Archive for August, 2009

I’ve been working on several pieces and thought I’d include some images here.

The first piece is a watercolor landscape done in the puddling style.  The painting is based on my travels through Bhutan, a small country in the Himalaya’s.  While traveling through Bhutan I noticed that the air was incredibly clear, wonderful and it was some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever experienced.   The country itself was very safe, the people were lovely and the food not so lovely.  We knew we had problems when the dogs (which were everywhere) couldn’t eat food that we had leftover (read the meat was so tough I couldn’t eat it).  The painting isn’t finished, I am going to add a river flowing through the piece and some light colored mountains.  I am going to strive to achieve a sense of distance.  Grey out the colors in the distance so that you feel like you’re looking far away.

This other piece is something that came to me while standing in our backyard on a cloudy night.  Out here, we get these amazing cloudy nights, where the light filters through the clouds and silhouettes trees.   As I stood in our backyard appreciating the night I started to dream about how to translate it onto paper.  I’m trying two translations, one is watercolor and one is in oil.   Although I almost always work in water based media I thought this would be interesting in oil… so I’m starting.   I finished the sky in both the oil in the watercolor.

In the oil I love the flow and movement of the colors in the oil painting.   It’s very different than my usual style and I am interested to see what happens for the rest of the piece.  We’ll see if I love it, hate it or screw it up :).   As in the watercolor I will add in tree silhouettes to really develop the composition.

In the watercolor piece I didn’t go as dark as I often do but it may still be too dark for my vision.  I’ve yet to decide if I love this night sky yet but I thought I’d put it out there so you could see the artistic process.   I would like to hear any thoughts.   I plan on putting in pine tree silhouettes in the next few days.

I would love any comments or ideas.

Journaling, how do you start?  I’ve heard so much about this, read about this and some of the artists I  respect do this… maybe it will help me.   My sister gave me some watercolor paper in a book and I have a journal… just never used it.  I struggled for years with keeping a journal, I know that for many it is therapeutic or can help them tap into the creative soul.  I always found it intimidating.  I know that I’m not a brilliant writer but also I worked in classified land for years.  How do you let ideas flow from your head when 80% of what you think about is classified?   I still struggle with this but at least now my entire life is not classified.   I’ve decided that it’s time to get over that intimidation and fear (thanks for the inspiration Michelle and Kristin) now I have to just start doing it.   Oi!  If I get any journal entries that aren’t horribly embarrassing I’ll post them here.

Thanks for the inspiration guys,

Liz

Hi everyone,

I’ve finally succumbed and am starting a blog.   I’ll use this site to update any new creations, let you know of upcoming shows and maybe to discuss art and the world of art in the pacific northwest.

I’ve been participating in a program started by the Arts Council of Snohomish County called “Art in Great Spaces” and have decided to stay in my great space through the end of the year.  So please feel free to come by the studio.  I will be there during the week from 9am-4:30pm and by appointment on any other days or any other time.

As of right now I have a bunch of new cards that are available for purchase, and I’m working on two new pieces based on my travels through Bhutan.   I’m going to collect some photos of the pacific northwest and work on a pacific northwest series.   Then I’ll work on a holiday series.