HELLO MY FRIENDS

GOOD MORNING BLOG BUDDIES:

Well, after quite a few emails asking me to continue with my blog postings, I have put some thought into it and come up with a solution that should make us all happy! I will be redesigning my blog so that it works better for me as well as giving my blog followers what they seem to want.

My frustration with my blog was over the fact that on average, out of 2,800 - 3,000 visits per month, only a handful of folks ( 3 - 4 ) would comment. 

SOOOOOOOOO my blog will be redesigned and I will eliminate the function of allowing comments -I've always said - give the public what they ask for.

That's what I like about me - I always have an ear to the street.  :>)

Additionally, I will generally post weekly rather than daily. It will be more of a painting instructional format - however that said - and I just said it - there will still be my enormous sense of humor (that's another thing I like about me) and my cranky grumbling and complaining (something I know you all love about me :>). 

If a viewer has a question or wants to talk about purchasing a painting (that’s an example of my humor) they can email at rvpainter@gmail.com. 

Additionally, a second blog (sister blog) will be started. This blog will be less chatty but will still have some of my very witty humor and will feature original paintings in either a 5x7 or a 7x5 format. These paintings will be of the Southwest Coast of Florida and highlight the colors of the Gulf. and will all sell for the same price.

Around the country people will be saying "OMG I can't believe I can buy an original JR Secor painting for under $30!!!" :>) (MORE HUMOR)

I believe in "affordable art for the masses!!"

The name of this sister-blog will be "AhhPuntahhhGordahhh" and is scheduled to debut on March 1, in concert with the revamped RVPAINTER BLOG.

On March first you will need to go to the sister-blog and signup for email subscription. A very easy process that takes less than a minute and from that point the post will come right into your inbox.

Soooooo my frustration with non-commenting has subsided, and this solution will make us all breathe a little easier – no need to comment, and I won’t be disappointed when I see that you haven’t! :>) ( MORE HUMOR)

Email conversations will be most welcome, so again, my email is rvpainter@gmail.com.  My blogging time spent has been reduced to 1 day a week instead of 5, and best of all the viewing audience still has access to my unique combination of art, wit, and crankiness, without pressure to comment.

That’s what they call a Win-Win Situation!

STAY TUNED FOR MARCH 1

WEDNESDAY 2/20/13

Good morning my friends,

Please excuse the longer post this morning.

My Blog - My Painting:

I started painting when I was 54 -- I will be 73 come this May.  So I'll let you folks do the math as to  how long I've been painting - it's been a long time.

I've been blogging for over 4 years now.

MY BLOG:


I consider my blog to be a success, based on about 2,800+ hits per month and some times over 3,000.  However my blog in my opinion as not been what I envisioned it to be.  To me a blog needs to be a two way street.  I see it as a way to reach my family, my relatives, my friends and the general public.  I most always blog every day and not many people I know write to their family, relatives, and friends everyday.  Grant you not all my family, friends and relatives subscribe to my blog.  To be honest had to signed several of them up myself!!!!  :>) 

The reason I do not consider my blog to be what I envisioned it to be is because with the exception of my wife Melissa, an RV friend Steve and Louise a friend who will become a full time RV-er in April there is pretty much no one else who comments on my blog on a regular basis- either on its content or my paintings. I have several times over the years asked peoples opinions on things I write about as well as new techniques I try with my painting.  Never-never has there been a response - but yet 2.800+ views a month - month after month after month.

I've thought many times about stopping to blog as believe it or not it becomes a chore to put together a blog post with some embedded humor, information, and most always a painting of the day.  Playing to an invisible audience is tough but when you can't get the audience to participate it becomes a chore and something that starts to have  no reward or satisfaction.

I have decided to stop my blog for perhaps only a short amount of time to consider its viability as being something useful to me and others - perhaps I will not start it up again because as I say playing to an empty hall ain't no fun.

My Painting:

Well, by now I'm sure you have figured out I've been painting for almost 19 years.  I admit I have an obsession for painting and I can't - not - paint!  However over the past month or so I've done 3- 4 dozen or so paintings and the volume is great only because it was a diversion for my mind while in the process of selling our RV - I needed something to keep me busy.  I also as silly as it may sound feel I need to have a new painting ready each day to put up on my blog - I'm not sure why but I'm me!  Very rarely does anyone comment on a painting - if so, it would by my wife, my friend Steve or Louise and another RV friend Donna - other than that nada.

So now that I am stopping my blog for an undetermined period, I will not be posting my paintings so I can slow down my production of painting to perhaps 2 days instead of 5.
 
I've pretty much resolved the loss of the RV so I no longer need to keep my overactive mind busy.  Slowing down my painting production will allow me to play around with style and techniques such as my love for loose palette knife paintings, without the thoughts that I HAVE  to do a painting today and get it up onto my blog.

This will be my last blog post for whatever time it ends up being.

I would like to thank my blog buddies for following me all this time and I hope I have brought some humor, information, instruction into your life.  For this was part and parcel of my blog.  The blog I envisioned did not happen - but things like the economy - the wars - busy lives etc etc all have an effect and I understand that.

For me as I say I have run out of steam having to play to an empty house.

I wish you all the very best in your lives and if I decide to give a blog another shot I'll send out a message to that effect when I do post #1.

Later my friends.

JR        :>)

Tuesday 2/19/13

Good morning my friends,

I did another still life in my loose style and  I have to say I'm glad I carried over my landscape palette knife loose style into my still life.

I did this one pretty much the same in that I sketched in the top opening of the vase and then let the palette knife move and the paint fly,

"A PAIR"

14 x 11 on heavy linen paper - wet into wet- alla prima with gusto, freedom and efficiency of strokes.

Lots of juicy paint applied very quickly with caution thrown to the wind.

LOOSE STILL LIFE

YO MY BUDDIES,

Well - I put the tweaks into the loose still life that I did after that coma causing still life that I did and posted yesterday.  As I say I;'m really into the loose style of painting and shall continue on this pathway for quite some time to come.  I'm sure on occasion I will punish myself and do a more detailed painting - but certainly not for a while - YAWN - BORING!!!!!!!

Soooooo enough of the jibber/jabber!!!!!

14 x 11 on heavy linen paper - done wet into wet - alla prima - with palette knife and every bit of caution thrown to the wind - and nothing but gusto - emotion and efficiency of strokes.

"APPLES & ORANGES"

LOOSE STILL LIFE

14 X 11

I did not take any progress photos as I attacked the canvas with all of my gusto - did not do a drawing this time I merely penciled in the top circle of the vase and let the paint fly!!!

JR STYLE

DETAIL FOR MY CURIOUS BUDDIES

JR     :>)

MONDAY 2/18/13 - A NEW WEEK BEGINS!

Yo my friends,

Well some non-painting things to do today - time to clean the house!!!!  Melissa is going to do our taxes and also give me a haircut - we should go to Sam's Club for our monthly donation their coffers!!!!!  Just can't seem to get out of there without dropping close to $75!!!!!  Ahhhhhhh the rich get richer!!!!

I did another still life yesterday - after my BORING time spent on the first still life - I went into the studio and attacked a blank surface with my trusty palette knife - a few more tweaks on it and I'll post it later today perhaps.  YEP - detail painting is not for me - my hands are still a bit cramped so I don't think I will be doing many more detail type of style paintings.  I've got to be wielding me KNIFE in a duel of KNIFE & PAINT AGAINST CANVAS SURFACE!!!!  Arrrrgggggggg.

Well I've got a date with the vacuum cleaner - swiffer dry & wet and dust cloth!!!

Later my friends

JR     :>)

LATER SUNDAY 2/17/13

YO DUDES!!!!

Well chilly and windy out - we actually have a wind chill factor - UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Sooooooo Melissa is writing ( mostly snoozing!!!!!)  I made us pancakes for breakfast and then Melissa started writing and I went into the studio.  WELL - HOLY CRAP!!!!!  I gotta tell youse guys that I decided to do a still life and keep it tighter as compared to looser and HOLY CRAP-----

I WAS BORED TO DEATH!!!!!!!  Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

In addition my hands are all cramped up - I had to stand on one hand to get the cramp out!!!!

I'm going to try one more, but it will be all palette knife and it will not have any detail in it - as it will be: 

LOOSE AND SEMI ABSTRACT

DETAIL PAINTING IS NOT MY THANG!!!!!

I will show it to you but be prepared to be bored into a coma!!!!

Done on heavy linen paper - wet into wet - brush and a little palette knife work and a boring - boring experience!!  :>(

OPPOSITE POINTS OF VIEW

14 x 11

I did a drawing on this one - which is sort of a mistake - as soon as you do a drawing instead of a sketch you are headed for a detail painting - 

I start by throwing in 2 apples with stems facing the opposite way thus the title

(for those of you who did not get it :>)

Time to paint the vase various shades of green - the light source is coming from the left - therefore the left side is lighter and the right side is in shadow

By this time I'm almost asleep - I miss my palm trees and my swooshes and dabbing!!

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 Detail of vase and apples - BORING!!!!!

I put some reflected color in the FG - sort of in a watercolor style just to liven things up a bit for myself - YAWN!!!!!!

OK  - ENOUGH OF THE BRUSHY-BRUSHY DETAIL CRAP-----

I'M GETTING OUT MY PALETTE KNIFE AND TRY TO BRING PUT SOME LIFE INTO THIS - I'M HALF ASLEEP FROM BOREDOM - SO I WILL CLOSE THE CURTAINS AND DO MY SECRET FINISHING TECHNIQUES!!!!!

BAM-BAM-BAM

BOOM

NOW IT HAS LIFE!!!!!!

I attacked the background with my trusty palette knife as well as the foreground and put some movement into the painting and  SWOOSHES OF COLOR - I'm awake now and I feel much better  :>)

SOME DETAIL FOR MY "INQUISITIVE" BUDDIES

Well i have to say for the most part this was a chore - up until the last 5 minutes when I started throwing paint around like a wild man and swooshing my trusty palette knife over the canvas!!!!  I felt like I was having a sword fight with my canvas!!!!!

LOVE IT!!!!!

Enjoy the day my friends - I need to rest now!!!!!!!

JR     :>) 

SUNDAY 2/17/13

Good morning my friends,

Wellllllllll - last night the forecast was for temps 32 -- 34 degrees so being good parents - we brought in our plants from our lanai!!!  It was 42 at 7am so not too bad!!!!

A cold front is coming in from the middle of the country so better safe than sorry!!!!

We hope it will warm up enough during the day so we can go down to the park later in the day and watch the boats and the birds.  It is so relaxing to go there.  We found a nice park on a small cove in Nova Scotia only about 10 minutes from our RV and went there 3 - 4 times a week - packed a lunch and watched the boats & read and snoozed.

Today I may do a still life with some looseness throw in to keep the flow going :>)

Later Dudes,

JR     :>)