Sunday, December 30, 2012

Brighter Days Ahead

This slightly crazy looking cardinal was how I choose to use my brand new set of reds!  I received several sets of pastels for Christmas, and before I broke up this gorgeous set  I decided to use them in a painting.  I have never done anything so red before, and I love it!  I think I will end/start off the year doing a series of birds, (sorry Melanie).  I need to stretch my wings, and have very little experience with our feathered friends.

The days are getting longer again, there is hope!  We finally have a nice thick covering of snow and I was able to start the day with a ski.

Looking back over the year I have not spent as much time painting as I had planned, and I have not conquered that fear of wasting paper yet, so I have plenty to work on in 2013.  Happy New Year!

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Christmas is coming.....

One of the precious pieces of Wallis paper got used today!  I discovered that chamois does a great job of removing trees, you can see a ghost image if you look closely.  Of course this is a view of Acadia, we took a long hike last year, following a mysterious set of stairs at one end of Sand Beach....we were well rewarded with some beautiful cliffs. 

 

Christmas is a few weeks away, and I have only purchased one present.   I am avoiding watching TV as I get so tired of the commercial's and the hype.  Thanksgiving is now about Black Friday, and Christmas is about gifts...really?  

Saturday, December 1, 2012

December 1st

My friend Martha celebrates her "Birthday Month", and I think this is a wonderful idea!  I am going to give myself a gift every day, it won't be "things" but real gifts.  One is permission to use my good paper and don't worry about using it up!  I am going to set aside 31 pieces of Wallis paper to "waste" every day this month and I am going to enjoy it!  I am going to give my self permission to burn a few paintings too, and gesso over even more. 

This is of Sand Beach in Acadia on Wallis paper.  There are a lot of things I love about this painting, mostly that I did not approach it as precious, I just had fun.  Having fun will be my biggest gift to myself this month.  I think that is an awesome way to honor the gifts I have been already given by the one who I share my birthday with!