Ornament central

Before painting

Well!

After an afternoon of pressing trimming, and mounting, then baking.

I had 24 ornaments ready for paint.

The pearl ornaments have pearl paint on them, while the gold have a lovely interference gold.

The white have silver accents while the gold have gold accents.

I will have to see tomorrow if the gold shows up properly.

Unfortunately, one of the seahorses decided to jump off the ornament and shattered.

I now have 23.

No worries, I can make more!

And I will be making more shortly. 

I have at least another 84 to make.

They all will need to be signed as well!

Show season, busy season!

But for now, Goodnight!

After painting

Ornament central, Acrylic and clay on glass ornaments

Day 90 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Surprise!

Surprise!

Day 50 already!

51 days until the Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama

October 7-10th, 2021

Well not really, another sea turtle.

I absolutely love painting these guys.

I pray it shows.

Today we did multiple things in multiple places.

We both worked in our studios, me on this painting, Chris turning a beautiful bowl.

The Sally wood is starting to be able to be turned with minimal effort.

Although today he put a bowl in the microwave in an effort to dry it some and it warped.

I'm sure someone will still love it for their home

I finished my painting and put it in the car to finish drying in the heat.

Meanwhile, we decided it was lunchtime.

We stopped at the East Shore Cafe in Daphne and were pleasantly surprised.

Both the food and pricing were pretty good, we will be back.

 We then went to the bank and deposited a check for me, 

while Chris got some cash to buy another kayak.

We are also making plans for friends to return from their sojourn in Africa.

It has been a tough 3 months, with lockdowns, inability to go to church, and a bout with Covid.

We are looking forward to their return to rest and get stronger for next year.

Meanwhile plans will be made for further adventures with these wanderers and missionaries.

Chris and I want to go ourselves, both to Africa and India.

We are making plans for next year.

We got home after lunch and I varnished my turtle, letting it dry while I sketched out two shadowboxes.

Once Surprise! was dry, I headed to Stewart Heath Gallery to take 7 new works for my space.

I took 4 of the new rounds, and Stewart was pleased with their look.

The gallery is gaining 4 new artists and there will be a major rehanging of all the spaces.

I am going back in the morning to lend a hand with hanging.

The days are going by fast now, our oldest grandson turned 8, Dahlia turned the page on two weeks, and our grandson Neel is pushing hard on being three.

Time is going by too fast, especially since we've been unable to go to India.

I am grateful to God that we got the two months with Christina here before Covid hit the world stage.

Life goes on, even if we're not ready for it to continue!

Surprise! Acrylic on wood panel, 24 inches round

Day 50 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Shrimps, Ships, and Whales

Yesterday's paintings.

There were actually 7 of the little guys, but the odd number doesn't photograph well.

Fun little paintings, quickly created on tiny poured canvases.

They each measure 3x3 inches and are just plain fun!

Then there's today.....

Does life ever seem to be on fast mode?

Ours is really going by so quickly, the days are filled with things to do, and places to go.

My to do's today were to change the sheets on our bed,  repair our couch, deliver a painting to Big Fish Gallery, ship a painting to Georgia, sketch out canvases for class, teach the class.

Getting them all done was a challenge, especially when we added bathing 5 dachshunds into the mix!

Anyway, the bed stripped and sheets washing, I moved to the next task.

Chris wanted to bathe all 5 dogs.

They don't appreciate warm water and soap, but the task was done with the two of us working in tandem.

I moved on to pulling out the couch I bought about 3 years ago, cleaning the area on both sides, washing windows, baseboards, walls, and floor.

I then started in on the couch.

Chris has been looking for a new couch because his end is sinking down with age.

We flipped the couch forward onto the coffee table and began the process of deconstructing.

We found the problem, repaired it with a thin sheet of wood placed in the cushion, and put everything back together.

We then released the dogs into the yard, and drove to Big Fish.

I took the rather large painting to them, and they are delighted and excited. 

I hope it does well for both of us!

Getting lunch, coming home, building a box and making a shipment rounded out the early afternoon.

I sketched, cooked a quick dinner and went to teach a class.

We painted a whale depicting Isaiah 43:2

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.

God is with us all the time, even when we don't feel his presence near.

The class seemed to enjoy this one, we had a group of 12!

Mercy that is a lot of running around. 

I thank God Chris is willing to come lend a hand, replacing water, cleaning brushes, getting paper towels.

I could not teach a class that large and get finished by 9 pm.

Almost everyone wanted the verse on their painting, and it went quickly once we started.

A good, good, albeit long day!

Shrimps, Ships and Whales, Acrylic on canvas, Whales 11 x 14

Days 76 & 77 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2019

Simple shrimp and painting knives

Today's little painting is about all I have in me this evening.

I'm going to get some rest, as I am back hard at it again tomorrow!

Simple shrimp on poured background.

Meanwhile, in the studio......

In a brush holder from the other artists studio I found numerous painting knives.

I use them when teaching acrylic classes as I loan them out to students.

I love bent handled knives as they keep your knuckles out of the 

paint when mixing or laying paint on the canvas.

However, these had seen much better days!

They were covered in acrylic paint.

When I used a razor to remove the paint, I found some of them damaged in that they were broken in spots.

Que the husband.

Can you straighten and or reshape these.

"Let me see" was his reply.

I love his can do response.

I now have several usable knives again, somewhat shorter, but still functioning as knives.

Another day in the Raccoon Retreat Studio!

Simple Shrimp, Acrylic on canvas, 3x3 inches

Day 69 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2019

Mardi Gras Madness!

 I know I've said it before, but this past week has been interesting to say the least! It has been a week of stretching the imagination, the endurance, and my creativity to it's almost absolute limits!

To begin with, I needed to finish my poster entry for the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama in October. This one was a bit of a struggle, as I could not concentrate on it enough to gel the ideas I had in my head and put them to paper and paint! More on that later..... Anyway, I spent the better part of 20 hours on this one folks, between the drawing designing, tweaking, and finally painting. I turned in my entry on Friday, driving it down to the Coastal Alabama Office a short time before the deadline!

WHEW!

I then packed away references in my large file bag, that has previous entries in it. It is kinda depressing to see so much work that will never see the light of day at a festival, but I am able now to see the mistakes made and improvements that could be done. I also gave the committee my suggestions for the logos for the shirts, as well as the suggested t shirt colors.

Here's hoping for a trifecta!

That was just PART of the week!

Keep reading.....

There was a lot of sewing too!
I tore apart a Victor Costa Dress to be able to make a skirt for my daughter to wear to the Queens Luncheon.
There was also a grinch involved for our grandson after the sweatsuit ordered was several sizes too small. I made the "sweater" from 3 t shirts and glittered it up to make it fun. He was a cute Grinch at school for sure!


The week continued....

I also dabbled in 2nd line Mardi Gras umbrellas for the parents of the Queen this year for their daughters coronation. I love it when people say have fun! Hers was Monet inspired, with gorgeous flowers and sparkle fabrics. His had a large Oyster shell that was hand built and 3 30 inch shrimp! The umbrella was then hand painted with lots of metallics!

 WAIT!
There's more!
Remember this was over a week!

I was also able to make and replace my iguana in the gypsy wagon. I was loath to let my other one go with the wagon as I made it about 20 years ago. He is now happily residing in my studio again, while this one will go with the wagon if she sells soon. It is cut with a scroll saw and detailed with a dremel tool. I then painted the details on it and put it on the door in the Gypsy Gal.

I then moved onto painting shrimp for the Shrimp 

Festival on Amelia Island in May. 

They may not make it to the festival though! 

These are little clip boards for grocery lists or maybe a photo.

Yes, There's more.....

I painted this last night with my Scripts& Strokes

Group at church. Based on Proverbs 24:3-4

We all have treasures in our rooms and homes!

Whimsical house was fun to create and paint. 

I also used it today to make a watercolor 

for  the Seniors at Shepherds place. 

Lots of fun at both!

And then there's today.....

Measuring 55 inches wide and 30 inches tall, these beauties will be at a show soon!

Painted on multiple canvases, I LOVE them!

There you have it, a SOLID week of Mardi Gras madness and mayhem!

I would not take anything for the time spent with Jessica creating! (I spent two LONG nights there, working hard!) The ability to make my grandsons dreams come true with his grinch for school. Painting with classes and in the studio.

It's been a long wonderful week!

Mardi Gras Madness! Multiple pieces and too many mixed medias to mention!

Days 82, 83,84, 85, 86,87,88, & 89! of the 100 days~100 paintings Spring 2019

Simply Shrimpy

Simply Shrimpy is a grouping of five little paintings. 

The only problem is the phone won't let me post them together in a line like I wanted.

I painted shrimp like this for the National Shrimp Festival~Eight Flags on Amelia Island. 

Chris and I had the best time at that show back during the first weekend in May.

This was the weekend after the Melbourne Festival of the Arts.

Melbourne was a successful show and I was panicked, painting that week at the campsite. 

 The shrimp were well received, with all 8 I painted sold!

I even had a woman purchase 4 of them as a grouping for a shelf. 

I'm still shaking my head over that one!

I've also gotten in trouble over shrimp, or the lack thereof. 

I was at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama several years ago. At a lot of these shows there are patrons that purchase certificates for the purchase of artworks. I had a woman come in to my booth asking if I had shrimp paintings for sale. She really liked my style of art and wanted to purchase one for the Alabama Seafood industry. I had to tell her I'm sorry but no shrimp paintings.

She looked at me and said "Well it is the SHRIMP Festival" I said yes mam, you're right!

Lesson learned, I'll have shrimp from now on.

Although I had a shrimp painting that took two years to sell!

Simply Shrimpy, 3x3 inches, Acrylic on canvas

Day 50 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018

Some watercolor please!

These three paintings are some of my demonstrations I do during my watercolor classes. We are winding down the ESILL class for watercolor and I will miss these energetic and lovely women! They are all delightful to be around and really encourage me to embrace my later years. I am convinced that we stay young by constantly staying active and learning. We can all learn from each other, even if we don't take a class! Join a small group, take a class, find a neighbor! Don't just sit your life away watching television or the computer. (there is also more to life than our phones!)

I enjoy creating these little gems while teaching!

Sometimes for sale, always fun!

Shrimp, Crab, 8 1/2 x 11, Pier 11x14, Watercolor on paper, 

Day 92 of the 100 days~100 paintings

17 days!?!! Time flies when you're having fun!

I know I said I would not do this, but time really got away from me in the past two weeks!

It has been 17 days since my last post, I am ashamed to say. Time flies when you're having fun indeed! I have taught my last two classes at the art center and my church camp. I have been accepted into two shows for fall. Jubilee in Daphne late September and Peter Anderson in Ocean Springs the first full weekend in November. National Shrimp festival is looming as well on the horizon, taking up the middle of October.

I need to get even more disciplined over the next coming weeks! The gallery in Fairhope has no less than 11 of my new pieces along with some that were previously posted. Please forgive me if I don't post individual photos of each. The second photo is the delivery of pieces to Dauphin Island showing them in place on her wall. The collector called and wants another one as well that she will pick up in September.

The following pieces more than catch me up for the 100 days~100 paintings

They were created in classroom situations with children under the age of 12. The geckos are my favorite, the background was created with shaving cream! SO much fun!

Days 22 through 37 of the  100 days~100 paintings

Elementary my Dear!

       The age group of 8-11 year olds got to paint in two classes as well Watercolor and Acrylics that pop! were on the menu last week. The kids had a lot of fun and I am sure that the  Pop Dachshunds will end up at Art Party to you in some form or another!
Initial white crayon on paper with watercolor, Sunflowers watercolor on paper 8 x 10, Pop Dachshunds 18 x 24 acrylic on canvas, watercolor crab and shrimp 12 x 16 each. These pieces are days 24 through 28 of the 100 Days~100 Paintings. I will post more later on these kids and their wonderful art work created while at Art Camps on the Gulf Coast!

Shrimp II

     Shrimp II is the last of the 100 days~100 paintings for 2012.This one was painted while at the National Shrimp Festival. I really enjoy painting in public as it is a great conversation starter. Today brought new collectors, old friends and new, and an evening at dinner with other artists. Truly a wonderful day to be an artist!

     I am having a great time at the festival and I am ahead of last years income as well.                        I am so grateful to be allowed to make a living as an artist, something that comes to me as naturally now as breathing. This is the third year I have done the 100 days~100 paintings. It truly has made me more disciplined, a better painter, and faster with the computer and camera! I am also working on pet portraits while at the show and the interest is high about getting them lined up for Christmas. We shall see, how many people follow through with their impulse of picking up a price list.

Shrimp II acrylic on canvas 6 x 12

Shrimp

Shrimp is indeed a "shrimp". While a small 6 x 6 canvas, it has no less impact than a larger painting. I had fun painting this one and how appropriate! I painted it at the National Shrimp Festival!

Shrimp~6 x 6~ acrylic on canvas~ day 99 of the 100 days~100 paintings

Scrambled Shrimp

     Living in Fairhope really has it's small town advantages. Take for example the market held next to the library for several weeks on Thursdays. These markets occur before the heat of summer takes your breath away when you walk out the door. They push the limits of the heat and humidity with flowers, fresh vegetables, honey, plants, breads, home made items and of course, Shrimp! These gentleman had large ziplock bags on ice of these beautiful bounties from the sea. I simply could not resist bringing them home and making them dinner! (Of course, I photographed them first!)

      I would love to be a part of a shrimping expedition, just to see the bounty of harvest spill forth onto the decks. After watching Big Shrimping, my husband and I realized we had an extended coversation with the gentleman that owns these beautiful boats. It was right after the BP Oil Spill and he was visiting with family on Dauphin Island at the campground. During the course of a lazy evening, he voiced his concern about the oil reaching the upper parts of the Gulf. Little did we know that first weekend in May 2010 that his fears would be realized later that summer. Not only were his fears realized, but we had tangible proof of the scope of the disaster when leaving the island that Sunday. There were several boats, trailers, and various pieces of equipment for the use of clean up. The booms had not arrived yet, as they were in short supply at that time. The sight of this equipment reduced me to tears but I had show to go and conduct on the Island. The show went well enough, of course all the talk was of the spill and the environmental impact it would have on the Island and our coastline. During the show I also had a woman tearfully purchase one of my prints of Horn Island after she told me they found about 2 dozen turtles washed up on shore. It was a hard show to get through because my work encompasses everything about the sea. Two years down the road, we still don't know the complete impact of the oil and the dispersants. Time will only tell.........................

Scrambled Shrimp 20 x 20 Acrylic on canvas

Adventures at the Mobile Museum of Art~Days 19-23

     The classes at the Mobile Museum of Art continued last week with me teaching again from 8-5. When you add in the commute to the city, I spent a total of 55 hours doing just the Museum! Wow! I love to teach and this weeks classes were no exception to the rule! Children amaze me with their talents and fun they manage to have in spite of hiccups along the way.

     This painting was based on "Picassos Harlequin" I had the children draw theirs while I drew mine and the results were fantastic. We really enjoyed painting this one together. My colors were close to those chosen by Picasso for his piece. The children were allowed to make their own color choices and some were interesting indeed! I am never surprised to see what children come up with in their minds and the work from their hands.
   
      This class reminded me of the laser focus both my girls had while growing up. Their concentration while working on their artwork was simply amazing to watch. Both of my daughters are working artists.

          Christina Chavez is a teacher and doing quite well at presenting herself. She works no less than two art programs at two different schools during the school year.  Her organization skills are fantastic! She uses her skills at the Mobile Museum of Art as the Assistant for the Art Blast Program during the summer. She also taught some classes at the Art Blast this summer as well. I have also been blown away with her painting skills increasing as she teaches classes for Paint and Pals. She is receiving commissions and is a real dynamo of talent. I am so proud of the young woman she has become and will be in the future!
      My oldest, Jessica Chavez Price has always been an artist. While this presented some challenges in school she has proven to the world that she can do anything her multiple talents put in her mind. She is a very gifted Master Cosmetologist with a flair that keeps her customers coming back for more! She also has established herself as a designer & creator of fabulous hats and fascinators that are in high demand. She also does some pretty fantastic pet portraits. No wonder she just recently received a Nappie award for Makeup and runner up for artist. She is just going no where but up!

     "Picassos Harlequin"~Loran's version 16 x 20 Acrylic on canvas.

     "Confusion" came about as a study in complements for the class. They had their choice of a fish, a turtle or the lizard. I went for the lizard! The kids were encouraged to arrange them in a fun way and they really thought carefully about the composition. We then turned to paint. They were required to paint the backgrounds in Red, Blue and Yellow, but could choose the fourth. I then wanted them to paint the complements in each of the squares. This is where I found out just how much of a football nation we are here! There were kids that absolutely refused to put orange with blue (Auburn) and Purple with yellow (LSU). I kept telling them it was just complementary colors to no avail! I gave in and let them paint it as they wanted because it just was not worth the battle. As Ricky Trione says, "choose your battles". I then painted the central lizard as a normal lizard~hence the name "Confusion" I planned to give it to the museum for the preschool room, but Christina reminded me she had a classroom too and she wanted it for her room! I am pleased that she wanted this small piece of me to go with her into her world of art for kids!

"Confusion" Acrylic on Canvas 16 x 20 This painting represents the 24th of July.

     This week also included watercolor adventures and this is no exception to the rule. Earlier in the week, we did bubble papers to use on projects. The kids always love the bubble paper project and that day was no exception. We had so much fun creating the paper! The next day, we added the crab on top of one of the pieces. On Friday, we cut and wove back together the artwork and that is what you see here. The children actually created two paintings and put them back together, while I just used the crab and bubble paper.

     "Can you see Me?" Watercolor on paper approx `15 x 20 July 25th

     The children also worked wet into wet after drawing out their turtles on paper using a stencil.
We worked our backgrounds with clear backgrounds, dropping color into the water and watching it run. This re-enforced the one rule of watercolor, "More Water Always goes to where there is Less Water" They loved watching the colors do their own thing, and I heard more than one "Cool"! We then painted the turtles the following day o the background would not move into the art they were trying to create. I was amazed at well the children did with this project and I think they had fun!

"A Trio of Turtles" 15 x 20 Watercolor on paper

This project is always a hit with the kids! The goal is learning to transfer a drwawing, ink it in, and then add color! We start with clear water adding color as we go! The water is placed on the paper first and blown with a straw to make it move. You then add color and watch it run! We then spatter color over the top, this is their favorite part! I have actually sold several of these shrimp in the galleries that represent me.

"Confetti Shrimp" 15 x 20 watercolor on paper July 26th~Day 23 of the 100 days~100 paintings

Shrimp & Straws~Fridays entry

The Mobile Museum has certainly stretched my imagination and art skills this past week. I have never taught a full day before and I have to admit, it is exhausting! My hat is off to the teachers of the world~no matter what you teach!

I am very pleased with this project completed with the children in the watercolor wonders class. They learned about, transfering an image to paper, outlining with a permanent marker, and then the fun part, color! We took clear water and blew through the straws to make the 'seaweed' and then dropped color into the water on the paper. Some of them also added the drops of color as well. I don't know why, but this is one of my favorite projects of the entire week. I guess it is the discoveries made by the children this past week as well as the happy colors!

I did not enter this one yesterday on the blog because of my LONG day. I left the house at 6:45am and finally dragged myself home at 9:45pm after teaching adults in Daphne. It made for a long, fulfilling, exhausting, fun filled day! I love my job as an artist!

Shrimp Central

This set of shrimp was painted on bubble paper created during one of the watercolor workshops I have taught. Bubble painting never ceases to make adults giggle and fascinate children.
This year at the Shrimp Festival, I had several people ask how do you do that background? I have never had people ask this so many times before. I am always willing to educate and willingly told everyone that asked how to create the background how to do it. Painted on the second day of the Festival, Friday October 9th. People always love to watch and I don't mind them asking questions while I am painting.
"Shrimp Central" watercolor 12 x 16 $65.00

Headed for Home Too!

While this is not really a painting in a day, I finished it today. This painting has been in the works for several months and I was determined to finish.
It all began when we were out sailing with a friend and I had the camera along just in case I wanted to take pictures. It was a nice long sail and we were evening coming in to harbor. When we got into the channel for Dog River, my husband Chris spotted this boat off in the distance. His remark was, look at all the pelicans around that boat! I tried to get a shot but the boat was too far away. I waited for several minutes while looking through the lens at the boat. Once it got closer, I started laughing, Chris wanted to know why and I told him it is the same boat I painted before, Capt Sid. ("Headed for Home") Many beautiful shots later I was excited about all the birds on, behind, and around this vessel. Why I thought it would be fun to paint so many birds, I don't know!
Here we are, "Headed for Home Too!" Oil on canvas, approx 20 x 48. I will be putting it into print as well so look for it at the Fall shows.