Art Builds Happy Memories

A big thrill for me is seeing my grandchildren painting. I let them, once in awhile, use my art materials with the expectation that we will enjoy the fruits of our shared time for years. Art builds happy memories of shared interests. Our latest project is painting the climax of a little league championship game - the Royals versus Giants. The Royals have three on bases and then they hit a ball out of the park. The children have made a story painting and record of every part of the game they like to play. I am sure that other painters have experienced similar rewards painting with their children or grandchildren. But I am feeling stretched thin between blogging and living with family and being an artist this month!!! I need time for grandchildren and time to make and carry out plans with other artists. So this is my last blog for awhile. I plan to start adding to my blog again the third week in October.

Cerulean Water Dragon

"Holding the Water Urn the Cerulean Dragon is Thinking about Giving" acrylic on canvas 40" x 30"
Nothing like a sale of my two golden yellow dragons to make me feel good about making more. This one is only the first of four more dragons expressing feelings about keeping and giving. The dragon is greenish blue to symbolize spirituality, and the healthyness of giving.

Dragons in other Forms

"Releasing Sturgeon Fish" 12" x 36" acrylic on canvas Sometimes dragons take the form of sturgeon but that was not my intention to illustrate this notion. My motive for painting this picture was not to expand upon dragons. I was going to expand on previous paintings of fishermen releasing their catch. After completing the painting I see a relationship between my fishing paintings and my dragon paintings.

More Dragons

One dragon I have always thought of as being a sharing dragon but it holds the water jar up high just behind its head. The eyes are wide and looking down like it is mischievously exposing a secret. The other dragon holding a wind blown scarf in its mouth is pouring drops of rain from the water jar. The nose twiches. The left eye is almost winking. Now that these two dragons are spoken for, can I do a dragon that is truly giving from the heart?
Two Dragons, 48" x 30" each and Two Blue Birds "1" x 16" acrylic on canvas, for sale $300

Self-Portrait Projecting 20 Years into the future

This notebook sketch is not for sale.
Rain of the rainydaythought blog has posted an intriguing self-portrait of herself as she thinks she will be at age 80. I was moved to see what kinds of insight I would have as I painted my own future visage. I see myself as being not a beauty but simply determined. The physical changes are not as important as the spirit.

River Tree Fantasy

This painting has undergone many transformations and as of February 2008 it is not finished.

"Fantasy Dragon Tree" is a work in progress done with acrylics on location. Canvas is 24" x 36"
Near Chinook Bend on the Siletz River, Oregon there is a tree that refuses to give into gravity although it fell almost all the way into the river. The trunk suggests to me a proud animal.

The Clothesline Sale is another Alternative Gallery

Alternative galleries have spoiled the public giving out free and cheaply priced art. This is the opinion of the majority of artists in Corvallis, Oregon. I have a slightly different take on what causes the low number of sales and low prices the artists fetch for their paintings here. The problem is the small art center. Art Centric spotlights exhibits brought in from other locations at the expense of the growing number of local talents. The small side shows in the center's gift shop and staff office are presented as products for sale. In July in our topsy turby community Pegasus Art Gallery and Frame Shop featured the creative works of the Oregon State University retired Art Department Head and his family of three generations. The exhibit is not featured as a selling exhibit and reaches out to the community of numerous other families with several generations making art. The out reach is unpresedented here because the University Professors do not show with just anyone here. This show could never have been in our small art center. It is proof that there is more to art than just selling products. The Clothesline Sale will probably again have all the sales that should be going to support our Pegasus Art Gallery / real functioning community art center.

August is Marketing Month?

This acrylic painting is for sale. $700Only a little marketing will happen because I am expecting to do more painting near Lincoln City. This painting is Phoenix Tree (the estuary of the Siletz river near Lincoln City) acrylic 24" x 36"
Saturday August 8 my husband and I will be showing paintings at the Corvallis Art Guild Clothes Line Sale on the Courthouse Lawn. We will be in the Corvallis Art Guild tent in the middle of the lawn area.