Sunday, November 24, 2013

Robby - I heart Spacebook

So Robby is about to make his voyage to his new docking station, but I thought I'd share his fresh new banner with you all.
Cheers all!
To infinite and beyond!

karen

Friday, November 22, 2013

Tea and sympathy

This tea pot plunked its self into my life and the minute it did, I knew I was going to paint its portrait.
Oil on canvas 8x10"
For sale
As the holiday of Thanksgiving approached here in America, I wish I could pour a cup a tea for each of you, listen to your joys and heartaches, and laugh with each of you.  I am so grateful for home, hearth, family, and to live in a time and place where I enjoy my free time as I choose. I choose to paint!
God's blessings.
Cheers all.
Karen

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Strawberry Fields Forever

Hi,
I had set this aside for quite some time. I couldn't get it to gel. And then one day I pulled it out, told it I was going to win this draw and it cooperated - at least to the best of my abilities at this time.
At the painting classes I attend, there is a group of artists there whom appear to have been in class together for some time. They are a very pleasant group. But.... (you saw that coming didn't you?)
One of them in particular does this slow rant under their breath as class progresses until it erupts into a group chant "I can't paint, you can't paint, we all can't paint."
I'm starting to not enjoy that aspect of class, especially when the pallet get cleaned up early (with grumbling), the painting goes into the trash with a loud "thunk" and the artist storms out.

So, when I read this other day I chuckled:

From Studio Incamminati blog Nov. 9, 2011 by Robin Dawn Frey
Several things have helped me overcome feelings and thoughts of inadequacy: I heard Richard Schmidt once say that he does not degrade himself or his art...(that was sort of a wake-up call for me!). Having Nelson Shanks tell me to "rise to the challenge of painting..."(never forgot that!). Reading the book "Painting and the Personal Equation," by Charles Woodbury, and landing on the passage where he says to become a better painter, he or she has to change as a person. Lastly, I got completely exhausted from questioning myself and my work. That kind of self-dialogue just doesn’t help...it gets in the way of progress, and it just is not necessary!

I had one student who used to perpetually degrade herself and her art, and I used to tell her over and over that she had to quit doing that. She continued taking my Saturday class, and slowly started to improve. One day I asked her how she had turned this corner, and she just said “I got tired of being so negative.” Hmmmm...

I wish I could attend classes at Studio Incamminati but whatever class I am in, I am there to learn. (I remember reading something - I think it was about conducting workshops by the wonderful egg tempura painter Koo Schadler, but I could be wrong - who said the hardest student was the one who thought they'd be taking home a masterpiece.)

Oil painting on panel, 10x8", landscape (?!) (hm, still life? fantasty? - your guess is as good as mine! For sale on dailypaintworks.com
Cheers all! God's peace.
Karen

Saturday, November 2, 2013

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