Anne E May Impressions

Jean Peacock's Encaustic Painting

2012-02-07T10:48:00.002-05:00

This is an encaustic painting that I have that was done by a friend of mine who specializes in encaustic, as well as oil painting. I like the design and the texture that she created and of course the colors. (my favorite!) Encaustic painting is hot wax painting where colored pigments are added to heated wax and applied to a surface, usually wood, using metal tools and brushes to shape the wax before it cools. Other materials can be collaged into the surface. I've never tried it but I really enjoy seeing the creations of artists who work this way, especially Jean's work. And I like to watch her explain how her paintings are easily polished with a cloth since they are so durable!

Experimenting with Linocuts

2012-01-31T20:46:00.001-05:00

I love linocuts with a colored pattern in the background and a black foreground. So before I start a new print, I thought I'd play a little with a few pieces of linoleum I cut out recently for other prints and put them together in this way.

Here is my rabbit with a different view.
Just as I thought - I like the blue background with the black on top!

Cuisine Medievale!

2012-01-25T23:55:00.006-05:00

When we visited France last September, I saw this at a restaurant in the medieval walled city of Carcassonne, located in the south of France. I really enjoyed the arrangement and colors of the various signs, reminding me of a good design project!
Some of the food is looking a bit modern!

Pathway in Gouache - Final Result!

2012-01-19T10:52:00.001-05:00

This is the final result of the gouache I've been working on of a pathway in France. I saw a nice photo of a friend that I liked and thought I'd try to paint it. I hope I was able to capture the light that inspired me and also add a little of my own imagination. One frustration with painting with gouache is the lightening of the colors as they dry. When I think I'm finished, sometimes they still don't seem dark enough...so more work is needed!

January at the Beach! Brr.....

2012-01-18T13:15:00.001-05:00

I was close to the beach this morning running an errand and thought I'd stop and enjoy a look since without tourists, it's so easy to manage. With the blue sky and light clouds, it really was pretty.... but windy with hair blowing every which way..... and cold...brrr! The seagulls were busy flying all about hoping for snacks, natural or people-provided! Here's a photo of the beach and one of a friend on the railing. I'm always trying to get photos as references for later work whenever the opportunity presents itself!

Pathway in gouache - the next step!

2012-01-13T11:57:00.001-05:00

I'm continuing to work on this painting. I'm enjoying painting with gouache all the while thinking that there is much more blending, etc. that can be done if they were oils. Not willing to go there now! Besides, gouache has its good points - lovely colors for one! And it dries fast! (well, sometimes too fast)

Birdman II Ornament

2012-01-09T12:05:00.001-05:00

Each year I see this Christmas ornament it brings back good memories of a vacation years ago to the New England states of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The trees, the mountains, the countryside - there surely can't be a more pleasant place to enjoy the change of season into fall! Anyway, this ornament was bought at a countryside studio in Vermont and made by a man, Edmond Menard, from one piece of green cedar wood. He calls himself Birdman II as he learned his craft from another who called himself Birdman I. The first man, Chester Nutting, produced well over 50,000 of these birds and I learned that Birdman II is still working and quickly approaching 50,000. That's pretty impressive!

2012-01-05T13:58:00.001-05:00

The beginning of a new gouache painting.

Only land. No animals!

A challenge - yes!

I love the paints on this dark Canson paper.

Back to work!

Godwits

2011-12-29T11:49:00.007-05:00

Sketching some godwits. What an interesting name!

One type of godwit is the bar-tailed and they say it's a very special bird, the only one known to fly more than 7000 miles non-stop! Although it can sleep by shutting down one side of its brain at a time. Very handy!

When it summers in Alaska, it eats enough to double its weight and then awaits a good storm system to give it a boost for the the long journey over the Pacific to New Zealand. Even cyclones are welcome!

Now I know that the name comes from Old English with god meaning good and wit meaning creature. A good creature!

And a Happy New Year!

2011-12-20T22:33:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas Merry Christmas Merry Christmas

The Louvre

2011-12-18T15:10:00.005-05:00

When we were in France in September, we had the opportunity to visit the Louvre in Paris. Can't miss the most famous museum in the world! Since it was a rainy day when we arrived in France, we decided that it would be a good place to start. Unfortunately our drowsy heads prevented us from staying to see more than a small part of this fabulous place. I know we missed all sorts of wonderful works! Certainly one could spend a lifetime exploring all the Louvre has to offer!
Anyway, I loved the ceiling and walls in this room. The other shows the museum from a window in the same room. ( I think!)

Rosette Wafers

2011-12-16T11:35:00.002-05:00

I've never tried making wafers with some old irons that I have but it seems as good a time as any since it's Christmas and they are a traditional Christmas cookie. (of Scandinavia at least!) This little brochure of pictures and directions doesn't easily hide the age of my irons! But do they still work, I ask myself.

2011-12-16T11:22:00.001-05:00

Here are the two irons that I have to try.
Hmm....I wonder, could they be useful for printmaking in some way???

2011-12-16T11:19:00.002-05:00

After dipping the hot oily iron in the batter for 10 seconds, it cooks in the hot oil.
This is the fun part!
My first attempts were disasters as the wafer wouldn't release from the irons but with a little help from the internet, all went well. The batter needs to be cold and the oil temp about 365 degrees F.

2011-12-16T11:13:00.002-05:00

The wafer releasing from the iron after a minute of two.
It seemed like magic!

2011-12-16T11:11:00.002-05:00

The final result!

I had my doubts but it worked!

A Scherenschnitt - Title Unknown!

2011-12-11T17:07:00.004-05:00

Hansel and Gretel??

It looks like it could be a good story!

I'm not sure who in my family made it but it intrigues me with all its detail. Now these types of works take patience!

Doesn't it look like it could be a linocut?

Le Moulin de Trebes - France!

2011-12-02T12:02:00.006-05:00

When we were cruising the Canal du Midi in France recently (ah, those were the days), we spent much time in Trebes, which is along the canal. This restaurant is right next to the locks there so it's a good location to sit and watch the action! This placemat depicts a scene a little livelier than I saw but I like it. Sorry, it didn't travel very well in my bag! It made me sorry that I didn't bring along some watercolors!

Of course, click on to enlarge!

Feet Redesigned

2011-11-30T09:50:00.003-05:00

I remembered that I had a drawing of feet that my mother did years ago! I didn't want to remove the glass and I knew that reflections could be a problem if I took a photo of it. Anyway, I placed it by a door in my house for light and found that the reflection from the window gave it an intriguing look. So here it is in a new way!

Virginia Woodturners' Ornaments

2011-11-28T13:00:00.003-05:00

Virginia elves are busy making their beautiful Christmas decorations! I was at the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, Virginia last week with relatives for Thanksgiving. (It was unusual not to be cooking! Well, I'm not complaining!) I saw this busy elf in the lobby with the tree and so many great decorations. I would love a tree full of these wood ornaments! The woodworkers who made these are so talented and all from Virginia.

2011-11-16T20:57:00.000-05:00

Recently I finished reading the classic sea tale of Mutany on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Hall. I didn't read it in school nor have I seen any movies based on the story. I'm not sure how I missed it! I thoroughly enjoyed this sea adventure based on the true story of the tragic voyage of His Majesty's Ship Bounty in 1788-1789. I loved some of the descriptions in the book, especially near the end since they seemed quite sentimental. A character in the story, on a ship in Portsmouth Harbour, England, says "I saw boats passing back and forth, their oars dipped in gold, and the men in them seemed transparent in the pale light. Knowing how brief a time remained to me, I found nothing unworthy of interest and attention. Even the common objects in my small cabin, - the locker, the table, and the inkwell before me, - seen in various lights at different hours of the day, I found beautiful and wondered that I had failed to notice such things before." These words made me think of painting and paintings so I spent some time on-line looking for paintings illustrating this story. Of course I found several good ones of the sea and the Bounty and also some portraits of the characters in the story.
This story was a good diversion from the usual reading of art books!

Butterfly Boxes!

2011-11-16T20:29:00.001-05:00

Somehow I got distracted and thought I should make something for the Christmas fundraiser at my art center. So I painted these boxes last weekend with acrylic paint. They still need is a shiny coat and felt inside. (I made a funny error on one of them! Maybe you'll see what I did.)

Now back to printmaking!

New Linocut

2011-11-12T11:06:00.002-05:00

I've been working on this linocut, layering several light colors, trying to keep it soft and subtle. Now I have to decide - keep it going? And how to proceed!! Hmm....thinking......
Maybe watching a little college football this afternoon will inspire me. Wishful thinking!

Lilypads - a miniature linocut

2011-11-11T00:31:00.004-05:00

This linocut is very small but someday I'd love to make a larger one.

Or maybe a painting would be simpler. Or faster!

Linoleum Block Printing Book

2011-11-07T11:48:00.008-05:00

When I was looking through my art book collection yesterday, I could not believe that I have this little book about linoleum block printing!! I don't remember it - it must be magic! And because I love block printing, it's a fabulous find! The 47 pages were printed with the actual linoleum blocks in 1939. In the preface, the artist says that it is possible to run a well-carved linoleum cut for at least 50,000 impressions. Can you imagine that? It's all very charming!

Sandpiper

2011-10-31T22:25:00.010-04:00

Love pencil drawing!

2011-10-27T20:52:00.005-04:00

When I was in Paris, I saw a fountain near the Pompidou Center that was very quirky! Actually it consists of several fountains, all moving! Yikes, my video isn't very good! (I don't think I'll be making a movie anytime soon!) But it might give you some idea of what it looks like. I thought it was very entertaining!

Canal du Midi in France - Plane Trees

2011-10-19T21:38:00.003-04:00

I was so lucky to be cruising on the Canal du Midi in Southern France in September for a few days! I found the parts of the canal lined with plane trees so beautiful with the calm water and the reflections. Now I say to myself - Was I dreaming?

Fishy Swirl Screen Prints

2011-10-14T20:58:00.001-04:00

These screen prints aren't new but I'm still trying to decide what to do with them. I'm not sure they're quite finished. There may be too much going on here! Are they making your dizzy? I made a watercolor painting with an animal in a swirl in school and another student said it was making her sick! Sorry!

Acorn caps

2011-10-11T12:58:00.002-04:00

I have never seen acorn caps like these. Aren't they beautiful? They look a lot like little sea creatures and so lively that I can imagine them crawling across the page!

Ecluse de l'Anguille on the Canal du Midi in Southern France

2011-10-08T10:13:00.004-04:00

I've heard that the location of the Ecluse de l'Anguille, a lock on the Canal du Midi, is the most decorated and although I didn't see all of them, I can believe it's true. The keeper of the lock definitely enjoys sculpting and his creations are everywhere around the lock as well as around his house and they are quite original! For me it was unexpected, a pleasant surprise!

Mallards on the Canal du Midi in France

2011-10-05T21:50:00.001-04:00

While on vacation in France recently, we rented a boat and cruised the Canal du Midi in the south for a few days. These ducks were especially plentiful around the small town boat bases. Of course we know why but I have not heard such vocal ducks. One evening I was cooking dinner and using my phone as a timer when I heard this familiar duck sound. It was so loud and clear that it seemed like a duck was on board! We searched high and low for that duck until I discovered that I had chosen a duck call for the timer on my phone. Very appropriate I guess! Need more wine, please!

This video of the real ducks is one of my first attempts at using my phone as a video camera. It isn't very good - for one thing I turned the camera the wrong way! But I wanted to see if I could put one on my blog, so here it is!

Johnson's Orchard in Bedford, Virginia

2011-10-03T00:02:00.006-04:00

After going to a college football game this weekend in the western part of Virginia, we stopped by this apple orchard on the way home. I love to pick apples but if you pick too many, you can't get them to your car! Just try to resist them! Anyway, I'm looking forward to apple pies and fresh applesauce! Some of the things I love about fall.
How do you like this orchard's version of Johnny Appleseed?!!?

Le Papier

2011-09-30T10:55:00.001-04:00

Last year I received this writing paper for a gift and I loved it then but it is more special now that I have been to Paris. I have been very fortunate to have spent two weeks in France recently. The Eiffel Tower really is beautiful and looking much bigger than I imagined! Anyway, I love this paper and box for the design and charm and memory making qualities. Someday I'll open it and write a note to someone, somewhere .....who might be inspired to visit France as I was!

T-shirt Bird

2011-09-09T23:58:00.003-04:00

I'm wondering if I should add more birds to this t-shirt that I did as a demonstration for a student.

Fun with stencils!

The Tide!! Looking Nice!

2011-09-03T16:07:00.008-04:00

Yesterday I rode our new rail service, The Tide, to my studio from the border of my city, where it starts, to downtown Norfolk. I wanted to see how long it would take me to get to my studio. It was twice as long - 45 minutes! It takes 15-20 minutes to drive to the train's parking area. Then 20 more minutes to ride the train. So, timewise it doesn't work well for me! :-( My city is debating whether it wants to expand it because they aren't sure how well it will do. Of course, the cost! The train is certainly a novelty around here! It's a good start but clearly, it needs to be expanded. Anyway, it was a good ride from a different perspective!

Another Thinker

2011-08-24T23:56:00.001-04:00

I wonder if Rodin would approve of this Thinker. This called for an investigation into the history of the original sculpture (1902) by Rodin, of which I should probably know but somehow missed. The statue was originally named The Poet and was part of a commission by the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris to create a monumental portal to act as the door of the museum. On Wikipedia it says that it was meant to depict Dante in front of the Gates of Hell, pondering his great poem. In the end, it seems only a miniature of the statue sits atop the gates of the museum. And a frog ponders flies over our garden gates!

The Butterfly Plant

2011-08-17T22:47:00.001-04:00

Have you ever seen a butterfly plant? Oh, it is very unusual and difficult to find. They bloom only for a short time where a pond is shallow and the small fish swim gently near the warm surface. Almost silently. Near dawn.

linocut 6" x 8"
2005

Pet Photo Exhibition

2011-08-07T16:00:00.002-04:00

Saturday was the annual Great American Dog and Cat Photo Exhibition and party at my art center. The center partners with local Humane Societies to promote the Art of Photography (amateur) and the love of animals. Dogs and cats are invited and other types of pets are welcome - someone brought their pig this year! I wanted to adopt this cat, it was so sweet! But here it looks exhausted - maybe too much action from too many dogs! Anyway, the guests were mostly well-behaved and I believe most enjoyed the party. (Although I noticed that one pug was frightened into its owner's lap when a much bigger dog started to sing Happy Birthday!)

PULPFICTION: The Art of Paper

2011-07-30T18:18:00.022-04:00

This afternoon I went to see an excellent exhibition at the Courthouse Galleries in Portsmouth, Virginia where artists are showing some very innovative approaches to art created with paper. I love to see what people can do with paper - very creative!! I liked everything in this show. One artist creates his work from recycled newpapers, "paying tribute to the valuble role that for years printed news has played in defining our society's cultural models." You can see his work at his website:
http://www.riccardoberlingeri.com/
Take a look!

Butterfly Count #1 - Counting with the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory

2011-07-26T12:15:00.008-04:00

The Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory is a non-profit established in 1994 to carry out the work of volunteers who began an annual songbird banding station at Kiptopeke State Park in 1963 on Virginia's Eastern Shore about a 40 minute drive from here. I decided to join them for their annual butterfly count since I have an interest in butterflies for my artwork and have a general interest in them and nature, of course! We met at the Eastern Shore of Virginia Wildlife Refuge visitor center to begin our count and then visited three butterfly gardens, walked in Kiptopeke State Park and made some roadside stops. We found at least 18 species of butterflies! And I learned alot from the people in my group, especially the master naturalist and my leader, the planter and caretaker of the butterfly gardens! A good day! Hot but good!

Butterfly Count #2 - My Group

2011-07-26T11:41:00.002-04:00

Where is that fritillary??

Butterfly Count #3 - Wood Nymph

2011-07-26T11:35:00.007-04:00

Of course I wanted to take lots of great butterfly photos but they were so busy fluttering about! I was able to get this one of a wood nymph near the end of our walk. :-)
(Click on it to see the larger view.)

3 Way Rabbits #2

2011-07-21T10:07:00.003-04:00

I wanted to do my second rabbit work in gouache paint because I love to work with the colors and see the texture of the paint on the surface of the paper. I use a hot press paper that comes in a block which helps to keep the paper flat. (yes!) I must have been imagining some sort of social gathering for the trading of carrots in the world of rabbits!

Now what will I do next for my third rabbit piece?

Art Makes me Hungry!

2011-07-17T16:14:00.003-04:00

I am convinced that the artistic struggling for ideas and the appetite activator are next to each other in the brain. Every time I sit to concentrate about an idea, I want to eat. Maybe it is just a need for procrastination! So I try to find something healthy like this popcorn and not keep too many cookies around! And I am out of chocolate. :-(

Safe Harbor from the Storm

2011-07-14T22:57:00.004-04:00

Safe Harbor from the Storm is a fundraiser event for Our House Families being held at Passion Restaurant and Wine Bar in Chesapeake, Virginia. A portion of the sale of art works will be donated to Our House Families which provides tangible resources to families in crisis. Passion's owner loves having the artwork in the restaurant and is passionate about supporting community organizations. My artwork is there with that of three other artists. If you can, come enjoy a fabulous meal at this trendy restaurant and see the art!! The event continues until December 31 of this year.

B&W Hare and Bridge

2011-07-05T09:35:00.004-04:00

Printed in just black and white on white BFK Rives paper!

The Hare and the Bridge

2011-07-03T21:59:00.004-04:00

I wanted to try something a little different with the linocut other than just print it in black and white so I decided to try printing it on gray paper with two colors and white chine color paper. I do like the soft look that the white paper has given the print. Now it's sitting under some books to see if it will go flat!

More 3 Way Rabbits!

2011-06-28T21:23:00.010-04:00

I've been cutting away the linoleum on my first rabbit piece, adding a bridge in the background. Here's my plate so far, inked up. Sometimes the plate is more interesting than the print itself! But still I don't think it's quite finished so perhaps I'll add some finer details or try adding some chine colle when I make the print........what to do!

Pink Lotus

2011-06-24T21:26:00.003-04:00

I went to our local botanical gardens the other days with some friends and my camera and we found that the Japanese garden was full of beautiful pink lotus flowers. So luminous in the sun! It was a pleasure to find such photogenic models!

More rabbits!

2011-06-21T10:59:00.004-04:00

Hey, who's eating my flowers??

3-Way Rabbits or Rabbits 3 Ways!

2011-06-16T16:37:00.006-04:00

I've always liked rabbits. Who doesn't? (unless you're a gardener!) I've decided to do three works with rabbits, each a different method. I'm starting with this black and white linocut and see where it goes. It's my serious, resting rabbit! I've started with a simple drawing as a guideline and still have some thinking to do before committing to a background. I couldn't wait to get started so here I've made a few cuts with my linoleum tool.

Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart

2011-06-09T22:00:00.014-04:00

Yesterday I went to the library to find information on one thing and then came home with something else, which happens so often! This little book really caught my attention. First the title is fun and then the subject matter is fascinating. On the back of the book it says "BEWARE! The sordid lives of plants behaving badly." :-) I'm learning some odd and scarey things about plants! Like the plant in the photo called the Stinging Tree, the most feared tree in Australia! The author says the tree sheds its fine hairs constantly and passersby run the risk of inhaling them and getting them in their eyes. She says brushing up against the tree can result in unbearable pain that can last up to a year. Whoa!

Of course this book also got my attention because of the many etchings and drawings done to illustrate the text. If you like scandals and want to be amused and enlightened, check out this cool book!

Box Turtle

2011-06-06T13:53:00.018-04:00

Yesterday evening I saw this box turtle in my yard and hoped not to disturb her with my close camera shot. (I think she would make a nice etching.) Since she was digging a hole, I assumed that she was considering it a good spot to lay eggs. Surviving in that location is debatable! Ducks, turtles....I am busy thinking about saving eggs these days!

A turtle sculpture at a local garden center. It must be at least 2' x 3'!

Sketching Hares and Rabbits!

2011-05-31T10:33:00.007-04:00

Where can we build that nest??

2011-05-23T23:30:00.005-04:00

These ducks have been waddling around my yard the past couple of weeks, most likely looking for that perfect spot to build a nest. Last year there was a nest with five eggs very close to my front door. The crows found the eggs just what they needed for a tasty dinner and the eggs were gone in three days. :-( I hope they're more successful this year. Really. It's a tough neighborhood!

Gerbera Daisies

2011-05-21T11:59:00.007-04:00

I love this time of year because it's time to plant flowers again and it's fun to try new things. This year I'm not adding many new plants but getting those that have worked the best in the past. One of my favorites is the Gerbera daisy so I thought I would add more of those since they have turned out to be perennials where I live. Perfect! Now if I'll just water them!
Happy Spring!

linocut 2009
2 1/2" x 3 3/4"

A Work In Progress

2011-05-15T23:05:00.011-04:00

More experimentation with my gouache paints.
A work in progress and one I'm not sure if I'll finish!

Picasso Exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

2011-05-14T20:56:00.003-04:00

Last Wednesday I went to Richmond, Virginia to deliver a painting to my sister and while I was there, I went to a special exhibit of Picasso's work at the VMFA. There are over 170 of his works in this exhibit from The Musee National Picasso in Paris! The works are those from his personal collection that were donated by his heirs to France, where a museum was opened in 1985. There are works from all phases of his artistic life, even some etchings! I enjoyed seeing his photographs of his studio and friends. The two pictures I'm showing here are my favorite paintings in the show. I saw a lot of paintings of women's heads - some very strange ones!
I loved reading the French titles of the works like "La Tete d'une Femme". :-)

Art Everywhere on Granby Street

2011-05-10T12:04:00.009-04:00

Not far from my studio a fairly new annual event takes place called "Art Everywhere" and it includes artists' exhibits in storefront windows, sometimes vacant and sometimes not. I walked with a friend along Granby Street to see what the artists came up with this year and particularly liked this one because I could relate to it. It seems that I'm always making lists! Someday I'll quit and see what happens!

Spring Rabbits

2011-05-04T21:24:00.004-04:00

Some people don't like to see the rabbits in the spring, probably because they get into their gardens! But I enjoy seeing them hop and scoot about the neighborhood. This is a photo of an old colored pencil drawing that I did years ago for a card that I gave someone and a photo of a new rabbit by my house. Chasing it through this lariope for a better photo wasn't working!

Run Away Birds!

2011-04-30T11:38:00.005-04:00

I was experimenting with soft ground etching and chine colle, creating this little etching. I love the effects you can get. There are some very pretty papers - I am so tempted to buy everything I see!! The one I used here for the chine colle background is a Japanese paper called "Chiri".
3" x 5"

21st Annual Mid-Atlantic Art Exhibition - my etchings!

2011-04-23T20:45:00.019-04:00

Last night was the opening reception for the d'Art Center's 21st annual Mid-Atlantic Art Exhibition in Norfolk, Virginia. The juror reviewed 311 artworks from 14 states to select 43 works by 22 artists. I was thrilled to be chosen and then to win an award - a little confidence boosting is always good for the artist! So here I am bragging but it's nice to be rewarded!
Award for Best Use of Medium :-)

What is it...#2

2011-04-20T12:02:00.006-04:00

Now I have taken it outdoors to photograph it in the sun.
(It has a hole in it and I can change it to make many patterns!)

Does it make sense?

What is it?

2011-04-19T21:25:00.006-04:00

Do you know what it is?

(no hints because I think you'll know!)

2011 Cherry Blossom Festival

2011-04-17T22:13:00.009-04:00

Two weekends ago I went to the Cherry Blossom Festival at Redwing Park in Virginia Beach and was happy to see that the trees were in full bloom! In 1992 the city began a sister relationship with Miyazaki, Japan and since then delegates from each country have been visiting each other's countries to promote friendship and learn from each other. Virginia Beach has a Japanese Garden at the park and is establishing a promenade of Yoshino Cherry Trees - it's looking great! Miyazaki is in the southern part of Japan and wasn't directly affected by the recent tsunami.

Waiting

2011-04-15T12:41:00.004-04:00

Maybe she is a little strange but she has had an interesting life! Linocuts can be fun because you can experiment with other colors and papers. Here she is printed black on white Arches paper and then printed white on brown Canson paper so that you can see a different look.

Road Blocks

2011-04-13T12:38:00.004-04:00

Can you imagine seeing these at road construction sites? I'm not sure they could keep order at a construction site. Even dangerous for them!

I painted them a few years ago for a children's vacation Bible school class. It's funny that I don't have a picture in color of them. Oh, well. I had a little picture to go by so they are not my design but they always cheer me up!

Bongos #2

2011-04-05T22:13:00.006-04:00

New ingredients have been added but it isn't finished!

I have more work to do on the background and the bongos, especially the tufts of fur that run down their backs, only one thing that I love about painting them!

Building Demolition

2011-04-05T11:06:00.008-04:00

This week I am looking forward to the demolishment of this building, right next to my studio! The city of Norfolk is making way for a new addition to the library. It could be convenient to have the new library right next door but it will also be distracting for awhile - at least a year or two! A small building was demolished on the other side of our building a few years ago to make way for a new hotel but its building has been delayed because of the economy.

I hope ours isn't next!

I always wondered about this building since I walk by it almost everyday that I'm at my studio. The company, Hipage, still exists in Norfolk but this was their first headquarters building back when they started in 1927. They deal with shipped freight all over the world. Anyway, there will be a new library in its place before long, looking better, I believe!

Bongos

2011-04-04T11:12:00.005-04:00

My sister has been waiting patiently for a painting that I have promised her. She has several of my African animal prints but this time I thought I'd try a painting. Since I've been working with gouache lately, I wanted to try another but something bigger. I love the colors you can get with gouache but they are a challenge to blend and they dry so quickly that it's easy to waste paint! I'm seriously hoping for a good final result this week! Then it's back to printmaking!

16" x 20"

Butterfly Tree

2011-03-29T11:13:00.003-04:00

Could a fish sprout a tree of butterflies?

A linocut I made a few years ago thinking anything could happen!

The St. Louis butterflies made me think of this print.

Wings in the City of St. Louis

2011-03-29T10:39:00.002-04:00

Fiberglass butterflies in the city of St. Louis! There are 54 of them and they are spread throughout the city. To me, they look like lollipops and remind me of all of the mermaid sculptures we have in Norfolk. I guess it isn't unusual for a city to have a theme for some of their outdoor sculptures but I am especially fond of butterflies!

The Cathedral Basilica - inside!

2011-03-26T11:19:00.005-04:00

I have to show at least one picture that shows more of the inside of the cathedral. The outside is interesting but the inside - all of the details and artwork! I'd love to hear the pipe organ but no one was playing that day. :-(

Mosaic in The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis

2011-03-23T11:58:00.008-04:00

Here's one of the beautiful mosaics in the basilica. There's 83,000 square feet of mosaic art there and it is everywhere! There are 41,500,000 pieces of tesserae in more than 8,000 shades of color in this cathedral. It's so inspiring!!

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis

2011-03-23T11:42:00.003-04:00

We were surprised to find this cathedral in St. Louis!! I don't believe that there are many in the U.S. so to see this was so exciting. It was constructed between 1907 and 1914. The outside is Romanesque but the inside Byzantine. The dome and roofs are covered in brilliant green tiles which, unfortunately, I hardly noticed because the morning of our visit was too dreary!

Sculpture - Washington University

2011-03-21T14:27:00.003-04:00

Hmm....

2011 Southern Graphics Council Print Conference - St Louis, MO

2011-03-21T12:57:00.005-04:00

There was so much art showing in so many locations at the conference that I attended last week that I couldn't possibly see or find all of it! Here is a photo of some prints hanging in the hallway of Washington University's art department near the art demonstrations. I think they are mostly lithographs and screen prints.

St. Louis, Missouri

2011-03-21T12:23:00.008-04:00

While I was in St. Louis, I couldn't miss seeing the famous Gateway Arch, our nation's tallest man-made monument! It's 630' tall and was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the U.S. and to help revitalize the Mississippi River waterfront in St. Louis. There's a tram ride ride to the top to see the view from little windows on the underside but the tickets were all sold out. Maybe that's good because one of our friends said that it's like sitting in a washing machine, a little claustrophobic and jostling. Hmm.... Oh well, maybe next time. Maybe! Or maybe that's changed from the time it was built in 1965.

Pansies

2011-03-15T23:44:00.008-04:00

I read that the word pansy comes from the french word pensee for thought. I didn't know that but I guess they believed that the flowers look somewhat like human faces "in thought" when in certain positions. To me, they look friendly and I love to see them this time of year. Some of their centers look like butterflies!

Ornamental Kale

2011-03-07T16:27:00.004-05:00

This ornamental kale looks so interesting to me - ready for someone to paint it! They are like cabbages without heads ( yikes!) but rather have leaves in tight rosettes. They immigrated here from Japan in 1929 when our US Department of Agriculture sent someone there to search for new plants. I guess the government thought we were somehow lacking!

Snow Watercolor

2011-02-26T19:39:00.006-05:00

I love this little watercolor that my aunt painted. I think she really captured the feeling of a sunny day in the snow with the shadows and the people with their dogs, enjoying a walk. I can imagine being in this scene. And I love the trees!

3 1/2" x 4 1/2"

There can be much to like in a small work of art!

Fishy Penguin #1

2011-02-21T11:36:00.006-05:00

I make little linoleum cut prints to put on the wall right outside my studio door. I cut them, ink them and then use my etching press to print them. Here I've cut out the whites and inked the linoleum with the first color. I love how you can really see the embossing in the white areas!

Fishy Penguin #2

2011-02-21T11:32:00.005-05:00

I cut out all of the areas that I want to remain the first color and then inked the linoleum with the second color. Then I printed it over the first color. This is called a reduction print because you are removing more linoleum from the same piece as you add more colors.

Fishy Penguin #3

2011-02-21T11:29:00.005-05:00

OOPS!

I printed this one upside down although sometimes they are more interesting than the original!

Fishy Penguin #4

2011-02-21T11:25:00.004-05:00

Now it's right!

Fishy Penguin #5

2011-02-21T11:18:00.006-05:00

THE END!

As always, I want to add more colors! But I'm stopping here!

2 1/2" x 3 3/4"

Da Vinci's Printing Press

2011-02-16T23:17:00.007-05:00

This computer graphic drawing is the result of a translation of one of Leonardo Da Vinci's technical machine drawings. It's beautiful (I want one!) but it isn't known if any of the machines were actually constructed. Of course this printing press fascinates me since I use a press to make most of my prints. Here, the press was slowly lowered by the worm screw and printed the sheet of paper placed under the carriage. My press uses rollers to make a print.

You can see this and other drawings in the book "Leonardo's Machines" by Taddei, Zanon and Laurenza.

Butterfly Bench

2011-02-04T10:38:00.005-05:00

When I went to our zoo last week, I walked past this bench and started to dream of summer when the butterfly garden is in bloom and the butterflies are fluttering about. Now all is so quiet. Of course you can always sit here and wait! ..or rest...or better yet, sketch the tree on the other side of the path!

Polka Dotted Begonia

2011-02-03T21:28:00.006-05:00

I went to Norfolk Botanical Gardens today hoping to find some cacti in the greenhouse to draw but alas :-( there were none. I've always wanted to draw cacti. They are almost like sea creatures on land! But there were plenty of tropical plants there and they were growing, of course........unlike the rest of the garden! I especially love the variety of shapes and greens of plants' leaves. These begonia leaves have polka dots! I think they are actually silver but I like to think they are pink!

Sur la Mer

2011-01-30T16:57:00.002-05:00

It's a miniature etching that I did a few years ago when I liked fish! Well, I still like fish but I've been doing more birds lately. I'll have to add fish somewhere!

Colorful Crepes!

2011-01-23T21:27:00.004-05:00

A colorful crepe from a French restaurant in my city called The et Crepes. It could make a nice painting!

It made a good dessert!

Blue Vase

2011-01-13T13:02:00.005-05:00

This blue vase, a gift, fascinates me in the sunlight.

Like a planet, spinning and glowing.

Partridges or Quail!

2011-01-13T10:11:00.008-05:00

Some of the birds now have a living space!

A little busy but colorful!

"Gouache" is a french term (I am always learning new french words!) meaning opaque watercolor, where a white pigment is added to watercolors.......... making them more opaque, of course!

Gouache Birds

2011-01-09T22:20:00.007-05:00

Gouache birds! They started as real birds but then my imagination took over and they became my own! They aren't quite finished and they still need backgrounds.

I've enjoyed painting shapes with the gouache paint but it isn't quite like oils for blending and shading!

Potpourri

2011-01-09T20:30:00.003-05:00

There are so many interesting natural objects in this potpourri that I received as a gift. No doubt, nature is fascinating! And provides us with many ideas for art projects!

Screen Printed Birds #1

2010-12-25T21:47:00.006-05:00

I thought I would try a little screen printing on fabric so I chose to make a few hand towels for friends and family. The design is simple (time was running out!) but still, it took some time and patience. See my process! Here I'm cutting a stencil for the yellow bird, to be printed on the fabric first.

I think screen printing is the most fun of all of the printmaking processes!

Screen Printed Birds #2

2010-12-25T21:40:00.004-05:00

I attached my cut-out stencil (only the yellow bird was cut out) to the bottom of my screen and then I squeegeed the ink through the screen. It went through my stencil onto the fabric underneath.

Screen Printed Birds #3

2010-12-25T21:36:00.003-05:00

The screen is lifted and you can see I have finished adding the third and last color, pink!

Final Result!

2010-12-25T21:32:00.004-05:00

The screen print project is complete!