Day Trip Down To Winona

The Hubs and I decided to take a day trip last Friday to take in some more fall color and just enjoy the day.  We ran across a curious thing.  It was like a little community of floating houses on the Mississippi River at Winona, called Latch Island.  You can tell that there's been a drought.  Many of the little houses had rain barrels, but they appeared to be empty.  We aren't sure if these are just weekend cabins, or if people stay year round~if so I think it could be really cold.  Anyway, I thought it was strange enough to take some images.

A Bird and a Trailer

Continuing with the bird theme.

A little while ago, the hubs sent me a photo he'd taken while traveling.  Apparently there was this dilapidated trailer just sitting not far from the side of the road and he thought that this is just the kind of photo that I like to paint.  He was right!

Have and wonderful day!

A Beautiful Day In Sunny Florida

Here we are again for our annual venture to sunny Florida.  I've been remiss in posting, but I have been keeping up with the class at Digital art Academy--this being the last week.  I've put together a couple of paintings, one of which I posted to the class.  However, I will be working on another, more comprehensive painting hopefully incorporating everything we've learned so far in class.  Hats off to Karen Bonaker another wonderful Open Studio.

The second painting is for a Mini Challenge at Retouch Pro.

I hope everyone is having an awesome day.

New Watercolors

The hubs just got home from a Golf trip--a well deserved trip--in Palm Desert California. He didn't take many, but there were a few images that he snapped that I thought would work well painted in watercolor. 

I got some good news in that I sold a print in the Art Shoppe.  For those of you who are local, it's located in the old Sears Building on Lake Street and Eliot Av, now called the Global Market. 

We are having wonderful spring weather here--up to 67 degrees today and the snow is melting.  Hope everyone is having a wonderful day.

Today's Painting

We are coming out of a snow storm.  More snow in the last two weeks than all winter.  It's a very pretty snow.  The kind that coats and sticks to all the tree branches.  Looks like a winter wonderland out there. Luckily, I didn't have to drive anywhere and spent the day making prints for an upcoming boutique. 

I hear snow plows as I'm writing this. Have a nice day!

Still Learning

Wanted to make sure that you knew of a couple classes coming up...some you may be interested in these.  Karen Bonaker at The Digital Art Academy is having an Open Studio Session coming up in March on Painting Street Scenes.  You can get information HERE.  Also, Scott Deardorff has a new teaching DVD out, his second in a series, "Portrait Painting Techniques in Photoshop".  This artist creates the most beautiful portraits and he does it exclusively in Photoshop.  You can read about both of his DVD's HERE.

Here's a few pieces I've been working on.  Still working on watercolor techniques using Photoshop, Topaz Adjust and Simplify.

This is what I love about digital art.  You can reuse your photographs over and over and over and over.......Have a great day!

More Watercolors

I wanted to post some of the watercolors I've been working on.  I think I'm starting to understand the concepts much better, while not losing my style of saturating with color. I'll will be test printing some to see how they work out.  Hope you enjoy!

I do love doors and windows and fences and trees!

And stairs and bushes!

And awnings!  Have a wonderful day!

Hump Day

It's Wednesday and it's raining, believe it or not.  And all that rain is going to freeze tonight! Oh Boy! So how about some color to brighten your day.

I've been continuing to paint the images I took while in D.C. over Thanksgiving.  I hope I don't run out. It's going to be a loooooong winter!

I'm still researching wide-format printers so that I can start printing my own paintings.  I was pretty set on an Epson, but now I'm looking at Canon.  I will need at least a 24".

If anyone out there has any suggestions or has a wide-format printer and has a good review, let me know.
I hope everyone has a wonderful evening!

Saturday Roundup

I've had a busy week with the Holidays looming, working a part-time job and completing commission work as well as continuing to build a body of work that I hope to be able to print and sell on my own.  This first painting came from a total of 12 different images that the client sent to me...all different resolutions, sizes and qualities.  I was able to arrange the family in a collage around the grandmother. The families were all cut and pasted together to make it look like they actually posed that way.  All in all, I'm quite please with it and so was the client.

I've been putting together a body of work that I hope to be able to print on my own and sell from my blog as well as some local shops and possibly art shows in the spring. Here are a few of what I've been working on.

Be sure to stop by my friends over at Artists in Blogland and catch up on the wonderful artistic endeavors of these very talented group of artists.  I'm also hoping that everyone has a beautiful weekend.

Monday, Monday

Have you ever been glad for Monday's and a normal routine?  Weekends this time of year can be hectic. Just driving in the weather that is thrown at us this time of year can be stressful...the tune, Slip, Sliding Away (Simon and Garfunkel) is so appropriate when navigating the roads here.  But, enough about that stuff.  I was able to spend more time on paintings form our Thanksgiving trip to D.C.  At some point I need to take my camera and start shooting snow scenes...but shoot...it's cold out there.

A sweet little house on the corner near the Eastern Market where artists set up booths each and every weekend to sell handmade items.

Port City Java is a quaint little coffee shop where people sit and people watch those visiting the Eastern Market.  In addition to artists, there's a building where you can buy fresh meats, fish and bakery goods.

The Art Village is located next to Port City Java.  I noticed that it looks vacant.  I would love to set up shop there!

Walking the streets of D.C. is such a treat.  Each little row house has something to offer...eye candy!
I everyone has a happy week.  Christmas is just around the corner!

Busy Little Beaver

I've finally been able to process some more of the images I took in D.C. and spent some time painting and having a wonderful time.  This first one was taken in Georgetown.  As you can see, there was still a lot of color.  Such a quaint, lovely town with lot's of wonderful shops and sweet little row houses.

Most of the time, the row houses are all connected.  But, occasionally there are skinny two story homes sitting all alone.

This one had the most brilliant tree out front.

This was another from Georgetown.  I think it was actually a Dentist's office.

This was a little covered walkway outside the Arboretum.

More doors, doors and doors.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.