Winter in April and New artwork

Each day of every month living in Modoc for over 30 years is different. We had spring to summer for awhile and now that it is April we are having winter.  It snowed a couple of inches here yesterday and was melted before nightfall. Its been kind of a nice break from digging up weeds and grass in the garden. I have finished a couple Acrylic paintings on  slabs of a rock called chicken tracks. At least, that is what my father called it. Every rock hound seems to have a different name for the same rock. It is a porous rock making it difficult to paint on. The rock has upraised forms on top of it that look like the toes of a chicken but they are lost when the rock is cut into slabs. The two pictured have antelope on them. We do seem to have a few antelope stay around thru the winter but the larger herds should be here now and I can hardly wait to go out with my camera to try for some good shots for painting. Speaking of chicken tracks, I'm posting a photo of some of our chickens. It is so hard to get a good photo of them. They are so busy being little rototillers and eating bugs that I have to make all kinds of silly noises to get them to look up. So, this photo is as good as it gets for now. A photo of Orion was taken yesterday late afternoon after the snow melted. He is such a sweet guy. We used to have lots of lamas but since we have retired  we are down to just three.  Pictured also is two older rock slabs with Native American pottery and a mare and colt portrait. Note: the mare and colt are painted on Halite which is used for making jewelry as well as the other rock slabs but it is interesting that is often dyed to imitate turquoise.

 My next project is going to be a regular painting either in acrylic or oil and going thru photos to make a decision is difficult. A full size painting for me is a challenge. I think my last painting was in 1996. Doll making is still on hold but they keep picking away at me. My polymer clay is vacuum sealed so it will stay good awhile.

Note: both rocks with antelope and are approximately 4"x 6" Mare and colt on Halite is 4"x5"
The Pottery is painted on Rhyolite (picture rock) approximately 4"x5" painted 1983

Woke up to snow this morning. Not very much but better than nothing. Now that our apricot trees are bloomed out it has froze twice which usually happens every year anyway. This last week I have still been enjoying my Prismacolor pencils. I ordered Prismacolor verithin color pencils for details and Prismacolor stix for coloring in backgrounds. Hopefully some of the artworks will be nice enough to matt and frame which I really hate getting into. Most of the inexpensive frames are plastic or some kind of foam and the ready made matts don't come in enough variety of colors. Back to Dick Blick, they do provide the right stuff but getting all the goodies to do it right is expensive so it will have to wait awhile. If I would just quit buying art supplies I could save. Ha!  Mean while there is enough to do. With the days getting warmer there is all that grass and weeds taking over. Then there is the garden which I plan on doing very little but maintaining what is doing well and that's to much. I'm posting some more photos of color pencil work and more older painting on gemstone. Hope your next week is great! 

 March 23, 2015 snow on warner mountains.

 Mouse in color pencils.5"x7"

 Evan, our grandson in color pencil and watercolor. Approximately 8"x10"

 Quail on mahogany obsidian. 4"x6"
Painted with acrylic on rock slab. 6"x9"

Mixed media: watercolor and color pencil. 9"x12"

Artwork Posting Continues!

I'm back. Can't post all the pictures as needed. Our internet is so slow that I'm going to try again. Hopefully I can post a mixed media of our Granddaughter Krista, another unfinished color pencil and some more acrylic on gemstones. Thanks!

Krista, our Granddaughter, mixed media 9x12"

Prisma Colored pencil portrait in process, 9x12" Kona Classic toned artist paper.

Canadian Geese 4"x 6" on Rainbow Obsidian, mined above Davis Creek Ca. "older commission" Gemstone quality.

This piece has a backdrop of Eagle Peak with refuge scene.

 Approximately 9x4 1/2" painted on pink onyx. One of my favorite gemstones! "Sold at Art Show'

Prisma C.P. used on Kona Classic Paper. She has mule deer eyes along with mini antlers. 8x10"

Foxy on kona Classic, 8x10 inches, Prisma C.P.

Gypsy's Portrait on Obsidian and Color Pencil Portraits

We have had no winter except for freezing nights and now an early spring. I'm trying very hard to stay away from the new seed catalogs. They have sent another set just to torture me. I think I will be spending enough time just keeping everything wet. If the well doesn't go dry.  For right now the apricot trees are blooming and new green leaves are beginning to get thicker as each day goes by.

My clay is still waiting to be manipulated into dolls but colored pencils will not leave me alone. The days are not long enough. I sit down to do some sketching and look up at the clock and 4 hours have gone by. I will post some artwork using Prisma color pencils. The tan paper is Kona Classic, acid free and recycled it takes the color pencils very well. I have really enjoyed it. My daughter told me about it so I made another order to Dick Blick for different sizes as well as some more color pencils.  A couple of the colored pencil studies will need more work but thought I would post them anyway. I do like the challenge as well as watercolors. I am also hoping that the flat work will help with my sculptures. I will soon find out.

One of the photos enclosed is of my friend Betsy's horse. She and her family have many horses, goats, cattle and now and then a pig or two or three or four. The ranch is huge and beautiful. The photo was from a second batch. The light was not right the first day and I went back a month or so later and took several photos with better light. ( Good light is everything). Her little horse has gypsy bloodlines mixed with  Shetland and whatever else, I don't know but she is pretty and a sweetie. This is just a head shot painted in acrylics on mahogany obsidian and coated 2 times with envirotex.

 Wow! a big fat droopy fly just went by in front of my face. Now I suppose that means early summer! Ha!   Well until next time Best Wishes!

Not Dead Yet

Well I stayed away from blogging along time. So no, I am not dead yet. I've spent a great amount of time away from any artwork, well, for thing I spent all my time gardening and keeping everything wet. Then there was the canning and dehydrating. As November approached I started going thru my old art books and supplies. Books that I love like; Robert Bateman, Guy Coheleach, Maynard Reece, Charlie Russell, Fredrick Remington, James Gurney, James Christensen, John Howe and Scott Gustafson. The list goes on; Arthur Rackham, Richard Doyle, Warwick Goble and more. The top of the list of fantasy is Brian, Wendy and Toby Froud. I have always loved their work and
I will never be able to express the experience of the doll making class I took in 2008 and was fortunate to meet the Froud family and get all my books a signed and some for my daughter.  The essence of fairies and creatures spreads all about them like your favorite perfume. There is no way to describe it. The feeling still clings to me like; yes there really is fairies slipping in and about in a far sideway glance or just right in front of you, making you take another look.

 So, then it was on to my supplies; watercolor, pastels, acrylics, oils, brushes, pens, pencils and then the assortment of papers, frames, matts. Wow! its been almost 10 years since I touched them!. Where have I been? Answer: Finally got the chance to work on OOAK art dolls which I will return to soon.

Its been a big job but with money I earned in the past from painting rock slabs and commissions, the big job of sorting and renewing supplies is almost done. My new found old inspirations have returned and I can't make my brain rest with all the new ideas I want to express.

Posted are a few photos of new fun things expressed on paper and gemstone slabs. Hope you will enjoy. Thanks!





            

Green Elf. " Prisma Color Pencils."

Snail Girl. "Prisma Color Pencils."

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All three mule deer sets are painted in acrylics on mahogany obsidian gemstone slabs. the Rock in mined above Davis Creek, California. This is one of my favorite rocks here in Modoc.