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.

 

Tea for two

Tonight I started a new still life inspired by my daughters imagination. She can pretend for hours and tea parties, art and the color pink are her current favorite things.
It took me a while to get the composition of this still life nailed down. I started with no crayons and a strawberry shortcake seated at the other cup. I like this better because it includes the viewer in the tea party and improves the composition.
I did not get it completed in one night like I did last nights but it is well on its way.
I started with a different colored ground under this painting and prefer the red ground under the paint from last nights painting. The colors on this painting are more vibrant which suit the subject but I just don't like them as much.

Grandma's Legacy

Today I set up and painted my first still life. I chose things that I received from my Grandma Hall. My Grandmother Hall had a beautiful house full of amazing spaces. The window sills were filled with colored glass and the attic contained perfect childhood treasures. I remember so many favorite locations in her house.
However she also was my strict Grandmother. She expected my dinner plate to be cleared and if not it would reappear for breakfast. We were not allowed to slide down the stairs on our bottoms and she did not understand my jokes. I was the youngest grandchild and I always felt she enjoyed the older grand kids more. By the time I was around 8 years old she was developing Alzheimer's and I don't think we ever really got to know each other.
She had done many paintings when she was younger and studied art in college. Several of my paint brushes are actually handed down from her. I like to think that if we had been able to know each other as adults we would have had a lot to talk about and would have gotten along famously.

In other news, My painting of my daughter on the beach "Tide pool" has been spoken for. It is currently in a show at the Vienna Arts Society and will be going to a new home at the end of the show!