Pastoral View #6

4" x 6" original watercolor
SOLD

I told you we took a road trip to New Holland
to see a pair of Bald Eagles. This is part of the
farm scene where they nested. I had to be satisfied
with painting this since the eagles were small dots
without binoculars. The eagles were to the right,
in the middle of the field in a set of trees. You will
need to use your imagination and trust me that
they were there!

I have been squeezing in work on this large painting.
I wanted to show you how far it has come. If you
go back to Jan. 27th you can see the beginning.
The pots are painted in, the shadow work on the
porch floor and more detail on the door.
There is still plenty
more hours to go.
Click over it for a
better view.

I did not realize my
artistic ego was so
fragile. But I had my
first week of no bidding
in a very very long time.
I know the paintings were
well executed and I had
a variety of subjects. Any
unsold paintings get framed
and put on my show stand
so, it is not a waste of my
time but... it somehow
makes me stop and
question what I am doing. Public opinion should not be the
guiding force to what an artist creates, but there are always
compromises to the artist earning a living on the largess of
his clients. So, I had to take the time to line up the weeks
accomplishments and honestly look at them. The dry spell
started with the Bugatti, an unconventional angle I know
but very well done! And I must ask who doesn't like a
Bugatti? Although Linda did suggest the number of Bugatti
fanatics on my mailing list may be limited! Next was a pastoral
view. Pleasant, maybe not a strong painting, would not win
an award...but it is pleasant and will frame up nicely.
Then the corner of a window, I was attracted to the shadows,
so I guess I painted that one for my own study or for someone
that likes the offbeat. Wednesday I went back to what I know
very well, the shaker boxes. Good strong use of color, I
absolutely know I can sell that at a show. Then I finished the
week with my kisses. I knew that would be a hard sell, but
I spent a whole day on them. And to defend myself, they were
really really hard! I am not ashamed of the week's work,
if I am at fault it is my attempt to grow artistically at the expense
of cash. Deemed admirable by some, just not my mortgage
company! So I am following my wife's advice...
just paint.

We did have a nice weekend. Friday was spent with our
friends. We had dinner and a movie rental, Becoming Jane.
Saturday night I took Linda out dancing. There was a live
band playing at the Ritz in New Holland. Not exactly
a hotbed for dance music but the band was excellent; they
played a good variety of 60-70-80's. Been a while since
we went out at 9pm and rolled home at 1!