The EEEEK!!! Factor

I was recently asked by a friend if I finish one painting completely before starting another - I told him that is exactly what I do; and normally that is true ... however, as the February 1st opening date of my show is fast approaching, and between now and then I'll be out of town for 8 days (EEEEK!!!) I have revised my modus operandi and have set up several painting stations around the house. Aside from painting in my studio, I now have works on the go in the living room, kitchen, front entrance, and TV room and the household is in chaotic turmoil - my ever supportive husband does the cooking, dust bunnies are piling up in every corner, I am severely sleep deprived, and I haven't gone anywhere for the last 10 days that required me to step out of my slippers and paint splattered shirt. I could go on with this blabbering, but I've got work to do! Wish me luck and continued energy.

On the easel today

This is another work in progress for my upcoming show. I'm using acrylic paint on wood panel - I love the way texture from the grain in the wood reveals itself in the painting, even after 2-3 coats of Gesso and multiple layers of paint. The blobby shapes in the foreground will become an 'ecluse' (loch keeper's station) and a boat in a loch.

Illustration Friday - BUZZ

I didn't think I'd submit to Illustration Friday this week because I'm too "buzz"y painting canvases for my upcoming Villages of the South of France show, however, when my husband peeked in my studio and saw the underpainting of this work on my easel he asked me if I was painting a beehive. I realized this particular village is shaped like a bee skep, and as I continued working on it I thought a small village like this would be a-buzz with activity and gossip. So here it is, 95% finished, my contribution to Illustration Friday. PS - for a nanosecond I thought of adding a bee to the sunflower but decided that would be far to corny for words.

Another work in progress

acrylic paint on wood panel

From the Midi Canal/South of France series

The first finished painting of 2007

From the Midi Canal/South of France series

Back to the easel

Now that all the Christmas chocolates in the house have been eaten, I'm re-focusing my attention to preparations for my upcoming show: Villages of the South of France. The paintings in this series are not necessarily portraits of the villages I visited a few months ago, but rather are impressions of the church-centred scenes I saw over my glasses of wonderful local wines as we travelled the Midi Canal. Here's a mid-progress shot of a 23 3/4" x 17 3/4" x 3" exhibition canvas.