I painted again this morning at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and got a good block in and will go back next week to work on it again. Here is the finished painting from my November 25, post. This is the area that overlooks the Siamang Gibbon exhibit. I'm very happy with this one. Since there was a lot of green area in this composition, my goal was to pay attention to color temperature and value to have variety.
My Favorite Things Top Ten: Number 10
In the spirit of Oprah and fellow Hoosier, David Letterman, I thought I would do a “My Favorite Things, Top Ten List,” this holiday season, all art related of course! Maybe you could add these things to your Christmas list or give to artist friends or loved ones! Let me know if these are your favorites too in the comment list or if you are anxious try something out yourself. So let the list begin…
The Aquarellable Stabilo Pencil # 8046
I love this pencil for life drawing. I was partial to just the black Prismacolor pencil, but the beauty of this one is, I can go over and melt it with water to create value and washes. It comes in other colors too as well as graphite, but I prefer the black.
I don't always use water, this is just straight pencil no water. I just the waxiness of it to get really light and then really dark marks.
Randy Higbee 6 Inch Squared Show
Price Includes Shipping
Limited Edition Archival Giclée Print Signed and Numbered, Edition of 300
Original painting is SOLD.
Image Size: 6” x 6,” (15 cm x 15 cm)
I'm so happy that I will have work again in The Randy Higbee Gallery for the annual Six Inch Squared Show. This is a highlight of the year for many in Southern California! I have many friends in the show and am honored to be in such good company! If you are in the area the show opens, with the Gala Reception on December 3, from 6-9 pm. The show will be up the month of December and a bit into the first of the year.
Randy Higbee Gallery
102 Kalmus Drive. Costa Mesa. Ca. 9262
Plein Air Friday: More from Disney's Animal Kingdom
I apologize to my loyal blog followers! I haven't been very active on here lately. I have a full plate of teaching workshops, private students, demos, shows, painting for upcoming shows, and a kitchen remodel that is still in the works! Therefore, I've been limiting my time on social media and writing blog posts. I'm looking forward to things slowing down over the holidays. This morning my husband and I went back out to Animal Kingdom to paint. I had started this one in an earlier session, and finished it today. We have a little less than a 2 hour window to paint each time.
I like how Violet is patting my shadow shoulder.
I had the Saimang Monkeys that are native to Southeast Asia keeping me company today. Since the weather has cooled off a bit they are a lot more active. Violet and Veruka are five-year old twin sisters.
Plein Air Friday, Disney's Animal Kingdom
The group I have been painting with at Epcot on Fridays has now moved to Animal Kingdom. We are so psyched! I was on the design team for this park and have loved it from day one. We traveled to many places in Asia during the concept and design phase and spending time in the Asia area of Animal Kingdom brings back so many great memories.
One of my favorite things about plein air painting is the ambiance surrounding you. At the location today, I thought I would share with you some of my surroundings. Just behind where I was painting was the home of the White Cheeked Gibbons. One of the females just had a baby, and here is a video of her with her mom and a few of the males. The female is a brown color and the males are dark. The baby's name is Harper named after Harper Lee.
Every morning around 8:00 they start this ritual where they screech, or sing if you will, to mark their territory. It is an unbelievable sound and the first time you hear it you think they are electronic sirens or alarms! Here is a sound snippet of their songs! Stick with it they really get going about half way through this one minute audio.
Plein Air Friday, The Historic Windermere School House
Price Includes Shipping
Limited Edition Archival Giclée Print Signed and Numbered, Edition of 300
Original Painting is SOLD.
Regular Size:
Image Size: 10" x 14", 25.4 cm x 35.5 cm
Paper Size: 16" x 20" , 40.6 cm x 51 cm
Small Size:
Image Size: 7" x 5,” (17 .7 cm x 12.7 cm)
Paper Size: 10” x 8,” (25.4 cm x 20.3 cm)
I was planning on painting plein air at Disney's Animal Kingdom today but the weather put a kibosh on that! Hurricane Matthew is howling outside as I'm posting this. I feel extremely blessed, It doesn't seem to be as bad here as what was predicted yesterday but the coasts are getting the worst of it. I hope all my friends on the coasts are weathering the storm OK. Everybody stay safe!!
This is a plein air piece I started a few weeks ago and put the finishing touches on in the studio, I'm really happy with the light quality and contrast on this one. I feel it has good lights and darks. It's kind of tricky painting a white structure and maintaining a nice value plan.
My workshop, "Photoshop as a Tool for Artists," is coming up at the Winter Garden Art Association/SoBo Gallery, on October 20. This is a one day workshop to help artists learn all the different ways they can use Photoshop for their artwork, to marketing to entering shows.
Plein Air Friday, Lake Butler Boat Houses
I have a work in progress painting from my outing today. I went across Lake Butler to the other side from my community and started a painting of the boat houses. I was in a relaxing mood this morning and took my time. I will go back to the same location to finish it another day. This is about 2 hours scoping location, drawing and painting.
I was anxious to try my new toys I got at the Florida Watercolor Society Convention & Trade Show last week. I've always wanted a travel brush set. At some point, I will condense my kit even more to have a small one that just fits in my purse, I can use on occasion, instead of carrying a separate bag. They just happen to be the same brush type I use all the time plein air painting. I love the Escoda Perla series. In addition to the #14, I now have a #10, #6 and a #2, in the travel kit! The extra bonus is I can use them in the studio too! The smaller brush came in really handy on the spanish moss. It doesn't show up very well in the photo, they came in a black leather case.
I also bought a #16 Escoda Versatil. I had a #14 and found it to be a bit small for what I wanted. This is a synthetic sable brush. I like to have a bigger sable like brush to lay in large washes and skies. This worked out really well!!
To quote Tom Haverford on the TV series, Parks & Recreation, "Treat yo-self!"
Plein Air Friday, Japan Yakitori House
I went out plein air painting this friday and last, in the community of Windermere, where I live and got a couple of good starts. I will finish them on site or in the studio. Why didn't I finish on site? Last week it was still pretty hot and as the sun shifted onto me, with sweat dripping on my work, it was time to call it quits. Today, I brought the umbrella, and had a great shady peaceful spot, until about a dozen kids that are home schooled came to the adjacent park for recess! It became super hard to focus. Oh well, they were having a great time!
The top photo is one I did earlier this summer when the Flower & Garden Festival was on at Epcot. Every year, local residents loan their gorgeous bonsai, for the festival. Some are more than twenty years old! I always enjoy seeing them every year!
As Third Vice President for the Florida Watercolor Society, I will be at the annual convention all next week. However, I still get to paint plein air one day. I will be doing a one day plein air workshop with Steve Rogers! I can't wait! I am also the Social Media Chair for FWS. If you would like to see what goes on at the annual convention like the FWS Facebook page here.
Plein Air Friday, "Japan Cascade"
Staying inside today while hurricane Hermine passes through Florida. The west coast and panhandle are getting it way worse than we are in central Florida. Everybody be safe! I thought I would post a plein air sketch I did earlier this summer at Epcot. This one is in the Japan Pavilion. I loved painting all the different color temperatures in the rocks. Plus, I also really like doing long vertical formats in my sketchbook.
New Work: "Gone But Not Forgetten"
I have had such a crazy busy summer, I have been neglecting the ole blog a bit. Thought I would check in and post a new painting! This is a big departure from my normal work. My goal was to try a new technique and push myself to do something different. The process was so much fun on this one!
This painting is going to be featured in the City Hall of Winter Garden, Florida for a show featuring citrus, since this whole area where I live in Central Florida was a mecca for the citrus industry. The show will be up from Sept. 12 through October.
When I moved to the area where I live, 17 years ago. It was very rural and we were a tiny neighborhood tucked in orange groves. When the trees blossomed in the early spring the smell was intoxicating! I would always drive with my car windows down and just smell! I always looked forward to that time of year.
Well things have changed. All the groves have become housing complexes, shopping centers and high schools. I guess you can't stop progress or population growth, at least our county commissioners can't because you are hard pressed to find a grove anymore. This painting is an homage to those times I remember enjoying living around orange groves, hence the title, "Gone But Not Forgotten." The metallic gold background symbolizes the reverence I feel for those former groves and trees.