"Afternoon Cactus"

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I painted this one towards the end of the first day when I was tired and hungry. It turned into a quick sketch, interrupted quite a bit by wandering boyscouts (who all wanted to be in the painting). I didn't have much hope for the painting (even thought of adding the boyscouts), but right when I was about to give up, one boy stopped and said, after a thoughtful pause, "I like it, I really like it." I looked again, fixed a couple of things, and decided it wasn't half bad.

"Cactus City"

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This is another one from Inks Lake, with the morning light on the cactus. I did this the second day and experimented with NOT putting down a ground first (or toning the canvas). I am used to putting down a ground with still lifes, and it has worked well in my opinion. But with landscapes it tends to make the whole thing darker, or has for me, and I really like how light and bright this turned out with the white showing through in spots.

"Granite & Cedar" and "Cautious Duck" - SOLD

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This last weekend we went camping at Inks Lake, which is characterized by (besides the lake) a whole lot of granite, cactus, and trees. It is quite beautiful, especially in the spring. There is new grass everywhere there now, which is an intense shade of green and provided great color contrast with the rock and sky.

I am way ahead with my paintings so I am posting 2 today. The duck below is from a photo I took at Inks Lake on our last camping trip. He/she really wanted the food we were eating but was too polite to just come right out and ask.

Regarding images not coming through in the emails, you may need to click on something at the top of the email that says "click here to download pictures." Nothing has changed on my end, but suddenly a big number of you aren't able to see the images ... let me know if this works.

"Love Triangle" - SOLD

I had a fabulous time camping and will post about that soon. As for the response about emails, most seem to get them just fine. One helpful reader suggested that if you aren't getting them, or if you find them in your junk folder, add me (carol@bluecloudstudios.com) as a contact in Outlook (or whatever you use) and you shouldn't have any more problems. I would second that! A few of you had problems recently veiwing the image, and sent the message back to me to illustrate, but I COULD see the image, in that same email. I think there are just so many variables in different email clients and safety settings, and new settings being sent out by Microsoft all the time, etc. blah blah blah - it's a wonder any emails ever get to the right place!

"Wildflowers" - SOLD

There have been more than a few of you lately who've complained about not getting the emails I send out when I post. My service provider assures me it's not their problem but rather the settings with each subscribers' email provider. They say you should check your junk folders. BUT, I'd like to do a little research on my own, and at the risk of getting a ton of emails, could you please tell me if you used to get my emails but you don't now. OR if you have signed up but aren't getting emails at all. Of course, it will take you checking my blog to read this ... argh!

I'm off tomorrow for some more camping (and painting too this time), so I'll process the emails and report back (and maybe figure out a new way to send out emails) when I get home - probably Monday.

"Alien Apples" - SOLD

I want to thank all of you who have passed on blog awards to me recently. I am incredibly honored! That said, I have been really busy for a while and some things have fallen through the cracks, including emailing you back. For the same reason, I haven't been able to post about the awards and pass them along to others. Also, if you have emailed me and I haven't written back, I sincerely apologize. I get a lot every day. I try to answer if there is a question, but again, sometimes they fall through the cracks. If it is really important, please email me again. Thank you!

A few of you have asked to see the portrait that was shown on the Dr. Phil show. It is of my stepdaughter, Maddie, from a photo I took of her when she was 5 or 6, painted about 9 years ago. It is quite large, maybe 30"x40". It hangs above our fireplace.

"Every Which Way" - SOLD

I got a great response to yesterday's post and I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support! I can't say how wonderful and rewarding it is to get the kind of comments I get from you guys each day. I wish I could thank each and every one of you in person. You are all absolutely fantastic!!!

My husband built a new item for my studio today - it's a very shallow set of shelves that will hold all my small paintings. I've posted a couple of pictures on my studio blog.

"One Thousand!!!" - SOLD

(#1000 - all proceeds from this auction will be donated to a charity of the buyers choosing)

I honestly can't believe I'm sitting here posting my one thousandth daily painting. It blows my mind. And there's only one thing I can think to say about it: here's to one thousand more!!

"Little Black Dress" - SOLD

(#999!)

I love this little black vase my mother made for me. This scene reminds me of a blonde in a perfect little black dress (which all us girls strive to find) heading out for a hot date on a Saturday night.

Tomorrow I will post #1000!

"Crowded House" - SOLD

(#998)

To add a little more to my story of the last few days, I went out to the hill country and did one day of plein air and one day of studio painting. I am sorry to say I didn't come away with any paintings. Or photos as I forgot to bring my camera. One of my friends posted about the trip on her blog, Hill Country House, and included a few photos of her own. It was quite a trip and one I won't forget anytime soon!

"Royal Procession" - SOLD

(#997)

I apologize for disappearing the past few days. I've been out painting in the Texas Hill Country with some good friends. I just got home and I'm pooped, so I'll leave you with this still life I did last week. Night!

"High Perch" - SOLD

(#996)

Check my studio blog for more pictures of my shadow box, and answers to your questions.

I'm really enjoying my new studio. I painted a larger painting yesterday that I'm quite pleased with, and a landscape from a California photo that got wiped. For some reason I'm inspired in my new space to do things I'm not used to - like paint different subject matter. I got some cityscape photos while I was in San Luis Obispo, and some photos of my son when we were camping. I haven't done a portrait in ages, but in my new space I feel like I can do anything. : ) I love it.

"Storyteller" - SOLD

I've gotten a lot of requests for close-up views of my shadow box. I am posting them and a description on my studio blog if you're interested.

Lately I've been experimenting with a change in my lighting. I'm using a "daylight" spotlight bulb (still a bit yellow) straight on my subject, and a REAL balanced daylight bulb (fairly blue) pointing up in my shadow box so it sort of bounces around. This gives things an interesting color tilt that I've been grooving on.

"Step Down" - SOLD

I got some great advice from Liz Wiltzen, previous kid and fabulous painter, yesterday after my post about being hesitant to paint in my new studio. She said:

I moved into a new studio in December, and it took me 3 weeks to stop puttzing (cleaning, organizing, painting walls etc.) for the same reason. Then I did my first painting and it was quite underwhelming. It actually took about 3 or 4 to get warmed up to the new space and do something I was happy with. You might want to just jump in and get the first one over with, good or bad, it'll get the ball rolling in there.

So I got in there and painted today and ... my first painting was underwhelming indeed. So I wiped it and started over and was quite pleased after that. Thank you for the push, Liz!

"On the Inside" - SOLD & "Green on Green"

I've been busy the last few days building/buying furniture/moving/cleaning out the old "studio"/etc. See an update on the studio. I am a bit ahead with my paintings, so even though I haven't actually painted in my new studio, I've got some to show you. For some reason I am hesitant to paint in there ... call me crazy ... here I am with this perfectly wonderful new space ... I think it's the pressure - like somehow my first painting has to be super stellar. But here's something funny - because of the paintings I have on hand, the next painting I do will be 999 (the one above is 992).

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I've decided, after careful consideration, what to do with #1000. I will post it and sell it, then donate the proceeds to a charity of the buyer's choosing. I'll let you know when it comes up. I think I'll paint tomorrow.

"Don't Jump!" - SOLD

Today I did the last bit of painting in my old "studio." Tomorrow I start moving in to my new one. This is going to be a gradual move-in. We are building/installing shelves, and have just one set at this point. That means I can move most of my still life stuff now, but not much else. I'll move my easel tomorrow and my palette etc. My husband just asked me if I'm excited. And I am, don't get me wrong, but I have a feeling the moment of complete joy will be when I am in there, painting, and I step back and realize I have a studio. I'll post photos soon.

"Apple Train" - SOLD & "Apples in Glass" - SOLD

Above is the demo I did yesterday for the Wimberley Art League. Usually I field questions while I paint, but this time I asked them to be held until the end. I'm not sure if it was better or worse for the viewers, but I really enjoyed it, and did a better painting because I was able to give it my full attention. They had a camera and a screen so they could project the painting large for everyone to see. It was way cool. I ended up getting home so late I didn't have time to post yesterday's painting, so I am doing both now, tonight.

"No Room, No Room" - SOLD

I'm back to painting after a full week without. Ahhh, it's good to be back. Generally I'm a bit rusty after a break like this, so I decided to start with apples. I found a bag of perfect, small, green apples, which I haven't painted in a while.

FYI: I'm doing a demo tomorrow at the Wimberley Art League after the meeting there, which starts at 7pm.

"California Coast" - SOLD

The long and short of this recent camping trip: I forgot my mineral spirits. So I didn't paint a lick. But, it turned out to be just what I needed. An enforced break. I was so happy my husband said "can you do it on purpose next time?"

The day I painted the above coast landscape was right after the Chile earthquake, when they were warning of huge waves all over, including CA. I was just about to paint on some rocks close to the water when the police showed up and shooed me away. Probably for the best. I ended up painting high up on a cliff and the weather was half sunny, half misty. This is my first coast painting. Below is the same scene with me and my buddy Penny blocking the view.

"Chubby Reflected" & studio update

nfs

Recently artist Steve Worthington asked me if I would consider painting one of his beautiful bronze mice for a book he's putting out. His idea is to have 20 artists paint the mice, put them in a book, and then sell the books - with the proceeds going to animal shelters. I had a great time painting this cute little guy, which he calls Chubby. I'll let you know the details of the book when I have it, in case you'd like one.

Meanwhile, we've been working like mad-people on the studio. So much so, we need a break. So we're going camping for the next few days. I'll be back on Thursday with hopefully a few plein air peices to show, including one I did on the CA coast.