You Can't Always Get What You Want...

"Spanish Shawl"  oil on canvas  40"x16"

       

       Completed this painting by the May 25th deadline, but haven't entered it yet as I had a connection problem for a day and a half with my router/computer. I think the lush new growth of all the trees, including a large willow and several fruit trees between house and studio have gotten in the way. Bob says that shouldn't be the case since he gets his connection in his office at the other end of the house through two walls from the kitchen. I still maintain it isn't quite the same. The studio is a good 150 feet from the house and the connection just isn't making it through now - it had up until the trees filled in. At least it isn't a problem with my computer as I really cannot afford a new computer or even a repair job right now. So I sit in the kitchen at the table, but that will have to be temporary...where can I set up here without being in the way? I use the computer in my studio quite a lot - my printer is also out there and my camera, etc.  These are the times when I wish I had gone with a laptop instead of this desktop - but the desktop was so beautiful and the screen so large, and it called to me! I love this computer! But it is a real pain to cart around...

view from kitchen window and router to studio (way back to the left)

View from studio window to house and kitchen window

       One of my paintings in the FCA Still Life show in Vancouver has been purchased but I don't know which one. Bob took the call while I was in my studio and can't remember if they told him which one it was. Doesn't matter, the extra income is very welcome and I will know eventually when they send the unsold one home in a few weeks. Here are the two entries:

"Apples in Red Bowl"   oil on canvas  14"x18"

"Fruit and Jug on Lace"  pastel  19"x26"

       This is the first time I've sold anything from being in a FCA show in Vancouver. I was beginning to wonder how much traffic the FCA Gallery actually gets as I don't many who do sell in the shows, but then, I don't personally know that many FCA members either - they are from all across Canada. 

           The timing is good since the same day this work sold our Rural Property Tax bill arrived and is approximately the amount of renumeration I will receive after the gallery takes its percentage. I still hope to get a new camera eventually but I have to remember that you can't always get what you want but, if you try, you get what you need...and it's one of my favorite Rolling Stones tunes.

Back in the FAV15% - is three times a charm?

       "Listening For A Nightingale" was selected as one of the Bold Brush competition FAV15% on the FineArtViews site for last month. This is the third time I have had a piece chosen for the FAV15%. Keep hoping for being a finalist someday when I grow up:-) Then return to ideas about never entering anything again...what is the point, I ask myself, even knowing as I think this that I will be entering another competition sometime soon. Actually today; I entered it in the  Artist's Magazine annual art competiton. 

            The current work is very close to completion now, sitting on my easel awaiting ministrations but I'm finding it hard to do this last part for some reason. Once again the fringe is driving me a bit crazy. I want to add the embroidery on the shawl and that might even be fun, but can't get started. Maybe it's that I'm feeling hungry right now. I don't work well when I'm hungry. Maybe I should go back to the house and make some lunch, although it's after two...ok, early supper? It's so gratifying when a simple solution to a problem presents itself.

Cameras are not edible.

       A quick posting today; just found out that the deadline for entering the Sooke show has been extended into June! Good news, although I am fairly certain I will have this done by the May 25th date they did have, but at least I can breathe easy about this and not feel rushed. So much to do outside right now - and inside too - feeling pulled in multiple directions. No time for sitting in the sun with a good book and a big glass of lemonade:-) It's still a bit chilly up here for that sort of thing anyway. And the wind! We have had major wind for about three days even though the sun is out, no clouds in the sky - gorgeous really but kind of hard to work outside with stuff blowing around. It happens up in the area some years and I'm told the wind can last all summer! When I traveled down island yesterday it was calm and lovely but up here in the mountain valley, well, make sure things are battened down!

       Yesterday I went to meet with my art group friends in Comox. We were at a lovely home overlooking Comox Estuary, with snow capped mountains in the background. We were able to be outside to paint and socialize. Needed that!! Vicky has a new DSLR camera and showed me all its great features...couldn't help but covet just a little, even though I have decided I don't really need a full DSLR. A good Canon bridge camera would do for me I think. Been researching this for two years but still using my 12 year old Canon G2. At least I HAVE a camera. Get over yourself, Karen...

       So you can see I am making progress. I redid that background three separate times. This painting will have a different feel from the first version but that's ok. It's time to concentrate on legs and fringe stuff next, and the bottom section of the shawl needs to be reworked a bit. I feel too distracted though by all the chores needing to be done. Bob had 10 yards of beautiful, black soil with fish compost delivered for the newer, bigger, higher raised beds he built in the vegetable garden and it has to be shoveled into those beds before we can plant. Growing some of our food in summer definitely saves on our small budget. Ah, the money spent on soil and delivery could get me a lovely new Canon G12 camera - but you can't eat a camera:-)

Progress on the new version...

       First two days of the new version of Kim wearing the shawl but I felt very blank about the whole thing. I put off working more on it for two days and wondering if it is worth doing. Then I got back to work yesterday and saw it beginning to gel for me. I think it's going to be ok. The variation of my moods is sometimes a wonder. Is sanity really a push-pull machination? Just interacting with other living, breathing souls seems to help all the confusion I often feel; yesterday I got a call from an artist friend whom I haven't seen or spoken with in a few months and felt elevated and upbeat all day. This morning I felt the need to hear my son's voice and when I called we had one of those wonderful conversations that goes all over the spectrum. Keeping it together is really pretty simple when there are others you care about to connect with. I have to remember not to become too insulated up here in Sayward.

     I began yesterday's session by premixing skin tones and then slapped them on in a very general, unfussy manner. Allowing my hand to do it's own thing often works well for me but I do have to be in the correct frame of mind. 

       I'm a blender by nature. I know many artists who lay down colour and tone and leave it alone. Can't do it myself. There is something sensuous and deeply satisfying about combining the colours smoothly together attempting to have the blend so perfect that it is impossible to see where one colour/tone begins or ends. You'd think the airbrush would be my tool of choice but there is a slickness from that technique which I do not care for. Somehow the use of my own hand and a tiny fan brush and all the imperceptible squiggles and overlappings give the work a one-of-a-kind look that is very appealing to me. 

       The painting of "Listening for a Nightingale" arrived safely in Orangeville Ontario at it's new home just before a major storm passed through the area. The storm actually damaged the wall where it was supposed to hang so for now it will be placed elsewhere. 

       Still have to think about a title for this new painting.