The above painting was accepted into the OPA National Juried show that will be held this year at the Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ. I have been a member of OPA for about 6 years; this is the second time I have submitted to one of their shows. I was rejected from a regional show a few years ago, so I did not expect to get into the National show. So right now I will have High, Wide and Lonesome starting on a national tour begining in Oklahoma next month with the Paint America 100 show, two plein air paintings going to the Nomades del Artes show at Southwest Gallery in Dallas, TX, opening April 2 and this one to AZ opening the end of April. This all started because I read one of those short artist spotlight articles and the artist said his one regret was not submitting to national juried shows sooner. So here I am, starting to submit to more national juried shows. It takes time and energy and effort, not to mention having a body of work to choose from, all of which are in rather short supply with this particular artist. But as a friend of mine at my day job says "baby steps."

 This weekend saw some work on the road which included putting the winter refuse from the tress in and working on the big shadow (snow and melting snow) in the middle of the alley. I did not get a lot of time in on this painting this weekend but not because I have lost interest, which was my fear. The above update was done on Saturday. I also dabbled on a few of the WIPs (works in progress) that I have all over my studio. (to see one that I think is just about done: Deadheading: before and after)

I finished blocking in this painting yesterday; it is 3o x 40 which is ambitious for me. This is being done from photo reference and the painting I did a few weeks ago: Alley Scene off Harvard Gulch Park. I have not touched the original alla prima painting wanting to keep the freshness of the brushstrokes and the angles I played with. I must remember to keep that going in this piece; my husband had to remind me to knock the telephone poles off kilter, which you can see I did do, but I think they may need a bit more of an angle. I am going to try and post photos of the progression of this piece as I paint it.

 What made me want to paint a brown paper shopping bag you may ask. While sitting in the Saturday class a month ago, Kevin was telling us the next assignment; to paint a large field of one thing and try to make it interesting. His examples were painting a landscape where the majority of the painting is just a field; or take the side of a building, but make it the major force of the composition. Paint this large expanse of one color and make it interesting. Sitting on the floor while this was going on was a chiptole burrito take out bag, which, if you are not aware, is a more vertical brown paper bag with black graphics and a handle on it much like this one. The juxtaposition of the bag and where it was on the floor and the lighting made me think, why not paint a paper bag? All one color and a large field with the handle to break up the space with good shapes. BUT, once I got started, I realized there really were too many plane shifts on this bag to fit the assignment. It is not yet finished, as I want to put the logo on it - a clothing store. I have no idea where I got this bag, but it sure was a fun project. And there is so much variation in color in just a "brown" paper bag! Painting is always an adventure.

Here is a painting I have been working on for a few months. I had set my camera on the table at a local Bistro called Z-Cuisine. The flash had mistakenly gone off, which caught the attention of one of the patrons. My camera was initially pointed at the second table, but when I turned the flash off, this gentleman was looking right at me as I clicked the shutter again. I thought the interplay between the two tables came out well. Four people, three different things going on. The original reference photo has more light on the figures, but I went for a more local tone approach. That way, I could focus more attention where I wanted it.

The man looking up is viewing an art piece that is the chandelier. It is interesting to note that the majority of people who have seen this piece, think they know the man looking at the camera.

This holiday season saw a few things happening that have kept me from doing much computer work. First, we signed a contract to remodel our kitchen, with work to start on Dec7. The next week, on Thanksgiving Day, my laptop died. I just could not focus on replacing my laptop with having to move everything out of the kitchen and keep some of it handy for use during the two week remodeling. The second week into the project, my husbands car died. I have not had the inclination to do much in the studio, with having to make so many other decisions. That is not to say my mind and brush have been idle. Just quieter than usual. I did go out and paint on Christmas Eve Day, at my favorite little park. I am not overly thrilled with the piece but I was blinded by the light reflecting off the freshly fallen snow. I am not making excuses, just observations. I will post it for everyone to make their own assessment. Now that I have a new laptop up and running and am using the trial version of photoshop CS4 for a month, I will get some photos taken.

I also have been reworking some older pieces, all of which are in varying states of "work in progress." On that note, I would like to post from an article I just read written by Ron Riddick.

"As a great teacher once expressed to me "no great masterpiece ever just hastily happened." There was great searching, questioning, working, reworking, caressing, redefining and patience."

Through my reworking of older pieces, I don't expect a great masterpiece, but I do learn so much and I can't help but believe, I have improved both myself and the painting. In sharing both my triumphs and my not so successful works, I hope to strike a chord within each of you. We are all "works in progess" after all.

http://autumnpaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/ Notice that I won Judge's Choice award for my painting High, Wide and Lonesome. I am honored to have been one of the few chosen and to know that my "voice" or view, resonates with others. Artists from all over the world participated in the Facebook challenge. What fun!

I finally am ready to send this painting in to the juried show, Paint America. Since they only accept 100 paintings into this show, the probability of being accepted is not high, but if I don't try, the answer is surely no. It has been widely exclaimed over by those who have seen it. I have taken it in twice to be critiqued and thus, reworked. I am ready to see the end of it for awhile at this point and I will have just made the deadline for posting in the mail.
The last critique had me lightening and simplifying the road, again.