Books

This weird little painting was an assignment in my short-lived oil painting class. Anyone have an idea for a title?

If you are like me, when you visit a blog you like to see how many comments a post has and sometimes you even read them. My blog doesn’t have very many comments to read. Many of them come privately to me via email, so you all don’t get to see them. (I’m not just saying this so that you will know I have readers.) I’m saying this because someone suggested to me via email that I post a list of books I am currently reading. My first thought was “Why?” My second thought was . . . never mind, such a cliche that you can probably guess it!

  1. Entreleadership by Dave Ramsey. (Thank you, Chris LoCurto!) I love business type books and am always looking for hints and ideas of how to tighten up my own little operation. Dave writes the way he speaks, so this book was easy to read and full of material to mull over. Like most really good books, it should be read over and over.
  2. All Wound Up by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka The Yarn Harlot) Stephanie is one of the few authors whose books I just buy. No question – click, spend, own. All of them. She is a knitting humor writer. This book might be her best so far and includes more than just knitting essays. She is smart and funny and I love her!!
  3. The Sierra Nevada Before History by  (my very dear friend) Louise Jackson. This has been on my stack for a year, and it is time. TIME. Past TIME!! Just finished the intro this a.m. and I can hear Louise’s voice as I read. (In case this is easier for you, here it is on Amazon and it is also available at The Book Garden in Exeter.) I am looking forward to this one, especially if the intro is any indication of how interesting it will be! Here is one more link about this one: my drawings are in it! Two, actually.

What are you reading? I’d love to hear your favorites so I can add them to my list!

Five Items On A California Artist’s Brain

  1. Thank a Veteran today. (Thank you Bob J. and Happy Birthday, I can’t believe you will be 80!)
  2. Thank you, Laurie, for pointing out the booboo in the link under See My Work. Now, if you click on Exeter Murals, it takes you to a YouTube video about Exeter, including a talking chin. (weird view of me, good story of Exeter)
  3. Remember the show in Visalia today and tomorrow. See the entry on November 8 for the details.
  4. These paintings might be dry enough to bring to the show. If they are, they will be more detailed than in this photo.
  5. R.I.P. Bugsy, 1994-2011. I’m sorry for the time I folded you up in your bed like a taco and poured you into your kennel (but you had tried to take my hand off on a previous attempt.) I won’t miss your yipping, but you were awfully cute when you came over to my house to find your missing people. And your ears flapped in the most adorable way when you ran!

Paintings In Situ

“In situ” is Latin for “in position”. My brain is full of these helpful pieces of information, and I have no earthly idea how they got there.

These paintings, however, got to their location with great intentionality. My good friend and neighbor wanted to repaint her kitchen. She wasn’t sure how to pick the color, so I suggested that she show me some colors she was considering, and I would mix a small sample for her to try.

One Sunday afternoon I took my paints over, and together we put patches of various shades all over her kitchen walls. When she saw a certain orange that just made her feel happy, with great laughter we dubbed the color “Orange Blossom Special”.

Once her kitchen was all painted, I came over to see it. (Just call me “The Blister”  because I showed up after all the hard work was done.) The kitchen was looking happy, but it lacked some art.

We hustled back to my studio, loaded up a box with paintings that might work and tried multiple combinations until we found the right blend (just like mixing the paint!) Of course, she is only graciously storing them for me until the next show (and the next and the next, ad infinitum, which is Latin for “to infinity” or until they find another happy home).

Spring and fall, both represented here. ( California poppies by a California artist, Mr. Google!)

P.S. You are welcome for the Latin lessons.

P.P.S. It was great fun to mix paint colors and help her choose! Should I add this to my list of art services provided? (Stop thinking I should just lend out my art! She is doing me a favor by modeling the paintings AND storing them!)

P.P.P.S She said “Not to be mean, but I hope they don’t sell!”

Mineral King Bridge Painting, 3rd Layer

Branches and leaves on the cottonwoods, a pine in the right foreground, and some branches added to the red firs back by the cabins.

Sounds like a lesson in native trees of Mineral King. Might be, if I knew what sort of pine that is. Bet it isn’t a pine but is another red fir.

There is more to be done. There is always more to be done.

Sounds like a life lesson.

(Hey Mr. Google, this post is about a Mineral King oil painting, a commissioned oil painting, and I am a California Artist. Just sayin’.)

Mineral King Bridge Painting, 2nd Layer

Getting better all the time (wasn’t that a song by Chicago?)! Certainly isn’t a Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Long Way There is certainly correct for the road, and Long and Winding Road  is even better. Wait – it was called Getting Stronger Every Day by Chicago!!

Clearly I digress. This is about visual art, not auditory art.  Here, have a look at the painting after round 2:

It will take at least one more layer to get the colors, textures and shapes right, and then I can start the leaves on the cottonwoods. (Those are the trees on the left).

Mineral King Bridge In Paint

We all know that procrastination is not a virtue. However, I’d like to present a few benefits to procrastination:

1. Sometimes the problem fixes itself.

2. Sometimes new knowledge or skill is acquired so the difficulty diminishes.

3. Sometimes the problem becomes a moot point.

4. Sometimes someone else takes care of it.

I’ve been contemplating an oil painting of the Mineral King bridge for several weeks. In the meantime, I’ve made progress on my Huge (yet unrevealed) Project, finished a pencil commission, assembled a new spinning card rack, finished some other pencil drawings, prepared for the upcoming student art show, decided on and ordered covers for my display screens, completed the application for the next Studio Tour, and many other things that might bore you right off this page.

Finally, I’ve run out of excuses. The real reason for procrastination in this case is a little embarrassing: when I’ve gone several weeks without painting, I get a little fearful that I won’t be able to remember how to paint.

Then, when I begin a new painting, my fears appear to be confirmed. Sigh.

p.s. Don’t worry, CL, it WILL get better. They always do!

More Beach Love

Just 3 more beach items, then we will return to our regular broadcast. As a California artist, don’t you think it is important to represent more than just Sequoia, Mineral King, Three Rivers, citrus and other fruits?

Starfish, sold

Mussel, 6×6″, oil on wrapped canvas, $50

Sand Dollar, sold