Merry Christmas Friends

Wishing all my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas, and the Happiest New Year... 

Cardinals

I did these last year? or maybe before that.  The years are passing by so fast I can't keep up with it.
They are kind of festive looking so thought to put them up.   

A Little Country

Trying to catch up with my paintings in Etsy shop.  I find that keeping a minimum of fifty pieces is better for being 'found'. 

I do have a lot of people that like country scenes like these  .

  

FINALLY !

 I'm on my new laptop and the first post to Art Hearts Place!  
It's just the right size, fast, and clear and I love having a keyboard to type on.  So far I'm setting it up by myself, and we'll see how I get along without calling in the Army. I'm not the best to do things on the computer, and don't know how I run a website, Etsy, 2 blogs, and a host of other "stuff".  Divine intervention, no doubt. LOL !

I still have to see how the photo end of this goes... Fingers crossed. 

Looking For

I'm looking for the website that allows you to do this.  This is a painting I did years ago, then went onto a site that puts your painting in front of three people sitting on a bench..
I can't for the life of me remember the name of it .
If anyone knows please leave it in my comment section. 
 This was another one .

Etsy

I still run my Etsy shop.  My latest sale was of this  5x7 "Black Cat" painting.  Of course Jenny was my model and I've done a few of her.  
Etsy has changed a lot since I started in late 2014.  The company has grown and is now even doing commercials on TV.  Some of it's positive, but not all.  When I first got onto it they were doing almost all hand made creations . Now they are a global company and sell everything.  That makes it hard for people to 'find' you on the site. 
I first looked into it in 2008, and then for a few months stayed there. But opted out and didn't go back seriously until Dec. '14 . 
I still sell regularly. I try to keep at least 50 pieces in there at any given time, but right now needing to catch up.   That means I better get a move on.  

 

Photos Big Problem

Ever since my desktop stopped working I am trying to use a small netbook .. I painted this little country scene this morning. Yes, I've painted this scene before , but it was sold. I've always like it.
Took photos with my digital camera and my computer won't upload.. so I took a photo with my phone, and it's just horrible. 
It looks so faded out, and no matter how I tried to edit or fix it no can do.  I'm going to get a new laptop when I can, but for now UGH!! I can't put photos like this on my Etsy, they are not true. 
Happy painting to everyone.  

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING  TO YOU ALL!

Good News ! Bad News !

Ok bad stuff first... my desktop has a terminal illness, in fact it was fatal.  The computer that I've blogged on, website, Etsy, not to mention thousands of photos, all my art work, everything. I panicked at first until I was able to recall everything on a small tablet. But I now need a new one more reliable than this "toy" I'm on now. 

But the good news is that my painting I exhibited in the "Insiders Art" here in Tallahassee has gotten "The Peoples Choice Award" . This was the first piece that I've shown since I got to Tallahassee almost three years ago. 

AND yesterday I won enough on a scratch off ticket  to get a nice new laptop. 

So yesterday was a good day for me. 

Watercolor vs. Acrylic

A while back I decided to try oil painting again after a very long time away from it... As it turned out I tried, I liked, but it didn't like me.. The smells, and the mess, but mostly the smell didn't agree with me.. I was using a medium, Liquin, to mix and it's toxic.. 
I have a very small place, studio and living space.  Eating and sleeping in the same room with oil paint is not a 'good thing'.
So now I'm using acrylics, as a second choice to my watercolor.. Oils are still the best of the two.
Here is my interpretation of the same scene in watercolor, and second in acrylic. 
Very different in terms of application and confirms my belief that watercolor is delicate as opposed to acrylics. 
That's my story, stickin' to it.  Do you have one. ? Let me know. 

                                 Watercolor 8x10

                                    Acrylic 8x10

Sketches from Savannah

 I'd hope to be inspired by my trip to Savannah last week and I suppose that's what happened.. So much art to appreciate whether it's the parks (Squares) ,  the buildings are restored not replaced, and they try to keep them historically correct.  
The windows, and doors are replaced in the period of the time.  But most of them are from hundreds of years back.
This was the windows on one of the the homes there. 

 
 

Watercolor Sketch

Did this quick sketch of the beach at Tybee Island GA.
 The day I was there it was very windy.
Good to do a watercolor and there will be more. 

From Monet To Matisse

This was the exhibit at the Jepson Museum in Savannah while I was there... An exhibit of Monet, Matisse and everything in between.  Renoir, Cassat, Sargeant, Van Gogh It was so impressive to see them up 'close and personal' as the saying goes..

This one above is a Matisse, and here's a few more including Renoir's Storybook .  

 If you think I haven't seen many original impressionist paintings then you would be right.  And I loved every minute there.

And the Riverboat on the Savannah River at night. My phone camera is not that clear from the 9th floor, but the sight was spectacular.

And this one below

was from my cousins IPhone so a good clear photo right after it passed.
I think any artist would love the city of Savannah.  So, Whats not to like ???

So This is Savannah !

Spent my birthday in Savannah, Ga.  A big old Southern town with so much history and places to visit. 

 Very old mansions, beautiful 200 year old oak trees and every thing is built around  'Squares'.

 It's home to SCAD ...Savannah College of Art and Design.
Very artsy, art students everywhere.  

Little walled in courtyards, tons of plants and green stuff.
This is a good time of year to go there, perfect weather.

 Restaurants, cafes, and great hotels.. Then there's City Market, River Street for shopping.
So many places you can paint.. Lamp posts, interesting architecture.  I was there four ? years ago and always wanted to go back.. So I did.  My first cousin Joanne flew to Savannah and I drove up from Florida.. 
And since she's from up north we had to visit Tybee Island a beach town across the river... So the Tybee Lighthouse.

How about THIS Guy!

First I want to say thank you to all my online and blogging buddies that wrote to send their thoughts and prayers before and after the hurricane.. I appreciate it so much.  
Jen and I are fine.. 
And the next thing I'm sending you a picture of this Walking Stick.. He was on a tree in back.. He's over 
5 inches long... Yes, I measured him .. LOL ! 

 Ok so he's not gorgeous, but give him some credit for growing that big !!! 

Leaving for a few days to one of my favorite places, Savannah, Ga.   I'll take plenty of pics and hopefully new enthusiasm for watercolors.  

I'm BACK

 Sunset the night before Hurricane Michael.

Neighbors house. This is what happens when you live in a canopy of trees, but I love them.

 An artist friend in Tallahassee.  


I'm just able to get online as our power came back last night.


Just wanted to say Jenny and I are ok. Damage all around. 
But this place was spared.  
We are a city of large oak trees that are over everything. 
That tore into everything.  Roads, homes, electric wires. 

Thanks everyone who wrote.. 

Last Time

The last time I went to Panama City this quaint little coastal town was beautiful... We are waiting for Hurricane Michael to go onshore there ..  
I'm just north of Tallahassee , and it looks like we'll get it here also.  Fingers crossed and prayers .. 
And this is Appalachicola  last time I was there.  About 6 months ago.. 

Favorite Grapes

I've always found painting from life difficult.  So I never do it, but yesterday I put this bunch of grapes in front of me and painted away. 
Delicious, all gone !!

Still WIP

I've been working on this the last couple days... I should have stopped after 3 hours, called it 'finished', and posted, but oh noooo, not me.  It's a watercolor, about 16x20, and I stuck it behind this old white mat to see if I liked it any better.   I didn't.  But after all my years of painting I think I need to come to terms with the fact that I'm not stopping when I should.. This was a composition of 2 different paintings that I did in the past.   
Possibly softening edges?   When you've never had any professional help and have been painting w/c for 32 years it's very difficult to even know WHAT is wrong.. 
You Just Do !  Any HELP ?

Watercolor

Almost finished , just need a bit of color on that left side.
I've started watercolor painting again, not that I was ever far from it.  
But sometimes a break is good. 

Oil #2

This appealed to me as I had an old white chair with a tub of flowers on it when I lived in Fremont, Ca.
16x20"  Oil.

OIL PAINTING

 Doing some oil painting after being away from it for over 30 years.  Last time I painted in oil was 1984.  I remember it well because it was a defining year of my life as I knew it.

Four years later in 1987 I picked up a brush and started watercolor.  So now here I am doing both .. I'm doing a once a week oil painting class at the local Center here in Tallahassee so it can help me get back into it.. Enjoying it .

My goal was to paint in a more impressionistic style but it isn't going that way. In fact, as you can see it's gone the exact opposite.   But I intend to work at it so as follow in the style of the American painter, Frank W. Benson.  I admire his work, style , palette and subject matter. 
I'll be doing both watercolor and oil, and will post here when I can. Thanks for the visit.
Barbra Joan
 

Watercolor of Jenny

I guess we could say Jenny is my favorite model.. She doesn't mind and she's always here... Don't have to look for her.   An 8x10 matted watercolor.. 

David Howell

As an admirer of the artist David Howell I have his book and decided to paint one of is paintings.. Well almost one of his paintings.. He is a master, how can you beat that?. 

I love that he uses a fairly limited palette, but the thing that gets me most is the way his backgrounds and even some of the painting itself is no more than a whisper.. So I had to try it. And will again, using my own photos.

I discovered the use of this palette gives me that soft look that I always like in paintings but never seem to achieve. 

 

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon at Lake Talquin near Tallahassee.  Went there to paint and try to do plein aire.. I never get to do that and have been wanting to..

The start of a painting. 

Then a visit from this six foot long creature and it wouldn't leave. He came almost to waters edge. Once they get on land they can run pretty fast.   It was time for me to say BYEEEE!

I Love This !

You all may have seen this before, but I love this picture of my sweet cat Jenny.

Country Haven

Worked on this country painting, and first time placing figures in them.  Not really my thing, but wanted to give it some interest.

Two Small Works Today

Just a couple little ones done today, and yesterday.