The Final Brush Marks and Frances is just Too Nice

It is always so hard to know when to quit on a painting. I have learned over the years to let them alone for a while before deciding if they are really done but it is so difficult to stop. Often times I feel like I should push one a little more before I quit but that usually just creates more problems to solve and perfection is always out of reach. Since my work is representational people that don't understand abstract art are always trying to get me to explain it to them. I tell them that I can't explain what all artists do. I believe the only way people that only understand art as a picture of something can understand how all art is abstract is for them to take it up themselves. Whether the artwork has specific shapes from nature or not there are a multitude of decisions to be made based on how it looks as a work of art created by one personality.

Just put the last marks on one I am pleased with. It's not exactly what I want but it is close.

Our dog Frances is just too nice. The other day we saw her about two feet from her dish. She was calmly watching a cat eat her dog food. She didn't bark or go after the stray cat. I guess the natural animosity between dogs and cats is not always true. She is still periodically staring at the neighbor's dogs as they bard like mad at her. She never barks back or bares her teeth at them. Sweet old dog.

The Road Less Traveled By and My Sore Feet

Many readers of Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" think the poem is about being an individual. I had thought that for most of my life until my painting time became such an exhilarating experience. For many years it was discouraging and frustrating. I destroyed many paintings that I thought were awful. Now that I know exactly where I belong in regards to style and purpose I live to paint and every day is exciting.

I could be wrong but I think Frost was talking about becoming an artist which is not a typical path in life, but for me IT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED BY IS THE GREATEST ROAD IN THE WORLD!

All my life I have bragged about my great feet. I have heard others talk about their sore feet and was so glad that never happened to me. I could stand up and paint all day long. I never sat down when teaching classes. Well, I guess my feet are finally showing some wear. I can still stand up for long periods of time but sometimes my feet are sore. That's life! I may be a little sore going down that path but I will stay on the road.

Too Much to do and the sale of Samantha

It is so hard to blog when you are trying to update a portfolio, get ready for a November show, teach four classes, and keep up with housework. I am worn out but I wanted to write about Samantha which I recently sold. The paintings and pastels that I did of my son's friends are very special to me. I was neighborhood Mom for many years and it was a wonderful time. I took kids skating, swimming, bowling, and fishing. They are all adults now and their portraits are more than paintings to me. They are monuments to some of my favorite years.

I hope they will all continue to be viewed in other homes after I am gone. I work hard to sell my work. I don't want them to be thrown away. I hope someone will see them and experience the joy I experienced in raising my son.

I am Overwelmed by the Work I have to do

I have so many paintings to re-shoot that I am worn out before I start. I wish I had been born into the digital age. The 35mm camera techniques I was taught in school for photographing art aren't good enough for large prints. I have a collection of slides that look great on the screen but when viewed at full resolution are blurry. I uploaded many paintings on FAA before I even had the equipment to show me if the images were good. Most of my paintings are 30"x40" and are on heavy boards made heavier by the amount of paint I use. I have to set up outdoors in the sunlight which at times is so strong shadows are created by the brushwork on the painting. The clouds keep shifting today but I am going to try to get good prints. Yikes! What a chore! Such a long of list!

I am so glad I am a painter. Tuesday I received a big disappointment but all I needed to do was pick up a paint brush and all was well again. If I end up in a wheel chair I know I will still be painting. I hope I won't have crippling arthritis like Renoir but I will keep going. How wonderful to love what you do!

Alan by Our Window in California

My favorite new painting, "Alan by Our Window" is now in a wonderful patron's home in California. I now have two paintings in California along with paintings in thirteen other states. It is great to find homes for my creations. I scanned this painting directly into my computer before mailing it and the scanned version is warmer colored than the one I took with my Nikon.

If I sell the other small paintings I have on ebay right now I will scan them in also. I am newriverartist on ebay. It is great to have huge files for fineartamerica.com. Then patrons can get an archival prints on paper or canvas in small or large sizes.

Alan by Our Window and Other Small Gems

The painting of Alan at two is now on ebay and I am going to post it here. I am excited about this little gem. I enter a lot of online contest in Fineartamerica.com and recently tied for first place in one. I have won a number of the contests. I am going to look for other online competitions that are juried by prominent members of the art world. I want this painting to be seen by others that understand the accomplishment of intricate brushwork.

I have won awards from artists I respect but it has been a while since my work was judged by well known artists. I am only an adjunct teacher at Radford University so I don't feel obligated to suffer the steep costs involved in national and international competitions. The shipping alone has become outrageous.

I am also excited about two evening scenes I am doing of a local lake and a shore scene. Modulating warm and cool colors always keeps me going. My studio, Towhee Hill Studio is open to the public 3-5 Tuesdays and Thursdays or by appointment. Call ahead in case of emergency. 540-257-3437

Small Gems on Ebay

I am attempting to sell my small gem series on ebay. It is so important to me to sell my work so I am looking for all avenues and ebay is certainly one of them. So far I have sold "Up Close and Magenta" and " A Pair". The patrons have been great and the compliments make my day. I hope to sell many more small pieces and then work on selling larger ones. Many of my medium and large paintings have been all over the U.S. in competitions and I want to start sending them to permanent homes. Check them out! My name on ebay is newriverartist.