Color Drunk

What to do when you hit a wall while collaging?

Get the paints out.

Going back for more!  I have an urge for teal next.

Gone South

So much for my plans to do a lot of blogging over the summer.  Now I am back down in Charleston, SC.  I know my Pennsylvania friends will be calling this time of the year "fall" now that school has started, but here in Charleston, summer is still raging on.

Summer in the City I, collage, 20 x 20"

This piece represents summer in my "new" city.  Green, lush, fragrant and a bit gritty and prickly.

I have yet to do any creating since returning three weeks ago.  We are busy having the exterior of the house painted.  Each time I approach a window, a head pops up to surprise me.  A little too disconcerting when it happens in my studio.  This is a good time to photograph newer pieces and update my website.  And enjoy the rest of a long summer.

Heading North

Will eventually be called Lost in Venice #?

Soon we will travel north for the summer.  I will greatly miss my "new" home of Charleston, SC.  After less than three years, I have rooted here.  It would take great force to rip me out now.  Until quite recently, I have been dreading heading back up to Pennsylvania.  But with the daytime temperatures around 87 and nighttime being little less, I am looking forward to escaping the heat.

How I will miss my bright, happy studio.

I was hoping to finish up all projects by the time we leave.  However, I keep starting projects.  My studio walls are full and I'm lining up pieces along the floor.  Does the piece above look finished?  I'm thinking so.  But, as they say, it aint over 'til its over.  Upon my return, I have a lot of photography to do.  Another favorite gallery to contact regarding representation.  An Etsy site to update.  Blogs to write.  I have fallen down on all of the above.  I do not do New Year's resolutions.  I do Autumn resolutions.  All will be well in the fall.  Right?

And now I must begin packing for two months.  I need one of those ladies' maids from Downton Abbey to load up my trunks with all of my finery.

Fifty Shades of Blue-Green

Two weeks ago today I was standing on a bridge over the Grand Canal in Venice, fighting off selfie-stick pushers and trying my best to take photos without being overcome by my fear of heights in open spaces.

And I was amazed every minute about all of the shades of blue/green found in the canals of Venice.

I've tried my best to capture them at home in paint, but I fear I will never get close enough.  All of those shades are achingly beautiful.  I will not even attempt to describe them with words.  I am not so arrogant to think that I can.

Anyway, between those squares and those bits below (more of that to come when my cheap and outdated guidebooks arrive from Amazon's private sellers), a piece or two or three of art will be created.  I know I will fail to capture the beauty, so I'll just have to do the best I can.

And I'm going back. Some how.  Some way.  Some day.  I cannot be kept from a place so beautiful for long.

I will pester my readers with more photos soon.   I find that I am overwhelmed by the amount of photos taken.   The three of us took a total of more than 800 photos.  Some sorting must be done.

Who wants to come over for a slide show?

Upcoming

This is just a section of a piece that I have in an exhibition celebrating International Women's Day next weekend.

I find it very difficult working to a theme.  Give me lots of restrictions on a project of my choice and that's ok.  Tell me what it's going to be about and it is a struggle.

I'll post the piece in full after the exhibition is up (and after I have taken a satisfactory photo of the entire piece).

I struggled with beginning the piece for several days until I saw Shovels & Rope in concert.  They are a local band now making it big.  Ten minutes after Cary Ann Hearst walked out on the stage in her red dress, I knew I had the basis for this piece.

By the way, if Shovels and Rope comes to your town, go see them.

Mosquito

Next up, a piece that represents Charleston, SC.  Now that it has been 19 degrees overnight, I'm thinking that I won't see another mosquito for a couple of months.