Elizabeth Robbins Workshop

Whew!  I know it has been awhile, but things have been so busy lately.  I guess running after three 13-year-olds will do that to you.  I finally got to take a break and get away for a wonderful art workshop given by the fabulous and talented Elizabeth Robbins.  Check her out at http://www.elizabethrobbinsart.com/.  Not only is she a wonderful still life painter, but she is a very talented teacher as well.  She gave lots of hints and tips on theory and materials, not just how to paint in her style.  I was very grateful to be able to attend.  Above is a very poor photograph of the painting I completed in class.  It is still at my friend, Joan's, house while it dries -- the workshop was in Virginia and I didn't want to try and move a wet painting all the way back to Texas.  This next image, below, is the beautiful demo that Elizabeth did at the end of the workshop that I am lucky enough to now own.  I wish I had even an ounce of her skill.  Isn't she marvelous?!

She gave me lots of new techniques to try out at home.  I can't wait to get started, but I probably won't be able to really get going until after the Thanksgiving holiday.  We are leaving for London tomorrow morning and I am hoping to get some workable photos to use for more paintings!  Happy early Thanksgiving, everyone!

Moody Blues

"Moody Blues"

5" x 7"

Stretched Canvas

I was feeling like I wanted to paint something with a little drama or feeling to it.  I know, I know, a candle doesn't seem very dramatic all by itself, but this candle photo I found on my favorite photos-for-artists site had a mood about it.  I wish I could credit the photographer, but her name was not on the site. At any rate, it wasn't the Zen-like painting session I thought it would be--it was a relatively difficult painting.  Who would have thought something so simple would be so troublesome.  I thought the flame would be the worst part, but trying to show the glow through the actual candle body was a real bear! Hopefully, I managed it well enough.  I think I might be able to evaluate it better after I step away from it for a day or two!

Nesting Instinct

"Nesting Instinct"

10" x10"

Stretched Canvas

Fall is my nesting time.  The kids go off to school and I finally have a chance to put right everything in the house that got "put wrong" all summer!  I find great peace in the sudden solitude (although in a few days I will be missing their sweet voices and messy ways -- okay, maybe not the messy ways...) and I love to see everything in it's place finally.  Maybe a little latent OCD?  Sure, but why fight a good thing...heh,heh!  More importantly, I got my studio in total zen condition, so I am ready to crank on the paintings.  Too bad it is maybe too much of a tabula rasa -- like a big, blank white canvas, a clean studio can be a little daunting!  Here we go....

The Onion that Doesn't Make You Cry

"Almost Bloomin' Onion"

5" x 7"

Stretched Canvas

Onions -- I love 'em!  Fried and in sauces, soups and stews (but never raw, except the red ones!).  The only problem is the tears when you are slicing one up.  Oh yes, I know all the tricks (cut in a certain direction, hold your breath and, my personal favorite, the onion goggles), but they never seem to work for me (what a surprise).  This is the ONLY onion that hasn't made me cry yet -- although I am fairly certain it wouldn't taste very good in a stew!

Board Again!

 "Cloudwatch"

9" x 12"

Artist's Gesso Board

Loving the board!  LOVING IT!  This was a "mental landscape" -- just something from my head that worked up great on this board.  I reworked it once, to add intensity to the dark clouds on the left and add substance and drama to the central cloud mass.  It was so easy to rework on the board.  And, again, the color intensity is striking --- you really need to see it "in person" to know what I mean.  You might have had a chance on August 6th, when I was going to do a local show, but I chickened out.  I need more time to get my booth together and figure out how to take credit cards and such.  It is not like selling on line!  That is okay, though, I will be ready to go in the Spring!

And I have so many new things to paint, thanks to my trip to Portland, OR.  I am posting this from the hotel there, in fact!  I can't wait to take all my new ideas and pictures and get painting next week!

Getting Board!

"A Cool Change"

8" x 10"

Artist's Gesso Board

Ah, gesso board, how do I love thee?  I bought a painting by one of my faves, Qiang Huang and it was done on this sweet little board.  I had often noticed paintings done on these, but never thought I would be unfaithful to the canvas.  It took just one night and I was totally hooked!  The paint works up so well on these little gems -- smooth, creamy, luscious with a richness of color that I don't think canvas can compete with.  I went right out and did it again!  This is my first try -- with the rocks from one Hawaii photo my husband took and the clouds from another.   What fun!

Happy Fourth of July!!

"Good Eatin'"

8" x 10"

Stretched Canvas

Happy Birthday, America!  And what can be more American than some luscious red home-grown tomatoes to slap on your backyard burger?  Thanks to my eagle-eyed friend, Anne Fleetwood, for supplying the absolute picture of yumminess!  Too bad these weren't "for real" -- I love nothing better than a tomato sandwich in the hot summertime and not those nasty grocery store tomatoes that taste like so much school paste -- real, red-blooded American tomatoes, warm from the garden sun, left on the window sill to ripen and sliced thickly and salted.  Yum!  Enjoy the party, America!

Food, Glorious Food!

"Birthday Cupcake"

5" x 5" 

Stretched Canvas

I guess you gotta go with what you know!  I had snapped a picture of a cupcake my sweet friend, Michelle, brought me for my birthday a few months ago.  Given my sudden lack of inspiration and/or talent, I thought I would return to the safety of my comfort ....food!  And, you know -- I think it turned out pretty well and my whole painting session just seemed to have -- what is it the LAX bros call it?? -- flow.  Yes, it had flow.  So I am going with it.... On to the next serving!

Where Did the Mojo Go?

"Blue Vase of Roses"

5" x 5" 

stretched canvas

Yikes!  It is gone.  My ability to paint -- phffft.  Just like that.  I signed up to do a show in August, for which, of course, I need INVENTORY.  And it is very difficult to generate quality inventory when you are at home with three kids all summer -- all of them running in different directions.  I am panicking!  So today, I sat down, took paintbrush in hand and....nothing.  I painted three paintings, two of which are so bad I couldn't even post them.  This one is okay, but just that.  Just okay.  I honestly don't know what my problem is --- perhaps it is too-much-on-my-plate-itis.  Or maybe just plain old fear.  Ugh!  Either way, I need to shake it off and get going.  I will put on my best Scarlett O'Hara accent and chant "I will paint again tomorrah, for tomorrah is anothah day!"

Back to Food!

"Margarita Cupcake"

6" x 6"

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

I just had to take a break from the beach paintings for just a minute and, you know, my favorite other subject is food!  I had a great birthday last weekend (even though I ate my birthday melon a day early AND didn't get the candles like I had planned) and a sweet friend brought me two yummy cupcakes to celebrate.  This one was Margarita flavored and it was the most awesome cupcake EVER!  It had a little straw in it, just like a drink and a slice of jellied lime!  Of course, I took pictures of BOTH cupcakes for future painting reference (what a goober!) but this bright one appealed to me today!  Bottoms up!

Summer!

 "Summer!"

5 x 7

Stretched canvas

Summer has not reached some of my northern friends yet, but it is already here in Houston and other points south!  The kids are looking forward to making a big splash next weekend and some of our neighborhood pools have already opened for the season.  Wish I had one in MY backyard, but instead I have a stupid house in Nashville.  Hmmmm.  How is that a benefit to me here, I am wondering?  Perhaps I should have painted a great big mortgage payoff check, but, in view of the fact that the world will be ending tomorrow anyway, I thought a pool scene would be more fitting.  Par-tay, everyone!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

"Apples for Sue"

8 x 10

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

Okay, it IS a day earlier, but I am going to take a mini-vacation from posting tomorrow to celebrate!  This painting is dedicated to my mother-in-law and my kids' favorite Grammy, Sue.  She loves painted lace, and I did this one with her in mind.  She has an earlier painting of mine of some hydrangeas in a vase with a lace tablecloth that I think it is just about the ugliest painting I have ever seen!  Just goes to show, when you look at something with eyes of love, it always shines!   We love you, Grammy Sue -- Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

"Lemony Goodness"

5 x 7 

stretched canvas with sides painted

Available on Etsy soon

Well, in this case, I made iced tea.  And when I cut into the lemon for a slice of lemony goodness in my glass, they just looked so....uh...well...yellow...I just had to paint them!  Love yellow -- such a happy color -- it is hard to be a sourpuss looking at yellow, even if it is in the tart form of a lemon!  I am not sure if I am finished with these -- I am going to sleep on it and check it out in the morning!  Oooh!  Plus I figured out how to post these to Facebook AND how to ship a painting from home!  This goes to show that even an old dog CAN learn new code!!  Sorry about the glare on the painting -- photographing at night will do that!

Getting a Buzz

"Buzzer"

8 x 6 stretched canvas 

40.00

SOLD

Well, anyone who knows me well knows I have a thing for bees.  I can even pet the fuzzy bumbles that ramble around the garden -- maybe one day I will be known as "the bee whisperer"!  This was my second attempt at a painting a bee.  The first was much more whimsical and abstract -- I'm not sure if I will get the  courage to post it.  I liked this one so much though, that I decided to use it on my Moo.com (shameless plug here) business cards!  Happy Easter, everyone!

Oh, and I want to let everyone know that my Etsy store is up and running so if you are interested in any of the paintings you can just purchase them there!

Starting Out

"Radishes"
8 x 10
$50.00

Buy me at the Paintopeia by missbuzz store on Etsy

"Jalapenos"
9 x 12
$65.00

Buy me at the Paintopeia by missbuzz store on Etsy! 

There are no lack of fiery jalapenos in Houston -- we have them on eggs, in meatloaf and even in ice cream -- it just seemed right to paint some!  Yes, we moved to Houston in 2010 and we have finally settled in.  Of course, I am aware of what the summer will be like  -- hot as jalapenos --  but I intend to combat that with a healthy dose of air conditioning and a well-supplied art studio.  Aaaah, the smell of oil paints in the morning!  I am posting a few of the paintings I have done since being here, which I painted when I was in a vegetative mood.  Who knows what will be next, as I do tend to be the Queen of Inconsistency when it comes to what I like.  I am hoping as I grow and progress as an artist I will be able to narrow my style, color and subject likes down.  But there IS something to be said for glorious randomness!!

I got a big dose of inspiration when I recently attended a workshop given by a fabulous artist, Qiang Huang, near Houston.  I really had to break out of my box (I guess I do have some filters!) since I tend to be a rather tense painter and Qiang's works, while painted with a great deal of thought, give the appearance of artful effortlessness.  To see some of his work (and I highly recommend it) follow this link: www.qhart.com. I met quite a few wonderful people and talented painters there -- I have a long way to go!  It is Qiang's wealth of information and the encouragement of Marty Hatcher, (check out Marty's wonderful work at www.martyhatcher.com) who hosted the workshop, that gave me the confidence to start this blog!

On a positive note, I did sell my first painting here in Houston recently!!  Of course, at that point I wasn't as organized as I am now (thanks to Qiang!) so I don't have a photo of the painting to show.  I will be on top of that next time!  In the meantime, I am going to post paintings I have for sale on this blog while I work on getting a website up and running as well as an Ebay store.

So enough of computers and back to the easel!