"Zoe's Giraffe" © Saundra Lane Galloway

 

 "Zoe's Giraffe"

6x6" oil on textured cradled panel

As it turns out my trip to the zoo yesterday so inspired me to finish "Zoe's Giraffe"!!  I heard that Zoe's nursery was going to have some giraffe things and was to be a green, orange purply kind of color scheme...so...this wonderfully fun little baby giraffe worked great as a fauvist painting! 

I am having fun playing with underpainting... so I gave what I knew the background's green color to be a red underpainting to give it a little more depth...and the baby giraffe had an orangy underpainting that I did allow to peek through a bit here and there...if you look closely!  I'm still playing with underpainting, and I find that I tend to cover it up more than I plan to......sigh.  Learn...learn...learn Saundra!! :)

SO...before I could finish little Zoe's Giraffe I found that I had beat my brushes to DEATH so had to go get some more...SOOOOO...all you oil painters out there...remind this acrylic painter the BEST way to handle the care and love of the oil painters brush PULEASE!! I sure would appreciate it!!

When the week is up I will be back in the classroom as Spring Break will be over...So, I want to begin a painting challenge for any or ALL of my followers!  (HINT:  if you want to participate and aren't a follower...just begin to follow!! :)) The challenge will go as previous challenges on this blog have gone...It is as follows:  Take a photo or photos...that I post and paint it...e-mail me (art4life44@hotmail.com) the finished piece and I will put your name into a drawing.  The winner will get to choose from our contest choices that are seen on the sidebar of this blog!  That is all there is to it!!  This challenge will be over on April 30!  We will do a different challenge for the month of May.

The FIRST set of photos you can choose from are in yesterday's post...yep...the Zoo pics.  You can choose any you wish...IF you do more than one painting for this challenge I will put your name in that many times!! YEA...So...on your mark, get set...GO!! 

HAPPY CREATING!!

A SURPRISE day at the ZOO!! YIPPEE!!

 Today my husband surprised me with a trip to the zoo!!  It was 78 degrees so off we went!  FUN stuff...ALTHOUGH...pretty early on I began to see a theme with the animals...hmmm...sort of got tickled, but it seemed so many of them did not want to be photographed...even did not want to recognize the 10,000 people who also had the same idea!!  Thought you would get a kick out of my day at the zoo...well...what I saw of it! HA  ENJOY!!

OK...there WERE a few face shots...but it took awhile...begins with the bird that kept giving me the evil eye...

I told my husband that I wanted a hammock after watching this guy lazing around...LOOK AT THAT FACE!!

Yes...they look cute from afar don't they!!  Yep...but walk into one coming out your back door and it feels more like this.....

Yep...more like that!!

The elephants really had their EYE on me I tell you!!

At least the lions were a little more generous with their face time...

And, the tigers...:)

What a cutie!!

Who could resist THAT face!!

But..after a few hours I was pooped and we still had the mile walk back to the car...NO JOKE!!  So, I feel a little like this girl (the zookeeper said)...so off for a nap and back to painting tomorrow!!  PS...feel free to use any of these photos you want just show me what you did!! :)  HAPPY CREATING!!

Grey Sweater Remix

Sunday was my crash day.  I don't often know if or when I'm going to...until it happens...Just needed to stop and rest and recollect.  It felt AWESOME!  But, Monday brought me back to work.  This is day one of Spring Break, so even though I only taught two days...I am glad for this break!

I walked in to my studio yesterday after church and wham...noticed that my little red bird looked like he had no eyes!  Don't know why I didn't see it before...so I gave him eyes...whew!  Now he can see!

Beautiful colors on the snow this morning as the sun rose and scattered some pink about!!

I also had time today to "finish" my grey sweater remix.  I combined two sweaters on this one...I cut the line to make it totally different, and I added a bit of bling (though not shiny...) to the top...This happened to be an old earring that is leather or some such stuff...and I cut a disc of sweater to back it and bring a bit of the second sweater up top to help the whole composition.

My dear husband took my pic, but I specifically said no face in these!!  You know how it is girls...some days the face is TIRED! HA

Next on my plate is to play more with my sunflowers and to paint a delightful little giraffe baby face for the teacher friend for whom I'm taking over...or, more accurately for little miss Zoe...What a change you will see from sweater to bright colors in Zoe's giraffe for tomorrow!  FUN!

For those of you who were wondering...the story as of today on my wonderful friends who have had such trouble!  As we left off last time...Mrs. Friend had breast cancer and was due to have surgery on a Wednesday.  WELL...the Friday before during a blizzard they were in an awful car accident and Mr. Friend was critically injured.  He had 9 broken ribs and a collapsed lung.  The concern was for his heart as well, as it isn't his top piece of equipment anymore...So...Mr. Friend is in ICU at a local hospital...NOT the one Mrs. Friend will have her surgery in...THEN...their Son came in to be with them...He blacked out while visiting his dad, hit his head and was ALSO admitted to dad's hospital...he had lost his sight...They did tests...couldn't find the problem, but he regained his sight and is now on his way back home...SOOOO Mrs. Friend had her surgery and is recovering at home...radiation and all of that to come...Mr. Friend only JUST got out of ICU today and is in a room of his own and waiting to see how he improves...WHEW!  Do any of you feel lucky right now!!  I sure do...Thanks for your continued prayers and thoughts...I DO pass them along!!

So, this brings us to now...where I am typing and getting ready to sketch...HAPPY HAPPY CREATING TO YOU ALL!!

"Red Bird" © Saundra Lane Galloway

"Red Bird"

4x4"  Oil on 1/2" wide Fiberboard Panel

Slots on back for hanging

Stained on sides for sitting...:)

The last couple of days have been pretty busy with school AND trying to paint.  I knew the first few days back subbing full time would be a bit hectic as I'm trying to come in right in the middle of projects and pick up with the permanent teacher's brain!  The kids are great, but it is still an adjustment for us all!  I'm happy to report the baby DID come and mother and Zoe are doing excellent!!

I did have a few minutes at lunch to paint this little red bird that I snapped a couple of summers ago while sitting in my mother's beautiful back yard.  I've always thought this little one was so pretty.  He was puffed up as he was trying to catch a bath in the sprinkler that was hitting the tree.  Such a sweetie!  I put this in MY ETSY store, but it is also available as a contest choice as long as it stays available. 

So, I'm now off to re-mix some clothing for school...the grey sweater I posted a little bit ago is first on the list...

Spring Break is next week, so I already have a break to paint and play!!

HAPPY SATURDAY CREATING!!

"Sunflower Lines" © Saundra Lane Galloway

 

 "Sunflower Lines" 

12x6" cradled panel

Acrylic and paper cast from newspaper with vintage buttons

Available in the EYE CANDY section of my WEBSITE.

I finished "Sunflower Lines" today.  I added a few lines of sunflower to the top to complete the composition.  This simple piece turned out to be a fun one.  I added beads to the center to just bring a little bling to the focus area.

I then began to work with the raw newspaper sunflowers...playing with different applications and possibilities.  I enjoy the blackbirds stamped to the surface, and found more vintage buttons to give the centers a little different application.  HOWEVER, as I suspected, when adding the wax the newspaper darkened and therefore no longer worked on the dark, rather realistic background I had painted, so it is back to the drawing board for how I may apply them to a support.  I believe I COULD have sealed the raw newspaper with spray sealer and it may not have darkened the paper...but to be sure I will need to make more and experiment again.  Sometimes all the experimenting makes for a long day, but in the end to be able to understand what different applications will do to the surface will be worthwhile!  PATIENCE I keep chanting to myself.

Still not sure what I will do with these, if anything...The value in this was the lesson learned!!

We had almost 2' again yesterday with the latest storm...that makes over 44" for the last week in snow!  When it needs to be shoveled it is exhausting along with beautiful! Schools in the area were cancelled so I was home today working in my "lab".  Not a bad day after all!

HAPPY CREATING!

BITS, PIECES, and PARTS

 Playing with sunflower possibilities...

The last couple of days have been ones of experimentation and exploration.  I've made the recycled, GREEN sunflowers out of newspapers...NOW what am I going to do with them???  That is FUN stuff for me...to play, to experiment with things...see what happens when I do this or that...Thus the bits and pieces and parts of things today.

As you can see I'm working on a couple of different things all at once...trying out my creative wings so to speak. 

I began by painting a fairly "realistic" rendition of a background in which to place my sunflowers, but was stopped...at war with myself.  On one hand it would be cool to insert my newspaper sunflower babies into this scene...BUT warring with myself as I didn't want to "faithfully interpret" the sunflowers with the strokes and colors to make them LOOK LIKE THEY WERE PAINTED IN..If I were to do that, just why not paint them...I AM MORE INTRIGUED with the thought of working with the wonderfulness of the newspaper...but WHAT to do...?  That is the place where I stop and look like I am just staring into space.  It reminds me of that new sitcom out now called The Big Bang Theory.  There was an episode where Sheldon was working "with" Rash and they were "working"...in reality they were just standing there, laying there...for HOURS looking like they were just staring...but they were really figuring, planning, solving...etc...I JUST LOVE THAT SHOW!!  Anyway...a bunch of staring has been going on these past two days...

hmmm...blackbird stamping...hmmm...

I will explore some more...I may paint out the "realistic" background and do something totally different in order to nurture my fascination with keeping some of these sunflowers as natural as possible.

The one that I've sort of painted I am playing with beads and such over a background that will accept some faint stamps of "blackbirds on a branch"(look closely to the topish left) , some stamping, and even perhaps some phrase of partial phrase...something about sunflowers being some sort of sun coming from the earth, or some such phrase...hmmm...thinking, staring...planning!  Somehow I feel this will become encased in wax...

So, thanks for letting me "stare" at you today...Let's see what happens after I drive down in a blizzard tomorrow to sub so my teacher friend can go to her baby doctor appointment, drive home in a blizzard and then hopefully work some more rather than fall into bed only to "stare" some more...mainly because I will have exhausted my brain just trying to get home! HA

Happy Creating to you all!!  I wish you were all here with me so we could "stare" and brainstorm and experiment together!!

Playing Around with Composition

 I have several supports for possible finished works...I LOVE that they are all different..

one 10x8" 1 1/2" gallery wrap canvas

one 6x 12" cradled panel

one 8x16" 1" gallery wrap canvas

and one 12x12" cradled wood panel

The past couple of days I've been in the lab making sunflower paper casts out of newspaper.  Two things have come up in the past day or so that have put me back in the lab.  First, the book that Arnold Grummer is writing...As they are getting to the preparation for sending it to the editor stage I have learned that since it will be called "Trash into Treasure" the focus is on GREEN!  It will be coming out on earth day 2011...great marketing strategy I suppose!!  SOOOO...I've been brainstorming with the Grummers on how we can use my methods and create the greenest work possible for those who would like to do these type projects (not to the same level as mine as they said...) with the greenest materials possible.  That means recycling, that means other materials...THUS the newspaper casts.  I like the way the sunflowers came out, so on to step two...how to present them in the best way possible...:)  RIGHT UP MY ALLEY!!  Second, a new show that will accept recycled work...again...THUS THE NEWSPAPER SUNFLOWERS!  SO, for me to take care of two issues with one project makes me HAPPY!! FUN STUFF!!

Today I am playing with composition for my wonderful little sunflower babies...I like different things about each...I have enough sunflowers and a blackbird or two for more than one piece... So far I've come up with three possibilities...probably more before the day is out...My limitation is that I must create work that has a finished edge to it as there is no time for ordering frames...Again, FUN STUFF!!

 #1:  8x16" 1" gallery wrap canvas...a fun idea with part of the one sunflower cut off ...hmmm...liking this one!!

 #2:  12x12" cradled wood panel...this could work as well!!

This could be a nice and simple companion to the other one...only I think I'd place the flower a little higher...add a stem...:)

I think I would have gotten further today except for the fact that some dear friends of ours...more like second parents were in a terrible accident.  Ben had 9 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung so we were off to the hospital to see him and make sure he was going to be OK.  Those darn snows...and they live in Evergreen...they just got plowed into! WHEW...glad he's going to make it, but his lung collapsed again while we were visiting so he isn't out of the woods YET.  His dear wife, Doneva is scheduled to have surgery on Wednesday for breast cancer...so these dear people need any prayers and well wishes that any of you out there are willing to give!!  Can you imagine...facing a scary surgery in one hospital with your husband in ICU at another hospital!!  Kinda makes one feel blessed with their daily small annoyances doesn't it!!  I'm sure anyone who reads this will be pulling for Ben and Doneva...the two second best parent like people I know!!  Hang in there you two!!

For the rest of you out there...HAPPY SUNDAY CREATING!!

"Cow"© Saundra Lane Galloway...and "Red Grapes"© Saundra Lane Galloway

 "Red Grapes" © Saundra Lane Galloway

4x4" oil on fiberboard panel

OK...We've got over a foot of snow right now! WHEW!!  The bad thing is we have drifts several feet high blocking our garage, so I'm HOME for awhile...the GOOD thing is I've been home to work on some projects! 

"Red Grapes" just had to come out because I think they were jealous of the pears in my series of three...so...this 4x4 is what came.  As always this is one of our contest choices, but I've also begun offering them in MY ETSY shop for those who want to shop for a variety of things...and NOW I've begun to put them on my website in the MINI'S section...so several places!! YIPPEE!!

I'm happy to report that "California Sunset" and "Bearly There" have found homes so will no longer be available for sale....

 "Cow" © Saundra Lane Galloway

6x6" oil on gallery wrap canvas

 (Photo a little glareish due to the indoor light...will be offered on my website when I have a day for a better photo!!)

I played with my "Cow" and moved his eye to a better position as well as helped his old head out...looked like the pic but it made me think he had a goiter or something...So, cow will be put to live on my website in coming days...It was a fun experience at the workshop yesterday...I heartily recommend that if you can take a workshop here or there...it's wonderful camaraderie as well as great practice and never a bad thing to learn something new!!

My Workshop Cow

 "Workshop Cow" needing some fixin!

Today started out crazy!!  And, then I coasted into a gas station out of gas...fueled up just in the NICK of time and got to my Jean Barban Oil Workshop and had a joyful afternoon learning about light and shadow in oil paintings.  Talk about FUN...Jean is a wonderful oil artist that I admire so I felt really lucky to have a few hours trying to soak up her methods and learn a bit more about this strange and wonderful medium of oil!  I LOVED IT!!

 Workshop cow blocked in with shadow and light...the PROCESS...

Jean had some resource materials for us and I picked this cow that was mostly in shadow.  I brought a little 6x6 gallery wrap canvas and with some instruction jumped right in!!  Jean works using Quang Ho's methods which was wonderful since he does not teach any longer...                                                                                                          

 Jean was so patient with us!!

It was a different approach than what I've been using so my cow is a little rough around the edges and despite what they told me I STILL think his left eye is a bit low! HA...So, I may play a bit with him tomorrow when I have a fresh perspective.  I have to tell you...soaking up knowledge, watching demos (here she is doing a demo and helping a fellow workshoper), practicing and jumping in to paint in a couple hours is a fun challenge...so, in my view he is a bit wonky...but fixable...

She made it look SOOO easy!  HA!

I hope the rest of you had as CREATIVE a day as I...HAPPY DAY!!

LOTS O DIFFERENT STUFF...

 "Mamma Pear" reworked and NOW finished!!

9x6" oil on panel

Today was another visit the high school day to get ready for my long term subbing...I enjoy the kids and have a blast seeing what art they are working on.  As I have said, I will still be posting...MOST every day...but the projects I put out will be similar to what they are doing...I told them we will work together.  The intermediate and advanced painters will be doing portraits...so I will be doing a portrait...more on that later...

When I got home the first thing I saw was this little undefined pile of grapes in the middle of my "Mamma Pear", so out came the brush and paint and I corrected it.  NOW, these little middle children have a bit more shape.  I think they are happier!!

I'm getting in the mood to do another sweater remix, so I thought I'd show you the BEFORE...you can see where I've pinned it...thinking of totally changing the line...more on THAT later too!

 

EXCITING NEWS on the paper cast front...Here you can see how my newest casts came out...The blackbird/crow is a primitave little thing that was taken after a metal cast bird I have on one of my bird feeders...I have some ideas for a finished product...and the SUNFLOWERS!!  How fun were they...I figured out how to put a bit of texture inside where the middle of the flower is and am very excited about how it came out!!  I'm thinking I like the texture on the one on the right...what about you all??  Both will work, and will be fun...SO, now to DO something with them...!  I'm thinking EVENTUALLY I will offer sets of the flowers and birds, as well as the hearts that are all done and ready to photograph and put in my ETSY shop!  SORRY I'm DELAYED...SOOO many things on my plate...but I won't forget!!

 

And...thought I'd show you our latest visitors...This elk herd was HUGE...but every time I got my camera ready for a photo they turned their backs to me...Hmmm...should I be insulted! :)

SO, as you can see...busy days here at the Galloway's!!  I hope you all are having fun busy artsy days as well!!  HAPPY CREATING!!

"Momma Pear" © Saundra Lane Galloway

 "Momma Pear"

9x6" oil on panel

$95 available on my website

For some reason I am up before the sun...way before!  Today was 3:30...I'm developing a nasty habit of waking and then my mind starts, and I give up and start my day.  Aaaahhhh life!  I decided this morning to make it work to my advantage by getting some things done...posting being one of them. 

"Momma Pear" is the third in my little series of this fruit thing.  I suppose I am hungry for fruit and for summer...and both go hand in hand!  I am READY!!

Dana Marie was happy to choose "Botanic Duck" as her gift for our latest contest give-away!  Congratulations Dana, and thank you for stopping by this blog when you have time!!

Since I will be soon doing the daily teaching thing when the teacher I'm taking over has her baby...ANY DAY NOW...I am thinking of creating a painting challenge or two for my followers and those who wish to participate...so be watching for that to come soon!!

I have been busy working on paper cast molds and will soon have more to show you.  As soon as the sun comes up I am going to be casting from two new molds I made...a sunflower and a blackbird...as well as my little beeper bird I created the other day.  You saw the small one in my post the other day that I made for my mother's Joy Day 3-D card.  The blackbird came from a cast iron bird I have on a bird feeder.  I liked it's simple shape with it's little fat beak, so I looked through my photos and found a bird that sort of matched.  The closest I could come up with was a crow...THAT led to some study of crows and ravens and blackbirds...and so this little mold that will be revealed in a cast came from that...STAY TUNED!!

I've decided to place my mini's on my website in a category of their own.  My patrons have mentioned they would like to see the whole shebang; mini's and all! YES!! I have got a few of them...so this will take a couple of days.

"Fruity Duo" will be added to my ETSY shop and website today as well...which makes the third in a series...a BIG accomplishment for me to do three of anything in a row!! WOW!  Now I want to paint a mini of grapes...to be fair...as they have only been the supporting cast up to now...:)

So, off I go to welcome the sun to my day...and all the fun creations that will come with it!! 

HAPPY CREATING!!