But is it art?

Chinatown, Chicago

Photo enhanced

Photo enhanced

Central Park

Photo enhanced  Can you see the land of OZ here?

Taken from a speeding car

I took a class in iphonology ... how to use your iphone to create "art."  These were some of my creations.  I am still struggling to see them as art ...

Balloon Day, Midland MI

From a hotel in NYC

Christmas Chrysanthemums!

There are so many ways to do a Chinese Chrysanthemum brush painting.

 My teacher, Louise Chen, said you can paint it in color then outline, you can do the outline then paint it, you can just outline, or use just paint.

.... but my idea is to just make them all into Christmas cards which is what I intend to do!

Chinese Chrysanthemums

I just started a Chinese Brush painting class in chrysanthemums. 

Louise Chen does an incredible job of describing the culture and its relationship to art.  The chrysanthemum is the fall flower, when all the other wild bloomers have ended and there is a focus on wisdom and relaxation.  She likened it to people in their 60s. They have done what they had to do and now can reflect.

Hmm. Time for reflection!

This one is on double shuen rice paper

We practice on coffee filters to see how ink will run.

I need to work on my vases!

This is on double shuen rice paper.

More on rice paper.

Ok I really like this pot. Not terribly Chinese, but I like it!

Another one on a coffee filter.

I did some reading online and found that this flower is a good gift for an older person since it indicates strong life.  But another source said that in Belgium and Austria they are particularly associated with funerals.  I find it so interesting to see the meanings associated with this flower!  But I am spending too much time reading online, I should be practicing how to paint it!

Spooky trees

Rub watercolor paper with charcoal on a cotton ball, erase out trees and strengthen the shadows with a pencil

Been busy with a Chinese brush ... 

You can see the top of my head on the far left, and my goldfish creation, dead center.

cat painting

My latest watercolor. It was from a class, no cat I know.

David's Boat

Wish I had gotten a better photo of the book mark ...

Chinese Brush Painting Class

First we did stems

Then we did leaves

Then we did small branches

Then we learned to write "Peace" in Chinese Calligraphy

This was my at-home practice

More practicing at home

What a wonderful, peaceful morning!

I really enjoy Chinese Brush Painting although it is a sign that fall is coming and I hate to see summer end.

Plein Air Marigolds

Sat in front of some Marigolds in Dow Gardens with my Monday Plein Air class --  attached are the results. This is watercolor,  on a dull orange colored pastel paper, then on gray and then in my sketch book

I took the photo at an angle, the square is actually a square, honest!

The dappled sunshine we were sitting in ...
beautiful, but not the best lighting to paint!

Done in inktense watercolor pencils
plus brown calligraphy pen

watercolor class

Finished!

supplies

sky and water

waves and birds

Did an all day watercolor class today ... we received 3 brushes and a palette as part of the fee!

workshop day 2

Still in process; needs more color

In process, with art gum still in place

On day 2 we did birches ... and used pebeo art gum for masking.

 I have 2 unfinished pieces plus the class projects to share today.

After art gum is removed, the whole piece gets a yellow glaze of thin transparent wash.

I may frame this one!               I love the colors.

Workshop notebook

Can't say I was bored, but I had a pencil in my hand and paper in my notebook.


Here is my rendition of Helga Flower and both the bell she uses to begin her class, and her spritz bottle.

Gotta get back to weight watchers!

Saturday painting was down at the tridge again.  Priscilla got this photo of me ... oh, look at that belly!  I should post this pic on my fridge, maybe I would stop opening it all the time for the chocolate ice cream!

I drew the tridge again ... I am getting a collection of tridge prints!  (Midland is unique for its bridge over the spot where 2 rivers join and become a third.  Our 3 legged bridge is called a tridge.)

Loving my calligraphy pen to sketch and a light wash of watercolors.

Helga FLower workshop day 1

Wow, what a week ... 4 days of watercolor from 9 to 4.  On day one we did flowers from a bouquet; first one drawn in ink, then painted then add the background.

 I love how it turned out.

Second one we learned the drip vase, and eliminated outlines.

I gotta say, I am very tempted to go in and add some harder edges to my flowers with a drawing pen.