Why Me?

Why Me?, 8 x 10

I messed around today with high contrast in the background--this is supposed to be a white napkin on a black table....doesn't it feel a bit like the bowl, napkin, and knife are floating in space?! I didn't think so until I saw it in photograph form. Don't you think it's a perspective issue, rather than the contrast? The downfalls of a fast painting! I at least like the title my 11 year-old came up with...

-julie davis

Outnumbered

Outnumbered, 8 x 10

I'm looking forward to painting and posting again in earnest. We had a tragedy in the neighborhood last weekend, and painting could not be a priority.

This afternoon I thought I'd work at what Laurel was asking us to do in class--studying value shifts in local color. I wasn't after creative color or composition, or accuracy of detail, and admittedly, the tennis and golf ball subject matter was not the biggest challenge I could've set out for myself. However, conveying a sphere in paint is fun for me, and that's what I needed today--straightforward and just happy. So I pulled out some of my daughter's practice golf balls and an old, flat tennis ball, and set them out on my table. I did enjoy this one, and got some practice seeing the value shifts in different variations of white. Since the golf balls were old, some were more yellow, while some leaned blue or gray. It felt great to push some paint around again, and I learned a good bit in the process.

-julie davis

Values Exercise

Values Exercise, 12 x 12

Greatest day--yesterday we started Laurel Daniel's class again--four short weeks, but I love learning, and learning about painting is such a kick for me-even when it's studying value. This is actually the third I did in class yesterday--the first dealt with local color with a light, medium, and dark object. The second was painted with a range of 7-8 grays from black to white, and the third we were allowed to use color, attempting to keep the same accuracy in value shifts. This doesn't look too colorful, but the objects were quite neutral, and I didn't go crazy with the background color. I like the neutrals, even though the subject matter isn't glamorous. I suppose it helps the form stand out more.

-julie davis

Oasis

Oasis, 8 x 10

sold

Have to admit, I feel in a bit of a rut. I went back to an old favorite, and just painted for the sake of painting. I think mentally, I'm distracted right now, so doing something familiar was satisfying.

-julie davis

Water's Edge

Water's Edge, 12 x 12

Trying water again....this from a photo I took in winter. I'm inundated with school and homework demands right now.....am in an in-between period--Laurel Daniel's still life class begins Wednesday (yay!) and it always gets me thinking in a new direction and with a renewed focus.

-julie davis

Still Useful

Still Useful, 10 x 8

sold

Old barns and country roads appeal to the die-hard Texan in me. I can't help it. I love the blues in the weathered gray wood and the funny ways the abandoned barns lean--the roads often inexplicably curve and bend on their routes. No doubt there was at one time a reason they veered this way or that.

-julie davis

Into the Hills

Into the Hills, 6 x 6

sold

Paths and roads have me hooked right now. This was from a photo I took last weekend on a day trip to the Hill Country. Plenty of dry grass around, but we've been getting rain--finally!!

-julie davis

Golden Fields

Golden Fields, 10 x 8

sold

A bit larger version of "Peaceful Grove;" I'm so in love with painting these small paintings--so loose, fresh, and fast, that my patience for anything really large isn't up to speed. I also love the simplicity of a painting with trees and fields alone--such a comforting sight to me.

-julie davis

Canyon Path

Canyon Path 6 x 6

While in CA this summer, my husband and I took a hike along one of the many trails behind the place we were staying in the hills. The path took many turns as it wound up the side of a mountain, and trees cloaked it occasionally, but the sun shone through wherever it had the opportunity.

-julie davis

Breaking Through

Breaking Through, 6 x 8

sold

I took another shot at some photos I'd taken of the view of the Colorado River from the Smithville area last spring. A light drizzle was coming down and the sun was trying to break through the clouds.

-julie davis

Peaceful Grove

Peaceful Grove, 6 x 6

sold

This grove of trees had a most unusual shape. I've been longing to try a "mass" approach to a composition, and this offered the opportunity (it's from a photo I took on our trip to CA in July). Fridays are my longer paintings days, and I was able to get two finished in my three hour window. This was the first. On a side note, Austin finally got some rain tonight! Happy Friday.

-julie davis

Two Shy

Two Shy, 8 x 6

The intimidation of Laurel Daniel's fall still life class (starting week after next) is beginning to weigh on me; I hadn't done a still life since January that I can remember.  So I brought out the lights and fruit this afternoon to see if I could still do it.  The original setup here included a peach and some tiny, stacked bowls, but clearly, they did not make the final cut!  Therefore, the composition is a little unorthodox--two--how dull.... However, I kind of like the simplicity of it, and when my youngest daughter came up with "Two Shy," ("and spell it t-w-o, mom") after I told her the clementines looked like they wanted to talk but were too shy, I liked it even more. :)

-julie davis