And the beat goes on

June 30th, 2006

The last day of the month of June! Wow, half of the year has gone by already. It's been a good year so far, family and friends are well and all are busy.

My art career is both satisfying and beginning to take off in a good direction. Several works are in progress and two works are finished and waiting for buyers.

I spent time on Thursday, yesterday, with my mentor, Lori Levin. She keeps me grounded in good fundamentals of drawing and planning first, painting next. Last week I did the necessary prep work of fundamentals.

This week I started applying oil to canvas of the new still life. It was going well, until I realized that something was bothering me about the right upper quad of the canvas. I pointed out my concerns to Lori and she agreed with me. The cookie jar looked to be in a precarious position. In reality, it would never be balanced that way. It would have tumbled over.

Back to the re-drawing and reshaping of the book under the cookie jar, enlarging the book so that the jar balanced properly. It's funny, both of us didn't notice the error until color started to be applied. That only goes to show you that you have to constantly evaluate what you are doing while painting for many things. Everything makes sense now regarding that area of the painting.

I finished a 8" 2 10" still life study of a red rose, stem and leaves yesterday at home. I will put in up for sale in August with a still life study in pastel of various kitchen items.

Back to work now on a new series of still lives.

Carolyn

Tuesday, June 27, 2006


Wow! The month of June is almost finished for this year. Time is certainly flying by, when you're having fun.

Let's see....It's been about a week since I did an update on my blog. What has happened?

The session with my art mentor, Lori Levin, went very well last Thursday. I started on a new still life, 16" x 20" in size. Lori did my set up of object and lighting for me. (She knows me well by now and incorporated some of my favorite items.) Not telling what they are as yet...But they made me smile.

She made me do my homework by doing my pencil preliminary drawings first for placement of objects. Actually, she made me do three. When we were both satisfied, I drew my favorite of the three drawings onto the 16" x 20" canvas with vine charcoal. I then checked my work for accuracy. After that I outlined objects with a very thin wash of Ultramarine blue to hold the placement. I will then begin to actually paint the still life this Thursday.

I have been working on other projects this week at home. I am still working on a still life of pots, pans, glassware and apples on a yellow tablecloth. It is also 16" x 20" in size and is going well.

Today I worked on a smaller piece, 8" x 10" of a red American Beauty rose. It is almost complete. I need to paint the rose's leaves and then I will be finished with this art work. I am very pleased with the way it is going...It almost painted itself.

I will try again to add pictures but I'm not optimistic that I will be able to show you what I am talking and working on. I need my computer expert to help me, and my son (who is the expert) is very busy with his children this week.

Bye, Think and enjoy art! Beauty is in many places.

Carolyn

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Work continued on my newest still life oil painting today. I worked on the copper pot and the black pot today, getting the shadows and highlights on, including painting the handles onto the pots. Next, I need to work on the glass jar that is in the painting. That will have to wait until tomorrow or Friday. After those items are finished, I will begin to work on the mid ground and then the foreground.

I am going to see my mentor, Lori Levin, tomorrow. I will be working on another still life project that she has assembled for my challenge. Can't wait to see it! Will tell you all about it after I see it. I will take pictures as I progress though the painting from beginning to finish.

Stay cool, and remember to think art. Creating art and viewing art nurtures the soul.

Bye,

Carolyn

Sunday, June 18, 2006

The last few days have been different and interesting.

I went to my son and daughter-in-law's house to baby sit my grandchildren. My grandson had a few days off from the end of school to Monday when he was to start summer camp and needed adult supervision.

I was lucky to spend one on one time first with my grandson on Thursday. It was interesting to re connect with my inner child and think of things from a child's perspective of six years. Also fun to draw with a six year old. Such imagination and freedom from fear of not getting it right!

The next day it was one on one time with my granddaughter of 3 years. She is my "Hot Tamale, Firecracker!" What a whirlwind of activity! Chuck N Cheese kept her occupied and very happy for 2.5 hours. Needless to say, I was very tired afterwards, but not she, no nap for her. I don't know how she did it...I must be getting very old.

Needless to say, days like those above are priceless.

Monday it's back to art projects. The still life and a new drawing and possible pastel work.
See yah!

Carolyn

New Work in Progress

June 14, 2006

I have started on a brand new series of work, since my artist cupboard is now empty. (I have sold all of my oils on canvas.)

Monday, I went looking into my stack of drawings for inspiration and I came across an unfinished pastel drawing that I did while I was taking an art class at Rowan College, in Glassboro, NJ several years ago.

I decided that I would make a new piece, smaller than the original, but incorportating all of the design features.

Work was begun on Canson grey pastel paper, size 9 x 12" I first sketched the placement of various objects with graphite pencil. When satisfied, I begain using pastel in a various crosshatching technique, layering darker colors over lighter colors. I played with various techniques and truely enhoyed the entire process from beginning to end.

On Tuesday, I begain the entire process over again, in oils on canvas. The canvas piece wll have most of the same objects in it, with additional objects to give the finished work more punch and interest, since it is a much larger canvas than the pastel piece.

So far, so good.

Carolyn

June 12, 2006

This week end was a profitable one for selling my art. Three oil paintings on canvas sold to people in various parts of the United States. Thank you.

Today, Monday, was an interesting day. I decided to take a look at some of my prior drawings, to find some inspiration for new work. I came across an unfinished large pastel piece that I had worked on in one of my numerous art courses.

This piece was started at my class at Rowen College, Glassboro, NJ several years ago. I decided to make a smaller sketch to check the placement of objects before I continued with a new piece of work. Once satisfied with the rough drawing, I sketched the placement of objects lightly with graphite on Canson Mi-Teintes grey paper for pastel. The size is 9" x 12".

I decided from the start that I would just play with color, various strokes with the pastel sticks and just have a good time creating. I finished the work this afternoon and had such a good time creating this art piece. I now have to think of a name for the work. Sometimes that is the hardest thing to do and sometimes it just comes. No yet today....maybe tomorrow. I have to live with it for a day or so until the right name comes.

I will try to upload it to my blog tonight for you to see if possible. (That hasn't been working lately.)

Carolyn

June 11, 2006

Thanks go out to several people this week end for purchasing my paintings.

"Not a Shy Violet" was purchased by a lady in Buffalo, NY.

"Summer Floral" was purchased by a a lady in Tonto Basin, AZ.

"Peppers and Onion" will be purchased tonight on ebay also. I do not know where that buyer is from as yet.

Thanks to all for furthering my art career.

June 9, 2006

Today has been a poor painting day. I am very frustrated with the two pieces that I am working on. Both pictures are not going the way I envisioned them. I think the best thing that I can do is to put both aside for now and get back to the drawing board. I may go back to the two projects or I may scrap them.


I mean to sketch various objects and play with several subjects to make a interesting drawing or composition. My focus lately has been all over the place and my work shows it.

Later in the evening

June 8, 2006


I tried to add my pictures of the current oil painting projects, but I could not upload them to this site. I wonder why?

June 8, 2006

Hello, everybody! I am back. I bet that you though that I gave up on art. No, that's not true.
I have been so very busy making art, that I didn't have time to post on my blog.

I have been working on two to three projects. You may ask why two or three? Well, we artists have to work between projects because we have to let some passages and areas dry before we can continue on with paint applications to each canvas.

Current work progresses on a seashore painting of a sailing ship with passengers off of Atlantic City, NJ. I took the photo several years ago and found it in my collection of photos.

Another photo from the shore also interested me. It is a photo of a Cape May, NJ bed and breakfast. It has a homey, welcoming look that I want to portray on canvas.

I am going to try to add work in progress of these two subjects to this posting. Wish me luck.

June 2, 2006

Several oil painting have gone up for sale on ebay. "Not a Shy Violet" has gone up tonight for sale. "Jill's Garden" and "Summer Floral" will be going up for auction tomorrow eve after 9:00PM.

I need to list several other pieces tomorrow for a start in the early evening. They will be "Two Egg Omelet" and "Pepper's and Onion". The two last listed will be perfect for the kitchen and they will be reasonably priced.

I will go through the rest of my collection and see what else I wish to list tomorrow eve.

That's all for today.