Impasto Variations and More Ant Fun

I have been painting for more years than I care to admit to and it is always a new experience.  It is amazing how paintings like to push the artist around instead of the artist controlling the work.  As I have said before, it is a balancing act between control and accident.  I can't imagine using any kind of formula.  I know some artists do and all I can say is "to each their own" but it is not for me.  I sort of know what I am doing, but I always allow for things to happen that I didn't plan which makes for a perpetually exciting experience.  Right now I am modifying the impasto method I have been using for years so that the elevation of the painting is barely there.  At one time I was practically putting it on with a spoon but I am now using  a subtle impasto effect and incorporating many different warm and cool colors with each brushstroke.  Keeps me going!  Dancers have a saying that they must dance or die well I must paint or die.  I hope I have a paint brush in my hand when I go.  If I have mentioned that before it is because it is the truth.

On the home front the ants are back in the kitchen.  We are still seeing a few in the bathrooms but now there are quite a lot in the kitchen.  Time to get more ant traps and try to keep them out of things.  There weren't too many this evening.  I usually put the pudding away and my husband gets it out again.  Tonight I got mine and told him he had better hurry before the ants get it.  He said he got there just as they were hitching their wagon to the bowl!  He got it away from them just in the nick of time!  The war is on for the warm weather.

Be sure to check out my specials for the week!  Just click on Limited Time on Fine Art America.  I will have three starting Thursday morning.  Mine are usually on the first or second page.

How to Avoid Artist Tantrums and Shoot Em UP Bang Bang...

I have been painting in oils for more decades than I care to admit to and it has always been a love/hate experience. I am appalled by people that think artists are having fun with their hobby. I am also appalled by people that think artists are always on the verge of suicide. Both extreme views are ridiculous. I do not play with paint and I am not going to kill myself because I never really get exactly what I want out of a painting. I learned long ago that aritsts have to live with a certain amount of failure.

Most of the time it is a great experience and I love putting the effort into it. Sometimes I get to the screaming stage which brings me to the title of this blog. There is one sure way to avoid Artist Tantrums. Give it up. Get rid of the supplies and all the paintings. Since that is not an option, once in a while I resemble a two-year-old that got her pacifier yanked from her mouth. Since I paint by myself most of the time no one has to hear me freak out.

My husband did not go to movies when he was growing up. He watched some television but he mostly liked to read. Our son is a movie buff and my husband is great about taking him to movies he doesn't want to see. I am not invited. Our son likes to make movie night a guys night so I stay home. Can't complain. As my husband says, the movies they see are always Shoot Em Up Bang Bang or Kick an Alien's Butt.

Be sure to check out my Limited Time promotions on Fine Art America. I offer three greatly reduced canvas prints each week!

I Think I will Report Them and Maybe X Squared Off...

I have tried in the past to sell paintings on Craigslist without success. I received scam emails but nothing more. I keep forgetting about the listings and then they expire. A few days ago I decided to renew listings and add some different ones. I like to try as many venues as possible to sell my artwork. I live to paint but I have bills to pay as one of my artist friends always says.

This time I can't believe the number of scams I am getting. Almost every time I check my email there are three or four scammers wanting me to take the listing off, wait for their bogus check, and they will send their private shipping agent. I guess these scammers are able to email listers without reading the advert. I put in caps that I do not send my artwork by any kind of private shipping arrangement and I only take Paypal. They would save us both time if they actually read my advert.

My favorite one is one I got from two different people explaining to me that they can't buy the painting right now because their cousin wrecked their car but they are having success with an online job and wouldn't I like to try that? I wonder what would happen if I hit the link they send. Probably computer wipe out. I get so many scammers that I haven't alerted Craigslist but I think I will on the next one. This is getting very tiresome.

On Facebook this week someone posted an Algebra joke. Algebra, quit looking for X. She is not coming back. My husband quickly added - Maybe she squared off with Y and Z and then found out she was greater than them. Love it!

Be sure to check out my Limited Time specials on Fine Art America!