Miniatures by Hampton Roads Artists

Well, I just got back from the show and it was fabulous! It was held at the Charles Taylor Art Center in Hampton. There were many intriguing assemblages and mixed media works. I really need to go back and study some of them, because there were so many people there and I'm so short that I couldn't really see some of them. The work was really amazing, even better than I expected. I recognized a lot of names and saw several other artists I know from classes or being members of Blue Skies Gallery. It's really nice to feel like a part of the area artists, kind of like being in a club. This is what I always wanted, to feel like a real artist, even though I've always known I was, deep down inside. Now people recognize me and remember my work, and this was an invitational show, so....cool.

Busy Day

8x10

Yesterday I did stick to my plans most of the day and I put in about half an hour on the above 8x10 painting. I thought I'd try to do one a day, just for practice. But maybe some of them will require more time. I'm not going to get lost in one, though. I'm not ready. 

Then I spent some time painting gesso over a few tries from last week. Geeezz!! Last week? I can't believe I've hardly produced anything since last week. I had company over the weekend, so there's one excuse.

6x6

Then I finished one of my miniatures for an upcoming show, which looks terrible in this picture. I have the other one going and it needs a few hours more of work. 

Today my friend Ilse and I went to a show at the Charles Taylor center and couldn't believe what received prizes. It was crazy! I guess you just never know what will appeal to the judges. Well, it was interesting anyway. Then we went to the Blue Skies Gallery and completely changed out all of my work. I should have taken a picture to post on here. I will when I go there again. We had a long discussion about framing and I think I will try some colored pencil work on sanded paper and have it framed with a mat, which I don't do now. Usually my cp pieces look like oil paintings after they have been varnished, so I just pop them in a frame and go.

As if that wasn't enough, we drove ( well, I drove because we always have to drive in my van so I can get in and out of my wheelchair) to Norfolk, which is about 30 miles and through the Hampton Roads Tunnel, which, if you live around here you know is gambling because when there is an accident in the tunnel nobody goes anywhere. By the time we got to Norfolk we were starving so we went to get lunch and then went to a pagoda with some lovely gardens and water features. After that we had to go to see the D'Art center, which was the reason we planned the trip anyway. But, wouldn't you know, just as we got there at 3 o'clock most of the artists were leaving. It's open til 5......so what gives? Well, we had fun and got some great shots of the pagoda and a couple of birds there.

Now that I read this over, I just want to say......I really did teach my students not to write run on sentences!

10x8

And the last thing I did was finish this little painting I tried weeks ago. I'm happy with it for now.