workshop @ Cormorant donated one to Village

Friend, Bobbie and I attended a great workshop last week. We learned some new stuff: using gouache with watercolors, using gum arabic as a resist, toning w/c paper with acrylic, using a limited palette, using pastel with w/c, to name a few. We stayed over in Dunvilla, so we didn't have to travel so much, but getting lost in the "lake" country sure puts the miles on..  Also, we didn't read the full instructions as to bring subject matter to paint, so these are ' borrowed from the kitchen' items.. clothes line is from my favorite photos..
Instructor was Carl Oltvedt, art teacher at MSU for 35 years and now lives in Mpls.. he is SO knowledgeable about "the art world".. i listened with all my brain power..

Marla's rels

This is a commission I just did last week in Acrylic.  My cousin's cute wife asked me to paint her grandparents by their sod house with their oxen teams.  Photo wasn't very clear but i pulled it off. She was pleased. Reminded me of the oil paintings I did in the 70's of Carl's grandparents, only they had lots of youngsters surrounding them.
 I think about how hard those pioneers worked and how women bitch nowadays if they don't have granite counter tops...  Sorry, i just had to add that..

Show Off..

I'll be hanging 17 of my paintings at Edgewood Vista, here in Fargo, tomorrow afternoon..  they have a nice gallery area to feature creativity and enjoyment of the ARTS...  doesn't that sound appealing??  Stop by if you are in the area..

Little Wranglers 1 2 3

I painted on these all day yesterday, making them cuter with bigger eyes, adding more color, using a palette knife to add stuff to background and i even bought different frames for them.. Why do i keep doing this??  better than dusting, vacuuming and whatever folks do to keep busy................. OK, then.

Babushka, Baby.. sold in Pekin 2023

Had a great weekend at the Cormorant Area Art Club's annual art show last weekend.  I once again did a "demo" in watercolor.  Folks are not real interested but it adds to the "atmosphere of the cultural event in the Lake Country".   I had sketched this gal using a photo out of  an old yellowed  magazine.  I love the clothes line and clothes pin bag..  but the scarf seems to be more important now that it is done.
4/2018 Worked on this some more and cropped it alot when i framed it.. (cheap mats and frames, don't ya know)  Tells a story, I think.

Lauren is 1

Was invited to her b'day party yesterday.  She and her parents and her grandparents are very special to me so i thought she should have an original painting in her room, beside the NDSU stuff.....

Parked by the Pastry Shoppe -- Third Story Rental SOLD to a good friend.

"Third Story Rental"

I've been painting on this for a couple of years, trying to improve it. Reference is a photo I took in Carmel, CA. so long ago.  it has turned into a Mixed Media piece over time.  I may have posted it on this blog, i tried to find it, but failed.
As usual, i love it.  Refuse to title it "Reflections"..  tee hee.
5-28-18   This painting"bit the dust" this spring..  cut it in 1/2 and painted "Third Floor Rental" on the bottom half.. turned out rather neat, if i say so myself..