Dec 26,2010

Anita the Artist
Thrilled to pieces got a nice big easel for Christmas that will easily hold a 6 ft x 4 ft canvas. I have struggled to paint large canvases on a small frail metal easel -held together with safety pins... for a several years now and am so excited that I won't have to struggle as much..The only thing is that if I need to work on a canvas vertically instead of horizontally.. I will have to move my easel I guess to the den or my bedroom where there are vaulted ceilings..
I finished my Christmas oil portrait of my parents.. I sent it to them via my nephew who is living with us. He wetn back home but we stayed here.It was on a lined canvas.. life size faces.
I learned a lot about myself as I painted..I used a photo that captured a moment of laughter between my parents.. I think it was my fear that my mom wouldn't like a painting that didn't show her in a "normal" perfect,posed position kept me from painting it like I wanted to.. It's strange ,the depection of a quick laugh between my parents rests on her face croooked into her chest with a huge grin tucked to the side..
When I first started the painting.. I had it just like the photo but it was hard to tell if she was laughing or crying.. I wish I had kept it that way..
I sstrive to let paintings come alive to be who they want to be.. I reworked her smile 7 or 8 times.. I was fighting myself.. I should have kept the flow going.. kept myself out of the equasion and it would have come together quicker and easier sooner.
I was able to capture the essence of my dad and even make changes .eyes open instead of shut with no problem..
I will post a photo of it later.. Maybe.. I don't feel that it is finished the way it should be.

Anita the Art Teacher
I posted a pic on facebook of one of my students who used a photo to do a painting for a pressent for her son. It was fun to watch her progress. It was of a neon sign that reads"Blue Skies ahead". I really enjoyed the time with her ..Sharing my expertise on mixing colors , checking the sizes of her shapes ..experienced observatiosn that saved her time and mistakes that would need to be reworked.It helps to have a more experienced artist help you.
http://http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1822583&l=2f0b2d61c6&id=1045939112
Teachers need to be students as well.

Anita the Student
I am very excited about the opportunity I will have to advance my sculpture skills. I was the winning bidder on my lessons at Cherry Lion Sculpture Studio../http://www.cherrylion.com/classflyer10.jpg

This should be a win /win for me in sculpture and in painting. I discovered in the late 80's that working with sculpture will improve your painting skills as well.. in showing 3D. I can't wait to see what happens.