Too nice not to paint

Spring is finally arriving, the birds are singing and the trees are beginning to bud.  Yesterday I invited a couple of friends over for an afternoon of painting and an evening of eating.  Both of these wonderful women have traveled here from India to further their education.  Bushra just received her doctorate in civil engineering and Udita is putting the final touches on the thesis she will present this week and prepare to receive her Master's Degree in Ecology.  We decided together to take time from the busyness of our lives and get together and paint.

This painting was started on location last spring in Mack Park in Smithfield, UT.  I'd never painted on watercolor board before and found it to be challenging yet fun.  Just as Bushra and Udita will be moving on back to India, this water is moving on.

De-cluttering My Life

This winter has been mild in the Cache Valley.  Very little snow yet I am tired of it.  Maybe it's been the extraordinary amount of winter days of bad air brought on by the inversion due to lack of snow or maybe it's just that I've been in the house for what seems like years rather than months but I am ready for warmer weather.

One project I have been working on is de-cluttering my life starting with getting rid of my huge book collection with the exception, of course, of my art books and my vegan cookbooks.  Those will remain at least for awhile.

It's embarrassing to admit but between Bob and me we have 47' of bookcases filled to the ceiling PLUS about 20 or more boxes of books.  These books have brought each of us many hours and weeks of pleasure.  One of the things we are doing as we plan for our future is take stock of where we want to live and what we would like our lives to be filled with.

Our time here in Utah has been good.  Actually it has been more than good.  We've especially loved being able to be near our son Mark and family.  There is nothing quite like the excitement that grandchildren exude when grandparents arrive.  We realize though that our children have their own lives and as they get older their calendars get more full.  It is time that we branch out and find new ways to live ours.

So the defining of what our future will bring begins now.  Whatever or wherever we live we know that we want to travel with less on our backs and in our homes.  So the cleaning out begins.

Winter lingers on

I spoke too soon when I thought spring had arrived in the Cache Valley.  It seems winter was hiding only to pop out once again.  Our winter days are usually sunny but there are times that everything in monochromatic.  There is a beauty in winter. I just don't want it too last too long.

This valley is filled with farms with wonderful barns.  This is just one of the many here in the Cache Valley.

"Winter Lingers On"

8x10 oil on board

Signs of Spring

We are beginning to see signs of spring here in the Cache Valley.  Down in town crocus and daffodils are blooming and birds are signing.  I love the sounds of nature except the pheasant that squawks outside my bedroom window.  He can get a big obnoxious.  I'm eager for the weather to get a bit warmer so I can do more painting outside.  A few little trips now and then are all I do until the weather warms up.   I have to admit I'm a fair weather painter.

The painting Side Street was begun outside but finished in my studio.

"Side Street"

8x10 oil on board

"Signs of Spring" is totally from my memory with a little imagination thrown in.

"Signs of Spring"

11x14 oil on panel

Not giving up

Mid December I blogged about "Starting a Painting and Ruining it in One Day."  I had begun a painting of a fish market at Pikes Market in Seattle.  Nothing felt right about it so I gave up on it but fortunately didn't throw it away.  This morning I was straightening up my art studio and I came across it.  I thought all is already ruined so why not just have fun with it.  Some times my best paintings have been the result of not giving up and just going for it.  Here it is.

"Fish Market"

11x14 oil on panel

Alan - Portrait of little boy

"Alan"

11x14 oil on panel

I've opened up Alan's eyes at the request of his mom and did a few more touchups.  In a few days I'll go over the painting with a medium that will deepen and bring out the colors especially the darks and then later put a light varnish on it.  (The lighting in my studio has lightened and flattened out some of the color.) I am really enjoying doing commissioned portraits.  They can be challenging but my heart sings when I get positive feedback.  My "friends" price for an 11x14 framed oil portrait is $395.  Let me know if you are interested.

Portrait of little boy

I implied earlier that I was only beginning the portrait painting today.  Actually I started this the other day as I couldn't wait to get going on it.   If you have been reading my previous posts, you'll know that there are probably many small and possibly changes to comes but here is what I have so far.  It feels so good to be back in my studio again.