inches). I finished up toward evening, but the tree shadow seems to be hung up around noon. I'll have to fix that.
The vase was fun, practice for painting glass and crystal. It's 5.5X6.5 inches.

Well, I have some poppies waiting for me in the studio. When I've watermarked the pictures listed on etsy, I can get out there and put brush to paper and be Smil'in! Love to all!