Another beautiful day painting!

Yesterday I was able to paint again with the PAAWM group out at Wau-ke-na North tract.  Despite the 85 degree heat, it was a beautiful morning up on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.  There were Monarch butterflies flitting all around me as I painted.   Fortunately I brought my beach cart to pile with gear as the walk was maybe 3/4 to a mile from parking to bluff.

Arriving home, I found the patio full with Kris and the boys with guests.  All boats went in the water, all squirt guns and two tanks of gas for the wave runner.  They had a blast jumping off the dock and paddling everywhere.  Mitch is practicing running the wave runner now and studying for his boating license in anticipating of cutting loose.  Yikes!!


Good news this morning...my painting of Pilgrim Haven Access was chosen for the 2017 Painted Sanctuary Calendar.  They will also have a reception on Sept 17 with an exhibit of all the paintings submitted.  Calendars will be available at the Art Walk for sale...$15. if anyone wants one.  Proceeds for SWM Land Conservancy to be used to purchase and upgrade properties.  They are saving some beautiful tracts of land for our children and grandchildren to come.

Catching up!!

Since Paige's showers we have been busy with so many events and projects!   Allie graduated in June and had a super fun party to celebrate in style.  A fun taco bar, ice cream treats and games everywhere kept the day busy and full of treats.  Her many friends dropped by for volleyball, which Allie joined in, dress and all! 

The boys have been here tubing and having fun in between baseball games.  It is almost over but now the try outs begin for next season...good grief!!  We hope to get a bit more lake fun before school starts so plan for a jam packed August.

The kids all had busy a weekend planned for the 4th holiday so we were able to host friends for an evening picnic.  We had a great time and said goodbye to Jane and Bob as another GG moves away and on with her life. 

In between the social scene I've managed to take two painting workshops at Pickle Street School and get out plein air.  Paintings were delivered to the Portage Library for an exhibit and to the Land Conversancy for their calendar competition.  I hope to be chosen again, but there are so many beautiful works done by PAAWM members and because they look for different seasons and properties to be represented, the selection is specific.  But I can hope!!  Here are those I submitted:

  Chipman Preserve

  Pilgrim Haven Path

  Hawthorne Hill Icon

 

I've been working in water soluble oils from Daniel Smith and love them.  Easy to clean up and handle like regular oils.  Still working on technique, selecting the right ground and using my brushes. 

 

The wedding is in a little over a week and things are looking wonderful.  I monogrammed robes for the bridesmaids and now my new task is to hand paint the seating sign with flowers.  I'll post some photos of this event as I certainly want to show the centerpieces and other items we've been working on as well as the beautiful bride and groom.  Stay tuned!!

 

Weekend at Nicks....

We were off to Troy to visit with dear friends and do a bit of damage in the local stores, which abound.  Having not lived in that area for over 30 years!!!!   Mary had me lost immediately.  What changes have occurred to the sleepy farm roads that crisscrossed the area when we lived in Washington  near by.

My goal was to see if I could find another dress for the wedding, a bit more festive than the tailored one I have here.  And right off the bat, or rack, I found one at Nordstrom's.  Aqua, lace, coat and sheath, with some sparkles....not really me at all but it looks nice per the women's consensus.  With the coat off it is more contemporary but I'll wait a while into the reception to do that due to not so perfect arms!!  George doesn't like it at all!   I cut the hem for a sample (because of course I must hem it) and there's no going back now.  Today I'm off to find some silver shoes and earrings.

No photo, wait for the whole outfit done right!!!

And wine glasses......with turquoise swirls...lovely. 

We laughed a lot, ate a lot, played cards a lot and had fun as always.  Wish we lived closer!!

It showered!!

 Adding the fiesta ware plates finished this off.

 Paige & Thomas

 

This past week and weekend has been devoted to the wedding showers for Paige and Thomas.  Kris and I held one in her home which was intimate and nice.  The little triangle boxes we made and put the bracelets in were a big hit.  Karen took the leftovers to give to those who hadn't been able to attend.  Maurice salad, dessert shots, cupcakes...all turned out yummy.  Everyone had a nice time and Karen coming on Friday to help me was really nice. 

 

 On Sunday Thomas's mom had another shower for local friends and held it in the church room where they first met.  It was nice and a bit different with the couple opening their gifts individually with each guest.  I missed seeing them all  opened, but it was nice to have some special time with them.  I made a couple of little paintings for their kitchen using graphics from my mother's 1946 cookbook and recipes from my 1967 book and painted on them cupcakes based on her graduation cakes which they plan to repeat at the wedding. 

 

These add a little color and memories of family in their kitchen. 

So today back to normal and hopefully planting some flowers.  Allie's graduation party is next and should give me a few projects once they start planning in earnest!!!

 



Getting Something done.....

  Navaho  mixed media

 

A chilly and cloudy Saturday that threatens rain was a good time to frame up the paintings for the guild show in June.  The one above has been hanging in my southern studio for a while waiting for it's frame.  This was a fun one with collage, paint, stamps and whatever on mat board.  I had thought not to frame it with a mat but like the white around it so did the standard.  It looks good I think.  This gives me three nice framed pieces for the show, plus the large on birch if they want it. They will go south for exhibits there.

 

I've got some sketching tools ready and hope to get out today or tomorrow for some much needed work in the field.

 

We spent last weekend in CP working on centerpieces and favors for wedding and shower.  It was fun to gather all the pieces, trays, teapots, candlesticks, vases, glassware, linens, and old books, all vintage and many from the whole family.  We set the dining table then built each centerpiece, determining whish pieces would have flowers.  Paige reviewed and Karen photographed and stored each one carefully to be reassembled on the wedding day for the reception.  I wish I had a photo to show you but forgot...in all we did 25 tables.  They are beautiful and I'll take photos at the wedding to show.  Paige's favorite design turned out to be one of the last ones and had something from each family in it just by chance.  Lovely!!!

Juggling!

Not even two weeks here and I am balancing many task balls.  Kris needed a bit of help with the boys transportation and supervision which involves me being at their house almost every day for one thing or another.  Between baseball, pt and appointments the car has be on the move pretty constantly.

In between these trips I've been working on some paintings, hemming tablecloths for the shower and now the grant report and application.  The grant work is tedious and requires some creative writing along with compilation of several documents for the report.  This is the third year I've done it and they keep tweaking the process.  It is better, but no less work involved!!

My painting is ready to ship, I've ordered frames for some new pieces to go in the guild show and am reading up on plein air painting.  Hopefully I'll get out to paint soon. 

Last weekend was beautiful and we did yard work, now it's back to typical spring April..grey, chilly and still ugly.   Hurry spring!!!! 

 

Causeway View    Just before leaving I spent a lovely morning painting with my pastels. 

I'm in!!

I was excited to find out yesterday that I  was accepted into the 25th International Society of Experimental Artists Exhibit in Pennsylvania this June.   

  "The Spark"
mixed media on board
24x24 
This is the painting that was accepted.  It recently won an Honorable Mention at FMBAA whereas the other I entered had a Best of Show there and a third on Sanibel.  It is always surprising to see what a judge might prefer.  This one is my favorite though and I am very pleased. 

The only down side to this is the cost of shipping the paintings to and from the venue.  Expensive!!  This is my second to get in the exhibits and now I only need one more to attain signature status.  I love doing this type of work and hope to reach this goal in the next couple of years.  In 2018 I believe the exhibit will be in Kalamazoo at the KIA and I plan to work on the event.

The complete exhibit will be published in a nice booklet and be on line at the ISEA Artists web site.  Check it out and get inspired!!