Inward Bound

Spring walkway, Coker Arboretum, 18x24" watercolor

This may be my least favorite time of year. Too cold outside to comfortably paint en plein air, I’m housebound. With twenty-three paintings on my agenda for an upcoming show at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, this may, on the other hand, be a good thing.

It was intended that all of the paintings for this show would be painted en plein air. I share with you one of two that I painted on location. The size of all the paintings will be 18x24". I have found that this is a little large to be painting in my calligraphic style. No problem with the lines going down in the second stage of painting, but the very wet wash that is essential to the base coat, does not want to remain wet on a day favorable to plein air painting. Here lies an example of not being able to have it both ways.

Click Chapel Hill 23 to see most of the paintings completed so far for my upcoming show at Carolina.

1-minute poses

Miss Annie Rose, 1-min. pose

I am not one for the bar scene. In fact, I gave up cocktail hours altogether over thirteen years ago. I could not resist the lure, however, of these wonderful dancer/models. Click on Hot Off the Easel, to view a 1-minute sketch of the other model, the exotic Meka La Crème.

To your right is a slide show of more Miss Annie 1-minute poses as well as the prize I was awarded for Best Marker Sketch. Now fancy that. I had to have been the oldest in a room full of twenty and thirty year-olds young enough to be my kids. Three prizes were awarded, and I’m the lady who won the black seamed stockings. Oh my!

Life is a cabaret

Miss Annie Rose, 5-minute pose, 8x8" watercolor

Meka La Crème, 10-minute pose, 7x12" water color

If you like Lisa Minelli, here’s a little musical accompaniment while you’re reading.

Kegan, a.k.a. Sheik Attire

Burlesque Underground provided the models Thursday night for Dr. Sketchy’s Cabaret Exotique. Meka La Crème, the burlesque dancer, was by far the most exotic creature I’ve ever sketched. Performances after each sketch session were highly entertaining. What a great way to break the chill of a January night — sketching from life, entertainment from an eclectic troop of performers, and camaraderie with like-minded artists. Loved it.

Meka La Crème, 5-minute pose

Harem painting

Harem, 7x10" watercolor sketch

 

 

Not the kind of harem I painted in November of the cows at Fearrington Village. This painting is a result of a severe case of cabin fever that drove me to Raleigh last night to participate in another Dr. Sketchy session. See Models Gone Mad in my Aug 26, 2010 post. More sketches and more about last night’s session to come.

Going to Carolina

Rose time at the sundial, 9x12" watercolor

I’m playing James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind” as I write this. I’m gearing up for a spring/summer show in the gallery of Carolina Union at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This is one of several small studies for the show that I’ve done in the past year. An alumna of the University’s law school now owns this painting. This is one of several small Chapel Hill watercolors she purchased, so I think it is the University in general, not just Morehead Planetarium, to which she has a connection. I hope she comes to the opening of the show in May.

When I matted this painting, I left the edge showing, qualifying this painting as a vignette. This rarely works for me. To think about the outside edges of a painting while maintaining spontaneity within, is a little like scratching my head while patting my stomach.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind?

“Corner Drug Store", 7x10" watercolor

I did not paint this scene to capture the Drug Store. I came to this corner to paint this little slice of Goldsboro where I live. Funny how it takes losing someone or something before we truly appreciate them. I was told when I was painting this that Goldsboro Drug Co. is going (or has gone) out of business. And I was reminded that there used to be a mortar and pestle sculpture atop the building. As I recall, it was gold in color. How I now wish I’d taken at least one photograph of it. The building I’m referring to is the one at center with the green and white awning. It’s probably the graphic awning more than anything that drew me to this scene.

How sad it makes me to think this business, like so many others in recent times, is going by the wayside. I wish I had enough willpower and commitment to stay away from the chains, the Walmarts and K-Marts, and pay a little bit more and give my business to our country’s smaller retailers. We may be able to find it for less, but the price we’re paying is the loss of the charm and personalized service small businesses bring to our communities. Goldsboro Drug Co. was built in 1870. It has been Goldsboro’s oldest business in continuous operation. I hope it remains so, and that what I heard about its closing is only a rumor.

Go to Hot Off the Easel to find the same scene in oil. In fact, if you’re a subscriber to my Behr Path newsletter, you’ll see this scene again this coming week painted again in oil, but from a limited color palette.