Tuesday, June 23, 2015

En Plein Air

I've been waiting for good weather and the flowers to bloom so we can take inspiration from one of my favorite American artists, Georgia O'Keeffe. 

I'm so excited that this day in June became the perfect day for it...sketching and painting outdoors with dear friends! The flower garden was at its peek for peony, Japanese iris, poppy and blue flax. We all found a flower that spoke to us, sketched it and began painting. All the paintings spoke beautifully of the strength of the delicate petals and the boldness of color.


Japanese Iris


Budding Peony

This one was painted by Mila and hours later when everyone was headed home, we noticed the bud, had flowered!


Fruit Bowl

I finished the Japanese Iris painting over the next couple days and while I was painting, Enzo took a canvas and painted Fruit Bowl.



Sunday, June 21, 2015

Dots



A rainy day was spent with dear friends painting and chatting around a large wooden table with brushes filled with many colors transforming the gray day into a creative colorful experience.


Blue Whale
 Sting Ray
 Fox Long Ears


The following beauties painted by my daughter, Mila.

Flowers

Circles
Pink Splash

Painting à la American artist, Vance Kirkland was not only meditative, it reminded me of the hours upon hours filling in multiple images in the coloring books of many years ago.
The process began with a painted layer of different colors, followed by a splatter of color and then for the relaxing part, placing dots close together to create additional varied shapes.  As I was covering the canvas with dots, I noticed images begin to emerge and was compelled to accentuate them as the titles suggest. 
I would like to add that the bubble gum pink in the first three painting were perfectly inspired by the sweetest three year old girl sitting next to me.

Also, the "splash" in the last art work, painted by my daughter, reminds me of the David Hockney painting, A Bigger Splash

  

Also, David Hockney, The Bigger Splash, 1967. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hockney-a-bigger-splash-t03254

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Windows to the Sky

    

While driving out in the country we notice a structure being built on the upward curve of the road. The tall white walls command the space while all the fields fall by it's side. At this moment, the openings frame the sky like a painting. Along with this thought, the blue and white colors and the sharp lines remind me of the American painter, Georgia O'Keefe. 

I forgot my camera today, but will be back.