Strong Women Series #6 - Woman on a Train

For this painting, I was intrigued by the woman sitting alone

on the LINK train from the Seattle airport to downtown.

She was lost in thought, 

a book in front ...

or maybe a Kindle

or iPad ...

This is the photo i took, candidly - from far away. 

I sketched the woman, too, while riding the train.

The following three photos are from when I was developing

the idea of the painting - in the same 5.5 x 8.5 sketchbook.

I turned the page in my sketchbook and found

some notes I made for the painting:

mystery

color

abstract shapes

 red coat, mauve hat, glasses?

red sign behind with yellow papers

Some ideas I used,

some I did not. For instance, her hat is lime

not mauve and no glasses.

I think there is some mystery about her

and the other riders.

Is she in jail?

What is she reading?

Who are those guys in front of her?

Here's a good question. Why do I think she is a strong woman?

The next series of shots are my painting progressions on the Masonite board.

Below is the finished painting. Those with eagle eyes

will spot the biggest change from the almost 

final above.

Woman on a Train (Heloise)  18 x 12 inches   oil on Masonite

Very happy with this painting - and should note 

that for some (unknown) reason

she became Heloise

as I painted her.

Thanks so much for reading all the way to here!

Happy painting

🎨

Stay safe and sound

😷

Everything's Coming Up Roses - a painting

"Everything's coming up roses"

You have heard that expression, right? 

Or, another one, 

"they're coming out smelling like a rose" (on this deal ... etc).

The link below (Wiki) has lots of info about the song,

Everything's coming up roses 🎵

Ethel Merman sang it in the 1959 Broadway musical, Gypsy, 

and Bette Midler sang it in the 1993 made-for-tv movie, Gypsy. 

They were made about the famous burlesque performer

Gypsy Rose Lee.

Kinda fun to look up the song and then get pulled down rabbit holes

learning about her and the play and movie.

( sorry ... )

Ok - back to my painting, and what does it have to do with roses?

Initial covering up of the original painting

The painting started out life very differently. 

It was a landscape painting 

where I was trying to depict wind ... 

... have you tried that?

I found it pretty much impossible for me

at this time.

So the following shots are progressions of this painting 

as I worked it over several weeks.

The roses come in from my stencil-ing &/or imprinting

roses from a "flat bouquet" called a Lovepop card. 

Got it from my kids on Mother's Day.

(shhhh ... don't tell them I took it apart!)

Beginning in landscape form, I realized it actually is

a vertical format painting!

I put down layers of cold wax and oil -

using at various times:

 brayer, squeegee, marble dust, 

oil stick, palette knife, skewers, ruler, pocket knife, 

... probably more ...

and working flat on my studio table.

These two below are a couple of early stage "wind" paintings.

Nope ...

I am quite happy with my end result, roses - no wind.

Everything's Coming Up Roses   
Oil and Cold Wax Medium on Multimedia Artboard 
adhered to cradled support
   16 x 12 inches
 ($350 + tax)

Best wishes to all who read this blog. May you stay safe and healthy.

🎨

Strong Women Series #5 - Arriving

As I ready this post for publication, 

I critique my painting.

 I did change it (on Aug 1) because

there were a few things that aren't sitting well with me.

The update to this post 
with corrections is
for educational purposes. 

I posted the old painting and the corrected one below,
because

as I say in my banner at the top of the blog,

I am learning, always,

and hauling you along with me.

So here, with my 5th effort so far in this series 

are the progress pics for  "Arriving"  

and the final final. 

The photo above is my corrected painting. 

I cannot get the title underneath

to appear ...

(Working on the blogger new format is

a challenge.) 

I took away the stark line between the yellow 

and the blue-gray,

and a few other things.

Here are the two paintings side by side ... 
"Leaving" & "Arriving" (older photo just to show frames).
I tried to match the paint of the found frame (for "Leaving")
and I think it looks fairly good.

So, until next time ...

I hope everyone is staying safe and being healthy.

 I send my best wishes for you

to

keep painting!

🎨

Strong Women Series - #4 Leaving (Lady with Hat)

Detail from finished painting (at end of post)

This next painting in my Strong Women Series

 began with me considering women in hats. 

I sketched women wearing hats for days.

Thinking I was planning for one of our painting challenges ... I realized I was 

not correctly reading the parameters of the challenge, which were:

Do a painting from memory; referencing sketches made from life, 

but not painting from those sketches ... must be from memory of them,

and must contain these elements:

1 - A woman wearing a hat

2 - A night café

3 - A floral still-life painting in the scene

4 - The conveyance of music

5 - Canvas size, at least 10 x 8, no squares

6 - Unlimited palette

(add a cat if it works out for you - extra credit!)

HERE is my post about that painting, from exactly one year ago today!!

So anyway, I began thinking of a painting using this sketch. 

I loved the idea of her hat having a flower 

with a really long stem that bounced along as she walked, 

and I wondered if I could portray that.

YOU decide if it works!

The following photos will lead you through my process.

Leaving (Lady with Hat)   18 x 12 inches   oil on Masonite

 She is included in this series because 

she has the strength to leave

... when she must.

This is a frame I found in a driveway with a FREE sign on it,

along with some other things. I had the feeling it would be great for this painting ...

and as you see here, it is!

I didn't have to do a thing (except have my dear husband cut it to fit)!

I wish I felt like blogging more,

but right now all I can do is the "regular" things

and paint . . .

I do keep painting ... outside, inside ... and in my head.

I should blog about the free course I just finished ... ok,

next post will be about that.

It was really fun.

I hope you are safe and sound.

Please keep wearing your mask as it seems that is the most

effective way to prevent

the virus from getting to other people's airways,

because you don't know if you are carrying it,

without symptoms.

Take care

Keep painting

💕

Strong Women Series - #3 ANGEL

For my 3rd Strong Woman painting,

I chose Angel Olsen - someone who was on the NPR TinyDesk concert.

Took a screen shot, cropped and painted from that.

Progress pics below.

Angel - from TinyDesk concert January 2104     18 x 12    oil on panel

I found a vintage frame that works perfectly, too.

Why did I choose her? 

She, to me, is a strong woman - to appear by herself

singing and playing her songs

so confidently.

I hope everyone is hanging in there ... staying safe

staying sane.

Take care of yourselves and your fellow human beings.

♡