Men at Work

 This is a piece I worked on while mentoring a young lady, she just turned 17. She also wants to be an artist. First we covered some print paper with black gesso, let that dry. Then we cut out figures out of plastic, different weights. We then applied watered down white gesso over the black and layed our plastic on top. Let that dry and then I went back in with colored pencils. She has not finished hers but I will post her's soon. I want to do a whole series of shadows and figures. I have them dancing around in my head, we'll see if they want to come out and play.

In a Juried Show

I got two pieces in the State Wide Fine Arts Competition at the Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History here in Jackson Michigan. I was unable to go to the opening because of a snow storm. It seems to snow every day but to day we are up to 22 degrees, we're having a heat wave. So here I am playing with Photoshop and getting ready to go paint in my studio. I have so much to learn with this program. I figure my brain will stay forever young, here's hoping.  

It's been awhile...

I have such good intentions of doing this more often. Today I was glued to the TV watching the inauguration and proud to be an American. He is quite a man, this President of ours. I figure with what this man is facing I certainly can get to my art blog. These are the pieces that I continued with collages.

New Collages

Robert Henri wrote in The Art Spirit, "I think the real artists are too busy with just being and growing and acting (on canvas or however) like themselves to worry about the end. The end will be what it will be. The object is intense living, fulfillment; the great happiness in creation."

I have been playing with a collage layering workshop that one of the Yahoo groups that I belong to offered. The group is The Latest Trends in Mixed Media art. I'm not sure if it is not done. In the first picture I applied various papers, second I added color and in the third gesso and more color. There are more steps but I think I will life with it for awhile.

a lens...a brush...a stroke

I'm currently in a show with two other artists. It is at a very busy coffee shop in downtown Ann Arbor Michigan called Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea Cafe. We had an Artist Reception this past Friday. The other two artists, Marty Walker and Wendy Chaiken, are also members of Ann Arbor Women Artists. What fun to plan this and then see your work up and admired, sure can't beat that. Well, maybe a sale or two would be icing on the cake.

Wedding News

What a beautiful day we had for our daughter's wedding. The day was perfect, the dress, the food, the family and friends even the sunset was perfect.The kids planned everything and we were so proud of them. We were at Michilinda Lodge in Whitehall Michigan, right on Lake Michigan

Artist Retreat

I had the opportunity to spent some time this summer up in Manistee Michigan with some fellow artists. We all belong to the Chelsea Painters. Bill Knudstrup, a wonderful oil painter, opened up his summer home to us. There were discussions about art and many about politics, what with the big election coming up but there was always time to enjoy the sunset with friends. I hope to paint this little girl who was attempting to fly with her beach towel.