Quick Sketch

Lately I've been fascinated by these quick sketch projects..
It's not my usual, but I drew a familiar piece that I'd done not long ago.. Very fast and very fun.. so much so that I'm going to do a few subjects that I like in the same technique. 
I have 3 exhibits coming up associated with my Art Guild so I'd better get serious..   
    

Breakfast For One

You know how that slump hits you everyonce in a while ?
Well when that happens to me I find that making small watercolors keeps my hand in the paint so to speak.. This is a recipe card size for making oatmeal . I've made others for Lemonade, Chicken Salad etc. , and other simple recipes. No , I'm not a good cook, if I cook at all ...
 I make toast . !!!
BJ

Pencil Detail

A pencil piece I did some time ago. Done from a photo of my daughter Tina Marie.   BJ

Mr. Rabbit

  I've been doing some small w/c sketches and paintings..
This is w/c on 8x10" Cansons 140 lb. 
 When I go for a walk just around dusk, they're all out feeding on the green grasses.
Now that I look at it  again, I know that I could and should have left some lost edges especially under the neck/chest area.  But that's how we learn for next time !!! . BJ

Mixed Media

~Detail~

Playing around with watercolor and paper. For me this is a first, I either do one or the other.. but today I did both.
It's out of my comfort zone, but found it creative, fun and challenging too.   BJ   

Oh , not another flower painting?

No matter what I paint I'm always in my element painting flowers. Sometimes I feel pressured to paint other subjects. Why should that be?  I'm not a landscape, seascape or a still life painter.. I'm a painter of flowers,, nothing gives me as much joy as when I'm doing the flower dance.  LOL !  So boring 'ole me paints yet another flower.
   BJ

The Art Journal Obsession

I almost always post pages from my small journal on my other blog, but did a few more pages and here they are.

My smallest palette, teeny tiny, a page or two for Poe, and Andrew Wyeth whose art I really admired early on. So had the chance to see up close and personal .. Went to the Norton Gallery in West Palm Beach, the date? Jan 25, 1996.. This book is about 31/2" square and I follow no rules, nothing is coordinated as in some journals of today. I'm not a scrapbook person, but when you don't see me around?  This is probably what I'm doing . Not finished yet, and it could go on for weeks, months, and years. LOL !

Memories

I'm mostly a painter of flowers and since Spring has sprung

I'm posting some of my past flowers.

If your quiet in the garden,

 you'll hear what each flower is saying.

read that somewhere.

Orchids for Today.

A quick watercolor sketch of a phalaenopsis orchid.
we are in need of some color on my blog.  so here tis.  BJ

The Lion~ Pencil

My pencil work has been long overdue, or at least I felt that way.
It has lost something in the photography and I've noticed that lately in the past few posts.. This piece measures 16"x20" with the mat ..
  BJ

Zanzibar Girl

Painted from a photo on PMP (Paint My Photo)  which is a copyright free website .  BJ

Instead of Chocolate !

  Today I posted on my Journey blog, click on the word 'Journey' and you'll have a fun time.   BJ  

A Redo

Yes, sometimes I look and see it differently, so I redid the Hollyhocks, I didn't like the first one at all, but as I said it was just putting brush to paper.. this one I added the top flower, did away with a lot of gobblygook  (technical term, for sure) in the background.  BJ

Hollyhocks and Healing

I did sit and paint a bit these past few days... Its the fact that I painted, not the subject or the quality of the painting. That wasn't so important right now... just that I did it.  
   I can't thank all of you enough for your  emails, comments and understanding, your words that touched my heart and  how much it has meant to me..
  Yes, Mary Louise was a cat, but she was my cat. Some may not understand how your heart can hurt from losing a little cat, but each one of you did ...  BJ  

Mary Louise

Please read my post  on my Art Hearts Journey.. I am unable to do anything else right now.

Something Pretty?

I apologize for not remembering where I got this. My brain is still fuzzy. Did this on back of a scrap piece of Bristol smooth.. I'd really like to do this in a large watercolor. Well to me 11x 14 is large.  LOL !   BJ

Wound Up Tight !!

Day after I got home I started this pencil drawing of the rope.

I chose this for the texture,  light , darks, and possibly because I felt wound up like this . 

I knew if I could submerge myself in something this detailed I'd have less time to think about myself.  It worked.  8"x10" . BJ

Detail

Hi Everyone !

  While recuperating at home, I've been doing some journal pages in a small book. Daily doings, more of a diary rather than art. That will come in time..

Right now it's all about getting to walk without the use of help, and do the things that came easy before the surgery.
   Progress is a daily thing, but it's 2 weeks tomorrow and I think it's going fine... Here's a few pages from my journal.. and on my  Journey blog too.. BJ  

Happy Easter, Happy Springtime

 Springtime thoughts to all my friends. 
 I'll be doing the surgery thing next week, (no, not my face) lol ! I wish!! Have a great week and remember if your quiet in the garden, you'll hear what the flowers are saying ! see you next week ..
hugs, BJ

April

Thanks to Sharon at Wildflower House  where I first saw the idea for calander pages. I had to make one .
 I will still add some critters at the ground.

And the top is cut off due to my professional photography skills , but you get the idea.   BJ  
  P.S. I've had so many emails on this , remember it wasn't my idea but click on the name above and it'll take you to  Sharons  and further into it. I'm going to make one for every month..

I was too late to post on the Rookie Painter, but did a few of the challenges anyway.  I have some projects planned but my mind is on other things.  I have always had to paint with a clear head, and when is that you ask?    BJ

 Posting what I managed to do today. My water jar, my Winsor Newton white ceramic that holds some of my brushes.. that I've had for ages  and hope I never drop it.
The flowers were from memory, nondescript but the idea came from a long time ago of something I'd seen. Painted, framed and hung in my studio.  BJ  

Blogs etc !

My different drumbeat today is that I won't be commenting on blogs that have the new code verifications.
Not only are they hard to figure out but sometimes  takes two or three tries to make one comment.  Sorry, I'll be reading your blog but not commenting..
I've never had it on my blog, and never had a problem..Go ahead,  comment !! BJ

Happy Spring !!

  I have an orchid plant that is blooming in my kitchen window.. so did a quick little painting.

Ribbons! ~ I Did It!

I entered into the Professional Category  of the Strawberry Art Festival..
The 'Eye of the Horse took 4th place', and
'Sophisticate'   won the Business Owners Choice and a cash award. The Show and Festival runs until March 11th.. then I get to take them home !

 Although I've won awards from Art Guilds, this was the first time I'd ever entered a juried show.  It  only took me about 50 years .       Who knew!? 
 The competition was tough, beautiful watercolors, oils,  very few pencil/graphite.  I'm truly grateful for these I finally have ribbons to hang in my studio.  And I thank all of you who encouraged me to do it.. a special thank you to Tina .      BJ

Strawberry Festival Art Show

                                             ~  Sophisticate ~ Pencil 20x28

 ~ Eye of the Horse ~  Pencil - 11x14

 'Joey'   W/C  ~11x14 

These will be my entries for the Art Show coming on March 1st here at  Strawberry Festival.. it runs for eleven days . It's a juried show and I'm entering 2 pencil works and one watercolor. 
  I have no expectations of winning anything, as I've never seen pencil win over an oil.. However, these are my choices.
 My photos on the pencil are not true to life. The contrast is not there, but  a great photographer I am not.  BJ

Fuchsia for One

                                                        

                                                                         Detail
As I'm still on that hot pressed paper journey, and confess to following Julie Collins wonderful book. It's the way I learn, the only  way I learned every single thing about painting... BOOKS !
Books and practice, you can read all the books you want but if you don't put it into practice then it will stay right in the book. 
    I know an artist (online) who grows fuchsia plants, so when I saw this it was a 'must do' . . BJ

Hot Press/Cold Press Paper

Although not good composition, the idea was to play with the paper.That I did .

 A few weeks ago I'd gotten some hot pressed paper and have been wanting to try it (top)  .  Bottom is in my sketchbook, and the paper is just that ...paper.   I was bitten by this bug after reading Julie Collins book, Painting Flowers with Impact.. No body does it better!    BJ

My OCD with Paper !!

 ~Some Pages~  ^

  ~Some Mess ~ ^

                                                    ~ The Cover ~  ^
 Thought you might like seeing an Art Journal I made for my friend JoNette. Her parents were both musicians and Jo is a talented pianist. This journal has a music/drama  theme going through it.. It sits on her piano now.. click on the pics for a close-up look...    BJ

When is it Time. ?

Today I lost the light of my life, my dog Angie. 
  I cannot say much more than it was the kinder, more humane thing I did for her because I loved her so very much.. For me it is a heartbreak , I can hardly breathe .. it is that much pain... I'm not a stranger to heartbreak..
    I was with Angie to the very end.. the way it should be when you truly love.. I will get on with my life.. because thats the way I am...
  I have always believed there is something around the next corner.. but there will never be another Angie. 

         Me and Ang hugging in the morning last year. Neither of us had combed our hair yet. !