cabinart weblog

The hardest part about this mural is the wind! It makes the photos flap around, my hair flies in my face, and the palette and brushes dry out Very Fast. Wow, this is a windy location! The other surprising thing is that no matter how many days I have worked on it, I always think “2 more days”. More will be revealed. . .

Alta is patched and repainted a bit.

 It is actually further along than this, but I had to take the photo before the mulberry tree shadow reached the image.

Today I taped off the edges in order to decrease the hassles. Good policy, don’t you think? One should always decrease hassles if given the chance! (Once again, the color is not accurate in the photo - a field trip is recommended.)

Since October will end soon, I thought you might enjoy this painting now:

 October Road - 11×14″ - oil on panel, framed - $199

Murals are very social projects. Compared to Exeter, it didn’t seem that social until I began adding up the visitors! TCM DOC brought me some wonderfully welcomed liquid refreshments this a.m. Kristi wondered if I can walk tomorrow and if I had lunch with me. Lieutenant O’Dell bought some gray goo to seal up the divot in the center of Alta Peak. A former drawing student stopped by to say hello and so I could see his dog, which I named “Barney” back when he was a pup! (Handsome Aussie!) A stranger stopped by to say “God Bless You!” (I thanked him and wish I had thought to say “He has and is!”) Shirley the mail lady stopped because I had the flag up on the mailbox (forgot to mail my stuff at home) - we didn’t recognize each other without our knitting in hand! Plus, I met Mike and Steve, 2 EMTs. Best of all, my Other Half stopped by when he finished work! Here is the divot patch waiting to dry: And here is the day’s progress from a distance:  The lake needs a bit of work. The mulberry tree is casting a weird shadow over the left side, in case you were wondering.   And here it is a bit closer. Next? The lake divot needs snow, the lake needs another coat, and the corners need wildflowers! The colors are sort of pukey in these photos - guess you’ll just have to drive by!

This was cabin closing weekend. The usual mixed emotions accompanied the tasks. Here are some (maybe) final photos of Mineral King for 2009.This is looking down on Soda Springs. after we crossed over and headed to Aspen Flat, where we found some trees with color.There is another Soda Spring that isn’t so well trod or well known. The water tastes just as nasty - fizzy metal, anyone?We also found these - they belonged to a very big buck! It seems he met a violent end - part of his jawbone was nearby. (I spared you the visual assault - you’re welcome!)Found a few more trees with color at the lower end of the valley. (probably not as bright as this - thanks, iPhoto!) That storm which made our river so full also put a nice coating on Farewell Gap. So, once again it is time to say, “Farewell, Farewell!” If you want to keep an eye on Mineral King throughout the year, you can watch it here: http://www.mk-webcam.net/

This is at Tulare County  Fire Station #14, at the corner of Sierra Drive and South Fork in Three Rivers.  When I arrived this morning, this is what was waiting: Nice prime job, Mike! Thanks! Next, I drew on the design with a small stiff paintbrush in gray paint. It needed a little improving, so I switched to green for the corrections. Then, I began with the sky and worked my way forward. Had a nice visit with Lieutenant O’Dell - I grew up with his dad and uncle out in the oranges north of Ivanhoe! (Can’t be anonymous in Tulare County!)  He was hospitable and helpful, and he likes to draw, so I gave him lots of tips as I painted.  At the end of the day, this is what the tank looked like:

 Paint what you know; paint as much as possible; practice makes perfect; paint what sells. ‘Nuff said.

 Isn’t this a spiffy easel? It is so simple and functional. My friend John’s Mom was a painter. She has passed on, and John has passed her supplies on to me! Thank you John and Elaine!  Okay, I am dancing around the subject of this posting. . . as you can see, I said YES to something completely different than my usual subject matter. Life is full of adventures!

When it is overcast, the light is too low for painting. So, I draw instead!  Here is the chosen sketch for this comissioned collage piece: Looks like a scribbly mess unless you know the photos. I showed the customers 4 options and they chose A with a few  minor changes. Here is the beginning of the drawing:

Today there was a strong temptation to sit outside The Art Co-op and listen to the river while knitting. Instead, I painted these. There is a bit more detail remaining to be finished in the top three. Incidentally, I wonder why so many of the items I paint in this manner begin with the letter P: pumpkins, peppers, pomegranates, persimmons, pears. . . pomelo, anyone?

It really is! We had so much rain on Tuesday that there were Looky-loos all over town to see the river on Wednesday morning. I was one of them, and now you get to see too. This is standing on the Dinely Bridge looking upstream. (See St. Anthony’s Retreat on the hillside to the right of the river?)Just for comparison, here it is in March. This is not a place that I normally photograph so I have nothing for you to compare with it. However, check out those waves!This is the river outside The Art Co-op on Wednesday morning. Compare it with August: Fascinating in a terrifying way, no?