Teaching again at Paint Party, Salem, New Hampshire. Classes lined up until December. Info on the flyers.
In a four months time we had the opportunity to travel to both to Hawaii and Mexico with friends. With my travel journal in tow, it was delightful to capture some of the beauty.
Hawaii - it was the off season, rained a lot, but I was astounded by the luscious trees and landscapes. I especially wanted to see the rainbow eucalyptus, and was not disappointed. The rain made their colors even more vibrant.
My goals for 2024 were to post weekly on this blog! Here it is June and I just realized I hadn't posted in months. I even found a post in the "draft" file from last fall!
I have been teaching and painting. Classes at the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette and Westminster continue to be a joy for me to teach. It keeps me ever learning myself.
Abstracts
From looking at my blog you would think I’ve painted nothing since dahlias and Woodhaven Farm Rescue animals! Not true! Life has been a flourish of classes at Westminster Village Retirement Community and the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette. Here is a photo journal.
Watercolor leaf collages were great fun. We sketched and painted leaves for a background, then painted more leaves to cut out and create a collage.
Wood Haven Rescue Farm (https://www.woodhavenrescue.com/) does a marvelous work rescuing animals. I had the joy to visit and take inspiration photos for paintings. There is an open house/fundraiser Saturday, October 28. I have had so much fun painting these amazing animals with a new technique - painting on a prepared multicolored background.
Meet Franklin the steer. He was born with crippled legs because he was such a large calf. Founder of the rescue farm, Susan Slayton Whaley, rescued him and did therapy on his legs so he could walk. What a personality! How he loves Susan! He is a real pet. Just a very large one!
Henry is a very pampered senior citizen at the farm.
Did someone say breakfast?
Dahlias are still blooming in the garden and I am still painting them as well as teaching how to paint them.
Westminster Village residents spent two weeks painting dahlias with great success. They learned how to apply masking fluid and paint a background.
The Dahlias just keep on blooming and I keep on painting. This is the second large one painted on 200 pound watercolor paper. These heavy papers respond differently from the 140 pound paper I normally use. They are all good.
Dahlia blossoms are so beautifully complex. It was one of my biggest watercolor challenges yet to capture their delicate texture of layered petals. I have many more blossoms coming on in my garden, that should keep coming until frost, so there is plenty of time to continue painting them. This is a lesson in persistence!
Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work though difficult problems.
I did try painting them a couple of years ago. After completing this painting, I got those older ones out and reworked them.
