End of the Calendar for 2010

Ok... today wraps up the calendar for 2010 ... pretty cool outside but the sun is shining and hopes are up :-)
Challenges can be stepping stones or stumbling blocks. It's just a matter of how you view them. -Unknown
Remember the good things of last year... look for the good things this year.
Best to you all.

Oil on canvas pad  5x7

Idealist

I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going but I'm on my way. -Carl Sandburg
Well said, Carl.
The harder you work, the luckier you get. -Gary Player .... hard to argue with that.

Oil on canvas pad 5x7

Roots

Nice rain last night ... cleaned up the area very well ..... today it's off to the Endodontist :-) ... fun. ... then a stop at the Portrait Society of Reno's weekly live model painting session... then to sign up at a new fitness center ...... sun is shinning already... it's going to be a good day.

Mid-day

Mid-day Friday... it's up to 40 out there and headed for 47 ... time to grab a bite to eat then on with other paintings in progress ... but I will be off to the fitness center in mid-afternoon .... who knows, the weather might turn bad again in a couple days like the weather prognosticator is dreaming up  :-)

oil on canvas panel  9x12

Weekly Gestures

The gesture painting continues. I want to do at least 100 of these... maybe by then I will catch on :-)
Yesterday's attempts were family .... always nice to have family around.

Oil on canvas panel 9x12

I yam doin' OK

I always feel like going out on these beautiful sunny days ... so I went to the fitness center ... ran and pumped a little iron .... felt real good afterwards. Vistied the Save-More on the way home and picked up a yam... I'll eat that one tomorrow.
Y-all have a good evnin' now, y'hear :-)

Ol' Ron

Still working on the gesture paintings in monochrome ... but got diverted today with internet work and mailing forms. Will get back on the brushes in a little while.
Smile .... what ever comes along.

Oil on canvas panel 8x10

Monochrome Studies

Monochrome studies are fun, interesting and helpful. They are supposed to be 30 -60 minute projects .... likeness is not the goal .... technique and learning the medium is the goal.

Oil on canvas panel  9x12

Jeremiah

Old pictures pop up occasionally. Great Grandfather Jeremiah.

Oil on canvas panel 9x12

A Sunny Day

At 8:15 am it was 21 degrees outside. Remembering long, long ago back east it was not nearly that cold but my nostrils would freeze as the artic air slipped in my nose turning the snot into multicolored ice formations
like an ancient cave filled with stalagtites and stalagmites. ... my eyebrows gathered cakes of wet snow until they sagged down my face nearly blocking all vision ... the tip on my nose so red Rudolph would have been proud and my fingers by that time would not move. I peered out the window again. The sun was bright and glistening off the new-fallen snow across the meadow and over the hills. It was totally frozen.
OK. I'm going for it. Layers and layers of what I figured would help keep me warm I bundled up. By now I look 100 pounds heavier but these are light weight garmets. Forcing my way out the ice-jammed storm door I carefully stepped across the sheet of ice that covered the deck.
 Hey! It wasn't really all that bad out there. In fact, it was very pleasant. No frozen nose. No blast of artic air paralysing my throat. I loved it. A short walk down the driveway and to the highway and back was wonderful. Can't always rely on old memories..... just get out and go for it today.

Heh heh ... Aric, you'll just have to deal with this  :-)

Oil on wood panel 9.5x10

Loving Winter

Offically Winter is not here yet... but you just tell that to the weather outside :-)
Yesterday it rained all day... a lot... and the wind blew somewhat briskly ... the weather man thought it would blow up to 70 mph ,,, but what does he know, really? ... it may have been up to 40 in gusts,,, heh heh ... and that's enough to get water in lots of cracks. I don't like to be wet and cold... just never seemed right to me ,,,, now warm souther rain, that's a different story... I like that. It's good to do things we do not especially like once in a while so yesterday, in the afternoon, I bundled up and took off in the pickup to the gym. Going to workout I like very much ... it's going out in the blowing, cold rain that takes extra effort ...... It wasn't long before I worked up a sweat and felt REAL good .... after a stop at Trader Joe's it was back to the cabin.
I was glad I did that for several reasons..... maily, it snowed during the night and today did not warm up much... the driveway is a sheet of ice... the windshield is fronzen over ... the highway is slicker 'n glass .... the internet is down taking the telephone with it ... I painted, watched a gesture portrait training DVD.... ate a hot lunch with a Winterfest brew while a movie played... then painted some more.
Not where I want to be yet but still working on it. No live model today,,, just photos. A week form Wednesday I want to start painting with live models with the Portrait Society of Reno222 got an invite several weeks ago.
Next Wednesday I meet a local Endodontist... now that should be great.... it must be fun being in a business where all your patients hate to come see you .... maybe the money compensates for the alienation.
Keep smilin' no matter what :-)

oil on canvas pad 9x12

Coconut

I love coconuts. Recently I found out that some folks don't call that liquid inside "coconut milk" ... they call that "coconut water" ... they feel coconut milk is made from the meat of the nut ... shred it - pout hot water over it - let it soak - drain it ... and then you have a nice white liquid called coconut milk. This coconut is from the grocery store.. none on the trees here. Shortly I will drain and drink the water then make some coconut milk.
Danny Kaye sang about Coconuts .... I've liked that song since I was a kid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c-D35DRPbY&feature=related
Some refer to that lump on top of your neck as a coconut
Some of us just like to eat the things

oil on canvas board 6x8

Dreaming

Yesterday it started snowing here... snowed all day and into the night... then sometime in early morning, I guess, it warmed up and began raining... most of the snow has melted ... all the while I remained indoors doing other things I enjoy more.
In Sept and Oct I went up to Hope Valley a couple times. In the inclimate weather I then look at the fotos and can dream about those please days of hiking and walking. One of those trips I cam upon some strange looking rocks next to the river.... so here is my interpretation.. think of the good times.

Oil on canvas board  9 x 12

Breakfast

Another cool day ... with the sun shining and a few fluffy clouds out there ... don't you just love these winter days?
Yesterday the rain froze and everything was covered with ice .... today, clear and cool .... so I'm inside enjoying easel time :-)

Oil on canvas board  6x8

These will be long gone by the time you get this  :-) Mmmmmmmm

Over the hill and down the road

Today, bright and early I rushed around getting my painting things ready to drive off to the weekly live-model painting sesson of the Portrait Society of Reno ... unfortunately yesterday it rained a lot here, then froze up very solid.... the wiper blades were frozen to the windows... the windows were covered with a thick layer of ice .... we can deal with this we think.... then... we find the doors are frozen shut... both sides ... time is running short and there is no way to get there even close to being on time. ... No meeting next week so we'll have to catch it later this month.
The sun is shining brightly... has been all morning .. so the ice should be gone after while :-)
I'm not going anywhere else today anyway so it matters not.

OK... so you saw my bananas painting before but I had to shoot this one .. I'm preparing to do more food still life paintings and saw the bananas all lined up there on the counter top with the old painting in the background ... interesting, eh?

Monday I painted and did a few other things around here before leaving for K's house. Had a great dinner there and spent the night so we could get up early Tuesday to head over the hill. Weather reports told us to expect rain and/or snow. We got both. Rain here in the valley and snow at higher elevations. As long as there are no problems, traveling trough a snow storm is  very exciting ... especially when we make the first tracks.

We did not make the first tracks here ... but close ... it was a light storm and we were right in the thick of it all.

We are much higher here and leading the way... slowly, very slowly.

On the return trip in mid-afternoon the snow was still falling. there was no one fishing the river in Hope Valley today.

Sorrenson's seems to always be busy .. even today in the middle of a snow storm their place is packed... good for them.

Finally heading out of the hills and down to the valley ... not long after this scene we left the snow, arrived in the valley with it's cows feeding in the pasture and hints of green grass here and there.

Great to be back ..... oh yes, and the dentist cleaned me up good and did a minor repair. I'd really like to keep as many teeth as possible until I'm 108 but sometimes I have to wonder about that.

Enjoy you're day.

One Man Show at the Blind Dog Coffee Cafe

3 Dec 2010 was our first 1-man show held at the Blind Dog Coffee Cafe. If you missed it we are sorry you were not there. We thought it was a huge success with over 50 family, friends and strangers attending. The Blind Dog Coffee Cafe is a fine, relaxing coffie shop run by Mark and Robbin Berry. Read more at http://www.recordcourier.com/article/20100917/COMMUNITY/100919903 and http://www.blinddogcoffee.com/zen/.
Although we were scheduled to run the show Fri from 4-8pm it was extended Sat 9 am to 1pm. Snacks were served and live music was provided by local entertainers.... and of course, the wonderful coffee, teas and home backed goods were available.

We had a painting from our plein air trip to the Carson River above the great fireplace.

Heidi, John and Ron sit around a table during lively conversation and snacks.

Support from family was greatly appreciated.

The music was greatly appreciated.

Kris showed up and helped us out of a bind in setting up ... nice going Kris.. and many thanks.

Customers and strangers attended ... there were even some kids there who found paintings they liked :-)

There were 3 racks of 3 panels each .... about 80 paintings and drawings ... oil, acrylics, water colors and pencil.

Mean while , business as usual at the Blind Dog Coffee Cafe.