The Oil Gusher Apr. 24 - Apr. 30

[Pat Isaac]

Good morning everyone,
Well, this is the last week of the month.....and I really thought it might snow this weekend as it wwas quite cold and raw. We did get some very beneficial rain though and all the plants and trees will be very happy. I guess the lawn mower will have to come out also.
I had one of our final concerts over the weekend and it went well. I have 2 more and then the season will be over for the summer.

So come in and share your joys, concerns...or just the day to day routine and lets get aquainted.

Have a great day.

Please join us:) :) :)

Pat

[The Art Corner]

Just came in to say hi as I'm still off today. We came down the NJ shore to rest for the weekend. It rained Sat but cleared up really nice yesterday afternoon. We're still here getting an alarm installed as we had several break ins by some homeless kids. They stole necessities and at least didn't do any damage or vandalize anything. In the grand scheme of things just another bill. No big deal. We launched (well my husband did at any rate) the sailboat yesterday. I'm really hoping next weekend to be fit to sail!!! I always enjoy reading about Peggy's classes. Sorry I don't have much time to write in these threads. Have an awesome day!!!

[Pat Isaac]

It's always nice to hear from you Shoshana. What a shame about your break ins. That happens often around here with summer places that are not used much in the winter.
Hope you get to sail soon. I love sailing, though I don't have much opportunity to do it. When I was a kid there was a comminity boat club on the Charles river in Boston (still is) and kids from the city could learn to rig the boats and learn to sail for .50cents(now it is only $1) a summer. Ages 12 -18. I was a wonderful experience and I spent my summers there. A swimming test was required to be eligible. (in case you capsized). You could sail Monday - Friday 9 - 3. First you sailed with other people and then you went for a sailing test to see if you were capable of sailing by yourself.
Have a great day.

Pat

[ColorMyWorld]

I just got back from a long weekend visit to see relatives. While I was there I was able to spend the day with a painter friend. She took me to 2 large art supply stores that had all the major oil pastel brands in open stock! Yup, the credit card did some melting!
Then we met some painter friends of hers for lunch. They were fun ladies and all professional artists. It was such a great lunch.
I even got in a few paintings during the trip. I put them in the sketch thread.

[Pat Isaac]

Sounds like you had a great time, Ann. Large art stores...:eek: I get in one of those and I never come out. It is nice to go through all the open stock oilies.

You did well to get in some paintings. I am going over there now to look at them..

Pat

[John & Zoe]

Hi everyone

Sorry to hear about your burglery Shoshana. Hope you can replace anything that was stolen without a lot of trouble. We have never had a break-in at our house in the 26 years we have lived here. Might be something to do with having lots of dogs (4 at present) living with us. There have been break-ins nearby though.

Today was a public holiday in Australia to celebrate ANZAC Day.
The acronym stands for Aust & New Zealand Army Corp and the day is used to honour our war dead, as well as returned servicemen & women.
Sadly, this was the first year that there was no living WW1 veteran present at the various ceremonies through the country. Western Australia's last WW1 soldier died last year, aged 107.

Zoe is flying to the eastern side of the country next week to visit her four sisters, three of whom she hasn't seen for 8 years. :eek: She will be gone for all of May. As a consequence, I will be left in charge of the dogs. I'm taking 5 weeks holiday and hope to get some painting done.

Regards

John

[Pat Isaac]

I'm sure the dogs have a lot to do with no break ins, John. We have had one here about 16 years ago. During broad daylight! Took all my sterling silverware and some silver jewelry. They obviously only wanted silver. My husband is an epicopal minister and his silver chalice set that he used for communion to the sick was opened, but not taken. Do you think they thought the devil would get them?:evil:
I hope Zoe has a wonderful visit with her sisters and you get lots of painting done.

Pat

[k9artisan]

Pat that is so funny that your husband is an episocpal minister as my step father is one too. He just got his own church in Milledgeville GA this past November. I am glad to see that your thieves drew the line somewhere at least. Shoshana I am sorry to hear of your recent theft too. How sad homeless children.

Ann I am sorry I didn't get to visit with you for your trip here. I ended up having to go to NC that weekend. It looks like there is a chance that I may move back to NC soon (this time Blowing Rock which is just a beautiful city), but there still needs to be some issues to address first. I hope you enjoyed your stay in Atlanta as it is a wonderful city except for the traffic.

Well I have been focusing on learning portraiture. I bought a couple of books and have done a couple of paintings. It will take a while before I am any good at it, but it is always fun to learn new things.

I really have been impressed with all the great work that is on the board this past week. Great job guys!
Amber

[Pat Isaac]

Small world, Amber. My husband is retired now, but occasionally fills in when needed.
I am always impressed with your motivation, always learning something new. I'll be looking for the portraits when you are ready.

Pat

[John & Zoe]

<<<I hope Zoe has a wonderful visit with her sisters and you get lots of painting done.>>>

Thank you Pat. Fortunately, three of Zoe's sisters live in the town of Echuca (pronounced E-chooka) in the state of Victoria. Echuca is located on the Murray river and is the riverboat capital of Australia. She has orders to take lots of new photos for our painting files. :) Below is a soft pastel she did of the wharf area some time ago. Colours aren't the best though.

Regards

John

'Echuca Wharf'
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/26-Apr-2006/81004-Echuca_Pastel_6.JPG

[Pat Isaac]

That's a wonderful painting that Zoe did, full of detail. Looks as if there will be plenty of material for new paintings.

I'm sure you will find what your main interest is soon, Stefanie and you do know that it is art related. Sounds as if you do have a plan for this year. It is true that I so much teaching for 30 years. A big part of that was all the research and trying out new media and techniques that I did so I could bring new ideas to the students. And they taught me a lot too, especially when we got into the computer graphics. It was a good time, but I'm very happy to have time to do my own work now.

Pat

[scoy]

Wow, that wharf painting is gorgeous! It's so subtle, but it's solid too.

Amber, good luck with learning portraiture. The majority of what I've sold has been portraits, and I know that it is a lot of hard work even at my low level. There are so many decisions to make,

Thank you for your reply, Pat. Teaching sounds like so much fun, partly because you get to explore so many different things. I'm so glad you enjoyed your teaching experience, as so many teachers seem not to...

Sometimes I think if I had some solid technical instruction, a lot would fall into place for me. Unfortunately, other than that SAS class I mentioned early, all of my art instructors have commented that I paint/render better than they do. :confused: And I'm so slapdash, just sweating it out until it looks somewhat right. It's largely technique, I feel, that holds me back from being able to paint (in any medium) the way I'm yearning to. No matter what I try, I seem to end up with flat, inept, semi-realist stuff that verges on cartoonish.

I hope this isn't too off-topic, but as far as fine art, I am most attracted to very atmospheric work like this: http://www.sophiejodoin.com/
but I haven't the faintest idea how to go about something similar! I can tell it's about edges and texture, and the underlying drawings must be very accurate, but after that? Not a clue. But she paints how I feel, only I'd like to tackle some more complex subjects with that sort of handling. In oil pastel or whatever. If anybody has any ideas, let me know. :)

[The Art Corner]

Thanks Everyone. John that painting Zoe did is gorgeous. Looking forward to seeing your work this month. Pat what a great experience. Art Stores WOW can't ever get out of them once you get in. Amber if your people turn out even half as good as your pups...................

[John & Zoe]

Hi Pat, Stefanie & Shoshana

Thank you all for the kind comments on Zoe's painting.

Pat & Amber: This detail from Zoe's painting might interest you both. The boat shown is the 'Etona'. Until 1912 it was used as a floating church by the Church of England to spread the gospel up and down the Murray River.

Echuca Wharf (detail)
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/28-Apr-2006/81004-Echuca_Pastel_7.JPG

[Pat Isaac]

How about that! Thank you for the interesting piece of info which I passed along to my husband. He likes the painting also.

Pat

[The Art Corner]

Hi Everyone just a fun thing here. My friend has a really beautiful studio over her goat barn. The setting is just gorgeous. She & I and another 6 artists are going to be getting together once a week just to work together. We started last Thursday did a still life (in soft pastel). But I'm so excited because for the month of May we'll have a live model. I've never worked from a live model before. I can't wait.

[Pat Isaac]

That is just great, Shoshana. Working from the live model will be a wonderful experience and you will learn so much. Be sure and post your work.

Pat