Altered book spread

If you’re reading this on Facebook, consider checking out other blog postings and more paintings at Cheryl’s Consistent Creative & Courageous Blog.  Who knows what you might see there…  198 posts so far. 

This is my second 2 page spread for Sheila’s altered book.  The theme is green/recycle so I cut this crazy cyclist named Mack off the side of a Silver Hills bread bag and put him in a flowery whimsical setting.  He seems to have a carefree, relaxed look on his face…  eyes closed too! I imagined him into a garden and paved him a path of daisies.  The rest of the bag went to be recycled elsewhere [love the City of Calgary’s new recycling program!!!].

Today we’re packing for our flight to Ontario.  We leave tomorrow morning and we’re getting pretty excited to see Matthew & Christina, Hannah, Kristian, Victoria, and Ethan.  Hope you enjoy the rest of July…  I may be posting some sketches along the way but there are no guarantees.  I’ll be snapping lots of photos and you may see a few of them here over the next couple of weeks.  Cheers!

Sunshine Painters [21x14 watercolor]

The three figures in this piece are heading across Sunshine Meadows looking for a great place to paint.  There really are no bad places to paint up there but there sure could have been a bit less active weather.  Maybe they were looking for a sheltered place, lol.  This painting is really about the light on the mountain…  one of the many clouds was casting a big shadow across all but the very top of this peak [anybody know which mountain this is?].  I loved the cast shadow and I wanted to show how soft the meadow was that day.

Here’s a close up of my painters…  you don’t need much detail to describe them at all.

I’m debating adding a walking stick to the figure in the centre.  What do you think? 

Sunshine Meadow Walk start

This painting start is based on scenes I took in on the Sunshine Meadows paint out June 2008.  What an amazing place to visit!  I’m excited to get back there again August 5th. 

This is a half sheet watercolor [30wx15h].  One of the things I want to do yet this summer is paint a full sheet watercolor.  I have yet to cross that off my list.  Once I get going hopefully it will be less intimidating.  I’ve done several of the half sheet size now and they are definitely a different painting experience.  It takes LOTS more paint and I’m still adjusting to that.  It’s amazing how freeing it feels to have all that room!

I have not yet touched the sky or the right hand trees.  Still lots to do.  The big challenge in finishing this painting will be the figures in the foreground.  They need to be recognizable but not detailed…  an interesting challenge.  Stay tuned!

More Rain (11x15, watercolor)

In this wet into wet painting I was trying to  portray the thunder showers as they plow across the foothills towards my house.  I can see them coming for a long way off.  It’s blowing up to storm outside yet again!  Stampede weather…  Enjoy!

Bridge to Apache Lake revisited

I received some very helpful critique [thanks] some of which I’ve incorporated here.  I dulled down all but the front tree and lightened the bridge and some ground to get “sunshine” back.  Then I muzzed some of the sharp lines left from the masking fluid “plants” I’d created.  I think the result is better.  Back to painting skies I think – I’ve certainly seen enough lately to paint from life.  Enjoy! 

Bridge to Apache Lake (14”x10”)

The hills around Apache Lake were lit up by the profusion of yellow from the Palo Verde blooms this April.  This painting doesn’t do the scene justice and I’m way too tired to analyze the problem tonight.  I may be seriously overdue for a good critique – any takers out there?  Feel free to provide it by commenting or emailing me…   Ciao!

Bridge to Apache Lake work in progress (watercolor, 14x10)

This little bridge is one of many constructed many years ago when the Roosevelt Dam was built.  In April the Palo Verde trees were brilliant yellow against the muted greens and pale reds and pinks of the rock.  I have a few details to finish on the bridge and plants but I won’t be spending much more time on this painting.  So far I like the freshness and light and I want to keep that.  I may have made the yellow a bit dull on the trees and I’m debating whether to lift out a bit…  O, the mental machinations of the artist, it’s amazing I ever call anything FINISHED.  Ciao!