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Call of the Raven
I admit that from the moment I started planning this raven painting that I was unsure what to title it. While I was uploading photos of the work in progress it occurred to me to name it “Call of the Raven”. This makes sense as it is certainly cawing about something. I did quite a bit of research with my good friend Google to find out “what do you call a group of ravens?” The search came back with a few possibilities such as “unkindness, constable, conspiracy and parliament”. I played with “Call to Parliament” but when I tested it with a few friends they really didn’t understand it…
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Yesterdays Blooms Finally Finished
The name Yesterday’s Blooms came from a few different ideas I had white working on this watercolour of white roses that grow in the back corner of my yard. Early in the season the blooms are so white, almost a transparent white. As the season progresses, the blooms take on a hint of pink. Only to become quite pinkish and coral nearer to the fall as the bloom matures. I stepped back from this painting for a period (far too long) once I deepened the background. I had to get my head around how deep the values really are on the “white” roses. The value of a grey scale value…
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Encore – Watercolour painting of Hibiscus
This is an interesting watercolour painting of a hibiscus that grows in my corner garden… it is the last plant to emerge in the spring and the last plant to bloom in the garden. Usually, this one blooms only after the first frost….and it takes it’s sweet old time. Teasing us. And then.. WOW! I promised myself Every year I promise if it blooms on time (before the first frost) I will paint it. Mother Nature has not exactly been on my side with this. I get a little anxious towards the end of August each year as I watch the wine coloured buds swell promising to soon open.…
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New York Minute (sigh)
Last week, I cannot believe it has been a week already, we had an opportunity to got to New York City! Pretty unbelievable place. Although there seemed to be far more people there than I remembered from the last time, the place is WONDERFUL! And bright! And colourful! We stayed right on Times Square for the first two nights. Right outside our hotel door seemed like millions of people. And then moved to Central Park for the next two. Took lots of photos, ate really well, walked until we dropped – quite literally! And we took in “The Lion King” as well as The Museum of Natural History…
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The Do Over
Have you ever started a painting and just went for it? And then you step back and look at it and feel compelled to say holy crud! In the early stages a lot of work will look positively awful well, not right. You have a vision and stick with it only to create a miracle of sorts as you pull it together and it becomes the painting you were going for! Then there is the painting that builds and it does nothing for you. You stand back to admire and scrutinize your work. You get nothing. It is not talking to you at all. There is no choice but to…
