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Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries
It’s been another fun morning in the studio. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not being too serious about art over the summer. Instead, I’m playing a lot — mostly with watercolor — and just enjoying a...
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Wonky Vases – My Still Life Painting
Yesterday I shared my initial studies done in preparation for a still life painting with oil pastels. At the end of the post I asked which of the three studies I should paint. Study 1 Even as I asked...
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Study Light, Study Right
I was a good student when I was in school. I loved learning. I still do. I enjoyed reading assignments in history, social studies, literature, science… whatever. Fortunately I also had a good memory. I...
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Art Misconceptions
Because I had a very limited acquaintance with art as a child, I grew up with a lot of misconceptions, some of which I think are shared by many others, as well. The biggest misconception — and the...
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“…the Sum of its Parts”
There’s a saying about some things being “greater than the sum of its parts.” True enough in many areas of life. Just consider a recipe, for instance. The individual ingredients might be good, but when...
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The Trouble with Art
I’ll make it short and sweet. What’s the trouble with art? Simply this: there’s so much of it! I guess that’s what makes it exciting; it’s what keeps us coming back. No matter how carefully we might...
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White on White
I’ll admit to being very apprehensive about this drawing exercise. I figured it would be quite a challenge. In my new spirit of “just do what you can”, I shrugged off my worries, set up my scene — two...
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Still Life After Cezanne
I hesitate to include Paul Cezanne’s name in this still life painting, the one I fussed about and fretted over from a Craftsy oil painting class with Tony Curanaj. By calling it “after Cezanne” I’m not...
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The Worst Art Student in the World!
Sometimes I wish I were a real, true artist. I’m not, and I never will be. I do call myself “an artist” now, and I do a lot of things artists do. I draw. I paint. I play. I take part in art clubs and...
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Orange with Eucalyptus Leaves
I don’t know if this painting is an improvement over my first still life orange or not, but it was a good painting experience for me. Definitely it’s a bit fancier than my first still life orange, so,...
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Thank You, Mr. Fletcher
Arnold Fletcher and I “met” quite by accident. Now, of course, I never made his acquaintance in person. Our relationship has been strictly that of author and reader, and I’ve been unable to learn a lot...
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Behold the Simple Orange
For as much time as I spent working on this little painting, it should, by all rights, be a masterpiece. It’s not. It’s just a simple painting of an orange that wasn’t really planned too well. Just a...
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Inspiration from Imperfection
In March 2016, soon after I started this blog, I shared a few works by Paul Cezanne, writing about the harmony found in Cezanne’s paintings. At the time, reader and fellow blogger cathytea commented...
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My First Still Life
In between my painterly practice pieces, where I’m boldly swiping globs of paint on my canvas with gleeful abandon, I’m challenging myself to learn a few finer art techniques. I’m attempting portraits....
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Can You Guess?
I enjoy each new issue of Missouri Conservationist, a monthly magazine free to residents of our state. The magazine features articles on outdoor activities, beautiful full color photos of scenic places...
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Exploring My Dutch Heritage
Sometimes things in life come together in fascinating ways. That’s what has happened lately for me. I’ve previously mentioned by love of words and languages, and you probably know that I’m studying...
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Steps Toward a Still Life
Never have I had any inclination toward still life painting. I love looking at them, and I marvel at the details good artists put into their still life paintings. Just take a close look at this...
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No Apologies
As I post this completed “potted plant” painting — my first attempt at a still life — I want to apologize, but I can’t. Or I won’t. Or whatever. If you read yesterday’s post about my new “Do’s and...
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A Pot It Is
When I said, “I guess I have to learn how to draw” four years ago, I didn’t think my efforts would last beyond a week — at best. Surprise, surprise. Here I am, still learning, and actually having fun...
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Fauve Fun
Ever since I went hunting the wild beasts of the art world and found myself in the jungle of Fauvism, I’ve toyed with the idea of doing a Fauve-inspired painting. Not as any serious attempt to create...
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