This little 5x7 was inspired by the amazing work of
Elizabeth Pruitt. I took a workshop with Elizabeth a few months ago and was just blown away. She is as nice as she is talented. I want to paint just like her one day.
I know that's a stretch. I'm only a beginner but I Dream Big, as my mom would say. That was mom's mantra when I was growing up. I passed it on to my children. I encouraged them to get out there and follow their dreams. And I tried to remember to do the same.
I remember when I wanted to fox hunt, but I hadn't left the class ring yet! My good friend Rod Swanson drove me and my horse over to Hitchcock Woods in Aiken, SC. The facility serves as a training course for the steeplechase. He made me jump every fence 3 times. I must have jumped 100 times that day. I hunted that season and eventually earned my colors as a member of the Middleton Place Hounds.
Painting is my new passion, and I hope to remember the lessons that I've learned not only about dreaming big, but also about having a plan in place to help make that dream a reality!
So Dream Big!!
Contact Kathy at kathysweeney@gmail.com
This 8x10 is done with the same flat brush technique as my last posting. The oranges and yellows of the foliage, as well as the greens of the shrubbery really lend themselves to this technique. I do need to work on the tree trunk in the foreground on the right as well as the path itself as it recedes. They're both in shadow in the reference photo, but I'm not happy with them as is. I'll post again after I rework it.
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.
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!
