Day 47 of 100

This is the view from the place where I am staying this week. Lucky me. I noticed this morning that each rectangle is a separate composition, just like the grid picture I was working on.

But I did not work on the grid picture today. Last night I made this sketch. I wanted to keep in my head the things that have been interesting for me to work on.

First thing this morning I made this painting using the sketch as reference.

Hazel gave me a full sheet of hot press watercolor paper and I made the composition again. I redrew the figure a few times. It was always too big and I still think it is too big but maybe it needs to be big. I wanted it to blend in more, be part of the landscape. The smaller ones were more successful at this idea. I have not painted the figure yet because I am not convinced it is right yet.

At the end of the day I worked on this one a bit more. It was Hazel's idea to make each tree a different color. I agree it was a good idea.

Day 46 of 100

Today it is raining. All the better to paint inside.

The order of the photos is backward from the order in which they were created.

When I trimmed the pictures from the grid to make the ratio work I had all those watercolored strips of paper. What do you do with strips of paper? You weave, of course.

And then I went back to working on some of the grid pictures and I was struggling with which branch was in front in a few spots.

I wanted to make a picture of woven branches. That is the top picture.

This is acrylic. I was frustrated and decided I needed to redo the composition in a quick study.

And this is the current state of the grid picture.

Day 45 of 100

Most of the day today I worked on the gridded out enlargement of the tree painting that I was most interested in. I wish I could figure out what it is that intrigues me about it.

The weather was beautiful so at the end of the class time I went to Artist's Point and drew rocks and water. In this class the theme "Authentic Identity" involves remembering what we were like at age 8-11. I remember loving climbing on rocks, being in the woods, being in or near water, singing, doing jigsaw puzzles, doing crafts, watching cartoons, reading, baking, exploring. Today I did not do all those things, but I did some of them.

Day 44 of 100

I am starting the second day of a class at Grand Marais Art Colony. There is so much in my head right now I need to just start painting again. This is what I worked on yesterday. The theme of this week is Wonder Woman:Authentic Identity.

Day 43 of 100

I did battle with this painting today. I wish we could work together, but it won't tell me what it wants. Sometimes it is best to spend the rest of the day framing. I also went for a walk. It is a beautiful day. 

Day 42 of 100

My mother-in-law gave me an hourglass as a gift. We were shopping together and I was admiring it. She seemed to truly feel joy in the interaction, so I did not try to stop her. I usually have anxiety about giving and receiving gifts, and try to avoid all gift situations.

I do like this. I will bring photos of it when I go to Grand Marais for a painting class.

Day 41 of 100

There are computer tasks for school that need to be done at some point this summer. My plan was to get started this morning,using a computer at school because the software and access to the server is there. School is in the process of being cleaned for the summer, all the furniture is in the hallways. So I went for a walk at Lake Vadnais. So glad. It is a beautiful day. I did not have my paint with me, just a small notebook. 

This evening I went to a watercolor demo at the Northstar meeting. Feeling energized to paint with rollers and palette knives.

Day 40 of 100

This photo is so dark. Rocks in water is something I want to do better so I worked on that first today. I painted at Silverwood Park. Northstar Watermedia was having a plein air event. I did not really interact with the other painters but it was nice to be surounded by others doing the same activity. I felt less odd. I could not decide what else should go in this painting, and then a group of women with toddlers came by. The way toddlers squat to pick things up off the ground is cute, and probably better for your back and easier to keep your balance.

The wind and sun were wearing me out. I needed a break. The park building has a place to buy food so I bought coffee and walked the path through the woods to a lovely gazebo next to an oak tree. I added some leaves to my painting from yesterday.

Oak leaves in the sunlight are actually close to white. I struggle to represent light and shadow. Always more to do. Never boring.

 

Day 39 of 100

Rice Creek. A Hot Humid Day. The parks are getting overgrown. We have had a lot of rain so the plants are very happy and healthy except for the trees n standing water. I wonder why the sudden drop in park maintenance. Budget, most likely, but maybe the weather is playing a role as well.

This painting is not done, I was going to add a tree and a wild plant in the foreground. I took photos so maybe I still will do that. The future is uncertain. I am still not satisfied with the way I represent dense green plants and trees. Something to work on.

Day 38 of 100

School is out for summer. I decided I needed to say hello to my paints again.

I was in Duluth yesterday, so this is timely, although I started it last time I was in Duluth, and finished it just now at home.

Today I was mindful of how I decided what to do minute by minute, rather than trying to think of the whole day at once. Stepping back now to see the bigger picture, I think it was a good day. I am satisfied.

I want to work on rendering rocks. Light and shadow and planes at many different angles. That would be interesting to me. I need to get to where some rocks are.