ROBUST ROSES

Yo Blog Buddies,

OK - I just had to do something today with the paints.  So I threw a shape of a vase onto the canvas with a round brush and some light grey paint.  Once again not brain surgery!!!

This will be very quick as I'm using the largest brush I have and I am not the least be concerned or interested in color-shape- or presentation.  This is meant to be a loose - semi-abstract painting done with vigor-emotion-expression-spontaneity, with no pre-planning or even a concept of what I will do!

With blobs and globs of juicy thick paint I throw some greens on top of the grey - wet into wet - see how some of the grey stays visible?

Light source from the left - so I make the right side of the vase darker

OK - now the development of the roses will be perhaps 1 degree away from sloppy - however- remember I said some of my loose paintings will be just this side of sloppy.  I call it semi-abstract and I'm sure there are those of you out there (you know who you are) that will consider this painting to be SLOPPY!!!!!!!!!!!

Time to throw in some thick juicy visual appearance of roses - these are blobs and globs on the canvas that are to represent the shapes of roses - I'll repeat -represent the shape of roses.  The abstraction of the rose shape into a painterly representation.

WOW JR that is some pretty heavy verbiage!!!!  :>)

It is difficult in photos to truly represent the semi-abstract as one really needs to stand back a good 6-8 feet from ANY painting to get a true representation of the subject - additionally the piece should be at standard eye level height.

Soooooooo if you can't see the visual of roses - it's not your fault.  Although I can't imagine that you could not see IT!!!  :>)

OK very quickly to the completion

BUDDA BING - BUDDA BOOM

DONE

Now for my "ATTENTIVE BUDDIES" some closeups so they can ask

HOW HE DO DAT?????

This piece took about 11 minutes - it is as I say just this side of sloppy - however it was a lot of fun to paint and IMHO is a very good representation of semi-abstract with a ton of emotion-expression-spontaneity and gusto.

I like to think I stopped just two or three strokes shy of SLOPPY!  :>)

In person the viewer should be able to feel the emotion represented by very quick strokes of a big brush.  The complimentary colors red/green intensify the emotion with a sort of tugging and pulling sensation - who will dominate - the roses - the impressionistic foliage - the vase????

My intent was to have the sort of single rose in the lower left (the lowest rose of all) to be the dominating visual attraction.

Later my friends

JR   :>)

TUESDAY!!!!

Yo Blog Buddies,

Well, today is Tuesday and that means laundry day and TINY UNIT cleaning day.
The TINY UNIT cleaning is done and 2 loads of laundry are washed and in the dryer.  I have a 3rd load to wash and dry today as we are starting to wash items no longer needed for winter and will not be going into the RV.  Sooooo once washed and dried they can be packed away and put into long term storage.

WATCH------ as soon as this is done, we'll get a FRIGGIN BLIZZARD!!!!

Some more STUFF has been packed up and this along with the above mention stuff will go down to the storage unit later this week.  I think we will once again do some re-organizing as the last time I was there I moved some stuff up into a higher level and started another level with packed boxes.  Soooooo, that being said - and I just said it ------- we just may be able to get some more furniture into this unit!!!!  :>)

Soooooo much to think of!!!!

I woke up at 2:30 this morning in a panic -------- we have at least three 12 volt things that need to be plugged in at the same time in the cab of our RV!!!  At 2:30 I found myself saying "HOLY CRAP - how will we plug in three 12 volt thingies at one time!!?

I came out into the living room and wrote a note HOW TO PLUG IN MULTIPLE 12V THINGIES.

When I got up this morning I googled "12v multiple plugs"  BINGO!!!!!

I found one on Amazon that allows up to four 12 volt thingies to be plugged in at one time - it also has a USB port for the laptop!!!!!  So that will be ordered post haste forth with!!!!

Buzzer went off - time to go downstairs into the bowels of the UNIT and take stuff out of the dryer and put the 3rd load into a washer.

I'll be back----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK - I'm back-----WHOOPS - I have to fold these dried clothes - DUH - I'll be back  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK now I'm back!  Not sure if I will get in any time in front of the easel today - Time will tell!!  :>)

I got some prices back on the insurance for the RV and our Honda Fit.  Of two quotes returned thus far, one is more costly by almost $300 a year - sooooooo that one will mostly likely be OUT!!!!  Still have 2 more to come in and then I need to do a matchup for apples to apples.  There are also some NOT POINTED out factors - such as some insurance companies cover the RV awning and some do not - it's excluded in the very, very fine print.  Things attached up on the roof - such as a vent cover for your exhaust fans - some cover this kind of thing and some do not.  Also if you have 2 vehicles insured in a bundled package, let's say there is some damage done to both the RV and the tow vehicle some insurance companies will apply each deductible to each vehcile - others will only apply one deductible which will go towards BOTH vehciles.  There are lots of other things I'm sure but far beyond my knowledge - Ya gotta 2nd guess insurance companies - they are not in business to pay out more then they take in!!!!!

Well, the buzzer is about to go off for the 3rd load of laundry - so time to get ready to go down into the bowels again and move the wet stuff into the dryer!!!!

Later my friends!!!!!

JR    :>)



DIZZY DAZZIES

Yo Blog Buddies,

LOOSEN UP DUDES!!!!!!

OK - as time progresses I become more and more in tune with loose-free flowing paintings just about 2 degrees shy of SLOPPY!!!!!  I LOVE IT!!!!

This "loosening up my style" piece took about 12 minutes - the big brush - the palette knife and the paint were all flying like complete crazzie-ness for "DIZZY DAZZIES"

Most of my work on our RV Journey will be plein air landscapes and still life and will consist of mostly this style - very expressionistic and just on the verge of semi-abstract.
This seems to be where my painting mind is taking me these days as described below:

"12 x 9 on primed single canvas sheet Chroma Interactive Acrylics wet into wet very, very quickly ( 13 minutes) with palette knife and large brush. This is what I call a "loosening of my style"of  painting. Once on our RV Journey - I'll be doing mostly plein air landscapes and still life. For the most part these paintings will be done in this style - loose-free-caution to the wind with spontaneity of form and color done with expression and emotion and complete freedom of stroke."
OK - I did not take any progress photos as during this 13 minutes of painting there was no time to do so.  Slam-Bam throw blobs and globs of paint around that have tons of emotion and expression attached.

I did not forget my "ATTENTIVE" buddies - a close up

HOW HE DO DAT???

I will say that I'm going to miss doing big paintings - when I say BIG I mean at least

30 x 48 gallery wrapped canvas.  I would love to do some floral and landscapes of this BIG size, using plaster knifes/trowels for my palette knives and huge blobs and globs of paint - tube after tube after tube.  The style would be even more so on the verge of semi-abstract - stopping just shy and imparting every ounce of energy-emotion-expression that I feel when I paint in this style.

We do have a couple of 1 month RV stops and I just may buy a couple of 30 x 48 gallery wrapped canvas and do a floral and a landscape.  I think perhaps this might happen when in Nova Scotia or Old Quebec.

Once finished I could most likely never fit them into the RV - Maybe 1 could squeeze in one of them - or perhaps I'd donate them - have a drawing -

TIME WILL TELL!

Well, buddies - I called several insurance companies this morning and am awaiting insurance quotes for the RV and the Honda Fit.

In the meantime - as I am doing -

THINK BIG

Until next time

JR   :>)

 

RV INSURANCE

Good Morning Blog Buddies,

Well most likely no painting today!  I've got to start looking for RV insurance in the form of a bundled package to include our car and our storage unit.  I've got about 6 companies to call and check on prices.  I'll make up a form to use so as to try and keep "apples to apples"  and not end up with fruit salad!!!!  :>)

We got a photo of what our overhead entertainment center (with surround sound) will look like.  This is not ours, but ours will be identical.  Cherry wood residential cabinets built by Amish cabinet makers, smoked glass in the windows and some nice storage.  it is a 32" HDTV and a DVD player as well.  This was an option that we chose instead of having a bed above the cab.  The TV pulls out forward and moves side to side and also lifts up so the storage behind can be accessed.  PRETTY SLICK!!!!!

This was our ONE - big optional interior update for our unit along with matching residential Cherry wood cabinets in the kitchen and bath.  On the exterior our big optional update was "Automatic Levelers"  At a push of a button this unit will automatically level the RV.  It has four big feet that come down and via computerization it figures out the leveling needed - side to side - front to back.  COOL!!!!!  Our Dreamcatcher Logo would be the other exterior update.

Well -------- got to be getting my skates on and get busy!!!

Later my friends.

JR   :>)

Nor'easter Approaching

Hello Blog Buddies,

Well, it is sort of chilly out this morning - about 30 degrees and the wind has picked up so a walk around the Plaza again today may be out of the plans - time will tell!  :>)

For some reason I'm in a mood to paint another ocean scene but I have thoughts of a brewing Nor'easter - sort of like The Perfect Storm.

So with that in mind I started out and very quickly worked wet into wet in a very gingerly manner so as to not end up with "The Dreaded MUD!!!!!!"  The blending of colors directly on the "substrate" Hmmmmmm - a painting term - has to be done with a very delicate touch of the brush - sort of a "Kissing Stroke!"  Otherwise if over worked when blending - one ends up with MUD instead of a crisp clear distinguishable visible hint of each color used.  Ya --- I know ---- Blah-Blah-Blah!!!!  :>)

Sooooooooo once again this is not rocket science - which is good because I don't
know crapolla about rocket science!!!!  With this in mind I shall create the horizon line.

WOW!!!!!!  Great job JR!!!!!!!

:>) - Big Deal!!!!!

This painting will be done on a 9 x 12 loose piece of primed canvas.

OK - now comes the part where we work wet into wet and do all our blending of colors directly on the surface of the canvas (substrate)

The delicate approach to this application of thick juicy blobs and globs of paint I think is best described as similar to powdering a baby's butt!!!  Very softly and gently.

Excuse me ---- the lady in the last row 5th seat in from my right --- did you have a question or are you just talking out loud?  EH?????

You are so very correct - this does not look like a baby's butt ----

You need to listen more carefully - I never said I was going to paint a baby's butt!!!!

Geeeezzzzzz  :>(

OK - moving on ( I think I'd like to move OUT after that last interaction!! )

A close up to try and show you folks the many, many colors used in the blending of the storm sky ( I used about 7 different colors and blended them directly onto the substrate with the quickness yet smoothness of a Stealth Bomber - just kissing the surface with the soft bristles of my large brush.  Damn I'm getting excited!!!!!  :>) 

George Clooney would have you know what in his pants if he had seen this storm approaching!  :>)

OK - I need to let this sit a bit as the paint is really wet - and juicy.  I also need to sit a bit as I can't take all this excitement standing up! 

The lady in the last row - 5th seat in from my right - why don't you come down to the front row so you can hear me.  :>) 

(snicker-snicker)

Be back in a while folks.

OK - I'M BAAACCCCKKKKKK

Time to finish this puppy up by throwing in the "angry - stormy ocean"

BAM - WE HAVE AN ANGRY - STORMY OCEAN!!!!!!

Now - for some close ups so my "ATTENTIVE BUDDIES" can see

HOW HE DO DAT?????

WAVES

HORIZON & SKY

SURF AT SHORE LINE

Hope you guys enjoyed this demo - I had fun with it and there is no denying a Nor'easter is on its way!!!!!

Later Dudes!!

JR   :>) 



THE DAY GOT AWAY

Good Evening Blog Buddies.

Well, today got away from me!  We went to breakfast with 2 good friends Donna & John.  This was a restaurant we have not been to before and it is their favorite breakfast restaurant.  I have to say the food was wonderful!  I had a breakfast burrito which is my favorite food for breakfast other than my DW's French toast!!!!!

After breakfast we went for a walk downtown around the entire Plaza area.  After walking at a pretty good pace for about 40 - 45 minutes, we stopped at our favorite coffee shoppe ECCO and had a nice mocha (double shot!)  Now we took a nice long (jitter induced) walk up the full length of Canyon Road which is the prime art district of Santa Fe - very famous for it's galleries and we stopped into about 10 galleries and checked out the art work.

Canyon Road is about 2+ miles long and we walk to the end at a fast pace and then stroll on the way back stopping into our favorite galleries.

Canyon Road will be one of the things I will miss when we move away from Santa Fe!

Soooooooo today we played tourist in Santa Fe which is something we try to do once a month - otherwise you really miss out on what Santa Fe is all about.
No painting today - perhaps tomorrwow

Next week I have some RV related administrative duties - the biggest is to start my search for insurance on the RV - driving - contents etc etc.  I've got about 6 companies I'm going to call as all companies do not insure RVs - those that do have a wide range of what insurance will cost.

Now that the finalization of the construction of the RV is pretty much set in stone - we just wait for that process to be finished - which should be about the end of February.  The manufacturer will keep our RV stored inside in their showroom and I'm sure use it as a model to show interested buyers - which is ok with us - that said I'm not sure how many potential customer will go to Elkhart Indiana in the winter :>)

So my friends perhaps some time in front of the easel tomorrow - My DW Melissa just said "I want to go for another long walk tomorrow."  Time Will Tell.

We have not started to walk in the Santa Fe National Cemetery again as the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs ( member of the Governor's Cabinet ) has gotten involved and has asked us to hold steady until he can talk to the Dictator of the SFNC.  The Cemetery is Federal property and its Dictator is a Federal employee.  The secretary of Veteran's Affairs is a State employee - however he hopes to assist in this matter before we proceed with getting the news media and the ACLU involved.

Later Dudes---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JR     :>)

RV LOGO

Good Morning Blog Buddies,

Well this morning we had a conference call with the President and VP of NEXUS - the company in Elkhart Indiana (http://www.nexusrv.com/) who is manufacturing our 2012 - 31' RV.

We firmed up all the info, dotted the i's and crossed the t's and all seems well and ahead of schedule.

A while back in colaboration with a screen-printing company in Albuquerque I designed a logo for our RV and had them print up some T-shirts and sweatshirts with the logo on the back.  Following is one on the T-shirts.  Wellllllll - in working with the RV manufacturer and the graphics company they use for the decorative decals on the RV, I supplied my design, and this same design will be on the back of the RV.  The back of the RV is off white fiberglass and the DREAMCATCHERS Logo will be in black - it will be 30 inches high and 14 3/4 inches wide at the widest point.

TAAAAA -DAAAAA 

Try to envision this 30 inches top to bottom and 14 3/4 inches at the widest point.

WOW---HOLY CRAP HOW BEAUTIFUL !!!!

I GOTTA say I'm pretty proud of this design.  It was taken from a dreamcatcher that I have and will in fact be travelling with us inside the RV.  If you don't know the story behind a dreamcatcher, google it - being part Native American I fully believe in the power of a dreamcatcher.

The folks at NEXUS Claude Donati, President and David Middleton, Vice President ( http://www.nexusrv.com/ ) have been so very helpful in the selection of various components in the RV.

If you're looking for an RV - contact them 1-855-786-3987 or check out the web site (above) - TRUST ME blog Buddies you will be soooooooo very happy you did.They eliminate the middleman and sell directly to the public - thereby saving you thousands and thousands of dollars.  The middleman's profit is your savings.

HOW GREAT IS THAT!!!!!!!

Well Blog Buddies - sort of a lazy day today - not sure if I will paint or not - after having talked about our RV to Claude and David, I may just lean back in my recliner and day dream!!!!

JR   :>) 

GOOD MORNING - GOOD MORNING

Yo Buddies,


Well, don't I sound happy this morning!!!!  Well, I am!!  Why??  No special reason!!!
I've mentioned this before but for the several new blog buddies that have joined our little group - did you know it takes less facial muscles to SMILE than to FROWN???

It is truth I speak - Soooooo be happy and smile my friends!

OK --- this morning I finished up the Pear that I started the other day.  This is where we left off;

OK --- let's be clinical about this!!!!  The lady in the fourth row - 3rd seat in from my left - No-No-No ----- I said my LEFT!!!!  Sit down!  OK - now we have the correct person!

I know you come to most of my demos, so let's see what you have learned!

What is left to do with this painting?

Let's give her a minute-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK you think the following needs to be completed:

BG - FG - Reflected shadows - tuning up the edges - perhaps some local color - fine tuning the color on the pear -

WELL - that in fact is pretty much it - you certainly have been paying attention!!

  VERY GOOD!!

Now sit down and stop trying to steal my thunder!!!   :<)

OK - lets do exactly what the lady in the 4th row - 3rd seat from my left indicated that we should do.

OK I deepened and brightened the colors and I added more indication of the light source coming from the left

A close up will show this better

OK - time for some BG and FG and shadows.  I decided to give the FG & BG some texture with the application of thick juicy globs and blobs of paint.  This tends to push the pear forward as the pear is smooth.  It also gives a mix of textures to stimulate interest in the eye of the viewer.  ( I hope )

This closeup will show the texture in the BG

OK it is time to wrap up this puppy.  Only a few things left to do and I apologize but I can't show those things to you as they are secret!!!!!  All painters take an oath not to divulge personal painting secrets as there are a lot of  HUNGRY (STARVING) artists out there and they are not above STEALING secrets!!

:>)

TAAAAAA DAAAAAA

14 x 11

Gallery Wrapped Canvas

painted out onto all 4 edges

$175 + S/H

Now some close ups so my ANAL WHOOPS ATTENTIVE BUDDIES can see

HOW HE DO DAT?????

Hope you enjoyed this demo and thank you all for your participation and the lady in the 4th row 3rd seat from my left will receive one of my other demo paintings as a gift for her excellent participation and not falling asleep during my presentations.

Later my friends.

JR  :>)

COUNTING DOWN

Yo Blog Buddies,

My DW Melissa posted a discussion on her blog regarding "Counting down the days."

http://writeryogini.blogspot.com/2012/01/counting-down-days.html

So I did some counting down of my own as it relates to "my jobs."

10 times left to do the laundry
10 times left to clean the TINY UNIT
10 times left to go food shopping

Of course all these chores will need to be done in our RV - but a few days break will be nice! 

WOO-HOO!!!!!!!  :>)

We will be in Elkhart Indiana for 4 days while checking out our RV.  2 nights will be spent in the RV space the manufacturer has on their lot next to the manufacturing facility.  This time will be mostly that of checking out all the appliances, features, heating system and the like -  in general checking out the RV from top to bottom and from side to side.  Two more nights will be spent a few miles from the manufacturing facility and we will be in an RV Park.  We figured we need to go out on our own so we could make sure we knew how everything to do.

THE DAY OF RECKONING!!

When we leave Elkhart Indiana we will travel to Council Bluffs Iowa - which will take 2 days travel with one overnight stay.  This will be our very first experience driving a 31 foot RV - mostly hyway driving which will I hope get us used to the "feel" of the "wheel!"  We have never driven an RV before and we have always owned a sub-compact or compact car - the last being a Mini Cooper!!!!  I just hope I don"t have to turn any corners!!!!   YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!

We will stay in Council Bluffs for 2 nights (in the driveway of my artist friend Dale) we will then head back to Santa Fe.  This will take about 3 days and 2 overnights.

You might ask yourselves - "I wonder if they are nervous or scared!"  My goodness Blog Buddies - we are grownups who have traveled the world - we have hired small planes to fly us here and there --- are we scared ------- HELL YES - PETRIFIED!!!!!!!!

However - that said - and I just said it - by the time we get back to Santa Fe we'll be seasoned RV people!!!

JR  :>)

YO DUDES

Good Morning Blog Buddies,

Well no word back from any of the folks in the Santa Fe Gov't regarding our bad experience with the director of the Santa Fe National Cemetery.  It amazes me as to how many people work in our local Gov't and it further amazes me as to how non-responsive they are.  Well tomorrow I shall contact the Dictator  whoops --- the Director of the Santa Fe National Cemetery and offer him a copy of the document we found on-line which governs all the National Cemeteries and clearly states that Walking - Hiking and Casual Strolling is allowed in all National Cemeteries.  I LOVE theat term CASUAL STROLLING!!!!!  I will offer him a copy - if he refuses one - I will mail it to him Registered and Certified so I can prove he received it.  I shall also request he give me a copy of any official document which refutes my document.  If he will not do that - we shall contact the local newspaper and TV stations in Albuquerque.

We do TRULY feel our Civil Rights are being violated and that shall not go unchallenged.

ENOUGH!!!!

Well, today is Wednesday --------------- I left the TINY UNIT at 7:30 and took my DW Melissa to work at the Yoga Studio.  I then went food shopping - returned to the TINY UNIT and put the groceries away.  I then loaded up the car with "STUFF" from the TINY UNIT and brought it to the STORAGE UNIT FOR STUFF!  I then went to Sam's Club and to Staples.  After this I went to the local art shop ARTISANS.  They have a rewards program in which you get a $50 credit after buying $500 worth of STUFF.  There is just WAY TOO MUCH STUFF IN OUR LIVES!!!!!
So I picked up some paints and a dozen 11 x 14 canvas panels.  These will be used once we start our RV Journey and I suspect the first time they will be used will be in South Carolina - for some ocean and sand dude scenes plein air.  WOO - HOO!!!!

I still have $11 left from my $50 credit!  I WISH I COULD GET HOT FUDGE SUNDAES FOR ME AND MY DW WITH THE BALANCE.

Welllllll it is now almost noon time - so I'm not sure if I will get any painting done today on the pear that I started yesterday.  Time will tell  (TWT)

Right now I need some nurishment - I think a nice toasted piece of sourdough bread with some reduced sugar strawberry jam.  Still working on the diet - want to get to 150 by 4/1 - I've got 4 more pounds to loose!

In my email this morning was an email from a cousin I have not seen for at least - I'm guessing 15 years and that would have been at my mother's funeral.  Her mother and father were my most favortie and loved aunt & uncle and 2 of the nicest people I can say that I have ever know.  So it was nice to hear from her - she got my email from another cousin who lives in Anchorage Alaska and follows my blog.

Part of the beginning of our RV Journey will be to re-connect with family members some of whom I (we) have not seen in 10 years or more.

Ok time for a quick diet lunch - a snooze - and I have to go pickup my DW Melissa at 2:45 - I best be getting my skates on!!!

Later my friends,

JR   :>)



HOWDIEEEEEEEEEE

Yo Blog Buddies,

Well today is Tuesday - laundry day and TINY UNIT cleaning day.  I'm happy to say that all of these tasks are done and I've started a painting.

Before I get into that - my DW Melissa and I have decided to wait until Thursday before we do anything else regarding the Santa Fe National Cemetery.  The purpose behind this is to wait and see if any of the local Gov't agencies we contacted respond to us.

One would think they would but I guess Gov't being Gov't ---------- IT AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN ANY TOO SOON!!!

So Thursday we shall call The Director and make him aware of our findings which COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THE RULES HE STATED TO US.  We will also tell him if he can produce a valid - Gov't document - such as we have  -- that disputes what our document specifies --- we will be willing to talk about it.  BUT - until he does that, we will continue our walks through the SFNC showing respect and honor for my fallen comrades.

Stay tuned!!

OK - as most of you know, I love to paint pears - the various shapes and colors I find not only interesting, but they can be a challenge as well.

Soooooo with that in mind, this will be painted on a 14 x 11 gallery wrapped canvas.

First I do a quick sketch of a pear - this one is a Bartlett pear, which are very tasty although that said --- and I just said it --- I like the flavor of the Bosc pear the best.
Once again - nothing fancy - it's not brain surgery just a shape!

I'm using a big brush and will proceed to throw in some nice thick juicy paint and again, nothing fancy - just lots of paint spread out into the shape, with no regard for staying inside the lines!!!!1  :>)  This will establish the "road map' for the rest of the color.  The light is coming from the left, so the finished product will be lighter on the left than on the right.  See how smart I am!!!  :>)

OK - Got to get some dimension for the body of the pear and this I will do with the introduction of more color.  Being me, which I am, I never fuss over the colors I use - and as most know I do not lay out a predetermined selection of specific colors.  I will lay out GROUPS of colors - such as 2-3 oranges - 2-3 greens - 2-3 yellow etc.

So --- dimension and more color!!

BY JOVE I THINK I'VE GOT IT!!!!

Not bad JR - that certainly gives dimension (body) to the pear and the addition of color also livens up the pear.

OK - at this juncture (I love to say that) juncture - what a cool word - anyhoooooo

I will paint in the stem as I'm getting tired - I think my DW Melissa and I are coming down with colds.  So I will throw in the stem, toast a nice piece of sourdough bread - I love sourdough bread - and put some nice low sugar strawberry jam on it and take a break!!!

OK STEM TIME!!!!

I know I've mentioned it before, but the direction of brush strokes can very nicely define a shape.  Pretty much the only thought I put into painting pears while the painting process is going on, is "DIRECTIONAL BRUSH STROKES"

Just below the stem above - that sounds weird 

"below the stem above" LOL

I'm sure you can see brush strokes that give the directional flow of the pear in this area - or - MAYBE EVEN AT THIS JUNCTURE!!!!!

OK -- I'll  be back perhaps later today - if not - tomorrow.

In the meantime an artist friend of mine, Angelique, who lives in Cape Town South Africa does some very beautiful work and she too has been on an OCEAN kick.  Actually I think I got on my OCEAN kick because of her kick - I guess it could be said she kicked me!!!

We have never met - only thru the internet - her work is beautiful so jump on over and see her.  Say hello for me!

http://artbyangelique.blogspot.com/2012/01/starry-night-in-bay-angelique-2012.html

JR   :>) 

OCEAN SPRAY WITH GULLS

Yo Blog Buddies,

Well - no further progression on being kicked out of the Santa Fe National Cemetery.  None of the Govt officials and Congressmen have written back to us - WHAT A SURPRISE!!!!!  We talked this morning and have decided to continue on our current path of being able to walk once again in the National Cemetery.  This is something we will not let go of and will continue our quest for walking privileges.  I'm going to do a search on all National Cemeteries in the USA and make contacts to ask if WALKING is permitted.
We also agreed if this is not settled by the time we leave Santa Fe on our RV Journey that we will continue to pursue it from the road.  I have to be honest and say I want to kick that guy's ass to the curb!!!  I am also going to try and get some FREE advice from the ACLU as I feel our Civil Rights are being denied!

OK - enough!!

Since the largest portion of our RV Journey ( called LEG 1 ) is going to be up Carolina/Virginia and the New England seacoast on into Nova Scotia, I will be doing a lot of plein air ocean scenes.  So I did another one this morning.

9 x 12 on a primed single canvas sheet.

"Ocean Spray With Gulls"

What do we need?  A blank piece of primed canvas and the horizon line.

See - it just ain't rocket science!!!

Next we need to throw in the sky with a big brush and lots of juicy paint!

Still not rocket science!!

This will go quickly as I'm using a big brush and the painting surface is only 9 x 12 - I'm working wet into wet very quickly!

WOW----- Ya I know --- that was too quick!!!!

Truth is I forgot to take some photos - my mind was off some place else.

See ---- ya don't even have to think when you paint!!  :>)

Well - we got the sky - the presence of ocean and the nice big chunk of rock embedded in the sandy ocean floor - just waiting for a wave to crash over it and throw up some spray!!!

Well--------that's what the title indicates!!!!

Sooooo we need some waves coming in as well as a wave crashing on the back of the big rock and some movement in the FG surf.

Hang on a minute - let me see what I can do with my big brush!!!!  :>)

HOLY CRAP I DID IT!!!

I even managed to throw in two gulls!!!!

Now for my Anal whoops I messed up ---- Now for my ATTENTIVE BUDDIES:

HOW HE DO DAT!!?!!

SEA SPRAY

SEA GULLS

Well-----hope you enjoyed this demo - sorry I did not take more progress photos but my mind clearly was off someplace else!

Enjoy the day and remember as you proceed down the hyway of life - stand up for your rights - be firm but be fair - check things out the best you can and proceed with caution and when you know you are 100% in the right

ATTACK WITH VENGEANCE!!!!

CHARGE!

JR  :>)



NATIONAL CEMETERY UPDATE & SHASTA DAISY FINI

Yo Blog Buddies,

Well ------ there is an NBC TV reporter who covers Santa Fe issues - mostly Governmental issues but also people issues.  We contacted him - he replied and has asked how he can contact us!!!! Progress!!!!  Time will tell!!!

To clear my mind, I decided to finish Shasta Daisies.

When we left off yesterday - this is where we stood.

Needing to be done is the painting in of the daisies as well as some general housekeeping regarding edges, shadows and overall "take it up another notch!"

Since I paint in an expressionistic style, I never paint in every petal or every blade of grass or every leaf etc etc so the daisies were done with spontaneity - my style.

For my "ATTENTIVE" buddies ---------

HOW HE DO DAT???

Well I hope you enjoyed this finish of the demo for

"SHASTA DAISES"

If interested, another $65 steal.  :>)

Depending on what the NBC TV reporter has to say, may or may not dictate our next move in what we consider a violation of our Civil Rights.

We believe we are correctly reading and understanding the Regulations of the National Cemeteries which by the way is UP TO DATE as of 1/12/12 and hope we can bring this issue to a favorable closure for us and all peoples. 

JR  :>)

SANTA FE NATIONAL CEMETERY (CONTINUED)

Good Morning Blog Buddies,

Well-------My DW did some on-line research and found a very interesting document.  This document issued by the agency controlling our National Cemeteries, in part says:

That "recreational activity is not allowed."

The regulations goes on to further state:

"Recreational activity means any form of athletics, sport or other leisure pursuit or event, whether organized or spontaneous, that is engaged in by one of more persons for the primary purpose of exercise, relaxation or enjoyment, including but not limited to the following: jogging, racing, skating, skateboarding, ball playing, kite flying, model airplane flying, throwing objects through the air, sunbathing, bicycling and picnicking.  This term does not include walking, hiking or casual strolling."

This is a direct quote from the National Cemetery Regulations issued by the controlling government agency for whom the Director of The Santa Fe National Cemetery works for.

Welllllllll anyone who knows me or my DW Melissa will not be surprised by the following:

We are going to print off the National Cemetery Regulations in its entirety and deliver it to the Director of The Santa Fe National Cemetery - bringing in directly to the house he lives in on the grounds of the Cemetery. knock on the door and very nicely suggest that he read it.  We will also tell him that until he produces a valid document stating otherwise we fully intend on continuing our walks every day and we will continue to honor and show respect to the service members who fought for the United States of America.  His response will determine any further action on our part.

It will also be interesting to (we hope) hear back from our Congressman, the Governor and the other government agencies we contacted.

I would love to see the Director of The Santa Fe National Cemetery stand toe to toe with a VietNam veteran (of which I am) and tell that person they cannot walk in the cemetery and pay respect to their comrades.

Other avenues we will go down if needed will be to contact the local VFW, the news media, the TV stations.  We will also invite our Governor and our Congressman to go for a walk with us through the cemetery.  There is a fellow on a local TV station who fights for the rights of the public and tracks down and exposes crooked politicians - he most certainly will be called in for assistance.

So the National Cemetery Regulations seem to clearly state that "walking, hiking, casual strolling" is in fact ALLOWED.  

We  are carrying this document with us whenever we walk in the Santa Fe National Cemetery and any other National Cemetery, as we believe it to be our right to walk in any National Cemetery and shall consider this document to be our "Walking Pass!"

To be continued..................................................

ASKED TO LEAVE THE SANTA FE NATIONAL CEMETERY

Well my friends, we went for our power walk this morning at The Santa Fe National Cemetery.  About 3/4 of the way through our walk we notice an official looking SUV following along behind us!!!  The driver pulled up, got out and proceed to say:

"As the director of this Cemetery it is my duty and obligation to inform you that any type of exercise of any kind including walking is not permitted in ANY National Cemetery within the United States of America! "

He was boldly pleasant in a very condescending manner - we exchanged a few words, told him what a very stupid rule that is and as a veteran and a tax payer we assumed a right to come into the cemetery and walk the grounds in a very reverend manner.

He further said that there were signs throughout the Cemetery explaining this policy.   Well we've been walking over there for 3 months now and never- never have we seen any signs other than "Floral Policy" and "Funeral Procession Stop Here"
On the Nationl Cemetery website there are no restrictions listed.

Can you tell me all of the vistors to the Arlington National Cemetary are in violation of this LAW!!! 

He informed us we could write our Congresman if we so chose!

Well we will be writting our Congressman, Governor, the Veteran Administration (who is in charge of the National Cemeteries, the local Santa Fe newspaper, and perhaps the President of the United States.

The "DIRECTOR" of the Cemetary sort of dismissed us and started unloading beer and a case of wine from his Government SUV and we asked if drinking acholol within the confines of a NATIONAL CEMETERY was consider OK as well as being reverent.

"THE DIRECTOR" pointed to a building and said "I live in this building and I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT!"

Well during our walks we would stop at grave sights and say hello and a quick prayer - if we saw a container of flowers tipped over by the wind - we would upright it,  If we saw a piece of paper on the roadway or near the headstones we would pick it up.

I would suggest that "THE DIRECTOR" pay more attention to the appearance of HIS NATIONAL CEMETERY and less attention to those paying their respects!

Well all good things must come to an end but we will however go down making a NOISE about this.

SHASTA DAISIES

Good Morning Blog Buddies,

Sort of a quiet day today - my DW is working on a new novel - a sequel to "The Christmas Village." so I'm playing around with some paints - new ideas - new processes - and for the time being I'm keeping in the floral arena - quick - wet into wet with lots of spontaneity - these are studies - perhaps for future large paintings of just for my own amusement and pleasure.
I spent about 15 years of my painting career "Painting to SELL!"  SELL-SELL SELL!!!!  We owned a gallery in East Boothbay Maine and I was completely tied down to that gallery 7 days a week - 52 WEEKS A YEAR and paint-paint-paint were my marching orders everyday.  We did eventually relocated to North Scottsdale AZ.
So over time I have slowed down as putting yourself out there and getting into galleries and into art shows and-and-and takes a tremendous amount of effort and money.  IMHO the only way to sell art work these days is to have your own gallery.  Even at that, in this horrid economy people are not buying art work and it will be years before they go down this path again.  Sooooooooo I paint for my enjoyment and if I sell one along the way GREAT - I take my DW out to a nice restaurant or as is current we save the money for gas for the RV!!!!!  :>)

Sooooo this is one of those "paint for my enjoyment" pieces.  ME-ME-ME!!!!!  I try to learn and advance through these 'quickies."

The title of this 12 x 9 painting is "Shasta Daisies"
It is painted on a primed piece of loose canvas.

It is painted with gusto and spontaneity in color and form - not quite as semi-abstract as my previous piece but certainly has a touch of semi-abstract.
I have purposely saved the daisies for last, as most of them need to be IN FRONT of the leaf foliage.  This is the part that I shall get CRAZY with my strokes and add a dimension of movement into the piece.  As I say still life needs movement or to me it is BORING!!!!!

Not much to show as it is only 12 x 9 and I'm using a big brush so it moves along quite quickly thereby not allowing me to stop too often and snap a photo.  OK - i'm just lazy!!!!

I start with the free hand general shape of a vase done quickly with a round brush and once again I'm not concerned with the shape being perfect as parts will be covered with foliage and flowers - so why be exact!!!  :>)

Next I quickly throw in some shadow color on the vase as the light is coming from the left

See how shadowing gives dimension?

A close up of the vase for a view of the color shading

Now I will throw in the hints of foliage in many, many shades of green so it won't be boring and the shadow sides and light sides of the foliage will be of notice and I hope provide some viewing interest.  This portion is a tad on the semi-abstract side and fun to do.

Can you see the "MOVEMENT?"

I throw in some FG and some movement in that FG as well - WHY????

RIGHT - static still life work is WHAT???

RIGHT --- B O R I N G!!!!!  :>)

OK - The paint is quite juicy and wet so it needs to dry before I can RENDER 

WHOOPS AN ART TERM!!!!

Can you say RENDER - can you spell RENDER??

No peeking!!!!!

There is just no end to what I teach my Blog Buddies!!!!  :>)

Next to my DW and my  painting Buddies - youse guys are my best friends. 

I figure if you can't paint you can at least talk in artist talk.

Well, time for a rest and let the blobs and globs of juicy paint dry and I'm be back for the climax - WHOOPS I mean finish.

JR    :>)