Finishing up, beginning again

Thanks all. I think I am ready to varnish the Palais Liechtenstein Library and the Jordaan Market. I actually was heading downstairs to varnish the Library yesterday, but couldn't resist tweaking the highlights.

I did the bike spokes and the leaves and all manner of dappling on the rug of the Jordaan.


If I don't see anything that needs doing, I'll be hauling these to the basement (Robert's shop) to varnish them at the end of the week.

I also gessoed two canvases a mid-value ochre/umber and worked out the maths for the grids that I'll use to draw images on the canvas. I thought I'd dip my toe into the new Metamorphosis series by starting with one of the small ones; a 1930 Royal typewriter and ribbon.

General art-related update

A devoted acolyte of the gallery wrap, I saw my painting 'The Interval' framed today at Huff Harrington Fine Arts and I'm a convert.

General art-related update
Worked on the Jordaan painting, mostly adding texture to the rug and bolt of velvet. It felt like weaving with paint. Boosted a few highlight areas and deepened some darks. I'm down to the fringe on the rug, the spokes on the bicycle wheel, and the two loose strings on the viola. It seems to be coming to an end very quickly all of a sudden.


I've painted the Rembrant sketch on the Kunsthistoriche sofa, worked a lot on the window view and red sketchbook. More to do on the wooden foot of the sofa and the top half of the marble column.

Robert wired the Palais Lichtenstein library painting for me today and I think I'll be varnishing it this weekend.
I bought a small (10x10) canvas to do a sliced tomato. There is something about painting with multiple vibrant reds and adding the glisten I just have not tired of.
I also took a walk yesterday, that ended up being 3.5 miles round trip, to the photo developing store, to print the initial candidates for my Metamorphosis series. I am spoiled for choice there. It's exciting and a little daunting for me to have so much work in hand.

Anacreon

Another long painting day, though I did break for a walk.
Did an Indian Yellow glaze on the back wall, did the lettering of the name on the plate, messed around on all the books. After I took this photo, I went in and painted my blue sketchbook in on the bottom right hand shelf.
Titles or author's names on books is next. Fooling around with that will be way too much fun.

Busted

Yesterday I made progress on the top shelf of books and the middle shelf on the right hand side.
Worked on the bust today - pushing the darks and lights. Very satisfying. I'll be making a Indian Yellow glaze and bringing a mango tone to the wall soon. And, every day, more books. Instead of 'bird by bird,' it's book by book.

hanging out in the library

Books cast a spell on me, even though the Kindle-d may inherit the earth.
For a recovering writer, the library is a shrine, a holy and sacred place where you can worship your ancestors and find inspiration for the future. One of the pleasures of working on this painting is spending time paying close attention to books.
Worked on the wall, the bookshelf, the window and the top shelf of books. It might take the rest of the month, but I can smell the oats in the barn.

incremental progress

Today was slow. I kept painting and painting - from 9-5, with a 30 minute break for lunch - and it felt like running faster to stay in one place. But I have faith that progress was made. Worked on a first coat for the rest of the books on the top shelf and a second round on half of the middle shelf. Oh, and just a bit on a gold-beaded border beneath the bust.

Library in the Palais Liechtenstein

I've been working on this new painting for about a week. Today I got started late for various reasons, not until 2pm. But then it just went like a rocket. The walls of the library are faux painted, as are the edges the bookshelves, and I am adding pattern to that as I go. I love the window niche in the upper left that has a flare of aqua light. It's my favorite thing in the painting.
I worked on the bookshelves behind and to the left and the wall behind the bronze bust of the Greek poet Anacreon. Not until I came home and Googled him up did I learn that Anacreon is famous for his erotic poetry and stanzas in praise of wine. The funny thing is he reminds me of my husband.

I kept painting after I lost the light, mostly blurring edges of the mottled wall.
This one really calls to me. I wake up happy because I know it's waiting for me on the easel. At some point I'll hit a wall and get frustrated over something, but not today.