Daily Painting

Imagining a Book

I put some of my moroccan sketches in a blurb book, Imagining Morocco, here.  Elizabeth and I are suggesting that participants in the Moroccan Sketchbook Retreat use an online publisher to print their own books of sketches, photos and notes from the trip.

Again and Again and Again and Again

At first I wasn't going to let myself paint the pomegranate again.  I thought, no, you've already painted enough of those, thats lazy you must try harder.  But then I realized- thats rubbish!  Every time I look its different.  There is no shame in sitting down and trying to see a thing no matter how many time's you've looked at it before. Does the fact that I have already had few conversations with my sister mean there's no point in speaking with her again?  Lets hope not.  (I think I've probably written that here before, but, well this is a post about what's worth repeating.)  And furthermore I get to paint anything that I feel like painting!  oops, here I am arguing with myself again.  

Painting in Bed

I made these the other night in my own cozy bed using the tiny sketchbook.  The fist is based on some photos of Le Bougainvillier in Marrakech.  (I was inventing the fountain and thats probably why it looks like a laundry tub.)

# 554

Another pomegranate.  Okay, here, now you can see all of the Daily Painting Pomagranates in one place.

Keeping Me On My Toes

Beloved Colette came in with these glittery golden platforms to paint today in Open Studio Still Life Painting Class.  Yup.  *%!!#@*^%**!!!!!!!!! I thought.  But here they are and I am feeling quite pleased with myself.  Thank you for expanding my horizons and adding the categoy "Glam" to my blog Colette. 

After Bonnard

 There are still two spots in the Morrocan Sketchbook Retreat at Peacock Pavilions, come with us!  read more about it here in an article by Sarah Merrill on kidoinfo.

Elizabeth and I were discussing our lesson plans for Moroccan Sketchbook and Bonnard's bright colorful paintings came up.  I wondered aloud how he got those effects and we decided to both do some copies. Often he seems to get the colorful effect with neutral colors-they provide a foil for the bright stuff.  What strikes me about my copy is that its almost a Bonnard caricature, more like my own idea of how a Bonnard appears than the original-barely a neutral color in sight.  (If you know my work you will grin.) See Elizabeths Bonnard here.  (And, yes, I added a dachshund too because they are usually in his paintings somewhere.)

A Version of the Tar Baby

I am not sure how this relates but its a great quotation and they came to me together .

From Tricycle, Seeing Clearly

Our practice is to meet life exactly as it is and to notice whatever fear, anger, or doubt gets in the way of direct,intimate contact with this moment, bringing attention to that as well.  Rather than changing something or seeking to get somewhere we imagine we should be, practice is about seeing clearly exactly how things really are and how we relate to them.  Practice thus becomes an increasing intimacy with life just as it is, and there is nothing-including the idea that we should be getting something or somewhere-that is unworthy of the clear, nonjudgmental attention we call mindfulness.

-Douglas Phillips, "Q and A with Douglass Phillips"

Theseus and the Minotaur

I painted a covered passageway while Captain Spectacular drew. This one is Theseus and the Minotaur (He got Minotaurus for Christmas) with a turtle appearing there on the right.  My bet is with Theseus.

Compassion

A marker and pen and ink drawing.  I cannot remember anything about this version of Shakyamuni Buddha though I did read the description, frankly I just liked the colors.  I do remember that it is from a chapter with "compassion" in the title.  Admire the elephantine dragons.  From a book I got at the Rubin Museum.

Wolf Moon

The January full moon is known as the Wolf Moon. This painting is from yesterday actually, though its splendid tonight.  (In the background:  Every year my dear friend Helen Uger sends me a Russian Calendar,

"fail better" from Samuel Beckett:  "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."    

And the a photo of my mom friends, a particular group of friends I met while pregnant, not a baby group anymore as these days we usually meet for dinner without the kids