(20) Sargeant
6" x 8", oil
private collection
Two of my favorite things: tea and art books. Of all John Singer Sargeant's beautiful paintings, this is my favorite. It is called "Capri" and his model, Rosina Ferrara, was dancing the dance of the tarantella on the roof of the hotel. I love her spirit and spontaneity, and I suspect the artist did as well.
"Let the beauty we love be what we do" ...Rumi
(19) Silver Leaf
8 x 6, oil
private collection
I love painting reflective surfaces--this was tons of fun.
"Do good work. Don't worry about expressing yourself. Figure out what you do well and make it better"...Thomas Buechner
(18) Walden
6 x 6, oil
private collection
A nod to one of my favorite nonconformists: "Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill"...H.D. Thoreau
(17) Paragon, Oak Leaves
6 x 6, oil
private collection
My mother's oak leaf teacup + apple cider = the welcome taste and aroma of fall
"Only God creates. The rest of us just copy"...Michelangelo
(16) Maple Tree
6 x 6, oil
Hmmm...I painted the leaves darker than they appeared on the tree because I could only go as light as my tubes of yellow would take me. I avoided using white because it makes the colors look chalky,flat and dull, not at all like the brilliant colors in nature. I may try this again another day, and... darken the sky around the leaves? paint more neutral areas around the ones I want to keep vibrant? discover a new yellow? scrape it down and call it a day?...
"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." Oscar Wilde
(15) Pumpkin Patch
8 x 6
"Live in each season as it passes; breathe air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." Thoreau
(14) Fall Leaves
6 x 8, oil
private collection
I spotted these leaves on the stones this morning, and decided it was just too beautiful a day to be inside. So I dragged my easel out to where they were.
I took a workshop with Kenn Backhaus a few years ago, and I recall him saying that what he enjoys most about plein air painting is that his "office is wherever he sets up his easel"--I love that. He is an excellent teacher, and a really nice guy.
(13) Blue Calico
6 x 6, oil
Burleigh Blue Calico has been made in Staffordshire, England for over one hundred years. What could be more soothing to the soul than blue'n white? The drawing is off quite a bit, but hopefully tomorrow will be better...
"I merely took the energy it takes to pout, and wrote some blues"... Duke Ellington
Happy Halloween
(12) Hampton Blossom
6 x 8, oil
private collection
I love everything about this china, from the way it looks to the way it feels. It was designed by Ralph Lauren; the toast of the fashion world this week as he celebrates 40 years in the industry. He credits his success to hard work and doing what he loves, adding "What I do is about living. It is about living the best life you can and enjoying the fullness of the life around you--from what you wear, to the way you live, to the way you love." And it shows. Bravo, Mr. Lauren.
(11) Serene Garden
8 x 6, oil
private collection
These are the china and silver patterns my favorite guy and I choose 30 years ago. The delicate blues, purples and teals in the china pattern are still my favorite colors today (the guy's a keeper, too). Over the years, the family sharing in the dinners, holidays, and celebrations at our table has evolved a great deal.
"Though I know I'll never lose affection for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them....In my life, I've loved them all." Lennon/McCartney
(10) Yellow Paragon
6 x 6, oil
not available, private collection
I wanted to try a square format for this one. The fine bone china is translucent, and the warm glow underneath the cup grabbed my attention--What fun! (oh wait, I said that yesterday, didn't I? But it is!)
"The color of an object illuminated partakes of the color of that which illuminates it." Da Vinci
(9) Welbeck
6 x 8, oil
This Royal Winton pattern is super challenging, but fun. I started over twice--the first time I added yellow's complement, purple, to paint the shadows, but it looked too muddy and drab. So I scraped it down, and added black to the yellow. I think it reads much better.
"Color is my day long obsession, joy, and torment." Claude Monet
(8) Tapestry Rose
6 x 8, oil
not available, private collection
Teacups are one of my favorite subjects. The pattern is Tapestry Rose, made by Paragon.
"There is a great deal of poetry and sentiment in a chest of tea." R.W.Emerson
(7) Favorite Mug
8x6, oil
Since my goal is to "learn by doing", this week's assignment is to study ellipses. They look so easy, and yet....I am reminded "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you sew." R.L.Stevenson
(20) Sargeant
