"Libby" #14 of 50 faces (sold)

image: 6"x6"

graphite on bristol board

I treated myself to a Starbucks coffee today and Libby served me through the drive-up window. I never thought I'd do a drawing or a painting of somebody with such a grin--I always thought it would look too posed or something. But when I looked at my photos, she was just so adorable (and I don't use that word much!) that I had to do it! The full picture of her handing me my cup of coffee looks like it might have to be a painting one of these days!

My frustration with posting these drawings is that I never seem to be able to get them to show up dark enough in value here without making the paper look very dark--and this is whether I scan them on my computer or take a photo of them. If anyone has any ideas about how I can do a better job with this, I'd be happy to hear them!

"Man at the Library" #13 of 50 faces

image: 6"x6"
graphite on bristol board
$75 plus $10 domestic s/h
click here to ask about purchasing this drawing

I was at the library today and glanced up towards the window and saw this man sitting there--one arm out-stretched and resting on the windowsill, the sun coming from behind him and from the side. In his other hand was a book resting on his knee. I'm pretty sure he was dozing in that warm winter sun as he never moved as I plucked out my camera and quickly took a couple of shots. It was a beautiful composition that I look forward to painting.

"Lazy-day Laura"

image: 6"x6"

graphite on bristol board

NFS

This was a day to sleep in and take it slow after lots of Christmas activity! I did this drawing of Laura as we visited. It was great to work from life, but challenging as she has a very expressive face which is very animated as she talks! I love, though, how drawing someone makes you aware of those things in a person.

"Barbara--Face #11"

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this painting

Barbara is a hero of mine. We get these long hand-written letters from her at least every two weeks in which she just writes about day to day stuff--mentions her cat, Blue, and his latest antics, what she and Wayne may be watching on TV, how they are feeling, trips to the doctors, what they might have for dinner. She helps me keep my life in perspective and to be grateful for all the "small" things that make up our lives.

"Betty--Face #10"

image: 6"x6"

linoleum block print proof

see below for info on the final edition of prints

I saw this woman having an outdoor lunch with a friend last July at Sisters (Oregon) Quilt Show. It brings me back to many years ago when I was mostly drawn to painting older women--I loved it! Of course, I wasn't almost an "older woman" myself then, so it felt very different!

Here is a photo of the actual block I carved. As I do it, I fill in the uncut portion with black marker to make it easier to see what's happening. I haven't done a linocut in a couple of years and have really been itching to. This was a fun challenge. I wasn't sure how I was going to manage the mid-tones of her face, but I think it works pretty well. I'm just glad you can't hear my remarks when the knife slipped so many times!!!

Specs and Cost: final prints hand-pulled and printed on 100% cotton, acid free Rives Lightweight paper with oil-based ink

edition of 8 original prints including the Artists Proof

$40 plus $10 s/h

click here to ask about purchasing one of these linoleum block prints

"Study of Nancy"

image: 6"x6"

graphite on bristol board

NFS

A study of a friend of mine. . .what a great smile she has!

"Pat"

Image: 6"x6"

Graphite on Bristol Board

NFS

Pat Clark is the owner of a printmaking studio here in Bend, A6. I am going to have to fill in this info tomorrow, because I'm realizing that I'm not going to be able to give her the credit she deserves until I do my homework! So, for now, here's the post!

"Bernardin"

6"x6"

Graphite on Bristol Board

$60 plus $10 s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this drawing through Paypal

Number 7 of the series of 50 faces I'm working on, this man is the subject of an illustration I am working on. This line drawing was a good way for me to become more familiar with his character and the way it shows in his face.

"Self-Portrait"

6"x6"

Graphite on Bristol Board

NFS

I haven't done one of these in a while!! I was much younger! Doing this drawing really made me see the lines my face will be taking on as I age. . .interesting. It reminds me of doing a drawing of my mother about 20 years ago when she was a year or two younger than I am now. She was a beautiful woman and I'd say a little vain. When I came to the slight double chin and sagging cheeks, I found myself not drawing them that way! I just was vague in that area and that part of her aging didn't show!. She liked the drawing!

"Laura"

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

$100 plus $10 s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this painting through Paypal

I couldn't stand it!! I had to do a painting today--forget the work, I'll get caught up!! I was really inspired this morning by Deb Schmit's work. She'd left a note on my blog and I went to her's and love her paintings. Her link is listed on the right with the other daily painter's links.

Well, this doesn't look as much like Laura as yesterday's study, but I'm pleased with the life the painting has.

"Study of Laura"

6"x6"

Graphite on Bristol Board

NFS

I can't believe how doing just these four drawings has got me studying the faces of the people I see! It's like I try to memorize them in "sight bites"! It also shows me something about how I perceive people--even looking directly at someone as we're talking, I still don't really "see" the features of that person's face unless I really concentrate on it. So I ask myself--what am I seeing as I listen? And can't I really observe totally if I am also trying to listen carefully?

"Gentle Man"

Image: 6"x6"

Graphite on Bristol Board

$60 plus $10 s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this drawing through Paypal

#3 in the series of 50 faces--I think this is going to be an interesting process! I'm seeing that it's going to go from "doing this feels like a good idea" and "a solution to a problem" to being an endeavor in itself that is going to take me someplace--and I really don't know where! I was thinking that if time allows, I'd like to pick my favorite one each week and do a painting from it. We'll see!

This drawing is of my husband, Gary. I've never known anybody to enjoy wearing a hat as much as he does! I used a photo for reference--which didn't seem quite right seeing as how the real thing was sitting downstairs! But I'm glad I did--it was like a meditation on him and I was so taken by the gentleness I saw in the photo that it was a really special experience.

"At the BBQ""

6"x6" image

Graphite on Bristol Board

$60 plus $10 s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this drawing through Paypal

This young woman was also in a painting a posted a few days ago, but this time I focused on her and her expression. Not sure I got exactly what I was aiming for. . .but in doing this one I noticed how much more I was seeing (in the photograph) the longer I spent with the drawing. It always amazes me how it is the subtleties--and there are SO many of them--that make up a person's expression! What drew me to her face was the eyes that were encircled with heavy black liner and the contrast of that with the rest of her face and the way she looked out from under her lashes as if she was very wary of something she was seeing. And, darn! I don't think I captured that! Maybe I'll have to try it again!

"Prophet"--the first of series of faces

Image: 6"x6" on Bristol Board

Graphite

$60 plus $10 s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this drawing through Paypal

I've been doing alot of thinking about finding a way to honor my desire to keep up with creating and posting a painting or drawing on my blog five days a week while having to work full time on this illustration project I'm doing. I have decided to focus on creating a drawing of a face each day--or a painting if I have the time. The point of this is to be stress-free, though, so it will probably be drawings. I am going to set a goal of doing 50 of these. I hope to be finished with the job by then!

I've been wanting to do something like this for awhile--I saw a series of portraits by Mark Bailey which really inspired me, and then a book of etchings of faces by Frank Boyden. I like the idea of the series. The ground rules I've laid for myself are very loose--actually more about saying what I CAN do--basically anything I want. It can be from my imagination, a photo, someone I see on the street and draw from memory, someone sitting for me--whatever seems to work that day. They'll all be the same size.

I hope to improve my ability to observe and to capture expressions. In this job I'm doing, I'm finding that being more aware of expression is something I need to work on, so hopefully this will help.

The person in this portrait is someone I know--a loving, beautiful young man who had the world before him when mental illness took over during his college years. I call this "Prophet" because at times he believes he's Jesus Christ.

"BBQ Babes" (and being tagged!)

5"x7"

Oil on canvas panel

$100 plus $10 s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this painting through Paypal

Well, first about the painting--of which I haven't been able to do much of lately! These girls were seen at the Merril Potato Festival in October at a community BBQ sponsored by the local Lions Club every year. I was actually gong to concentrate on the one on the left--I was intrigued with her black-line-surrounded eyes, her many studs and her suspicious expression! Maybe that will be another painting. 5x7 is SO SMALL!! Anyway, I working on the other person first and realized that SHE was the subject of this one! She doesn't look too thrilled with her meal. . .

Where's Merrill and what's a Potato Festival? In southern Oregon, about 5 miles from Tule Lake, CA. . .

The Potato Festival comes each October to celebrate the harvest in what at least used to be a big potato-growing area. Football games, a parade, the BBQ, a dance and lots of exhibits in Merrill, which seems like it's always had a population ranging from 750-950 as far as I can remember.

OK--not painting these days is very hard. Maybe the woman in the painting is a reflection of how I feel about that right now--pretty disgruntled. The illustration job I'm doing is very consuming. It is going well and I am pleased with alot of things about it. However, I'm finding it really hard to switch gears to painting--and it is painful to me. Hopefully the coming week will allow for some time at the easel.

AND NOW!! THE TAGGERS, THE TAGGEE AND THE TAGGED!

First the rules, as I understand them: You link to the person who tagged you in your blog, you mention the rules, you say 7 interesting (or whatever) things about yourself and then tag other bloggers and comment on their blogs to let them know they've been tagged.

MY TAGGERS: Roxanne Steed and Carolyn Finnell. Please check out their blogs if you haven't--great work and musings on both!

THE TAGGEE: me and I was so intimidated by this thing when I thought I had to list 7 INTERESTING things about myself--never have I felt more dull. Fortunately, my husband has a different perspective.

1. I was one of 26 peo0ple in my high school graduating class (in Merrill, of course)--just a small town girl

2. I took a road trip to the Yukon Territory with a "friend" in my bright yellow VW bus back in '78 to fish and camp for about a month; the sight I won't forget is arriving to the top of a hill on a muddy, rutted ALCAN highway and not being able to see a telephone/electric pole or another road or a clearcut for as far as I could see

3. I am a descendent of the Achomawi Tribe (northern California)

4. I have not read WAR AND PEACE and I only skipped the chapters on the Battle of Waterloo in LES MISERABLES

5. I am a 9 on the enneagram

6. I lived alone in a teepee for a few months after said trip to the Yukon. It was great until I sat on a slug in the "teepee-style" outhouse I had and the Oregon rains began in earnest

7. I raised and showed steers and cows in 4-H

And now to the NEW TAGGED! Some of these are artists that are new to me and a couple are some I've been following. Hope you enjoy them! Jennifer Bellinger, Jeffrey Boron, Sharon Wright, Atul Pande, Deltra Powney, Mary Sheehan Winn and Craig and Tanya Amberson.