Painting Journal

Small Daily Paintings of '06 have a new presentation

2012-01-14T17:26:00.000-08:00

These used to be separate little paintings but now they are screwed together for a new look on my walls. I can now enjoy them in groupings. The larger painting is the Siletz Estuary painted maybe 5 years ago.

The pearls of deep winter - rainbow spider's web

2012-01-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

Review of e-book,Golden Chains by Rain Truax

2012-01-06T17:50:00.000-08:00

Rain calls her books Romances with an Edge. GOLDEN CHAINS is one of many books each with aspects of Rain's creative life. This one is from her art involvement. Rain is also a sculptress like her main character, Ravine. In GOLDEN CHAINS Rain's philosophy of art pretaining to art education and business is woven into a suspenseful, entertaining murder mystery/love story set on a present day imaginary, small college campus in Portland, Oregon.

In order to read her book, I downloaded Kindle for PC's found through a Google search. I purchased the book from an Amazon link on Rain Truaxes' web site .

Selecting Keepers for Me

2011-12-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been cramped for space and have decided that the limit of paintings for me should be 1/3 less than what I have in my storage. I have enjoyed many years of selling my work but the glow of having someone want my work as their own is only temporary and the money soon disappears. So I am giving away restored painting surfaces to school children and seniors in my workshops. None of the paintings done in the last two years are being retired even if I don't like them. I believe they are important yet to my process. The painting below is rescued from the ones to be retired because I want to keep paintings that are related to happy memories for years to come.
I feel very victorious in this solution because for years I have always worried about what I would do with all the work I generate from my prolific painting approach.

Selecting Cheerful Paintings for my 92 year old mother-in-law's room

2011-12-31T09:57:00.000-08:00

Oystercatchers' rocks at Seal Rock

2011-12-29T10:36:00.000-08:00

Completed at home with the aid of Rain's photographs

Painting in progress before finishing it at home. I am not sure the desire of making the oystercatchers more distinct really improved the painting.

Inspirations for painting from the Oregon Coast

2011-12-28T19:22:00.000-08:00

Boiler Bay Lincoln City

Wishes for a bright season and peace

2011-12-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and well wishes for Winter Solstice celebrations all!

The shepherdess is one of a series of ceramic tile wall hangings celebrating the occupations of Norwegians from the many varied regions of Norway. These wall hangings are in a dark hall of the Old Oslo City Hall. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in a large room just beyond the hall.

Below are my December posts about the loving attention lavished on lighting in Northern Europe photographed this August. To see them all, press older posts after scrolling all the way down.

Further posts of my art work this month will be in one of my other blogs. http://dianewidlerwenzel.blogspot.com/

Northern European candle lights

2011-12-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

Nyhvn Hotel Restaurant alcov with candle light enlivening flowers, water and glass Candles were frequently placed in double paned windows

Rembrandt reproductiond inspires drawing of Diane writing

2011-12-16T17:22:00.000-08:00

The Rembrandt self-portrait drawn by the side of a window inspired me to see Diane writing a journal of her trip by a Eurodam bar window.

Nineteenth century Swedish painter,Carl Larsson's home studio featuring sky lights

2011-12-16T12:55:00.000-08:00

Illustrations from the book, A HOME, with text by Lenmart Rudstrom, 1968
from my library

London, Edwardian Vanderbilt mural framed by gilded grid fancifully lighted an illusion

2011-12-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

Northern Eurpean examples of the illusion of light creating deeper space

2011-12-15T17:31:00.000-08:00

Copenhagen, Denmark at 71 Nyhvn hotel room had a bathroom squeezed into a shower stall. The grid of hand painted lace created an illusion of a curtain between lighted infinite space.

The width of hotel room completely filled by balcony window

Northern European lights that inspire playfulness in me

2011-12-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

Danish Jyvtte Klove's show room light reflecting on a black baby grand piano setting the mood for her ring and river necklaces

Trivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark

Outrageous, abundance of lights reflected in hand washing station in the main eatery of a chicken and beverage bar - Kensington, London

Dramatic lights that I find inspiring in Northern Europe and at home

2011-12-13T12:41:00.000-08:00

Lighting at Oregon State University Linus Pauling Science Center

Jytte Klove's Night Rainbow diamond ring makes a rainbow below the bridge

Northern European influence on an older oil painting of mine

2011-12-10T17:38:00.000-08:00

This was taken in the evening to catch the reflections on the palette knife textures. The original painting was inspired by the textured paintings of Norwegian artists. After my trip this summer, I am inspired to pay more attention to how light works with texture in paintings next year.

Light on textures in Northern Europe

2011-12-10T12:56:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite lights in Northern Europe illuminate rough to smooth textures. These pieces are most likely to influence my selection of home wares, plants, and the paintings I make.

http://iota.hifm.no/phf/kunstfag/khweb/ellinor/ellinor.htmlPainting of Ana Eva Bergman

Moon Stone Ring of precious jewlelry, Jytte Klove

Norwegian Folk Museum

Eurodam Holland America Cruise Ship

String outdoor chairs allow the light and rain to pass through

2011-12-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

Restaurant at the theater, Nyhvn, Copenhagen

European light at Linus Pauling Science Center, University of Oregon

2011-12-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

Light fixtures in Northern Europe with similar ones seen at home in Oregon

2011-12-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

From a Danish home and also on board ship and at Oregon State University

Mud facial shop, Oslo

Old City Hall, Oslo

LondonRadisen Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel: original light fixture

Covering or not covering up in Northern Europe

2011-12-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

London Parliment Sculpture Garden, Louisanna Museum, Denmark

Oslo, Norway

London

Painting in the Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel, London

Royal Street Lamps

2011-12-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

Denmark's Copenhagen Palace

Queen Beatrix of Denmark's summer palace entrance

Downing Street Gate, London

Street Lamps in Northern Europe

2011-12-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

Town Square, Copenhagen, Denmark

Nyhvn Lamp in front of Hans Christian Andersen's apartment

Copenhagen Palace

On the walk from the ferry to the Viking Ship Museum near Oslo

Waters reflecting light in Northern Europe

2011-12-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

Brugge, Belgium

Oslo's Old City Hall

Scotland Loc Resort Nyhvn Canal, Copenhagen Alesund, Norway

Lighting in Danish Gardens

2011-12-07T19:29:00.000-08:00

Trivoli Gardens, Copenhagen

Trivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark

Summer palace of Queen Beatrix of Denmark

Summer Palace of Queen Beatrix of Denmark

Norwegian Stavkirke Stave Church lighting

2011-12-07T18:20:00.000-08:00

Natural Northern European sun light exposure maximized

2011-12-07T18:15:00.000-08:00

Summer light pleasure in warmth of a sun room

Historic Norwegian dining by the window

Historic Norwegian dress bounces light becoming to the face

Architecture maximizing light in Oslo, Norway

2011-12-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

Historic light and color in Norwegian folk painting

2011-12-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

Gardens are planted according to the sun light

2011-12-06T20:19:00.000-08:00

Kristiansand, Norway garden

Garden pot in Alesund, Norway

English Garden in the Pennies

Garden in Queens Ferry, Scotland

Garden in Queens Ferry Scotland

Norwegian Lights brightening colors

2011-12-06T14:50:00.001-08:00

Alesund, Norway's roof tops alterations for living with more light

2011-12-05T19:38:00.000-08:00

Lamps in the windows in Alesund, Norway

2011-12-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

Window lace curtains play with light in Norway and Belgium

2011-12-05T17:41:00.000-08:00

Whimsical lace garden curtain from Alesund, Norway

Many lace curtains in Brugge, Belgium

Geometric regemented lace from Brugge, Belgium

Gardens utilizing sunlight and rock in Northern Europe

2011-12-05T11:43:00.000-08:00

Bergen

Scotland

Inverness, Scotland's unobtrusive traffic lights

2011-12-04T08:52:00.000-08:00

King Robert the Bruce's castle was not made to house tourists or for light living

2011-12-03T21:10:00.000-08:00

English Pennines, castle hotel with many windows

2011-12-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

Sterling Castle, Scotland

2011-12-03T18:56:00.000-08:00

Stage lights, Eurodam Theater

2011-12-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

Upside down gas light and recessed windows protected from coal dust

2011-12-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

George Stevens' safty lamp for coal miners celebrated in Corbridge mural, North Pennines

2011-12-03T13:47:00.000-08:00

Novelty lamp in Brugge restaurant

2011-12-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

Narrow Brugge street with light hungry balcony

2011-12-02T09:21:00.001-08:00

Street lamps in Brugge, Belgium

2011-12-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

Brugge, Belgium Church of the Lady's full sun light on paintings

2011-12-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

Michaelangelo's Madonna and Child illuminated by clear glass windows for sun light on art

2011-12-01T11:56:00.000-08:00

Inspiration from J.M.W. Turner viewed at British Tate, London

2011-11-30T14:57:00.000-08:00

Stavanger, Norway flower vender, March 1993

2011-11-21T13:58:00.000-08:00

When I was visiting a friend in Norway, she couldn't praise enough the clean air and beautiful light. We looked at how painters were influenced by the natural Norwegian atmosphere. She showed me some of the lights she collected. Her story was about how everyone in her neighborhood turned on all their lights in the darkest months. Even if they were not using all the rooms in their house, they needed to show lights in all their windows making the neighborhood glorious.
On my return to Northern Europe this August, I photographed the use of lighting. During December I will post pictures about lights in Northern Europe.

The painting I did in 1993 was about how amazed I was at how busy the flower vender was. Most windows displayed green plants or flowers.

Acrylic painting with rags, brush, and alcohol and sprinkeling rain

2011-11-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

This is the second update. I continue to work on the reflections because I see a potential to make it calmer than the original done with rags. The general effect was nice all over but looked like I was observing the reflections from a sixty mile an hour car. Now I am using a brush to make many paralell vertical brush strokes in such a way that I am seeing the water from an arm chair on the river bank.

This is an update first posted October 3. I just couldn't leave this painting alone when I brought it home. I enjoy the colors more now.

Favorite weed at Painted Hills

2011-11-12T15:08:00.000-08:00

Painted Hill Photos

2011-11-12T14:59:00.000-08:00

Painted Hills, Oregon are a lesson in painting

2011-11-11T10:36:00.000-08:00

The cracked texture of these dolimite clay hills inspires me to pay close attention to enriching my colors by applying them so they are textured.

Watercolor Magic Workshop results

2011-11-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

The Oregon Fish Hatchery Research Center Arts and Crafts workshop at Fall Creek was today. In both the morning and afternoon class there were a number of children with their families. It was nice to see the liveleness of young people's work. It helps us adults too. This piece was done by a nine year old boy.

This workshop is the first time a student copied a small digital image looking at his camera - a picture fresh in his mind just taken on his way to the workshop. I was at a loss to help him because he was almost done before I noticed he was using a camera. My handy empty slide holder would have been too large to apply to his tiny screen. On larger photographs an empty slide holder window moved about the picture often helps to focus on a doable painting. The student's work, I am critical of the method not the student's ability, was a wonderful example of the flaws of low resolution photos. The elements of trees, fog, water were flat within each of their areas.

Using the digital camera as a tool could be more productive. Even copying an image could be a rewarding experience, if he understood that the elements are more individual in color, texture and degree of sharpness than on the camera screen. Interpreting the photo makes it more personal, poetic, and interesting. One way to interpret is to count the number of trees, rocks, clouds. Decide which one or ones you love most. Labor over the ones you love the most. If they are not turning out the way you want, look at the camera image to be refreshed.

Goal number 1 of the workshop is to make a memory of a time you enjoyed painting observing nature with others excited about seeing in new ways. The memory can be framed and hung in your home.

Goal number 2 is to be confident in a technique that will enable more family painting outings in nature. This year I had a group of friends as well as families. Maybe we will get together soon during a costal storm to paint the waves.

Splash Down of Silver Salmon

2011-10-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

Fall Creek Fish Hatchery Festival watercolor workshop

2011-10-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

This will be my seventh year teaching watercolor the first Saturday of November. One class will be at 10:30 AM and the other after lunch. Other classes will be in silk screen, leather working fish prints and others.
I'll be covering making marks and how our body works to make them the way we want. Also how our life experience in decision making can carry over to making watercolor painting. The goal is to show that the students know more about how to paint than they thought. Last I'll have my new ideas on how to make watercolor sketch books.
For more on past workshops click on blog label below.

Painting memory of Cascade Head this September

2011-10-16T11:44:00.000-07:00

Black and white ditital photographic inspiration

2011-10-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

Abstraction of lanscape painted in the rain

2011-10-10T16:04:00.000-07:00

Saved painting from 11 years ago.

2011-10-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today the yellow jackets were attracted to me and my paint. Then it started raining very hard so I took my paints inside and cleaned the lids and packed them away under the motor coach. I am ready to go home.

Chinook painting #3

2011-10-06T16:22:00.001-07:00

Painting jumping salmon in the rain

2011-10-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

Acrylic and alcohol before and after

2011-10-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

photos of river water

2011-10-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

Watercolor painting at Cascade Head

2011-09-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

Praying Mantis Photographs

2011-09-20T14:55:00.000-07:00

Acrylic painted paper, collage, and glitter

2011-09-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

Early sunrise atmsosphere

2011-09-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

Acrylic painting with rags started in high humidity

2011-09-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

Inspiration for today's acrylic sunrise painting

2011-09-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

Inspiration for sunrise paintings

2011-09-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

September 13, I saw a subject I wanted to paint from memory and not from a photograph. But then I had difficulty with the mud flats exposed by the low tide. They appeared rather blue and the blue that I first painted read as flat water.

Golden Light on River Banks painted in Acrylic

2011-09-12T14:20:00.000-07:00

Oregon Waterfall, oil on canvas

2011-08-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

Approaching Oslo

2011-08-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

Oslo Fortress and Museum of the Resistance

2011-08-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

August 2, painted from the Eurodam Silk Lounge on the 11th deck.

Hello again.

2011-08-24T18:57:00.001-07:00

This is a drawing from a sketchbook I kept on a cruise in Northern Europe.

July Ocean Spray

2011-07-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

The curve is an element of design in 2D art

2011-07-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

I am looking at old paitings and art to decide what curves connect the viewer with emotion. So I am publishing some old blogs with a fresh interest. Fresh I hope.

It has become increasingly difficult to post on my blog. I miss spell check but I can live without it. But when I cannot see the pictures I amposting in the edit posts screen, I am upset. Has anyone else experienced these changes on Blogger?

Day Three of Riparian Dragons

2011-07-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am not the first one to think of abstracting dragon forms out of organic life. An example is the symmetry seen in the ebb tide of riparian river outlets to the oceans and seas of the world. The branches in reflection remind me of the art of the ancient Near East and the "animal style". Perhaps I am not too far out on a limb to assume that ancient metal workers were influenced by the repetition of dragon-like forms everywhere in nature. Pictured here on it's side is a 9th - 7th century B. C., pole top ornament from Luristan. p. 63 of H. W. Janson's HISTORY OF ART.
I am enjoying reading MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF CHINA AND JAPAN, Donald A. MacKenzie. The Chinese legends of the dragon are not just home grown but have come via ancient mariners from Babylonia and perhaps elsewhere.

I like shapes that I can make with my hands

2011-07-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

My little finger and thumb line up well with two sides of a hexagon.
My thumb and forefinger forms a hook. both hands together make hooks that can be an equalateral triangle.

The hooks I use in art and living

2011-07-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

I like in clouds and in my tea cup pairs of hooks with the straight ends together opening at 120 degree angles. The hooks paired inside a hexagon make shapes that please me.

In art the blurry point where discoveries become inventions when the discoveries are used in a not obvious application.

2011-06-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hooks found in nature include porcupine quils, cactus thorns, hooked seed pods, sperm to peninsulas that hook water. Man discovering how the hook functions in nature uses the physical properies of the hook form and puts his knowledge to a new use. The new purpose modifies the hook in nature making it an invention.
As an artist what if I used a honeycomb of hexagons to identify geometric pairs in nature? Artists use the grid to enlarge or reduce the scale of photographs as a tool in making representational copies of photographs. Why not study the skies for repeated pairs of hooks forming a mirror image of heart shapes? Pairs of heart shapes curved sides overlapping form a hexagon. The hexagon is inside a pair of equalateral triangles in the shape of a six pointed star. Inside the triangular six points a hexagon with a pair of hearts mirroring the orientation of the hearts on the opposite side. The fractal geometry is not new and has been discovered by artists and mathmeticians. My application of hexagons is an invention of using geometry in making a picture of swirls of clouds so they have a natural look. This application is not original.
Furthermore, in applying this invention I do not draw the honeycomb and fractales. I just use my geometry invention instintctively. The blurry point where discoveries are employed is blurry because artists do not recognize their science in making art.

Swimming Free of Hooks

2011-06-29T13:13:00.001-07:00

This is my entry into the July "Community Exhibit," at La Selles Stewart Center on the Oregon State University campus. "Swimming Free of Hooks" is 24" x 36", acrylic with some interference colors on museum wrapped canvas.

A Red Fishing Hook Facing a Reflection

2011-06-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

I am planning paintings based on reflections of fishing hooks because I am interested in the emotion of the hook shape and mirror as well as their symbolism.

Hooks in many media

2011-06-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

A porcelain hook on a bathroom door intended for towels or bathrobes or such is not my ideal of beauty.

Don with two of our grandchildren at Lava Bute, Eastern Oregon points at the caldera.

There are many hooks that are not attractive. Hooks are on burrs and I pull them out of my socks. I like hooks too. Yelled warnings hook our attention. We then avoid danger. Multiple hooks rip loudly when pulled from the fuzz of Velcro. A hook on ear hangers keep my glasses in place. A hook on my buckel keeps my belt in place. A porcelain hook must be made chunky or it will break easily.

I am surprised that the symbol for the heart and love is made of two hook shapes and I have been cutting out hooks to make hearts.

Hooks, Hearts and Hexigons

2011-06-26T16:21:00.000-07:00

Two hooks joined at the point of action at the lever end of the hook facing each other seeing one another in a mirror for a strong bond of the heart. Two hooks that are back to back let their relationship space out. They break easily.

Two hearts back to back make a hexigon dream cloud.

Two hooked hearts overlapping.

Wu, the tree planting general and volunteer for Fish and Wildlife

2011-06-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

Art Activity in Riparian Workshop for science teachers grades 5 -8.

2011-06-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today I assisted Joseph O'Neil at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center. Joseph O'Neil explained that the object of the entire workshop activities was to help students learn the skill of being scientifically inquisitive and solve problems by thinking outside of the box. The activities were designed for scientific enquiry outdoors. The art project, however, was inside and asked students to close their eyes and imagine being in a healthy riparian meadow with a stream live with flora and fauna.

Usually I work by painting something in general and then the colors and random shapes suggest an imaginary scene. But I thought I knew how to help students put the mind's eye image on paper. I asked them to count the elements in their riparian image and keep the total 5 or under. Pick the one that is most important to them first and decide if it should go on a landscape orientation or a portrait. Then decide if the paper needs to be wider or more narrow and crop as desired. Figure out where to place your most important image and maybe draw the cookie cutter outline of it. Keep it big so there is room for you to comfortably paint the general color upon which you will come back later with detail after it dries. When you have your favorite image planned, the others can be placed.

Some students had five images completed with white space around them. The white was a little stark. So after the paint dries they put very faint color in with a paper towel leaving some white of the paper. Some had nice atmospheric effects in the background but some hard edges where the back of the river met the misty grass. The edges were softened with a cleaned wet brush.

Even without my saying they needed to think about concepts that they had been learning in other exercises. Some did illustrate them in spite of my help. For example, trees bending over the river creating shade for fish spawns. Or the grass being greener closer to the river.

There was discussion on how the experience of painting an imaginary riparian zone could be utilized in their classrooms. Several made suggestions on how the experience could be more vital outdoors. There are watercolor infused papers and watercolor pencils that could be used with much less problems.

In retrospect, I think the paintings could be started outdoors. All the students need is one rock and one paper for each student; two containers to be shared, one with clean water and one with a dilute watercolor. Students could pour clean water on their paper. Then drop the dilute color into the water and watch it spread. Then leave it on slightly sloped ground with a rock weighting it down so it won't blow away. The rock will leave an image of a rock with water swirling around it. After several hours the painting should be dry enough to take inside. The faint image on the paper helps break the terrible feeling of facing a blank page. The image stimulates imagination. Further help could come from listening to Beethoven's Symphony Pastoral. The instructor could read poetry. Real poetry and maybe only parts of what the syllabus suggested.

I would say the text book reading was written by a scientist and would be better if by a poet. Someone suggested music and recorded sounds from a creek. I suggested bringing history into the assignment. That riparian environments have good clays. On river banks the potter's wheel was invented and then the idea of the invention was carried to far away continents by ship. Also the Scythian bronzes were made with bi-lateral symmetry of dragons around the 8th century B.C.. These dragons look like logs reflected in a river at low tide. Early inventions were made when man had leisure time. Inventive investigation and making art were one and the same activity.Inventions can be used in so many different ways that an artist perspective is necessary to insure the use of inventions really does improve the quality of life.

Joseph O'Neil says there is science in everything we do including art. And that in research there is a need for art skills that young researchers do not have. He says many of his research students come to him deficient in building and welding skills.

Illustrations From Aleph to Ze'ev by Ze'ev Orzech

2011-06-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

(Ze'ev and I signed his book for Beit Am members and friends.)

Last night was the celebration of a book by Ze'ev Orzech, From Aleph to Ze'ev, Excursions into Jewish Culture, History, Rituals and Beliefs contains a 110 articles about topics of interest that have appeared in the Beit Am's monthly newsletter over the past 20 years. My small supportive role in making of the book consists of a few illustrations that appear mostly on the cover. I was surprised that my work was adapted to the cover. Under the contract I drew up I gifted the digital images of the illustrations to Beit Am and gave my permission to Ellen Perlis to make any changes she saw fit to give the strongest support to her vision of the book. I am more than pleased with the results.

Beit Am Publications is making the book available for sale for, $19.95. It is at the Grass Roots Book Store in Corvallis and on line at http://www.beitam.org/publications

Lisa See's book signing at Powells in Beaverton, Oregon

2011-06-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

To meet Lisa See, the author of the number one best seller, DREAMS OF JOY, I missed an art opening of a group show with three of my paintings at LaSelles Stewart Center's Guistina Gallery, in Corvallis. I certainly had a treat as the crowd gathered, I was not surprised that there was standing room only. Finally the gate was opened into the mall promenade.

Lisa talked about her life and writing process which is similar to a fine arts painter. She first thinks about the emotion in relationships. In SHANGHAI GIRLS she wrote about sisters escaping Japanese occupied Shanghai. In JOY'S DREAM a worried mother searched for her daughter in Mao's Communist State. A painter also looks for an emotional hook to draw the viewer into their paintings.

Lisa keeps a notebook of Chinese anachronisms. For example, a mother sets a direction for their child in adulthood and they will do what they want. This becomes the movement in her book. She does research about every aspect of Chinese history. Painters do drawings expressing the energy of an overall impression that they want to achieve in their finished work.
Lisa does extensive research everywhere. She goes and lives where her characters live. She even eats their food. Likewise the painter is immersed in their subjects.
One of the most important comparison between Lisa's writing and that of a painter is discipline. She writes I think it is a 1,000 words a day. Sometimes she writes it in 2 hours . Some days takes 10 hours. Discipline and balance between work and family is what women writers and painters have in common.

I highly recommend all of Lisa See's books including SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN and PEONY IN LOVE.

The result of two handed viewfinder for plein air painting.

2011-05-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

Plein Air Two Hand View Finder or Painting Mask

2011-05-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

My right arm is bent at the elbow at 90 degrees and held firmly while the left moves. The closer the arm is to a straight line the smaller the image is in the box formed by my fingers just like a camera viewfinder. In addition a 21 box grid can be made by spreading the fingers apart and flicking the left wrist to lineup with the left arm.

At the Lima Anthropology Museum there is a diorama display of what anthropologists think Mesoamericans' camps were like around 14,ooo B.C. Most of the activities were self explainable except one man wearing an animal's head disguise. He was facing the wind break enclosure. He appears to be sizing up a distant object. He could be measuring where to put another support pole to add to the enclosure or judging from his posture. He could be roughly gaging the speed of movements of people or animals on the horizon.

Painted over one "Bond Butte Quarry Fishing"

2011-04-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

This is a gift to Corvallis Fish and Wildlife office for the fine job they do organizing volunteers to donate trees for fish habitat at Bond Butt gravel pond on Interstate Highway 5. This is an acrylic painting 12 inch square.

My shoe box card/books

2011-04-24T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the card /books that my grandfather sent us.

When I was a young child I was impressed by my grandfather's shoe box that he filled with his small watercolor paintings on paper folded as greeting cards. He painted a band on the left side to symbolize the gold or silver gilt on precious bound books. He had a printer make inserts with the greeting.

For about 15 years I have been making accordion watercolor books and storing them in shoe boxes. Sometimes they become greeting cards that I make for family and friends.
Below are a series I made on a cruise to South America. Most of these small painted books are painted outdoors.

Below is one I did this week when a grandmother came with three of her grandchildren.

We painted out on our patio.

Oil painting in the wood lot

2011-04-05T15:27:00.001-07:00

It is cold and rainy today so I did not finish this painting yet.

Daffodils in the Rain

2011-03-27T14:00:00.001-07:00

For a month now I have been doing black and white drawings of the ripples made by rain drops on a tiny pool of water that rises up by our miniature daffodils. None of the sketches really helped in the way I paint wet into wet oil.

the grid is an imperfect drawing tool

2011-03-25T16:43:00.001-07:00

I am making a Power Point slide show about inventions for my grandchildren who are now teen- agers. One of the most important historic inventions is the grid according to my grandfather Emile Widler. He used to draw a grid over his photographs and then enlarge them for watercolors. Searching the Internet for a match for one of his paintings of Chinese Emperors, I found a photo that matched his painting especially in the eyes ears and general shape of the face. Then I drew a grid over a copy of the photo and made an enlargement. I was amazed at how closely the lines matched my grandfather's except for purposeful changes like removing the mustache and making baby doll lips.

I usually do not like copying photos because there is no need to understand the volumes and the lighting. It is a mathematical exercise. However, in the case of my grandfather's portraits, he deviated enough to communicate his feelings on this emperor with tiny lips and a high forehead. It is alittle humorous.

Drawing Preparations for Painting

2011-03-20T08:33:00.000-07:00

Traditionally drawing is the recommended foundation for painting. Yet, I always yearn to have paintings that are direct and fresh and alive. If I do a drawing first the painting is likely to loose life and spontaneity. I am so anxious to have the thrilling experience of getting a painting that comes together without being overworked, I neglect drawing.
Day before yesterday I painted daffodils outside in the cold. My first oil painting of the season. It didn't work.

Drawing Kissed by the Sun's Promise of Spring

2011-03-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

At mid-afernoon the clouds were spreading and dissapearing. I could feel a faint warmth on my cheek as I marveled at the angle of the sun kissing them as they kept dispersing.

Drawing Faint and Ephemeral Clouds

2011-03-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

March 2nd marked the beginning to an at home journey to viewing the spectacular without leaving my doorstep. I have my eyes on the sky all day and into the twilight hours. I make quick pen and ink drawings just a few inches on a side. Usually nine to a page.

There are some difficulties on my journey in the skies overhead. Some mornings on first glance I see a flat gray sky. But looking a few minutes at the undefined fluff, I am surprised to see subtle changes between the horizon and zenith. I record them in greater contrast.I also see differences between clouds looking at them from different windows on different sides of the house.

This month the clouds move into new formations before I can fully plot the volumes of clouds and their relationships to one another. That is OK, I just strive to get as much as I can down. Often I follow a line in the sky with my eye as a I draw without looking at the paper until I have an area plotted and I go back to shade always in greater contrast.

As I draw I look at the dark lines and judge that my drawing is too defined to be clouds. The spidery lines look unreal when judgement creeps in on me prematurely. I ignore my shock. I continue being too bold because I know I am in a foreign area to my previous work. I am stretching new compositions and expressiveness.

I have a new plan to draw the ephemeral. I have always been sad that wet into wet paintings look so wonderful before they dry. Now I will begin drawing ink sketches of drying paint at its most dramatic. The drying is slower moving than clouds in March.