DAY 6, A Sketch a Day Keeps the Dullness Away

A sketch a day DOES keep the dullness away! So imagine how brilliant the day will be with 5 sketches in it, instead of just one. 

 This is usually a pretty dull time of year for lots of us.  For me, it can be especially hard to get creatively motivated when I can't be outdoors, and when the daylight hours are so bloody short.  So THANK YOU ALL for participating in this challenge, I love watching all of your progress and have been enjoying the dialog on the FB page.  It's keeping me out of  that dreaded winter funk. 

 If you're one of us who crawls into a winter cave, come on out and play for awhile.

Today's challenge is very similar to yesterday's challenge

5 sketches, 5 minutes each, 5 photos

Give 5 Virtual High-Fives and do 5 dance moves when you finish, 

and then you will have exercised, too.

Again, please complete these using your sifter, a business card, and your fingers.

To change things up you can use other body parts if you like, but I wouldn't recommend it!  

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 I'd like to see more people's work showing up here on the blog... There are lots of people who aren't on Facebook that want to see your work too!  
I'm thinking that if we get at least 125 out of 400+participants to post their sketches for Day 6, HERE on this blog page,  I might have some 'incentives' coming around in the near future... I'm digging through my tool box....

Here is my 5 minute wintery guy.  It looks windy.  So windy he can't even open his eyes....Oops, he blew away.

'Another Yellow Rose' Alcohol Ink Painting for Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Painting Challenge

Add Your Link

Day 3, Some Fabulous things are Happening Here!

Wow. I am SO impressed with the photos everyone has been posting, both here and on the FB page.  I have a feeling that by the end of the month I might  be out of a job!

It takes courage to boldly display your artwork amongst others' work that you think is better than yours.  KEEP IT COMING!  Try your best to 'lose the fear of being wrong' that is putting doubt in your mind.  Your work is good enough, and you'll start to care less about comparing yourself to others as the days of our challenge progress.

I'd like to share some work by participants who are really pushing that concept of being resourceful that we talked about yesterday, you girls rock!

Charlotte Kay does not have frit.  She is using Trader Joe's sipping Chocolate and a flour sifter.

Charlyn Moellers is traveling and has tried flour, sugar, and has settled on using baking soda.  Charlyn, you have discovered why Bullseye's stiff black doesn't work well for sgraffito.  It behaves like a mix between flour and corn starch :)

I used dirt one time when I was supposed to demo at a show and forgot to bring frit...  If you want to make art,  you'll make art with whatever you have available.

Kudos to these ladies!
Here are their photos:

Charlyn Moellers is using baking soda

Charlotte Kay is using Trader Joe's
Sipping Chocolate

Day 3 Glass sgraffito sketch, 4"x6", Unfired.

Here are my entries for today, one glass sketch, one alcohol ink painting, and one photo of the piece I fired from yesterday.  Tomorrow's challenge is to keep using only the card and fingers for a few more days!  This time, try a landscape.

Day 3 of 30 in 30 Challenge 'Yellow Rose', Alcohol Ink $20 bid

Day 2 Glass Sgraffito Sketch (fired)
I added BE 301 Pink, 0137 Fr. Vanilla frits

Add your link

Day 2: Trees with Fingers and Business Cards

It's true.  The beginning is usually the hardest, especially when you're doing something new.  Today is Day 2 of the first ever 'Fused Glass Sgraffito Drawing 30 in 30 Challenge", and I want to say thanks to all of the artists who signed up to participate!   Getting started is difficult.  I've asked you all to jump out of your comfort zones not only in the way you work with glass, but also in respect to all of the 'techie' stuff like setting up a blog and uploading photos.  Trust me, while it is uncomfortable and frustrating now will pay off in the end.

'Trees with Fingers and Business Cards' sounds like a B horror flick doesn't it?  Ha.  I like it.

Today's challenge is to use glass powder to draw a tree or two with only the use of your fingers and a business card.  Everyone wants to break out all of their tools and get down to action already,  but let me explain why I'm challenging you to start this way...

People with nothing are usually the most resourceful.  When you have nothing it forces you to develop ways to do the things you want, without having the 'tool' you'd really like to have to get the job done.  If you need to pound a nail and don't have a hammer, you might find something else that will do the job.  A big rock, perhaps?  A brick?  My point is that if you have the hammer already, you don't have to be very resourceful; you just pound the nail with it and that's the end of it.  When you are forced to be resourceful, your brain makes connections that it wouldn't make if you were just running to your toolbox to get 'the thing that you use to do a thing'.

Tree with Fingers and Business Card.
I added some frit and will post the fired piece tomorrow.

We'll talk more about that later, but for the next few days please do your best to make yourselves stick with the fingers and a business card.  Make it work for you.  I promise that it will be frustrating, but also that you'll understand once you've done it.

I promised some firing schedules today... I'm going to post the schedules I'm using based on my particular kiln as well as the size glass I'm using, but please keep in mind that you may need to adapt for your kiln / glass if there is a big difference in your situation.  These are programs I have been successful with, but may not be 'the standard'.  More on that in a week or so.





Here are my pieces for today.  One for the glass challenge, and one for my painting challenge.  My glass piece is in the kiln right now, and tomorrow I will post the fired piece.

Firing Schedule for the tree above:  It is 4"x6", and I added a layer of black behind it to make it 2 standard sheets thick with small bits of frit on top of the powder.  I'm using Bullseye Glass. (90 coe)  Firing in a tabletop kiln with a 10' shelf, single side element, no top element.

300 DPH

1000F

Hold 10 min.

AFAP

1460F

Hold 10 min.

AFAP

900

Hold 35 min. 

End Program

*AFAP= As Fast As Possible, enter 9999 on most kilns when you program.

Best to you all, and thank you again for participating.  See you here tomorrow, Nanoo Nanoo :)

Add your link here

Happy New Year Everyone!

We've made it to another year!  Happy 2015 to all~

I love the 'freshness' that a new year brings.  I get excited when the hustle of the holidays ends and a bright, shiny new beginning to a whole year of possibilities lies before me...  Here's a little story:

Two years ago (as a New Year's resolution) I accepted a challenge to paint 30 small paintings in 30 days.  The challenge was offered by artist Leslie Saeta, and I was pressured by my painter friends to give it a try.  Here is a little background info... I did not care about oil painting.   In college I painted what I would describe as a 'whopping total of two complete failures' using oil paints, and I never wanted to use them again.  As an art major,  I thought I should automatically be good at painting, but I'm telling you that I mean it when I say 'complete failure'.  Fast forward an undisclosed number of years...  I gave in and decided to give it my best shot, even though I knew I would hate it.

The first week was torture.  I,  (being me, of course) chose the most difficult things I could think of to paint.  A yellow fire hydrant on a violet background.  lights and buildings reflecting on wet pavement.   bicycles. backhoes and orange barrels buried under piles of snow.  Those things interested me.  Painting apples did not. Strike one. (apples are easy) Trying to paint the subjects I wanted to paint with this peanut buttery disaster of a medium made me mad.  Strike two. (I got mad).  After the first 4 paintings...Strike three. (I quit).  I was so frustrated!

A few days later I 'un-quit'.  I was determined to finish my 30 paintings even if every one of them sucked, because I wanted to be a better painter.  In all, it took me 45 days to finish my 30 paintings. The timing doesn't matter.  What does matter is this:  The things I learned in that short time by experimenting on my own and forcing myself to practice amounted to so much more than I ever expected; and the speed at which I improved could not be matched by taking a painting class.

This year, I've invited glass friends to join me in a similar challenge.  We'll be working to complete 30 fused glass powder sgraffito sketches in 30 days.  Many do not have experience using glass powders, but have accepted the challenge feet-first.  I know they will improve by leaps and bounds over the next 30 days!  Surprisingly, there are currently 376 glass fanatics from 9 countries who have accepted the challenge as I write this.  It is going to be so cool to see everyone's work, and if we all complete the challenge, we will have created almost 11,000 works of art in just 30 days!

You can follow our progress each day here on my blog, and check out the artists' web pages and blogs by clicking on the photos they will be uploading each day.  Of course I'm doing the glass challenge, but I am also participating in the painting challenge once again, with alcohol ink paintings (call me crazy and maybe I'll break out the oils).

January 1, 2015 Challenge is to create a sketch using only glass powder and your fingers.  They're your best tools!

Glass Sgraffito Sketch Day One, fingers only!

Sunny Morning Aspens, Alcohol Ink Painting,  5x7
Start bid: $20

Artists: Upload your Day 1 sketches by clicking the 'add your link' button at the bottom left.  Choose a photo from your blog, Facebook, or instagram page, or upload one from your computer.  If you have trouble locating the image URL, try using CTRL+click on the image, then choose 'copy image address'.  This should give you the image URL. If you have problems, check the Facebook page for the Fused Glass Powder Sgraffito Drawing 30 in 30 Challenge.  Happy New Year!

An InLinkz Link-up

Water and Winter (and a chance to win each month for a year!)

Winter Water Tower, Chicago
Fused Glass Sgraffito 'Frit Painting'

For today, January 14, 2014~ 
This is a piece I've been working on over the past week.  It's out of the kiln for the third time, and I still haven't decided whether or not it's finished.  All artists struggle with this indecision, but when we each make the final approval of our work, we sign our name to the piece and call it 'finished'.

That's a problem, because the odd thing about glass sgraffito drawing is that it is necessary to sign your piece in the powdered glass before it ever goes into the kiln.  What? 

It does feel a little disconcerting to be signing a piece that's barely begun, but I think it's far more beautiful to sign it in the glass itself than to skid across it with a Dremel tool later.  

So what happens to the pieces that get signed and end up in the junk pile?  People seem to want to know... so here's the answer.  The signature gets smashed off, and the piece 'goes to pieces' to make better things :)
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Don't forget to add your comments for a chance to win one of my glass pendants every month for 2014!

Here is all you need to do:

Please tell me your pet peeves, complaints, and 

irritations surrounding the subject of WATER.

Enter your response  in the "Comments Box" at the end of the post. 

Then, on the right side of this post, click on either 

"follow by email" or "subscribe to posts"

Pretty simple, no?
You'll get one entry per unique response between now and next Sunday, 1/19 at midnight.

Be sure to tell any friends that subscribe to add your name to the end of their comment, because you'll get extra credit for their entry.

Best to you all, I can't wait to tell you about the project!!

Surprise in My Mailbox, and a Surprise in Yours!

An unexpected package arrived on my doorstep this morning, and if you lend me your input on a new project, one could arrive on yours next week too… read on~

My friend Ranae Atchison read of my 'melting dishtowels to the new stovetop' problems, and sent me these hand crocheted COTTON dishtowels, which won't melt when I do something stupid.  What a great surprise it was to receive something so sweet and without a bill attached to it!  
Ranae is a brilliantly talented sculptor, bead maker, silver designer… the list goes on… 

Check out her work here: Ranae Atchison, Artist 

I need your input!     Today's post is not about fused glass, or sgraffito, or painting… but I'll be back to the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge again tomorrow.  Today I'd like to give each of you an opportunity to receive a surprise package in the mail each month for 2014.  

I'm looking for some random input from random folks to help me with a project that is very meaningful.  I can't tell you the details yet, but if you're willing to help by giving me some opinions, I will put you into a drawing to win one of my glass pendants every month for an entire year.  I guarantee you'll be very glad to be a part of this when I tell you what it is!

I would like to move this project into full swing as soon as possible, and will draw the name on January 19, which is just one week and a few moments from right now.   Also, you will get an extra entry for anyone who you direct to my blog that leaves a comment to help with the project.  Doesn't that sound nice?

Here is all you need to do:

Enter your response  in the "Comments Box" at the end of the post.  

Then, on the right side of this post, click on either "follow by email", or "subscribe to posts"

Pretty simple, no?

You will get one entry per response between now and next Sunday, 1/19 at midnight.

Be sure to tell any friends that subscribe to add your name to the end of their comment so that you get credit for their entry as well.

Please refrain from duplicate responses.



HERE IS THE QUESTION:

Please tell me your pet peeves, complaints, and irritations surrounding the subject of WATER.

I will start.

I hate it when the shower water gets cold before I rinse my hair.

also,  I hate it when I step in water on the floor when I'm wearing socks.

READY??

Tell me what you think~  GO!

YEA!!! Thank you Ranae!!

Trees, Trees, Large and Small

Yellow Trees,  3x5, framed to 5x7
Fused Glass Sgraffito Sketch
Daily Paintworks Quick Auction, $40

Tiny Red Forest, 2.5x3.5, framed to 3.5x4.5
Fused Glass Sgraffito Sketch
Daily Paintworks Quick Auction $20

Here are few more Fused Glass Sgraffito  tree sketches to share~  I spent much of the past week working on color swatches and test samples.  New glass colors are always tempting me, and there are always new ones coming out. (Big thanks to Bullseye Glass Co. for that) Each new color I use requires some testing to see how each interacts with colors I'm familiar with, and how each works for the technique I'm using.  Today I have been working some trees with a special production 'Chalky Blue' glass. It's a larger frit painting that will require more than one firing, and won't be ready to share for a few more days.  The other one I'm working on is a Chicago themed piece featuring the famous Water Tower.  A little tricky to plan, and again, multiple firings, but I'm really excited to see how these fare in the kiln.

Here's a little sneak peek of the chalky blue forest...

Throwaways?

 Glass sgraffito sketch made with powdered black glass on white sheet glass

This is a photo of a demo sketch I did at an art show somewhere last show season. It's a 'throwaway' of sorts.  Because there is no way to melt the glass on site, it all gets dumped back in the jar or brushed away into the grass when it's time to go.  

People don't like it when I do that, for some reason.

Here is another sketch from a different show, only this time I forgot to bring the powdered glass to demo with.  Aye… and I was on the schedule at 1pm...

This sketch was made from dirt that I found along the riverbank.  Turns out, it works just like powdered glass. 

Can you keep it?  Nope.   Can you sell it?   Only if it's a cornflake that looks like the Virgin Mary. 

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The beauty in these 'throwaways' becomes my sketchbook.  The lessons they teach me while I'm sitting at shows with nothing to do can't be replaced, redone, or made better by keeping them in a physical sense.

I've learned not to get so attached to a piece that I forget to think about why I am creating it.

Blowing these sketches into the wind is very freeing.  I would recommend it to artists in all media.  Smash a pot, burn a painting, build a sandcastle, speak your heart into a dog's ear...You never lose, you only get better.

Another lesson I learned from dirt painting is that it's an excellent way to teach kids to draw.  Dry erase board + dirt + kid,  there is no end to what they can make.

Chameleons and Denim

Fused glass sgraffito painting, 9"x 12".  This piece is sold, but you can check out some others here

She's going into the kiln for the last firing tonight... finally!

Day 8 of 30 "Kiln glass frit paintings" in 30 days

I've been trying out some new color schemes lately, and it made me think about how much light really has to do with how they look.  If you look at each of these photos, they almost look like two different pieces.  Slight changes of color and lighting can really change the way we feel about something we see.  For example, I put on my daughter's denim shirt the other day when I forgot to  take a clean one in for my shower. I don't like wearing blue at all, but after fumbling with a towel and wet hair, I didn't really care what shirt I got out of the dryer.  Later that day I caught a glance at myself in the mirror…
 "Man, that doesn't even look like me", I thought when I saw the blue. Strange.

After pondering this for a bit, my mind landed on chameleons~ and that brings us to the new thing I've learned for today, January 8th.

    Everyone knows that chameleons can change their color to blend in with their surroundings, but did you know that they have the most complex eyes of all reptiles?  I didn't. Chameleons' eyes work independently of each other, allowing them to look at two different objects at the same time, adjusting the depth of field in each eye according to what they look at.  They can see 360 degrees around them at any time!  Pretty tricky to keep one eye watching out for predators from afar, and the other eye sharply honed in on someone's tuna sandwich.  I'm glad human eyes don't work like a chameleon's. Can you imagine driving like that? Or going on a date? or trying to make art? 

Here's a wink for you!  Stay warm friends~

Why is Everyone Throwing Hot Water?

Tiny Summer Garden Fused Glass Sgraffito , 2.5"x 3.5" Auction starts at $15

Today, January 6, is the coldest day on record in the past 150 years here.  In fact, the air outside is so cold, that many people have been outside trying this interesting experiment:  

Boil a pan of water. Take it outside, and throw the water up into the air. The water immediately turns into snow and blusters away. WOW!  That is really a cool trick!

It has been fun watching my 100+ lb. golden retriever swim through the drifts too, I can not imagine trying to go to the bathroom in a snowdrift that is waist deep.  Ha.  Even the squirrels seem to have that puzzled,"what the heck happened here?" look when they ran down the tree, disappeared in the snow, then did a quick 180º back to their nest...

I thought a tiny summer garden piece would be appropriate for my 30 in 30 entry for day 6.  I can look at it and think about flip-flops and skirts, and how the summer breeze will be back when it finishes warming the other half of the globe.  It is their turn, after all. Stay warm and happy friends!

Something Old (sort of), and Something New

"As Luck Would Have It", Kiln-formed glass panel.  Kelly Alge ©2013.

This is my entry for Day 2 of Leslie Saeta's '30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge' … I made this 3 months ago, so it isn't exactly old, but it is definitely not something new I suppose.  To truly be in the spirit of this challenge I should have made it today, but life got in the way and I didn't make anything art related.  (boooooo!)  I'll make up for it in the end.

Anyway, in keeping day 2 of my resolution to learn something new everyday, I can tell you that I've learned several new things today…

I learned how many sorts of sutures surgeons have to learn and what each kind is good for the thing you need to suture.  I read about all the different filaments that are used, which ones are strongest in certain situations, and I learned that some of the self-dissolving ones are made from catgut or beef tendons. Interesting.  The patterns and technical knowledge, along with years of practice develop the suturing skills of the physician until he or she can do them perfectly.  Kind of like art, isn't it?  

Two weeks ago today I had hand surgery to correct a tendon problem.  It's healing nicely, and my sutures were actually pretty interesting to look at. Very precisely done, and surprisingly not like any stitches I'd ever seen.  I was supposed to schedule a followup to have them taken out, but instead I got busy with the holidays and such.  Deciding to try to remove them myself,  I found my tiny scissors and tweezers. When I couldn't figure out where the snips should be,  I resorted to the internet.  How many things do you think go wrong when consulting the internet?  This time things went well and I wasn't "left in a stitch".  

Another important lesson from today… as a new user of a smooth cooktop stove, of course I've been freaking out about ruining it somehow.  After I made dinner I carefully squirted the polish on, then put my teakettle on the back burner to heat.  Wrong burner.  When I turned around I noticed that my polish was boiling and the water was not, so in a dash from the sink I instinctively tried to quickly wipe it off with one of my orange dishtowels.  UMMMM… I won't be buying anything but cotton dishtowels from here on out.  That's all for tonight.

Hello 2014, I've been waiting for you!

Welcome to the New Year 2014!

Last night I asked my kids what their New Year's Resolutions were this year.  Each of them replied,"I don't have any". One said it is impossible for her to be changed for the better, she likes herself as she is.    Another said "Why do we have to make resolutions? They're stupid!" followed by a third "I bet you don't have any, and does Daddy have to make some too?" The last one simply said "I'm not doing that".  Okaaay...

My 9 year old caved first and made her list of the requested 5 things she could do to improve herself in 2014.  Her "Revolutions" for 2014 included improving her school work, practicing basketball, and riding her bike every day in the summer.  My 17 yr old is going to write letters to her favorite singer and do 50 pushups each day.   I'm still waiting on the other two to come up with something before the night ends...

As for myself, there are many things I'd like to change for this next twirl of the world.  I'm definitely not doing pushups or trying to play basketball (I am nearly 6 ft. tall, can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, and I'm still happy:) 

Here are some things I'd like to get better at this time around… and a quote.

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.
Pablo Picasso

 
I'll make a concentrated effort to learn something new each day, and document it.

I'll look for the positive in every person in every situation, and remove myself from the negative.

I'll trust God over myself.

I'll spend more time listening to others.

I'll waste less time on things that aren't important.

For January 1st,  as silly as it seems,  I tried to make homemade tortilla chips with limited success.  I also learned how to take care of the orchid and bonsai tree I got for Christmas from my husband, and read all about how not to kill the poinsettia I have slowly strangled for the last two weeks.  Fertilizer in hand, I hope Jan. 2nd brings some perk in everyone.  I'm going to participate in Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days again this year, but instead of working in oil, I'll be "frit painting" with glass so I don't get behind in my regular art job.  I learned so much from participating in this challenge last year, I'm really happy to be able to do it again.  Best to all of you!  ~Kelly

30 in 30 Painting Challenge is Finished... aw man.

This is my last painting of the challenge, and now I don't think I'll be able to walk away from painting entirely.

Well Rats... The Challenge I thought would be horrible is finishing up tonight.  30 Paintings in 30 Days    sounded like an insane thing to do, and I was so mad and frustrated when I began!  How on earth has it happened that I really don't want to stop?  I've learned a lot in these 30 days, watching the others involved in this challenge post their work each day has given me a new 'puzzle' to think about.  I wish I could watch each one in progress as I try to pick apart the way the piece came to completion.  I found that although I really don't know what I'm doing at all, it is becoming part of my day and like my coffee, I'm not sure how I'll be without it.  Just going out there and trying has been a really hard thing for me, as I expect perfection before practice.   I have learned a lot of what not to do, and am slowly getting a grasp on what 'TO" do.  The practice is becoming less painful all the time.  Hopefully some of the others in the group will want to continue at a more decent pace and still keep posting beautiful things for me to look at, and provide me with that much needed 'kick in the butt'.  Maybe the winter will go by faster this year...

Money on Trees and an Accidental Lemon Yellow incident involving a Dog with a Cone

Ok today was just silly, but read on, it's a good laugh.

I started out painting on Day #24 with the knowledge that I only had about 2 hours to fool around with this 30 paintings in 30 days challenge and the rest of the day needed to be productive since I have a show this weekend.  I had one canvas board left, and of course it was an 11x14, so it was going to take longer than I wanted.  I decided on something simple.  Money plants.  

I like money plants.  I remember my parents growing them.  For months they looked like a pile of weeds, and when the whole summer had passed, we got to help peel the leaves off to reveal the shiny insides.  I was about 5 years old and completely convinced that if I were careful enough, perhaps there might be some real money inside one of them.  Why else would my parents plant such a thing and spend so much time on them?  Looking back, I remember hearing someone say "Money doesn't grow on trees" and I was so disappointed for my parents, who kept trying to grow it.  Ha!  Anyway, I had a nice time reminiscing and painting along, thinking "dang, these things are HARD to paint, why did I pick this anyway"  when suddenly the front door of my studio flies open....

Now, just a wee bit of background here.  I have a little compulsion for musical instruments, and need to sell a few of them.  Mainly, 3 trombones.  My husband's friend, the high school band director was coming over and my husband decided it would be good to drag these trombones into the studio to see if he could tell us what they were worth.  My studio is set up for working in glass, not oil painting. I have no place set aside for paintings to dry, and as the end of this challenge draws near I have a pile of wet paintings lying about wherever I can find a place.  There are paper towels covered in turpentine and wet paint right outside my door so as not to cause a fire inside.  I have palette paper covered in paint from the last painting lying on a low table, and my cello is standing in it's case right near the front door. There is no room for these trombones.

Fast forward...

Mr. Honse comes in the door, which means the cello has to quickly be moved and I warn him (too late) about all the wet paint rags he just stepped in and now it's all over his shoes.  Then WHAM here comes my overly protective golden retriever in his CONE to see who is in the studio.  Cone drags through the palette paper, grabs a nice glob of lemon yellow all over, and in a matter of a second this poor guy has bright yellow oil paint all over his black coat and black dress pants.... aye...

So here's to today's painting effort, to all dogs who have been banished to cones, and to band directors everywhere.  Love you Buddy:)

30 in 30 Challenge Update...

 YEA!! I am finally getting it!  Painting every day is getting to be more fun now... I wonder if I'll have trouble going back to glass next month when this challenge is finished? I joined Carol Marine's Daily Paintworks this week, & love looking at all the 'real painters' works on the site.

The Phoenix cafe in Benton Harbor, MI.  I am enjoying palette knives and trying to paint glass and shiny things. I like a lot of Leslie Saeta's knife paintings on her page, and I am going to try more of these.

Another wet street in progress.  I think I found a subject I like.

My Brother's Rescue Husky, I got this far and realized that I didn't have room for his nose and ears on my board!

Painting, Painting, Painting

Last night something finally clicked... I learned that I am supposed to wipe my brush clean after every stroke, and that oil paint is it's own bird.  I can't expect it to behave like watercolor or acrylic, and now I can understand how watercolor might be difficult for an oil painter.  Pressing on, I know I am behind, but I am looking at this challenge in a more excited state of mind.  Finally I can begin to grasp these little things that are helping me see what I am doing wrong so I can correct them... 

30 in 30 Painting Challenge is stinking HARD!!!

 So... This idea I had of joining Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 Days Challenge was crazier than I suspected.  I am finding out that although I am struggling, I am learning a lot.  Starting out in a new medium is always frustrating as you learn the 'ins and outs' of what works and what does not, and patience is elusive.  Of course, I know exactly what I want to do, and think I can make it happen, but my lack of experience and high expectations are at war with each other...

The painting on the left (the wiped out one) was supposed to be part of a payphone. It looked easy in the reference photo, but quickly ended up to be 'simply impossible'.  I was mad,  then I quit.

A few days later, I un-quit and decided to suck it up and try again.  On the left is the painting I did of the failure earlier in the week.  Really, no matter how bad my paintings get I am still learning, and my brain is thinking in wonderful ways that are causing me to be more attentive to things such as stacks of orange barrels and backhoes, and inattentive to important things like...driving.  I am going down the road thinking about the juxtaposition of everything around me... values, colors, textures, lines...  Wondering what colors would I mix to get that blue tone I see in the snow, and what order would I lay out the colors... UGHHHHHHH!  Everything is suddenly beautiful and interesting enough to stare too long...  I am no longer safe to drive or be out in public.

I will vow to finish my painting for today before midnight, which is a scene from a vacation photo my parents took while in Europe.  Even though my paintings keep getting screwier, I will finish this challenge if I have to paint 10 paintings on the last day.

Painting 30 in 30? But I'm not a painter..

Well the new year has brought some great resolutions for 2013, and some fun challenges too!

I like to try new media here and there to jump start my creative side and throw me into the 'uncomfort zone'.  This year I signed up for a painting challenge, 30 small oil paintings in 30 days.  Crazy!
There are hundreds of people doing this, can you imagine 300 people doing 30 paintings?  That's potentially 9,000 paintings in only one month!

I always jump right into this kind of craziness thinking "I'm gonna do it!"  and also that miraculously I will be good at it.  Well, I can tell you it is going to be a long month.  I am a glass artist, not a painter and it shows.  LOL

Day One.
My husband suggested I paint a fire hydrant.  I said that a fire hydrant would be nice, but it would mean nothing to me.  He said "It would if you were on fire".  He is right, so here it is.

Day Two.
Learning about dealing with globs of paint and wet city streets.  

Check out some of the other artists' work at Leslie Saeta's blog:  http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com.  This is the main site for the challenge, and we all admire her amazing paintings.

So far I've worked on 2 paintings, neither of them are great, and I am kind of disgusted at my lack of ability to handle oil paint (somehow it is everywhere, on every surface possible, and it looks like it's not going to be drying anytime soon)   However, I am determined to complete the challenge, and learn something with each attempt.  Follow along and see what happens!