Showing posts with label Moss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moss. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

For The Love Of Art: Part One




Before I became a silk painter, more than fourteen years ago, I painted in oils.
Here are a few of the many paintings I did back in the day.









I loved everything about oil paints... the smell, the texture, the Turpentine.
Then, one day, I discovered silk painting and tucked all the oil paints away!



But I still wanted to paint landscapes, so I did a few on silk. Like this one.



Then I started painting flowers on silk scarves and that was all she wrote! I was hooked!!



A few months ago, I went on a road trip to San Francisco and the wine country.
My nephew, Brad Gruno and I went to visit Katrina Frey at the beautiful Frey Vineyards.
I took a ton of pictures and when I saw this one, I knew that I had to paint it... in oils!!



Since I got that idea in my head, everything I looked at became a potential oil painting.
Here's another photo from Frey Vineyards. I love that place!
Katrina invited me to come down and be the artist-in-residence! Ohhh yeaah!!
(Katrina, if you're reading this, thank you again!!)



Another potential painting. (Minus the dashboard.)



From a recent trip to Descanso Gardens.



Another one from Descanso.



And another.



On a recent trip to Oregon I fell in love with the moss and thought that it would look gorgeous in a painting too!



Moss climbing on the side of a wall. A cool abstract!



Look at this lushness! Love it!!



I finally decided to go-for-it, but I couldn't find any of my old supplies!!!!
A few years ago, I came across my huge assortment of brushes and thought, "that's a weird place to have put them". Making a 'mental-note-to-self' I went about my life.
The moral of the story, don't put stuff in weird places and don't make mental-notes-to-self!
It ain't gonna work for ya. I've searched and searched for those brushes and supplies and can't find squat!! I finally gave up and bought some new stuff. Just the basics.
A container to put the globs of paint in, without having them dry out.



Two 16" x 20" canvases. Canvas'? Canvas? Canvy?



Some brushes and a palette knife. Ohhh! I had sooo many!!!! Still do... somewhere. :(



Over the years I've become very sensitive to chemical odors and I don't think I'd fare well with the smell of Turpentine, Turpenoid, or any of the other things associated with oil paints.
So I decided to try acrylics. I've never liked acrylics before, but I thought I'd give them a shot anyway. Maybe the texture is better now. I also bought a palette to mix the paints on.



I love a huge assortment of colors! I want them all!! But I behaved and just bought a set.



Okay... I caved and bought a few more.



I couldn't find my easel either, so I got this little inexpensive one.



Of course I had to buy a book.



I had to!!



So, wish me luck, my friends!! I'll give you an update and show you the painting in-progress and completed, in a future post.





"Peace-out, dude."





There are SO many things to love!
I love "Followers" and comments too!
(Thank you.)



Signing off for now,
gabriele




Monday, March 21, 2011

Luscious Moss - And The Urge To Paint it!



I love moss!!
I was so happy to get these pictures, on a recent trip to Oregon.
It had stopped raining and the sun was peeking through.
But I was really cold. (I'm such a wimp!)



I began with this gorgeous view from a window, before I put on my layers of clothing and braved the cold outside. (Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy!)



No words necessary ~





















Lalalalalalaaa... oh, sorry... I can't shut-up for that long.
















































Glorious moss!!
What wonderful paintings these would make!!



As some of you know, I paint silk accessories now, like this scarf.



I used to paint fabrics for dancers as well as for the stage. A ton of fun!!
This is my granddaughter as a kid, wearing one of my pieces in "Firebird".
She just turned eighteen!! Slow down, girl!!



But before I became a silk-painter, I painted in oils. Here are some of my paintings.



I've also painted landscapes on silk, using silk paints. This is one of them.



So, not only do I have to decide which photographs to use as inspiration for a painting,
but also which medium to use. Decisions, decisions!!
But fun decisions!! I'll let you know the outcome. ~




"A single rose can be my garden, a single friend my world."
- Leo F. Buscaglia


"A garden is a friend you can visit anytime."
- Unknown


"A little garden in which to walk, and immensity in which to dream."
- Unknown


"I have a rock garden. Last week three of them died."
- Richard Diran




There are SO many things to love!
I love "Followers" and comments too!
(Thank you.)



Signing off for now,
gabriele