Leaving the nest

 

Checking in today ... here's the link.

Gratitude and a link

FASO, (my website provider), randomly selects and posts one of my artworks. Today it was "Gratitude," a plein air pastel of the garden outside my Studio. It is tucked away somewhere in my flat files but I was happy to see it again online. 

If you have time, take a look at A follow-up to my last post on my Golden Years blog.

The Rest of the Story

 I've neglected my Golden Years blog. Just posted. Take a look here.

AIS 2nd Annual Associate Member Online Exhibition

 Very happy to be included in the American Impressionist Society 2nd Annual Associate Member Online Exhibition. Take a look here.

Heartsong Revisited

 About a year ago I completed a pastel painting, framed it and hung it in the guest bathroom. Today I unframed it and fixed a small area that has been bugging me.

Original painting Heartsong from 2021

Heartsong II, pastel, 13 x 13 inches

 You may also notice a difference in color between the two photos. The color in the latest photo is more nuanced. I guess I attribute that to my cataract surgery last week. Everything is so much brighter now. Before surgery, perhaps I was overcompensating for lack of light? Both photos were color matched to what the painting looked like to me at the time.

Three Oranges

 

"Three Oranges," oil, 14 x 11 inches ©2022 Barbara Benedetti Newton

Here's the setup

Studio Stuff Sale

Deep cleaning my Studio in preparation for a move this summer!  If you can't see the video above, try this link If that doesn't work...oh well...

I have removed my Walker Display art hanging system and painted the Studio walls. Three 8 foot sections. If you are interested and are within the Black Diamond/Seattle area, let me know. This system really saves your walls from having a million picture hanger holes.

A few books for sale. Creating Impressionist Landscapes in Oil by Colley Whisson is brand new! I studied with him in 2020, bought his book and then found I already had a copy.  All in excellent condition as I apparently have time to buy books but no time to read them.

Frames, cut mats with plexiglass, archival mat and archival foamcore backing. And, white 3-ring binders.

Email me barbaranewton at Comcast dot net if you are local and want any of these.

Happy Spring Cleaning to you!

 

March! Spring is springing

 

SPRING!

These five now available on SAVOR. Take a look. There is also a video of me painting the Lilies.

SAVOR online gallery is hosted by Puget Sound Group Northwest Artists. 

Every Day Mocha Moment

 In follow up to yesterday's post, here are the first two steps of today's painting. These paintings aren't completed in one day but I will need 10 - 12 of them in about 8 weeks so my goal is to start a new one each day or two. After the blue pastel pencil sketch, the acrylic foundation is next, then to the oil easel for a couple sessions. After that, each painting will sit (and dry) while I figure out what to do with it next. 

The blue pastel pencil sketch on freshly gessoed and sanded wood panel.

Acrylic block-in

Acrylic - value and color decisions. Now it is ready to go to the oil easel. Stay tuned. 

Thanks to all new subscribers to my website email list. I'd love to have you join me there.  

My Every Day Project

My horoscope today tells me to write my story and share it; add illustrations. So, here I am this Sunday morning to share the backstory of my latest series, Every Day. This project will take me into gardening season so I have about 6 weeks to develop it. It is a body of work of every day still life scenes from where I live, Mill Pond Cottage. 

Each of us has had an opportunity over the past two years of COVID to enjoy more time in our personal spaces - not just our studios but whatever encompasses what we call home. I believe it is important to express gratitude and appreciation for every-day small pleasures. For an artist, many of those pleasures are visual.

These still life paintings may be the lead-in to a series of interiors, something I've wanted to do for a few years. There just aren't enough hours and/or energy in the day and life gets in the way. Well, that's the my current story.

And, now a few illustrations. 

A simple moment from this morning. 

How I might crop the scene for a painting. 

And, here are two paintings-in-progress along with their reference photos.

"Most Days There Is An Avocado" oil in progress

"One of the Reasons I Drink Tea," acrylic foundation for oil painting

As you may have noticed, I'm not blogging nearly as much as I used to. My focus for sharing current work is on Instagram and on my website. If you aren't already subscribed to my monthly newsletter, I'd love to have you join me there.  

The Meet Me There Project Wrap-up

I've been working on my "Meet Me There Project" most of the month and it has been a good way to loosen up at the beginning of a new painting year.  But suddenly, it is nearly the end of January and I have to move on to other commitments. These mini pastels can be viewed larger by clicking on the group image or by visiting  my website.

The Meet Me There Project

A new project for the new year! Mini landscape memory paintings in pastel. Each painting is pastel, 3.5 x 5.5 inches, matted, and ready for a standard 5x7 frame with glass. Free shipping within USA. We each have memories of places we've been, real or imagined. Sometimes, we see them as we are drifting off to sleep. 

The "Meet Me There" project: I've just completed number 8 of 25.

Meet Me There, 1

Meet Me There, 2

Meet Me There, 3

Meet Me There, 4

Meet Me There, 5

Meet Me There, 6

Meet Me There, 7

Meet Me There, 8

This is a fun project. Acrylic under-paintings with pastel on top. Some happen easily while others take an amazing about of give and take, time and thought. Available on my website.