The Third Time IS the Charm!

After some introspection, I set a goal for this new year that is easy to remember and that I thought I truly needed. This is it: "Less Stress; Generate Joy". I don't usually do the whole "goal" thing because I usually end up so frustrated since I set such unrealistic expectations for myself. But in the interest of following the advice of Eric Maisel in "Coaching the Artist Within", I needed to set a "purpose" for my creative life.

The deadline for the Millicent Rogers Museum show was a month earlier this year. This is my third year to enter, and I had been working on an idea, but with all the craziness around Christmas I wasn't able to finish the painting I had in mind. Instead, I remembered my goal and asked myself what I could reasonably accomplish in the time I had. So I ordered a frame for the the acrylic painting of "Oh My, Look What the Human Dragged In" and submitted that piece on time.

The opening for the show was this last Saturday, Feb 20th. After finding where my painting was hanging in the show, we made another round in the gallery to choose our favorites to vote for the "people's choice" awards. When we made it back to my painting to give it one last look before going home, Jeff noticed that it had sold! This was particularly sweet since there were some big name local artist's who hadn't sold their pieces yet. I felt particularly rewarded for choosing to have "less stress" and boy, did that sale generate some joy!

Jeff Corner: Now I'll never NOT be able to take pictures of cats...

"Take A Whack At It..."

"You can't hit a home run unless you step up to the plate." This was the advice from the card from the "Whack Pack" which I drew a few weeks ago when I was dithering about how to proceed on an idea for a painting I wanted to do. I was hoping to finish this new painting of a small disdainful Muffy cat in time for the Millicent Roger Museum's annual miniature show.

As usual, I was trying to know the end from the beginning and forgetting that often the answer comes while you are working on the painting. I came up with the idea of collaging a fictional news story behind Muffy, explaining why she looked so disgusted. I liked the idea, but I wasn't sure how to get the typewritten piece to put behind her and I worried that it might be too distracting from the main painting.

That advice was just what I needed to get moving instead of thinking. I wrote my story on the computer and then copied it onto a sheet of tracing paper. I ordered the picture frame I thought might work on line. I made several scale copies of Muffy's photo so I could see what size image would work best on a tiny 5"x 4" canvas. Finally, I got to the painting.

I made the right decision by doing a black and white underpainting of Muffy before I added the "news article" type. That helped so I could see the image as I added other layers of collage. I should have tested the tracing paper for buckling. It did get a bit bumpy when I put the collaging gel on it, but I decided to keep it anyway. While I was working, I remembered I had a piece of sheer green collaging paper that was just the color of Muffy's eyes. I added it over the whole image, hoping it would still go with the picture frame I had picked out. I had a moment when I thought I had ruined the whole thing, but I kept painting and I am very pleased with the result. It is different than I imagined, but I think it is better. Leaving room for the unexpected is a good idea.

Jeff's Corner: Paint first, ask questions later!

Virus!

Well, the good news is I didn't catch the virus, our poor computer did! It took Jeff many hours and phone calls to get our machine back to health. We sure realized how much we rely on this great tool and I wished a similar disease to strike those who create those kind of things. Talk about creative energy gone awry....and yes, I know I am vengeful, which is of course, another waste of energy.

Anyway, I do have a painting I wanted to share, which is another one from my "fall leaves and collage experiments." It is called "Masquerade". My inspiration was from a photo of the heart of one of my Dutch Irises from this summer. I have been looking over my flower pictures and trying to see some abstract designs or other themes that are not just obviously flowers.

With the fall leaves I added on the canvas, I also used some very sheer papers that had metallic designs that I thought worked with the sparkle of the real flower petals. I also hoped to capture the sense of a mask. Was I successful? What do you think?

Jeff's Corner: Next Halloween, I am going as one of Tina's paintings.

Tiny Fun

I wanted to do a small painting for a card for a "get well" card for a friend. I decided to use one of my photos of cats from Greece, mainly because this friend is a great lover of cats.

I haven't tried painting with acrylics on watercolor paper for at least a year, so I thought I would give it a try. I couldn't believe a 5" x 7" painting could take five hours, but it did. The happy part about acrylics is that I could adjust the cats face several times until I could get it right. The cat's expression was key to the whole punch line of the card, (see the photo title).

Since the painting did take so much time, and I had another sick friend, I decided to do a color copy of the card onto good photo paper. The color density of the acrylics made for beautiful copies. Another plus for acrylics!

I just got the entrance form for the Millicent Roger's Museum miniature show for this year, and this painting gave me some ideas for my entry. Needless to say, I have small cats on my mind.

Jeff's Corner: "Morris, time for din din!"

Inspiration

After our snow storm in September, we actually did get some warmer days and some beautiful fall colors. I was particularly inspired by a group of Popular trees that were such a rich golden color, they fairly glowed in the fall sunshine. I stopped to pick up some of their leaves from the parking lot that was under them, and the combination of the black asphalt, yellow leaves and the red coat I was wearing gave me an immediate inspiration for a painting.

"Flip-side" 11" x 14" acrylic on canvas ©2009 Tina M Welter

I don't often get flashes like that, but it was great to be able to see something in my mind's eye that I wanted to create. Lately, I had been considering incorporating some collage into the background of my paintings to give them more interest and texture. I saw those leaves as an excellent resource to practice with. I purchased some "Golden" brand acrylic gel medium, which was suggested for collage, and got to work.

I chose to paint with acrylics because I knew that would mix well with that medium and because they dry fast. I didn't start with a drawing, I just started putting down the colors I wanted. My only rule was that I had to go with what felt right, and that I couldn't stop and think about it too long. This was incredibly fun and I ended up getting surprised mid-way with an idea that I wouldn't have thought of to start with, it had to evolve with the painting. A good lesson for me, since I often like to know the solution to many problems before I even get started!

"Flip-side" 11" x 14" acrylic on canvas ©2009 Tina M Welter

 Soon I felt I was finished, so I asked for Jeff's opinion, and he had one excellent suggestion to add one red leaf. Perfect. That is why it is good to have another pair of eyes that you trust. I signed the painting and hung it up. After a few days, I ended up turning it upside down and I think I like it better that way. I have posted it with both views, because I am interested in hearing some other opinions. Tell me which view you like better!

Jeff's Corner: I've looked at leaf from both sides now...

Update. I realized I didn't make it clear that the leaves in the middle of the painting ARE real leaves that I added onto the canvas using the acrylic gel medium. Thanks for asking and for voting!

Fall Preserves

I love the colors.

Summer is officially over when it snows here, and that was on Sept. 21st. My garden is mostly done. I managed to get the tomatoes under cover, but they are still only as big a golf balls. I made a valiant effort to grow things at this elevation, 8500 ft., but it did prove just too cold for squash and pumpkins. There were some potatoes to harvest and some very small corn. Lettuce and chard were definitely the winners.

Still pretty, even after the frost.

 Luckily, my family sent me home from Utah with peaches, blackberries, squash, normal size sweet corn and some cucumbers. My creativity has been focused on making jam and trying to bottle pickles for the first time. Thankfully, I had some success. It is more fun when my efforts pay off in good things to eat.

I have been working on some new flower painting ideas, but I am not quite ready to show the results of those. I thought the jars of jelly and jam were quite lovely to share for now.

Jeff's Corner: Now I know why Euell Gibbons was eating pine trees... (and what's in Grape Nuts anyway? No grapes, no nuts...)

Half-Marathon, Anyone?

Success!

I knew that setting a goal for myself to run a thirteen mile race would help me stay motivated to exercise. I didn't expect to learn other things that I think are applicable to making art.

First. Having other people to encourage me was invaluable. I would have given up in July if my niece hadn't been there with other training strategies and her belief that I could do this. I have read many times that artists can thrive with support from other like minded artists. I have to admit, I have avoided this type of contact because of my memories of "critique sessions" in college. I provide enough critique in my OWN head, thank you. Perhaps it would be possible to connect with others that are not out to destroy me as an artist. One of my brothers actually ran with me, even though he could have run faster. I usually run alone, and I wondered if it would be weird to have to talk to someone while running. We had the best time, it was fun to talk, and I know the physically difficult part of the race, when my legs were aching, went by a whole lot faster with his help.

Second. It was good for me to do something that was hard. I didn't expect the elation and sense of accomplishment that lasted for weeks after the event. I felt ready to set new goals. Write a whole albums' worth of music. Hike the Himalayas. Tackle painting that portrait of my friend! I have more confidence that I can succeed. I wasn't the fastest runner there, but I did beat my own goal of three hours by ten minutes, and that was good enough for me.

Jeff's Corner: I am going to comment about him. Jeff is wonderful! He was so proud of me for finishing my goal.