"A Little Give, Take Action"

Last week I taught a scene painting class for a theatre camp. O.K. , now this is the third summer I have taught at this camp. And every summer I try & think of a project for the kids that will 1.teach them something about being a scenic, 2. engage them, 3. needs to be completed in two 50 minute sessions, and 4. most importantly, will be FUN !
So, the camp is split into 3 age groups. The youngest group starting at 5 or 6, the oldest group no more than 12 years old and then the little guys in between.44 kids in all.
Also, I need to keep in mind that the space that we are working in, is really not good for messy painting, thoe I have gotten very messy by putting down drop clothes and plastic, in the past.
O.K. I decide we are going to do a little trompe l' oeil painting. A" little trick the eye" action.
I decide to cut out 44 canves squares to work on.
Then I decide, I am going to tape off the outside of the squares, creating a frame around a picture.
So, the first day, I talk to them about what a scenic is & the part they play in the production of a show.......I then explain what trompe l' oeil is & that we are going to create "what will appear to be a picture in a frame.....So, the 1st. day we are just going to do a little "scumbling, sponging action with 2 or 3 colors to create the background of our picture. Then tomorrow we will do a little stenciling on the background and finally pull the tape off and do a little wood graining or gold paint action to create our fake frame. Sound Good ?......While explaining, the kids did seem to like the ideal. But, a few hands did go up in the air asking if they could paint their own picture & not use the stencil. Of course ! Their minds were already way ahead of mine.
So, after camp, I go to the art store to purchase the stencils. As I stood there in front of the stencil selection, I thought, "Dummy...they don't want to use these boring stencils !...They want to PAINT !" So, thankfully I walked away from the stencils, walked over to the paint brushes and bought a nice selection of them.
The next day, when I announced to each class that they could paint what they wanted for their picture, they were all like, "YES!"
What was I thinking? Once again I learned my lesson. Every year it's the same, I start out saying, "first we will do this, this & then, this". And every year I am so grateful that I am not totally stuck in my perfectionist ways and am smart enough to let loose. So, between the kids & myself,and a little" give, take action." The class went very well.
Now, look at those paintings. They are BEaUtiFul !
While they worked, they hummed, they sang, they talked.
Enjoy your Monday.
Summer is finally here & I have alot of my own art to do. Get loose Amy, get loose ! :D

Tasha Tudor

Tasha Tudor

August 28, 1915 - June 18, 2008
Boston, Massachusetts

"Einstein said that time is like a river, it flows in bends. If we could only step back around the turns, we could travel in either direction. I'm sure it's possible. When I die, I'm going right back to the 1830s. I'm not even afraid of dying. I think it must be quite exciting." ~Tasha Tudor

I have a book called "The Private World of Tasha Tudor", it is full of beautiful photos that give you a peek into Tasha's amazing life.I have spent hours looking at that book.I grew up reading her children's story's. Her lovely illustrations have touched many, adults & children.
She has left alot behind for us all to still enjoy.
You can visit a memorial sight set up by her family here.
Her family also have a lovely sight called Tasha Tudor & Family

Marc Chagall

Abraham and the Three Angels (1954-67).
Song of Songs III (1960)
Look at what a very kind face he has, what a cute guy!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Great art picks up where nature ends."
"Only love interest me, and I am only in contact with things I love."
"All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites."
"My name is Marc, my emotional life is sensitive and my purse is empty, but they say I have talent."
Marc Chagall, July 7, 1887- March 29, 1985

One of the things that I love about blogging, is that it often sends me out searching for more information. I was visiting an artist's blog this morning & I made the comment that her figures reminded me of Marc Chagall's. And that got me thinking about a book that I bought many moons ago, 1988. There was a small, but, very good bookstore across the street from my apartment on Strawberry St. (yes, Strawberry St.) that I spent alot of time in. And, when I first laid eyes on Marc Chagall Arabian Nights I just had to have it, the shop owner let me put it on lay-away. It is a large "coffee table" book with colorful, romantic illustrations by Mr. Chagall.
After taking this beautiful book off the self, I looked Marc Chagall up & read a bit more about him. I found these quotes (above) and I can't help but think what a romantic, lover of life he was.
He was not afraid to depict and even indulge himself in romance and color in his art.
Maybe some may think that he wore rose colored glasses. But, he was clearly a lover of life and beauty.
He lived to be 102!!! He died when I was 25. Maybe his beautiful look on life had something to do with that. Anyway, I just LoVe his art and want to know more about him. I will take his book & read it again tonight. It has been... WoW, 20 years since I bought it and I can't remember the last time I have spent any time enjoying it. And somehow, I don't think he would saying he is a cute guy. : )
OoOo, Amy

You Must Click

• This is a portrait done in oils. It is about 21x34". I like this kind of pose for a portrait.
• Sorry,I don't have much more to say here. I have a stinking cold. And my head feels all stuffed up, so stuffed up that my teeth hurt. :( ........... How boring is this post? ..........I will do better. I actually have some fun news coming up. :)
• amy
  

Rain & Portraits

click picture for detail :)It is raining here. Raining, raining, raining. It has rained for days, I think. Great for the May flowers, but not great for taking pictures of art work outside.
So, I will be posting the final picture of the "Leslie & Maria" portrait when the rain stops.
I love the rain, but today I was to go on a field trip to the zoo, with little Miss Rowan's 1st. grade class. It was postponed, so I went & had lunch with her.
Rain or no rain, we had a very special Sunday at my very , very dear Mother in laws. A large family gathering to celebrate her 90th Birthday! I love it, wonderful people, yummy food! Lots of little ones running around. You can't beat it!
So, I leave you with another portrait, (sorry about the flash). I love this painting. Done in pastels. I love pastels. .....And apparently LOVE to to say the word LOVE..... Good for me:)
Have a LOVE-LY Monday! amy

A Little More

A little more detail, looking better. Leslie has one of those cute little noses. Please click on the picture to see detail. It really is amazing how many colors you can squeeze into such a small space. ( remember this piece is only 11"x14") And , these photos I am taking are not, true to all that is there. amy

Closer

These were taken this evening, to dark outside. I just got back from painting on the Mikado set.
I am tired, but I did work on the portrait a bit today. So I wanted to let you see.Even thoe this is a watercolor, I pulled out my trusty Rembrandt pastels. I am working on Leslie's face, her nose is not right yet. But , it is looking better. I am seeing more feeling and life in this painting/drawing now. It is not a large piece, 11"x14".
I think I need to take my Phtalo Blue and put it across the room when I am painting. So , that I can't use it, unless I really need it :).
Well, it is time for me to hobble off to bed now, my a little legs are sore :( . amy

The Mikado

This week I have been painting a set for the Va. Commonwealth University Opera, The Mikado.
Cherry Blossom Trees ! Perfect for spring. As I drive in to paint, I am looking at all the trees & blossoms. I am naturally a very slow driver, even if I am not studying all the trees as I drive to work, I love to drive slowly and look, ( of course I look behind to make sure, I am not getting anyone upset.)
Anyway, I snapped a few pictures before I left. .......These are 14' x 4', there are six of them. I will be sure to get pics. of everything up . These flats will be framed out in a deep reddish brown, so they are Japanese screens. More detail will be added. But, it will be very loose.

I lied, I am not feeling happy with the portrait, I will be working on it first thing tomorrow. The more I look at it. I keep looking at it and it is not done. amy

My first Drawing a Day

Back from our Spring Break. It was so very, very nice. What a break should be.
I started by not letting my kids schedule the week away. You know, "Mom, when are going too....?
Can we....? I want to... Putting my new, " there is plenty of time " theory into practice. I let them know that all suggestions were possible, but we were going to take each day as it came, get up in the morning and do what felt right that day. And you know what , it worked. We had a lovely week and alot of fun.

Big news for me! I sold me first print on etsy !!! I just about fell out of my chair. Oh my, that felt good. ( not the falling out of my chair part, but the saleing something part :)
So, I just sent it off today. I should have sent it yesterday, but I kept fussing over it. My heart is still shaking. I hope she likes it.

I have also started my" drawing a day" habit. I am famous for putting all my focus on one project.
So, now I will be completing a piece of art a day. It may be a drawing or painting or what ever. But, the important thing is to call it done. So they will be small. And then they will be put in my shop at etsy.
The little ink sketch above is the first. It was sent with my esty order as a thank you gift, for being my very first customer.
Tomorrow, the finished portrait. :) Amy

Portrait Update

Moving along. Adding color. I still need to do more work on the Mom ( Leslie) , but I am liking how Maria is looking.

About Being Brave

You may have noticed the badge that I have added to my blog, the very pretty one that reads, One Thing, Be Brave. So simple, are these words, but how hard they can be to follow.

I found Jessie's blog last week and without any second thoughts, I joined her in the commitment to be Brave. After all , when I started my own blog, one of my statements and great desires was to rid myself of fear. I wrote about fear way back on Dec. the 21st. Knowing that it was the number one thing that was holding me back. Holding me back, but why, what am I afraid of?
So many things :
I guess the # 1 fear is, can I do this ?
#2- what if I can't
#3- rejection (no more need be said about that)
#4- will it hurt ? my heart & soul
#5- time
#6- and yes, I must say this, it is a reality , CAN I MAKE A LIVING , DOING MY OWN ART ????
#7 - will I let the people who Love me down ?


O.K. :) that is my list. It really is not as long as I thought it would be and I really thought about this. I am sure that if you are an artist & you are reading this, you can totally relate to my list. So, this was very good. I now have written down the things that scare me.

# 7- Is very important to me. Because, I have been an artist my whole life and I am blessed with the most wonderful people, who are wanting only the best for me. They have seen my art for a very long time and can not believe I am not the" most successful artist in the world!", ( that is not what they think, but some times it feels that way.)
Now lets be real. These are the family and friends who , and I so blessed by this, that REALLY LOVE me !! So, back to reality, what they see is a good thing. Because, I will of course never be the most amazing artist in the world. But, they are right in that, I should at the very least be able to make a living with " my own art".
I say my own art, because, if you have read my blog, you will know that I have had the great pleasure to paint for others professionally. As a scenic painter. I felt very powerful as an artist.
I could look at the designers elevations, and would know right away how to handle what they wanted. I could take non- painters and walk them threw what had to be done. I could teach as I completed the work for the show. I could.... and this is very important... paint in front of crowds of people. I loved it very much. I look at movies to this day as a scenic, one that I would have loved to work on was Nanny McPhee , (I am sure I spelled wrong) That was a most magical movie. Anyway, I also love my own art. VERY much

So, what holds me back, when I do my own work? Where is the confidence ?Where is the girl that can stand in front of a crowd and paint, with so much joy ? When you paint scenery, you are never alone. Unless it is 1:00 in the morning .
I have done many a portrait.
Many a interior design job. Faux Finish , marbre, was my favorite.

This is what I will be working on.
My first job is to work on TIME. I have learned from Lovely Jessie to is to have a montrah ,


Mine to start with is " THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME "
sounds simple, but , I feel I am always saying
"I need to slow down time, "how can it be today ?
Things are going to fast for me. "

So , I am now enjoying, TODAY, every last minute of it, and I have plenty of time !



What I am doing today that is Brave ?
I am going to introduce myself to Jessie , who is the lovely lady that inspired this post.

Drawing Today

The beginning of a portrait I started today. Here I am just starting to ink it in. Next I will add color, watercolor. Things will began to get looser as I add the color.
This is a long over due portrait of my best friend Leslie & her daughter, Maria. "Happy Birthday Les," I love ya.
We seem to have the reading to your child theme happening . But, that's a good thing.

Mother & Child Portrait

This a portrait I did of myself and Hannah. I was pregnant with Rowan here. Today I am going to be working on two portraits. Both will be of Moms with their child.
Have a lovely Tuesday . Amy

This Bloggy Stuff is Hard Work!

I can hardly believe that it has been so long since my last post. But I have been busy, REALY I have. In a very wonderful way. This is one of the portraits I have done. I am trying to promote a more relaxed childes portrait. These portraits are done with watercolor & pen & ink. Not real large, about 12"x 14" on very nice paper. Very Carl Larson or Mary Casset, if I may. They are two of my "art heroes". This one is called "Tea and Toast at Granny's", the chair has a shiny look because I used gold paint, the chair the Granny had was painted gold. That was nice! I just want to have fun doing children's portraits. I have had to get so serious in the past.
I want to offer a portrait that will be happy in anyones home.
o.k. I have paint now, Amy

Father Time

I painted this oil painting 30 years ago, I was 17. Back then I wanted to paint every detail, every hair. Then I began to loosen up in my painting and color became very important to me. But, I just love this old man, he now belongs to my brother Matt. These days I am feeling the need to go back to the very detailed work and bring with it the color that I love so much. He does look like he could be" Father Time," doesn't he? But, he has always been called"the Old Man Painting".

This is one of my portraits, it is also oil, well all my work is done in oil. I just can't get acrylic to do what I like. It is pretty large. So now I am thinking that I want to start being more detailly, (is that a word?), computer says"no", anyway, more detail and keep the fun color happening too. Theo, I love being all loosey with paint. I start a new painting tomorrow morning, I will keep you posted.
Have a lovely day! Amy