Working With Plaster

This is one of my new paintings using plaster. It is hard to see any difference in the image, but it is quite different to work on than acrylic grounds like modeling paste. I really enjoy carving it.

Busy Days

I have been making a conscious effort not to let my life get too busy since my back surgery in September. However, I seem to be losing my grip on that goal right now. Between the health related things I must do and the creative things I want to do, life is getting complicated again.

I have the Kirkland Art Studio Tour on Mother's Day weekend and a figurative show at Local Color for the month of May. That involves a lot of paintings, and I have not been painting as much as usual the last 6 months. Fortunately, I have already produced the paintings for the Local Color show, but I need more for the Kirkland Art Studio Tour.

Let us not forget that I will be showing with Nancy Thompson at Matthew Robert Salon in Edmonds June through August.

As soon as the Edmonds Studio Tour is over in September, I will be having knee replacement surgery. I will then have 10 weeks to recover before leaving on a cruise! As soon as we return from the cruise, I have the Edmonds Art Studio Tour. By the way, I am the co-chair for this tour. I do admit that my co-chair, Nancy Thompson, is doing most of the work!

Are you tired yet? Apparently I have my life planned for the next eight months. After that I will be having surgery on the other knee!

Coffee Cups

I just finished a group of small coffee cup paintings to display at Local Color at the Pike Place Market. It was fun to paint something small, quick and colorful.

I am still experimenting with the use of plaster on board and have done some interesting things. As soon as I get them photographed, I will post a couple of them.

Layered

This is my latest effort at non-objective abstract. I am not sure I am entirely happy with it, but I did have a good time creating it! That is what it is about for me. It is 18x36.

Yesterday I started working with plaster on board. I took a class in using plaster in paintings few years ago from Stephanie Lee and didn't do much with it. Now I am interested in trying it again and am anxiously awaiting Stephanie's new book Plaster Studio.

Faux Encaustic

More of the faux encaustic work I have done lately and similar to what I was doing a few years ago. I have never really gotten encaustics out of my mind, even though I gave up on painting with them a couple of years ago. I just love the look. However, someone as careless as I am should not be working with hot wax. I still have some wax that I intend to put over collages, but mostly just think about it. Perhaps I will work on making my faux encaustics look more like encaustics instead!

New Work & Art Exchange

The Art Exchange was just too much fun this year. About 30 artists attended and brought wonderful art. We all got rid of pieces we were tired of looking at and went home with new treasures. Can't wait until the next one.

My latest painting is above. It is 24x24 with a faux encaustic finish that doesn't show up very well in the image. I may be moving in a more abstract direction and away from the figurative for a little while. At least the four pieces I am working on currently are in that category. I am also returning to the faux encaustic look that I played with a few years ago. That doesn't mean much with me though as I flit from one thing to another. For instance, where did the polka dot animals come from that were in my last post?

Just for Fun