Evening #4

4" x 6" original watercolor
SOLD

I have been experimenting with evening shadows...
the way night light changes color and texture.
I like that I can use the night light to create tension
and the illusion of something about to happen.

I am sorry I missed yesterdays blog painting. All my
energy is going into my commission and there is
just not enough time to work on two paintings. The
commission is looking great but I can't share it with
you until next weekend.

Pottery #4

4" x 6" original watercolor
SOLD

I enjoy painting a still life. A single object in a room.
The antique jug was an off white almost grey color.
If you know your antiques you know what I mean.
It had no decorations on it.
It is placed in the center of all that wood, as a focal point.

If you leave near Lititz, PA, you are always welcome
to stop at the studio to see any of the blog paintings.
I am told the computer just does not do them justice.
So give me a call and if I am home, you may stop in!

Pastoral View #3

4" x 6" original watercolor
SOLD

If you were out at the Lititz Craft Show today,
you were able to watch me work on this painting.

I talked earlier this week about the effects of
shades of green. Pastoral View #2 featured
rolling hills, this painting should give you the
impression of mowed fields.
Notice the great mountain view in the distance
with slight pink on the horizon. The fence, path,
and barn roof are the white of the paper with a light
wash of color to tone it down.

Friday update...

Usually I am off to Eagles Mere this week, however I decided not to attend this year. I felt they needed a year to miss me! The original plan was after several weeks of traveling to take a weekend off. But after looking over my financial budget... I signed up to do the huge Lititz craft show. I always felt my work didn't belong at this venue. Oh, how we end up eating crow!! I will let you know how it goes.

The life of an artist: This blog is about sharing. My idea is to give you a glimpse into my life, to keep you updated and give you a greater connection to me and my art. So I will share a weekend story... Linda and I got home late Monday night from the show in Vermont. You may have been thinking I have got it made, I am doing what I love everyday, and I am... but let me share... Thurs. we left at 7am and drove 7 hours. Set up our little camper at a camp site. Our poor little camper was placed aside a big motor home, making me feel that size does matter! I felt small and insignificant. Then we went over to the show and set up my booth. We finished around 7pm. As of now I am out about $800 in expenses (Show fee, gas, camp fee, groceries, and we are not even staying at a hotel.) We fell into bed tired and did I mention HOT! Fri. we were at the show from 7:30am to 6PM. Again HOT, Linda is wilting in the heat but I am in my element. I only sold a little so its back to the campsite for sandwiches and sleep. Sat. again 7:30am-6pm at the show. Decent sale day but I did not want to risk spending it on a restaurant so its a salad. There's not much to do when you camp, and we have been sitting outside in the heat all day. Linda was not seeing the thrill in sitting around a campfire! So off to bed, I had a book on tape and Linda was reading as we watched the flicker of a big screen TV in the big motor home aside us. Trying not to feel envy! Sun. back to the show from 7:30am to 5pm and sold absolutely nothing. Not just us, many artist made less than I did and this was a high quality show. But oh what that does to my artistic ego. All kinds of self doubt creeps in. Even after 28 years I question my talent, my choice of style and subject. The other artist are feeling the same thing, contemplating getting real jobs. Analyzing the state of our economy. How long can we all just barely cover expenses. Commiserating with others makes you feel almost hopeless. And we still need to pack up. We finished by 7pm. Got a pizza but I feel even worse because I can't treat Linda to a good hot meal. We go back to the campsite, where that monstrosity of a motor home becomes a symbol of success and my pop up tests my pride! It started raining during the night and now we have to pack up a wet camper and drive 7 hours back home. Once at home we unpack and start in on laundry and mail and phone/email messages, set the camper up in the yard so it can dry out. Falling into bed in a tired heap. Tues. we start with a business meeting. Trying to figure out if my style of painting is past. Is traditional over? Are all the young couples contemporary and the older clients finished buying? But I just can not make myself paint in a looser contemporary style. Its not who I am. I can't compromise on that. So I just go paint... I lose myself in what I know. And as it usually works out during the week I sell my good Goose painting and take 2 print orders. The blog has been selling and my commission is looking good, I am again optimistic. That's the key to this lifestyle, my cup is half full. I get down to work on my blog and hope for a better show this weekend. I look up and its Friday and time to pack and go set up again.

The show: The HUGE Lititz Rotary Craft Show
Saturday from 8am-5pm. It covers all of Lititz!
My space is in the park, near the center parking lot.
#M52 FYI: Mount Gretna is next weekend.

Peaches

6" x 4" original watercolor
SOLD

My inspiration was the peaches we have sitting
in the kitchen. I have been eating them all week.
So when I decided to paint a still life I artistically
placed them in a large tin bowl, added a crock
and set them on a wall shelf.

Pastoral View #2

5" x 5" original watercolor
SOLD

I have been observing shades of green. How grass
and trees have such a range in shades of green.
How sun and shade changes the hues. Notice how a
subtle darker shade gives the impression of rolling
hills. Even darker lets you see deep shade under the
tree. Green is not just green! Next time you are
outside spend a moment and really look.

Sunflowers

6" x 4" original watercolor
SOLD

On the way out of Lititz there is a huge field
of sunflowers. I could not resist all those
yellow heads reaching for the sun. They were
all facing the same direction. I learned from
Linda the flowers always face east, no matter
how you plant them...interesting. Today is so
hot and steamy I was inspired to paint bright
yellow against a blue sky.

Red Bench

4" x 6" original watercolor
SOLD

This painting actually belongs in the "Warm Spot"
Series. A hot sunny day, a little shade behind a
brick building. Add an inviting red bench.
It is a simple scene and I painted it for the pure
pleasure of painting something I am good at,
bricks and light. It actually photographed a bit
darker than it actually is.

Friday update...on Wednesday night!

It is late and I just finished today's blog. I am
again packed and ready to get on the road.
We are trying the pop-up a second time! We
are leaving early tomorrow morning for a show
in Vermont. So anyone winning a painting will
need to wait until my return on Tuesday. But I
thank you for your bidding!

Family: Just your average week in the Smith
household. The plumber was here today... it
feels like only last week we updated all our toilets
to great power flush ones. I found out they are
7-10 years old and they are not holding up. Lets
just say 4 need replaced. The German in Linda
seemed to think they should have lasted our lifetime!

Painting: I won a "Judges Choice" award at the
Lititz Art Show! That always looks good on the resume'.
I had fun this week, I went bolder on the building,
added another figure which I love, and then went back to an
interior. I have a commission to paint over the weekend.
It is a surprise gift so I can't tell you more until later.

Show: August. 3 - 5
The 29th Annual Southern Vermont Art & Craft Festival
Held at Hildene Meadows in Manchester, VT
10AM to 5PM rain or shine great quality
more info: www.craftproducers.com/festival-details.php?id=4

Bed

4" x 6" original watercolor
SOLD

My constant source of interior subjects is the
Shaker Villages. I painted a similar bed last month.
This is from a different room and a different
style bed but it is the light laying across it that
interests me most.
I am so grateful for modern mattresses!