A FIRST FOR ME . . .

I think I mentioned in a previous Blog that I've been doing some experimenting lately.  Instead of just my Collages, I've gone back and have been doing some actual 'painting'.  Much easier to take a set of paints along on a trip than numerous piles of hand-painted, found papers, mediums and paints to do a Collage while away!

Below is my first painting that I completely painted with a Palette Knife.  I really enjoyed the process.  Sort of the same element of surprise in a way that I get when I do my Collages on a multi-colored background.  When I put my little squares down and the color shows through the 'cracks' the effect can be different on the paper from piece to piece.  Not sure that makes a lot of sense so you may have to take my word for it!  :)

Memories 

for more information on this piece please Click Here

Below is a piece you may have seen already if you receive my Newsletter.  It's a new 

'Little Sisters' piece that I've recently done for an upcoming show in Coeur d'Alene.  It's actually 12 x 12" square but the color is much better (and truer) in this cropped piece.

"What about me . . . ?"

for more information on this piece please Click Here

Back in to the Studio.  I have a lot of work to get done yet before my Show opens in 2 weeks.  : /  I also have some other things happening so if you don't get my Newsletter and would like to catch up, here is the link to the latest one.

http://charleenmartinfineart.com/nl/?nid=42729&type=html

(you can sign up above to get on my email list)

Have a great day!

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ARTIST . . .

WELCOME TO A DAY IN MY LIFE . . .

and the lives of 10 other Artists from around the world.    When done here you can just click on one of the Artists links below and spend a day with them too.  I hope you enjoy your visits!

Up, showered and shaved (shaved??)  This is my 'To go' cup and Dodger and I are off for a morning walk.

This is Dodger.  He's my walking companion and studio buddy.  He's 12 pounds of  pure personality from a 'who knows what lineage'.  Whatever it is, it's given him the cutest Fu Man Chu mustache.  (You can barely see it in this photo).  And how can you resist those ears!

 We're off on our Walk . . .

 

This is some of what I see on my walks.  Unfortunately, it's not very exciting.  Our little neighborhood where we live is surrounded by Orchards (actually, everything in Wenatchee, Washington is surrounded by Orchards . . .) So, that's what I see when I walk.  Pears courtesy of the closest orchard ~ Sunflower courtesy of the local weed patch.  The other photo is of my neighbors yard which I walk past.  I know, you're wondering what's so special about this, right?  Well, as you can see, this is a very well cared for and manicured yard.  And this whole yard is COMPLETELY taken care of by my 86 year old Widowed neighbor.  She does the mowing, the trimming, the planting, the aerating (that thing you step on and it puts holes in your grass so it can breathe)  She does it all . . . alone.  My husband talked her into letting him mow once, recently, because the temperature was at the 3 digit mark.  She relented.  But, I know she won't make that mistake again because he cut it too short (for her).  She thanked him but he could tell she wasn't happy. . .

Home again . . . time to change cups and get a refill.  This is my favorite cup.  It was made by a potter friend of mine many years ago. (Hi Mel!)   It's one of those that fits your hand perfectly and has great balance with the bottom being just a little wider.  :)

Made myself a spinach omelet for breakfast.  Other mornings it might be just yogurt.  I'm not normally a big yogurt fan but I found this brand I really like called Chobani.  

Omelet and my Tablet both go to the Dining room table and while I eat I do a quick check of my emails.  I always tell myself I will get back to them later and answer the ones I need to.  Unfortunately, as more come in during the day, I forget to go back to the original ones and more often than not they do not get answered in a timely matter.  These are my personal ones . . . Business I am more prone to stay on top of.  Don't know why I feel like I can't take the time for myself to take care of personal business . . .  : /  Oh yes, caught up on my Facebook likes.  Well, as caught up as you can be when you haven't been on it in 5 days.  :(

Some days I get to eat breakfast with my husband.  He works nights and some mornings he's in early and some not.  Today is a Not.

more coffee . . .

Into the studio to work.  I have about 5 paintings in progress.  I usually have at least 2  because of the process on my collages so 5 is a lot even for me.  I'm on an Abstract journey right now and above is one of the pieces I'm working on.  At the moment I'm stuck and don't know where I want to go from here but so far I love the colors!

Life Shouldn't be lived in a Box

12 x 16 Mixed Media on canvas

Just put the finishing touches on this Abstract.  Sometimes we let life put us in a Box.  I think we do it to ourselves even though we don't like to take the blame.  

more coffee . . .

and . . . .hubby's up.  Time for lunch (which is really our dinner) because this is his main meal.  He'll stay up for a 'brief' time and then head back to bed.  I do not recommend this schedule to anyone  :(

Lunch . . .

I made the meatloaf yesterday so today it is Salad, leftover meatloaf and corn.  Corn is 3/$1.00 here.  I can remember when it used to be 10/$1.00  :(

Finished lunch.  Visited with hubby for a bit and then back to the Studio, but first . . . 

Working now on another Abstract.  It may not look like it but this one I do know where I'm going!  :)   Need to let this dry . . .

I have a Gallery Show coming up in 3 weeks in Coeur d'Alene, ID.   They like/want my 'Sisters'   pieces.  That's what I SHOULD be working on!

                                              But instead . . .

I did this small 6 x 6" Collage just so I could feel like I accomplished something. 

Definitely need . . .

It's now normal people dinnertime.  Hubby is up and we usually have . . .

  and  more     

and visit for an hour before he leaves for work.  He doesn't eat before he leaves for work because it makes him sleepy.

Kinda cute (for an old guy!) in his shorts don'tcha think :)  (you'll have to take my word on it since he's got his face covered!)  Believe it or not, that's an actual work uniform.  (No, not the helmet silly!)

I go back in and re-check emails, Blog, Etsy and Website activity and whatever else I might need to do on the computer for about an hour.  By now, Dodger is waiting patiently to go on another walk (He does get to go out in the yard during the day, just so you know . . .)

So, off we go.  And no . . .

this time.

This evening we walked past the Apple Orchard.   Sorry, I wish I could make this part more interesting  :/

 But, by the time we finished our walk the sky looked like this . . . Beautiful!

Came home and decided to do one 

more project which was to turn this . . .

  

           into this . . .

                                                             Green with Envy

Added it to my website and now . . .

I'm done for the day!  

Today was a fairly quiet day but I hope you enjoyed spending  some time with me.  If you've gotten this far I Thank you very much for the company.  

Now it's time for me to sit and relax and have one of these . . .

Sl`ainte !

Please enjoy your time 

with these Special Artists...

Sally Binard

http://sallyartdotcom.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-day-in-life-blog-carnival.html

Sharon Graves:
http://finenatureartbyslgraves.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-day-in-life.html

Joanne Grant
http://www.joannegrantart.com/?p=1749

Karen Johnston
http://karenjohnstonart.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-day-in-life-of-artist-blog-carnival.html

Kevin Larson
http://www.kevinlarsonart.com/2013/08/one-morning-painting.html

Marla Laubisch
http://marlalaubisch.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-day-in-life-blog-carnival.html

Jo MacKenzie
http://jomackenzie.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-day-in-life.html

Cindy Michaud
http://cindymichaudart.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-day-in-lifecontinuing-ed.html

Christine Parker
http://www.christineparkerart.com/blog/content/general/18/artist-s-blog-carnival.html#.UgwsFRathF8

Cindy Williams
http://wp.me/p12Q2N-mp

'SOMETIMES WE ALL JUST WANT TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION'

For those of you that don't receive my Newsletter, I introduced this big Guy on my latest one 2 days ago. I thought I would re-post him here so you could see him too.  The 'very beginning of his being' was on my Easel when we did the Studio Tour last month.  

'SOMETIMES WE ALL JUST WANT TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION'

18 X 18 Mixed Media Collage

For more information on him you can Click Here

In my June Newsletter I talked about a very "interesting' camping trip I took with my Granddaughter and her friend, and how 'what could go wrong, did go wrong.'  I included the a photo of the girls taken along Lake Wenatchee, a very beautiful spot north of where we live. A couple of weeks later my husband and I took 2 of our grandsons with us on a trip to the Coast.  Of course, since my husband was along there were no major mishaps to deal with.  (Like I said in the Newsletter, I knew it was a test all along!)

As I was going through the photos of the trip I realized that in almost all of the ones I took of the boys, they have a definite 'Do we have to do this' look.  (as you can see in the three above as versus the one of the girls).

The girls on the other hand, couldn't wait to pose and get in just the right position. You can't imagine how many times those Milk Shakes got moved around before I was allowed to snap this photo!  

I do know at some point it changes for the boys too ~ Nowadays you see too many Graduation photos with Boys posing out in the middle of Cornfields with their Guitars :) ~ a sure sign that lookin' good becomes important for them too. I just found it interesting that, as females, we catch on very early to the permanence and/or the importance of a camera!   :) 

By the way, if you are ever on Highway 2, just North of Leavenworth, Washington , be sure to stop in to the 59'er Diner.  That's where those Milkshakes came from. Good food, Great Milkshakes (they keep track of the thousands and thousands they sell each year and this is not a big place!) and the atmosphere is nothing but fun.  Strictly 50's ~  and all the Waitresses are named 'Flo'.  :)

Have a great day!