In Search of Ice

This is something I just have to show you. I think this little guy is sooo cute! You can get him on CafePress wearing the t-shirt of the "In Search of Ice" pastel. I will be taking the original to the May Fair Art Show this weekend in Norman, OK.

This is the original painting. He's been a guest here before, but I just had to let you compare him to the little stuffed one at the beginning of the post.

More naked painting

More demo painting at the Arts Festival this week.

I started out with oil. Right next to us were some woodworkers. The wind was blowing the sawdust was swirling and the woodchips were sticking. I wound up with more texture in my paintings than I planned.

Since I couldn't come out of that with a good oil painting I decided to have fun, so every little kid that came along to "admire" my work I handed them my brush and asked them to help me out just a bit. It was a lot of fun to watch the expresstion on their little faces as they worked on that oil and wood chip painting.

My next two shifts, I wised up and decided to go for revenge. I took my pastels....some really sabre tooth paper.....large sheets......lots of my more inexpensive pastels. I wound up getting two large pastels at least 3/4 done without getting a speck of that dust in my house. Don't know about the woodworkers - they may have taken some pastel dust home with them.

Painting in Public

Or...as one friend said if she ever wrote a book she would call it "Painting Naked". It bothers her to have people look over her shoulder - even people she knows. I must have been a stripper or something in a past life because it doesn't seem to bother me. I just kind of get in the zone and away I go.

At least that's the way it worked last night when I painted "live" at the Oklahoma Arts Festival. This is the art festival for Oklahoma and it's big and has about a gazillion in attendance. I am there, along with another couple of artist representing Oklahoma Art Guild, OAG for short.

I didn't get juiried in to the show this year so I decided to do the next best thing, go out there get some new members for the Art Guild and do a little "naked painting".

Pastel Portraits

Now that I have a few minutes, I thought I would bring everyone up to date on the pastel portrait demo that OPS, (that's Oklahoma Pastel Society) had last Monday conpliments of Dennis Parker.

He actually spent most of the time allotted explaining his teaching method and giving us all some great tips. You can see some evidence of that on the edges of the paper on the portrait.










The next photo shows Mitsuno Ishii Reedy (Google her) sketching Dennis. She is one of the most well know portrait artists in this part of the country and her portraits hang in the State Capitol and corporate offices.










At last with about 45 minutes to go Dennis decided he should maybe start getting some color on and stop having fun with the rest of us.










This is the finished portrait! We all had a great time and appreciate his generous time.

Greeting Cards

The demo went off without a hitch last night - I'm putting togething some pics and a few blow by blow commentary quips which I'll post when I get a little extra time.

In the meantime....have I mentioned lately that Sophie (that's one of my Italian Greyhounds) and I have a Greeting Card Store? Well, take a look....jeez, I hope this works....

Pastel Demo

There's going to be a wild time in Oklahoma City this Monday evening. Dennis Parker is going to do a pastel demo for the Oklahoma Pastel Society.

For one thing, it's a really wild and fun group. It could be from lack of oxygen because of all the pastel dust. I should know since I'm a past president and I do have my moments of 'pastel dust insanity'.

Another reason it will be fun is because Dennis is a really, really fun person in addition to being a very good artist. Also, he hasn't done a pastel portrait in about twelve years. (and we have a whole front row of hecklers already lined up) He said it makes makes art more exciting when you live on the edge.

Dennis usually paints in oils nowadays but I figure even with pastels and a row of hecklers this portrail will still show his usual talent and ability of observation.

Your can view more of Dennis Parker's art at: http://www.dennisparkerart.com/

And if you're in the area Monday, April 14th 2008 drop by - it's free.
6:30 p.m. Will Rogers Park and Garden Center OKC 3400 NW 36th St

Food and Friends and Painting

Friendship and Food and Painting - what could be better

My friend Helen is coming over to paint and have lunch. I'm going to fix one of my famous peanut butter sandwiches for us. Hubby says he's even going to give it a 'try'.

Here's my recipe: Get some nice whole grain nutty type bread - you know, the type that's good for you. On one side put a generous smear of organic crunchy peanut butter. On the other slice drizzle a generous amount of honey.

That's almost good enough as is, but hey, I'm not finished yet. On top of the honey side layer on some Nutella. (next to the PB at the grocery - it's Hazelnut and cocoa and smooth and creamy)

Okay, now that you have gooey on both sides, get a handful of dried cranberries and put that on one side or the other and slap the other side on top patting it lightly so that all those yummy little cranberries will stick.
I think most of this is even good for you.

Painting: 20" x 10" on canvas panel. Listed on ABU search lhiller. Pssst...reserve is only $50.00