Two-color Study

For the first painting I've done just for my husband and myself, I decided to try a two-color adaptation of a wedding photo taken by my good friend Decima. I'm fairly happy with the results.

Worth another go at two-color, I think.
I used Alzarin orange and Ultramarine blue. Oh, and a little Chinese white when I needed to modify a stray brushstroke.

Watercolor Process

I was asked by an old friend to show her how I paint. Since she can't watch me do the actual brushstrokes, I decided to photograph a painting in its various stages of development and post them for her to see how I do what I do.
Any readers who know how to paint with watercolors for real, please tell me what I could do to improve. As always, I'm just painting "by ear," and I'd love to have some informed advice.
So here is how Joyce and her horse got to be painted:

The sketch with initial wash

My workspace

The Kids

I did this from start to finish on Sunday; took me all day, and cost me a ridiculous pain in the neck the next day!
I'm not entirely sure if I'm happy with this one - I feel like it's a little cartoonish, and I'm not sure if a) it's because of the saturated colors, b) because I decided to leave the background white, c) because all the work was in one day, practically non-stop, or d) because I didn't do such an extensive sketch before painting.
Anybody, help me! Tell me what it is!

Shara and Curtis

After four months (of mostly ignoring it), I've finally finished this for my sister and her husband.

Now, here's hoping I can finish one last painting before my visit back home...

Kara

Isn't she lovely? I can hardly believe my little sister will be seventeen in a few days!

Happy Birthday, sweetie!

Remember This?

This is lost.

I know, it's terrible, and it makes me so angry!!!

(Deep breath)

It's been a month and a half since I sent it to Mama, and we find out yesterday that she still hasn't got it. Considering the fact that the postal service of "Far Away" is involved, I'm tempted to think that it's been stolen, and that's the worst of all. Because if it were simply lost in Far Away's postal service, it would eventually reach Mama. However, Far Away has a history of opening international mail for security; also has a history of employing less-than-unimpeachable characters.

I suppose the up-side is that I can make one even better and take it to her with my own hands next time we see her...

But I liked this one - I thought it was special.

Jon and Bunny

Finally! Now I can send off a package for them - much belated, but finished at last!

A Classical Contrast

An exercise in comparison and contrast, dear readers. If time and inclination permit you, please view the following exerpts and let me know what you think. These are both performances of Mahler Symphony 3, the finale. I trust you will not have to view them in their entirety to come away with a few thoughts. Think about music, it's purpose as a medium of sound, a thing we hear, not necessarily see. Music as an art that leads us beyond our bodies, rather than an art of showmanship and display.

First, we have Izquierdo as conductor. I chose this clip simply because it was the only one corresponding with clip #2, of the brand new Dudamel of the L.A. Philharmonic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOA5VFP40ZQ



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_opWwO_IUc



As long as we're talking compare and contrast, consider these two excerpts also. Notice the conductor and the violinist, how well they work together, or clash, as the case may be. Are you distracted from the music at all? Which clip contains the best music quality (not accounting for poor recording equipment)? Which clip takes you to another place internally, where you begin to think? Which of these clips - including the two above - show dignity, true virtuosity, ease of performance, real technical advancement? Which of the clips display mannerisms that remind you of either wounded ducks or fish about to expire?

First we have Dudamel and Joshua Bell. Second we have (I did not research into the conductor) Heifetz playing the same piece, Tchaikovsky Concerto 1, 1st mvmt., as his oft-proclaimed successor plays in clip #1. Aren't successors supposed to improve upon their predecessors? At least in art?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgIMDUHtCtw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFaq9kTlcaY

My final questions: WHAT IS GOING ON IN CLASSICAL MUSIC? What has happened to the beauty and refinement of music? Why must I see real artists only in black and white recordings rather than on the stage of my local symphony hall? Why has talent been succeeded by impostors?

End of Doamna's rant for the day.

Other Art

So that's all I've got!
I want to post some thoughts soon on classical music - this is a blog about art, not just the visual arts, so I think I have license to run down a few favorite rabbit trails.
But later.
Now, dear readers, I must organize my husband's sheet music!
Your painting, Jon, sits forlorn at my work space. Never fear. I've found that leaving a piece to ferment awhile improves its flavor...

From/by Mama

I met Mama (my mother in law) for the first time this past Christmas season. My husband and I had been married for 4 1/2 years before we were able to travel to far, far away where Mama and Tata live. Upon arrival, I was very impressed with Mama's paintings. She's never had any training whatever in art, and when I saw what kind of brushes she uses, I gasped in horror, and resolved to send many better brushes to her upon arrival to the States. Which we did.

But here are her pieces. She says that all the good ones she'd already sold before we came, but that she thinks these are okay too. I think that I could've taken better photos of some beautiful paintings... Especially since she gave us the best there: the mixed floral, the bright floral abstract, the dark abstract, and another one I should take a photo of and post later.

Add to her painting talents the fact that she cooks like - um, what's a good metaphor? - an angel - and you have one incredible mother in law!

Kathy and sisters

I will not bore my treasured readers with a detailed description of my raptures of joy when Steve Z. e-mailed me with a request from his co-worker Kathy to paint a favorite photo of herself and her sisters - for money!

I think anyone who knows me knows I like to save money, that my dream is to have enough to be able to become a creatively frugal housewife and mother of as many children as I can get, and raise them in a healthy, happy environment. I know from being raised by a mother who did just that, that money matters, and every little bit counts. How thrilling to be able to do something I love to do for friends and at the same time, get a little bit that will count for the future!

On the subject matter at hand, I'd like to ask Kathy if she'd allow me to publish her description of the photo from which this was painted. It makes it mean so much more.

May I?

And my heartfelt thanks to Kathy, my new friend and patroness!

half an hour later...

Kathy says yes, so this is her description of her photo:

The picture was taken by my youngest sister's (on the far left) husband. She had told us she was pregnant. Out of 7 kids, she is the youngest girl and the first of all my siblings to have a baby. So when I look at that picture, I can see in our eyes, the pride and excitement we all shared that day. That is why that picture is so special to me.

My sister Pam ended up carrying this baby Melinda, for 2 weeks past her due date, then she was stillborn. It was a sad time for all of us and treasure the happy memories of her pregnancy that we shared. She went on to have two more children.

Then in 1990, my sister Pam died of breast cancer. So of course every picture of her now is very special to me.

The up and coming man David

I feel out of all my paintings, that this one is the best. I have fewest complaints with this one. I love his eyes and the line of white light. I could look at this all day, and say a prayer for a strong, productive, happy life for my little brother.

Nephew Chad

Poor Jon. His family's birthdays have long since past, and he still hasn't got their cards. I'll be sending Kate's dancing one, this one of Chad, and one I hope to finish soon for him and his wife. I wish that I'd been a little more careful with little Chad's nose... I wonder if this is how Michael Jackson's rhinoplasty surgeon felt looking at the final results...

Good news is, I can go back and fix it a little! And I like the hand holding the cookie...

Mama

This is a copy of a painting by Stefan Luchian, revered Romanian artist. Sent to my Mama who lives far away (not my Mommy, but my mother in law). I should have stopped the color at the painting's original outlines, but I have, I suppose, a compulsion to just color the whole thing (arghh) which sort of ruins its online display effect. After it's framed to the proper size, I'm sure it'll look better.

Amy's family

I finished Steve's painting just before the holiday trip my husband and I took to visit his family. I conveniently busied myself with all sorts of things so I was not able to finish the paintings for all the family birthdays around that time of year. I called with birthday wishes and pleasant excuses.

After our return to the States, and the bright-eyed New Year's Resolutions, I set to work on fulfilling my self-imposed obligations, the first of which were sent to my oldest sister Amy, her husband, and children.

Here they are: first, Amy's twins, second, their oldest boy Jonathen, and only girl Destiny, last, Amy and her husband.

Buffy, Buzz, and their pet

After Steve Z.'s wonderful amazing perfectly marvellous gift arrived, I shuffled about my house in a rather bewildered, zombie-like state induced by a fog of feelings which was comprised of excitement, bewilderment, joy, gratitude, inadequacy, and, I admit, terror. I remember repeating to my husband's cocked eyebrows, "But I'm not an artist!" until he sat me down to dinner to shut me up.
Steve Z. later somewhat alleviated my feelings of bewildered gratitude by requesting a painting on the largest size paper he'd given and to be of a photo he'd taken of his mother and their two terriers, Buffy and Buzz. Again, I reacted with joy... until I got out the largest size paper and looked at its so beautifully unstained width. My patient husband was again subjected to imbecilic repetitions of "I can't do this!" until it was done.
And so, for better or worse, here it is, roughly 2x3 feet.

Dancing Kate

I loved the snapshot this was taken from. I miss my neice.

My legacy

I am blessed to have a whole lot of incredible family with strong roots and values.

Sadly, we lost my grandmother last fall. What I'm grateful for is that my husband and I were able to make a visit to my mother's parent's farm last summer, when grandma was still with us. This piece was from a snapshot of grandma and my mother. When Mommy's birthday came around, I sent this to her.

Beautiful Shara

Emily took the photo that this was based on. This is what I sent my sister Shara on her birthday. I am afraid that I did fold it to fit it in the envelope...

Nina and me

Not long after I began painting, and after I'd sent a few of my "cards" to friends and family, the great friend of my family since I was small, Steve Z., sent an enormous package to me filled with a lifetime's worth of quality papers of myrad sizing, beautiful brushes, and tubes and tubes of glorious paints.

I think it was the best material gift I've ever got - besides the ring my husband gave me!

I continued to make "cards" and send them - more often late than not - for birthdays. This one is for my neice, Nina.