Yin and Yang

I'm trying to rest more, laugh more and play more, in order to replenish my yin, as advised. It's difficult for me to slow down, though, because I find real joy in multi tasking, organizing and pushing ahead to reach my goals.

I am finding, however, that my creativity is soaring. As a result of slowing down just a little, ideas are pouring out of my head. I now have three paintings going in the studio.

I'm teaching my weekly students how to paint fabrics, and in searching for subject material, I've begun to look through some of the items that I've been saving through the decades. The picture here is "Things I Don't Use Anymore," and it's in the beginning stages. I'm spending most of my time building glazes that glow in the shadows and creases. I won't even begin defining the lace until towards the end of creating this painting.

Replenishing My Yin

I have a solo exhibit coming up in late March at Bridge Gallery in Shepherdstown, WVA. I need to have twenty quality pieces completed by then...framed....competition worthy....I'm spending lots of quiet time painting this winter, which is nice.

Last year, I worked myself hard, but I did well even in a tough economy. This year, 2012, I plan to continue working but to be nice to myself. I'm going to replenish my yin. I think I'll feel better. I'm going to rest more, laugh more, and try not to set unrealistic goals for myself.

The picture posted here will hopefully be in the show coming up in March at The Bridge Gallery.

Happy Painting Holidays!

December 20, 2011

This is the time of year when I just feel darn grateful. Not everything has gone my way, for sure, but I'm grateful to be working as a professional artist and instructor, to be selling artwork to those who love it, and to be able to travel (I'm a gypsy) to share my knowledge.

This year has found me teaching, and/or painting, in Italy, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida and throughout Virginia. I have loved every minute of it.

I've sold a lot of paintings and I've met a lot of wonderful people who share a love of watercolor painting with me. I enjoy sharing what I know (and, I'm still learning and hope that I always will be), and watching students advance. It's pure joy to start seeing results from students and know that they love painting just as much as I do. Along with this blog, I've posted a picture of some of the cards students have sent me this December.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to one and all and, most importantly, Happy Painting!

Ghost Ranch: Thanks for the Memories

Thanks, Debra, for sending me so many good pictures to share with everyone from Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. I'm sharing pictures here: Lani and her paintings at our final exhibit; some of the wonderful students; Debra, Nancy, Linda and I in front of one of O'Keeffe's subjects (Debra is holding a copy of the Georgia O'Keeffe painting): finally, a photograph of me and my best friend, the wild burro, Ed.

From Ghost Ranch, NM to Snow in Virginia

It was sad to leave Ghost Ranch, in Abiquiu, NM. It was mostly sad because a big nor'easter was blowing through the mid Atlantic, leaving a wet sloppy snow in Virginia, along with power failures at my house.

Thankfully, I arrived home safely and I wish everyone along the Mid Atlantic and the Northeast well, as this bad storm barrels along the coast, leaving many power outages along the way.

I hope that these pictures will leave you feeling warm.

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Ghost Ranch, I highly recommend it. What a gorgeous location with so many possibilities for the painter.

Last Class at Ghost Ranch

Today is the last day of my class. Everyone put their paintings up on screens and the outcome of this week's work is amazing. Great, great work, everyone! The class was full of interesting folks from all over the country. I immensely enjoyed meeting everyone.

After class, I went hiking towards Box Canyon to find the pond. I wanted to get pictures of the mountain reflected in water.

Here is another painting to share with you, "Morning Shadows," as well as pictures from my hike.

Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, Tuesday

My workshop is going splendidly. Everyone in class seems to be moving along quickly and they've all begun painting the landscape.

Today, I went on a tour of the area where Georgia O'Keeffe lived, and we saw her home and many of the areas where she drove her car, which she had customized into a studio on wheels, and painted.

If I thought the landscape on the public part of the ranch was strange, then today I discovered that the private areas where O'Keeffe painted were even more imaginative: more twisted forms, layers of different colored rock, odd columns and holes and more contorted shapes.

I'm posting some pictures from the landscape tour, as well as my first completed painting of the scene outside of the art center, where I'm teaching.