I'm Trying!

Tree on Yellow, 2008, oil on Panel, 6x6

Well, I am trying to get some painting done, but now that I am all into it, things keep coming up to keep me out of the studio!

Today I had to drive to Saratoga Springs to retrieve my work from Gallery 100. They have been fabulous to work with over the last several years and I will miss Deb (the owner) and Nancy (the director). Even though I am sad that the commercial gallery space is closing, I am happy that Deb (the owner) is so enthusiastic about her new direction. And I am sure we will continue our association. You can read more about all of this here.

And this afternoon I must take my daughter to soccer practice, then make dinner, then more work on the taxes. So no time for painting today.

I might be able to work tomorrow, after I pay the household bills in the morning, but then will miss a good part of the day on Friday because of the all important six week hair appointment.

The weekend is totally booked with all kinds of family activities, including our local Pumpkinfest which I wrote about last year and since it's pretty much the same each year, I'll just link to last year's post. Maybe I'll get some time in next week. Although I imagine something else might come up to keep me from the studio on Monday....

However, something good, like winning the lottery would be acceptable. heh.

Another Opening Reception!

The Path In, 2008, Oil on Panel, 8x10

So because I am now officially into middle age, never get enough sleep and am a busy girl, I took a nap on Saturday afternoon in order to be smart and witty and awake for the drive as well as the gallery reception that evening.

It was the perfect nap; the kids didn't bother me (too busy taking advantage of the fact that I allowed them to watch tv all afternoon) my room was warm and comforting and when I woke up I felt really energetic. I could on and on about the nap, because I rarely take them but I'll save you all from that at least.

I picked up my friend, Carina and we were off. We talked for the entire drive, I caught up on all of the local news, most of which I am sadly out of the loop on. I am a good person to gossip with by the way, I tend to immediately forget what I have just learned so I seldom have the opportunity to repeat anything to anyone. We also talked about our kids, her two are the same age as two of mine, and talked art for a bit.

There was a good crowd when we arrived at the gallery and I am happy to say that my work looked so great, I could hardly believe it was mine. Usually by the time I drop off paintings for a show all I can think of is good riddance as I wing them out the car window and speed off before the director can realize how bad everything is. Then when I see everything hung and lit properly, I usually think, wow! I did that? wow! And then I love what I do all over again.

Anyway, I had great conversations with several of the other artists whose work was also on display, including Debi Pendell, Sunghee Park, and Randi Kish, a ceramic artist with no links but who does some real kick ass work.

Just as we were heading out, Takeyce breezed in and introduced herself to me. She had emailed me and said she would try to come by so I am glad I didn't miss her. She was very nice and we chatted for awhile and both Carina and I, at different times complimented her hair, which I suspect made us seem very immature but I don't care. She had great hair! Was I just suppose to ignore that?

We decided to get dinner before heading home and an excellent meal at a place around the corner from the gallery called One Caroline. The food was excellent, locally grown, organic, and pasture fed meat. We went a little crazy with the appetizers because they all looked so good and so it was a good thing that we had ordered half portions for our entrees. There was also live jazz which sounded great, if a bit loud where we were seated.

Then it was two more hours in the car, telling each other our biggest secrets (forgot already:)), rain, a tailgater who was clearly annoyed that I was only going 5 miles over the speed limit on a pitch black, winding, deer infested road. Then there was the worst fog I have ever seen. I couldn't even see the lines on the road and drove about 10 miles an hour forever before we got through it.

All in all an excellent evening and I think I may have to seriously consider dumping my husband for these events and going with the girls! Way more fun.

Here, There, Everywhere

Leaning Telephone Pole, 2008, Oil on Panel, 12x16

I have been trying to get a post up for the last few days but there has been so much going on that I have hardly had a minute to sit down at my desk. Well, except for the 2 hours I spent Tuesday evening researching ducks.

(A friend of mine is planning to order some ducks and when you get them through the mail you have to get a certain number so they are warm enough and since she doesn't want so many we may split the order. Um, because I actually need more to do each day. So I am trying to figure out how and where to house them which is a pesky issue, mostly because of our killer dog, Penny.)

Anyway, on Tuesday I drove to Saratoga Springs to deliver my work to Gallery 100. I had a very nice visit with Deb (the owner) and Nancy (the director) and on the drive there I was able to take some nice photos to use as reference, since the light was amazing. Oh and I have to say that I am now even more in love with my new car-the middle row of seats folds down (unlike in my old car) and it was a breeze loading it up with paintings. I hardly had to even stack anything.

Since I hadn't been able to get any painting done on Monday or Tuesday, I got right into the studio yesterday morning. I am working on a commission, which has taken me forever to get to and now finally I am at the color stage. I worked all morning, then had to go to an appointment, and then went right back into the studio when I got back home. The kids got home, took my son to his scout meeting, took the girls out to eat, picked up my son and went home, just in time to fold laundry while watching one of my favorite shows, Criminal Minds.

Today is more of the same, studio, midday appointment, studio again. And probably more laundry too.

The Hectic Life

The Very Last Minute of Winter, 2008, Oil on Panel, 20x24

Ok, the last few days have been incredibly busy. The girls had sleepovers (elsewhere, which is the only reason that I am even remotely sane today) and although it was quiet at home that evening, there was much driving around Friday, then Saturday morning. A show opening at the local art organization (more on that in another post), a Children's Book Author Festival on Saturday and the end of the season swim team party on Sunday (which I had to cook a main dish for) completed our social calendar for the weekend. Woo-hoo. And in between all of that, I am finishing up 13 pieces for Gallery 100 and despite having the most beautiful spring weather on Sunday, I had to stay inside and paint cradles. Ugh. I actually stood at the front windows for awhile yesterday afternoon, yearning for the time to go help Doug and the boys clean out the hen house. Well, not really. But I was itching to get outside and begin raking out my flower gardens. Maybe on Wednesday after delivery is complete-tomorrow I am driving to Saratoga to drop off my work.

The images that I will be putting up for the next few weeks are from the batch of paintings for Gallery 100-ones that I have been struggling with after getting back from the residency. Today's image was painted on a day last week when there was still a bit of snow on the ground and flurries in the air, so the title seemed appropriate, especially after I decided to go with a snowy looking lavender for the field.

Busy Bee

Orange on the Left, 2008, Oil on Panel, 16x16

In a moment of complete and utter optimism in myself as well as the passage of time, I agreed to participate in a group show. Gallery 100 in Saratoga Springs wants six paintings for a show and would also like a few new ones for their inventory. Um, by April 7, the 8th at the latest. When I agreed to this LAST THURSDAY, I had about four or five pieces on hand and several more in progress. The gallery director also said that maybe one or two large scale pieces would be great, especially since the large ones have been selling well for me lately. Great. At that time, I had exactly zero finished large scale paintings on hand. Luckily though, I did have three prepared large panels and three hours before I had to pick up the kids. So I got down to business and managed to do an underpainting on each panel. (I had to start them that day so that they would be ready to glaze after we got back from our weekend in the city.)

Monday I worked on the ones that were in progress and yesterday I began the color glazes on the large scale pieces. Two of them are really working, but I am not so sure about the third one. I am going to bail on it for now, in order to focus on the ones that are working at this point. I have to finish up the big ones, plus four or five medium sized pieces by tomorrow at the latest so that I can paint the cradles, photograph them, and do the paperwork before delivering them on Monday. So even though things are hectic, this was exactly what I needed to back on track. The pressure of doing a lot of painting, fast, really helps my work.

There are benefits to not having time to think.

Caught Up

Double Purple, 2007, Oil on Panel, 8x10

Yesterday I shipped new work out to The Harrison Gallery and I also have a number of paintings ready to go to Gallery 100 in Saratoga Springs next week. Both galleries have sold a number of my paintings in the last few months and need more for their inventory. The Blogger Show pieces are finished and are just waiting to be packed and shipped in October.

Finally now, after wrapping up those details, I can devote the next next month to preparing for a solo show in Pittsburgh at Boxheart Gallery. This one has been on my schedule since early 2005 and it seemed like a show that would never arrive! I have about six paintings finished but need to do about 15 more. I am not too concerned about being able to do that ( I just began six more yesterday) and I even think I won't have to work on the weekends. Meaning my life might be kind of normal. However, I suppose more things will come up, I do have to do some small works for a holiday show at Gallery 100, a small painting that will be used for a holiday card for a friend of mine (more on that in another post) but I can easily fold those into the mix over the next few weeks. And as soon as the work is finished for the Pittsburgh show, I have to begin again for another solo show in January at the The Harrison Gallery.

Right now though, today, I am reveling in the feeling of being caught up.