Painting Progress and Photo of Day

..

Pink Wedding FLowers

20" x 24"

oil on canvas

Here is today's progress on the painting I started on Friday. I think it was Friday...

I like it better, but still needs work on the lower right corner -and  maybe a little tweaking on the shadow area - maybe. Hmmm, what do you think?

I am tired for today though - so I am done for now.

And here is the photo of the day-

This a corner in my "Banos de los Muertos".  (Bathroom of the Dead) It is my favorite room in the house - and not becasue it is the bathroom. I just love the way it turned out. The walls are faux finished in deep, rich  blue - and I am not a fan of  blue  at all -  but I love how this room makes me feel. It has to do with a dream I had and the fact that Dia de los Muertos is becoming one of my favorite holidays. I painted this room because of that dream and it is waiting for me to make 28 special paintings to go in there to complete it

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Thinking out loud - all about me - blah - blah - blah....

I love technology. I love my iPhone more than I can even describe. I love my laptop, desktop, Wii, Nintendo DS lite, ipod, digital camera, etc. But I don't KNOW technology. I waste hours and hours of my time fooling around with this stuff, trying to figure it out, how it works, trying to understand it, just playing. It is fun for me, but it is not really productive.

I love blogging - that is my favorite, but I also have Myspace, Facebook, Linkd In, and now - yes, I have a Twitter account. I love the idea of them - but again they take up so much time. They really aren't a very productive use of my time.

Last night I decide to stop wasting time. Okay, stop wasting so MUCH time. I decided it was time to say goodbye to MySpace. Really it mostly just sits there and makes me feel guilty for neglecting it -so it is time to just get rid of it. This won't free up much actual time  - but it will free up space in my head, I hope.

So I went to MySpace to start retriving photos and stuff that I may want to keep and found this photo:

I really like this picture. Like most people I hate photos of myself, but this is different. It's not a good photo, it is not in focus,  it was taken on a deep sea fishing trip -which was my daughter's Bachelorette Party.
I like the lighting and the word Voyage over my head contrasted with the "boxed in" elements of the doorway structures (I think the boats name was The something Voyager - I don't really remember). It seems very meaningful to me in ways I can't explain. I even like the ceiling light in the dim hallway.

So that brings me to the online class I am taking. Hang in there - I am going somewhere in all of this - really. I discovered and have followed Jessica Wesolek' s blog called Whatever...Whenever on and off for quite some time. I decided to sign up for an online workshop she offers called  Photographic Design 101 and make some Christmas gifts. This is a very good online class. Jessica has very good materials, explains things very clearly and I recommend her highly. But what I discovered is - I don't really have many photos to work with or that I really want to make anything with. No inspiration! So I signed up for Guerilla Photography which will start in a few days, and I am looking for ward to it a lot.  A new challenge!

In the meantime I am not happy with the inconsistency of my painting and blogging as of late. So - even I am getting bored with my blathering on here so I will end this quickly now

Love technology + found photo that inspires me + realized I don't have enough inspiring photos to make me happy + I am not happy with my blogging consistency = I will be trying to post a photo a day while wasting less time.

In this season of my life, while it is difficult to paint & post daily I am challenging my self to explore photography some more and can at least take one shot per day. So I will be adding photography in addition to  painting on blogging voyage.

See? there was a point after all - sort of.

Here is my photo for today - even though I didn't take it today. 


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Not so Daily Painting - Pink Flowers

Well, here's something I hardly ever do - show a painting on my easel with the easel and light and stuff showing.  I started this oil painting today, it is bigger, 20" x 24" on canvas. I was so excited to start it and I had great expectations. Right. Once again I am stuck between a looser more abstract image and a tighter more representational one, and therefore it is boring and lost and so am I. The composition is just goofy, ie. bad. It is lower on the canvas than I wanted - but in all of my eagerness to paint I didn't realize it until I was well into it. I thought I'd scrape it off and start over - I even started scraping - then I thought "what the heck" - work on it and see if I can pull something out of it, and start another. I've changed the background 3 times, and I still am not happy. Right now, I am just exhausted and am taking a break. I hope I work on it tomorrow, even though it's Saturday and I don't normally work on weekends. We will see...



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Orange Bouquet Daily Painting

Orange Bouquet
Oil/Acrylic on board
24" x24"

So here it is - pretty much finished - but not a great photo. "Not great photos" seems to be a current theme, that needs to change. I wonder how and why I have gotten so bad at taking photos? Maybe it's because I have been lazy about taking them downstairs and out on the porch to photograph like I used to. Maybe - but anyway  it's too wet still to go running through the house with it. I did not go where I wanted to go with this painting, that is for sure. But it is a happy painting and for that I am glad - it will make someone happy too. I have someone in mind for it.

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Still underpainting today

I wasted a ton of time today. I think out of fear.

When I did finally mosey into the studio I  was grabbing at smoke again, so I just started painting. Using acrylics still. I am afraid that if I switch to oil now I will begin picking away and noodling - maybe. Probably. After I took the photo I decided I had lost all the drama of the light and threw this diox purple wash over it.

Now maybe I am sorry I did that. I don't know though. I do know that this is NOT going where I was hoping - although it isn't bad and I can probably pull off a pleasant enough painting from it.  I hope tomorrow I don't waste so much time and I get right to painting in the morning before I have to go to work.

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Underpainting on the easel today

Underpainting for something
acrylic on board
24" x 24"

I am posting the photo of what is on my easel, even though it is just a start, just an underpainting. Maybe it will be interesting to see how it develops.You may want to skip the rest of  today's blog. You've been warned. If you continue, prepare to be bored. This painting and this blog post is for me and might not be a so very interesting rambling.

I have a restlessness going on inside that I can't explain, and it is not new. I enjoy painting the little birds, and pears, and still lifes, and portraits. I enjoy it - but it feels empty and kind of meaningless to an extent. The abstracts have much more substance for me actually. But they are so darn HARD to do and I can never tell if they are good or not. I can't judge them like I can the traditional "realistic" stuff. I mean a pear looks like a pear, a bird like a bird and if you don't get it right - it's obvious to anyone. How do I know if I don't get an abstract right? Blah, blah, blah. Ok, now I am boring myself.

I found myself flipping through books and magazines - looking at painting techniques and styles for the umpteenth time. I know I had an idea in my head and I wasn't seeing it or finding it anywhere I looked. Is that looking outside of myself for inspiration? maybe that is the issue. But as usual, the idea I had in my head, the image that was floating around in my head, was vague and ethereal. It is always like trying to catch smoke. I know it's there, it's real and yet unattainable. And like smoke, when I go after it, it shifts and changes and slips just out of reach, reforming, eventually dissipating.  Out of frustration I decided to just go paint - just start and see what happens. I knew I had some photos of the orange flowers that I loved and that was as good as anything for now. And I knew I wanted to do something larger. I started by drawing with charcoal thinking I would try to preserve some of the drawing and then the next thing I knew everything was covered up with paint. I used acrylic as I didn't have a lot of time and I knew it was just a start. My intention is to finish in oil - but we will see. Now the idea has dissipated again, and I am not sure where to go next. I have ideas - but I am not sure which one to go with, and they are all vague anyway. I guess it will just happen.
One thing I learned from Bob Burridge is to write down my intentions, composition and color scheme etc right at the start so this doesn't happen. But how do I write down smoke? Once again - a struggle of passion and substance - or the lack thereof maybe...with a touch of ADHD mixed in for good measure. I want thick juicy paint with a good amount of texture, rich, intense bright color. More abstract than representational. Directional, dramatic light and shadow. Interesting line work.  Something to shoot for tomorrow. I am also eager to get back to the Joyful project - maybe I can work on both tomorrow. Maybe....



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Daily Painting - Another Blue Bird

Blue Bird 2
8" x 6"
Oil on board

Here is today's little painting. Not much to say about it - it's OK I guess. It's fun to paint but I think I don't like the "pose" - I may have to redo it from a different angle tomorrow, or maybe not. We will see tomorrow.



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Daily Painting - Blue Bird

Blue Bird

6" x 8"

oil on board

I have these cute little resin blue birds, which I bought because I love birds, but also because I thought they would be fun to paint.  Then for some reason I decided it was stupid and cheesy, and stuck them in my closet. Why? Sometimes there is just no 'splainin' me. I painted this yesterday, but when I went to photograph it, my camera battery was dead, then by the time it recharged it was too dark And that is the way it goes around here. Again it is really too wet to photograph and will have to be redone - too many highlight speckles from the wet paint again.


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Daily Painting - Shell

 

I haven't done a knife painting in quite a while and I loved doing this. I forgot how much! This may be my favorite way to paint actually. There are a lot of little highlight speckling in this photo, as it is still on the easel and really, really wet. I started out thinking I would do a companion piece to this other shell (see below), which I did last year I think. As usual, the painting just took it's own path, and while I am pretty happy with it I wouldn't call it a companion piece. One is a knife painting and the other is a brush painting - lots of difference in textures. Guess I will have to try again.

By the way - did you know you can double click on the photos and they will open larger? Yep, try it - you can see a lot more detail that way.

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New Cupcake Image

I shot a new photo of the cupcake image and here it is. Still working on learning my new camera - it is a simple little thing - but it seems to be tripping me up. So here it is - now it seems like the blue of the back ground is rather pale, but this is it. It is pretty close. I also sent it in to the Different Strokes from Different Folks challenge site.


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Didgeridoo Guy

Over the weekend Rick and I went down to Art-walk on the Bay at Seaport Village. It was a beautiful day. While we were there we encountered this guy playing a didgeridoo. I have never seen or heard one before, although Rick had on his recent trip to Australia. This is unedited - which I will apologize for in advance - you will see why - LOL. It 's just that I have a new camera and have no idea how to do the video thing, and well, when you are in a public place, you just can't control what people do either.
Not know anything about didgeridoos I looked on Wikipedia and learned that, among other things, that playing the didgeridoo requires circular breathing, which means you are breathing in through your nose while at the same time breathing out through your mouth...and that is can reduce or stop sleep apnea and snoring.



view on you tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5pV7IaMjSU

This man played for very long stretches at a time, and played much more interesting sounds and tunes than what I have recorded here - and had little kids dancing up a storm, but as I said I don't know how to work my camera and I thought I was video recording when I wasn't So I hope you enjoy this - I sure did.

Oh! I just found an even better video of him on you tube - check this out!



Or view the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3iBe6J8lrY

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Cupcake Oil Painting Today

Cupcake
5" x 8"
Oil on board

I did this painting for the Different Strokes From Different Strokes web challenge. I may have to rephotograph it though. The background color looks nearly perfect as well as the shadow colors - but the frosting looks too blue. Thank you to Dominique Eichi for reminding me about the challenge. I really enjoy doing it and it's fun to see how many different ways there are to interpret the same thing. It felt so good to paint again, to do a sort of traditional oil. I may do a couple more before I return to my abstract experiments.


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Determined!

Yep - that is what I am. Determined to get back on track creating daily. So I didn't get to paint today but - I did make my first ever banner - for my Etsy Shop. I am not crazy about it but it is OK for now. I also assembled a bookshelf for my painting studio and started reorganizing a little bit, worked on my Etsy shop and some behind the scenes stuff on my web site, and a bunch of other piddly annoying little tasks, as well as fighting a headache. So while I didn't paint - I was certainly working...




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This is what happens -

Yep - this is what happens when I don't paint for a long time - I will call this a start. Why in the world is it so hard to get back into a routine that I love after being disrupted for a while? I mean, I can see struggling if it was something I didn't want to do - but that is not the case at all. I am plugging along trying to get reoriented. I have so many things I want to do, so many ideas for paintings. I figure about the time I get regrouped and back in the groove of things it will be time for another trip to Ohio to check on my mother and the house there. It takes me forever to recover mentally, emotionally and physically from those trips. There is just something about Toledo that sucks the life out of me.

By the way - I have gotten a fairly acceptable web site up and running. It still needs a lot of work and editing - but it is OK for now. Check it out - I am open to suggestions for improvement. I am to the point of hiring someone to do it for me if only I had some money!
nathaliedavis.com



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So Cute!

Once agan - nothing really to do with my art or painting - but what an editing job!! Too cute to pass up - enjoy! This is an ad for Evian water.



or view it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSqMpNnqAWA



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Digital Painting

Lynn's Orange Flowers
Digital painting about 6" x 4"

Thank you Skip, Lynn, Christy, and Jerry - for the absolutely beautiful flowers. When I say I am enjoying them - I really mean it. The flowers you sent are GORGEOUS - the colors are astounding and perfect and I wish I could keep them forever. I can't - so this is my second best option. Looking at the colors of these flowers is almost medicinal - it's like getting a shot of some kind of wonderful, energizing, happiness drug. Thank you.


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Elephant Painting

Tonight we met Mark Fangue, the man who actually took this video. The people (Kim and Bruce) we have purchased some of our furniture from in the past recently bought the store they worked at (in San Marcos on furniture row) and it is now called Sacred Space Imports. They will be carrying items from Exotic World Imports and tonight was their opening reception. It is a very cool store to visit if you get a chance. But this video I was not ready for. I knew there was going to be something about elephant painting - I expected a bunch of abstract, smeary colors. I did NOT expect this! Astonishing - amazing - incredible.



If you can't see this in your email - go to my blog by clicking here - or by clicking on the title of this message - it is so worth watching.

You can see more elephant paintings on their web site Exotic World Gifts. The elephant that does this painting is very special. Her name is Hong and she is about 8 years old. It took about 6 months to teach her to paint by rewarding her with sugar cane and bananas. I think he said there are about 8 elephants at this camp that paint. The rest of them just try to eat the paint brushes and have no interest at all. Before she painted Hong would draw in the dirt with a stick and that is what gave them the idea to see if she would paint. Watch how she retraces some of her lines with incredible exactness. She is so sure of her marks. Amazing. There is an attendant that dips the paint brush in the paint and hands it to her. Also the paint brushes have been adapted with a "t" handle so she can grip it and control it better. Hong is the only elephant to paint pictures of other elephants. He also said that the elephants will only paint when they are very calm.
Enjoy!








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Too Cute!

My brother sent this to me and it is just too cute not to share! If you don't see it in your email be sure to visit my blog to check this one out!



Did you watch those hand gestures and eye contact? Don't you wish you knew what she is trying to communicate? It seems to be rather serious business!


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A Little time in the Studio

Well, I disappointed myself today. I have been working hard at my friends house and have been absolutely bone tired. Progress is being made. Her walls are painted, the floor is in and my handyman has started on the built-ins. There is still quite a bit of trim work and details to take care of, and a lot of organization, but it is shaping up beautifully and I sure appreciate the extra income.It makes me happy to see her so happy with everything too. Today I had the day off and I had planned to spend time in the studio painting. So I wasted some time playing computer games, then went to the studio and there sat a big box in the middle of the room. Oh yeah - I have been so busy and distracted I forgot I even ordered the drying rack that I had been wanting for so long. I spent time assembling the drying rack instead of painting. Technically I worked in the studio, right? But I am bummed I didn't paint. Putting together the rack wasn't difficult - but I have to say that the instructions were among the worst I've ever seen. Very confusing, incomplete and time consuming. I also learned an extremely important lesson - I must remember to put paintings in from the bottom up, as I found out by fooling around with dry paintings that they slide off those racks faster then I can blink if I don't watch it! I have been out of the studio for too long - I felt fear and intimidation hovering around me. That old fear of the blank canvas - Oh no! I will no be having that!


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Checking In for Just a Minute

I can see the end of my painting job nearing, and then back into the studio. I am really feeling the loss of my painting and studio time and looking forward to returning.

I have been bone tired - so exhausted about all I can do is sit and stare at the TV for a little bit and go to bed. Thank goodness for my wonderful husband who never complains, and just picks up the slack, brings me dinner and continually encourages me. I am so blessed.

In the meantime check out the following links from one the blogs I follow called
Cre8it Whatever... Whenever blog http://web.me.com/jwesolek/cre8it/Blog/Blog.

The first is a hand made book show - very cool
Santa Fe Book Arts Guild
http://www.santafebag.org/2009rotundasubmissions.html

And then go see what some people can sculpt with just one sheet of paper - amazing.
See what can be done with one sheet of paper http://www.santafebag.org/exhibitsandopportunities.html

Thanks for hanging in there with me - I will be painting again very soon. I am so eager to get back to and finish the Joyful Project as well as get started on the portrait wall in my banos de los muertos - which I do not think I have told you about.

Talk to you again soon.



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A Quick Update

It is amazing how fast things can change. There I was going along painting nearly every day, having a good ol' time and wham - everything spins out of control!

I am still working for my friend. I got her office area painted, and now onto the hallways. I really enjoy doing it - but my goodness it is tiring. I appreciate the extra money - I was able to purchase a drying rack for my studio. Something I have wanted for a very long time but I have been too tired to get it out of the box and set it up yet, let alone paint anything to dry on it! LOL.

My daughter found a new apartment and needed help moving over the weekend so the family gathered together and went up on Saturday, packed her up and moved her from L.A to Pasadena. Thank you Lord for my wonderful son in law. What a wonderful help, and such a generous, giving, loving attitude too.

Oh my gosh what a cute little - and I do mean little! place she has found. It is a 12' x 17' studio apartment with a private little patio and itty-bitty garden space, a tiny little kitchenette and a bathroom. TINY!! But no more coo-ca-ra-cha taco trucks, or bell ringing bicyclists selling pork rinds and horchata, but especially no more gangsta's hiding on her car port roof and no more police helicopters with spot lights flying over every night. Her commute to work will go from an hour on the freeway to about 10 minutes by bike...and it is a safe enough area that she can actually go out and jog in the evening, and she can walk to anything she needs if she wants to. Old - but so pretty. It really feels like a vacation cottage. There wasn't any place to park the Uhaul - except on the street and down a ways, so everything had to carried. I think every muscle in my body hates me right now. I ended up staying 2 extra unplanned nights to help with the last few loads in my 4 runner and to help her unpack a bit.

It's great to have family when you need a hand. I grabbed a few pictures of her new place -


This is her entrance to the complex - there are several entrances - but this is the main one


There are a lot of old trees - this twisty old guy is just to the right of her entrance gate



View once you step inside the gate. She lives in the unit under the 2 red chairs and behind the fountain. It is just covered in jasmine - the fragrance is wonderful

We went to The Corner Bakery to grab some lunch and I thought this picture just captured the ambiance of the neighborhood. I love the jacaranda trees in bloom.

This is right outside her apartment and adds such a pleasant sound of water

Thanks for hanging in there with me through all of this. I know I haven't responded to your comments and I feel rude and am behind in absolutely everything. But I want you to know that I appreciate your comments - and they keep me going. Actually - knowing that you guys are out there and bothering to look at my blog keeps me going. I will be setting aside at least one day a week to paint pretty soon - as I am beginning to feel the loss of the creativity. I already know July will be a lost month too, as I will be returning to Toledo for a week or 10 days again.

I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.







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I am back -

I am back from my visit to Ohio to see my Mom. It is really causing me to rethink a lot of things - but I can' t really share much as I am a very slow processor. I am still thinking things through and trying to put feelings into words. That is a hard thing for me. Until I get back to painting I have to share this video with you. It is little baby sleeping piglets reacting to sound. So cute and funny - I just have to share. I am eager to get back to the studio and get back to painting again - hopefully soon too. It's good to be back - enjoy.



or go here to see the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIWf_hc1_TM

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A Post from Nathalie

I have not been painting - obviously, or you would see paintings here. I am heading back to Toledo for 10 days to 2 weeks to see my Mom, and do some work on the house. I haven't seen her in 2 years or so - maybe a little more. I am eager to get back to the Joyful Project, and I will be back - but it may be a few more weeks. I also hope to go back to my regular traditional portrait class again soon. I like the structure, discipline and fellowship of that class. While I have benefited and enjoyed my break from that class, I am missing it now. In the meantime Dominique Eichi, a wonderful artist (whom I have yet to meet in person) had the following video on her blog. It moved me so much, I just have to share it with you. You can find out more and see more videos HERE
The basic concept is these guys recorded street musicians from all over the world and put it together. Beautiful. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did - do. I love this-









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Joyful Project Painting

#10
5" x 7"
Acrylic on paper

Yes I painted this a little while back - with the others. I am really dropping the ball I guess, but I am working very hard, earning a few buck and then I can buy some new canvases to paint on - yay! I will be busy completing the work at my friends house - we are making great progress, it is a big, big job. Then we have guest from out of town, then off to Ohio for a week or so to see my mother - who I have not seen in 2 years. Lot's going on right now.
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New Painting - #9 in Joyful Project

#9 Joyful-Joyful Project
5" x 7"
acrylic on paper

...another less than stellar photo because of the reflective nature of the interference color. The central white area has a warmer yellowish tone in real life.. I will try to reshoot these later. I have a temporary part time job helping a friend organize her house and studio and then paint the rooms, so I may not be posting for a while. But hang in there - I will be back soon and be checking in.
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New Painting

#8 in Joyful Project
8" x 5"
Acrylic on Paper

We had a really nice Easter, and hope you did too. It's good to get back to painting. I feel like I have been spinning my wheels - not getting anywhere and having trouble focusing. Working on the garden, and still working on my website. I started reorganizing all of my photos on my computer and got interrupted so many times that now I can't find where I filed half of them. Seems like I have taken steps backward instead of forward. Well, I have several paintings from today and some in progress. They are all small, but I put so much thought into them that they take almost as long as if I were painting large. Then I feel guilty for painting so small - even though I like painting small - I seem to think I should be painting large. Ugh - I am driving myself nuts! Then I look at them and think - what the heck? I am not sure if I like these or not - or if it is just this restless place I am in right now. The colors seem more garish than joyful...again. I think I will go sit in a chair and stare into space. I have been pretty good a that these past few days. Geesh, I just re-read my last few posts and I see I have been a real downer for a while now. Yuck, that has gotta change! Until tomorrow...another shot of San Diego springtime.




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Happy Easter

Just wanted to say Happy Easter everyone! This is an older painting from a while back - seems rather Easter-ish.

I am taking a few days off to spend with the family - y'all enjoy your family time too.

Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday, and Happy Passover to my Jewish friends - "see ya" next week.


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New Painting - Untitled 7

Untitled 7
Joyful-Joyful Project
7" x 7"
acrylic on paper

This painting is my favorite of the four - at least it is today. Here is another taste of San Diego Springtime. My wonderful husband drove me on and off the freeway trying to get around to all of the ramps so I could take pictures. Truth is - he loves this interchange too and was his idea to go drive by it.


I have a couple of videos on my "Genius" blog that are worth taking a look at. One of them is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid explaining our voluntary taxes that will leave you laughing, or crying - or just plain speechless -

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New Painting - Untitled 6

Untitled 6
Joyful-Joyful Project
7" x 7"
Acrylic on paper

Here is another that I painted ahead. I really like this one too. Boy, am I glad I did paint ahead too. I seem to be having a hard time getting a grip and getting things done! I am very, very eager to get back in the studio - but I also have to get the garden - which I have completely neglected - built up, planted and growing again. We have been enjoying fresh from the garden salad but I never replanted and now we are all out. We are expanding our garden space too. Building raised bed frames and tucking them in where ever we can find a little sun - which is not a very easy task since we "live in a hole." I am putting my name on the waiting list for the few community gardens around here - but they are all a 2-3 year wait!

I don't even really want to bring up the web site - I am on the verge of hiring someone! I got all my photos together and then spent hours saving them for the web - or so I thought! I did something very wrong becasue now they are so blurry you can't even make out what some of them are! I will get it - it just takes so darn much time - even though I love learning - once again this seem s like an unreasonabley huge learning curve. This is truly a love/hate project - today the hate is winning!

Oh - and I wanted to share some San Diego spring time with you. Every year there is an expressway interchange that is unbelievably gorgeous! The ice plant is so brilliant it almost hurts your eyes. So enjoy - I will just post one of these each day this week I think.




Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

New Painting - Untitled 5

Untitled 5
Joyful-Joyful Project
7" x 7"
Acyclic/Collage on paper



Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

New Painting - Untitled 4

Untitled 4 (Joyful Project)
7" x 7"
Acrylic on paper

I have painted ahead a little bit today - I have about 4 done or nearly done in this same "family." I am getting closer....; D Yay. The colors aren't quite what I want - still a little harsh. I think there has to be a balance between bright and intense and soft and light. The energy I want is pretty much there. I haven't found it yet - but I confess I am finally having a great time doing these now and they are getting easier in a way - "freer" maybe, or not quite so stressful - oh heck - I don't know the exact right words - maybe "funner" is it.
Hopefully working ahead a bit will allow me a little extra time to work on my web site - that thing is a mess! and I have let it slide for way too long.

Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Daily Painting - Untitled 3

Untitled 3 (Joyful-Joyful Project)
8" x 10"
mixed media/acrylic on paper

I am really questioning my good sense tonight - this is a HORRIBLE photo of this painting. "The Dog Stealer" got home from about 10 days of travel today, and I burned up all the daylight hanging out with him. I did this painting early this morning before he got home and I promised myself I'd get it posted today, so I used my flash (horrors!) to take this and get it posted. I will re-shoot and replace it later. So I kept my promised to myself, and that is good I guess. It also does help me to "see" my paintings in a different light - and now I am not so sure this is finished. But I do have to say it is a bit closer to that "Joyful" thing I am going for.

Today - 4/1/09 - I replaced the really horrible photo with the better one. I don't know if this will republish and be sent out or not - we will see.


Have you visited me here?
I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Today's Painting

Untitled (Joyful Joyful Project)
8" x 10"
mixed media/acrylic on paper

Here is another in the Joyful Project. I guess I can stop saying that as that is pretty much all I am working on now. While I like this piece, and in general I mostly like the abstract work I have been making - it is still not anywhere near what I want it to be. I am trying to express a feeling - that is pretty personal, and when I look at these I do not see what I am trying to express. I will not be happy or feel successful until I get much closer. One of my biggest barriers is that I am not an emotional person. I am definitively a joyful person, just not emotionally expressive - so working on a painting project which is all about expressing a feeling is a difficult challenge. There seems to be a huge gap and disconnect between my head/intellect and my emotions. These painting are one thing in my head and when I start applying paint they become something entirely different. On one level that is OK - great in fact - but on another level it is very frustrating.


Have you visited me here?

I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Painting again

Untitled Joy
10" x 8"
mixed media/acrylic on paper

Here is another in my Joyful-Joyful Project. Again, I am not sure if this is the final format - I am still flipping it around and upside down and studying it. Right now I am leaning toward this format, also I am waiting until I feel the Project is near completion before I give them final titles. Tentatively this might be Encroaching Joy - or something like that - who knows? I don't have too much to say today really - busy trying to get re-focused, caught up and back on track - I am totally out of clean laundry!

Thank you again for all of the emails and support for my daughters. If you haven't yet read about my daughter in Los Angeles - check out her story here.

Also DO NOT MISS the videos on my blog too - of Bob Basso as Thomas Paine.





Visit me here:
I May Not Be A Genius, But...
www.NathalieDavis.com
NathalieSDavis.blogspot.com

Taking a few days off and falling behind-

I just wanted to update you and let you know I am not ignoring you - my daughter is in the hospital (she is getting better - thank you, probably going home tomorrow) and I am falling behind.

I am thankful for all of the email and comments, and look forward to responding soon.
Don't forget me- I am coming back soon





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http://maybenotagenius.blogspot.com
www.NathalieDavis.com
NathalieSDavis.blogspot.com

Sushi

Sushi
6" x 4"
Acrylic on hardboard

I did this along with about 5 others for the Different Strokes From Different Folks challenge. Will post more later - right now I am so tired I can barely keep my eyes open - heading for a nap.

Visit me here:
http://maybenotagenius.blogspot.com
www.NathalieDavis.com
NathalieSDavis.blogspot.com

Steal this Photo and My New Blog

Steal this Photo! Really - go ahead and take it -

If you don't have clue what that is about visit my NEW blog I May Not Be A Genius, But...

Ok, Ok, I'll explain. This blog is about art, mostly my art. But on occasion I have a hard time not expressing my social and political thoughts and views. I lost a few people over my recent Obama comments. It is not my intention to offend or irritate people, so there is no point in subjecting people to my views and thoughts here when all people want to do is look at, and think about art.

There are a few artists whose work I like and enjoy, but I don't like to visit their blogs because of their anti-American or other political activism that drives me nuts, so I don't visit very often.

I don't want that to happen here. I know that a lot of you - well probably most of you -don't agree with or want to hear what I have to say unless it's about art, and I want to honor that.

Therefore - my new blog- for those of you that are interested.

Back to painting tomorrow - see you then.

Visit me here:
http://maybenotagenius.blogspot.com
www.NathalieDavis.com
NathalieSDavis.blogspot.com

The Dog Stealer is Finished!

The Dog Stealer and The Traitor
48" x 60"
oil on canvas

Whew! I am finished, except for varnishing. I am so very grateful for digital cameras. I have such a hard time photographing these larger pieces, I would have spent a fortune in film if it weren't for digital. I carried this thing all over the house and out in the back yard - It is just hard to find a spot big enough with even lighting to get a good photo. This will have to do. Over all I am pretty happy with the painting. Glad it is finished. Now I want to really focus and immerse myself in the Joyful Joyful Project for a while.

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New Paintings

I have been busy - busy - busy!!! I believe Dog Stealer is finally finished - I am trying not to look at it for a while after studying it for several hours the other day. Of course there are things I am not happy with - as always - but over all I think I am done. I will get the final photo up in the next few days - providing I don't change my mind and repaint stuff. I am at a place where I either can't see what needs to be fixed or I am not concerned enough to fix the stuff I see - seems like a stopping point to me. This one definitely needs to be varnished - so I have to wait for it to dry enough to do that too.

So here are some abstracts I've been working on in the Joyful-Joyful project. While they might be OK in and of themselves I don't think they are hitting the target as far as what I am trying to express. This is killing me - who would have ever guessed that this abstract business would be so darn challenging?? Certainly not me!


Untitled 2b - vertical
12" x 24"
acrylic on hardboard


Untitled 2a - horizontal
12" x 24"
Acrylic on hardboard

I am showing 2 views of these as I am not certain which way I like them best yet - or even if they are finished.



Untitled 1a - Vertical
16" x 30"
acrylic on canvas


Untitled 1b - Horizontal
16" x 30"
acrylic on canvas


Untitled Abstract
24" x 24"
Acrylic collage on hardboard

I am pretty sure I like this one this way, so no point in boring you with other views. Actually I do this for me too - there is something about seeing my painting online that enables me to view them more objectively. I really get a different feel for them, so it's really helpful for me to look at them this way too.

Comments and votes for which direction you like best are welcome.

Visit me here:
www.NathalieDavis.com
NathalieSDavis.blogspot.com

New Painting

Backlit Pear #0901
5" x 5"
Oil on hardboard

I love me a back lit pear - there is just something about the shadows and edges that I love. I wanted to brush up on my "basic" skills, so time to pull my favorite pear back out. This is just plain fun - but so is the experimenting.

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www.NathalieDavis.com
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Working on The Dog Stealer

I am having intermittent internet service issues and our phone is totally dead - so I making things as short and fast as I can before it cuts out again -

YAY! I painted almost all day today - most of the day without even one single headache. I chose to rework the face of the dog stealer and while I still see problems it has reached the "good enough" stage for now. As a sicko perfectionist I have been training myself to stop at "good enough". While it really rubs me the wrong way, I will paint the same thing for ever until I think I have it "perfect enough." So I am happier with it now than I was - the photo isn't great because I have to hold the camera above my head, and try to hold it still to take the picture - but it is good enough to get the idea.

I included the photo that I am working from so you can see the problems too - LOL!


After it is all dry I may glaze the whole middle and right side of the face to darken it - the value contrast just isn't there the way it should be...but I will also need to see it in context with the rest of the finished painting too - maybe I can live with it - we will see...


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New Work

Remembering the Wig Head
15" x 19"
Acrylic on canvas

Bursting Forth
16" x 20"
Acrylic on canvas

I am posting these 2 paintings - although I am not so sure I should. They are pretty lame - but it feels pretty good to be working a little bit again.

Remembering The Wig Head is a painting I did for the Different Strokes from Different Folks challenge. Karin Jurick posts a photo and different people do an interpretation of it and she posts them. I did a few digital sketches/paintings but them first, but then I painted totally from memory - and of course I over painted it. But at least I painted - right?

The second painting - Bursting Forth - I am not even sure I will keep. I am not happy with the color at all. So there you have it - I am going to take a nap. My head is pounding again - the doctor visits are helping, and I am moving again so that is good - I hope to paint again this afternoon.

You know - I am beginning to really regret all the snide remarks I have made in my life about abstract art. "My kid could do that" or "looks like a monkey painted it" and "that's stupid - what's it supposed to be" - it's all coming back to haunt me - it is much more difficult than painting a pear or a portrait! Bigger challenge than I ever thought it would be. LOL!


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www.NathalieDavis.com
NathalieSDavis.blogspot.com