Thursday, May 25, 2017

Mother's Teapot: The Sketch and the Story That Goes With It.





When I was young, I was playing dodge ball with another young family member inside the house. We were playing near my mother's hutch where she kept her collection of pretty things...breakable pretty things like China plates, her large collection of salt and pepper shakers, and a couple of tea pots. And during one of the throws (our "ball" was a waded piece of paper) my playmate backed violently into the hutch causing the whole thing to tip over. The crash was so tremendous, I'm sure my mother thought that someone had died when she heard the noise, which seemed to last forever.

My playmate and I stood there wide-eyed and aghast over what we had done, waiting for my mother to come flying downstairs screaming "what happened!!!!?" which she did. Needless to say, she was very upset. Nearly everything was broken.

As punishment for about a week after school she made me sit at the dining table and glue her broken collection back together. I successfully reconstructed only a few, many were broken beyond repair, and I would forever have to face my guilt every time I looked at salt and pepper shakers without a match.

This teapot was a survivor on that dreadful day, and I keep it in my kitchen, high on a shelf out of harms way. I was thinking about this memory very recently and thought it was time to paint my mother's pretty pot. It was a favorite of mine and I remember handling it often as a young child admiring it, carefully lifting the lid and placing it back again. There was something about the shape and the flowers that drew me and still does.🌿🌼🌱🌿

Monday, May 22, 2017

Studio Clip: Finishing Touches on a House Sketch


I made another studio clips video. I enjoy making them and they are great practice for the Finding Faith project I've been working on for over a year now! Hard to believe! Getting ready for the 5th work in the project. We have a story, a model, a dress and a location....now we just need a date!

Monday, May 15, 2017

Sketchbook Work and Inspiration

sketchbook work in acrylic
inspired by front porches in Riverside

I have been working in my sketchbooks and lately I am loving houses and noticing especially front porches.  I have seen some lovely spaces that are so inviting.  You just want to take your cup of coffee and book and sit for a spell.

I also am working with vintage photos again and the photo below is a composition using three different photographs as inspiration.

I also have the 5th Finding Faith work planned out. Katie and I just need to work out a convenient time we can do the filming and photo shoot.  Her dress is so pretty.  I can't wait to paint it.  Stay tuned.

sketchbook work - acrylic and watercolor
inspired by vintage photos

See you soon.

♥ Lisa

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Studio Tour 2017


Last week I spent two days painting and reorganizing my home studio.  Here's a peek of the space. Would you believe  I have not done one thing in it yet...not one painting, not one drawing.  What is wrong with me?  It MUST be the Spring weather, because I am outside a lot.

I have also been watching an art history documentary on iTunes.  It is a timeline with very short snippets on the different periods of art and it is so interesting.  Did you know that Degas' bronze dancer sculptures were not cast until after his death?  I didn't.