November thoughts

  November has been a slower month for me with my art.   We have had many storms, and wind.  Now its snowing again, but softly this time.  Still thinking about skies, and mainly how to show vastness----quietness---and Maybe flatness at times.   I had created a surface to try, using illustration  board, and grit pumice with white gesso.   Its very gritty,  to me it was very interesting in appearance, and I had to try it.   After painting the whole of it with pink graduated watercolor, darker to lighter  I tried this skyscape.  Its a field in the center of the valley, with the river running behind it in those trees, and one cottonwood tree in the field.   I will try this in a different format I am thinking.  I do like the pink for the underpainting for bright skies.  Underpaintings are one thing I am exploring  right now while the weather stops me from Plein-air work.

New interests for now...

I have been pasteling, but not to rapidly.  Its colder now, daytime highs are at about 50 at our elevation, and in the 40's in Hope Valley or higher.  We have gathered 2 bunches of cattle, and sent one truck to sale.   We have a lot more to go, but no one seems to worried about things.   Thanksgiving is coming, and we have had 1 inch of snow here on the valley floor already, melted fast, but still, that means going up and over Carson Pass on Hwy 88 won't be simple if more storms come in, and I want to go to Sutter creek for Thanksgiving!  We'll see.   In the meanwhile, I have sewn a baby quilt for a young lady who is having her first.  She is out of college, and working at the Equine Clinic locally. She really is very accomplished, and can A. I.  horses or cattle. She is doing just what she wants, and now her first child.  This is my gift to her.

I made it small, the infant size, because its been years and years since I have made one.  Feeling pretty good about that, I also made Taffeta shades for the old home on Foothill!!  Good grief!    Sewing is fun, but not as much fun as drawing or painting.  I will get back into that soon.  I just feel a bit out of step for now, but the light in this cooler air has been amazing----watching the shadows each afternoon come down the mt. behind here , well, If I could paint it I would show you! The mountain is at about 7000 plus, with Lake Tahoe up at the top somewhere, and the tahoe valley at south shore.  Its a good place to live!   Hope you are all painting, and thanks for the comments about the show.

Carson Valleys Art Association Scholarship show

I haven't been posting on my blog for a little while--and I have been worried about that---but never fear, Its because I have been thinking!  About  Clouds!  And that takes me awhile, I love the sky and want to be able to paint a convincing one----and the sky changes, and can be so many different things but at least it gives me something to think about, and hopefully I will try them, one by one.

Meanwhile, The Alpine Artists Tour was held last month, and this year I did not join.  I felt I was not ready, and also have a very dark garage in which to show my work.  Last year was fun, and maybe I will do it again, but improvements need to be made first and my art needs to grow!

This weekend is the CVAAs scholarship Show.  Its to encourage a young highschool person to study the arts, and the scholarship, along with a nice public show that is judged, and ribbons and even $$ is given!  Its small by most standards, I guess, but the club does a first class job, I always enjoy it.  I used to want to be able to put work in this show, and since 2004, I have.  Its great.  The reception was last night, and we went. There were close to 200 entries, mostly in Watercolor I think, and quite a few people were pursuing the works.  What fun!  They did have catagories for each media, and some phtography which was wonderful work.   My watercolor instructer had a nice painting of a palemenio pony I liked.  Lots of landscape, and another watercolerist known for her old rusty machinery had some fine works there.    The pastel section didn't have to many paintings, I am sad to say.   I had 2 in ,  and won 1st place and 3rd place---and the 3rd place entry sold!!!   I almost passed out, I was so surprized.   It is a large one, titled "Paying the help"   I will show you here.

And the landscape was 1st place.  Its 11 x 14, and I was surprized at that, too! 

I was told the executive director of Douglas County Chamber of commerce or something like that , bought it and will hang it in his office!   Of cource, I will get his name, and all that info and send a thank-you card for making such a purchase of my art, and hope he enjoys it for a long while!   And yes, this is my first sale of a framed piece of art from a show!!  I sure was surprized, like being on cloud 9!!      (from where maybe I can paint a sky!)