A few weeks ago I decided to make the arrangements for a class. Several people have been asking about it and I decided to just set it up and see what happened.  Sometimes we truly feel guided, this was one of those times.

I notified two people, another heard me talking and the fourth was at a gathering where I heard her say she would like to learn how to paint a portrait!  Each of these people arrived at noon on Wednesday and we started by covering all the questions people have about my work, viewing my paintings and seeing my humble studio.  Then we went to my four season heated and sunny back porch where we ate Cranberry Lemon Scones that I had made,(because they are my favorite) and had coffee and chocolates and cheese and fruit.  For the next two hours we talked shop about how this class will proceed. And we laughed and enjoyed each other’s company too.  This has to be the best match up of personalities.  I am saying my thank you prayers.

Just when I have made a firm decision about my next two paintings, another subject jumps in and usurps the first spot!!!  This happened with Plimoth Wife, a Best of Show Winner, and it has happened at other times, all leading to good recognitions.  I haven’t even gotten back to the work I was doing when Plimoth Wife intervened.  Others just kept saying, me first, me first.

So, I’m heading toward some personal shows this spring and summer and I have wanted to get some really good examples of my most recently fine tuned abilities.  I chose two subjects that I really want to be included and I was getting ready to begin the sketches when this other image started drawing my attention.  I can’t avoid it.  It has to be done.  Do you all experience this; a subject calling you?

Well, as soon as I get the sketch done I will up load it here so you can see it.  Of course I am excited and I will probably loose sleep over it.  These next two weeks have a lot of family gatherings to draw me happily away and I will use that time to solidify the final ‘masterpiece’ in my mind.  Till then, enjoy your families and friends while we can.  Shalom, Diana

Here is a detail of the newest painting I’ve been working on.  I didn’t have time to blog about it much because the gallery hoped to have it hanging over the holidays so I was concentrating on getting it ready for them.  Now I will put up an image of the final presentation.

This is a portrait of my great nephew and his grandfather.  The family has not seen it yet. They might view it here but if not, it will be a surprise for them to see on the new year.  It will help to round out my portfolio because I am expecting to do my first one person show soon.

I will begin a portrait class after the first of the year.  I am accepting only four students.  There may still be room for one more.  Contact me if you are interested.  There is going to be a get acquainted meeting on Dec. 16 at my house beginning at 12:15.  I’m looking forward to this since my last class was a delightful experience.

I am also hoping to complete at least two or perhaps three paintings that I have planned before the timing for the show. Two of them will be typical projects for me but very complicated compositions.  The third is a landscape.  I have been experimenting with this recently and would like to create some really nice compositions that I have in mind, if I can do them successfully.

That is all for now.  I hope Bruce and I will stay well and that I will have a good painting time this winter, absent any unexpected delays.  I am itching to get started on the new project.  Hugs, Diana

I’ve been busy taking care of my husband of course since his knee surgery but also trying to finish a painting for the gallery. I took some photos but they are not sharp so I thought I would just tell you that I am working on it and hope to get an image up soon.  I have a couple of small projects to get finished for our gathering of artists so I keep trying to fit that in.  After this is finished I have plans for two really demanding and hopefully rewarding paintings that I would like to accomplish during the winter.  We haven’t had much winter so far.  Right now the sun is shining.  So I must go make art while the sun is shining, (not so good at puns or jokes).  Hugs, Diana

Time goes by so quickly. My husband has had trouble getting around because of a bad knee so he finally got a knee replacement early in November. It is surprising how much time it takes when one person doubles up on chores and tries to do the work that two people usually do. When Bruce retired he took over a lot of household duties in order to allow me time to dedicate to my painting. That has been a real blessing. Now that he needs to mend and do therapy, I have gone back to a busy schedule of household chores which leaves little time or energy for my art. This old/new schedule takes a lot of time and energy but part of that is caused by all the going up and down the stairs double or triple the amount of times as I am used to. This week I have managed to put in a few hours on my latest effort, a portrait of my nephew and his grand father. I don’t plan on downloading the in progress shots because I hope to present the finished portrait soon. The gallery is waiting for it and I would like to finish it before the end of the month. I thought I would let all my friends on this blog know what I have been doing and why I have not made entries here recently. When this work is finished I have two great preliminary ideas I want to work on. I may even set them up to work on them simultaneously. Also, I have wanted to develope my skills on landscape. I went out into the wilds of our local area this fall and risked life and limb to stomp around in creeks trying to get some good reference photos to use through the winter. Later I will download a shot of a small landscape I finished lately. I have several other projects in the pipeline encluding a portrait class that I may begin after the first of the year. If anyone is interested, use my contact page on this blog to let me know. Till then, shalom. Diana

Yesterday I was the featured speaker at the Ligonier luncheon. Attending were a lovely group of thirty or so women who identify with the arts as artists themselves or supporters and appreciators of the arts. We all enjoyed a delicious menu of stuffed pepper soup and cheese sandwich made with Monterey Jack cheese combined with spinach and artichoke hearts. Desert was yummy apple crisp. All was provided by Lauries Sweet Dreams catering. After enjoying the good company and delicious meal I made a short presentation entitled “Don’t Give Up”. I drew attention to the fact that we as artists must constantly be aware that failure or at least rejection is lurking around the corner. It is important for us to maintain our own artistic vision even if our work does not meet the mark in someone else’s opinion. Encourage others as we would like to be encouraged was a theme as well. I then proceeded to describe my painting methods in brief, answering as many questions as possible. It was an exciting and fun afternoon and I was welcomed warm heartedly by all. Thank you so much and thanks to the site coordinator, Emma Noonan, for extending the invitation.

Now I will try to post my latest orchid in bloom. It is a catleya by name of Brown Eyes and it inserted above. Well, I’m too sleepy so I must rest. Good night and Shabbat Shalom, Diana

I’m sorry I don’t have a really good image.  I forgot to photograph the painting before I entered it into the show. I snapped this at the event before all the people arrived.  I loved working on this simple painting of my grand daughter because she is always so natural.  She doesn’t do posed faces.  Since I still do not have a body of work ready for this years final shows, I decided to use this portrait I had worked on this summer just so I could enter something and participate in the show.  Latrobe Art League and Latrobe Art Gallery have what I consider to be the best organized shows around.  The people are so nice and encouraging and the shows are just plain fun, besides having a fabulous group of great artists who put there best work out there.  I’m sure it is a challenge being a juror. This juror did us all a favor, she included a lot of instructional remarks about her choices.  I heard many people voicing how much that was appreciated.  The juror was Patricia Childs who is owner of G Squared Gallery of Ligonier and has had a career as gallery director and coordinator in different venues since 1978. I was indeed honored to take home Best of Show for “Sarah, Age Eleven”

I don’t have photos yet of my new work in progress but I will try to do that soon.  I have a speaking engagement next week so I must put in a lot of preparation for that.  I spent some quality painting time today even though I had a lot of organizational things for the luncheon.  Since the sun is shining for the first time in a week I want to go outside before the sun goes beyond the horizon.  Right now I wanted to alert you  that I’m going to try to upload one or two new images of some recent work you have seen on this blog but I had not yet downloaded to the gallery. Life is blessed but very busy. Talk to you soon.  Shabbat shalom. Diana

Hi to all you blog followers, artists and friends.  It has been an exhausting time for me.  The two biggest shows of the year have come back to back as usual.  I barely have enough energy for them.  I have never been super social but I love people.  My problem is that I stress about missing someone or forgetting a name so of course that means I always forget names and miss someone.  Forgive me if you find me frazzled at one of these events.  I do my best.  Even when I do not receive an award, as on Thursday evening, even so, many people want to know about my work. I spend a glorious evening speaking with the wonderful people telling them about how I came to design the composition, how long it took me to paint the piece and even how many trips up and down to my studio or back and forth to check my perspective did it take.  It may seem hard to believe, but if I am answering questions about the art, I am happy. In the past two evenings I have enjoyed the company of my dearest friends as we traveled to the show, I’ve been blessed to hear great music and wonderful food, I’ve reacquainted with people I have not seen for ten or more years and I’ve recorded in my heart the sincerely enjoyment expressed to me about my work. That is the true award.  The Friday evening show brought recognition for the Degas piece that I have already posted here.  People really love her and I must admit that I have a special fondness for her too.  Having used someone else’s creative results as inspiration for my piece did not take away from my own creative input and it only served to add heightened appreciation for the beauty of the Light, Shadow, Texture and Form of the work.  Usually I am very familiar with the features of my portraits as I paint the faces of my grandchildren and friends.  But with this piece the only features were exactly what the title tells you.  That somehow made this work very gratifying, maybe because I did not have to make the work look like someone.  I just wanted it to be beautiful in its own right.  That also may be the reason why people were so drawn to her; she was not someone’s grandchild.

This blog is about me and my work but I must mention another work that was part of the show on Thursday evening.  I don’t feel it is a good idea to include names or photos of someone else’s work but I will make mention of this piece by description.  This one piece stood out among all the art in the studio.  If you were there you will remember the painting  that portrayed a formally dressed Daddy standing in the bright light of a sunny window with the most beautiful little girl in a frilly dress with a string of pearls around her neck.  This painting was perfectly executed in an impressionist manor.  The features on both the father and daughter were crisp and soft at the same time.  The composition was spot on and I’ve never seen light captured so well in an oil.  Best of show could not even bring as much recognition as this painting and this artist deserves.  I hope someone passes on my congratulations to you and I hope you continue to paint and enter such art as this!

I will not post a photo yet of the piece from Thursday’s show since he may be in some other local venues.  I just do not like to take the spotlight off the event. It is a little bit like spoiling a surprise.  I’ll show you later.  Right now I am hurrying to do a subject for another local gallery that is coming up soon.  It may turn out to be somewhat abstract, a real divergence for me.  The theme for the show is a challenge but I have the perfect material if I can pull it off.  We’ll see.  I’ll keep you guessing till I see if I can manage it.  Till then, Shabbat Shalom, dear friends,  Diana

Sorry, friends, that I forgot to post this image of the orchid when it bloomed.  I was just so busy getting ready for the shows.  This orchid has lost its tag so I am not sure what its name is.  Another, called BROWN EYES is getting ready to bloom.  It is a beauty and I will try to show it to you as soon as it opens.

our artist group has an assignment this time.  We are challenged to do a pastel.  I have never used pastels and never really wanted to but it is always good to stretch our limits.  I bought a small set of pastels when I was in my teens and still have them but yesterday I bought a few other things so that I can refine what I have started.  The only paper I could find at home was black.  I chose a really cute image and began.  OOOh, not so good.  But I am still working on it and if it is presentable, I will post an image later.

Shalom, Diana

Nothing goes the way we think it will.  Vertigo set in again for one thing and so I was down for three days and I’m still battling it.  My art group near here ask me to please be sure to enter the fall show. I hadn’t intended to do so because I had nothing ready.  So I went to my photo reference archive to see what I had set aside to paint in the future.  I decided on some shots I’d taken at the museums we visited this spring.  I chose a simple but elegant pose with great lighting.  The light in a subject can create the entire composition if you know what to look for.  This shot had drama and would catch people’s eye. Even so, it should be easy to paint.  (I wasn’t counting on the vertigo.).  Bruce cooked supper every night last week so that I could put in a marathon effort.  I got her finished the day before the jurying.  Often a show is juried by digital entries but this one must have the entries carried in personally.  You pick up your pieces the same day and then later you carry them to the college venue where the show will take place.  When I picked up my painting I was told that not only was she accepted, but she has won an award. I hope someone will purchase her.  I think she will be a beautiful addition to a special décor in someone’s home.  Hope you enjoy her as well. Diana

Here is Sarah, she is eleven.  Of course this portrait is not completed.  Her hair is blond and her skin has a lot of pinkish coral but it is still milky white.  I am hoping to finish it in the next week or two. Be sure to go back to earlier blogs to see the work in progress. Diana

I don’t know who all has checked my website but I welcome you with warm greetings. It is surprising to see so much action on this tiny insignificant post although I too really enjoy connecting with others who love art and all of natures beauty. I knew when I started this it would never be a fancy or elaborate communication. I only hoped to give others the opportunity to see and read about what I am doing. One of the things I have told you about since the beginning is the work I do to compete in local and regional shows. I have been very blessed to have been awarded often for my work. This is creating a dilemma for me now. The groups who host the shows are relying on me to always have an entry. That is flattering but sometimes I cannot finish something new in a timely manner. Also, since I love to paint large, most people do not have homes where these pieces would fit. That is OK for now since I am gathering enough of my work to have an individual show. But eventually I will run out of room to store all these paintings. My thought is that soon I should switch from doing shows to instead putting my time and creative effort into doing more commissioned work. It has always been rewarding and fulfilling to me whenever I can do a portrait for someone and see the joy they express when they are able to have the work of art for their home. Well, this is what I am thinking about doing in the next year or so. I want to continue my associations with the groups though because I have met and become friends with the most wonderful people. I would never want to lose contact with them. They are great artist and great people. They are interesting, fun and they inspire me. They make me happy too.

Hopefully, in a few days, I will take a photo of the portrait of my grand daughter. Also, I am waiting for my catleyes to bloom. I think there are three with inflorescences. Sometimes each stem holds several flowers. I will make another post when they bloom. Till then, good night. Shalom, Diana

My dear Granddaughter stayed with us for a week so we had several oil painting sessions.  She had never before used oils and she did a good job with this image of two sheep on a sunny hillside with clouds. She is better at freehand work than I am.  It was fun to hear her tell me that she was able to apply some things I taught her to her computer drawing and painting programs.  How wonderful it is to pass on skills to the younger ones and how great it is to watch them develop!

I have finished my works for two upcoming shows and I am working on a third.  Also, I have been finishing several portraits of my grandchildren.  Those have no prominent deadlines, (that sounds ominous!).  All previously mentioned projects are in the not quite done stage. For instance, the vintage/art clothing storage project, the gardening project, the cleaning my house project, etc.

I have several orchids that are getting ready to bloom.  I think they liked the tropical forest humidity we have had recently.  These are big Catleyas.. I will let you know and get a photo when they bloom.

I’ve spent a lot of hours cataloging my butterfly photos too.  I have large photo displays on our four season room walls and I have a small frame that I can use to put a few more in.  I have so many wonderful shots of butterflies that I just cannot let them go unappreciated.  I’ll pull one up and put it here.  Till later guys.  Shalom.  DianaThis is a Question Mark that was on our butterfly bush.  The tiny silver mark on the under wing actually has a little dot, along with other markings, that distinguishes it from a Comma. The butterflies in this part of the country have taken a hit because of weather and habitat destruction as is happening all around the country and the world. I do my butterfly collecting with my camera and I enjoy it so much. They are God’s jewels.

Hi, everyone.  Life is a whirlwind!  My husband planned a special trip for me to New England.  We stayed in a lovely extended time hotel in Pittsfield, Massacchusetts and toured five museums which all house and display paintings by the French artist, William Adolphe Bouguereau.  Everything about this tour was great: our weather, little traffic, easy access to the museums and food! We arrived back into our area just barely in time to attend a reception given by the Allied Artists where I was awarded second place for a portrait I had entered.  I have just sorted out all the photos I took in the museums.  I am so grateful that photos are permitted because this is how I study and learn.  I will get back to painting as soon as I can and connect with you all to show what I am doing.  Keep in mind, now that summer is here there is gardening to do and I get to spend more time with my sweet grandchildren.  Also I have a big, no, huge project in the works.  I am cataloging and photographing and also washing and storing a lifetime’s worth of hand tailored clothing that I have sewn over the years for my family.  I gave away about half or two thirds of it but just could not let go of these things which I consider art pieces.  I would love to display them in a show of their own.  Maybe someday!  Till then, my youngest grand daughters will be happy to wear some of this vintage clothing. Talk to you soon.  Shalom, Diana

Sorry the last post was delayed.  I did that from my I-pad and did not realize I had made an error until a few days ago.  Spring has finally arrived and I am living with joy.  When everything is blooming and doing so well, it makes me happy.  My slightly improved health has allowed me to get outside and into the garden to plant and enjoy.  We had a hard, cold winter so the azealias  did not bloom well but everything else did.  I have done regular painting too.  I will post an updated image  of the projects. This is almost complete and ready for the show to be entered in July.Here I have begun a quick portrait of one of my granddaughters. It is very convenient to have so many good models available.  They are accustomed to Grandmother taking a lot of photos of them.  They are even becoming very artistic because of being exposed to all the art everywhere.  The older ones did not have that opportunity because I was still raising the younger of my children.  Well, for now, I will go to my studio and actually try to finish the painting that is the first on this blog.  Till next time, shalom, Diana

The Latrobe Art League had its reception for the annual show on the 14th of May.  I was not going to enter because I didn’t have anything ready.  But I looked around and decided to enter two portraits, the one of Andrea and the one of my grandson Ryan.  They are both in the gallery of this blog so you can see them.  I entered because I wanted to participate but these portraits are simple and I doubted they would get the judges attention.  There are a lot of wonderful artists in this gallery and the shows present stiff competition.  I was very pleased that the portrait of Andrea took second place honors. The judge told me there was only a whisper of difference between her selection and the other portrait.

I am working on a number of paintings at this time.. This one has a July deadline so I must get it finished.  I am happy with the subject, now if I can only get the proper interpretation. I’ve been doing a lot of gardening so I should concentrate on this.  My knees are not bothering me as long as the cortisone holds out.  I am feeling quite blessed to be able to get around again.  The gardens are looking so beautiful that I truly want to spend a lot of time there.  Unfortunately we discovered the growing tips of the roses in front of the house have either frozen or gotten wind damage.  They just aren’t there.  We must wait for new stalks or new growing tips before we get the roses.  Happy painting.  Shalom, Diana

This is the work so far on the duplicate.  (I have a blueberry apple pie in the oven and it should have been taken out fifteen minutes ago, so I’d better go check it.) I will just tell you quickly that there is an equal amount of work on both paintings and they look reasonably the same.  I had a lot of trouble at first because I did not stick to the grisaille under painting but instead tried to work with natural tones to preserve the sunny look.  It is now getting back to within workable limits though.  I will soon begin to strengthen the features and as I do, I will also strengthen the bright sunny light in the painting.  All the shadows are rich in color too.  Talk to you soon.  Diana

Here is the next step and soon I will post another.  It is challenging to work with a figure in shadow/backlit.  I am attempting to brighten it up without losing the quality of bright light.  I know that if you want brights you must have darks so I will darken the shadows carefully so they don’t jump out at you but still portray the sunshine well.  I want to diminish the importance of the background and so I am simplifying as many features there as possible.  The figure tells the story and is of utmost importance.  This child is eleven now and is an amazing artist already.  When she was two and three she would get so frustrated because her crayons would not do what she knew they should.  I would tell her, “Remember, you are fifteen or twenty in your brain but your hands are still only three years old!”  That did help her to be patient, at least it helped a little.  She now has more control and drawing ability than I do -seriously!”

I hope these painting examples are helping you with your portrait work.  I had no one to help me.  I worked for years doing everything wrong.  Even now I would like to solve some of my painting problems without so much trial and error but I can only do what I must because no one else has the same vision I do. No one can advise me on a way that would work with my methods. Most people do not understand how I work.

I am taking on a few  more commissions now that I am back to work again. When people ask me what I charge I usually direct them to the pricing of some other artists who have web sites.  They can compare the work, decide if my work is up to their standards and then make a fair offer for my time.  I usually try to keep the piece small and simple even though my own pieces are quite large and complicated.  I want to continue having clients who are pleased with their own private work of art.  My goal is to achieve a painting that portrays the spirit of the subject.  I will write more on this at a later date.

I am excited about this simple composition.  Here you can see my transfer of the drawing to the linen canvas.  I used a raw umber on the back of the drawing and placed it carefully to get it positioned just right.  I have a natural feel for the center of my paintings and always feel that something is wrong if I don’t get the composition in the right place.  Sometimes I have drawn the portrait on paper but then repositioned it differently on the canvas.  The photo references, which I took about six years ago, were taken on a brightly lit sunny day.  Therefore, not  only does the bright sunlight fall behind the child, but the reflected light is very colorful.  I must be on guard to get that right.  I do not normally use blue as a background color, but it did not seem appropriate to darken the background on a brightly lit day or to wash out the sky with white when there is so much light on the child’s clothing. Since there is such bright light, I decided to establish a lot of those brights first.  Normally, I would establish the skin tone in darks and lights before adding color, then move on to the clothing.  In this case, I wanted to get all the direct light, which is marked on the arm of the first photo but not shown in the second.  What you see in the second photo is direct sunlight falling over the shoulder from the back and going through the clothing, but on the face, that is just reflected light.  Even though her face is not lit directly, there needed to be a lot of light in it.  We will see how it develops. I have not detailed the background.  I hope to suggest the street and trees behind her but keep them muted.  Shalom, Diana I decided to add another photo.Sorry,  I didn’t realize I had not turned it.  But you can see all the lights here.

I am doing an experiment to see if I can add a blog from my iPad. I tried it once before and couldn’t download what I had prepared. Maybe this time it will work. Here I will try to add a photo.well, well. So far, so good. It took a minute but I was able to get the photo uploaded.

let me tell you a little bit about this image.  I took several photo images to use someday in the future for a painting. The pose and activity seemed like a good subject. Of course, other things intervened so I had This idea tucked away in a folder for a later date. Recently, I was realizing that my shortage of finished work because of the time involved with my aging uncle had put me in a position of not being able to enter some of my regular shows. Not only are my art friends disappointed, but also I feel a little pressure about the work I need to do. It was a stimulus for me to do some planning. there is a show coming up soon that has an opportunity for work to be chosen for an area art gala. They already bought one of my pieces and I have a goal for another work of mine to be chosen. Now it was necessary for me, not only to paint something for this show, but to choose a suitable subject of the best quality of composition and interest and also be able to complete it in time for the entry deadline. I went to my folder to make a choice and this is the sketch I compiled from the references. I will upload images as I work. Hope you enjoy this subject and artwork.

My husband was checking my website and informed me about all the many places that have viewers checking this site. Even Vatican City! Hello to you all. Also Bueno dia to you in Brazil y Otra hombres espanol. Me espanol no es Bueno pero es possible por mi hablar y entiendo un poco. Esta machina no quiero las leteras en espanol y decider hacer leteras diferente.

For now, that is all. Shalom, Diana

Here is today’s work.  I am very excited to see this come into reality.  This image is so much like the girls and painting it is almost like carving an image of them and having it come to real life.  They are a few years older now but they still look just the same.  Besides, this is a day’s event that will be nice to have memorialized as I once planned but didn’t get it right.  I hope I can keep working and show you regular updates and I hope you enjoy seeing my process.  I will tell you here that there is no flesh color on this painting although it looks like there is.  The background undercoat is grey and the grisaille is only just begun with a half-paste of lead white.  I am doing the darks with a mixture of burnt sienna, black and burnt umber.  I usually use a grey or green but the tones on their faces are so much in bright sun that I wanted all warm hues.  Of course, they both have toothy smiles, a no-no for most portraits, but who cares?  This is what I want so this is what I am doing.  If I get much done tomorrow, I will try to update, if not, I’ll see you next week.  By the way, the sailor is almost finished.  Tonight while watching TV I hope to paint some details.  Shalom, Diana

I will start with a note to tell you that as I have been striving to get back to diligent painting, I get carried away and forget to take consecutive photos so you can see my progress.  I am going to put a few that I have here but later I may pull a couple off my Ipad if I can figure out how to do that.  First, let me pull up the class painting.  I have already shown you some early shots of it.  Here is the most recent..You will notice that this is the same shot as I used when painting “There Once Was a Little Girl.”  It is a perfect example for teaching.  It is captivating, has descriptive shadows and light, and of course, a winning smile and bright shining eyes.  OK, so on the first rendition, I finished it  in a hurried, rough manner.  With this one, I wanted the skin to be more refined and the skin tones to be more milky, as is natural for this child.  On this photo, it does not look as soft and natural as it does in person.  Now I will pull up Ryan, but I am sorry I don’t have more in between images.This is my grandson. He is about to graduate from High School.  I wanted to paint this because I wanted him to have a more adult painting than the pouty little child I had painted when he was three or four years old.  Now I am going to show you another image or two. This is a work that I first attempted when I was just beginning to teach myself portraiture.  I did it in water color and it would have been a good painting except that my drawing was out of proportion.  Even when we make mistakes, we can learn.  This mistake taught me that all the problems must be worked out as much as possible when in the drawing stage.  At least this is so in the method I use.  Also I want you to know the these are my two youngest daughters, the photo taken at the graduation of the youngest.  Both the girls loved this shot.  It shows how close they are and yet how different.  Neither of them know I have pulled this out to do an oil.  The photos will also reveal my duplication in progress simultaneously so that they each have an original.  Well, I was mistaken about the photo, it does not show both canvases side by side.  Just try to imagine another one just like this sitting on the easel beside it.  I’ve done this before, working on two exact images and you can barely tell them apart.  I know this photo doesn’t show much but this is the stage that excites me most.  The potential is all in there. Now lets see what I can do with it.

I am almost finished with the large painting that got postponed when my uncle was ill.  I wanted to have it done for a national show but I was at least a months work from that goal.  Now there is just a tiny bit to do.  I won’t show it till it has been accepted into a show.  I’m just not quite sure where I should enter it.

I wanted to show Plimoth Wife in the Three Rivers Show but it didn’t fit their criteria I guess.

I am waiting to hear from Philadelphia too.  I’ll tell you more after I hear from them.

One more thing,  Years, maybe ten years, ago I bought a Cimbidium orchid.  I tried to get it to bloom but finally learned that they won’t bloom in the  north unless you can provide perfect conditions.  About two months ago I was so surprised to find a flowering stem with two buds on it.  I feared they would abort and die but they continued to develop and now they are sitting in my kitchen bay window.  Next year I will move the other two Cimbidium plants to get more light and maybe I will be able to get them to bloom as well Here is an image.

Here are the two images I wanted to load a few days ago.  I got everything ready and then could not get them to go onto the demonstrations page.  I still cannot figure out what I am doing wrong.  That page is on hold somewhere in the ether.  I decided to put it here so you don’t have to wait any longer.  The first one is the sketch that I have worked on a little while the transfer paint is still wet. (I don’t like to leave lines).  The second one is after two or three sessions.  Mostly I have just worked the lights and darks in a few layers so that I can make as many corrections as I want.  Soon my student and I will begin with adding color to the flesh.  This is very difficult because it involves using a light touch and being able to know what you are looking for.

I thought you might like to see another painting I am working on.  It takes a lot of work for me to do something other than portraits because I really have no idea what I am doing.  I just love flowers and so when I have nice ones, I get some photos and then later I can work on a still life.  Of course I will call this one Wine and Roses.

I got a nice surprise recently.  I was watering my orchids and noticed three flowering stems on a specimen that I’ve had for five years!  It took almost two months for the inflorescence to open.  It is a mini oncidium and that blossom is about as big as a thumbnail.  Then a couple of days ago, I discovered two blossoms, not open yet, on my cymbidium that I’ve had for years!  Since it never bloomed, I did some research and found that they just won’t bloom in this part of the country.  But there they are.  When they open, I’ll show you.

I am really eager to let you see the painting I’m preparing for the shows but I just don’t want to reveal it yet.  Maybe I’ll take a detail shot and post it soon.  Till next time.  Blessings, Shalom, Diana

I know it has been a slow winter. If you have followed this blog you know about the life events (health and deaths) that have taken time and energy. Now I am trying to get back into a regular routine. An exciting thing for me is working with a private student. I was concerned at first that I might not be up to this task but the student has made that concern vanish. This person is talented and completely dedicated to acquiring the skills needed to accomplish similar works but from a unique perspective. We are enjoying the interaction.
I am also concentrating a large segment of time/energy on the large piece for next year’s shows. I’m not ready to release much info about it except to say the following; the piece is quite large (I decided on the size based on the largest possible dimensions allowable for most juried shows and also, of course, on the composition.) The composition is very complicated and tedious although I am enjoying it. The subject is interesting, different, and captivating. Everyone who has seen it says it is their favorite, but they say that about each one as they come along! I wanted to have it done for last fall but all the personal things interrupted my work. Now it is moving along.
I am going to place photos of works in progress from my class on the demonstration page. We are working on a close – up portrait that I have painted before. You will notice that I am approaching it differently this time. I chose this portrait because of the facial features being cheerful and excited but mostly because of the lighting. When I finished it the first time, I did so in a hurry to have something for my art group. The finish was loose and painterly, not typical for me. Now I am working on a more precise rendition, what people sometimes call ‘tight’. My favorite artist is William Adolphe Bouguereau. His skin tones and surfaces were smooth and deep and his mastery of the human figure has no comparison. If he made such beautiful works of art with such a tight method, then I certainly can work in that manor as well. I’ve never conformed to someone else’s idea of ‘correct’. I paint what my heart tells me. I am going to download the most recent examples of this work into the category of demonstrations. As I continue, I will try to get some really good close- up shots of the work. The new camera we have should get some pretty good views. Hope this is helpful. (I’ll load these later today.) Shalom, Diana

For months I’ve been busy as co-care giver for my uncle. After the funeral I gave myself a few days to rest. Then I started to gather all the loose ends and tried to get organized to get back to my studio. I actually gave one lesson to my first private student. Then, well, you can probably guess it, chaos hit again. My husband was rushed to the ER with multiple bilateral pulmonary emboli. Blood clots in the lungs can kill very abruptly. He was lucky. A test for another problem showed the clots. He was put on blood thinners and came home twenty four hours later. Now we begin a series of many doctor visits for his tests and evaluations and mine for my heart. The Saturday before my husband’s Monday rush to the hospital, we had attended the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art’s 19th Annual Juried Exhibition. I was pleased to be awarded second place for Plimoth Wife. I had entered her hurriedly because I had not been able to prepare a new piece but since she still qualified, I sent in the CD and she was juried in. Ligonier puts on a wonderful show; good art, good food and fun, interesting artists and art enthusiasts. It was a pleasant evening.
When I started this blog, I never thought my life would present so many interruptions. We all face these challenges so I hope you will continue to check out this spot. I will make every effort to paint again and get some of my work on view. Shalom, Diana

On October 29, 2014 Uncle Frank made his transition from this life to the next. His mind was still strong; he amazed the doctors and nurses. His body just would not co operate. Even his heart was strong. Everything else gave out. Mostly, he slept away. I will miss him. Shalom

Finally Bruce and I figured out how to access our wordpress site. New updates always seem to mess things up at least until we figure out what to do differently. Our access route is different and if I were a computer geek perhaps it wouldn’t confuse me so much!
I hardly know where to begin to catch you up. I did the speaking engagement with the wonderful people in a nearby community. I am preparing to teach a class at the ‘Bottleworks’ in a neighboring city. That will be a challenge for me because of how unique and tedious my process is. It will not be difficult for those who truly want to learn this style of painting. Bruce drove me two and a half hours to Youngstown, Ohio a few weeks ago to watch a four hour long painting demonstration by Sherri McGraw, an Artist’s Magazine featured artist. Her work is very beautiful, especially her still life pieces. But her method, which she refers to as abstract realism, is loose and opposite of how I like to paint. I expect to try to mix it in with my style on a still life as soon as time permits.
I did not get a photo of the piece that I took to the New Alexandria Artist’s Alliance. I will do that as soon as I get the opportunity. I have a self portrait in the works for the next meeting in December. I want to get back to the large painting soon. OH, YES, I received a personal note from the lady who is the subject of ‘Plimoth Wife’. She was so gracious and complimentary. I was overjoyed to know that she has seen her portrait. It didn’t seem right to do such a special painting and the lady not even know it is her. It took almost a year for her to receive the photo. I am happy just knowing she has seen it.
I am sad to tell you that my uncle is in the hospital and slipping away fast. His daughter from several states to the West has been here staying with him since his wife died in August. I thought he was going to rebound strongly but when he realized his body was not going to keep up with his strong will and his strong mind, it took its tole.
I will keep you posted as to his condition but it seems to me that we are facing only a matter of days.
I am offering my apologies for not having the continuing posts of new work for you to see. I’ll get back to it as soon as I can. Shalom, Diana

Recently I was invited to demonstrate my painting technique at the local gallery during the ethnic festival. This event draws people from all around to enjoy the music, the food and the arts and crafts. The first two days were sunny and warm. Sunday was warm but drizzly. No matter. Hundreds of people went through. I was set up in one of the two buildings belonging to the art group. We invited people into the air conditioned area by placing a large poster showing a brief display of how my art progresses. Also, it was realized that there needed to be more direction for the people so they would find the art so some other signs were posted. I talked for three days from noon till about nine thirty (and until five on Sunday). It was quite an overwhelming experience because people are not so accustomed to seeing realism in portraits, at least not so much locally. The response was pleasantly positive.
My aunt passed away and was buried last week. I’ve had to postpone my work so I could not enter the piece I wanted to in the Mr. Fred Rogers Show in Latrobe. I entered another piece and will let you know later how it fares. Right now, I am going to be involved in helping my cousin from the state of Indiana get my uncle settled in an appropriate living situation. Till later, Shalom, Diana

This is my dear uncle with ( I’m pretty sure) his two youngest descendants, my granddaughters Ginney and Sophia.  Also his birthday cake with sparkler and a bowling trophy on his hundredth birthday.

I’ve been trying to get back to painting but the summer keeps putting things in my schedule, like a twenty four hour stay at the local hospital for a stomach and intestinal infection I don’t have time for. I’m thankful I’m recovering.  I’ve had three out of state visits from dear friends and relatives, which I love and other birthdays and reunions.  So much to do, so little time!  I will try to download the next stage of my grandson’s portrait.  I’d love to get started on the one I’m thinking about of Uncle Frank in the barber chair getting his flat top haircut. Till next time, Shalom, Diana