Moo Ha Ha

Boris,6x6 Oil on Canvas, Click to Bid

I ordered a skull off of eBay sooo.....

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces. If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Email Address 

Apple Blossoms

Apple Blossoms, 8x8, oil on canvas, Click to Bid

Silk apple blossoms in my heirloom creamer.  I'm currently exploring color palettes and mood.

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces. If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Email Address 

White Wine Vinegar

White Wine Vinegar, 8x8, Oil on Canvas, Click to Bid

This is a little different for me in that I've never done potatoes. I got a wild hair and basically dragged dinner down into my studio!

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces. If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Email Address 

A Quiet Evening

A Quiet Evening, 9x12, Oil on Canvas, Click to Buy

This is the result of all the pumpkin studies. My original intention was a 10x20 but after messing around with all the props, I settled on this quiet little composition.

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces. If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Email Address 

Autumn Colors

Autumn Colors, 8x8, Oil on Canvas, Click to Bid

Probably my last pumpkin study for now. It turns out I LOVE working with red, orange and yellow. Once again I added some red kinnickinnick berries just for grins. :)

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces. If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Email Address 

Good Night

Good Night, 6x12, Oil on Canvas, Click to Bid

This painting has a bit of texture to it which made photographing it quite challenging.  I found my self swabbing out speckles in photo shop but I did my best to get an image identical to the painting.

All that aside, I was trying to get a sleepy feel to this piece.  Quiet but not boring.

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces. If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Email Address 

Mini Pumpkins

Mini Pumpkins, 8x10, Oil on Canvas, SOLD

I'm not sure what's happening but lately, my images are uploading strangely.  They seem to look fine in DPW and FB but not on blogger.  FYI: The grapes are not so blue at these appear on my monitor.  

Also, possibly good news:  I have my eye on a photography light box so hopefully, I will be experimenting with that next week!  

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces. If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Email Address 

Grapes of Wrath

Grapes of Wrath, 8x8, Oil on Canvas, Click to Bid

I'm getting a light box.  That's all there is to it.  I've taken multiple images of multiple paintings to get acceptable images and I think this is the last straw.  

It's been one of those days. Dishwasher issues, photo issues, computer issues...

Otherwise, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I think I might start celebrating a little early. What time is it now?

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces. If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Email Address 

Covert

Covert, 8x8, Oil on Canvas, 

Another little painting capitalizing on chiaroscuro.  I'm finding that these highly textured paintings are really hard to photograph.  Does anyone have any advice for a photography novice?

Sweet Cream

Sweet Cream, 6x6, Oil on Canvas, Click to Bid

I have an idea for a painting.  Unfortunately, I have to order canvas because I dont have the right size for my idea, bummer.  That means I'm at least 2 weeks out.  However, that gives me plenty of time to do several little studies to hash out a doable palette and what not.

Jarred

Jarred, 8x8 Oil On Canvas, SOLD

I think this is the last of my pear studies. They were all done with a fairly atmospheric setting and neutral purply background/foreground for a Shakespearean feel...  kind of, sort of, maybe....

At any rate, I finished my gallery piece entitled, Encore - posted to my FB page Dec 9th.

So onward and forward to my next series of studies and exercises!

Painting Makeover #1

  

Old version from 2011

New Version 2014

Pansy Tea, 8x8, Oil On Canvas, SOLD

I found myself re-organizing my artwork because it was once again beginning to take over my house. In the process I found a short stack of old pieces that I liked but really didnt represent my style at this point.  So --  what to do, what to do....  Hmmmm.

I got a wild hair and decided, what the heck, if they're just going to sit in a closet I might as well try re working them and see what they would look like in the manner I paint today!  Kind of risky.  I could ruin them all together.

I couldnt remember my palette at the time so I had to experiment a little but once I got that figured out the rest was CAKE!  :)  And great fun!

So here is the first makeover.  I am seriously recommending this to any artist out there with a closet of oldie, moldy but goldies.  (Or am I the only one?)  Yes, there is risk involved.  It could go south.  But it might not.  And it is a terrific exercise in self critique and execution!

So, what are you waiting for??  :)

It's A Wrap

It's A Wrap, 6x6 Oil on Canvas, SOLD

I used Kinnikinnick berries to give this little pear study a holiday flavor.
Our power was out for a few days so I set this up by a window instead of using my light controlled shadow box.  There was so much ambient light in the house that it was side lit as well as back lit.  My artist friend Sharman Owings pointed out the confusing configurations of light/shadow that resulted so I repainted when the power was back on and this is the much better result!

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces. If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Email Address 

Pear 6 Ovation

Pear 6 Ovation, 6x6 Oil on Canvas  

I'm working on getting an 'old world' feel but I still want a little pop of color.

Cheers

Pear 5 Cheers, 8x8, Oil on Canvas, Click to see the auction on Daily Paintworks

This time on an 8x8.  I used a tarnished silver goblet for what I think is a Shakespearean flavor.  :)

Pear 4 Final Bow, 6x6, Oil on Canvas.  See auction page

Part deux.  This was done on a heavily textured canvas.  I almost always re-coat my canvas with oil ground but this was re-coated over a previous painting.  I think I prefer it and may work towards more texture when I re-coat with oil ground in the future.  I think it makes it a little more 'painterly'.  :)

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces! If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Subscribe to my mailing list

Email Address 

Pear 3 Encore

Pear 3 Encore, 6x6 Oil on canvas. SOLD

My little pear taking a bow.  :)

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces! If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Subscribe to my mailing list

Email Address 

The After Party

The After Party, 12x24, Oil on Canvas.  Currently at the Cole Gallery, Edmonds, WA.

Quiet but not silent, buzzing but not active.  A little ambiance and mystery.
I'm happy to say the gallery asked for this one (as well as the last post) so any interest in this painting  should be directed to the Cole Gallery in Edmonds, WA .

*****

My studies and sketches are now for sale along with my finished gallery pieces! If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Subscribe to my mailing list

Email Address 

Sketches are done quickly to catch a particular lighting, time of day, mood and so on.  Sketches are initialed and unframed.

Studies are done from sketches applying information learned from the sketches.  Studies are initialed and unframed.

Finished gallery pieces  take considerably more time and effort applying what I've learned from the sketches and studies to enhance a particular concept.   Finished pieces are signed and framed.

Jazz Band

10x20 Oil on Canvas, $715

Ahhhh...  I call this painting Jazz Band for a reason.  It's not about apples.  Yes they are apples and guess what?  They are from my small orchard out back.  BUT - this painting is not an apple painting.  NOPE.  It's about ambience.

Consider them players in a scene.  Or in this case members in a band.  Corny?  Maybe.  It's the way I approach a painting though.  So I get an idea...  then hash it around for a while.. using still life for subjects.  Then I twist my goose-neck lamp to pieces trying to cast the appropriate shadow for my idea.  Take a relatively crappy photo of it - just in case the apples ripen and leaves dry out before the painting is done - which in this case happened. And get to work injecting whatever atmosphere is necessary to convey what's in my head.  Viola!

You see apples, I see big, ole, jazz band musicians on a dusky stage, thanking the crowd- they've been a great audience.

People used to say to me, "what's it like in your world Lori?'  Now you know.  :)

I really like this painting.  I consider it wildly successful.

*****

In the next week or so my studies and sketches will also be for sale along with my finished gallery pieces! If you would like to be among the first to see what's up for grabs from my studio, join my list here:

Subscribe to my mailing list

Email Address

Sketches are done quickly to catch a particular lighting, time of day, mood and so on.  Sketches are initialed and unframed.

Studies are done from sketches applying information learned from the sketches.  Studies are initialed and unframed.

Finished gallery pieces  take considerably more time and effort applying what I've learned from the sketches and studies to enhance a particular concept.   Finished pieces are signed and framed.

On Deck

On Deck, 12x12, oil on canvas. SOLD

Another little T-Ball painting. 

The Line Up

The Line Up, 12x24, oil on canvas.

This painting took a little longer than I expected.  My idea was to do a painting of these little T-Ballers with all their funny little gestures.  That's what I focused on and that's what I had but it just didnt feel right.

I added a faint, greyed green in the background as I was advised by other painters but it then became a landscape and that was NOT what I wanted.  The green PUT them on a playing field.  It was far to telling for my original idea so I painted it back out.

In the end, what I found was clear and obvious.  I dont know why any of us didnt pick it up sooner.  The original foreground was primarily Transparent Oxide Red with a bit of yellow.  It was competing with the uniforms terribly.  Once I realize what was happening, it was an easy fix.

I actually keep a check list in my studio that I got from an instructor several years ago.  I rarely refer to it anymore but that may change now.  Check for competing colors is on that list.

I bring this up for any painter who may be reading this.  Maybe it's only me, but after all these years, some of the basic issues still creep up and cause a little grief.   The good news is, I'm getting better at catching them.. eventually.  :)

Not titled, 12x9, oil on canvas.

I did this from an old black and white photograph of myself I found in a dusty old album under the basement stairway.  I photoshopped the heck out of it to increase values where it was really muddled.  What a crazy program that is.  It was incredible that it was able to find any information at all on the scratchy scanned photo.

Not titled, 12x9, oil on canvas.

And here we are again getting all loose and crazy.  To be honest, I'm having a ball!  I wonder where this is going to end up?

No title, 12x12, oil on canvas.

This is a remake of one I did SEVERAL years ago.  Here they are side by side:

If my photography was better, you'd be able to see the slightly lighter greens in the foreground of the painting on the right.  That said, it's mostly dark.  So, remakes are fun.

No title yet, 12x9, Oil in Canvas.

So I'm exploring something here.  I may be a little premature in posting this online for the whole world to see but maybe it's best to have a 'base line'.  That way progress can be tracked.

Lily Waltz, 18x18, oil on canvas.

I did this one earlier this spring.  I really like the dancy feel of it.  REALLY having fun with loose, lost edges.

A lesson in composition

River Dance, 12x12, oil on canvas.

After reading Ian Roberts book Mastering Composition for the second time I was excited to dive into another landscape.  He encourages a composition a day discipline which, for me, lasted two whole days.  

The act of creating numerous tiny sketches to find the best composition feels tedious and, I'll admit, boring at times.  But it's probably a really good idea. 

So, I wrestled with this painting and repainted several times until I finally called it quits.  It is what it is.  Time to move along.  

Serendipity

Serendipity, 16x20, oil on canvas.

Tonight is the Anniversary Show at the Cole Gallery and I was fortunate enough to have two pieces juried in.  

This piece was inspired by the flurry of hummingbirds around my feeder all last summer.  I ended up planting a row of a variety of honeysuckles as well as a butterfly bush last fall to see if I could attract even more of the little guys this spring/summer.  Time will tell. 

Dad

8x8, oil on canvas.

This is the last 8x8 canvas in my studio.  I'm expecting an order to arrive next week but then I'll have to re-ground and let them dry another week before I can proceed.  I'm already in portrait withdrawals. 

A Few Years Prior

8x8, oil on canvas.

So this is mom only a few (maybe 10?) years prior to the reference used for last painting. 
Aahh well, if I do more paintings of her at this stage maybe I can erase the images in my mind of her last moments.  But enough about that. 

I am hooked on portraits!  Having said that, I have a landscape on my easel now that I'm having fun with but I secretly want to get back to portraits.  I have a few ideas burning in the back of what's left of my mind that I really cant wait to try.  While I'm happy with the progression of these paintings I think they lack the seriousness and drama of, say, Rembrandts portraits.  Might as well aim high, right?

Dazed & Confused

8x8, oil on canvas

Some paintings are harder than others for different reasons.  This one pulled my grief chain a little.  I lost mom to Alzheimer's in 2012 but fortunately I had taken a short video clip of her just before she died.  A video can give several frames of different expressions for reference.  Sadly, she didn't give me very many expressions by that time.  I highly recommend taking videos and pictures of your loved ones before it's too late.

Up

8x8, oil on canvas

Painted, re-painted, photo'd, re-photo'd.  Sometimes a photo tells you as much as looking in a mirror but the mirror is much less of a hassle.  Still, this photo makes the whole painting look funky and, well, you'll just have to take my word for it that it just didn't photo well and I'm just not wanting to learn all the ins and outs of photography and Photoshop.  I like the painting a lot more than this image of it.  Ahh well, someday maybe I'll take the time to learn the idiosyncrasies of my camera.

I DID say I liked this painting but the truth is that in the reference picture it appears his head is tilted even more so upward.  I'm clearly a beginner at this but I'm hopeful I will see progress later on this year.  Onward and forward.  There are a lot of heads out there that need to be painted.

Seriously?

8x8, oil on canvas.

This is my 4th portrait.  My third one is going back on the easel today. This one, like the others, was cut from a photo with a lot of other information in it.  By the time it was cropped and enlarged it became somewhat fuzzy so I photoshopped it with the palette knife filter which helped to turn the subtle into definite plane changes.  With all that it was still challenging for me!

I am having so much fun that I'm going to start carrying my camera around so I can start collecting candid shots for painting!

It's All Good

Dustin, 8x8, oil on Canvas.

Two down.  I'm not sure I got the expression as I saw it but I was happy that his four year old son recognized him in the painting. 

A Brush With Portraits

Blake, 8x8, oil on canvas.
Thanksgiving, 2013.   This is Blake as I know him.  Lighthearted, compassionate and at times a little goofy. 

I have a curious need to paint portraits now.  I'm not sure where that is coming from but it's not going away so I'm going for it.  Bear with me while I get my bearings on this difficult new genre. 

I guess it's similar to painting still life in that you paint what you see but I'm finding it does help to know a little bit about anatomy - which I don't - but I'm discovering as I go along.  For instance, why doesn't the mouth look right??  Because of subtle plane changes around the muzzle that I didn't consider.  Kind of makes a difference.  Especially if the plane is going in the wrong direction.  Yikes. 

And of course I didn't start with a standard, out of the box, straight forward pose.  This pose defies some of the standard proportions I've read about so I did a little eyeballing.  Speaking of which, (the eyeballs) are a little larger than life but kind of helps the overall expression, don't you think?

Breakthrough

Breakthrough, 12x12, oil on canvas.

New year,  new challenges.  Every year my husband and I put together a list goals for the upcoming year.  Resolutions?  Not really.  Just putting something in the cross hairs so we don't fly aimlessly through the year.  A path but certainly not a concrete path.   A little direction I suppose. 

 My challenges for this year strangely resemble last years challenges to the effect of: time in the studio, blog posts..  blah, blah, blah. This year I added a few cheat notes that I read on the  Oil Painters of America Blog .  Here is a list from that post (Technically, this is a subcategory of "The First of Three Elements of One Artist Goal Plan".  Also, I hope I'm not infringing any copyrights by listing them here)  Please see the link above for expanded info and full blog post.  It's quite interesting.

1. Get better
2. Painting from life and on location
3. Seeing better as an artist
4. Continue developing a critical eye
5. Expanding my boundaries.

As far listing these as goals, "get better" and "Seeing better as an artist" is a little vague for me.  How do I put a check mark by that?  Also #4 is a little weak in my opinion.   I think I need something less abstract.  Something I can measure without question.  Something like, "enter a show".  That's something I can do - or not do.  And by Dec 31st of 2014 I can either put a check mark by it or not.

Vague or not it provided me with some sound, encouraging direction for my 2014 painting year.  And he (Roger Dale Brown, OPA) provides us with a little insight as to what each subcategory looks like.

I particularly like the quote he added with which coincides nicely with my yearly goal of time management.  I pasted it below:

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
- Calvin Coolidge 

So, persistence will be a subcategory for my 2014 goal plan under "time in the studio".  In fact, I may just print off a copy of this quote and put it next to my easel. 

Good Fortune

Good Fortune, 12x12, oil on canvas.

 

A recent interest in birds led me to incorporate them into my paintings.  Still, my focus is conceptual and more than pretty paintings my objective is to interpret a current emotion or frame of mind through painting. 

 

Feelings are abstract by and large.  Your interpretation of 'Good Fortune' may be a high key, light blue image. Mine remains a little darker still.  And simple.  What is a good fortune to you and to me may differ wildly. 

 

I just finished the book The Cure For The Common Life by Max Lucado which started some soul searching for my own 'sweet spot' as he puts it.  So far, I've discovered that I am, by nature, a deep thinker.  I like to research and test theories.

 

Enough said on that subject except that it is what drives my spin on artwork. 

 

I may have mentioned in an earlier post that a high school art teacher once said, anyone can draw a picture, it takes a REAL artist to put emotion into it.  Hmmm.   Real artist or not, I stand for hours daily, in front of an easel, imagining how to say what I feel with paint.

Midnight Eerie

Midnight Eerie, 12x9, oil on canvas.

Better late than never, I guess.  A spooky little painting better suited for October than early winter.  Still, it's sitting over my TV and I like looking at it.

So this pumpkin is what is left form my pumpkin patch.  My favorite pumpkins, Snack Jacks, have hull-less (or naked) seeds.  They are getting increasingly hard to get ahold of and I'm wondering if the day will come when I'll have to start shelling seeds again... bummer. 

Nostalgic Interlude

Nostalgic Interlude, 24x36, oil on canvas. 

Another edited version of an old slide.  Those who would know who these people are have all passed away.  However, my mothers childhood friend guessed they may be my great grandparents.  Who knows?  But the connection between the couple was simply adoring to me.  And the fact that someone caught it on camera was a gift!

It turns out that this one needs a little more editing.  The purple is a bit too strong.  I've been given some good advice on how to approach it but I have 2 events to paint for right now so my easel is booked until February!  This one will have to sit for a while. 

Nostalgic Epitaph

Nostalgic Epitaph, 14x18, oil on canvas.

Honestly, I think this is one of my favorite paintings. Sometimes I look at it and wonder who painted it.  I'm the red head running.  The others are my sister and brother.  It's a collaboration of two different slides that I found in my parents collection. 

 

I found myself feeling a little nostalgic while attempting to transfer slides to my computer.   Much of this painting had to be invented due to poor quality reference but I was really happy with the result. 

Morning Sun

Morning Sun, 8x6, oil on canvas.

It appears my husband is a cow collector.  He buys a few.  They have babies.  He decides to dump the 'herd'.  Then, as they are trailering down the road, he is already on craigslist making yet another transaction deal for more cows. 

Our newest cows were show cows and were BEAUTIFUL.  As far as cows go.  Sadly, and for the first time on our farm, we lost both babies before the cows even started to show (for the record, cows always look pregnant to me).  So we brought in a bull for round 2.  Bingo!  Last spring we had a set of twins and a single.  But sad to say, all heifers.  Bummer for us because we needed a steer for the freezer.  We did a little bovine trading and now have a handsome bull. 

The painting above is one of the heifers from last summer.  She took a good picture so I couldn't resist the opportunity to paint her. 

Sparkle

Sparkle, 6x6, oil on canvas.

 

The third and final in my baby bird grouping.  I think they are barn swallows.  The kind that used to give me grief by building mud nests under my eaves. 

 

And Viola!  Fini!  Framed, hung in a little cutie grouping for all who use my powder room to see!

 

 



 

 

 

Sunshine

Sunshine, 6x6, oil on canvas.

Late last summer I found 3 baby birds hopping back and forth along my fence line outside my kitchen window.  Fortunately, I had the forethought to grab my point and shoot camera and start clicking away.  Unfortunately, pictures taken through a window and at a distance make for shakey reference material. It is what it is.  I took a few artistic liberties, framed them lightly and hung them as a grouping.  So sweet!

A side note:  It turns out that reference material is just that... reference.  One does what one will.  That is to say, some may copy inch for inch, others refer to and take many liberties.  I prefer the later when using a photo.  In fact, I extend the "liberties" liberally when painting from life as well.  It is, after all, a painting that I'm making - not a photo!

My reference photos, cropped, enlarged and on an 8x10:

Morning Glory

Morning Glory, 6x6, oil on canvas.

I'm seeing a trend in my posting.  I post a few times, fall away, then start posting again.  Regardless of my posting frequencies, I continue to paint away. 

That said, my normal painting schedule was interrupted for the month of October as I dipped my toes into the pool of teaching.  I was fortunate for the opportunity to take on 2 very enthusiastic students.  It was as enlightening to me as I hope it was to them.  Teaching, it seams, re-enforces the lessons back onto the teacher. 

It was intended to be a "workshop" style experience but we added several extra classes just for grins consuming most of October. It was a good experience, to say the least.  But now it's over.

Now it's time to get back to some serious painting - and posting - again.  I have several events I want to paint for and so many ideas floating around in my head I can hardly wait to get back into the game full time!

Summer Gala, 8x8 oil on canvas.

Some scary news yesterday.  My horse was noticeably "ouchy" when he walked in from the fields for dinner.  Usually, it's a race between horse and goats (who always get a head start).    But this was more than ouchy and I suspected it was his shoulders or hips because he's 30 years old after all and has had a hard time balancing for the shoer for some time now.  So we called Doc C out.  Nope.  It was in fact, founder.  We knew it was a distinct possibility but expected it more during the spring, not late summer.  The unusually wet weather made it possible according to the vet. 

Spring of 2012 we began to turn him out 24-7 as opposed to locking him up in the paddock at night.  Doc said in light of his age, dramatic weight loss from the hard winter and dental condition what he needed was grass.  Not hay.  Regardless of the threat of founder.  So doc did some dental work on what was left of his teeth, we put him on rice bran morning and night along with his vitamins and turned him out to graze the rest of the 24 hours.  He looked fabulous by the end of that summer.

The rice bran and grass helped him hold his weight all winter and I was always impressed to see him running in with the goats for dinner.  He had a beautiful coppery coat and silky flaxen mane.  He's an Arabian.  Need I say more? 

This spring he even shed his coat for the first time in several years.  Wish I had known about rice bran earlier.  However, we had some fluxuating weather this late summer which caused the grass to grow hot and sugary.  Also, says doc, the days are starting to shorten and apparently that affects the pituitary gland.  That's about all I know about that.  There was also some mention of cushings disease.

My beautiful, trusty friend who taught me to ride and face my fears is now on bute and some other liquid that goes under his tongue.  10 days is the magic number. 

Doc says if we cant get the inflammation and pain down in 10 days then we have to consider his options.  There aren't to many for an old gelding.  He's already out to pasture.   

Summer Song

Summer Song, 8x8 oil on canvas.  www.studio54gallery.com

Ahhh, the fleeting days of summer.  Here in the PNW we have been experiencing a few previews of fall.  A little misty, a few short showers, a hazy day.  Currently, as I look out my window, I see a spot of cerulean blue surrounded by wispy strokes of warm grey with dabs of lemon yellow atop.  It's all good.  Change is good.  I probably wouldn't appreciate summer so much if it were here all the time.

I promised myself I would get a portfolio of landscape photos this summer so I would have much to keep me busy this winter in the event I wanted to branch out from my still life.  Unless I get out soon my photos will be lack luster in that they will be lacking luster.  No sunshine, no strong lights against deep shadows.  No heat.  Oh well, I did go to Jackson, WY this summer and got plenty of photos there.  I also got a little plein air in this summer and so have some studies to work with.  All that is in the event I migrate to landscape. 

I have migrated somewhat but not to landscape.  I took a workshop with Michael Maczuga on portraits.  Whatever possessed me to do that???  I can only say that I am mesmerized by his work and wanted to get inside his head if at all possible and see how it ticks in there.  Following the workshop I immediately ordered the Asaro Head and went to work.  So far, I am not a portrait artist.  :(    But I haven't given up.  I did, however, learn a bit from Mr. Maczuga and how he thinks.  One has to be tuned in to pick up subtle clues about the inner workings of others.  It's the inner workings that translate to the canvas, right?  We paint our character - so to speak. 

Okay, enough about that.  With the exit of summer comes the re-entry of Routine, my long time friend.  Routine and I go way back.  We indulge in each other and melt into the studio while the leaves drop and the wind blows.  Just me and Routine.  We have long winters here in the PNW but they are survivable by and large. 

Perhaps I'll squeeze in a trip to Arizona again.  :)