Checking off the List

I seem to be always making lists. To do stuff, what I want to do today, mostly dealing with my creative practice, which seems to be so overwhelming that I am exhausted before I even start.
This post was at the head of my list, maybe almost a week ago. I am now going to date them as if that will help in some ways. Two were left undone. When I finish this post one left which I  put on today's new list. The old one in the wastebasket.

Amir, 17, where have all those years gone! May you reach all your goals!

Reaching for the Stars

Wrapped canvas 

47.5 x 23.5"

Oils and Oil Sticks

The hills are alive with the sound of music!

The hills are alive with the sound of music
With songs they have sung for a thousand years
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music
My heart wants to sing every song it hears

Richard Rogers Oscar Hammerstein II

I am sure this was not the music that my grandson was listening to when he was watching the beautiful mountains in Nepal last April. 

Listening To the Mountain Music

47.5 x 23.625 "

Oils on Wrapped Canvas

Transfer Photo

Painted on an old image with a very light burnt sienna leaving a section for transferring the photo image. Done mainly using oil sticks, about time because I have had them for 2.5 years. The sky was done with regular oils with cold wax, mainly with my silicon spreaders. I loved the looseness that I could get with the sticks but to fill in the sky was a problem. I learned a lot and will definitely use them on a smaller substrate. They are great for getting in the sketch.  

A male portrait exercise Week 9 HYHAS 2019 Instructor Muriel Stegers  Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway! What a title! Whoever thought I would be painting a male portrait without a reference!

WIP

11.6 x 16.5

Acrylic Paper 300 gm

Acrylics

Muriel is an excellent instructor! Lots more to do to this. Acrylics are not my favorite medium but slowly learning to layer and enjoy. This was after video #4!  #5 to watch and tomorrow another lesson!

Have no idea how to make this smaller 

Cabbage is Not Only for Coleslaw

Running dog, collision, fall, cabbage poultice around my bruised knee,

My rescue dog, Lily, is afraid of rain, thunder, loud noises, you get the picture. She also has found some way to escape the closed yard.  Well since the gate is closed and she can't get back as she as went, she waits at the gate to get back in.  When I opened the gate her happiness is translated into a brisk run around the yard. That morning in full force she bumped into me and down I went. So here I am for 3 days using a cabbage poultice around my bruised knee. I was lucky that's all that happened, and the cabbage works.

 Today I am pain-free, but on the second sort of limped to my workshop class.

Thinking of all my friends and family on the east coast. Stay safe, warm and dry. 

Yellow Wind

40 x 40 wrapped canvas

oils cold wax collage

Looking Through the Window

 Here it is the end of the year. Seems it went faster than other years, maybe due to all that has been going on in the world. My "art" year starts usually around September to August when our workshop begins so I am 4 months in. This year will be quite different than usual with various different instructors from Israeli art community. So far this has been quite stimulating as each mentor contributes his view. This week, because Reuven can't come, we will have an artist that specializes in figure work and we will have a model. Its been quite a while since I have drawn/sketched with a live model and I am really looking forward the chance. This coming year I hope to continue my journey into the abstract with both oils and cold wax and collage, and collage with gelli-prints in acrylic. I hope to improve my drawing skills as well.


I am finishing up the first 4 of the grey and yellow series.

Looking Through the Window

wrapped canvas 40 x 40 cm

Oils and Cold Wax

Collage

Looking at this on the computer screen I may tweak this abit.  But for the time being it is what it is.

Start

Added Collage

Diptych Collage

These were done in my weekly workshop. Two 50 x 50 cm wrapped canvases.  Collage pieces from newsprint. Done with a palette knife.

Start

Start

Diptych 1

50 x 50 cm wrapped canvas

Newsprint 

Oils and Cold Wax

Detail 

Detail 

Diptych 2

50 x 50 cm wrapped canvas

Newsprint 

Oils and Cold Wax

Detail

Detail

Have to figure out how to place them together. Probably have to change layout.

Apple Pie Anyone

These were finished a while ago. Two small apple studies on wrapped canvas 30 x 25 cm. Oils done with a palette knife.  Actually I don't know if these are really finished. I stopped mainly because Heleni said they were done. Since I often ruin good starts, this may have been her reason. This is something I have to overcome, the fear of continuing. Working on it in another gender,

Oils on Wrapped Canvas

30 x 25 cm

Oils on Wrapped Canvas

30 x 25 cm

May just make a pie and move on!

Leaf Collage

This is another newsprint collage....I love working with leave patterns... I mainly use newsprint from Gallery section of the newspaper. The sign on the bottom left says Gallery!!! These are fun and fast projects.

Newsprint collage 

40 x 40 cm

oils plus graphite wash drawing

Diptych Snake Plant Collage

These past weeks have been pretty hectic. First my computer died.... this was on the 19th of February just as we were going for our planned family gathering in Moshav Amirim. My daughters had planned a double birthday for me and my husband.  We also celebrated the February birthdays of my daughter Naomi and grand-daughter Lior.

 I knew my XP was cracking up but was reluctant to change because two hardware devices would be obsolete.  My trusted Benq scanner and the Wacum Graphic Tablet my late sister Susan sent me. At least, my hard disks were reachable. When we returned my computer refused to re-install XP or any other operating system.  Seems we have to buy a new computer.

So now its re-building the new computer with all the programs...etc which can e stressful.
Along with this twice a day training Lilly, my dog, and weekly trips to Jerusalem for babysitting duty.
Thank goodness for my weekly workshop my painting would be at a total standstill.

Continuing with my new collage work... cut - paste - paint!!!Painted mainly with the palette knife.

2 40 x 40 cm wrapped canvas

Newsprint oil paint

stage I

pasted newsprint

Potted Plant #2

This too was based on one of the painting from the January 30 x 30 challenge, #26. This time I made the leaves and pot from newsprint and the background oil paint. I am really enjoying the process, painting with newsprint. I will continue with this technique... it sort of got me hooked.

40 x 30 

Wrapped Canvas

Newsprint and Oils

Snake Plant #2

Continueing with oils and collage work. This snake plant was based on #27, one of the paintings I did for the January 30 x 30 challenge, larger with a new twist... I really had to sit on my hands and not add any coloring, at Heleni's suggestion. Really don't know where orange came from. Maybe from the other side of the newsprint that I peeled away

40 x 30 cm

Wrapped Canvas

Newsprint Collage with charcoal sketch

Before I peeled the sketch

Workshop Concept Project January 2016 Our Community Center

In between the thirty in thirty challenge we had our first workshop challenge for 2016.We were supposed to go on a painting outing a few months ago but because of the security issues, it was cancelled. So instead of drawing inspiration from nature the project focused on our Community Center where we meet weekly. The instructions were to paint an aspect or concept, not necessarily an interior or exterior view.

We could work in any media on 40 x 40 cm wrapped canvas. These canvases would then be placed in a sort of floor mosaic.

I photographed a few of the artificial potted plants that are in the lobby.  Made a tight crop of one area.
The background I painted with oils and cold wax. The leaves and shapes from newsprint and worked on with my Caran d'Ache neocolor I crayons.

It was interesting to see the different approaches. Most were focused mainly on our art activity. I always enjoy these projects for several reasons. First they help to unify the group and second they force us out of our comfort zones making us think out of the box. I was a bit disappointed that not all took part.

At Heleni's suggestion, I made changes to the cutout leaves in the center to open the composition.

Revised Collage

Oils and cold wax 

with crayons

40 x 40 cm

Oils and cold wax collage

with crayons

40 x 40 cm

Here are few photos from the event thanks to Shoshi Tal photographer

Workshop Patterns III

My last post of 2015.  I am still influenced by the colors and patterns of Morocco.  I don't want to graphically reproduce the actual symmetrical patterns but rather suggest them in a freehand manner.

Sorry to say that the colors are not exactly as the original...there is much more purple in the blues and magentas... but knowing that every monitor will see them differently I won't go to the "Rabbi".

I have experimented taking pictures with my Canon G11 and my phone Meizu Note2 the G11 won out.

11 x 11 Inches

Wrapped Canvas

Oils & Cold Wax

Wishing you all a very Happy and Creative New Year.  I am taking up Leslie's 30 in 30 challenge which starts   TOMORROW....I will be working way out of my comfort zone.  First by size small 6 x 8 inches.

Then wet on wet in oils... impasto colors without medium straight from the tube... theme mainly foliage with a slight chance of flowers.  Trying to keep a COOL head, not working still a bit stressed.  I just have to JUMP in  Happy swimming everyone.  

# 55 Pots on Traudi's Window Sill Workshop

# 55 Pots on Traudi's Window Sill

Brunch at Traudi's is always a special event.  So many surprise dishes and tastes.  Sitting in the kitchen nook and looking out at the pastoral views.  I took a lot of window shots for inspiration.  Loved how the curtains made an instant frame for the pots and mobile.

Oils on 45 x 34.5 wrapped canvas

Palette knife

Workshop # 54 Potato Field

Workshop # 54 Potato Field

Before going to the painting I want to share a great site that my painter friend Meredith sent me... Savvypainter podcasts.... I am addicted.....very inspiring.... I even painted and listened at the same time. great to be exposed to so many painters and their thoughts and work process.

This another painting from WDE events last November hosted by Wendy aka Sundiver the Potato Field . Decided to post the stages of the painting.. so I can track the WIP.

Oils on 2 30 x 30 cm wrapped canvas using palette knife.... They can viewed as one piece or each as a separate piece.

Finished

stage 2

After sanding

stage 1

Workshop # 53 Traudi's Window

Workshop # 53  Traudi's Window

Another in my window series... took a lot of photos at Traudi's lovely home... this one is in the bathroom... Did some cropping and manipulations to fit my format...
Oils and charcoal drawing.. I did pre-mix my colors and tried to paint colors shapes and not to fiddle too much....I really want to get to finish a painting in one session..

29 x 35 cm Oils on wrapped canvas painted with palette knife with some charcoal drawing...

 sketch

first stage

Workshop #52 Yossi's Salon

Workshop #52  Yossi's Salon

Yossi is my hairdresser and his salon is quite unusual.  He loves art and has a very nice collection of art work on the walls and his furniture has "flea market" all over them.  Even the booths are old fashioned
Last visit while waiting I photographed the unusual sofa on the opposite wall.... there was a very good reflection of Yossi  which I tried to get but didn't succeed... so off it came.... may try with pencil or my wax crayons when its a bit dry...now of for baby-sitting duty!!!

30 x 30 cm Oils on wrapped canvas with palette knife.

Well I decided to put Yossi back in the mirror.

Workshop # 51 Lisbon Nook

Workshop # 51  Lisbon Nook

I have had this reference  photo for ages... I had downloaded it from a  WDE event last November from wetcanvas . These a Weekly Drawing Events that start on Friday and continue all week. The event was hosted by Wendy aka Sundiver.. This event had wonderful photos some I downloaded and hope to paint.. The reference library has thousands of wonderful photos posted by its members, me included.  In order to download images you have to be a member and have posted at least 3-4 posts on the various forums..

I loved the subtle colors of this reference. Although I changed some of them.  Did this in stages in my weekly workshop. I tend to work several simultaneously.

30 x 30 cm   Oils on wrapped canvas using a palette knife.

Final

One of the stages

Workshop #50 Naomi's Sofa

Workshop  #50  Naomi's Sofa

Before the January 30 in 30 challenge I started to do some small old door and windows facades, then a few window views and now some interiors.  I remember listening to  Leslie's blogtalk radio program interview with Connie Hayes and her interiors.... I was hooked... I know I have a long way to go. I really like this subject matter... has lots of possibilities....

30 x 30 wrapped canvas...oils mainly done with the palette knife..  My daughter's leather sofa with pillows!!!

Workshop #45 Jug on Elisheva's Window Sill

More on windows!!! Moving inside showing the window sill with a bit of still life. 30 x 30 oils on wrapped canvas.  So far this is one of my favorites.

Decided to give this an up-lift...

30 x 30 oils on wrapped canvas



Workshop #44 Fall Window

Fall has always been my favorite seasons, especially the fall in New England and other parts of the eastern coast. Here in Israel fall is very subtle... no stunning changes in colors... and very short. This painting was very frustrating... it went through several layers,scraping off...new layer... sanding etc.   I was almost ready to trash it...Well somehow it came through..30 x 30 oils on wrapped canvas.

30 x 30 oils on wrapped canvas