Painting Day!

I had a wonderful opportunity to go with a friend and paint with the Plein Aire group we joined at the museum. I had a wonderful time just meeting other artists and visiting with Marta. I wasn't too thrilled with my work today, I don't know what it is. I just hate those days that nothing gels and I feel so untalented. I think a big challenge when you paint plein aire is deciding on subject matter and getting a composition that works. I will post my painting tommorrow I am sharing a few photos now! They turned out much better. The house where we painted had some livestock and a huge racoon that was napping in a big pine tree shading the horse corral. The house sat on the foothills and offered a great vista view of Riverside. I hope to be able to go out with them more often, I love painting outside!

I forgot to post my Valentines Day photos

I have always loved to gather everyone together at Valentines Day. When the kids were little we would have a big dinner and decorate the table and give each other Valentines. As they got older, we started getting gifts and reminding each other that no matter what we were going through we loved each other. The kids grew up and our family has now grown to include son and daughter in laws and grandkids. I still do the big dinner, gifts and remind each one how much I love them. I know it sounds mushy and goofy but its more important now, since Jenn was so critically injured to make sure I say it loudly. Randy and I often try to do something special together too but it is often on an off day. Saturday night, before Valentines Day, our church had a dinner dance, we went and invited friends, one of my daughters and her husband and took Jennifer. She wanted so much to dance so we put on her leg and wheeled her over to the dance floor where we stood her up and Randy danced 3 dances with her. She loved it and after he was finished he was completely drenched from keeping her standing for all three songs! The night of Valentines I made dinner and had the rest of our family over, I am posting pictures of the dance and the table at dinner. I hope your Valentines dinner was as great as ours, don't forget to take the time to love them.

Some Pictures for those who would like to paint with me

Hi everyone, I have loved hearing from everyone, wow, I really appreciate the comments. I am playing again tonight with some looser paintings, I thought I would post some pictures so you can all join me for "Magnolia February". Sorry the backgrounds arent great but these are blooming up against my house. Hope you guys get some sunshine soon where its so cold, I don't know how you all do it!

Randy Magnolia's are blooming

I just love magnolia's, I have several varieties and right now the "Randy" magnolias are just starting to bloom. They are a unreal color of pink and fushia, they almost seem to glow. Their stem growth and blooms have such an Asian feel to them, simple lines that burst forth in pure color. I want to paint several versions and I want try and loosen up with a much wetter style. I have this habit of starting out loose and tightening up!LOL I will post more, I hope to get comments on the different methods I use, I will post some pictures too just in case someone wants to join me. Maybe I should call it Magnolia February, its funny because I bought these two magnolia's just because they were called "Randy" and that is my husbands name, with his birthday on the 27th it only seems appropriate we dedicate the month to his magnolia's.

A new avenue

I have wanted to join the Riverside Art Museum and get more involved with artists in my area for so long. I recently found out that there was a plein aire group that meets there and is very involved with the museum and has shows etc, so I joined. I am so excited, not only to paint and visit with local artist but to see more of the city and surrounding areas where I live. It looks like it is going to open some new doors and hopefully it will be something I can do more often. I had been driving to either San diego or LA to meet up with other artist, now they are in my own backyard.

Randy took me to one of the first meetings and they were having a local painter give a watercolor demo, right up my alley, it was great, we loved it. They also served wine and finger foods. I can't wait to see whats next!