Yet Another Experiment!

Well my little plan to get re-auctioning had a glitch, so attempting it again.  Apologies but have to include the painting from earlier this week. 

Pepper Refined
click here to bid

Somehow, I managed to paint today -- mostly to keep from frightening Mr. Huang next week!  Don't want him to think he has a clueless, crazy lady in his workshop.  So I did my best to set up multiple objects (egads, not used to that!!!), and went with a hard panel to keep from adding too many variables.  Admittedly, I'm in total denial about using actual canvases again. . . . 

After the paint-a-thon, I'm pretty happy and will photo/post it later this weekend.  Artist KR that I mentioned in an earlier post, says her new art instructor makes them report on what they have learned.  Sounds like a good idea to me, so in this painting session I learned: 

1) challenging/uncomfortable subject forces my brain to go into artist mode,

2) keep painting what you see not what you "think you see" and 

3) just paint. . . happiness is sure to follow!

Enjoy, live is joy we make one moment at a time,

Johnna

p.s. thank you for taking the time to read my posts and for your delightful and encouraging comments, much appreciated!

Regrouping

Apparently my last blog and "rough couple of weeks" caused a commotion -  it's just life's bumps in the road --- nothing at all that can't be handled.  I'm delighted that people read the blog and checked in.  How great is that?  Great friends, great community, priceless.  What a new found pleasure to me for taking the time and energy to create a blog (insiders will say, and it's true, more work than one would imagine).  

I'm still working my way back to painting (artist block I guess. . .  don't have a good explanation) but really looking forward to seeing my great friend and fellow artist (KR) in Easton MD next weekend for a workshop hosted by Qiang Huang - check out the link, his work is stunning (we signed up almost a year ago!).  Will be quite a challenge for me shifting from 6x6 hard panels to a mushy soft canvas that are more than twice my comfort size. Okay, Alice get with the program! Maybe the shift will start a new commotion.  Fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, I'm going to auction a few of my most popular, favorite available paintings.  Here is the first one.  Over 600 hits vs. the last sold painting that had 135.  I read an article recently that said one of the worst mistakes an artist can make is to keep their favorite paintings --- aargh that is a hard pill, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.  So I'm taking the leap and making these lovelies affordable and available.  

Pepper Refined
click here to bid

As always, Enjoy, live is joy we make one moment at a time,

Johnna

Flying Fish

Much to my total delight, the Cube Fish aka KalidoFish was purchased and should have landed in Tucson, AZ by now.   A former buyer, which is always a super-duper added pleasure. It has definitely lifted my artistic spirit, but still find myself struggling to get back into the groove.  It's also been a rough couple of weeks, but sparing you the details since I only want to think about the positive!  Not all that bad compared to most, but a reminder to appreciate each day and realize how wonderful life is!  

Here are the darlings flying to Tuscon. 

Enjoy, live is joy we make one moment at a time,

Johnna

Current Events

This month's art group challenge was to paint in the style of Cubism.  Not a particularly comfortable topic for me, but bolstered with the Barcelona Art Nuevo get-out-there-influence, managed to pair a favorite PaintMyPhoto pic with my newly found knowledge.  The idea is shapes / angles and uncomplicated colors.  Kinda crazy, but I really like it.  Now that the insider art group has met, I can publish it.  It's become a favorite of mine.

Cube Fish
click to bid

How's this for an interesting perspective.  You-know-who came up with the idea and called it KaleidoFish!  Love it so much I might make it into an art card.  Please comment with your vote and maybe I will really turn this into a greeting card.  

KaleidoFish! 
please comment with your vote

Photo credits go to Ruth Archer of PMP - her photo.  I was also inspired by several artists who saw this in a colorful and abstract way! 

Enjoy, live is joy we make one moment at a time,

Johnna

Geez Where Does the Time Go?

Has it really been since April that I posted???  Hard to believe, but see that it is true - er, I guess April would be the time Mr. Fab (rockin' spouse) surprised me with tickets to a birthday-of-a-lifetime trip to Spain!  Guess I don't have to mention that a birthday with a zero in it - and it's after 40 - has to be cause for commotion!  With the planning, trip in early July and now the awesome afterglow, it's just gonna have to be my excuse for the lapse.  I am seriously hoping to get back into the art / blogging program.  Fingers crossed!

Quick note about the trip to Barcelona - highly recommend, lack of Spanish is not a problem, food is amazing, art and architecture is over the top.  Epitome of Art Nuevo - Gaudi is a true phenomenon and so under known.  Barcelona is unlike any European city I have been to -- they embrace the very modern, progressive yet maintain a love of both old and new.  Big, bustling city yet quaint old quarter, endearing people, marvelous metro, stunning museums and such deep roots.  Apparently, Barcelona is the third most visited city in Europe (after London then Paris). Go travel - I've missed it for a long time.  Just go.  Nothing is better than challenging yourself with something new, daring yourself into discovery and delighting yourself with unknown wonders.  It really does "change you" in a number of ways - just GO somewhere different (on your next walk/drive take a left instead of a right and see what happens!).   I want to copywrite the phase "you just don't get it until you go, so just go!"  

Yellow Pepper Refined

Cutting to the chase - not sure what happened.  I painted this pepper last January and then decided to fix a few things so changed the status to Not for Sale.  Fixed it and then forgot all about it.  Now I see my number one highest hit rate for painting views is none other than this guy!  So it's time to get the new photo posted, re-blog, re-upload, re-connect, and re-auction the new version.   

Yellow Pepper Refined
click here to bid

Reminds me how much I love the dark background and my peeps at PaintMyPhoto.  A great site, no matter what  your interests may be! Check it out here - free to browse and free to register - a fun bunch to connect up with.

Photo credits go to Lilian Bell here 

Enjoy - life is joy we make one moment at a time.  Let the game begin!

Thank you so much for reading my blog and taking the time to make comments.

Interesting Experiment - Is it Spring Yet?

Welcome to the lab-or-a-tory!  An artist's playground when one doesn't have much time for painting, but a place for experimenting and trying out different things.  I liked this painting so much but thought it too white, too raw, so started trying out my new found glazing technique - loved the process and think the results aren't bad either.  

So here's a before and after -- since it's a painting, only the after exists in the real world.  What I would love to know is which one do you prefer?  

Original Painting

I'm split - loved the first one, but it didn't seem quite right and then fell in love with the second one but seems like it should have lighter colors.  

Glazed Painting and final product
Daffodil Two
click to bid

Oh well. Insiders, let me know what you prefer.  I seem to be falling in love too much and becoming a bit fickle! 

Photo credits go to Nicole B  at PaintMyPhoto for the inspiration. Here's her photo:

thanks for reading my blog,

Red Hot Hibiscus

Okay, before we get started, yesterday moring I woke up to quite a thrill - DailyPaintworks selected my coneflower pic as:

"You're one of our DPW Auction picks!"  

That's a first for me!  Funny how something like that just makes your day!  Now back to business. . . .

Was so tired of winter that I started looking around for anything hot, flowery and reminder of my favorite season - summer.  Found this wonderful hibiscus on PaintMyPhoto.  Compelled me into glazing again and love how the layers and layers of red worked out.  I never noticed before, but hibiscus is kinda strange with the pronounced stamen -- finally, thank goodness for high school science/botany class!  I guess they were right - we need to know this kind of stuff! Ha, ha.   

Red Hot Hibiscus
click here to bid

Kudos to marsha woods photographer

see the pic here

Enjoy,

Johnna

Coneflower Do-Over to Auction

Redid this painting just 'cause I love it. Luscious warm yellow crown, bright green background, springtime pinks, floppy petals, just love the overall look of it. Painting objects that have such great presence in their own right and then painting them a bit larger than life just seems to work really well!   

Coneflower
click here to bid

I will always give credit to other artists that inspire me - they do so much of the "work" with composition, color, contrast - I am indebted to their energy, curiosity and talent!  

Photo courtesy of Barbara A. Novak PaintMyPhoto Coneflower  kudos on a wonderful subject!  great cropping, depth of field - what's not to like!

Enjoy - life is joy we make one moment at a time.  Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.  Comments much appreciated. 

It's Springtime, Let's Get Hopping!

It seems no matter what culture or religion, everyone embraces spring!  What's not to like with the earlier dawn, warmer weather, beautiful nature evolving. . . .  All I know is there's a kick in the air and we all want to be a part of it!

Story time - My art club challenge was to paint a bunny (Easter/Spring, you get that right?).  Egads, I don't paint animals - well okay a few, but a soft fluffy bunny?  Yikes! In desperation, started researching photos and discovered the most amazing artist -- Hue Li check it out - the gallery is here, look for the "What's Up" painting.   Adorable.

Honey Bunny
click here to bid

On top of having the most amazing bunny, Hue Li was so generous granting rights to me and providing a wise Chinese saying that I will keep near-and-dear to my heart when painting animals.    To me, it takes a ton of talent to visualize something outside of what you see in a still life or photo.  Kudos for creating such a wonderful, animated painting and letting me paint way outside my box.   I love this guy/gal and will be sorry to see it go, but alas this is what I do now.    

Double down, my challenge to my art club is to paint a humorous, animated subject.  Now I have to pursue more things outside of my comfort zone, but that's what is all about.  Woo hoo. 

Enjoy - life is joy we make one moment at a time.  Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.  Comments much appreciated. 

Johnna