Painting Pears

This is my first ever blog and I don't know that I know what I'm doing.  But, you know, the first time I picked up a needle, I didn't know how to sew, and the first time I held a pair of shears, I didn't know how to cut hair and the first time I held a paintbrush, I didn't know how to paint, but I learned.  I'll learn this.  The purpose of the blog is to share my artwork.  I've been posting paintings to Facebook for a while now, but someone told me an artist needed an online presence other than Facebook.  So here goes. 

I started reading Carol Marine's book, Daily Painting. She says make art every day. Every day! That is a monumental undertaking. It sounds easy, but believe you me, it ain't.!  Her instruction is to work small.  That makes sense. Small works take less time. Well, maybe not. Hmmm.

Since this is a blog to promote myself as an artist, I should start at the beginning of my art journey.

I suppose I first got the bug at around 5 years old.  I discovered one could make the most beautiful pictures by drawing with a crayon on a hot radiator cover.  The smooth metal cover was the perfect ground for the melting crayon.  I still remember the smell.  I also still remember the butt-whipping I got for doing it, too.  Several times. Actually, many times.  When the hot water rose and the pipes crackled and popped, the art demon in me would grab the crayons even though I knew what was coming when my daddy got home.  Just couldn't help myself.  Maybe those experiences arrested my development because I didn't attempt make pictures for another 50 years. 

I took a drawing class and a watercolor class through my local county rec department.  I can't remember the instructors' names.  My first serious watercolor class was with Karen Bowden, a local artist, through the Fine Arts Center.  I studied plein aire oil with Heiner Hertling, an internationally known wildlife artist.  I have had oil classes with Ed Gowen and Ron Boehmer, both local artists.  For several years I have studied watercolor with Purnell Pettyjohn and Solly Blank in Lynchburg, Virginia,  my hometown.  I have taken workshops with Sterling Edwards, Tom Lynch and Karlyn Holman.  In spite of all this, I am still intimidated by a blank canvas. 

That's me.  I'm older than dirt, but I'm not dead yet, so there's still time for me to be an artist.  So today, I started my Daily Painting.  Which, as I said above, doesn't have to be painting.  It just needs to be art, some kind of art, once a day, every day.  The little row of pears at the top of this page are my offering for today.  Far left is palette knife, center is big brush, right is small brush. All are acrylic on canvas board, 8x10, cad red and cad yellow, plus permanent green deep and white for the left, red, yellow and cerulean for the center and right, with white added for the right side.  It was fun.  Took a couple of hours. Learned a few things.  That's the point. Learn something. Share what you learn. That's what life is all about.

Carole