The Legacy

Thanks so much Bev…I’m glad you like it… :))

That’s what it’s meant to do Thelma…bring back memories to remind us of what we used to consider to be valuable in life, and which is in fact still valuable…I’m so glad this brought back good memories…thanks so much Thelma… :)))

I try to paint everyday, even if it’s only for a short time, but it’s usually about three to four hours on average…sometimes I am working on more than one painting at the same time…but I am gradually moving back to mainly Still Life as it’s what I like to do best, though I will still do other subjects in between…
Textures of everything fascinate me too…I am always thinking of way to interpret the surfaces of things…I stood up for most of this painting, so I could get a real perspective on it…my burn’t sienna colours got a real work out on those planks, but there’s yellow ochre in the first layer and umbers and neutral tint to deepen the wood grain…my four inch badger brushes are invaluable here…they are definitely worth the extremely high cost..in the past I have painted wood grain in oils on MDF and it was great as it dried so slowly…today was the first time I did it in watercolour and on paper…what a difference…I had to work so incredibly fast as it was drying in seconds…it was a real challenge, but I loved it….I had a friend over watching me for most of it….
As I painted, I was dancing to a song about a man who comes from a land down under…very catchy tune…it made me think of you….I always dance and sing while I paint…lol…
What a long reply!!...never ask me questions…I tend to go on and on…thanks so much Karin…

In our garage we have the Ikea organizers too…. this one is totally from my imagination…I have not seen tools hanging from planks since I was a child…thanks so much Jim…I’m glad you like it…I might do something nautical next…I have never touched that subject and maybe it’s time…

Thank you so much Corey…nice to see you…

Thank you so much Anna…for many years I did television shows where I painted…I was also featured in many magazine articles and books.I have drastically cut back on those activities, as they really cut into my painting time…now I just do a class once per month…I want sufficient time every day to paint without interruption, so now I do just the occasional feature…I will keep a video in mind though…

Thank you so much Neo…I’m so glad you like it… :))

I have to stop myself from making it too real…so using watercolour and loosening up some of the brushstrokes helps…I still want it to be something a viewer can have a dialogue with…my wood is from my imagination, but I think it looks like a cross between pine and plywood…as usual I had nothing in front of me while I painted, so I had to conjure it all up in my minds eye, hoping that the shadows are reasonably accurate with regard to the light etc…but since it’s not photorealism, I don’t mind….thank you so much Linda…

That is what I was hoping it would do…thanks for letting me know Annie…I am very happy about that, and the compliment to the work as well… :))

Thank you so much Carla…those memories make us what we are, and how greatt it is to have nice ones…today is my birthday, and I think about all that have gone before and how blessed I am…I’m glad you love the painting..it was a labour of love…

Thank you so much Carla…I hope there will be many more, but I try to spend every day as if it were the last one….getting up there….I will be painting as usual, but will go out tonight with my two guys…son and husband… :)))

Oooh!! I certainly will…I’m so happy to find out about artists I did not know before….thank you so much for the compliment and the birthday wishes…I am spending it the way I love best…painting…

I just looked…wow…I don’t know tromp l’oeil painters at all….beyond seeing a few in art books, I have never made a study of the genre…I’m having the time of my life looking at their works…thanks again…

I take good suggestions to heart and run with them…not only did I look at the painters you recommended, but I found a fabulous book on three of them. including the two you mentioned..it’s long out of print, but I am getting it from a seller in NY state…should be here in two weeks…I can’t wait…
I only knew the earlier dutch painters of vanitas type trompe l’oeil work, so this is like finding a treasure to add to my library…I don’t plan to be that kind of artist….I can’t use oils anymore because of the fumes….but I enjoy doing work that verges on the style…thanks so much again…what a fabulous birthday it turning out to be!!...
Niagara Falls is a hop skip and a jump away…small world isn’t it?

Thanks so much KJ…I wanted to evoke memories and it seems I did (read the comments above) for many people…I am sure you can use the tools now…it’s the only way to keep them young and fit… :)))

I am not surpriseed George…you strike me as a very organized person…thank you so much for sharing with me.. :))

I think it would Els…thank you so much… :))

Such a lovely compliment Catherine…I like painting lots of different things in different styles…I’m so glad you like it… :)))

I’m so glad you like it Alison…thanks so much… :))

Thank you so much…I’m glad you do.. :)))

Thank you so much Enivea..I’m so glad you lkie it :))

Thank you for that wonderful compliment Ciska… :)))