Thursday, September 22, 2011

i want to share with you some pictures from my niece, courtney's wedding. courtney just started working as an assistant wedding planner.  boy, does she come up with great ideas!  the company she works for is in northern california called a savvy event.   i flew from oregon to southern california to help out a few days before.  she had collected lots of old wood pieces and rusty this and that from either barns or swap meets or wherever.  it was at the ranch/reservoir of my sister kim's and her husband, bud's friend.  it all came together amazingly.  she didn't know where she wanted anything and we all just helped make vignettes and areas that were so cool.
this area was where everyone would write down on a slip of paper how to keep the love alive. they would then slip the paper in the cubby...
this is my sister painting the labels for the refreshment area.  how cool is this?  she is known for her handwriting and calligraphy...as well as her art.  visit her at her blog.
this is one of the centerpieces for the tables and the table numbers on blocks of wood...she used clippings from the plants for the men's boutenneirs.
everyone picked up a small potted plant with their name and table number to find their place.
 their wedding table...
instead of a cake, they had a smores table.  they had gourmet flavored marshmallows and graham crackers...
it was a huge hit...they had a bon-fire with long sticks...


one of the table scapes...
 ok...is this a lounge or what...hay bales placed in old rusted bed frames...
on the coffee table...she had these old rusted pipes cut and her husband filled them with cement...they became candle sticks...
this is the cupboard that the place card/plants were in...someone else would discard this cupboard...but look what it can become to someone with a vision...
the window in the lounge...
they had a picture her cousin...my niece, miriam painted...a beautiful tree.  everyone placed their thumb print and signature on it...she painted the same amount of limbs as there were people.  if you know someone who would like that for their wedding, let me know and i'll have her get in contact with you.
that's my mama and aunt mary signing it...
the chandelier above where they said their vows...
and they had an amazing blue-grass band playing all night...
courtney and aaron.

Monday, September 12, 2011

lily

i completed my latest painting...here are a few close ups...

she was a pleasure to paint. i got lost in it... and i love it when that happens.
 what do you think? 
lily
acrylic on 11 x 14 canvas

Friday, September 2, 2011

a long time coming...

it's been a while since i've painted a lady...angel...or some other pretty like that.  i've been haunted by it.  the kind of feeling like i had to.  i couldn't manage to not.  i just needed my muse...my inspiration.  i always paint with my eyes first.  when i look at a photo, i paint it in about 2 or 3 minutes.  i look over it...i imagine painting it. and that's what i did with this one.  i thought this is it.  this is what i'm doing next...
this is just the beginning...the underpainting, so i have a long way to go, but wanted to post since i feel like i've been in hibernation or something.
i have a plan for the background too.  i still have quite a ways to go on her face...but i think i'm going to enjoy this one a lot.  sometimes it just flows...and this seems to be headed that way....like i'm on auto-pilot and it's just effortless.
had a painting class with two of the sweetest twin girls ever...that's paint on the one on the right's cheek...the other had it in her hair and on her shirt.  their dad said they'll be back for more classes...i hope they do!  i just love helping put the love of art in someone else's life.  man, if it gets in there...it's wonderous. 
future classes:
 friday. september 16 at 4:30 and saturday, september 17, at 12:00.
friday september 23 at 4:30 and saturday, september 24 at 3:00.
friday, september 30 at 4:30, and saturday october 1 at 3:00
friday october 7 at 4:30 and saturday, october 8 at 3:00
friday october 14 at 4:30 and saturday october 15 at 3:00
friday october 28 at 4:30, and saturday, october 29 at 3:00.