Another one finished...

I worked on this over the weekend as my demonstration
painting and needed yesterday to finish it.  Linda is saving
it for Open House.  Untitled...  framed 18x14"

Thank you to Amy for the still life, all Linda has to do is ask
for a still life with vegetables and they come my way!
I started a commission today and I cannot show it until later.

This weekend...
Heart of Lancaster Art & Craft Show
Aug. 31-Sept. 1 from 10am-4pm
Held at Roots Market ~ 705 Graystone Rd
Manheim, PA    rain or shine ~ FREE
Booth #136

finished...

I have been using my free time this week to finish my larger original.  This was way out of my comfort zone!  I stood there...in the quiet, with a woodsy pine smell in the air, feeling small among the tall trees and wanted to get that feeling across.  This was from the Hoyt Arboretum in Portland, Oregon.

I did the drawing by hand.  I did not use anything (misket) to save the white areas, the white is the paper showing through.  I simply took my time and painted around things.   It is a green mess until you can separate it out in your mind like a puzzle.

It will be framed 20x24.   I need a title but it is too soon to price it.  I want to live with it a bit so I can let it go later.  I plan to have it available at Open House in November.   

Tomorrow I set up at YorkFest, tt has been 16 years since I last exhibited here and since we were trying to stay closer to home while Linda was healing I thought I would give it a try.  Tell all your friends near York, PA to come see me.

Yorkfest
August 24-25
Sat. 10-5 and Sun. 10-4
Downtown York, PA
I am at the Colonial Courthouse  B2
rain or shine ~ FREE

Watercolor Classes

Watercolor Classes starting in September!
Send an email to sign up or with questions.

I am again offering a beginner class on Thursday mornings.
You should be able to draw/sketch.  This is a structured class
where everyone paints the same thing.  I demo, and talk you
through each step to understand shape, texture and light.

9/5, 9/12, 9/19, 9/26
Thursday morning 9:30-11:30 Limited to 8 students   $75 for 4 weeks.

week 1: talk about supplies, paint a fruit
week 2: paint a still life
week 3: paint a landscape
week 4: paint a water scene
At the end of this class you are ready to join any other
class and start a painting on your own!
_________________________________________________
Advance Class -  9/3, 9/10, 9/17, 9/24
Tuesday mornings 9:30-11:30am
You are basically working on your own and I help when
you are stuck.  Many use this simply for some painting
time.

All levels -  9/3, 9/10, 9/17, 9/24  Tuesday evening 7-9pm 

9/4, 9/11, 9/18, 9/25Wednesday morning 9:30-11:30amWednesday evening  7-9pm
________________________________________________

A limit of 8 students per class, bring your own supplies.

$65 per 4 weeks OR $60 if you take both September
and October  NO Prorated class - take all 4   OR
$20 "drop in" fee per class.

Everyone works on their own subject at their own pace
with my guidance! 
Classes are laid-back, offering demonstrations, gentle
critique, chit-chat, coffee/tea and some music.

FYI: I have cats...
if you are alergic it will not be a good idea to attend!

packing back up...

Mount Gretna Art Show update:  this show made too many changes in one year. They closed several areas and moved artists.  They closed down Rt 117 and put artists along the road making getting around impossible.  They canceled the shuttles, making everyone park up in the field. Anyone older now has to walk pretty far to the show and then walk around the show.  Too much in the heat.  Saturday traffic was backed up 2 hours to park, many people turned around and went home.  The show boasted record attendees...  ??  They did not allow artist to drive anywhere in the show to restock, drop off an ice chest and just all the junk you need to drag in and out daily.  We had to dolly it all in.  It was hot, and a brief shower on Saturday created red mud everywhere.  Sunday was hot with a show closing rain at 4pm.  Again, with the new layout pack up was almost impossible so we decided to close up and come back on Monday morning.  They had some pretty bad storms roll through so on Mondays arrival the tent and rug are drenched so it’s pack up wet.  If you ever tent camped in the rain it’s like that!  At home everything has to be unpacked, hosed off and dried.

I am talking hours of extra work. My 2 day show turns into 4 days of work.  Many artist had very low sales however I did ok so I’m feeling grateful, as long as I do not add the hours and figure out I

am probably earning below minimum wage!!  I am not getting a blog painted today but will try to work on the larger forest painting I have been working on later tonight.   Thank you to all my clients that supported me this weekend.  No worries, I’ll be ready for Yorkfest by the weekend!

Setting up...

UPDATE on Mount Gretna Art Show: they moved me back to my original space but faced me forward towards the walkway.  So you can find me almost at my same space!!

I am sure you have pondered what goes into setting up for an art show!  Wishing you could help...  but you cannot. Linda and I have it down to a science, each has a job and we do not even have to talk the whole set up and pack up.
Saves the marriage!!

Today I was getting ready for the Mount Gretna Art Show.  First, check in with the show committee and get a show packet then find my 10x10 plot of land.   I have to park way behind the trees and dolly in!  I tell Linda this is why I have to ride my bike so much, to stay in shape to dolly my show stuff!!  She probably does not buy that but it is worth a shot!  Now I lay my rug, nailing the rug into the ground to keep people from tripping over it.

Next the frame for the tent. This is like setting up an old school tent from camping! Poles everywhere that snap together.

Placing the top on the frame.

Legs added, raise it up, zip on sides.  Have to think rain and keeping my paintings dry!

Place the racks for optimal display of my fabulous work.

Hang my sign,  covers over the racks, uppers added and now attach everything together so it's all one secure unit.  Add awnings to three sides.

I stake the legs into the ground and I am adding 50lb weights to each corner.  Prepared in case of a storm.  Considering how uneven the landscape is here, it looks pretty good.  So two of us working and we were taking our time this took about 4 hours!

I still have to bring in my paintings and they all need hung up but that gets done very early Saturday morning.  Now, as promised because of all her help today, Linda gets treated to a sundae from the Jigger Shop.

2019 Sunflower #5

4x6” original watercolor  $275

A huge sunflower...


This is it for the week.  I will be setting up for Mount Gretna and I also want to get back to the large painting I have been working on.This weekend...Mount Gretna Art Show
August 17-18
Sat. 9-6 and Sun. 9-5
They rearranged the layout and moved
my space.  In in the same area, the same
row but half way down the row.  I also
downsized to one space!  #210

2019 Sunflower #4

6x4” original watercolor   $275

I paint fast and usually do not pay any attention to how long something takes me to complete, but I realized these sunflower paintings are taking me all day!
I'm talking 10 to 7 with an hour off for dinner.   8 hours...  They are pretty complicated little things. Like a massive jigsaw puzzle. Not complaining, just was surprised.

2019 Sunflower #3

SOLD!
4x6” original watercolor

$135 (unframed) to the first person to email
If unsold by 8/14 at 7pm price goes to $275

I found a garden full of sunflowers on Main Street in Lititz and plan to paint them all week.

This weekend...Mount Gretna Art Show
August 17-18
Sat. 9-6 and Sun. 9-5
They rearranged the layout and moved
my space.  In in the same area, the same
row but half way down the row.  I also
downsized to one space!  #210

2019 Sunflower #2

4x6” original watercolor    $225

I saw this at the ice cream parlor in Lexington KY.
What really caught my eye was the reflection of the glass
jar in the metal table. Take a little time and study it.

SATURDAY...
BIG Lititz Rotary Craft ShowAugust 10 from 8am - 4pm
rain or shine ~ FREE
My booth is #B4 on Broad St (Rt 501)
In front of the entrance to the Sutter Patio

2019 Sunflower #1

SOLD!
4x6” original watercolor
$135 (unframed) to the first person to email
If unsold by 8/9 at 7pm price goes to $275

I usually wait until September to paint sunflowers however they are every where right now and I feel like I should not wait!

2019 Landscape #2

5x5” original watercolor $200

Just a little full moon study...

Weekend update...
To give you an idea of how I spend a weekend...we left home on Thursday morning at 7AM headed to Kentucky.   We take the Cumberland Gap route stopping every 2 hours to stretch. Lunch at Muriale's Italian Kitchen in Fairmont WV.  Excellent food, in fact we ordered take out for the next nights dinner.  One more stop for ice cream at Crank & Bloom in Lexington KY.  Ok ice cream but not overly exciting.  We arrived in Wilmore KY at 7PM. Long drive!  The bed felt good.  Friday morning we went out to the Shaker Village for set up.
Our space is out in the sun and it was hot.  We finished at 1:00.  Linda has had The Abbey of Gethsemani on her list to visit so we decided to check it out. It was an hour drive.  I think her thoughts were Abbeys in Europe since it was founded in 1848 but it has been rebuilt in a very modern style.  There was little to see and too hot to walk the grounds which would be beautiful in fall but not in August!  We did watch an interesting film on the Monks daily life and bought their fudge and a piece of their fruitcake made on the grounds.

It just so happens that Makers Mark Bourbon was close by and the bottle we dipped ourselves 20 years ago was long gone so we decided to check it out.  The grounds have been spruced up and to dip your own bottle is a bit more updated.

Here I am with my bottle, gloves, apron, arm sleeves and googles...must be safe you know!

I am dipping my bottle in the signature red wax...

and its finished.

Back in the suburban for an hour drive back, left over dinner and early to bed.  Saturday we are out at the show by 8:30am till 6pm exhibiting in the heat all day.  These temps are wearing Linda out!  Repeat on Sunday only adding pack up to the evening.  Monday we socialized at breakfast with the other B&B guests and hit the road at 10am for the very long drive home.  Arriving back in Lititz at 9pm.  Today I emptied the van, cut two cases of glass and went to the market.  The above painting was half finished and I scrambled to get it done.  It will not be a late night tonight!