Tomorrow's Blog Post

I am at the Leesburg studio today and am going to give you my post for tomorrow, since I have highspeed here and dial up at home.  It takes me forever to upload a photo for the blog, so I am taking advantage of the high speed before I head home today.  This little study measures 4 x 6 and is one of four I worked on today.   I am also doing something new, two 12 x 12 paintings that are to be a dyptic or could be used seperately.  Doing something different with the technique also.  If it works out, I will post photos.  If not, oh well, you wouldn't want to see them anyway. 

Honorable Mention Award

I just received the good news that I am getting an Honorable Mention Award at the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington DC.  It is awarded to my tiny painting, Vanitas #3 for oil works on Ivorine.  I am so pleased to have won this award and to be keeping company with such great artists as Joan Willies and Libby Eckert.  Joan has written a book on mniature painting and has painted such notables as Rudolph Nureyev and Haley Mills. 

The show is held at the Strathmore Mansion and is one of the premiere shows for miniature artists. 

Solo Show Review

Megan Fox, Assistant Gallery Director & Solo Artist Coordinator, paid me a visit at my Marshall studio today.  She was here to review my work for the upcoming "Everyday Gods & Goddesses" show at The Art League Gallery, inside the Torpedo Factory Arts Center in Alexandria Virginia.  The show is only 6 months away and there was much to discuss and plan.  We reviewed the artworks themselves to be sure I am on track.  We also discussed the framing and did some planning for the publicity and the show postcard. 

I still have two pieces I am working on and hope to complete one more in addition to those two.

Drawing Class at Art Square

I taught 11 wonderfully well behaved children yesterday at the Loudoun County Arts Center in Art Square, in Leesburg Virginia.  All ranged in ages from 7 to 11.  Our lesson was on drawing animals.  My method is to teach children to look for the basic shapes in the subject they are drawing and build upon those basic shapes.  We drew my old dog Molly.  I actually created this lesson five years ago when Molly was still alive.  I explain to the kids that Boxers are made up of two boxes, one large, one smaller.  Eyes viewed from the side are triangles and so are the ears.  Its amazing how quickly children will rush through their drawings and want to do another and another and another.  So I always carry spare lesson examples.  We also did a long haired kitty and a goofy crocodile.  Its a good thing I had the crocodile in my head, since I did not have another lesson planned after the kitty.  Wow, what energy those kids had!  

Oak Leaf and Sparrow

This is the halfway point of a painting I just delivered to my framer and good friend, Sherrie.  She has always admired my oak leaf paintings, so I did this for her.  I unfortunately did not photograph it finished.  My Bad! 

Sawblade Commission

More interesting commissions......this is a sawblade.  The owner wanted the family farmhouse and barn on it.  She had winter snowscene photos and requested snowscenes.   My illustration style took over!

The Helpful Poodle

This is my little friend Latte.  She is a toy poodle owned by my model for my "Flora" painting.  I can't imagine doing a painting of Jeanne without Latte by her side.  They are inseperable.  I see a few minor changes needed to Latte's anatomy.  Thanks again to the computer monitor for helping me see clearly. 

Chickadee Study

Here is a small study of a Chickadee using the photo reference I recently took with the my new camera.  Cute, but not finished yet!