Portraits are coming along.

I was pleased so far with my progress on portraits.  Mark introducted me to a new color (to me) and it is great, almost like a burnt sienna but not as brown.  I have another session in the morning with the model and I can practice with this new color.

I sketched on the big "George the Bartender" painting (about 5 feet high) and will work on that a little tonight to get some blocking-in done to see if the design will work out.  It's on my to-do list for this year so I'm determined to get it done. 

Afraid of the dark!

It's true.  Regarding portrait work, I've been over correcting, not putting the darks into my "faces" because I used to be too dark and it took me a while to lighten up.  Now the reverse is true.  We are always making adjustments to keep on course, or is it 2 steps forward and one step back?  I guess that's why we are so happy when we have a really good day and feel like we actually got somewhere.

I heard some nice comments about my painting at the North Shore Art Association's current show, nice nice nice!  Maybe on Sunday I'll take a ride over to see the show.

Paintings

I guess I didn't say much about painting in my last post.  I finished the Carol's Market Day little 6x6" painting but haven't posted it, and I did a portrait that I liked at the Haverhill Portrait Group at the church in Bradford, and I'm working on a portrait of John Kane which is one of the things on my to-do list for this year.  I want to say thanks to Susan Manning O'Briant for recommending Mark to me. 

100 things a day

That's the way it feels these days, way too much going on.  The days are flying by, as usual, but somehow, maybe its the wonderful weather, a lot is getting done--I just don't get around to posting it here.  Sorry.

I've been painting portrait work and getting help with Mark Hayden.  I have a little break from teaching art because my student had an operation.  I'm meeting with a new student today who is joining the 1st phase of my program.  Teaching skating lessons is coming along, we drew the qualifications for this years regionals on the 1st of May but his is the first year in a decade at least that I don't have anyone skating official events.  We may have a new senior skater from Maine.  Gardening has taken my focus this past week or more and it looks like at least another week might get things in some kind of good shape.  Along with the usual reading of art books and magazines, etc., I've read a few fiction books (not art) and it feels like cheating.  I guess my brain needed a little change of pace.

I reached a point with computing and making new web pages where I was NEAR finished and then got sidetracked, so nothing to report there.  Here is a new site where you can play with photos and make some very interesting things:  http://ipicey.com/
Make a photo collage, calendar, and other things.

It feels good to be strong and physically active which is partly to blame on the weather and I'm walking, gardening, and just enjoying being outside again.