Step Back...No, Further...

I wonder why you don't start at the same skill level you left off at when you don't paint for a lengthy period and you start back up again.  It doesn't seem fair.  Not that I had reached great heights, but...
Anyhow, I did this little painting from a study in a book by Philip Jamison.  I love his work.  I've practiced with this particular study before.  If you're not familiar with his work, here is a sample.

Now I realize that this will make my painting look even worse, but I don't want to have you think my little painting is any kind of reflection on Mr. Jamison:)  By the way, he is a very nice man.  I wrote to him years ago.  He replied on a card that had one of his paintings on it. 

I found a new way of attaching my paper to my board.  I've tried soaking and stapling, just stapling and also brown paper tape.  I saw a video in which the artist used masking tape.  She tore off pieces the length and width of the paper, rolled them up so they were like double-stick tape and put them on the back of the watercolor paper.  Very clever!  It seems to work well.

Here's my version of a daisy study by Jamison.

So this is my new starting point.  More paintings to follow every week.

I hope you had a lovely weekend!

 

By the Shores of Gitche Gumee

I took a trip to Wisconsin 2 weeks ago.  It was my dad's 80th birthday.  There was a party for him.  It was fun to see him, my sister and aunts.

These are my favorite parts of my visit: 

going for a walk with my dad, just the two of us.  We went

to a park we used to go to when I was a little girl.

Going for a ride with my sister in her boyfriend's side by side.  We drove on country dirt roads.  I felt like a kid again.  It was a warm day.  The breeze was blowing our hair and the sun was shining on our faces.  We laughed and laughed - carefree girls again.

 

 

 

 

 

Going to Lake Superior by myself.  I drove to Wisconsin Point in the late afternoon.  There was one group of people out there, but they were far from my part of the beach.  Perfect.  Lake Superior is magical.

 

 

 

 

Seeing a friend that I've known since kindergarten.  When we see each other, we pick up our friendship as if time and distance didn't exist. 

I have some good news to share.  I am no longer teaching a night class.  I have taught a night class for 10 years.  I will miss my night students.  They are terrific, but I wanted to have some free time in the late afternoon and evening.  I am teaching summer school during the day until the end of July.  I will have August free.  Back to school during the day on August 31.  What is my plan?  I'm going to spend time with my sweet husband, my furry children and...I'm going to...paint!  Hooray!  Now I have no excuses:)

Happy Saturday!