Coffee And Paint Drips Blog - Page 39 of 79

It’s Finished When My Brain Says STOP

Yesterday afternoon, after the plumbers had left me with their bit of a mess, after I cleaned up their mess, put my things away, straightened out the areas they were in, I finished the watercolor painting I was working on.

I went back to it, but something inside me said This Is Done, STOP! So I signed it and declared it finished. So here it is. The top photo was taken yesterday at about 4PM. The bottom photo I took this morning by 9AM. The light of day seems to have changed the colors: the top is warmer, the bottom is cooler toned.

Pepper Stem (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
12×16 Watercolor on Lanaquarell

Either way I am pleased with this painting. I have been using watercolors for some time now and I don’t think I am using them in the traditional way. The books I’ve looked at seem to manipulate the paints different than I am. Maybe we all have our own way of getting paint on the surface in a pleasing manner.

Whatever works for you, do it. Must there be only one way to paint with whatever medium? I think not.

Something New While I Wait

Don’t you just love those days when you have to stay home and wait for repair people? Yeah, love it. Not really, except when it’s a must you need to have all your projects in order so they can have some attention. Once in a while you can peek in on the repair guy and see the progress, otherwise let them do their work.

My area of New York had ten inches of water in a couple of hours this week. People are pumping out their basements and the like. We had a leak in our living room ceiling, but that’s not what the repair guy came to fix. I found a mysterious leak from one of our bathroom faucets which was causing havoc in our wall. Let me say it was not pretty.

Today was the day of the plumbers. If the weather was beautiful, which it isn’t, I would not be happy, but it’s not so I didn’t mind being here for the repair. Perfect opportunity to work on my stuff.

I took some photos a while back of cut up peppers, if you might remember. One of the photos was calling me so I decided to paint it. I liked the mood, the darks against light, the composition, and knew I could play with color.

I had to remind myself to stop after twenty minutes so I wouldn’t ruin the work. It’s not easy to stop once you have momentum going. My brain goes on autopilot and I could almost not see anything, think or hear anything.

When I stopped I tried to also remember to take a snap of the work to show the progression. I have found the photographs to be helpful in slowing me down, and I can see my work better.

I’m still working on this. The last photo is not the finished piece. I added more detail, more color and blending, but it’s not finished. Yet, anyway.

Sunflowers and More

Six Sunflowers (c) 2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
12×16 Watercolor on Lanaquarelle

I decided to paint these sunflowers one more time and from life, before I had to throw them out. They were getting really dry and ugly. I think I’m finally done with sunflowers. I sketched out the composition and tried my best to keep the colors light before adding darks. They don’t excite me anymore. Not like when I first painted them. I guess it’s expected.

On the distraction front, I am doing well! Isn’t that how it is?

I’ve become obsessed by the colors of beads and this knotting business. It’s become addictive. These red beads look striking against the black of the waxed cotton cord and make me want to play with them again. I’ll be putting these in my Etsy shop soon, along with the blues bracelet from last week. Yum.

The thing with this is that some beads have too small a hole to thread the cotton cord through and it becomes frustrating. I managed.

Now I’m on a mission to use leather instead of the cotton cord. I made myself dizzy searching the online shops for both leather cord and more beads. Yeah, more beads. Beads with some sparkle. Beads with a larger hole so I can play some more. Like I said, addictive.

Photos for Friday-Renovation Continues

Thought for Thursday

“Art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind.” ~Louise Nevelson, sculptor

Sunflowers from Underneath

Under the Sunflowers (c)2011Dora Sislian Themelis
12×16 Watercolor Lanaquarelle paper

Here’s a different view of the sunflowers, from the underside. I thought this was a different angle with different color scheme. Not the typical full face of flowers. I like to shake things up with composition once in a while. Not really into the ordinary or the typical.

Whether this works or not doesn’t really matter. Remembering it’s the process that counts, I painted this with those words in mind.

Process, baby.

Yes, in between I had my distractions. Who doesn’t need a distraction now and then? I most certainly do. Otherwise I could head for the lounge chair in the garden and just gaze at the world. That would be nice, if I didn’t feel guilty to do that.

Painting is work. Lounging is not, unless I call that thinking. So I paint.

Photos for Friday-Action!

There’s usually not that much excitement going on in my neck of the woods, except for this week. Nassau County Court House in Mineola, New York on Long Island, was host to a movie crew and famous actors. Al Pacino was filming a movie about the music legend Phil Spector, who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend. He was known for developing what was called the Wall of Sound.

Anyway, the movie people seemed to think our main court building looks like California. They even brought palm tress for out front. I never saw Al.

I was just going to the farmer’s market which is nearby and saw all this action. The farmers were saying they hoped the actors would just stay in their trailers and leave the market alone. Maybe they did, or didn’t, I don’t know, but I drove by and snapped some pics of the action.

All kinds of movie stuff was there, trailers, extras, and the local news vans. And me.

Thought for Thursday

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” ~ James Dent

Cut Finger, or Not I’m Painting Today

Like I said, I have to paint whether this bandaged finger is in my way or not. Maybe it’s the summer time, but I just don’t feel like doing anything important around here. Who wants to do inside things when the weather is so nice outside?

I do have some things I need to get done, but painting has to come first. Too many days without painting, even the distraction of other creative pursuits, and I get itchy.

This is the last of the sunflower photos and I took my paints out in the garden to paint them. I decided to take a different look with this piece and try to be a little looser with it. I did draw in the composition, but tried using more brush strokes and color changes.

Maybe it works. Maybe it doesn’t. I had to stop before I made mud out of it. I thought I used a little too much water than color. Some how taking the photo of the painting is helping me to see it better. I’m pleased with what I see here rather than the actual work. Maybe it’s just me.

It’s not finished. Another session and it may be done. Now that I’ve painted I think I can go do the things I’ve been putting off. My artist brain hates to do accounting stuff.