For A More Creative 2016

Hello out there - I am still alive and kicking. What can I say except sorry for my terribly sporadic postings to this blog. Not only have I not been posting regularly, I have not been painting. That is a crying shame. I post my paintings to my computer's hard-drive by year, so I went back over those and was ashamed to find that in 2015 I did only two paintings. 2014 was not much better with three, and 2013 looks like I did only two. 2009 was my most creative year - I painted 28 paintings (I must've been on fire then). No wonder I have felt like I've been missing something. That's the reason for the title - I want (not a resolution) to be more creative this year - 2016.

This year I already have a couple of ideas in the works. I've already sketched one of them and am excited about doing it. In 2009 I did a painting for a local art competition and sale. I titled it "Take This Cup." It won the Purchase Award  and is hanging in the gallery at the Baptist church that ran the competition. (I didn't think it would receive recognition, much less be purchased) This is it ....

Take This Cup - 15x30 oil on stretched canvas

Anyway,  the painting became so meaningful to me as I was painting it that unconsciously I really didn't want it to sell, but it did. I decided someday to do another - something I don't ordinarily do. After six years, I finally am where I believe I can do it. Here is a very rough sketch. It will be a little different colorwise and a few other differences, but the overall remains the same - hopefully better.

Stay tuned for the progress.

The Cove

My post this time is a little different. Last week I had the privilege of participating in a women's retreat entitled Women Anointed, Redeemed. You will notice the bold letters spell out WAR ... we are in fact at war, a spiritual war that we are all facing. Our "war cry" was "I am a child of God, I am a woman of faith, I am a soldier of Christ." The retreat was held at the Billy Graham Education Center - better known as The Cove - in Ashville, NC. An amazingly spiritually uplifting place where you find yourself close to nature, thereby close to God. 

I took pictures and want to share some of them with you.

                                          

Immediately on getting off the interstate, there it is.

The Chapel at the Cove

A few of us inside the chapel

Singing inside the chapel - Perfect acoustics

Just an example of the meals - Understand they are gourmet cooks.

View of the dining room. It was like this three meals a day. They fed us well.

It was an amazing time. A time to reflect on your life, your beliefs, and to have your spirit lifted.

SURPRISE!!

Joyce and Clyde Bell

Knowing I needed to practice my "realism" skills I immediately remembered that I had saved a picture on my computer hard-drive of some very sweet people. My friends Joyce and Clyde Bell. The process went so smoothly that I just felt as though this painting was meant to be done. I told them I had done a seascape (knowing that Joyce loved sea scenes) and wanted to bring it by. 


I am rather pleased with how it turned out and the biggest reward for my efforts was their reaction to the surprise. Here's a photo of the unveiling. 

Thanks guys for being such good friends.

 

Music Soothes ...

Again I find I must apologize - I cannot believe that I have not posted here since March 7th. I keep telling you that I'm going to do better, but do I?  No!!  I would have to say that is a pretty poor way to keep those who follow my blog interested.

However, in defense of myself, for some reason I have not been motivated to do any of the activities that I usually enjoy. Such as painting.  When I discovered this picture I was so taken with the sweet innocence it portrayed that I just had to do a painting of it. Got it sketched in, did the underpainting, and started laying in the color.  It was at that point that I - just like an inch worm - inched through it until finally I felt I could call it finished. The background may appear unfinished, but that was the look I wanted it to have - blurry but clear enough to give the viewer the idea of what they were viewing.  I wanted the main focus to be on the boy, his flute and his "audience."  I hope I've accomplished that.

I've titled it "Music Soothes ...."  I'm not too pleased with that title so if you have a better one, let me know.

Until next time, mahalo for looking and I will try to be better about posting more regularly.

Hawaii Past

Originally my blog was going to, besides my paintings, include stories and happenings to do with my Hawaiian culture.  I have not blogged about my Hawaiian culture for quite a while so I want to do that with this posting.  

As a young girl growing up in Hawai'i it was expected that I and my female siblings would learn and perform the hula.  That's the way it was in the other families as well.  Here are some photos of those days so many years ago.

That's me on the far  right - looking bored.  Think I was about 13-14 here.

I danced with my sisters and cousins.  It was a fun time.

Here we are; me in middle, sister on right.

In ancient Hawai'i; however, women were not allowed to do the hula.  It was an activity reserved exclusively for the men.  The men chosen would reside together in a common residence, devoting themselves totally to the art of dance.  The men continue to dance and it is those dances that I most look forward to when attending a hula festival - such as the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival.  The men's dances are so powerful.  Here is a video clip of one such dances featuring the Academy of Hawaiian Arts. 

This is a hula halau (dance school) out of Oakland, California.  Mark Kealiihoomalu is its kumu (teacher).  They are an amazing group.  

Hope you enjoyed that and thank you for visiting.

Ellie's Blue Hat

Inspired by my visit to the Tinney Contemporary art gallery in Nashville, Tennessee (see post of August 23 - yes, ashamedly that was the last time I posted), I was driven to produce a painting along the lines of true realism.  This type of realism is referred to as hyper-realism, photo-realism, extreme-realism, and other some such labels.

Had a great photo of my granddaughter caught unawares wearing this great, floppy, blue-weave hat.  I loved the pose and wanted to challenge myself with the hat.  Well, I don't know what I was thinking because trying to get hyper-realism on that hat - may not be impossible for some - but it was definitely the hardest thing I've ever attempted to do and I am definitely not happy with it. In fact there are other things I am not happy with, but I've stressed over it enough for now and letting you all see it.  I feel it is unfinished, but I'm posting it here and letting it rest on my easel, (as it has for the past two months) until I can see if I want to tackle it further.

Ellie's Blue Hat - 20x16 oil on canvas

Thanks for visiting. I gotta get to starting another piece. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!

Realism Art Exhibit

A few days ago, I and two friends, attended an exhibit of five exceptional artists.  All five of these artists' focus is on realism art.  Realism, in some cases, to the point of photo realism.  My focus is  figurative realism so needless to say I was excited about getting to see this exhibit for "up close and personal" viewing.  The artists were:  Eric Zener, Ali Cavanaugh, Yigal Ozeri, Kevin Peterson, and Brian Tull.  If you go to any one of these artist's links you will not only see their amazing work but will also be blown away by their skill - that is, if you're into realism.

After the exhibit we went to the library - one of the biggest and best libraries I have ever visited.  Being so inspired by the art I looked for books on realism painting.  I was introduced, by my friend - to a southwest realism painter - James Bama.  I had never heard of him before and was amazed at his work.  He is as amazing as those I've named above.  I took a couple of photos of his works out of the book so you could see his work.

Sorry, I did have another one to post, but it will not upload properly.  I have an artist friend, Clark Gussin,  who does southwest theme paintings.  I'm sure he knows James Bama.  He is also a super talented painter and is currently showing his work at the Haggin Museum in Stockton, California.

Anyway, like I said, I'm inspired by the extraordinary work of these artists - all whom I've mentioned here - maybe I can by osmosis develop into a painter of skills even close to these.