Pansies

 

Pansies 8 X 10 Acrylic on canvas board.

I haven't been doing much painting since my hands are still very shaky. I'm grateful that my legs are still working pretty well after 3 years with Parkinsons. The medicines do help.

Life keeps me busy. I visit my husband daily in his group home and try to take him out when the weather is nice. He can walk slowly with a walker and we go to the park and sit by the water. I'm gradually adjusting to living in a small apartment. My daughter and her husband moved more stuff out of the small bedroom I'm using as an office and studio. I'm hoping I will be more motivated to paint now that it is arranged a little better. Someone ordered a cell phone case from my website so I know that is still working for anyone who wants printed materials.

Winter is coming, but it is not too severe in this part of Idaho (Boise), not like what I was used to in New Hampshire so I should be able to get out and walk every day or at least a few times a week.

I have 2 paintings on exhibit downtown at the Gem Center. They will be up for another month.

Shadowland. An oil painting from my imagination. 12 X 16.

Magnolias, acrylic on stretched canvas. 14 X 14.

Jewish New Year/Rosh Hashanah

 

The Jewish New Year starts at sundown on Monday, September 22nd this year. It is the year 5786 according to tradition. The year starts not on the first day of creation, but on the 6th day when Adam and Eve were created. 

May you be blessed with a good and sweet year. As this past year was very stressful and difficult for my family, I am praying for a better year for all, freedom for the hostages and peaceful conclusion to all the conflicts in the world. I know that is unlikely to happen, but I will continue my small part with occasional art, daily kindness to all and once in a while a new poem.

Starting again

 

• Shadowland, Oil paint, 12" X 16". A moody landscape, an imaginary one.

I haven't felt like painting much this year with all the moves (twice in one year) and stress, but I'm determined to start again. I have played a bit with watercolors, acrylics and photos, but it's not the same as oil painting.

I am settling into my new "over 55" apartment building.  My studio is now a small bedroom and not really conducive to painting, but I'm trying. I miss the good lighting and big room I had in my house, but I can manage if I get my attitude on right. I miss my creative impulses and need to work on my mental state to stay positive more.  As I am approaching 80 next year, I realize how important that is, now more than ever. I hope I can continue to create more art this year.

Procrastination - unfinished work

 Study for larger work. I drew this in my sketchbook, used watercolor paints and started the pen and ink process. It has been sitting in my studio for a while.  I also did a palette knife painting of this image from Norway. I hope to get motivated to finish some art soon.

It was more enjoyable working with thick oil and wax paint and using a palette knife.  My view was from our balcony on the cruise ship (Sky Princess) to the coast of Norway.  The cliffs reminded me of the cliffs I saw in Alaska along the coast.

"Enjoying the view" was also painted with oil, but with a brush, not palette knife. It's an old memory, when we hiked Mounts Morgan and Percival in the White Mountains of NH. The view was of the lakes in that area.  I don't usually paint people and I was not happy with my daughter's image. I might try to adjust it a bit more.

Tonal Study

 

Tonal Study done with limited colors, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, raw umber, burnt umber, sienna, white. Not sure if I really used any white. I was inspired by an online video from Nial Adams (bottom photo was my original).  Then I couldn't decide what to finish the painting with. I looked across the street in the evening and I've always admired the tree there no matter what season, so I painted the winter branches and fence, then added more bare branches. I'm letting this dry before I do any more details.

Oil painting on 12" X 16" canvas board.

City of Rocks revised

 

City of Rocks, Climbing area. Oil painting 10" X 20" on stretched canvas. 

City of Rocks. 8" X 10"

I had intended to paint these plein air with the Plein Air Painters of Idaho, but it was so windy that day that I just took photos.  We stayed overnight at the Almo Inn, but the wind conditions were just as bad the second day.  The park is on the southern border of Idaho (border with Utah). It has interesting rocks and an interesting history.

Canyon Colors in acrylic

 

I decided to practice painting again with acrylics. I had painted this scene years ago in oils.  I had a bigger canvas available so I extended the image a bit. I loved the colors of the rocks at Yellowstone Park.

This one is 12 X 16.  I will add it to my website soon. (Added today) I'm trying to finish up a couple of other paintings today that have been sitting around my studio asking for my attention. I have been ignoring them as I have been busy with my personal life. Today is a good day to work on them.

City of Rocks Climbing area

 City of Rocks again. I'm still working on this one, but I like how it is coming out so far. Oil on stretched canvas, 10" X 20". I'll put the first block in below and the original photo too.  I enjoy painting on these panoramas, but I might switch to something abstract for my next painting. I am having difficulty with my arthritic hands, can't do too much detail now. (This comes with my blessings of living to be an old lady, not everyone gets to do that).

This was my first try at blocking in. I used an undercolor of violet for this painting. That was the first time I tried underpainting with violet.

And my original photo. It was a bit overcast that day so the photo is kind of dark. While we didn't have much time to spend at this park, I did enjoy seeing all the rocks, the cows on the road and even a deer leaping in front of us across the dirt and gravel road. We were going slow and had time to stop and enjoy his athleticism. He was too fast for me to take a photo.

City of Rocks painting

 

City of Rocks, 8 X 10 on canvas board. Since I didn't get to paint plein air, I chose one of my photos to practice on. These rocks were across from "Camp Rock" in the City of Rocks reserve, Almo, Idaho. I don't like painting in the open in the wind. Although I do like plein air painting since it is so challenging and I enjoy the company of the other artists.

I need a better title for this. I was thinking of "Uprising" since the rocks seems to come up from the ground.

City of Rocks, Idaho

 

We took a long drive for a short visit to the City of Rocks reserve. This is on the border between Idaho and Utah. About 225 miles from Boise. My original plan was to paint there with other artists from Plein Air Artists of Idaho.  Unfortunately the wind was blowing so hard I wasn't even tempted to take out my easel and canvas.  My husband and I enjoyed taking photos as we drove through the park on the dirt and gravel roads.  The cows were out in many places (open range land) and we had to wait for them to continue.  This is in an agricultural area. We also had a deer leap and cross in front of us. Even though we only had a short visit, it was worthwhile.

Around the corner

 Around the corner from the conservation area near my son's house in Exeter, NH was this nice view of a barn.  11" X 14" oil on canvas. I may work on it some more. I found that my hands are no longer steady enough with a brush to do a good job on straight lines (architecture for example). We were visiting NH and MA for Passover this year and I enjoyed the ocean as well as the early spring scenery.

Atlantic Ocean in Rye, NH. Windy day.

Piscassic River, Wildlife Management Area, Epping, Exeter, Newfields, NH.

I'm not sure the painting is done so I'm not posting it yet to my website. I will think about it for a few more days. Meanwhile, I have signed up for more plein air painting. Still struggling with that, but enjoying the challenge. I only bring very small canvases with me to experiment with.

Looking forward to our synagogue's annual retreat in McCall (Idaho) soon. We missed that the last 2 years because of the pandemic. 

Jenny Lake

 I think this one is finally done. Jenny Lake in the Tetons, 11" X 14", oil on canvas. I kept it on my easel for a while and kept fiddling. 

Spring is finally here and I'll be going out to do more paintings. Meanwhile, I am recovering from getting a Pacemaker and hope to have more energy this year. I'm looking forward to our trip back east for Passover next month. I love the NH scenery and enjoy seeing my northeast family.  I have lots of family in the northwest too so it is hard being so divided.  

Playing with Gesso

 

I decided to have some fun with painting instead of trying to be serious. I found this instructional video online, Bob Ross, Season 28, Episode 4. I didn't have all the right materials, but I had most of them. I bought some black gesso so I could start the experiment.  If you are familiar with Bob Ross, you know that this is not his usual teaching technique. Anyway, I started with black gesso, paper towels and a foam brush. It looks interesting so far.  I used a leftover piece of canvas from another project rather than wastinng a good canvas.  Fun so far.

Here is part 2. I had to repaint the bottom of the canvas because I did not like my path the first time I tried it.  The gesso has to dry before putting color on it.

I didn't have the right materials or colors for this part so I was a bit disappointed, but I still enjoyed this process.  I did go out and buy what I need so I can try it again.

Lake Louise

 

Lake Louise, Oil, 20" X 24". I think this is finished now, but I will wait a few weeks to post it to my website until I am sure and happy with it.  I had a large (for me) canvas that I picked up 2 years ago at a sidewalk sale and kept thinking about what I would paint on it. Finally I took the plunge.  I loved the colors of the lakes in Alberta, Canada, colors from the glacial silt.  We took a trip there several years ago and I enjoy looking at my old photos.

Meanwhile, I submitted three other paintings for a "monochrome" show at the Meridian library and two were selected. They will go up at the end of the month.  One that I posted last time (Monochrome etude #1) although I personally liked #2 better and my older acrylic 8" X 10" painting of Rabbi Y'Shia.

Winter again

Before the Rain, 16" X 20" oil on stretched canvas

This is my first painting with really thick oil paint (not water mixable oils).  I had a canvas painting I did not like and decided to recycle. I found that I still had a container of Alexander Magic White and Alexander oil paints from an online class I took several years ago. Bill Alexander was the precursor of Bob Ross painting style, wet into wet.  I did not continue with that painting style, but it kind of worked for this image. I had permission from Sean Bunce Photography of Boise to paint his image of Before the Rain (which I saw on Facebook). I used the photo as an inspirational one and did not make a copy, just played with the really thick paint, abstracting the image a bit.  I don't know how long it will take to dry, but I assume it will be quite a while. I liked the colors, but I couldn't match up as well since I only had a limited set of Alexander oil paint tubes.

Robie Creek, 10" X 20",  water mixable oil on stretched canvas

I worked on this painting for several weeks and I'm not quite happy with it.  I need to take more lessons on painting shadows.  This painting seems too flat to me. Not sure if I can fix it or not. Anyway, this is from my own photo of early spring at Robie Creek (which is off Route 21 on the way to Idaho City in Idaho). We have gone swimming there in the spring time with our dog, but not at this location.  The water was running very fast in the spring so we just took photos.

Yesterday was a holiday in the U.S. (Martin Luther King Day) and I was having a bit of cabin fever. I do get tired of just being in the city even as nice as it is.  We took a drive up to Idaho City and I took some photos. We had a good lunch at Trudy's Kitchen and brought home desserts for later.

I took some photos on the way back from the moving car. I was surprised that they came out and showed the nice scenery in this part of Idaho. Winter is mild in Boise where we live and I don't miss the extreme winters of New Hampshire, but I needed to see a little snow and more trees. Morning in Boise started out foggy, but cleared by noon time. Nice blue skies on the trip.