In the Pink

11 X 14 Canvas
Ok, it's been six months since I've added anything to this blog. I sent the muse on vacation because the last set of paintings were too much alike and the last January painting was too ugly to scan. But when someone wanted that Fluff Flop, the muse was sending vibes that she wished to return. Just as I was prepared to welcome her back, I experienced a brush with death. But after a touch of grace and a long stay in the hospital (May 7 -18), I wanted to paint spring; a rebirth perhaps. This is the first piece I've painted in six months. It's in the pink just as I am.

Puzzling

11 x 14 Canvas
Ah a puzzle of who knows what. The scanner shows the thin borders, which many might wonder how I created. But it does not show the texture of those green lines that were created by left over grass from Austin's Easter basket. The remainder of the colors were added to fill in the shapes created by the grass. A close inspection reveals that I didn't manage to stay within the lines. The piece was too large for the scanner so the solid green edging is not visible. The canvas background was green and that color affected the color of the paints applied over it. Also the actual painting is not so muddy; it's quite vibrant. (I have plenty of grass left over. Who knows what I might do with it next.)

Byways

11 x 14 Canvas
What's this? Could it be an overview of my neighborhood with its twisty streets and deadends? Or is it a map of the paths I've taken throughout my life with varied starts, stops and start overs in new directions? Or is merely some paint slapped onto canvas? Does it matter what it IS? What do you see in this combination of blues, purple and yellow?

Yellow Blooms

6 x 9 posterboard
More of my usual flowers in yellow this time. Spring remained in my heart as I created the climbing vine of yellow. The background is a wash of blue applied over the flowers and dabbed off with a dry paper towel. The dabs cover a multitude of sloppy brush strokes created by my sometimes shaky hands. Someday I'll figure out how to make a thin line.

Reflection

6 x 9 posterboard
As I reflect on this piece, I really don't know what I was thinking. Honestly, I wasn't thinking; I was playing around with the colors of orange, yellow and purple and a variety of paint applicators. I sponged on the orange, dabbed on the yellow with a cloth and dry brushed the purple, and ended up with this. I couldn't decide what to do next, so stopped and called it finished. I learned that KISS works and I should stop before the next step makes a mess. Oh yeah, a relection of light was added by the scanner.

Too Tall

6 x 9 hardboard
Even though the tall flower is supposed to be a tulip, I'm reminded that tall poppies are set up for trouble. If you don't want attention, don't stand out in the crowd. The safest flowers in this batch are the ground cover. Somehow I've never figured out how take cover and usually stand tall. Hmm that explains why I often felt like a target and ended up with hurt feelings.