Happy Accidents in Art Making ~ Help to Develop a Unique Style

"By playing with 'happy accidents'

that occur while making art and 

following them like unexpected paths

to see where they take us,

we end up developing
our own unique styles."

~ Kim Niles

Happy accidents are prevalent in watercolor,

especially when working on Yupo paper.

Painting over 100 pieces so far in 2013 using this synthetic paper has definitely helped refine my style. By staying loose, experimenting and going with the flow, I stay open to Yupo's unique qualities and let it suggest what to do next.

Sunflower Sunrise

7.5" x 5.5" hand painted watercolor on Yupo paper

Acid-free Mat w/ Backing in sleeve - 8" x 10"

Signed and certified by the artist

Painting Options

matted w/ backing (in sleeve) $85.00 USD matted / framed / med- wood $105.00 USD art only (in sleeve) $80.00 USD

This quote describes how I feel about painting on Yupo paper perfectly -

"In my case all painting... is an accident.

I foresee it and yet I hardly ever

carry it out as I foresee it.

It transforms itself by the actual paint.

I don't in fact know very often

what the paint will do and

it does many things which are very much

better than I could make it do."

~ Francis Bacon

Look at the computer desk and matching table Jerry picked up for me at a yard sale this past weekend! It's even got teal accents! You know how much I love the color - turquoise/teal. You'd never guess how much it was ... It was only $20. for both pieces!! Can you believe my good luck? I am in totally-organized-computer-station-heaven. 

Have a great day!

Thanks so much for your friendship,

emails and comments!

X ♥  O

Sunny Summer Sunflower on Yupo Paper

"The first week of August hangs

at the very top of summer,

the top of the live-long year,

like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel

when it pauses in its turning."

~ Natalie Babbitt

SUNNY SUMMER DAYS

Signed and certified by the artist.

~~~~~~~~ 

See purchase information here.

The weather here has finally cooled off a bit and we haven't had any rain for two whole days! The summer is speeding by faster than ever. I can hardly believe that tomorrow is the first day of August. The past couple of months have been a very busy and happy time for me. 

In addition to my demo at the Dick Blick Grand Opening event scheduled for 2 - 4 pm on August 22nd in NY, NY, I'll be doing the Third Thursday Art Demonstration at the Arts Center in downtown Hammonton, NJ on August 15th from 7- 9 pm.  It's Yippee For Yupo - with a Hot, Hot, Hot Salsa theme! It's a free demo and salsa tasting event. What a great combo! Open to the public, it is sure to be a fun and entertaining evening. Hope to see some of you local people there.

I will also be holding a Yippee For Yupo - Watercolor Painting on Yupo Paper Class - at the Hammonton Arts Center every Saturday during the month of September. Participants will discover a looser, more forgiving way to work in watercolor. This fun class will be a  jump start to watercolor for beginners and can add excitement and variety to the skill set of more accomplished painters. I will provide a link as soon as class information is posted on their website.

Below are a couple of the work-in-progress shots I took while painting "Sunny Summer Days".

First a background wash was added, wet- into - wet.

The second step - adding the stem and petals.

And a little tidbit unrelated to art - Yesterday I placed 36th out of 10,000 entries in a slot tournament at Borgota Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. My prize was $150. in slot dollars.

Not that exciting of a prize, but Jerry and I were very pleased with my placing! 

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by. I look forward to your comments and truly appreciate every single one! 

X ♥  O

Sunflower Spirit ~ Capturing the Essence

"Capture the spirit

and essence of your subject

and show me why it is important to you."

~ Keith Bond

Sunflower Spirit

SOLD

Today's FineArtViews article by Keith Bond was about impersonation and authenticity. It is a subject very close to my heart. Originality in the interpretation of my subject is something I strive for everyday. Keith writes, "Don’t be an impersonator (and slavishly copy a subject from life or from a photo). Be authentic. Be real. Be yourself. Create art that means something to you, so it can also mean something to the viewer." For me, it is the only road to happiness and the key to finding my true inner voice as an artist.

"If you observe a really happy man you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his garden, or looking for dinosaur eggs in the Gobi desert.  He will not be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that has rolled under the radiator.  He will not be striving for it as a goal in itself.  He will have become aware that he is happy in the course of living life twenty-four crowded hours of the day." ~ W. Beran Wolfe

Wishing You Many Blessings and Authentic Happiness,

X ♥ O

Happy Sunflowers ~ SOLD

"Happiness is never stopping to think if you are."

~ Palmer Sondreal

• SOLD
HAPPY SUNFLOWERS

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance;

the wise grows it under his feet." 

~ James Openheim

Watercolor Work Station

This painting was done standing at my big table, with lots of tools and visual reference, maybe too much information (TMI). I'll simplify things next time. Here I did the background first. On the last sunflower painting, I did the flower first. I like to mix things up so I don't get stuck in a rut. I painted this on 144 lb., 17pt., heavy weight Yupo paper that Marc from Legion Papers sent me to sample. He also sent me a couple of pads of translucent Yupo paper. That's got my head spinning with ideas!

"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

~Berke Breathed

It was a year ago yesterday that we captured Opie and Cutie Pye

and their siblings, who now reside in New York.

Awe, they were just little wild bush babies. 

 

I must admit, they've really made themselves indispensable

around the place. How did we ever mange without them?

They sure have brought us an extra special kind of happiness.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stay cool and have a great weekend.

Hugs and Purrs,

and the little darlings

X ♥ O