Relatives in all their Glory!

 

So lucky to have these unique individuals in my life!  

Family Fun July 2023

Can't Help Falling in Love soundtrack (played by sister Susan on Cello with Cubase midi additions by me) is the perfect expression for how I feel about family.  With daughter Amber Taylor and family visiting from their current home in New Zealand, a delightful reunion with the entire Bay Area family occurred!

Teeter Totter

The Taylors come to Marin and we all go to the beach!  Music by Haydn, Mozart, a little original music and some loops.

The Taylor Twins at Limantour Beach

 Little 8x10 oil on linen.

What to Paint?

 I have three blank canvases size 18x24.  These can be a series, or 3 different subjects.  Some subjects might work better in a larger 30x40 size.  HELP me decide:

For the three existing 18x24 canvases should I paint

A Three Taylor Twins in Marin Paintings (ie top 2 candidates above plus 1 more tbd)

B Three Ocean Gull paintings (ie 3rd photo composite above + 2 more tbd)

C Three Flower Fantasy paintings (ie 4-5 photo composites above + 1 more tbd)

D One of each:  Photo 1, 3 and 4 

E One of each:  Photo 2, 3 and 5 

 

OR should I buy two more 30x40 canvases and paint

F  Two large Taylor Twins in Marin paintings and use the 18 x 24 canvases for B or C above

G  Two Flower Fantasy paintings and use the 18 x 24 canvases for A or B above 

Please Pick A, B, C, D, E, F, or G and help me decide!!

New Large 36 x 36 Oil Painting

 Boat in the Water with the Taylor Twins.  Oil painting on stretched canvas 36" x 36".  Background from a photo shot in Bolinas during a King Tide event; swimming Taylor Twins referenced from a Marriott swimming pool photo taken during the weekend of Rachel and Court's wedding in Oakland.  

Collaborative Painting

Top to Bottom

1.  Finished still life "Brayer with a Jar of Paintbrushes" oil on stretched canvas 16" x 20" x 3/4"

2.  Sketch of Cole Taylor June of 2016 which Wilson painted

3.  Sketch of Wilson Taylor June of 2016 which Wilson painted

4.  Sketch of wall with outlet and window July 2016 which Wilson scribbled on

5.  Sketch of Cole and Wilson July of 2014 where Wilson added the bodies and did the coloring

The bottom four pictures were the inspiration for the top oil painting.  I loved doing art with my grandsons where I would get to a point and they would take over.  Often the results made the pictures much better!  So, without the benefit of having my grandsons around, I pretended my Brayer had a life of its own, and it got into the action after I finished my still life painting, by smearing blue paint on the finished canvas.  

#17 of 31 best of my 2018 photos

The fabulous Taylor Twins in the hotel pool in Oakland before Rachel and Court's wedding

Reflections on my Visit to Seattle

Very cool, modern house in Seattle, reflects the fun had with the Taylor family at Discovery Park, the beach, at home, and on the super, slick slide in the freezing month of February.

Messing Around with Twin Photographs and Photo Effects

While playing with various alternative Photography techniques, I discovered a Effects dial on my Nikon D750 that takes pictures one would think are worthless.  That didn't stop me from using them in the two digital composites revealed above.  Top three:  Cole (with a cold on the couch), then a combination of that original photo with an effects shot of Cole and Wilson.  Bottom three:  Matt Taylor with his twin sons, combined with another effects shot of the threesome plus the dog.  I think I like the bottom result the best, but can no longer remember how I did it. 

Some New Winter Seattle Art

Top to Bottom:
1.   Pen & Ink and Watercolor portrait of sulky grandson Cole Taylor.  His nose is too long in the painting, as can be seen from the photo below it.  That might have been because we were reading the book Pinocchio!  Cole was not as willing to pose as his twin brother so this is the only time I had to paint him.
2.  Watercolor painting of Wilson, which doesn't do him justice, as can be seen from the photo of him above the artwork.
3.  Pen & Ink and watercolor and pastel pencil portrait of Wilson in his sport shirt.  He looks a bit like a Nazi youth in this picture, which Wilson said was "creepy."  It does not look much like the photo of Wilson above the art, holding up the world with his dyed red Mohawk hairdo. 
4.  An Abstract, inspired by going to Discovery Park in Seattle, one of my favorite places to hike
5.  A Memory Abstract of my week in Seattle ends the tableau.

New Pen&ink Watercolors plus Mixed Media Collage on Paper

Top to Bottom:
1.  Pen&ink & watercolor 7x10 - my hand holding a photo of the Taj Mahal with a view out the window in Queen Anne, Seattle of Puget Sound
2.  Two portraits of grandsons Cole and Wilson Taylor (which look nothing like them but they were kind enough to pose)
3.  Bottle of Amber's favorite hot sauce, also sharing the view of Puget Sound out the window
4.  Something new!  Mixed Media collage with cut up photographs and various papers glued onto high quality 100% cotton rag paper then inked.  Vase of Flamingo Flowers is 11.5" wide x 15" high
5.  The first of this new formula collage:  Woman with a Bird on Her Head is 11" w x 15" h
6.  Bottom two paintings by nearly 8 year old twin grandsons:  Cole's is a still life of two beer can openers found on a treasure hung; bottom is by Wilson of his legs and feet resting on the balcony.

Taylor Twin Vacation Art

Wilson and Cole Taylor vacation art.  I added a bit and modeled (although I hate to admit the modeling part)