MONTHLY RECAP -- What I've Been Up To

March felt like a creative month -- lots of painting, designing, and drawing.  New projects started and work done on my re-creation project.  I do like my "starts" very much, but nothing actually finished this month.  Lots of photos taken & a 4-day trip to Denver.  Also, following the progress on my son's mural project in LA.




PRICKLY PEAR MOSAIC painting --

This is the bottom half of a painting, which (when finished) will go to the Sorrel Sky Gallery, here in Durango.  I plan on completing a total of two paintings in this "mosaic" series, which will both be hung at the gallery.  

I'm painting this on cradled Aquabord, so I won't need a frame, mat, or glass.  I decided to stain this with an oak finish, before starting to paint.

Then I drew some horizontal lines for reference, and a few swirled lines, from top to bottom.  I then did an underpainting, with a primary triad.

Using my own reference photos (most of them taken in my own backyard last June) -- I started my painting, working from "the ground up".  I design as I go, without much planning, and with minimal drawing before I start painting.

After finishing the bottom section, I sprayed it with a fixative, before moving to the next section.

I really enjoy working this way, and am liking how it's turning out . . .

to be continued . . . 

RE-CREATING THE "FIRE" PAINTING --

Work is coming along slowly, but it is coming along nicely, I think . . . 

Drawing the lines in Pearlescent liquid acrylic, using a quill pen . . . 

Now, it's time to paint in watercolor . . . 

It's tough to know whether I am getting the colors exactly right, but as long as it's close and looks good,  it will be fine . . . 

to be continued . . . 

FOLLOWING PROGRESS OF ZACH'S MURAL IN LONG BEACH --

One of my sons -- Zach -- is painting a big mural out in Long Beach, California.  He's doing all this with spray paint, on ladders . . . 

I was worried when I heard about the two earthquakes out in LA, because I knew Zach was working on those ladders.  Luckily, he was fine . . . as was the wall he was working on!

I think it looks amazing, but he says he's not quite finished.  I don't know how he did this without using a grid ???

SOME OF MY PHOTOS FROM MARCH --

"Kids, Grandkids, & Grandpups, Too!"

"Up In The Air"

"Go Green!"

"My Bedside Reading"

"Favorite Toys"

"Me & My Backyard"