carrots and kale

After working on three small paintings that aren't part of this series, I took a good nap, then up and back to Harvest. I worked on leaves, winter squash, chard and carrots. Added a rutabaga on the right. It's still just roughed in, but I have to place everything before I can refine it.

Beets and baskets

Worked on a leafy beet, few more leaves and the top of the old weather-beaten trunk. Discovered though a talented, knowledgeable friend and basketmaker that the one in this still life is a white oak Kentucky egg basket. "This particular style originated in central Kentucky around Cave City/Park City/Horse Cave....The history of this type basket goes back to the early settlers, many, many generations, and was handed down from one to the next within several families...There were about seven or eight extended families of basketmakers in the area."

Harvest + Time

Got going on this one today. Weeks ago I did the white of the window. Today I worked on the basket, the brussel sprouts and a turnip.


I love this stage when images are appearing, not fully connected to their context.

Bee Sweet

SIgned today!
I added a bee on a fold on the left hand side. Here's a close up.

Out of Season

Painting snow while it's snowing is something I never, ever expected to do, but it's snowing again here in Atlanta. Big fluffy flakes, just beautiful.


Here's the start of Out of Season. I took the photo during another rare snow last month. There are strawberries and grapes from Chile in the foreground. I haven't blocked in the fruit yet, just the pattern of the snow. It's still pretty high key (saturated color, less neutral). I may soften that.
What I really like is the pattern of the snow on top of construction truck tire tracks.

As long as I had the colors out, I worked on the original study for seasonal -

I added the grape stem, heightened the snow shadows. I added the leaves to the strawberries, another layer of scumbled color, clinging bits of snow and suggestions of seeds. The leaves need several more layers before the color deepens enough, but I do like this. I wonder if I can put it in the March show? If I do, it will probably be the smallest painting they've ever hung.

It's been a good day. Time to wash my brushes, maybe do a little reading by the fire.

limoncello

I've been working on a small painting for a friend who makes her own limoncello. I pour a lot into work that is intended for someone I know, and there is an extra frisson of pleasure in painting something for someone dear to me. We collaborated on the image, coming up the concept together. The friend did the photography, working on composition and light like a pro. The result will be something special to us both. Here's the beginning.
First the drapery, always fun.

Yesterday I laid in the rest. Off to the drying room, back for refinement, then salut!

Paradise Found, with bugs

Today was way fun. I did the tiny bugs I wanted to add.

Ladybug

cricket


Lightning Bug


Spider

Then I painted twirly bits of light on the moss and reworked the green apple. I'm really close, maybe less than a week away from done. I just have to scumble another layer on the background and highlight the yarn. I had so much fun with the bugs today I might find a place to add a honeybee, a beetle and an ant.

More painting, less fussing

Back on the horse that threw me yesterday.
Started with the angel- it's a metal garden ornament that's also painted. I'm fairly happy with it. Please ignore the leaves. They aren't done yet.


Added detail to a few of the dratted leaves along the top edge, but moved on to the twine before I started chewing the ends of my hair in frustration. It's a funny color, not the usual tan of jute. It's dyed green to supposedly blend in, but of course it's a shade not found in nature. The top is faded by exposure to sun.


Just finished working on the front glove. Quite pleased with it.

I think I'll do the other glove, then a few more leaves that are down in the moss.

Paradise Found, not without some cussing.

Covered in paint, which is not usual, mostly variations on green. Did the half-visible printing on the seed packets. Painted the (insert curses here) leaves down the right hand side. They look ghastly close too, not so back from, say, eight feet away. What was I thinking? Don't know how to go forward, can't go back. Must do another round on the gloves and angel yard ornament, but I am too horrified at the state of the leaves to get any closer. I have stalled out at this point.
Just realized that what I need is a pair of blinders, like racing horses wear to keep from freaking out at what's in their peripheral vision.

Sweet and UV bulbs

Yesterday I did a bit of the texture on the wood, and some of the detail on the honey comb. Today I worked on the sugar bowl, spoon and sugar cane. I need to rework the drapery, smooth it out, just get more paint on it. It will have to dry another week first.



Drying may be quicker because Robert built me a drying box; an aluminum foil-lined, 30x40" box with four UV bulbs attached to the sides. 'The windows of the drying room now glow a lurid violet. Apparently they are the same lights pot growers use to raise marijuana in the basement, so I should brace myself for an unscheduled visit from the DEA. heh.

Silk drapery, part deux

Painted all morning, placing the drapery down the left side. Took fierce concentration. Most of the time it looked like random streaks until everything connected at the end and I smoothed out the edges - all 10 zillion of them. But then I was very pleased.

More Sweetness, and the tribulations of white.

Painted the silver sugar bowl this morning. The cool thing about silver is you don't paint the color silver, you paint what it reflects, so there's a swath of mahogany, a corner of sugar cane and lots of highlights. One of my favorite places is the curve of the base, which reflects the bottom of the bowl.


White, the most essential color, is a beast. Doesn't cover well, needs multiple layers, takes forever to dry. Robert has built me a drying box which is lined in aluminum foil and has 4 UV light fixtures. The box is built, just waiting on the UV lights, which he ordered over the Internet. Won't be starting that snow painting until it's functional.

Just ate my (late) breakfast. Now going to tackle the honeycomb.



There's a world of drapery waiting, but I am going to set this aside for the rest of today.
Stripes require careful attention, concentration, and more hand-eye coordination that I have at this point.

Perseverance tips the scales

I'm at the difficult point where I can work all morning on detail - the numbers on the weights, the lines on the ruler, the separations between each dollar bill, the coins (again) - and feel like I've gotten nowhere. Yet when I leave the room and come back, I can see the sharpening, the incremental addition of clarity. I feel so far from done and so ready to stop, but I will persevere.

I've done my assigned amount for today, so off it goes to the drying room, down I go for a nap. When I get up, maybe mix color for the sugar bowl.

Sweet

Here's the start of Sweet. This is one of a pair of paintings. My relationship to all things sugary is complicated.


Today I worked on the drapery, sugar cane and the spoon. It's a spoon that specially made for sugar, and the bowl is in the shape of a shell. It's only roughed in.



Among other things, this painting gives me the pleasure of painting silk drapery, for which I have a weakness.

More snow predicted tonight.

Working from my newly created schedule, I completed a first layer of the paper money and all the coins. Some of the coins got a third or fourth layer of pattern. Worked hard on the integrating the edges.Another layer on the background- a dark green silk drape with a subtle suggestion of folds. There's a long day ahead of working on the face of the bills and the notches on the weight's center bar, and the tops of the weights. Then it will be complete.


It's snowing and being in my studio with windows on three sides is like being inside a snow globe. Beautiful, even, cool light.