"Fallen Trees" oil, 30x16

In the Spirit of Fall

Unlike other parts of the country, we don't get beautiful colors in the trees.  Still fall is my favorite time of the year.  My husband and I were out cleaning the fish pond when a beautiful little green finch came and bathed in the bubbles from the fountain.  The temp is in the 70's and humidity is down a little. Leaves are everywhere and the annuals under the tree are fading fast.  Still it's so nice to just sit and watch and listen.  Beat of all the mosquitos are down and I don't worry about  the west nile virus.  It's just too nice to stay inside.
So, why not paint a series on my patio.  The painting I did of the summer flowers turned out pretty well so why not.
I am working on a piece of a friend's country place where a small waterfall spills under fallen trees.  I never thought of myself as a landscape painter.  But I love the softer light.  I didn't understand about how different the light makes until we lived in Alabama and I realized how harsh our summer sun is.  It was nice to have the different seasons.  Here we have only two, hot and humid and less hot and humid.  But the light is definitely different in the fall.  Softer.  Welcoming.  And the evenings are covered with a golden glow.  It's something to think about.
When I can I'll put some paintings up.  Hopefully you 'll let me know if I could be a backyard plein aire painter or not.

About Blogs

I really wish whoever runs this would quit changing how you do things.  It's a whole lot harder now than it used to be.

Some suggestions

A  few of the names for hand painting:

Handshake
Handy Dandy
Now you offer me a handout!.  I needed it yesterday.
Handsome
Handful
No two alike
Helping hands
All together, everybody wave
It's a reach
No touching

Thanks to all who sent them.

HELP ME NAME MY HAND PAINTING

It's all about hands

There's something about hands that fascinate me.  I love to look at them, watch how they're used.  I used to tell my husband I married him for his hands.  They are efficient hands.  There never seemed to be a wasted movement.  Not to mention his rather strange little finger the hops us at the mid way joint.
Anyway, I also love to draw them.  My first year at UT, it was a drawing of hands that found its place in the annual student exhibit. I must admit I am partial to long thin hands.  That's maybe because you can see all the hand's construction.  Or maybe because my own are that way.
Well, I buy most of my supplies over the internet, and a lot are from Gamblin.  My last package contained a tube of "torret grey".  It was free.  It seems they have an annual competition using torret grey, black and white only.  Any subject.  The big prize is $500 in supplies.  So, what have I got to lose.  I decided hands were the perfect subject.  Hence I have been gathering photos of hands.  Funny how most people take a picture of their hand just laying somwhere, doing nothing.  So I took everyone's picture who didn't think I was crazy and began to sort them out.

I have almost finished now .... a good thing since the contest ends Oct. 1..  Her is a collage of the hands.

Later today, I should be able to show the finished piece.

I DO WATERCOLORS, TOO

Done a few of these, too

A small history of my oils.

This is what happens when I start to play with my new computer.  Fun!

Back to normal!

Finally finished the commission and am back to normal.  I have been working on value in my painting class.  Funny, it feel awkward not to throw in some touch of off beat color.  I feel normal when I'm drawing with graphite.  I appreciate kind words regarding my garden painting and I may do some more when, and if, the virus carrying mosquitos go away.  Mosquitos really like me, a lot more than I like them.  Staying home, I am really enjoying looking at my flower garden.  I moved my desk so that as I write this I can see the vivid colors and even an occasional hummingbird.
For now, I'm really getting antsy to do some more figurative work.  And on a larger scale even if my arm gets really tired.  I feel like there is a painting dancing around in my brain.  I wish I could get it to blast out.

I’LL PAINT THAT...... STEVE CONRAD: Rower

I’LL PAINT THAT...... STEVE CONRAD: Rower