Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, a Rose Painting

This is a painting that I decided to enter in a contest for Women's Resource Center. The theme of the contest is "Celebration of Love". There will be a party and sale on February 14th. My thought for the painting is friendship and love for yesterday, today and tomorrow. This is symbolized by the size and stage of the rose. The bud for tomorrow, the full size rose for today and the smaller rose for yesterday. I have enjoyed painting this and recorded the process on my other blog picturepat.blogspot.com. Please visit to see a slide show of the various stages and an explanation of each phase in the painting.

I also have started another painting of petunias and show the various stages and thoughts for how I develop a painting.

Corner Venice Ave and Nokomis Ave in Venice , Fl

Venice, Fl. Acrylic on canvas 11x14

This is the painting that I started at the demonstration at the Collector's Gallery in Venice, Fl. on Friday. I finished it during the week and am very pleased with the outcome.

I used the new Chroma Atelier Interactive acrylic paints. They are wonderful. I have never really fallen in love with a paint before, but I think I have now.

I will be posting the finished painting of the roses on picturepat.blogspot.com tomorrow. This is the first painting that I used this new paint. What is absolutely amazing is the paint's ability to be blended even after it has been on the canvas for a while. I use a water spray bottle from my watercolor days and it is amazing. So much fun.

Changed background for Abalone Shell

This is the background that I finished today. I believe that it is has more atmosphere than the original and sets a more subdued tone for the shell. I wanted to give the impression that the shell was still on the beach and somewhere near the waters edge. Not sure that is exactly what happened, but it does soften the overall impression of the shell. Also gives the painting a much more finished look. I had decided not to frame this as the canvas does project about 1 1/2" from the wall. My understanding that this gallery wrapped painting is what is being done today and does not need a frame. Therefore, the background for this becomes more important as it is what separates the image from the wall.
Does anyone have any comments on this change?

Original Background for abalone shell

This is the original background. It is mostly white, although the photo indicates a lot of blue overtones, it was not in the original. I felt the background was too stark for the painting. Although it did set off the iridescent in the shell. I decided to change the background and will post that next.

The Weaver's of Charleston

Just a footnote to a previous posting on the fate of the three paintings that were submitted to the juried show at the Venice Art Center. All three were accepted and were hung together in a good spot. So I am very happy.

Laurel at Collector's Gallery

Meet Laurel at the Collector's Gallery in Venice, Fl. She is the brains behind my framing and enhancing all my paintings, as well as being a great supporter of my painting.

If you need great framing contact Laural or Von at Collector's Gallery, in Venice, Fl. 1-941-488-3029 or email at artgallery@comcast.net

Collector's Gallery

These are a few of the paintings that have just been hung at the Collector's Gallery on Nokomis Ave in Venice, Florida. I will giving a painting demonstration there on Friday evening., from 5-8:00. So hopefully if you are in the area, you will drop by.

I am very thrilled that Von owner of the Gallery has agreed to represent me. So if you see anything on this blog or my website, www.paintingpat.com, that you like, please contact Von or Laurel at The Collector's Gallery 1-941-488-3029 or email artgallery@comcast.net.

Demonstration set for Jan. 18

I will be at the Collector's Gallery in Venice, Florida, for a plein air demonstration on Jan 18th, 2008. The downtown merchants are sponsoring a Welcome Snowbirds night and the Collector's Gallery asked me to participate at their location. There will be a band and snacks.

Please join us. The weather is great.

New Year Plans

I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions, but I do like to set goals for myself. Most of the time these goals are just in my head and I strive to achieve something close to them, but if not that is ok too. This year do to the fact that it is one of those big O's years and I have been looking at various blogs, I have decided to express some of my goals for the new year.

In retrospect I have to say that 2007 was a very productive year for me and I believe I made great strides in the creative life and my painting technics.

I attribute this to the fact that I taught two classes in Sun City Hilton Head and from this experience I had to look closely at what I was doing and I had to express that in words and in doing so that I could teach others and by doing that I learned many things.

The other experience of the year was a wonderful trip that my daughter and I took to Taos, NM and Santa Fe. I decided to investigate the works of Georgia O'Keeffee mostly because my daughter liked her flowers and I did not know much about her or her work. The experience of Taos and the whole area of New Mexico was far different than I thought it would be and I became a Georgia O'keeffe follower and have adapted her as my muse.

What most intrigues me about her is that so much of her and her life and thoughts are recorded. That she was highly promoted by her husband and his gallery and from that she was able to have the "right" friends in New York the heart of art in America. In studying her and her work I have tried to find out what it was that motivated her the paint what she did. She has written much about this and her love affair with New Mexico. From this study I have changed a few things about my work and have settled down on just doing acrylics.

This year I feel that it is time for me to promote my paintings and art life and have set up this blog as a start. I forced myself to paint an almost abstract painting in November. I joined the Venice Art Center and the Women Contempory Artists in Sarasota. Going to some of the activities should give me a broader knowledge of the art scene here and in general.

My next blog I will set forth my goals for this year 2008. Many of the things from 2007 are carrying forward. I sold a painter from the Weaver series and am giving a demonstration at The Collector's Gallery in Venice, Florida on Jan. 18th. But more later.

Paintings of People Show Venice Art Center, Venice, Fl

This is a series of paintings that I did from a trip to the Market in Charleston, SC. I went with the ladies from All About Art in Sun City Hilton Head, SC. When I returned, I used the photos that I had taken in the market to compose these paintings. They are composites of the women who were weaving.

One of the sad things that I learned was that the art of weaving these sweet grass baskets is dying with the generations, as the young women do not want to learn the craft. Another sign of changes in our plant.

These baskets are made from the grasses that grow in the low country of South Carolina and are part of the heritage of this great nation.

Hopefully these paintings will get into the show next week. But I certainly did enjoy painting them and recording the feelings and attitudes of these wonderful Gullah Women.

We also went to a Gullah Festival in Beaufort, SC to enjoy more of the traditions of the people of this area. There was great gospel music, local food and crafts. It was one of the highlights of the summer.

Holiday Party with the Women Contempary Artists, WCA. I am the one in the middle in the red. We each brought art projects for children in the Sarasota County, Florida, Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center SPARCC. WE got them wrapped in clear plastic bags to be delivered this week for their Christmas. Glad we were able to do this with all the things from China being recalled this will give some children a small surprise for Christmas

Painting from Last week's class

Did this little painting in the sweetest garden, the community gardens for Nokomis and Venice, Fl. The weather was wonderful and the flowers and vegetables were great. It is amazing what blooms down here on the Sun Coast during the winter. While others are under snow it is our spring and summer. Wonderful pentas, butterfly plants and numerous others. What a treat.

New Painting from Plein Air Class

Went to Carlton Preserve , a Sarasota County Park, near Venice, Fl. yesterday and did this little painting of the open space. It was a beautiful day, a little chilly for Florida, but great in the sun. The birds and insects were out and it was a wonderful experience.,

Finished this small acrylic painting yesterday at a Paint out for Alzheimer's. It was at a local retirement assisted living facility in Venice Florida. The turn out was about 30 local Plein Air Artists from the area. They provided us with an extremely delicious lunch and after there was an cocktail wet paint sale with invited guests. Four paintings sold and I was honored to be one of them. So it was a very productive day. Has any one else done one of these paint outs?

I entered this painting at the Venice Art Center Abstract show. It is an acrylic "Cannas No 1". opening is tomorrow. Hoping for the best.

First Blog

This is my first blog, but I hope that this will be a journal of my art life.
Complete with paintings , feelings, questions and hopes and dreams that I will be able to share with other artists. I have looked at many blogs out there and they all give something that is good and should be shared. As artists, we are often separate and alone in our life and studios. Here we are able to share our hopes and dreams, as well as our fears and questions.

I hope to make some friends and share ideas.