Having Fun With Photos

Three nymphs and a kingfisher in Pt. Reyes.

Being Too Old is No Fun

The plan was to draw a fun abstract on colored paper, based on a poem by my mother, but this picture emerged instead.   At a certain point in time, being too old is just no fun.

Painting in the Sun

What happens when you paint on a hot, sunny day in an outdoors studio:
"Sun Flower Cross Section" 9x12 paper on 1 1/2" cradled board.  R&F oil sticks and oil paints.

Big Mouth

Two new oil, cold wax and graphite paintings each on 12x16 inch encausticbord (on 1" cradled wood panels) painted as a diptych (bottom) but presentable as two separate paintings - Big MouthA (top) and BigMouthB (middle).  Painted on a hot, sunny day in California in my outdoor studio as I channeled my love of the sun!

Although not yet completely dry, they are now up on my Saatchi Art gallery:  http://www.saatchiart.com/Lucy

My Idea of Heaven

Doing artwork with twin grandsons!
Top to Bottom
1.  Cole Taylor's self portrait
2.  Wilson Taylor's graffiti on my ink and watercolor painting of the kitchen nook window and wall
3.  Wilson's portrait of me.  He wanted to make sure he got all my neck wrinkles in!
4.  Cole's original shark painting - soon to be made into a new T Shirt for him.
5.  My attempt to capture Wilson, wearing the roadrunner applique T shirt I made.  Close but no cigar.
6.  The real Wilson, wearing a different T shirt.

Busy Hands are ...

... the opposite of idle hands, which are the Devil's workshop, according to some.  Took some time out from sewing last week to play with cold wax and oil paints:

Top to bottom:

1.  Space Flower:  mixed media on paper covered cradled board 16x12

2.  Space Flowers:  mixed media on cradled gessobord 8 1/2 x 12 3/4

3.  Woman Looking to the West:  cold wax, graphite and oil paint on arches oil paper on cradled board 6x6

Spoonbill Applique

Rough, not yet quilted, block for a new Spoonbill Windows of India quilt I'm working on.  I love working with raw applique (ie the fabric edges are not turned under first.)  The lazy person's way to sew!

Art on a Hot and Sunny Sunday Afternoon

Top:   Collage based on a poem titled "Garbage" that came to me as I was taking out the trash today.
Middle:  Collage by my youngest sister, after a nice lunch at my house, also based on my poem.  The two other family members in attendance are depicted in photos in Elsa's artwork.
Bottom:  Pencil sketch of a bouquet of flowers by my 96 year old mother, after she tired of playing the piano.

Albion Pen & Ink & Watercolor Paintings

A few quick pen & ink and watercolor studies done at Kathleen Price's house in Albion of her apple trees, and a red stool in the Yoga room.

Funky Bird T's: To Star or Not to Star

Funky Bird Ts in Process:  Continuing my exploration of washable fabric bird applique on T shirts, I'm thinking the birds are better without the star device as it tends to drown them out.  I am going to skip the iron on art transfers also, as they never work very well (iron marks always show.)  Onward!

Family Photos Transferred onto Cold Wax and Oil Paintings

Lucy, Susan and Elsa in 1965, at home on Merida Drive in Santa Barbara, CA.
E.A. Autrey in 1952 at the beach near Altadena.
Top 4 paintings 6x6 on Arches Oil paper; Bottom painting 12x16 on cradled encausticbord

Evolution of a WW II Multi Media Painting

Bottom layer, original watercolor of flower cast shadows, painted at Jean's house, in a family painting session with nearly 96 year old mother and 3 sisters, on Mother's Day 5/10/2015
Next layer, added scratches as a texture overlay using Alien Skin exposure 7
Next layer, added a pattern layer in Photoshop of Korean army boots, drawn in one of the art classes I took with Chester Arnold at College of Marin
Top layer, added photo of E.A. Autrey in front of his army barracks in Oklahoma in 1942, after he was drafted during WW II

Crafty Weekend

Top Three:   Simple Ecology brand organic cotton canvas grocery bags with original art quilted panels: Black Bird in Marin, Parrot with Baobab Trees and Tokay Gecko
Bottom Two:  Two new T shirt applique designs (not yet embroidered):  Blue Jay and Crow

Antique India Quilt With Birds and Roses

New Wall Hanging Quilt front and back.  Centered antique hand sewn satin/cotton quilt from India with four of my hand drawn Indian birds (seen in India in January of this year) printed on cotton (painted stork, flamingo, two ibis).  Cotton, satin, glitter trim, couched rat tail and some hand embroidery. Rose pattern cotton back and rosebud cotton binding (both designed by Martha Negley for Rowan. Westminster Fibers).  Measures 28 1/2" wide x 43 3/4" high.

Jean L. Autrey's "Vase With Flowers"

On the occasion of my mother's upcoming 96th birthday, I thought I'd post some of her beautiful watercolors, starting with this one:  Probably a May day bouquet, of which she painted many over the years.