A week off but still making progress

Last week we really enjoyed having Daddy home. We went on a day trip to Annapolis and enjoyed some beach time. I filled my memory card with beach painting references.

 Then we went on an overnight trip to Colonial Williamsburg and to Jamestown. the thing the kids enjoyed most was swimming in the Hotel pool and sleeping in the hotel bed.

 

We came home exhausted! 

 I did get some artwork accomplished even with all of the activity.

 

 

Charcoal drawings from Tricia Ratliff's class. We covered measuring angles accurately and also drawing ovals and glass.

As far as painting goes I finished "Beach Walk" and am still working on "My Sister's Battle" I have the picture complete from the neck down but have not finished the face or really done anything more than block in the rest.

Something a little different.

 

 

I have started taking classes at an Atelier type program. The first week my teacher Tricia covered form shadows and highlights. She had me draw simple 3 dimensional forms with charcoal and make sure I include the cast shadow, the terminator, the form shadows, the light side with highlights and the reflected light.

It was fun to learn how to properly use charcoal because I had never had anyone show me before. It is really a lot like the painting process and I am loving the charcoal process now.

I have also been working on the painting of my sister more. I have a lot of pushing and pulling of light and shadow to go still on this project.

 

 
 
 

The other project I have been working on is far out of my normal. I am doing an acrylic painting of a tree that will have circles for guests to sign as a guest book at a friends wedding. I have mostly used pallet knives on this project and am constantly amazed at how different acrylics are. I still have some birds and a nest to add and of course all of the circles.

 

I also went with my friend to pick up art that did not sell at this year's Art at the Mill show. The kids had a great time playing along the stream. We also visited Duvall Gallery and saw the stunning woodwork and nice paintings that were on display at the gallery which is located just across the street from the Mill.

 

On the way home I took a wrong turn and ended up being a little late for the art reception at Meadowlark Gardens. Foolishly I let the kids eat as much of the reception food as the wanted and they mostly ate cookies. That I learned the truth of the phrase "don't eat too many sweets or  you will make your self sick" and also what "tossing ones cookies" really looks like.

 

Three at the Beach

 

Completed "Beach Trio" Oil on Canvas 16"x20" $480

I wanted to capture the total concentration children have with the water and sand on a beautiful day at the beach.

 

Start of a new painting. Long way to go.

Ready to start the day

Working on a still life that is set up in my studio. I am hoping that no kids go in there and eat the sugar out of the bowl before I have a chance to finish it.

 

Sunlight

Today was another very busy day but I will spare you all of the details (this time)

 

Progress made tonight, making my way down the canvas.

 

 

Painting from Life

Painting of my 3yr old daughter from Life while she watched the Little Mermaid. certainly not perfect but at least it is a chance to paint from life, and for free.

Plein Air painting done at Meadowlark Gardens.

 

I chose to paint this cabin because of the love I have for Log Cabins. My parents built a log cabin when I was about 4 yrs old and it was available as a play house for the all the years I was growing up. I had countless sleepovers in the cabin. That cabin now has a perfect location in the woods over looking the Kentucky river and my children enjoy sleeping in it when we visit the Grandparents.

A day in the life

A Day in The Life

or

Messy house / A little Art

 

12:00 Painting....

12:05 I realize it is after midnight and I still have to clean my brushes and get a shower before I go to bed. SO I check my email one more time, clean brushes, shower and...

12:30 fall into bed thinking about the show I need to enter something in tomorrow.

6:30 I am woken up by the baby repeatedly calling MOMMA, MOMMA. Vaguely hear the other kids moving about also. Analyze the level of anxiety in said cries and decide nothing drastic could be going on so I turn over and try to get a little more sleep.

7:30 Children start coming downstairs asking for food. I send them back up and ask the five year old to get himself and his sister breakfast. Baby still calling MOMMA.

7:45 I relent and get the baby out of bed, change her diaper and bring her downstairs to nurse.

8:10 Get the baby cereal and the others some milk to drink, comment on the fact the five year old poured WAY too much cereal. Check my email just in case someone wants me to do an amazing painting for them... Nothing of that sort.

8:30 Get all three kids dressed in Nice-ish clothes so that I can take painting reference pictures later in the day. Eat several bites of cereal from the huge amount left uneaten in the kids bowls. Fetch the baby from the top bunk where she manages to climb whenever my back is turned.

9:00 Kids play with chalk outside while I take pictures for possible painting, nice clothes now covered with pink chalk dust.

9:15 Try to find parts to car seat that had to be taken apart after baby puked while trying to get to a store to buy a frame for a painting. Missing a very important part. Rummage thru the whole house.

 9:30 Make all kids come inside so that I do not loose anyone while I search, they pull out play dough. Pray for saint Anthony's help in finding car seat part. Notice 3 yr old is not wearing her glasses and find missing part when I go to get them for her.

9:45 I put the car seat together while the baby gets into the sink and gets her dress soaked.

10:00 While rounding up kids I notice how messy the house is, breakfast dishes still out, play dough scattered over table.

10:05 I leave for Micheal's to buy a frame for Show entry.

10:30 I try to choose between 3 frames but I forgot to bring the painting to try them out so I buy all three and then pick up two canvases to paint for the frames I don't use for this show.

10:45 Pick up some medium for another project while carrying baby on my back and trying to keep two bigger kids within eyesight. Get in line to checkout while kids play with sand near the checkout line. While checking out I realize I forgot to pick up hardware so I have to find that and then repeat checkout procedure.

11:15 Drive home while thinking about what I can find for lunch and the painting demonstrations from the conference last weekend.

11:30 I frame the painting for the show with the baby's help and try to keep her from driving over it with her ride on toy. Nurse the Baby

11:45 I make lunch while kids play with play dough. Brew some Coffee, maybe this will help me get going?

11:55 While kids finish eating I sweep the floor and clean up breakfast dishes.

12:15 Kids eat ice pops while we all swing on Neighbors new swing.

12:30 Kids go back to sidewalk chalk, More chalk dust on nice clothes. I try to think about a name for my painting. Take pictures of my most recent paintings.

12:45 I yell for kids to use the bathroom and load into the car  to go drop off a painting for a show at a local botanical gardens.

1:00 I realize the gas light is on... Go to get gas.

1:10 Pumping gas I think about the cost of the 3 separate trips I had to make to try to get a frame for the painting, hours I spent on the painting and cost of supplies. Will I actually make any money if this painting sells and what would my hourly rate be? Certainly not minimum wage.
1:30 Arrive for painting drop off and then walk around the gardens with the kids looking for good possibilities for locations for an upcoming portrait commission. Kids splash through all puddles so are chalky and muddy in the pictures I take.
 

 

3:30 Head home once all kids are completely tired, thirsty, hungry and crying.

3:45 Make lemon-aid for everyone and try to clean up some of the Mess while my wonderful husband starts working on dinner.

4:30 Stop the baby from fishing in the sink, Take the kids down to check the Mail, set the table for dinner, Help finish dinner prep.

5:00 Dinner Time.

5:45 Give all three kids baths, help them get into pajamas, read several books and try to keep them from pestering daddy while he uses the restroom.

6:15 Turn on a TV show to help kids wait for wrestling time with Daddy. Nurse the Baby, Dose off.

6:45 Wrestling time

7:00 Bedtime, teeth brushing and tuck ins. Lights out early because everyone is so tired. Finally carry the dirty clothes from the stairs to the laundry room. I have walked past them about 15times today. Already a load running so I can't wash them now.

7:30 Painting Time! Chase kids back to their bedrooms several times.

10:00 Take a break to write this blog and NOW back to painting.

I just wanted to give you a glimpse into how art fits into my daily schedule with kids, Or how sometimes it doesn't.