Coffee And Paint Drips Blog - Page 47 of 79

Finished for Friday

The Dark Apple Hides Shells (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
8×12 Watercolor on Arches paper

A finished work for Friday is here. I am done! I can’t touch this another time. I think I will keep at this apple until all that paint is used up. I have no choice. How many times can I complain about these paints? I guess an awful lot by the looks of the posts about this apple! Have you all had it with me yet? I’ve had it with my constant whining. The next time I decide to throw caution to the wind and by paints I know nothing about, kick me please?

Besides that, I fooled around with my camera and for some reason my photos in my last post came up like a widescreen TV. I don’t know what button I pushed. I was hunting for something that would take a decent photo and not be huge when I uploaded it to the computer. There’s just alot of steps to get the photos the right size so that they upload in seconds rather than long minutes. I mean long. Looks like there are no short cuts here, or in life in general.

I will be posting this to the 100 Paintings Challenge, too. Slowly, but surely, I’m working my way to 100. Oh I’ll do it, too. No doubt. But it’s going to be slow.

A while back I purchased another book on creativity and resistance titled The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp. I know she’s a great dancer and choreographer, but from what I’ve heard this is a really good book for breaking through blocks to creativity. I finally started reading yesterday and I think it’s going to be interesting.

I want to read it slowly for the words to really go into my head. Most times when I read, I more or less scan and read too quickly. Oh I’ve read big books in a couple of days, but don’t ask me what I read, I couldn’t tell you. While I’m reading I am in the moment. After I’m done, forget it. Talking with a friend about a book I had just finished, which she read in college, she remembered characters and plots. Me? I could barely remember the main character and some sketchy details. Not good. I need to take time to read this, and not while I’m having lunch. No. Multi tasking is not my forte.

The first page of The Creative Habit began with this: The White Room. Just imagine a large, empty, white rehearsal room for dancers. Immediately I thought of a blank, white canvas or paper. I knew then that this was going to be a good read. I will let you know next week.

Thought for Thursday

“I don’t mind you thinking I’m stupid, but don’t talk to me like I’m stupid” ~Harlan Ellison

(A thought I like to tell myself sometimes..)

Tomorrow is Another Day

So, back to the dreaded apple, sharp shells and fearsome pebble. Just kidding! Nothing scary a out my still-life set-up except the paint colors. Yes, I’m not feeling it with these paints. It’s becoming a problem. An issue. I feel as if I’d rather not paint, but I’m fighting it with all I’ve got.

If I give in it could spell trouble with a capital T. Let’s just say it could happen, but I’m planning on it not happening. Besides, I have a challenge to complete! 100 paintings in a year are not going to materialize just like that.I have a goal, a plan, and by golly, I’m going to win!

Ahem. So here it is, the next work. Twenty minutes in and I wanted to trash it. I hate the reds of this watercolor brand.Ugh. Ok, I will try to lived with it. The more I use it the closer I get to buying new paint. That’s how I’m looking at it.

I turned the still- life around once again, to view another side and different shadows. I stood on the opposite side of the table too. I tried to let the magic flow, but it wasn’t easy. My brain sees different colors than I have here. I shrugged that off and kept at it. I have more to do, but this is where I stopped for the day.

Let’s see how it turns out tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.

Beware the Ides of March

“Beware the ides of March” Julius Caesar, Act I Scene II, William Shakespeare

In olden times the ides of March meant nothing more than the middle of the month. No omens of evil, nothing bad, just mid-month. For some reason the ides took on this spooky quality after Shakespeare has the Soothsayer mention it in the play about Julius Caesar, on the day he meets his end.

The ides fall on the 15th of March, May, June and October. Check out the Wikipedia link. The other months’ ides fall on the 13th. So what? What’s the big deal? Everyone always says that line as if some big thing will befall them on this date like Caesar. Shakespeare made the ides have some weird and eerie feeling. I think I’ll stay away from painting today. Why play with fire?

Although, something interesting might come of it if I do paint. Who knows? Maybe some strange, ethereal quality will emerge from the dreaded apple and fearsome shell bits?

Can you picture it? The apple- dark, mysterious with red foreboding. The shell bits-pasty white with pointy and sharp edges. The fearful pebble! What will it mean? What is the evil omen they suggest? Is it possible to paint a lonely apple and broken bits of seashells with an quality of doom? How about the beach pebble?

I have an idea! I think I will paint!

Already Off Schedule

“The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley; And leave us naught but grief and pain For promised joy”
~ Robert Burns(Scottish national Poet of Scotland, who wrote lyrics and songs in the Scottish dialect of English. 1759-1796)

Here I go again, but it’s not my doing, sort of. I need to confess I never got to paint and not going to get to it until I have a free moment. Painting will have to wait. Family obligations come first.

The funny part is that poor apple is starting to get old! I keep it out with the shell bits so if I have time I can just paint. If I put the apple in the refrigerator, I have to fish it out to work which might hamper the motivation. It’s a whole thing.

On the bright side, the weekend is coming up. Will I or won’t I paint? That is the question.

Thought for Thursday

“The dumber people think you are, the more surprised they’re going to be when you kill them” ~ William Clayton

On to the Other Side

Determined to keep myself in a mode of allowing good things to come my way, I painted. Yes, I did. I took the time while my granddaughter napped this morning and ran to the paints. I cannot let another day like that get the better of me. My mind is set. I must paint daily. At least I’ll try to paint daily. Fingers crossed!

Let me remind you, I’m still not happy with the colors I’m using. I don’t mind mixing colors to get what I’m looking for, but this is ridiculous. I just can’t make the colors I need with these paints. MamieriBlu is lovely and creamy, blends nicely on the paper, but my brain is looking for colors that are just not there! What else can I say? Maybe I didn’t buy all the colors I needed? My palette is full, but I am still lost without some of my favorite colors.

I like using a palette with minimal, but essential colors. Here I have more than I really need except they don’t look like the colors I’m accustomed to using. I know I keep harping on it. It’s a problem for me.

Other Side of the Dark Apple (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themeli
8×12 Watercolor on Arches paper

I turned the still life set-up around once again, to get a different perspective. I also moved around the table to get the shadows going in the opposite direction. The reds are not what I wanted, but somehow it works. I’m not sure if the apple looks like it’s laying down. I think it’s floating. Maybe I’m wrong. I don’t care. I signed it and it’s finished. Questions? Comments? Criticisms?

The Intention was Good, but..

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

It seems there is a question as to who first made this statement. I really don’t care who said it. It reminds me of something my father would say though, so I kind of like it. I think it makes a weird sort of sense. Just imagine what it means. People thinking they’re doing good things, but they are actually digging themselves into a hole. That’s how it comes off to me.

Well, it was running through my head between Sunday and today, Monday. By the way, today is the first day of the 40 day fast of Lent, also known as Clean Monday. Yesterday, the last Sunday before Lent begins was the Sunday of Forgiveness in the Orthodox calendar. The Orthodox calendar coincides with the Roman Catholic calendar for Easter this year. Every now and then it happens to be celebrated the same weeks. Just makes the days more difficult and heavy with stuff. I’m busy as it is and now Lent?

But back to good intentions, of which I had many for Sunday. I had the day to myself and planned to paint again. Quiet house, rain and cold outside, and me with my paints. Did it happen? No. Not even for twenty minutes. See? I said I had intention, and it was a good one, except I shot it all to hell by doing nothing. It happens.

A while back, maybe around this time last year, Son#1 had it out with someone whose intentions may have seemed good to them. I said, may have, because the ranting that this person aimed at my son didn’t end up well. All this time later that individual found themselves in a position where they had to apologize for their terrible behavior and awful display. Next time shut up, and don’t shoot yourself in the foot by flipping out. People are strange. Okay, whatever.

I didn’t flip out. I just didn’t do what I had intended to do. I blew it for Sunday, and today too. It’s too late to salvage the rest of today. By the time I post this the sun will have gone down and my reserves are depleted. No painting will happen today.

But I meant well.

Finished Items for Friday

TADA! Voila! Finished items! Yes! Winning! (A Charlie Sheen-ism) The knitting marathon is done! And I must say I am very pleased with the outcomes. I didn’t want to give it away in the earlier post, but these were birthday items for my sister. Working from the mohair yarn we purchased the hot pink and the pink, fire polished beads. The mohair became a scarf adorned with the beads at the fringes. The hot pink with sparkles became an adult bonnet-like hat with extra beads at the ends of the ties, and a pair of fingerless gloves. My sister is definitely a “winter” and these colors suit her perfectly. She likes a bit of bling!

I knit the scarf in a garter stitch pattern on really big needles to accommodate the loftiness of the mohair and rayon yarn. It’s beautiful stuff from Fiesta La Boheme. Sounds beautiful, right? It does to me. This yarn is delicious and soft as anything. I must admit this yarn is a bit pricey, but it’s justified due to the colors they offer and the great softness. Besides, mohair is a warm yarn. So while it looks gorgeous, it’s practical too. The hat and scarf are acrylic blends and they will hold up wonderfully as hat and gloves. Overall, it was a fun project to make and give.

On the painting front I finished two watercolors. Well, one is really finished, the second is finished in my head. I signed both anyway. The second work just needs a brush stroke where I know an apple stem is supposed to be, and I’m done!

Dark Apple (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
8×12 Watercolor on Arches paper

Dark Apple in the Afternoon (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
8×12 Watercolor on Arches paper

Good thing I keep the painting equipment out on the dining room table or they’d never see any action with the studio in my basement and the baby asleep upstairs! I’ve used up my favorite paint colors in the small travel set so this week I brought up my large palette. Now, I’m not thrilled with the paints in this palette, but I have to use them up before I buy more.

The travel set was Windsor&Newton, the large palette has MamieriBlu. Not thrilled with the later, more comfortable using the former. Although the MamieriBlu paints are really lovely on the paper, the colors are throwing me for a loop. Alizarin Crimson is not the same as the WN paints. This apple was a very deep red and I just wasn’t feeling it with these colors. I did my best. I lifted out color. I added color when dry. I did what I could to make it feel right.

I set up the first painting and worked from there. For the second work I just shifted the paper the objects were laying on and painted the same items from a different angle. I think I will do that again at the next session. I think I moved the apple so I saw the top end instead of the bottom. A more pleasant view.

Finished work, non the less!

Thought for Thursday

“I’ve been blessed with a new brain.” ~Charlie Sheen, actor, whack job