Category: painting

Sketching at Clark Botanical Garden, NY

On one of the last nice days of autumn I revisited a beautiful place near me, Clark Botanical Garden in Albertson, NY. I’ve visited here many times to find some serene, calm moments.

It’s just such a lovely place for calm and meditation. A place to “bath in the forest” as I’ve read. This particular day I planned to paint in watercolors here instead of the other favorite place, the beach. That day the beach might have been a good choice, but I wasn’t sure if the weather was warm enough. At the Gardens the sun was really strong and hot. Maybe it was better that way.

First watercolor attempt

I found a bench at one of my favorite spots at this sunny, turtle filled pond with reeds and lily pads. Ate the lunch I brought with me and then got to work. The first attempt was a little tight. Another garden wanderer approached and we chatted. She loved this one.

Second attempt a little different

The next watercolor sketch was somewhat looser in style. I always start out getting down every detail and this time was no different. Deciding to paint the negative space instead of each item I saw was helpful to keeping my hand and brush free.

Onward!

 

Painting and Knitting

What’s new in the art world, here in my little studio? Lots of daydreaming, some process painting, more daydreaming, and now that the weather is changing knitting could happen soon.

Before I talk about knitting, let me show you the latest watercolor painting. Try to remember I’m working on the process, ok? That’s what I keep telling myself. Ahem.

Tractor, 8x10 Watercolor, Arches paper
Tractor, 8×10 Watercolor, Arches paper

I already worked this in the hated acrylic paints, but decided to revisit the scene using old school Maribu watercolors. Why not? I really enjoyed this day of plein air painting with a new/old friend I made online and finally met in person this day, so it was special. As we were leaving the flower nursery we were at we found these great tractors and took photos to paint from later on.

Now, about the knitting. Wintry weather makes me want to knit wooly and warm things so I’ve been looking over my yarn stash, and hunting for patterns. That’s the daydreaming part.

We now have a 4 month old grandson to knit for. Thrills!

Beyond knitting baby items I found this article on how knitting is healthy to do titled “5 Reasons Knitting is Good for You.” Perfect! That’s just what I need to hear, so I can keep on buying, oops, knitting with yarn.

Did you know that an hour of knitting burns 55 calories? Yes!

Knitting helps keep dementia at bay? Perfect!

Want to tamp down that ‘fight or flight’ response? Yep, knitting can do that.

Now if I could paint and knit simultaneously that’d be a great thing.

 

When Resistance is at Bay

PatmosGoats
Patmos Goats ©2013Dora Sislian Themelis 9×12 Watercolor

While I go on and on about not meeting the requirements of the latest challenge, something clicked inside my artist brain the last few days.

Just to keep you updated, I’ve been reading Steven Pressfield’s wonderful book on Resistance, The War of Art, again. It was a wonderful help in the past and is now.

That, and this 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. Or, as I should call it, my Not 30 in 30 Challenge. Man, I am so far behind I’m not going to bother to catch up.

The thing is this: I know I want to paint, but something has to spark my imagination. Like Steven Pressfield suggests, I have to just do it, be present, sit down at the desk and be ready for the Muse/Spirit/Whatever to inspire. More about the wonderful Mr. Pressfield to come.

The garden is fading. The colorful flowers are gone, their stems are drying, everything is either green or brown now. None of my shells appealed to me. Neither did the apples I like to use. The last few paintings had apples and shells together at the beach. Ok, but now I needed something new. Some photos from my summer trip appealed to me and I chose a few to try. I sketched the scene quickly in paint and as it dried I worked in more detail, just feeling satisfaction in the process and the colors.

When Resistance is at bay synchronicity abounds. It felt really good to get something on the paper. Done.

Today I decided I wanted to paint this same scene from my photos again, but differently, going for an even sketchier feeling. The day was free, nothing on the agenda, the house was quiet, and the equipment was ready.

Another try..looser this time
Another try..looser this time

Pushing myself to look at the whole rather than just the subject, I dropped in paint and tried to mold the forms with color being mindful of the wet areas. Watercolor is unforgiving. To keep the work fresh I moved around the paper to drier areas. Twenty minutes and this is where I stopped. I went back to it after it dried so it has more detail than you see here.

Another day, another look-see.

 

Technology vs Brains, Winner-Loser

Some days technology is wonderful, once you know how to use it. It’s gloriously fast, efficient, and effective. Other days it can make me want to poke my own eyes out.

Tell me how many mistakes can pencil and paper make? Huh? Yeah, I thought so.

Okay, so the pencil can break, you have to keep sharpening it, a pen can run out of ink, the paper could tear, smudge, become illegible, or lost.

Computers and their ilk, however, are quite another expensive, annoying, make me feel stupid, story.

What’s my problem, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. Most of these items need electricity to run, and when not plugged into an outlet periodically, run out of juice. Most of the time an items has run out at the moment I need to use it.

Technology is overrated.

Now, take art, for example. Real, honest, brush/paint/paper/canvas art. Plug it in the electric socket for it to do something? Nope. Plug me and my brain in to do something? Yes. Got it?

Herein lies the rub.

For the art to “work” my brain needs to function properly, which, on certain days, may not happen. But on those days that it works to it’s optimum potential we are golden. Cameras, however, need charged batteries to photograph such moments. Charged fully one day, depleted the next.

And there you have it.

Cut Finger, or Not I’m Painting Today

Like I said, I have to paint whether this bandaged finger is in my way or not. Maybe it’s the summer time, but I just don’t feel like doing anything important around here. Who wants to do inside things when the weather is so nice outside?

I do have some things I need to get done, but painting has to come first. Too many days without painting, even the distraction of other creative pursuits, and I get itchy.

This is the last of the sunflower photos and I took my paints out in the garden to paint them. I decided to take a different look with this piece and try to be a little looser with it. I did draw in the composition, but tried using more brush strokes and color changes.

Maybe it works. Maybe it doesn’t. I had to stop before I made mud out of it. I thought I used a little too much water than color. Some how taking the photo of the painting is helping me to see it better. I’m pleased with what I see here rather than the actual work. Maybe it’s just me.

It’s not finished. Another session and it may be done. Now that I’ve painted I think I can go do the things I’ve been putting off. My artist brain hates to do accounting stuff.