New ACEO's

ACEO - Fuchsia Butterfly
3 1/2" x 2 1/2"

ACEO Dragonfly Landing
3 1/2" x 2 1/2"

I have two new ACEO's in my shop!

I've Got the Blues - Blues Sax

Blues Sax

Original Pastel
9 1/2 x 13

The theme for this weeks challenge at Inspiration Avenue is "I've Got the Blues". Blues Sax is my entry. It is a pastel on Fabriano Tiziano Pastel Paper with Rembrandt pastels. Check out the other listings they are always so unique and interesting.

Pond Reflections

Pond Reflection I
original watercolor
5 x 7

I have been doing a study on reflection of the sky on water. The first layer is warm made with alizarin crimson and cadmium red. Then I added cool colors of cerulean blue and ultramarine blue.

Pond Reflections II
original watercolor
5 x 7

Pond Reflections III
original watercolor
5 x 7

Reflections in the Pond

original watercolor
5 x 7

Sea Porcupine

Sea Porcupine
original watercolor
9 1/2 x 7 1/2

This is Sea Porcupine was painted just for fun and to practice some watercolor techniques. More fun with gauze. (see previous post: Tip - Using Gauze). I also tried out some new to me watercolors by M. Graham: Red Quinacridone and Violet Quinacridone. They are quite bold colors! Very fun to play with.

Papa's Barn

When Time Stood Still
original watercolor
15 x 11

"When Time Stood Still" is a painting of my Papa's farm in the early 1980's. All of the grand kids have wonderful memories of time spent of this farm.

Papa was a small, wiry thin man. He always wore a hat. He used to milk cows at 10 o"clock in the morning and after the 10 pm news. He would usually come in around midnight and wake everyone in the house. Of course, the grand kids would giggle and my grandma would holler and say "Ray, don't wake those kid!" Wonderful, cherished memories.

The second painting of the barn is how it looks now, thirty years later. Weathered but still standing.

Still Standing

original watercolor
11 x 15

Thanks for letting me share a little trip down memory lane.

Charcoal Portrait - SR a Real Cowboy

Charcoal Portrait - SR a Real Cowboy

I do very few portraits, they make me nervous. I think I feel judged more. Does it look like them? Is the nose, eyes, ears, etc. right?... The list goes on on on. Anyway, this is a surprise for a teacher who is retiring. She has helped me so much in the last three years. This is a portrait of her son, who is a real cowboy.

Calm Seas

Calm Seas
Original Watercolor
5 x 7

The Stormy Skies have passed to reveal Calm Seas.

Stormy Skies

Stormy Skies
Original Watercolor Painting

5 x 7

Stormy Skies is one of those painting that was a mistake and then it worked out. I usually do the sky first and then work on the water. Well...when I added the water it was too dark. So I went back and made the sky really dark. Then I just kept repeating the dark blues and purples in the grass.

I need to remember this painting next time things don't follow my plans. Things usually work out if I just relax and go with the flow.

My First Feature - May Flowers

Passion's Picks - May Flowers

I am so excited to be featured on Passion For Beads. Miss Passion has found some unique flowers for May. Take a look and enjoy the parade of May's flowers.

ACEO - Seahorse

ACEO Seahorse

This ACEO was created on smooth bristol paper with watercolor and pen and ink.

Did you know? ... Seahorses are named for their equine profile. Although they are a bony fish, they do not have scales, but rather a thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates arranged in rings throughout their body. Seahorses swim upright. (A little factoid just-in-case you are ever on Jeopardy or Are You Smarter Than a ...., etc.) :)

ACEO - Orange Poppy

ACEO - Orange Poppy

I am very pleased with this happy little Orange Poppy ACEO Original Watercolor painting. ACEO stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals. Collected and trade around the world, they're a unique and affordable way to start your own art collection.

First Friday Art Walk on Etsy

First Friday Art Walk on Etsy.

Have you ever wanted to go on a Friday Art Walk but were too tired by the time Friday evening rolled around? Well set back, prop up your feet, get a nice beverage and stroll through the Etsy Shops.

First Friday Art Walk on Etsy was established in June 2009, and is an ongoing event, taking place on the first Friday of every month, across the entire globe. How exciting is that!

Just go to Esty and search for "firstfridayartwalk" and enjoy strolling through the different shops!

Come join me on my first art walk.

Picasa Pictures

At the blog party on Inspiration Avenue this weekend Pics by Shel posted tips on how to use Picasa. I use this free program to edit by pictures but wasn't aware of these features. Check out her tips! They were very easy and have tons of applications.

Daisies in the Field

Daisies in the Field

Original Watercolor

11 x 15

Inspiration Avenue had a wonderful blog party over the weekend. This is just the first of many new skills and tips I learned. This one is from Marlene at Marlene's Musing. She taught us how to use saran wrap for the background. Her instruction were very easy to follow. Check out her blog and Inspiration Avenue for more interesting tips. Keep checking my blog for more of my adventures.....

Blog Party - Inspiration Avenue - Tip Using Gauze

Using Gauze in Watercolors

Gauze can make an interesting texture when added to a watercolor painting.

There are two kinds of cotton gauze: non-elastic surgical gauze and elastic surgical gauze. The non-elastic surgical gauze stretches out more and takes the watercolor better. It is hard to find the non-elastic stuff. You need to look closely at the package.



Put your design on the paper. I used masking fluid to save my whites. I find a simple design works best. The paper is arches 140 cold pressed, 5 x 7 taped on a gaterboard.



Cut the gauze to fit where you want the texture on your paper. Unfold the gauze so it is one thin layer. You can stretch and manipulate the gauze.

Wet the area with clear water thoroughly where you want the texture to be. Lay the gauze down on top of the wet paper. Wet the gauze to hold it in place. Note I got excited about adding the color before I snapped a picture. The blue is watercolor.

Fill a large brush with enough pigment to saturate the area and drop the color in. Having the area already with water allows the pigment to disperse more freely.

Wait for the gauze and paper to completely dry. Don't be temped to lift the gauze to peek until it is completly dry. Letting it dry overnight is best. Don't peek. Note: I used a hairdryer to speed the process this afternoon and it seemed to workout okay.

Remove the gauze and masking fluid. The final step is to fill in the details.

I have tried this process a few time. It seems to work better each time. Have fun experimenting.