Week In Brief Review

This past week saw the finish of one project,

The beginning of another project,

and, much attention to our ongoing project. -Polly

A Painting Challenge

This is my rendition of a dahlia from the rookiepainter site. Don't be fooled by the name, there are some lovely non beginner paintings included. I am not thrilled with my finished painting, but it was good practice, and it is fascinating to me to see how other painters approached the same image. Art school was so much about fine art, and developing content, that I don't recall ever being asked to work from the same image as the other students. This was interesting. -Polly

Photo Inspiration

This week I've been playing at setting up still life arrangements to photograph and paint from. I came across Paul Cary Goldberg's photos here and here. Very inspiring. Partly of course I am inspired to just give up camera use in general, but in a good way. -Polly

Gull Mural

On Friday I made a sea gull mural for the very nice mother of a very good friend. My camera finds red to be challenging, so these pictures are not very accurate, but the finished room looks great. While painting and visiting, I was able to meet a smart and protective new lady dog. When I arrived, the dog wanted to meet me and bite me, but I was shown how to endear myself to her. First I tossed some dog cookies into the crate where she was secured. Secondly, I hid while a game of fetch was started in the yard. I was then substituted into the game as the ball thrower. After the game, we got along nicely. We did find that the unexpected sound of me moving a stepladder would bring her running and barking, but she would see it was me and chose to let me paint without a bite. Also I had some tea. All on the last half day of the school year. -Polly

And... More Progress on the Preschool Tree Mural

When I first started painting this mural, the preschool students seemed a little disturbed to find me camped out near their backpacks. By now they are accustomed to having me in their hallway, and it has been very fun to have them checking on the progress of the animals.

This fox looks an awful lot like the reference picture that I used, and that is good, but now I think he looks much too fierce. The eyes may need some further attention. Yikes. -Polly

A Little More Mural Progress

A few more birds are in place in the apple trees.

By the time I finished today, oak trees marched all the way up the stairs. -Polly

More Progress on the Preschool Tree Mural

These two animals are now painted into the first section of the mural.

The little papers taped to the wall are my reference pictures. The shelf holds my

handy plastic paint cup and my lunch. - Polly

Preschool Tree Mural in Progress

Here is the hallway before.

This is the hallway now after one day of painting. -Polly

Current Sewing

Some practical sewing has been taking place here.

Also some painting is underway, the results of which I will show you another time. -Polly

Birdhouses

Birdhouses before the partyDuring
After

Thrifty Village

Now it is time to pack away the village. All through the year I seem to find these little houses at the thrift store. They are only a few dollars, but they usually have not been painted very carefully. The yellow one here is just the way I found it . The white church was an unpleasant stucco color with brown windows. I spent 45 minutes painting it , and now it is a favorite. The yellow house may get the same treatment next year.

-Polly