Tip toe,,thru the tulips? A little corny, yet true!

Well, yesterday, as i was roaming around Central park,  My friend notice these lovely, sun kissed, disheveled tulips.  Maybe in there final days, but yet oh so beautiful.  I liked the many effects as i took these pictures. I like the transparency of the sun on the petals, the statement of relaxed petals, wondering if they were every "traditional"..and the negative dark spaces through out the stems. Maybe we can explore these elements in class tonight...what do you think ladies?

 Im thinking the first picture?   Maybe, i have to look and crop in a bit, but this is a start!

Its been a little while, but we had such nice results with the class that did the zinnia close up!

I did a pencil value studio of the peachy zinnia, and though i thought the color was what drew me to it, I find it may have been, but the difinition of each little petal, doing its share to make that a stunning little study!

When I attempted to express this in color, i got all twisted up and couldnt leave well enough alone.  I had started with nice light shade of a mix of Turners yellow, and maybe a dab of "opera"..playing with the colors, it was hard to get the softness...I did get there eventually, and after laying the shadows down...I couldnt leave well enough alone.  I try to darken the petals with more "color" and i lost the contrast!  Dont you hate when you push something and you know you shouldn't!

All in all, i have to say, the students work came out superior! But thats what we want anyway!~! 

Next class, or maybe it was the class before...be did a study on the textures of fruits....

Jackie Hinton~she loves those dew drops!

Jackie Hinton

Cheryl ...Arold, I hope i spelled that right! Nice textures

Eilene  Blanchard,,,she wasnt quite done yet, but its lookin good!

this was a pic of one of the "studies". I liked the contrast of the skins on the bark i found in my fire wood. I neglected to take the pictures of the rest of the work. Maybe ill do that next class!

close up, a picture within a picture?

this is a zoom of 

\/ that guy, down there!\/

OK students. The idea is to look at pieces of this flower, and let a PIECE of it fill the paper. Look at the shapes, shadows, and how it is composed as you crop it. You dont have to crop where i cropped, but only what i have cropped or less. I am working on a pencil study, so we will see if i can translate what i am asking for. I am going to post some of last weeks paintings.

I need pictures of the rest of you gals...but these look pretty good! Nice job ladies.

Quick walk in the yard, trying to inspire and get motivated for the best season of all! Garden season!!

This is a pond fairies day in my pond/garden

Sister lotus, who will open to the sun first?

The statue that contemplates, forever and a day...

the lilies that give continuously, until there is nothing left to give

The frogs do their share, do keep the insects down...

and entertainment up!

The light can be so selective, why you and not me?

Adams needle stands protective over the purple cone flower(echinacea)

Do you smell the MAPLE SYRUP?

Does MAPLE SMELL MEAN SPRING?

Buddha is waiting for spring, as well as I...Waiting for the first walk on sleeping brown muddy grass.  Looking for clues of spring.  Usually the Iris's are peeking their green tips, even before the snow falls.
Knowing in time they will be there for your early viewing pleasure.  Though the spotty show of crocus and delicate stance of bloodroot is still a few months away.
I think going through the process in my head, helps to survive the NE winter and its sometime dreary attire.
My daughter got out of the car the other night and thoughtlessly said,"I smell maple syrup mom"..
I thought,"yay! Its not my imagination!"  Another treasure of living in the 4 season zone, is watching the art of tree tapping,syrup sapping, maple smelling, smoke house dwelling~ fun!
  I do remember as a 5 year old, my dad tapping the trees on our then wonderful ol' farmhouse.  I also remember my mother dreading the mess that would soon be hers.   But i think she liked the home made maple syrup as much as my dad liked tapping the trees.  It was all up to mother nature, and as many naturalists know, its fun to try to guess in your head, if the clues you have observed over the years, have given you enough knowledge to take on this feat or will you have to use the written word from the old timers from long ago.
Maybe a combination, just like learning anything...
I do enjoy trying to figure this stuff out though.  From the syrup from the maple tree to the color of OX blood., for paint pigments..who first thought to use these things in our evolving world. ?

I guess i have rambled enough, have a new computer, new pass words, new format, new everything. Maybe ill be able to check in more then once every 4 months,,,
Oh yes, and to talk about ART!!! LETS PAINT!!!!

class yesterday...6/26

We did basic flower shapes, trying to THINK like a flower, how it grows, wich ones are loose and wich ones are controlled.  What one grow in, and who grows out.,..We only have 3 months to paint from life in the garden.,,,so hopefully, this will prepare us to do so!

We missed you Kelly and Eilene!

 As one can see, Buddah loves watching one end of the pond,  while the lady looks from another veiw.
We are all waiting patiently for the lotus and pond lilies to make their appearence.   Then we can all paitn them!
But the peoni, poppies and iris's are looking just fine!