Stepping Out

This little painting was a challenge for me. The reference photo, taken by my son Michael, was of these gorgeous old oaks in the shade...with the sun poking through on some branches and shining on the distant marsh and tree line. It's hard, for me anyway, to convey the shade in the foreground and the sun in the background.

If we don't push ourselves to try new things then we never learn. It's not easy moving out of our comfort zone, is it? Yet, when we do manage to take that step we start to expand our comfort zone! Here's to stepping out!


Contact Kathy At kathysweeney@gmail.com

Playing with Clay

I always loved a brand new container of Play Dough! I can still smell it! Well, two of my painting friends, Sandy McTier and Judy Nicewicz, were having so much fun and creating such gorgeous clay treasures that I had to dig in too!

Sarah was staying with us for a few days over Spring Break and I had some heart shaped Altoid tins ..... a recipe for fun!  We played with clay on her last visit so that was the first thing she wanted to do when she arrived.

We went to work and made these two tins...one for Eddie and one for Rebecca, Sarah's mom and my sweet daughter.

We love them...Eddie and Becca love them...and Sarah and I had a ball!

Happy Passover and Happy Easter!

Contact Kathy At kathysweeney@gmail.com

Apples Violet Underpainting Finished

I finished my Violet Underpainting class assignment a week ago but I left it at the studio to dry. I ended up leaving the fabric more violet than it actually is because I liked the purple/yellow complement. The value study exercises have really helped me.

Last Monday in class I started a new exercise. Each exercise is designed to have you use a different technique as you approach a painting. The goal is to have you explore different techniques, styles, and results as you develop your own style. The next exercise uses a combination of a value lay-in with a large filbert, applying color with a flat in short cross-hatching strokes, and finishing details with a round brush. I found a reference photo of a large MacKenzie-Childs planter made with broken pottery pieces and filled with lush greenery and flowers. Can't wait to get back to it tomorrow!

It's the perfect weather day to stay cozy in the house and get out the paints. When I was at the workshop with Elizabeth Pruitt I picked up a still life packet with brass and white roses. I can't wait to paint it today! AND I may even get out the clay! I have a small tin just begging to be covered!

Enjoy YOUR day!

Kathy

Contact Kathy At kathysweeney@gmail.com

Sarah and Nana's Great Adventure!

My seven year old granddaughter, Sarah Mae, came to visit over the weekend and together we made a Valentine's gift for her mom, my daughter, Rebecca. What a wonderful time we had! When she looked at me, hands busily rolling clay, and told me that she always had so much fun at my house I beamed with joy!

We used Studio by Sculpey clay to dress up an old vase with a pink flower and a "collar" of buds. Sarah was so proud and couldn't wait to give it to her mom. Rebecca loved it. All in all it was a great adventure!

Contact Kathy At kathysweeney@gmail.com

Violet Underpainting Step Two

I've been working...though not as much as I should...on the violet underpainting. In the first pass I painted the entire painting in violet in the correct values to reproduce the image from my source material. I posted that before the workshop.

In that reference the apples are sitting on the back of a sofa in a very sunny window with warm light. I know that the shadows will be cool so I've used alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue in the deepest shadows.

These apples shine more orange in this particular light than red. In Monday's class I'll finish this pass and then go back and probably punch up the highlights. More after that!

Contact Kathy At kathysweeney@gmail.com

Weekend Workshop With Elizabeth Pruitt

In spite of the very serious look on my face I had the most amazing weekend painting with Elizabeth Pruitt at the Charleston Chapter of Decorative Painters! The company was wonderful and the instruction eye opening! I'd like to do it again this weekend if I could!

If you haven't seen her work please check out Elizabeth's website:

http://www.elizabethpruitt.com/index.asp

It's a real treat when someone this talented can also teach. That doesn't happen all the time. Elizabeth has 3 classes at the SDP annual convention and I believe that she said they've opened up additional sessions. I only wish that I could go! If you're going, or thinking about it. don't miss the opportunity to paint with her!

Contact Kathy At kathysweeney@gmail.com

Violet Underpainting

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my painting teacher has implemented a class syllabus which begins with 3 mandatory paintings. This is the beginning stage of one of those paintings.

The reference photo, which I'll scan and post with the finished painting, is of three apples sitting on the back of a sofa in a very sunny window. Joyce has quite a few of these photos with either apples or pears. I painted another version of these apples last year using a palette knife.

I enjoy this approach of scrubbing in the values...finding the negative spaces between the apples to help define the apples. Next step, applying the color in the right value based on the values in the underpainting.

Have a good day!



Contact Kathy At kathysweeney@gmail.com