I haven't posted in quite a while, because I was on a fabulous vacation in Guatemala for 2 weeks. I am still working on putting the photos together, but in the meantime here is one shot taken of me saying farewell to Lake Atitlán. The reason I have been so busy since I got back last week is because I am getting ready for my annual open house.

re-worked painting

The more I looked at the last painting I posted, the more I hated it! Every time I walked by it, I thought, "that is a terrible painting"

I tell my students to either work on several paintings at once, or walk away from the work frequently, since our eyes stop seeing freshly after an hour, but did I listen to myself - NO!

I am finally reasonably content with the re-worked painting.

detail

The series , Into the Silence, so far

I have an impromptu one day class on Wednesday, and have to scurry to clean up my studio where I have spread materials on all 6 tables. I will put the paintings that I have been working on in the stacks so there will be room for the students.

I feel that it will be good to take a break, since my biggest problem when I am working figuratively, is over working. I probably should hire someone to burst into the studio and take the paintings away after I have worked on them for a couple of days.

Here is the series so far:

Oil and encaustic

encaustic

encaustic

encaustic

encaustic

oil and encaustic

encaustic

encaustic

encaustic

in process - encaustic

just oil so far

encasutic

encaustic and oil... still working

Yesterday

Today

Yesterday

today

Today I just worked on 2 of the paintings. Mostly on the oil figure and the encaustic and oil background of that figure. The camera gives me a different view, and a record of the progress - or lack of it. What do you think? I am feeling that I like the warmer background of the figure painted in oil. Today I used more encaustic in the background and some more stenciling.

The painting I posted yesterday with the stenciled pattern over her face, today looked like the poor woman had a serious skin disease. That's one to scrape off.

There was another painting that I worked on yesterday that I forgot to post. It is better, but still not great.

All for the love of a dog

This young boy will become a professional painter

My youngest daughter, Cynthia became my neighbor a couple of months ago. She moved into a light-filled apartment next door to me here in San Miguel de Allende. She also is an artist working in encaustic, but before she sets up her studio, she is making the place her own which includes getting all the walls painted. The prievious tenant had a wild color sense!

The children in our neighborhood were terrified of Cynthia's Boxer, Ziggy at first. Actually, they have been trained to fear all dogs. Cynthia speaks Spanish and soon she proved to the children and their parents how a trained, domesticated dog behaves. Now the kids beg to walk him and give him his daily bath. Instead of just coming to her apartment to play with the dog, the kids asked Cynthia to help paint walls and furniture. She has years of experience and agreed to teach them how to do a proper job. Break time includes lunch and resting with Ziggy.

Ziggy makes a great pillow

I can't guess who is more tired.

hamburgers and TV at lunch time

The only girl in the group is starting the base coat on a table.