Showing posts with label sunflowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sunflowers. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

"Sunflower Splash" - continued!


"Sunflower Splash" - dark blue mat 11"x14" - mixed media on Fluid 140# hot press wc paper (c)Pat Dolan

I've added some contrasting color and depth to this painting by adding Winsor Newton Indigo Blue watercolor and a touch of white to different parts of the sunflowers. I like the additional details and the strong contrasts this has provided.

However, I'm quite surprised at how different the same painting can appear depending upon the color of mat surrounding it. Each mat complements the painting well, but the choice of frame will make a huge difference, as well. A simple gold metal frame would work with them all, but the lighter mats might be further enhanced by dark wood frames, or even a wide white frame!

Which matting do you prefer and why? How might you want it framed? Please comment below!

"Sunflower Splash" - cream mat 11"x14" - mixed mediaa on Fluid 140# hot press wc paper (c)Pat Dolan

"Sunflower Splash" - white mat 11"x14" - mixed mediaa on Fluid 140# hot press wc paper (c)Pat Dolan

Meanwhile, here are a few more Bluebird photos - one taken during that wind storm and the others taken today when it's much calmer outside!



Please comment as to your choice of matting and/or framing for the Sunflowers above!
Enjoy!

Saturday, June 23, 2018

New Work


Joe & Aggie's cat, Lily - watercolor done on Shutt Flamboyant Extra Rough 140lb watercolor block

Shutt Flamboyant Extra Rough 140lb watercolor paper - I love the texture of this paper!

Cathy's Sunflowers up and ready to go this weekend. This one is 9x13" on Arches Hot Press Rough 300lb paper.

Friday, June 15, 2018

Sunny Sunflowers


Sunflower Duet - (c)Pat Dolan - 9"x12" watercolor on Arches 140# paper

Playing in the studio with some sunshine and flowers. I have one early photo and this final shot, above. Which do you like better?

Often, it's so easy to go BEYOND the finish line when painting - to go too far, add too much, create a muddy mess or something less than what was desired. This one is a rather "in between" one for me. I think I went too far...

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

June is "Busting out all Over!"


Our great-granddaughters came with their mom and grandmother for a few days! Such fun!!! And now it's already almost the middle of June - and I've done very little painting this month, as of yet - although I have prepared several drawing that are ready to go.

Meanwhile, here is what's happening in our yard and garden. Enjoy!

Heuchera

Roses

A Grackle - aka "oil slick bird" as our granddaughter calls them

Two fledgling House (English) Sparrows

A tiny egg found on my concrete porch - we believe it belonged to a House Finch

And a lovely fledgling Bluebird - their mom/dad was teaching them to feed from our worm feeder. After just two days, they were eating without a problem. No parents needed to stuff their mouths!

I bought these Sunflowers as inspirational for my watercolors. Keep watching to see what happens!


Thursday, September 03, 2015

"The September of My Years..."

"And the days dwindle on, a precious few, September...November." September already... of 2015.

When we are young, we don't much think about getting old! When we are old, thoughts of being "old" pretty much take over our lives on one level, at least. Physically, I FEEL old, at least some of the time. Getting out of bed, or up from a chair after reading for a few hours... Yet it's the rest of the time that is really important. So it seem to me. And time really flies by!

I've not been writing, obviously. But I have been living, changing, growing, becoming an old crone, I suppose. I no longer promise that I'll write more blog posts, although I might wish to do so. I enjoy ruminating and writing my ruminations. I enjoy the feedback, too. Yet I haven't made writing a priority in my life for quite some time. I wonder why...

One reason may be hidden in the recesses of my memory. I happened upon a box of old journals. I kept personal journals for 20 years or so. It was important for me to write nearly every morning - my thoughts, feelings, accomplishments, failures, doubts, etc. Yet when I paused in our packing last year to read one or two of those old journals, I realized how self-centered I have been. My writings are all egocentric. An embarrassment to me since I always perceived my writing to be part of a spiritual exercise. But my writings were all about me, about how I questioned, doubted, feared, etc. just about everything in my life. Not much spirituality of a healthy sort in that.

So I began blogging back in 2005, partly to change my writing focus. If I were to reread all my old posts, perhaps I would find that I'm still terribly self-centered! In fact, I'm sure that's what I would find since my blog seems to have become my brag-sheet. I've shared my family, my quilting, my art, my life. Then again, it would hardly be wise to share other people's stories, lives, etc.

Frank and I were chatting this morning that we only have our own perspectives from which to view the world. We used to talk about objective reality - and decided long ago that only God, should there be a God, would have the benefit of objective reality. It seems we humans cannot separate our history from our present understanding of reality. Everything is colored by personal experience and, perhaps, shared experiences of others.

So here I am, writing my thoughts, as per usual. I will continue to share my art, thoughts, ideas, love of nature and more. But I won't promise much of anything other than I will write when Spirit moves me to write.

Meanwhile, enjoy the blogs of others. Enjoy your own story. Find the delight in this day - for surely there is at least one spot of joy in every day for every one. Provided we allow our attention to focus on it.