I can't wait for Christmas TV movies to start!

Santa Claus #1

acrylic on 12" by 12" canvas board

available $104 plus $8 shipping

email me beckielboo@comcast.net

I saw a documentary on CBS Sunday Morning about a artist that had painted a Santa Claus every year for about 20 or 30 years. He didn't sell them, nor, as far as I know, does he have them on line. My memory of them was they were large and magnificent! Would you happen to know the name of this artist? Or how to find out? I went to CBS Sunday Morning but was unable to trace him.

Since this is the first year I am painting regularly, I want to paint several Santa's. I suspect (or hope) some my family members will want one. So, this is the first of what I hope to be a 2009 Santa Series. Don't forget, if I don't know you like one, I won't think to offer it to you!

I have used several new techniques and products in this painting. Recently, I attended a Liquitex Acrylic Paint demonstration given by Peter Andrew, Education Advisor, sponsored by Crafts and More, a local art and craft store. I used several mediums and agents that make the process of creating more interesting! I am so grateful to both Crafts and More and Liquitex for providing this program. I learned so much - just wish I could remember more! and the samples were great, too!

• Golden Flow Release - I had recently started using this product. I use it to make a smooth background. I really love the effect and use it often now. Mr. Andrew suggested adding a drop to your water bucket. It helps clean the brush and makes a quick release to thin paint for quick spreading. An unexpected result is my water bucket has never been so clean!
• Liquitex Pouring Medium - Maybe this isn't what it is intended for, but I used it to thin my soft acrylic especially for Santa's hair.
• Liquitex Iridescent Medium - I use this in probably every painting I do. I love iridescent and metallic colors and never hesitate to use them.
• Liquitex Liquithick Thickening Gel - Wow! This is really unique stuff. Mr. Andrew demonstrated it thickening soft acrylic to heavy acrylic. I used it to thicken heavy white to make the texture of the fur on Santa's coat. It immediately became thick and dry-like. I dabbed it on with a stiff brush. I really liked this stuff!
• Golden Gold Mica Flake (Large) - Loving the metallic effects, when I saw this product, I knew I had to have both it and the (Small) variation. I hadn't used it before, even on a test sheet, but couldn't resist adding it to adorn Santa's fur to add the Holiday look.

With a 40% off coupon for attending the program, I got the book, Putting People in Your Paintings by Laurel Hart. Even though this is a watercolor book, it is packed with useful information and I have read it from cover to cover! On page 62 is a great demonstration about using primary triads. I have ordered all the colors used to make them, but not all of them have arrived.

• High-Key Triads(Light-Value Triads)
• Red: Alizarin Crimson
• Yellow: Yellow Ochre, Gamboge, Raw Sienna or Transparent Oxide Red
• Blue: Manganese Blue

• Low-Key Triads (Dark-Value Triads)
• Red: Transparent Oxide Red or Alizarin Crimson
• Yellow/Blue: Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre with Manganese Blue
• Yellow/Blue: Transparent Oxide Red with Ultramarine Blue

• Light Skin Fleshtone Triads
• Red: Cadmium Red Medium
• Yellow: Yellow Ochre, Gambage, Cadmium Orange, Quinacridone Gold
• Blue: Manganese Blue

• Dark Skin Fleshtone Triads
• Red: Cadmium Red Medium
• Yellow/Blue: Transparent Oxide Red with Manganese Blue
• Yellow/Blue: Transparent Oxide Red or Raw Sienna with Ultramarine Blue

Only having Ultramarine Blue (so far) I used Cadmium Red Medium and Transparent Oxide Red to make the skin color. It was too red, so I added Yellow Ochre and Quinacridone Gold. I love people of all colors, but this is supposed to be a white Santa. Maybe he is Indian or maybe he is Universal. So don't give me the "Oh, I thought he was black, or brown, or red, or yellow or white"! He is Universal! It will be interesting to see what I learn with the triads as I use them to make more interesting people!

For now, all I want to say is MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

Family Matters

Mama's Vase

11" by 14" by 3/4" gallery wrapped canvas

available $178 + $11 shipping

email me beckielboo@comcast.net for PayPal invoice

This is a picture I considered for TAC #18 Hidden Treasure. Everything in this painting is very special to me.

What you barely see, is the top of my Grandfather's dental cabinet. He bought the cabinet used in 1920 from a retiring dentist who used it from about 1880. My Grandfather then used it until he retired in 1970. My Mother inherited it and I have used it since 1994 for scrap booking supplies and now as a jewelry cabinet. It is a beautiful piece that my Father refinished and has been a cherished piece in our home.

My Mother made the vase. She enjoyed ceramic's in her later years and we all have many of her pieces. Inside the vase is lavender I bought in Waynesville, NC visiting my sister Beverly.

The two bunnies are from my daughter Mary Ellen's collection. I started her a bunnie collection when she was 3 or 4 years old. Although she no longer collects them, they are all over both our homes.

The basket is collapsible and made of a beautiful piece of wood and signed by the artist. I don't actually remember where I bought it, but added it to my collectibles in the last 20 years. Finally, the gardenias are from a Christmas decoration also about 20 years ago. I loved the look of them and have never put them away.

Let's see, I got my Grandfather, Father, Mother, sister and daughter included! Not bad - for a FAMILY MATTER!

Art Challenge #18: Hidden Treasures

Hidden Treasures

acrylic on 12" by 16" by 3/4" Centurian LX linen gallery wrapped canvas

SOLD to Sheila $206

I'd like to tell Sherry, Irina, Megha and Mary Thank you.
Thank you for your interest in me and my work.
Thank you for your kind comments.
Thank you for believing in me and letting me know.
You are all so special to me and I want to tell you in a special way, UP TOP!

This is the seventeenth challenge for The Artist Gallery, Hidden Treasures. I got up Saturday morning and took pictures of the special places where I keep treasures in my house. The painting is a composite of 3 things. The first is a shelf from one of my bookcases. The dolls are on a desk in my living area, the blue wizard is a favorite of mine. The antique powder shaker is from my grandmothers, it was in the bedroom I always stayed in; I don't know where it originally came from. I'm happy with this painting. It took many hours, for that, I was surprised!
The following quotes can say it better than I can.
About books:

• Books may well be the only true magic. ~Alice Hoffman


• For books are more than books. They are the life, the very heart and core of ages past, the reason why men lived and worked and died, the essence and quintessence of their lives. ~Amy Lowell


• There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island ... and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life. ~Walt Disney

About memories:

• As humans we look at things and think about what we've looked at. We treasure it in a kind of private art gallery. ~Thom Gunn
  
• The many memories I will forever treasure. ~K. Hooton, from Just Not The Same


• The secret of a happy life isn't buried in a treasure chest... it lies within your heart. ~Author Unknown, from Life is for Living

Art Challenge #17: The Gift

Precious

acrylic on 11" by 14" by 3/4" gallery wrapped 'The Edge' canvas

SOLD to Joy & Scott $178 plus $11 shipping

This is the 17th challenge for The Artist Challenge. It is so much fun working with this challenge and the great group of people. This challenge is The Gift - Wow - the sky is the limit with this one! AND, this is a special landmark for me! This is my 12th consecutive entry. The Artist Challenge is the 1st challenge I ever entered. I hope to make another dirty dozen! Well, maybe dirty isn't the right adjective, but what the heck! It make a good movie!

This is painted after the old master Gustav Klimt. The painting, The Three Ages of Woman was painted in 1905, oil on canvas, 180 x 180cm. It is now located in Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome, Italy. The painting is of an obviously older, distraught, standing woman looking down on a full standing young woman holding a child. For some reason, the painting is often divided into two or three images and made into posters and prints. I chose to paint the torso of only the young mother holding a child which is called Mother and Child.

There is nothing more precious than a mothers love for her child.
There is no gift on earth that is more precious to a mother.
My daughter is my gift. My daughter is precious to me.
I could think of nothing else when challenged to paint 'THE GIFT'!

I'm am including the whole painting, The Three Ages of Woman. It is such an interesting and complex painting. It takes a few minutes to take it all in. I included two different sites about Gustav Klimt above. They are both worth visiting. I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you for stopping by. It is always good to see you!

Self Portrait Global Love In Challenge #2

Self Portrait #3

soft pastel on 61/4" by 91/2" tan velour pastel paper

OK, I'm adding this on - the point is the Self Portrait Global Love In Challenge #2, hosted by David Lobenberg. This is such a successful Challenge, probably because it started with David and our friend Milind Mulick from Pune, India. It drew attention from a world wide audience. There were many artists from Spain. Anyway, David, being pretty clever, I'd say, waited several months before offering the second challenge. This time, our self portrait is to include a hat or some type of head covering. For those of you that know me, or maybe just seen my picture on line, I am seldom without a hat. I don't even remove it when I lay down!

I remember the first hat I was attracted to was a little royal blue billed cap that came with a Beneton promotion for the perfume Colors. Remember that fragrance? I got that hat in about 1988, still have it in fact, although I no longer wear it. I probably wore that hat four years before I added to that collection. Crazy little things - without rhyme or reason - can start a life long passion!

I have written a long and detailed account of the origin of the photograph this painting was taken from. I hope it is interesting and I hope you read and enjoy it. But, all the details for this painting challenge have now been covered!

Is it proper to say you love your own work? Or even better/worse your own self portrait? Well, proper or not, I love this drawing! I love the hat, the shirt, the beads, the drop-off of color on the bottom and most important, the origin of the original photograph. The photograph was taken by a brilliant Jacksonville portrait photographer, Pete Helow.

Pete Helow is a patient and kind man! He had to be to put up with the day my family descended upon his studio - like a horde of locus! He is multi-talented and multi-faceted, being also a musician and now an aspiring pilot! I like people that do lots of varied things - you never call someone like that dull! But here is the story of what he did for me and for my family.

In May 2008, I saw a commercial on TV advertising his photography studio. I loved the work I saw and knew immediately that I would meet Pete and it was going to be expensive and a really big undertaking! My 60th birthday was approaching, October to be exact!

For my 40th birthday, I put together an album I called "My 40 Year Retrospective". It was a huge undertaking and took me months and lots of dollars. I started at my 1st picture as I was carried out of the hospital. I took every year and attempted to include the house I lived in, my friends and pets, my birthday and anything else that seemed interesting for that year. I combed through every family album that I could find.

My Father had taken slides most of our growing up years and I was especially interested in finding a photo of my first dog, Gaman, a little toy poodle mix that had been given to me when I was about 10 years old. I couldn't resist a couple of other slides and started by having a handful converted into prints. Remember that at that time, the late 1950's, most photo's were still printed in B&W and these were modern day size and beautiful colors. When my Brother saw them, he said "Beckie, did you find an old roll of film that hadn't been developed?"

I suppose the hand writing is - or was - already on the wall. Both my brother Bruce and my sister Beverly wanted their own Retrospective! This became a massive project but worth every minute. I still remember the joy of working long hours every night after work, the organization it required to select the photo's by year and subject for each of the three Retrospectives, taking them out and picking them up for reprints and then labeling them with the best information I could find and finally organizing them into each album. Whew! I'm impressed all over again!

For my 50th Birthday, I decided to do a Timeline of my life. Although not as glamorous as the Retrospectives, it also became a massive project - just a more personal one. I used Excel and it took 36 pages. I included every year by 6 month intervals.

* My Immediate Family, Extended Family, Friends and Co-Workers - Births, deaths and Marriages
* Mine and my daughter Mary Ellen's - Babysitters/Daycare, Schools, jobs with hourly wage and annual income and cross-reference schools for Beverly & Bruce - we were seldom ever in the same schools due to age differences
* Homes - location with addresses and monthly rent or mortgage payments
* All pets - YES - 50 years worth!
* My BFF's and friends in general
* Facts, Antidotes and Events
* Presidents and Wars
* Headlines & Media Blitz'
* Trivia - This and the above 3 requiring hours and hours in the Library!
* Things about my Dad
* Things about my Mom

So, for my 60th birthday, I again had the urge to celebrate the landmark! But I didn't just want photographic portraits of me, I wanted one great portrait of "the sisters" and we would coordinate our outfits. If Bruce had been alive, I would probably have done the siblings, but with his passing, my sister-in-law Barbara became my sister. I have actually posted about Barbara and our relationship in previous posts. Since Mary Ellen is grown, she also falls into the "sisters" category. But, first I had to convince them how important this was to me and I would like them to join me without a lot of grief. Lucky for all of us, they got it! In fact, they ended up loving it - the planning, the shoot and especially - the finished product.

I met with Pete and his hair and make-up artist, Rene a week before the session to find out as many details as possible. Then I had a strategy planning session with Bev, Barb & ME. We color coordinated at least four outfits, selected props and jewelry. On the day of the shoot, we arrived - each with a large suitcase and tons of bags. I think Pete & Rene were surprised to see how 'heavy' we were traveling! Rene set out styling hair and make-up on each one of us. By the time the shoot was over, we had been at it over five hours! I was exhausted and looked it in the later pictures.

The one great group portrait turned out to be the least of the entire process! But did we ever have fun. It was probably one of the absolutely most fun family events we have ever done together. We ended up with coffee table books, the one Mary Ellen and I share has 27 pictures in it!

And you know what? I credit Pete and Rene with making our adventure a lasting memory that will out survive us all! However, as our family dwindles down to branches without leaves, I just hope some future obscure cousin will be interested their ancestors.

On a funny note, I was telling my physician who is my age, about my 40, 50 and 60th birthday commemorations. I said, "I'll guess I'll have to come up with some other idea for my 70th birthday"! He thought a moment and said this, "Gee, I'm hoping to just show up"! How right he is!

Please, click on Pete's link to see his web site and beautiful work. He is a treasure and gave my family a wonderful gift on my 60th birthday!

NZ Art Guild Challenge #9 - old house

Taramea Bay Road, Southland, NZ
acrylic on 11" by 14" by 3/4" gallery wrapped canvas

Creative Mark "The Edge" painted on sides

available $179 plus $11 shipping

email me for PayPal invoice

The NZ Art Guild Challenge #9, this old house! I was very enchanted with this house when I first saw it. However, I had just finished a house on a lot for the London challenge with The Virtual Paintout. So, I turned the house around and visualized it as looking out the front door!

Then, I had to find something to look out onto. So, I went to Google Street View Maps and ventured around New Zealand. I started at the tip and ended at the middle where the country divides, near Nelson. I believe that is called the South Island. I loved everything I saw, but decided on the image I found at the bottom of the country in Southland. The house had a beach feel and look, so I thought it was important to have a beach or coastal look.

Then I got really, really interested in where I am, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida in relation to New Zealand. So, I went back to Google maps and finally to MSN encarta World Atlas.

This first globe represents about 1/3 of the globe. You can see in the bottom left corner, Southland, New Zealand and in the upper right corner, Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

The second globe represents the second third of the globe. It looks to me like Jacksonville Beach, Florida is about the same distance from South Africa. People go to Africa all the time and never think anything of it, but when you say you are going to New Zealand, everyone thinks you are going to the other side of the world!

This last globe just shows the last third of the globe. Now that is the other side of the world!

I've never had much interest in traveling outside North America. There is SO much in the United States to see, somethings I've seen and would love to see again and so much I've not seen. AND, Canada has a special place in my heart and interest.

However, now with the art challenges, meeting artists all over the world and Google Street View Maps, I am beginning to want to travel. South America, Africa, New Zealand and Australia to start with! Just think, with a computer, a bag of cloths and plenty of art supplies, you never have to go home again if you don't want too!

For your information, in case you're wondering, I DO still want to go home!

The Virtual Paintout - August Challenge - London

17 Soho Square, London

acrylic on 14" by 11" Pintura Hard Board

available $165 + $11 shipping

email me for PayPal invoice

The Virtual Paintout is such a fun challenge. Every time I go to the Google Maps City Streets, I learn something. Bill Guffey certainly hit on something with this one!

As usual, I barely made the deadline. In fact, I did miss this challenge once. Why, Delilah, Why do I procrastinate until the last minute? Guess I just work under pressure best!

As I say at this time every month, I can't wait to see where we will go next month!

Stay tuned, stay real ... and thanks for visiting me today!

The Inferno Challenge #1 - Myth, Magic & Legend

Myths & Legends

acrylic on 18" by 14" by 3/4" Centurian LX linen

gallery wrapped canvas

painting wrapped onto sides

Sold to Mary Ellen

As a spin-off from The Artist Challenge, The Inferno is a wonderful new Blog that is living up to its name. There is an incredible amount of daily input, both art and literature, often combined. The host, Heather Brown Truman, is a regular contributor to The Artist Challenge, a wonderful artist, Life Coach and now, a Blog host to watch, as The Inferno is sure to shoot to the top of the Blog charts!

Sharing with the responsibility of managing The Inferno is Eric Schweer. Eric is the "Dream Boy" of The Artist Challenge. He is constantly thinking of new ways to offer the public a chance to get to know The Artist Challenge. He is a gifted writer and with the premier of each new challenge, writes either a poem or short story to introduce the challenge. His work is dreamy, hence, the name "Dream Boy"!

Both Heather and Eric are tireless in their efforts to promote art and literature, The Artist Challenge and now The Inferno. I am so proud to be working with these two gifted individuals, the host of The Artist Challenge, Vikki North and all the contributing artists at The Artist Challenge.

It is amazing to me how my art has expanded and grown in the short while I've been affiliated with The Artist Challenge. I'm not going to link my first challenge, as it is not one of my favorites, but you can find it on the side bar and see for yourself. I'm growing!

The painting, Myths and Challenges is from an old master. Mine is significantly altered, no one would mistake one for the other, LOL! I was unable to locate the name or artist, but will include it in an UPDATE if I find out. When I began this painting, I wasn't sure if I could pull out a fairy or not! My sister-in-law, Barbara, saw it and agreed with me that this one might have to hit the scrap pile! Well, when you begin a painting, it is not supposed to look good, its got to start somewhere! Last Friday, we had a family dinner at my sister's and I said, "I want to show ya'al what's on the easel". Barbara was blown away. She said she couldn't believe I'd turned "the blob" into a fairy! Go figure, the life of an evolving artist!

I am, perhaps, the 5th biggest fan of The Artist Challenge. I'd say I'm the biggest fan, but believe me, there are 4 tireless people who work their butt's off making that place the best. The Inferno is no less to be reckoned with. It is a proud and mighty adjunct to The Artist Challenge and we are all as proud of The Inferno as we are TAC!

Please stop both and enjoy. If you asked me, you might be glad ya' did!

Art Challenge #16: Anonymous

Munich on a Snowy Night

acrylic on 7" by 9" on canvas board

available $215 including shipping

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This is a little beauty created for The Artist Challenge # 16, Anonymous. Tonight, this lone traveler walks down a hall of the Train Station or perhaps even an Airport. There is no way to know who he is or where he is going. We do know he is traveling light as he is carrying a backpack. You can feel the crusty snow on the glass, it is layered with a coat of glass beads and actually has texture!

All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware
~Martin Buber

The Artist Challenge is exploding. The art and artists get better with every challenge. The site Host, Vikki North must be a genius, as she has developed an incredible Web Site Challenge that grows in its potential every month! Not to mention that Vikki is kind, compassionate and a very gifted artist! She is an inspiration extraordinaire! I am in love with her piece The Fireflies and The Fish which she did for the Moon River Challenge #14.

In the last two weeks, a new affiliated Blog has been added to The Artist Challenge umbrella. It is The Inferno - Charlatans of Literature & Art, hosted by Heather Brown Miller and co-authored by Eric Schweer. Heather has a 1st Challenge in the works and I am just about ready to post my painting for that challenge. I will talk about Heather, The Inferno and Eric more in the when I post for their first challenge!

Thank you for looking, but do yourself a favor, visit The Artist Challenge and The Inferno.

Chickened Out!

Wings - Belted Kingfisher

acrylic on 5" by 7" canvas board

SOLD to Sheila $35 including postage

I painted this for the weekly theme "Wings On Things" from the site The Three Muses Challenge. I doubt a plain-old-bird was what they had in mind, but I just couldn't get a thought aout a fairy or angel or even a cow with wings. They suggested we "spread our wings and fly" - there I failed miserably! BUT, I did kind of like my birdy and since he does have 2 wings, I am entering him into this challenge. Perhaps if I continue to visit thier blog and participate, I will loosen up and have more "fun"!

A Very Good Morning to YOU!

UPDATE: I went to the site to post my link, but lost my nerve. Everyone's entries that I saw were - well, it's hard to explain. They appear to be collages, often victorian in style, greeting card appearance, very quaint - not a plain-old-bird on a canvas board.

Don't get me wrong:

• I really like their art, I just think it is a different form than I work in.
• I am very pleased with my Birdy!

Virtual Art Picnic - Creative Every Day

Picnic Collage, Recycling

mixed media on 12" by 12" canvas board

made during Tele-Conference - Virtual Art Picnic

sponsored by Creative Every Day Blog

hosted by Leah Piken Kolidas

Fun afternoon! Just what I needed - in fact, probably need one everyday! The host, Leah, joined a group of women together by a tele-conference. Leah has a smooth, soothing smokey voice that instantly inspires comfort. She tell us that today we are to just "do" without any fear of failure and without the need to create our masterpiece.

Leah then goes through a short meditation session to get ourselves center for the task at hand. I light a candle and lots of good quality art-lamps. I have been gathering clippings from the recycling box all morning. I look for old crafty things like raffia, rubber stamps, glue sticks, ribbon and even glitter (couldn't find glitter). I'm watching the clock for two hours ahead, but still manage to arrive four minutes late!

The conference lasts two hours. The first 30 minutes we are on the phone together. Then we work alone for the next hour and finally return together to share what we have done. One woman used Pink as her theme, inspiring me to add a lot of pink - mostly because it just looked good on the black background. Another woman worked on a project she had set aside. Everyone was inventive and enthusiastic about the project. But my favorite of all was the location of one of the participates; she was in the backseat as her husband drove home from a family reunion. I can't imagine having supplies enough to work in the car, but she did say it was a favorite travel method for her, so I assume she was experienced in what supplies would be needed. Little did she know she is in the company of my friend, artist Dan Lacey, who recently blogged with pictures about painting in the car while his wife drove, another favorite place for him to paint!

Sometimes I'd like to have a husband, I wonder, would mine drive me around so I could paint? My late husband was not known for his driving skills - on land, his skill was on the water and there he was a Master Chief! But mostly, I am lonely. Companionship is a thing to be treasured coming easily to some and briefly to others.

You never know what you're going to get in this life, so don't miss a thing!

I'd like to join another VAP, Leah hosts them every few months. It was a relaxing "just-for-me" time. Thank you Leah and the other participants for a lovely afternoon!

ADDENDUM: 3/30/11 I just got a new comment for "credit card casino" which prompted me to reread this post.

Oh my, I have let so much slip by. I need to renew, long-term thinking, Forward-thinking. Get up Beckie, it's not too late, but the sun is lowering closer to the horizon -

Thank God I love the night!

The Grand Tour - 2nd in a Series

Moriah, New York Sidewalk

acrylic 11" by 14" by 3/4" wrapped canvas

available $115 including shipping

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Oh, so many memories here! In 2003, my Mother and I bought an RV and toured 10,501 miles in 10 weeks. I called it our Grand Tour or Driving Miss Daisy.

Mother was in poor health, passing away only 7 months after the trip. She used a wheelchair much of the time and was on a morphine pump due to severe back damage. She was on oxygen; that is why we got the RV, we could run the oxygen machine with the generator. And finally, she was in early stages of dementia. As I pushed her wheelchair with her portable oxygen tank attached to the back, all I could think was "Momma, I'm so proud of you" and I told her that all the time!

She was delightful on the trip. It was like she put all her problems aside to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Her joy was childlike and she relished every minute.

We were about the same size so I would dress her in my clothes, usually matching outfits, jewelry and fix her hair - the way I wanted it.

Then off we'd go to sightseeing, trying not to miss a thing!

I have already painted one photo from the trip, but didn't label it as part of the trip. It was They were never alone ... they had each other, dated July 31st of my dogs, Bill and Garth.

This scene was a front yard of the most quaint house, totally in ruin, but beautiful none-the-less, that I've ever seen. I want you to really know the feel of this piece, so I'm including a picture of that house. Click on each image to enlarge it. The wood detail is spectacular!

It is in Moriah, NY which is a lovely little town on the east border of the Adirondack State Park and just miles west of New Hampshire. It was such a lovely town, I could easily see myself living there. Mom and I went to a coffee/diner early for breakfast and just watched the morning unfold. Those are the memories that you can Cherish.

I started this painting last week as my entry to The Artist Challenge, No-Theme Theme, but about 3/4's of the way complete, just "changed my mind"! Now I know why. I needed to do this for The Grand Tour, and had a lot to say, too!

Enough for now, I did sort of leave the subject - the painting, to take a trip down memory lane. But that's not all! I will try to find photo's of the trip that might be interesting each time - I'm lucky enough - to paint another painting from The Grand Tour!

NZ Art Guild Challenge #8 - Lines

Lines #1

mixed media (wc & acrylic) on 10 1/4" by 14 1/8" Aqvarelle Arches hot pressed paper

available $35 including shipping

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Lines #2

mixed media (wc & acrylic) on 9 1/4" by 13" blue tinted Neptune WC paper

available $35

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Lines #3

mixed media (wc & acrylic) on 9 1/4" by 13" pink tinted Neptune WC paper
available $35 including shipping

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This is my 3rd entry for The NZ Art Guild Challenge. The theme for the 7th challenge is Lines. Provided is a list of definitions for the word "lines" from Wikipedia.

I decided to play with this one. Just have fun. I started out to practice and when I was through, I liked all 3! That was a surprise! The iridescent acrylic gold used on the watercolors really pops, especially on Lines #1.

Here is something to think about! Who knew there were that many?

Lines... noun
1. a mark or stroke long in proportion to its breadth, made with a pen, pencil, tool, etc., on a surface: a line down the middle of the page.
2. Mathematics. a continuous extent of length, straight or curved, without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point.
3. something arranged along a line, esp. a straight line; a row or series: a line of trees.
4. a number of persons standing one behind the other and waiting their turns at or for something; queue.
5. something resembling a traced line, as a band of color, a seam, or a furrow: lines of stratification in rock.
6. a furrow or wrinkle on the face, neck, etc.: lines around the eyes.
7. an indication of demarcation; boundary; limit: the county line; a fine line between right and wrong.
8. a row of written or printed letters, words, etc.: a page of 30 lines.
9. a verse of poetry: A line in iambic pentameter contains five feet.
10. Usually, lines. the words of an actor's part in a drama, musical comedy, etc.: to rehearse one's lines.
11. a short written message: Drop me a line when you're on vacation.
12. a system of public conveyances, as buses or trains, plying regularly over a fixed route: the northbound line at State Street.
13. a transportation or conveyance company: a steamship line.
14. a course of direction; route: the line of march down Main Street.
15. a course of action, procedure, thought, policy, etc.: That newspaper follows the communist line.
16. a piece of pertinent or useful information (usually fol. by on): I've got a line on a good used car.
17. a series of generations of persons, animals, or plants descended from a common ancestor: a line of kings.
18. a department of activity; occupation or business: What line are you in?
19. Informal. a mode of conversation, esp. one that is glib or exaggerated in order to impress or influence another person: He really handed her a line about his rich relatives.
20. a straight line drawn from an observed object to the fovea of the eye.
Even more Definitions here: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Lines

Now, waiting for next time!

Art Challenge #15: No-Theme Theme

Observing Raging River

acrylic on 12" by 16" canvas sheet

available $60 with shipping included

email me for PayPal invoice

This was a fun theme - anything goes! And everyone turned out with their Sunday cloths on! Please go visit The Artist Challenge to see this awesome gallery. The artists are so inspiring and the best group of compassionate people I've ever had the pleasure of associating with!

Raging river has breached the bulkhead.
Mountain snows melted,
Water rushes across stones downhill.

The purpose of street lamps
Is to make you feel safe.
But not this night, in our village.

A full Fledged river of purple water
Is pooling in a greasy mist.
We find ourselves on Hell Street.

This is a study of contrasts and surprises for me! I have posted this painting once before, comparing it to Betheleham. Today I called it Hell Street! I did not realize this contrast until I was ready to post now. It just goes to show how our emotions and percepsions change from day to day! But I still like this painting be it Heaven or Hell!

You must call me darling!

Today is ART DAY!

I joined several events to participate in, through Bloggers Unite. I am new to Art Day and the organization that sponsor's it, Artists for A Better World International, so this is about what I have learned.

A member of AFABW, Becky Mate, founded ART DAY in 1998. It is dedicated to artists of all disciplines to encourage creativity and bring joy to others.

Draw a picture today.

Compose a song today.

Write a poem or story today.

Paint today.

Have a party! today.

To prepare and celebrate today, Becky sent a letter to participating Bloggers. Being a very interesting study into the meaning of creativity, I asked Becky if I could post this letter here and she gave me permission. It is fairly long, but I assure you it is worth the time!

So, enjoy! I did!

Hello Beckie,
This is the eleventh year of celebrating international Art Day on the second Friday in August (this year it's 8/14). I wish you a fun, artful day.

The holiday gives us an opportunity to appreciate artists, the arts and cultures around the world. But further scrutiny begs the question, "Where does creativity come from?"

Does creativity come from a certain combination of brain chemicals? Which two molecules combine to form a sonata? Will my poetry have more imagery if I eat my greens? Maybe I should turn to my fellow playwright and say, "Lay off the okra and sauerkraut -your tragedies are way too sad." Perhaps the pharmacy in my local drug store is the key to improving my choreography ability. Or what if I add some O2 (oxygen) to my molecule that contains carbon and hydrogen? Then I could perform a fantastic dance.

Does creativity come from brain neurons firing? Zap! Does this electrical zap, zap, zap bring about a symphony? Maybe we could harness this creativity-generating electricity and build a huge machine. Ask it for the next "Star Wars." Zap! Zap! You have the next box office hit.

It used to be thought that creativity of an emotional nature came from the heart and the liver. Then it was discovered that the heart is merely a pump and the liver little more than a filter.

Does creativity come from properly spiraled DNA strands? Is it genetic? Can we go in for a chromosome adjustment to get over writer's block? How about adding some sculptor DNA to my existing helices, because I wouldn't mind being the next Michelangelo?

Does creativity come from the subconscious, that place where all human mysteries are conveniently swept under the carpet? Is creativity a joining of hidden mental forces, a miracle of unfathomed thought combinations, a recipe of emotion-experience-imagination stew, a mysterious mental image collision, a phoenix erected from the ashes of my anxieties, my flaws, my angers, my heartaches and my broken dreams?

Does creativity come from God? Is God spiritually pouring through our bodies, down our arm, through our wrist, through our hand and paintbrush? If so, it comes in handy when someone doesn't like a painting. Just shrug and say, "Wasn't me," and point to the sky.

Does creativity come from my soul? By the way, where is my soul? I know I was given one. Did I put it in storage knowing I might need it later? Has anyone seen my soul? What does it look like? I don't know. You say you've got three souls in the next room and want to know how I can prove my claim to one of them? Where does a musician keep his soul? In a pocket, so he can pull it out for inspiration? Judging by Beethoven and Van Gogh, they didn't keep it in their ear. Can I pour my soul from one cup to another? I think I keep my soul in my toes, because I get such a tingle there when a great new idea hits me.

Or, does creativity come from somewhere else? From a place that needs no location, from vision that requires no wavelength, from a reality that can't be measured, from a perspective that span and steps out of time? Does it come from that which considers, decides and imagines, but which is free to reconsider and re-imagine at will? Does creativity come from life itself? Does it come from, simply ... ME?

Becky Mate
Personal Website: Virtue in the Arts
Founder of Art Day: International Holiday for the Arts
Artists For A Better World International
5125 Hollywood Blvd, #13
Hollywood, CA 90027 USA



Thank you Becky for such an interesting study of the meaning of creativity and for allowing me to share it on my blog!

Happy Art Day to all! Now, go create something!

FTM Following the Masters Challenge #5

Dancing Poppies
acrylic on 8" by 10" by .75" gallery wrapped canvas
SOLD to Mary Ellen $50 including shipping

This is my entry for Following the Masters Challenge #5: Poppies, Flowers or Gardens.

Sometimes, in order to understand something, you have to remove yourself from the situation and take a broader look. These Poppies are dancing, I am the observer and you know what? I like what I see!

Our lives are like that too! Please join me and look at your garden. Do you like what you see?

DSFDF Challenge #25 - Week 44-45 - Streets of San Francisco

Lombard Street

acrylic on 14" by 18" x .75" Centurion LX Linen Stretched Canvas

Given to a friend

This is my first Different Strokes from Different Folks Challenge. I have been considering entering this challenge for a long time, but for one reason or another, never have. I have watched it closely since January.

The Challenge began September 3, 2008 as a weekly event. After the 11th Challenge, the Challenge Administrator, Karin Jurik, turned it into a biweekly event. It was successful from the first challenge with 55 entries. The premise is "One Photograph Painted by Many". This Challenge, Week 44-45, is the 25th Challenge.

As I prepared to post this, I looked over the earlier challenges. Everyone of them had some really fine paintings with many artists returning again and again. Two really stood out to me. One was week #11 - Pedestrians and Shadows. Although the art wasn't the best challenge, everyone was to paint their entry upside down. I've know about this, but never tried it. I thought that was a really good idea. The other outstanding challenge was week #16-18 Painting Us Different Folks. Every artist traded pictures and painted each other from that photo. They were a trip and what fun that must have been for the artists when the painting were revealed! And of course, most of them had never met!

I am very excited to have finally entered this challenge. As everyone knows, I love the challenges. But my heart belongs to another - and always will. You know who you are! And so would everyone just by taking a glance at my sidebar.

I met another 'kindred' artist, Sherry Massey, from The Virtual Paintout who inspired me to enter this challenge. Sherry, you're a good friend! Thank you! Now I need to get Sherry to take on The Pub!

NZ Art Guild Challenge #7 update

When good things come, there is such a relief and such joy that someone takes the time to let you know things are OK. This is a comment I got after yesterdays post where I was doubting myself for participating in this challenge.

Hi, These are fantastic! Great to see an artist from the other side of the world be encouraged to step out of their comfort zone by our challenges. :-) Look forward to seeing more of your artworks int he future. I'm pleased you enjoyed the challenge and learning about one of our kiwi artists.

Kind Regards
Sophia Elise
Manager
NZ Art Guild
www.nzartguild.co.nz

Thank you for making me feel comfortable in my own skin!

NZ Art Guild Challenge #7 - Master Artist

NZ-AG Challenge #7 - after Marilynn Webb
acrylic on 8" by 10" canvas board

SOLD

NZ-AG Challenge#7 - after Marilynn Webb

acrylic on 8" by 10" canvas board

NZ-AG Challenge #7 - after Marilynn Webb

acrylic on 12" by 16" canvas sheet

The #7 Challenge for The New Zealand Art Guild Challenge is:

The Masters Challenge, Artist: Marilynn Webb

RULES: N.B. Artwork must be an original interpretation based on the artistic style or subject, a straight reproduction, or your individual interpretation of the Master Artists' work.

I am so out of my element here. I question why I'm even participating in this challenge. It is open to everyone and they invite artists from all over the world to participate, but it is dedicated to New Zealand artists!

Reminds me of my favorite old joke from THE FAR SIDE. An elephant sits on a stage at a concert piano. He is dressed in a tux and is ready to play. A caption above his head tells what he is thinking: "What am I doing here? I'm a flautist for crying-out-loud!"

However ...

Again, I am forced to try an art I would never have thought of by myself. Additionally, I am introduced to the master artist, Marilynn Webb and her lovely work. Her work and bio can be found at Gallery De Novo and toi o tahuna.

These are Marilynn Webb's paintings that I used as references.  Although similar, there are distinct differences!  Hers are perfect!

Going Through Fiordland Series by Marilynn Webb

Chalk Pastel

Thanks for looking and be sure to check out Ms. Webb's work!

Good night

Art Challenge #14: Moon River

Moon River

acrylic on 11" by 14 " Pannelli Telati canvas panel

available $145 plus $8 shipping

email me for Paypal invoice

In the nights silence, the River shines bright

and flows without awareness of the white light.

Under the water the dance is glorious,

as fish glisten bathed only in moonbeams.

On the shore the people watch,

wondering where it all ends and when it begins.

The Moon smiles his nightly smile.

his job is good, his job is right.

All is well, on this night.

This is my entry for the 14th challenge of The Artist Challenge. It is my 9th consecutive entry and I almost missed completing it in time. I submitted it about one hour before it premiered, too close for comfort!

At the premier, Vikki North, the site administrator, announces the next months challenges. For August the two topics are, at first glance - nothing! But after some consideration, I know they will be both challenging and interesting. They are "No-Theme Theme" and "Anonymous". Yes, this will be interesting indeed!

I am very pleased with this painting. I was a little apprehensive about this one for some reason. As usually is the case, the worry is not necessary.

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.

~Leo Buscaglia

OK, my friends, it is off to a few hours of sleep for me. I have things to do this weekend!