Unocchio's Paint Spot

Real Security

2012-03-03T11:05:00.000-08:00

Your real security is yourself. You know you can do it, and they can't ever take that away from you. - Mae West

That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest. Henry David Thoreau

Natural ability without education has more often attained to glory and virtue than education without natural ability. Cicero

Wisdom doesn't automatically come with old age. Nothing does - except wrinkles. It's true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place. Abigail Van Buren

To me old age is always 25 ears older than I am - Unocchio

Oil on Masonite panel 9x12

Do your best work

2012-02-27T06:41:00.000-08:00

There has never been but one question in all civilization-how to keep a few men from saying to many men: You work and earn bread and we will eat it. Abraham Lincoln

You do your best work if you do a job that makes you happy. Bob Ross

Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another. Anatole France

We have too many people who live without working, and we have altogether too many people who work without living. Charles Reynolds Brown

Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love. David McCullough

Oil on canvas board 9x12

Everything should be made as simple as possible

2012-02-26T07:41:00.000-08:00

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler. Henry David Thoreau

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler. Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955

Nothing is as simple as we hope it will be. Jim Horning

We have too many high sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.
Abigail Adams (1744 - 1818)

Oil on Canvas Board 9x12

Men are born to succeed, not fail

2012-02-25T09:25:00.000-08:00

Dream and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be. Joy Page

One's friends are that part of the human race with which one can be human. George Santayana

Men are born to succeed, not fail. Henry David Thoreau

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship. Thomas Aquinas

It is never too late to give up your prejudices. Henry David Thoreau

Oil on canvas Board 9x12

Change is such hard work

2012-02-24T08:22:00.000-08:00

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. Henry David Thoreau

No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means. George Bernard Shaw

Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something. Henry David Thoreau

Change is such hard work. Billy Crystal

Oil on Masonite 9x12

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams

2012-02-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

Be all that you can be, but don't join the army.-Paul Guttman

Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy. -The Dockle Bur

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler. Henry David Thoreau

However mean your life is, meet it and live it: do not shun it and call it hard names. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Things do not change, we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. God will see that you do want society. Henry David Thoreau

I eat really healthy, and if I'm tired, I take a nap. Casper Van Dien

Oil on 8x10 Panel

Life is an experiment

2012-02-22T12:16:00.001-08:00

There is no such thing as expecting too much. -Susan Cheever

You really never lose until you stop trying. -Mike Ditka

A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life. - James Allen

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Oil on canvas Board 6x8

We are much Happier

2012-02-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

We are much happier,
much happier
when we realize
that life is an opportunity rather
than an obligation. -Mary Augustine

No man is happy unless he believes he is. -Publilus Syrus

The habit of happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest for creating things new. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone. Henry David Thoreau

Oil on Canvas board 9x12

It;s all been said before

2012-01-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

All that I know I learned after I was thirty. Georges Clemenceau

.... and none of that sunk in until after I was 50. Unocchio

Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't. Pete Seeger

.....and for those of us who do not read the fine print ..... Unocchio

Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again. Andre Gide

With that said, we might as will tip back a cool one ......

Oil on canvas board 9x12

A Mind Stretched by a new experience

2012-01-25T17:09:00.000-08:00

Where we stand is not as important as the direction in which we are going.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

An Asian vase makes a great centerpiece for a still life so here it is.... there was a lot more to this one than just the vase :-)

Oil on a panel 8x10

As long as you can start

2012-01-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

As long as you can start, you are all right. The juice will come. -Ernest Hemingway

The difference between good and great is just a little effort.-Duffy Daugherty

While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior. -Henry C. Link

So today we prepared for a presentation ... then painted a picture. Both were adventurous ....

Makes me think of the Springtime when the apple blossoms are on the trees. We may not get any this year since the warm winter hung in there so long.

Oil on canvas 9x12

Create an exciting circle

2012-01-12T17:17:00.000-08:00

Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must first set yourself on fire. - -Fred Shero

It is known that happy people think more happy thoughts than unhappy people. If we think happy thoughts... we create happy perceptions... we create a beautiful aura of light around ourselves... which leads us to happy events. And so we create an exciting circle (where we become even happier).

Still working with a limited pallet ..... we always like a friend cow 8-)

Oil on canvas board 6x8

If you don't get everything you want

2012-01-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

The difference between good and great is just a little effort. -Duffy Daugherty

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright, quoted in Reader's Digest, June 1995

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. ~Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book

If you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't get that you don't want. ~Oscar Wilde

Continuing studies on composition and values .... a quick study of a friend of mine :-)

Oil on canvas board 6x8

Purple and yellow

2012-01-10T16:42:00.000-08:00

If you're not failing now and again, it's a sign you're playing it safe. -Woody Allen

Today's class was on color and values .... lights and darks .... warms and cools..... we were given 2 colors to paint a picture .. + white. The colors were yellow and purple.
So here is what happened......
This is a knife painting.

Oil on canvas panel 6x8

The saddest thing I can imagine

2012-01-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

The most imaginative people are the most credulous, for them everything is possible. - Alexander Chase

The saddest thing I can imagine is to get used to luxury. - Charlie Chaplin

Yea... fat chance here :-)

Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night. - Edgar Allan Poe

Thankfully for that.

Still painting flowers over here .... dreaming of Spring already .... heading for Arizona tomorrow....

Oil on canvas board 8x10

Plain, Honest and Upright

2012-01-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

Turn your stumbling blocks into stepping stones. -Anonymous

All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers. - Orison Swett Marden

If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.- George S. Patton

"Flowers have an expression of countenance as much as men and animals. Some seem to smile; some have a sad expression; some are pensive and diffident; others again are plain, honest and upright, like the broad-faced sunflower and the hollyhock."
~ Henry Ward Beecher

You can't get too much of a good thing

Oil on canvas board 8x10

A Great Beginning

2012-01-01T22:11:00.000-08:00

A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water. - Carl Reiner

Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while. - Kin Hubbard

Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes - every form of animate or inanimate existence, leaves its impress upon the soul of man. - Orison Swett Marden

I'm very gregarious, but I love being in the hills on my own. - Norman MacCaig

So what better way to introduce the new year than wander through High Sierras, ponder reflections in mirror lakes, study ice crystals on frozen water's edge, breathe the fresh mountain air and stroll through the marsh-land trails watching the ducks feed on the stream bottoms?
I could not think of anything better so that's what happened. Follow along.........

I don't know if you can read these signs but the advise that Fallen Leaf Lake in California is several miles long and about 400 ft deep. Today, the sky was bright blue and the sun added warm rays.... one of the mildest New Year's days the locals can remember in a long time

Fallen Leaf Lake is a little over 6000' elevation and a couple miles off the highway down a long narrow road. As you approach today you will not see a ripple on the water... it is smooth as glass.... notice the reflections in the next several pictures .... awesome... have you ever seen anything like it? It takes your breath away.

Climbing a little higher is Glens Falls with a frosting of glistening ice. The locals say that this is a rare occassion because usually one can not see this without plowing thru deep snow. It is a gorgeous sight !

Proceeding even higher there is Lilly Lake nestled high in the hills amount the pines and firs.

It would have been nice to continue up the wilderness trail but there was this very intimidating sign ... stopped me in my tracks.....

Meanwhile on over at Lilly Lake other visitors found it to be frozxen over with a thick layer of ice .... again, something a person does not usually get to experience without trudging through deep snow this time of year. Did they enjoy this good day?

Upper part of Lilly Lake... yup, frozen deep!

Lots of tall grasses at the edge of the lake... inlets frozen...... under the ice out there in the middle is running water which fed the falls we saw earlier then ran on down into Fallen Leaf Lake.

It was truely a great day.... hope yours was too.

Not Afraid of Heights

2011-12-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

A lot of people are afraid of heights. Not me, I'm afraid of widths.- Steven Wright

A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.- Paul Dudley White

A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same. - Elbert Hubbard
... and I thank you all for that :-)

It takes a long time to grow an old friend.- John Leonard

Further studies on sunflowers .... they are so bright and cheery

Oil on canvas panel 8x10

Mind over matter

2011-12-30T14:59:00.000-08:00

Some misfortunes we bring upon ourselves; others are completely beyond our control. But no matter what happens to us, we always have some control over what we do about it. - Suzy Szasz

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.- Mark Twain

I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it. - Jonathan Winters

A sense of humor is the ability to understand a joke - and that the joke is oneself. - Clifton Paul Fadiman

To be polite is to do and say
The kindest things in the kindest way - Sophia Bronson Titterington

OK... so it looks like yesterdays post... but it is not ... I am still practising sunflowers so you may see more of them here from time to time ... this one is actually on a larger canvas

Oil on canvas board 12x16

Keep on Dreaming

2011-12-29T15:51:00.000-08:00

There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet. -William Frederick Halsey, Jr.

Also, sometimes somewhat trivial challenges may seem great to the ordinary person - Unocchio

A man is not old until regrets take place of dreams - John Barrymore

May you never get old.... dream on my friend

There is no duty we do so much underrate as the duty of being happy. By being happy we sow anonymous benefits upon the world, which remain unknown even to ourselves, or when they are disclosed, surprise nobody so much as the benefactor - Robert Louis Stevenson

Always do your duty ... be happy ... spread good cheer.

We are planning a painting class for the benefit of home schoolers. This is the picture we plan to paint.

Oil on canvas board 9x12

Hiking above 7000 ft

2011-12-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice.
Bill Cosby

A stockbroker urged me to buy a stock that would triple its value every year. I told him, "At my age, I don't even buy green bananas." - Claude Pepper
I understand this one very well :-)

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.... same as hiking up a mountain trail is a series of short walks and stops for taking fotos

Yesterday we went hiking in the High Sierras ... beginning at Spooner lake and heading on up to Marlette Lake. It was a great day to be out-of-doors enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. We hiked about 8 miles. Take a look at some of our views:

Kris & Baron at the beginning of the hike .... those coats will soon come off ... we all way overdressed.

The trail to Marlette Lake from Spooner Lake

There were numerous rest areas .. this one had a chair cut from a tree stump.

We came upon several aspen groves along the way.

Near the top of the trail we looked back .. those distant mountains are on the other side of Lake Tahoe

Higher up the trail we found some lovely meadows.

Along the trail were several crystal cleat mountain streams ... the higher ones had ice on the top ... thick ice ... but we could hear the water flowing underneath.

At the top of the trail, just before descending to Marlette Lake there was a convenient rest spot. The ol geezer parked on a log in the warm sun and ate his sandwich while the kids went on down partway to the lake side. the last mile was on a north slope and the trail was covered with ice and snow.

Here we see the appraoch to Marlette Saddle with the high ridge to the East.

This was our first peek at Marlette Lake

Had to take a closer look.... awesome.

Kris coming back up the trail from the lake.

Hope you enjoyed this short tour ... wish you had been with us.
Best to you all.

http://www.spoonerlake.com/tahoeskimaps.htm

It does not matter how many times

2011-12-24T18:01:00.000-08:00

Fall seven times, stand up eight. -Japanese Proverb

Action is the foundational key to all success - Pablo Picasso

Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure - George Edward Woodberry

Diligence is the mother of good fortune - Benjamin Disraeli

Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally - David Frost

It does not matter how many times ... just do it... just keep at it - Unocchio

Is it done?

2011-12-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. -Brian Dyson

Do not hurry,
Do not worry,
As this world you travel through
No regretting,
fuming, fretting,
Ever can advantage you.
Be content with what you've done;
What on earth you leave undone,
there are plenty left to do. - P M Wyline

Still working on sunflowers ... this may be finished... but maybe not ... another one is being started.... using thicker paint is fun .... it's still all about bright color.

Oil on canvas board 9x12

Anyone can start today

2011-12-21T09:18:00.000-08:00

We have to believe in free-will. We've got no choice. -Issac Bashevis Singer

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending - Maira Robinson

Sometimes artists paint something then put it away or hang it on the wall to look at every day... then they see things to improve, take it off the wall and paint more on it,,,, then hang it back on the wall and look at it every day .. only soon to realize that something more may be added to it to enhance the pleasure of the view .... life is like that .... if we continue to observe we will find things to make it better... to add improvements ... to make it better.

Oil on canvas panel 9x12 framed improved over time

Dream on

2011-12-20T13:09:00.000-08:00

Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death. Albert Einstein
Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today. James Dean quotes

It is winter. There may be some snow flowers out there... the sun is shining brightly ..... it is a good day
We were just dreaming of those bright and cheery sunflowers that smile down on us at the end of the growing season. There are a couple of fake ones sitting on my desk to keep the memories alive ... I am going to paint a series of bright sun flowers... it's all about color and cheerfulness.

Smile. It's a good day :-)

Thanks for a great day

2011-12-18T20:34:00.000-08:00

So many gods, so many creeds,
So many paths that wind and wind;
When just the art of being kind
is all the sad word needs. - Ella Wheeler Wilcox

It's good to take a day off and visit nature.

Today was an outdoors day... a day for hiking and exploring .... a day to smell the sage and the big pines .... today was a "trip to Lake Tahoe" day .. whoopee !!!

The sun was shining and the weather was mild for December ... even at the higher altitudes. Who could ask for anything more.

Please enjoy some of the pictures from the day:

Big Tree Country Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park

Spooner Lake - frozen

Snow on the edge of Spooner Lake

A little snow on the west side of Spooner Lake

Look close to see the beaver's house on the West shore of Spooner Lake

Rocky shoreline of West Lake Tahoe

Beautiful emerald Bay of Lake Tahoe

Happy tourists visiting the Emerald Bay area of Lake Tahoe recording memories of their visit

History of the Backcountry

Beautiful mountain vistas, stunning aerial views of Lake Tahoe, abundant wildflowers and over 50 miles of trails and dirt roads make the 13,000 acre backcountry a favorite destination for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders.

In the Beginning...

Prior to the 1850's the primary visitors to the backcountry were the Washo Indians.   For thousands of years the Washo lived a very mobile life, migrating in the summer from valleys east of the Carson Range to Lake Tahoe to catch fish, hunt small game, and harvest seeds, roots and berries.

The Washo lived harmoniously with nature, had strong traditions and beliefs, and were gifted craftspeople, creating some of the most beautiful and diverse baskets in North America.   The arrival of white settlers in the mid 1800's marked the end of the Washo's lifestyle.   Commercial fisheries were established at Tahoe and the surrounding mountains were stripped of wood to provide lumber for the Comstock.

The Mining Boom(1860-1900)

As gold and silver mining at Virginia City and Gold Hill grew, enormous amounts of timber and water were needed to supply the cities and mines. This insatiable appetite spurred the creation of Marlette Lake, Hobart Reservoir, Spooner Lake and an intricate system of flumes and pipelines (The Marlette-Hobart Water System)that today is a National Civil Engineering Landmark. The box flume that carried water (not timber) from Marlette Lake to Tunnel Creek Station is now the site of the popular Marlette Flume Trail.

This flume and another from the north combined and entered a 4000' tunnel which emptied on the east side of the Carson Range.   It then joined the key pipeline of the Comstock, the Inverted Siphon.   This high pressure pipeline brought water to a reservoir near Virginia City and could deliver up to 10 million gallons/day.   Amazingly, this pipeline still works, although the water supplied now primarily comes from Hobart Reservoir and the Red House diversions.   Red House is the last remaining flume maintenance station and was rebuilt about 1910 after a devastating flood that claimed two lives.  As the Comstock declined, limited livestock grazing replaced timber interests in the early 1900's.  The forest slowly returned but the environmentally disastrous activities of the Comstock years are still being felt today.

The Backcountry Today

Land acquisitions in the 1960's from the Whittell estate formed the bulk of the 12,242 acres currently owned by the State of Nevada.

The trail to Marlette Lake via North Canyon Road is the easiest access into the back-country.   A steeper access is available at Tunnel Creek Road.   The one time millpond, Spooner Lake, now offers fishing and is surrounded by a peaceful, attractive natural area that provides opportunities for walking and nature study in the spring, summer and fall.  The most sought-after trails in the backcountry are the historic Marlette Flume Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail.

Camping

Hobart Campground is a new five site primitive facility with tables, grills, and a vault toilet.

Spooner Outdoor Company

Since 1986,our concessionaire,by permit, has been providing groomed ski trails, equipment rentals, ski lessons and backcountry cabin accommodations.   Spooner Outdoor Company is also now providing a range of summer services including mountain bike rentals, highway shuttle service and cabin rentals.

Tahoe Rim Trail

In 1981, a unique partnership was formed between the US Forest Service, Nevada State Parks and a volunteer organization, the Tahoe Rim Trail Assoc.   Twenty years later the dream was realized with the official completion of The Rim Trail in 2001.   Much remains to be done, however, and volunteers are urged to contact the Tahoe Rim Trail office at 775-298-0012.   The work of management, maintenance and enhancement of this wonderful trail is ongoing...

Every Day .......

2011-12-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.-Emile Coue'

Don't worry; pay special attention to what you eat (you are what you eat); take time out to meditate and think on good things; be kind and courteous to all you meet today; exercise according to your needs; go slow and easy - maintain peace and tranquility; manage stress...... these simple things will give your life a good lift and you will be happier for it.

Every year Carson City has an event called The Rendezvous. There is live music suited for the occasion; food geared specifically for the event; folks dressed up in historic costumes. It is a bit of history replayed.
http://www.visitcarsoncity.com/events/annual_rendezvous.php
I did a charcoal study of a little girl that was part of the event.

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 12x16

To find a friend

2011-12-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

To find a friend one must close one eye. To keep him -- two. -Norman Douglas

What we call Luck
is simply Pluck,
and doing things over and over;
Courage and Will,
Perseverance and Skill -
are the four leaves of Luck's clover - The Book of Good Cheer

.Aspen Valley Canyon in the Fall

Oil on canvas panel 12x16

Be of Good Cheer

2011-12-12T23:23:00.000-08:00

The cheerful live longest in years, and afterwards in our regards. Cheerfulness is the offshoot of goodness - Boves

To give pleasure to a single heart by a kind act is better than a thousand head-bowings in prayer - Saadi

Do something good for someone today.

oil on canvas board 8x10

Pansies again

2011-12-12T10:01:00.000-08:00

Check up each week on the progress you are making. Ask yourself what mistakes you have made, what improvement, what lessons you have learned for the future. - Dale Carnegie

I feel like life is so special and so great, every year I feel like I learn more, and I grow, and I think it's exciting to grow up. - Gisele Bundchen

So, with observation, help and critiques I went back and added some changes and improvements. It's better now.... even if not award winning, pansies are such happy little guys.

Oil on canvas pad 6x10

One a Day

2011-12-09T19:36:00.000-08:00

ONE A DAY - Make one person happy each day and in forty years you have made 14,600 people happy for a little time ... and in 80 years?

Now that is success in the best of terms.

No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. -Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

Oil on canvas board 9 x 12

...... and yes, I ate it afterwards :-)

Life must have its meed of pleasure

2011-12-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

Clouds may come, but clouds must go,
And they have a silver lining
For beyond them all, you know,
Either sun or moon is shining
So with trouble; 'tis quite plain
Time at last will take its measure;
Rainbows follow after rain,
Life must have it's meed of pleasure - F.A.W.

oil on canvas panel 6 x 8

The sun is shinning

2011-12-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

Somewhere on this great earth the sun is always shinning ... and just as sure as you live it will sometimes shine on you - Myrtle Reed

Oil on masonite panel 8 x 10

cheers

2011-12-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

The man who radiates good cheer, who makes life happier wherever he meets it, is always a man of vision and of faith - from the book of Good Cheer

Oil on canvas panel 8 x 10

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. -Confucius

Happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower. ~Author Unknown

2011-12-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

"Good nature is worth more than knowledge, more than money, more than honor..."
-- Henry Ward Beecher

Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it. ~Jacques Prévert

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up. ~Mark Twain

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open. ~John Barrymore

Oil on canvas pad 5 x 10

Who's your friend?

2011-11-26T17:35:00.000-08:00

Friendship with oneself is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else. -Eleanor Roosevelt

We hope this has been a happy week for you and that you, your family and friends enjoyed a grand Thanksgiving holiday. Having all this special food always makes us feel better. We had excellent weather here also.

In note of having the mind on food I had to this one.... watermelon and grapes have slipped out of season... I will miss them ... this painting will remind me that they will be coming back ... and I will be waiting :-)

Best to you all

Oil on Canvas pad about 8x10

“A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.”

2011-11-06T16:07:00.000-08:00

“When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.”
both quotes from William Arthur Ward

A light dusting of snow the past couple days turns our world into a sparkling, glowing gem .... it is so nice ..... I can say that because I am cozy warm inside ... I suspect those who must work outside right now my have a slightly different take on things :-)

Painting still life is always fun... especially when it's food. I like painting food.... there is something so personal about it.

You smile and make this a good day for you and yours.

Oil on canvas 8x10

The way things turn out

2011-11-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out. -Anon

Practicing painting and drawing sometimes works out best when we practice on ourselves.... then no one is offended.... so I practiced on my own mug from fotos taken at the Reno Portrait Society yesterday. they all got to paint and draw yesterday. Maybe tomorrow I will paint it in oils.

So for today, make the best of the way things turn out :-)

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 14x18

One Ol Geezer had a Farm - E - I - E - I -O

2011-11-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

:-)
Ok
No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else. -Charles Dickens

So today I made life better for a group of artists ... even tho I would rather have been painting :-)
Don't I really look like an Ol' farmer sitting there?

Years ago one of my daughters went to modeling school and was a model ... I might as well follow in her footsteps. Who wudda thot.

Sometimes good things happen

2011-10-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

Long-range studies imply that doing something with other people, especially something for them, is the most powerful of all stimuli to longevity and health.-Jon Poppy

Sharing what you have is more important than what you have. -Albert M. Wells, Jr.

... and I believe that .... so in light of sharing I put together a series of art classes... once a week for four weeks... to share some of the info that has been shared with me.

The first class was attended by four ladies ... there is one more who intends to be there for class 2. The ones in attendance for the first class were a fine group of very educated and talented artists. The class was well received and generated some very fine compliments for which I am very grateful.... best of all, I was able to share with them some information and techniques which, on the most part, was entirely new to them. We all had a terrific time.
Even if all the information presented was not new, going back to the basics is still a very worthwhile endeavor. We can not review the basics too much.
Of course I worked very hard preparing for the class ... many hours of study... many hours of internet research and documentation .... many hours drawing and preparing demos and examples. It is my great pleasure to be able to share. I want to be sure to have something worthwhile for everyone. Personally I feel their level of artistic skills is far ahead of mine which makes them able to take this information and run with it ... this information and technique will certainly help them produce even better art. .. it is something they will never forget.
The class was a definite success.

Generally my artwork is something that only mom and I enjoy .... however..... occasionally someone else actually likes it.

The piece below was entered in the Nevada Artists Association (NAA) Fall show which is running as we speak. The artists' reception will be on 12 November 2011. Evidently the judge liked my piece well enough to award it first place ... the blue ribbon ... and cash !! .... and yesterday someone walked in and viewed the Fall Show and bought my piece. I really appreciate the vote of confidence. They are so kind to me. Thanks folks.

Meanwhile I am busy drawing and painting ... who knows... perhaps something else worthwhile may come off the easel.... nevertheless .. I am having fun painting and drawing.

Yeh, you saw this before on the blog but now it's gone :-) .... Janet, we hope you will enjoy this for a long time.

Fire in the hills

2011-10-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old only be deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul. -Douglas MacArthur

The protestors are still out there so I had to sketch one of those happy souls... didn't bother with the message though ... who cares ... I don't think it's going to change things for the better this time

Fall has come and almost gone .... the Aspen trees were yellow for only a few days... hard to believe... they normally stay yellow a lot longer.

The Forest Service is up there burning debris again ... last year I think they let it get out of control and had to call in air support to bomb the fire ... let's hope they do a little better this year.

I get out for a walk every day ... especially during this fine weather ... to day it was a bike ride up the Franktown hill. Never an end to the beauty around here. Following is the picture tour including smoke from the fire ... and a little haze elsewhere that they created.
Enjoy.

First snow this Fall

2011-10-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes ... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. ... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things. ... They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do." Steve Jobs

So Winter is coming early this year... check it out. We may still get an indian summer but there it is... great views.. snow capped mountains while we still have green grass and green trees... wonderful.

One of the things I like best about this area is that a storm may come but it usually is just passing thru.... the same day the sun may shine.. or the next day .. then it is bright and cheery again ... what is better than that? ... and it all produces such magnificent scenery

Enjoy the view.

What you didn't see in Nevada

2011-09-28T20:31:00.000-07:00

Who wadda thot?

Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make you a far happier and more productive person. -David M. Burns

Out for another late afternoon bike ride ... I knew someone who rode her bike to school every day... up and down a steep hill .... not sure I can do that good but I'm workin' at it.

Today's shots are a few things that you normally would not see in Nevada if you were a visitor ... and you might not think of Nevada like this if you were never here and just heard of Nevada on the tube or from someone talking..... Some think of Nevada as a place where Las Vegas is, not realizing it is about 450 miles by 250 miles wide +/- and is a lot more than LV ... it's not all barren waste land either We have lots of ranches, fields, crops and flowers ... birds love us.. animals love us... see for yourself ... and as time goes by I will post additional gorgeous shots of Nevada

Biker's Dream

2011-09-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918

I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree
Well we have to think great thoughts like that when we head down the highway on the bike .... the weather has been great! .... sky is clear.. temperature just right .... mountains standing tall, heads held high ... it's good to get outside . I love living in the country at the foot of the High Sierras

Here are a few shots from today's ride .... I rode yesterday too just in case you are wondering.

A ride in the country side... notice the heavy traffic :-)

Colors are starting to turn up .... Fall will be here soon

Thought you might like the reflections

Lots of fields, horses and cattle

Someone's long driveway... but not mine :-)

Tripping out

2011-09-23T00:04:00.000-07:00

Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is more important than the outcome.... a good thing to keep in mind in order to get the proper perspective on life.

So we left on a journey .... not as early as anticipated but ok. ... made 3 stops for fuel and a short delay for repairs and still made good time ... the mp service says it was about 520 miles and should take just over 9 hours .... We arrived in Gardnerville at 8pm even with the 3 stops and the delay for repairs... I think that is OK.

Following you will find a few pictures I snapped along the way...... this was from the drivers side not the passenger side as some may think ... heh heh .... I was careful, generally there was no other traffic or we had a divided highway

Finally we get to the high desert in the Victorville area... warm, sunny and dry ... ahhhh ... I love it ..... after all those days on the coast with it's fog, overcast skies and gray ..... to get here we had to travel thru the Riverside-San Bernardino area, one of the worst smog area's of California... I did not know they still had that much smog...UGH

Traveling along the Eastern side of the High Sierras is one of the most magnificent journies in the USA ... I love it ... so many times I have wanted to stop and paint instead of rushing back to do the pile of paperwork waiting .... I'm still hoping for a painting trip

... and here is the Death Valley turn off .... Baron and I took that trip last year... I want to do it again

some of the most beautiful parts of the trip are included in the reservation areas

Most of the Eastern Slopes have trees, sage or grass... but there is an occasional sand pile adding to the beauty of it all

the sun is now beginning to dip into the Western skies ... this will give us some dramatic shadows and sparkling clouds

Now heading into the pass which is over 7000 ft .... the trip takes us over several high passes

I had to show you this one... notice the snow still lingering after the entire summer..... this is good... we needed the water

Finally the sun sets over the High Sierras and another lovely day closes only to expose a star studded night that can only be seen in the darkness of the high country on the Eastern slopes of the High Sierras ..... a beautiful day, a beautiful night... a great trip

I am thankful for it all

Those wonderful friends

2011-09-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." -- Bernard Meltzer

Heh heh ... thanks everyone !

And a big thanks to Sissy for giving me her personally sculptured head!!! I love it!.... and I made it safely back to Nevada with it placed snugly between 2 pillows and even tho my truck was overloaded and jammed full.
Check it out... isn't it great!

Lunch with the gang

2011-09-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr., Life's Little Instruction Book

One of those small pleasures which was a BIG delight was our Wednesday lunch with our friends ... the semester is over ... the students have gone everywhere for a break.... Wednesday lunch is now stored as a fond and forever memory .... best to you all.

Laguna Beach

2011-09-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely. ~Roald Dahl

Today I went to Laguna beach ... this is an artist mecca.... I think it all started when Laguna was small and no one wanted to come here... now it is a very upscale neighborhood where you probably can not afford to live... there are lots of art galleries with fine paintings, tho ..... and there really is a beach which, of course, I visited.

It was a very good 1/2 day venture.

Painting and filming an ol' geezer

2011-09-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world. Someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. -Tom Bodett

Thanks, Tom ..... we'll keep the light on for you

Well, we always keep trying to have more exciting things to do.... today it was posing for Jeff Watts while he painted a gesture painting... actually 2 gesture paintings .... all the while it was being filmed for his new instructional DVD ... ok, now I'm in the movies.. well, sorta :-)
It was fun and I was happy to help him.

If not today, then when ?

2011-09-18T20:07:00.000-07:00

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. -Wayne Gretzky

So, what are we waiting for? ... let's get out there and take some shots!!!

It's sooooo nice to get to the beach .... here's a couple of my impressions painted today

Oil on canvas pad about 6x8

It's the only time we have

2011-09-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we've got. -Art Buchwald
and.......
you'll be as happy as you want to be
so go for it big time

To day was the last day of the portrait class ..... most of the time I watched Jeff Watts paint and took pictures of the process
in the short time remaining after that I painted this quick sketch

monochrome oil on canvas board 9x12

They're at it again

2011-09-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

If you're gonna be a failure, at least be one at something you enjoy. -Sylvester Stallone
but from the looks of the fotos below these folks are succeeding at something they enjoy ....
Throw your whole heart into something you enjoy and that alone will keep you form failing ..... do something you really enjoy tomorrow

With an overwhelming and enthusiastic majority vote they insisted that I return and model for the drawing class Friday morning..... we all had a great time ... it was good to be with my friends for the final day of this class for the Summer semester.

The Ol' geezer still models in good form :-)

Demo Drawing by the instructor, Meadow Gist

Looking at the class from the model's point of view

Marie draws Maurice

Christine draws Maurice

All the great artist students draw Maurice... but we only show a few below

Wavering thoughts

2011-09-13T16:20:00.000-07:00

How to double a joy? .... share it with someone...... I wonder if you can triple it..or even greater multiples? give it a try today.

I wish you all the joy that you can wish - William Shakespear

I was at the beach studying waves ..... sure...........

Oil on canvas pad 4x6

Liking what you do

2011-09-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

It is not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do that is the secret of happiness.
-- James M. Barrie

Find something you like in all that you do today... it will make a big difference

Oil on canvas pad 8x10

Think Happy Thoughts

2011-09-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

Think Happy Thoughts

Happy thoughts are part of our lives. In an average day it is estimated that we have around 60,000 thoughts. Have you ever wondered how many of these thoughts are happy thoughts?

It is known that happy people think more happy thoughts than unhappy people. If we think happy thoughts... we create happy perceptions... we create a beautiful aura of light around ourselves... which leads us to happy events. And so we create a exciting circle (where we become even happier).

Happy thoughts connect us with the light, confidence and courage to act... to the power to believe. To live our lives according to our hopes and dreams not somebody else´s. - Laura

Make this a happy day.

Monochromatic oil on gessoed Masonite 8x10

It's up to you

2011-09-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

It's up to you .... "Write in your heart that every day is the best day of the year. " -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Imagine if you were very busy but in spite of it all you "popped" out of the house and ran down to the beach for a couple hours :-)
It could happen ........ IT DID HAPPEN!
Take a little time off and smile

Enjoy this day

2011-09-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

Enjoy your life today... yesterday is gone .... tomorrow will be here soon enough .... look for the good in whatever happens ..... even if
it is an electrical blackout for 1.5 million people for most of the day :-)

We all gathered outside and enjoyed a great social event with the neighbor's .... after dark we continued sitting around and talked in the dark for a while... later made some phone calls ... finally hit the sack early

Maybe there should be an occasional electrical blackout just to slow things down a bit and promote old fashioned social events

Still painting ... still smiling

Oil on canvas board 8x10

It was a good day today

2011-09-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

It was a good day today ... did you miss it?

Attended a couple classes today then went out with the boys for sushi .... it was happy hour ... we had a good time ... they went on to the evening class ... I came on home

Hope your day went well ... make it happen tomorrow!

Oil on canvas panel - 9x12

Visit to Torry Pines State Park

2011-09-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Quote of the day:

Rogers: Sure... Be skeptical... Be curious... Don't believe anything you read until you've done your own research, your own thinking. This idea is responsible for some of my biggest successes.

Be persistent. The people who are successful are not the smartest or the most gifted or the most talented... The people who are successful are the ones who are persistent, persevere, and follow their own passions.

And as I told my daughters, beware of the boys.
:-)

This is from yesterday's visit to Torry Pines State Park..... by request of one of my blog followers ........

Ya'll have a good day!

If not now, when?

2011-09-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

If not now, when? -Talmud

Heh... as the years pass this takes on new meaning ... take it from me, the ol' geezer :-)

Today I went to Torry Pines State Park to meet some friends and do a little plein air painting..... it's a great park right on the pacific ocean ... cliffs and all ..... and the oldest Torry pines we;ve got ..... it's like the mountains run right up to the edge of the sea then drop off... of course I took my camera along.
Well somehow I did not get hooked up with the others so I hiked the trails and took lots of fotos ... it was a great day ... I will have to paint some pictures from the fotos... but that is for another day.
Oh yes, in the morning I attended Jeff's portrait class .... those other painters sure are good .... it's fun being there just to watch them paint ... but I painted too. Jeff stopped by and looked at mine..."Why did you paint it so small?"
I have never painted one this small before... thot I'd give it a try....
heh
the head is only 2 inches high... I wasn't sure I could even see anything that small let alone paint it .... but I'm happy with the results ... it actually looks like him... next time I will paint a little larger :-)

Oil on canvas board

Love the moment

2011-09-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

Love the moment and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries. Corita Kent

So I did and it was off to the beach

Oil on canvas pad 4.5x9

2 simple secrets

2011-08-31T21:54:00.000-07:00

Two Simple Secrets to a Great Relationship
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 by Joel F. Wade - www.thedailybell.com
There are two related things that you can do to make your relationships – not
just your marriage, but all of your relationships – happier, stronger and more fun.
These are very easy things to do - if you set your mind to it. I always
recommend doing all the easy things you can do. Sometimes, because they
seem so easy, people overlook them. But it's the easy, simple things that you do
every day that make a relationship strong and happy.
When you have the kind of base that is built by countless friendly, kind and playful interactions, then
when the inevitable difficult conflicts or misunderstandings come up they are much less daunting
because they are exceptions to the overall spirit that you have created between you.
Bids and Turning
The first is what John Gottman calls "Bids and turning."
When someone makes a bid for your attention, turn toward them – actually, physically, turn toward
them; and respond to them.
Simple, right?
But here's where a lot of people get stuck. They think, "If I respond, then I have to do what they're
asking, and I don't have the time or energy to do what they're asking so I'd rather just try and ignore
them, and then maybe they'll go away. Then I won't have to do what they're asking of me and
everything will be fine."
Except that when you ignore them and they go away they take something with them: a little piece of
the trust and joy and closeness that you both want in the relationship.
Let me clarify something that will make doing this much easier, and much more attractive.
When somebody – your mate, your child, a friend – makes a bid for your attention, turn toward them
and acknowledge their request. That's all you have to do to make a better relationship.
You don't have to do what they're asking you to do.
Sure, it's nice if you can, and you want to do that as often as possible; but that's not the most important
thing. What's most important is the initial immediate response.
For example, say your wife asks you if you could help her do a chore but you have work that you have
to finish, and you can't reasonably take the time right now to help her – or you don't want to take the
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time right now because you've got enough to do.
You turn toward her and say something like, "I'd like to help, but I have to finish what I'm doing. I'll be
done in about an hour and I'd be happy to help you then." Or, "I'm sorry honey; I've got my hands full
and I really can't help you now."
Now, she may be disappointed but she won't feel ignored.
Make a point of practicing this for a couple of weeks. Notice when the people you care about ask for
your attention. It may be obvious in some cases: "Hey, look at this!" Or it may be subtle: a gentle touch
or a gesture that you might easily ignore (if you've been practicing ignoring such things).
As you notice these, physically turn toward the person and respond to them kindly.
And then if what they want your attention for is to show or tell you something they're happy or excited
about here's something else to do.
Active Positive Response
There's another thing that you can do, from the work of Shelly Gable. Especially for a romantic
relationship, or with your kids, this can literally make the difference between a happy, delightful
relationship and a pretty miserable one.
When your mate or your child comes to you with good news, respond to them actively and positively.
"Active" means that you ask them questions about it, engage them in conversation about it and be
curious about this great experience they've had.
"Positive" means that you are excited for them, happy for them, supportive of what they've
accomplished and optimistic and hopeful for the possibilities.
And what matters is that you do both.
Positive all by itself, without the active part, is actually not that much better than a negative response! If
you say something like, "Oh, that's great!" and then turn back to what you were doing without asking
anything or engaging about it further, you're going to find that you've lost a great opportunity to build
more joy and happiness into your relationship.
A lot of people might think that what really matters is how you respond to the negative things – the hurt,
the fear, the pain, the sadness, the grief. But it turns out that's not really all that important. Dealing with
negative emotions and helping people when they're in need is much more complicated. It's not always
experienced as purely a good thing.
I'm not suggesting that you stop empathizing with people you care about when it comes to issues of
loss and sadness and fear, or that you avoid helping people. These are part of being a loving and
caring human being. It's just that this is not as important for the resilience, joy and longevity of a
relationship as how we deal with the good stuff.
When you respond badly to the good things, you severely undermine the joy and trust in a relationship.
When you respond positively and actively, you create a benevolent cycle that energizes both you and
the other person, and sets the stage for more and more positive emotions and attitudes between you.
It is this atmosphere of positive emotion, trust, and joy that gives you the strength to weather, and even
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flourish through, the hard times.
Start at home, and expand out to the other people you care about. Turn toward the people you love,
and respond actively and positively to any enthusiasm, optimism and good news. Grow the positive
emotions between you and you will broaden and build your resilience and your joy, together.
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3

Smile a few times today ... maybe even laugh outloud

2011-08-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

Don't let a dreary day dim your spirits .... keep a little sunshine in your heart ready to use on the spur of the moment.
It was a lovely day here today..... with the end of the summer just around the corner ... how can that be?!

Yes... we draw lips ... charcoal on smooth newsprint .. about 4 inches wide

From my sketchpad ,,,, charcoal on smooth newsprint about 6 inches wide

Life is just a bowl of cherries ... so live and laugh at it all

2011-08-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday is ashes; tomorrow wood. Only today does the fire burn brightly. -Eskimo saying

"life is just a bowl of cherries" .... yesterday they were on a tree.... tomorrow they will be pits :-)

Hey... add a slice of water mellon and what could be better?

check this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc6RS9e3DhwRudy Vallee - 1931

Study from still life setup... oil on canvas pad 6x8

You can teach an ol' Geezer new tricks

2011-08-22T23:36:00.000-07:00

Never underestimate the power to change yourself; never overestimate your power to change others. -H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Well the altelier got me to do some more posing .... from 7 to 10 in the evening ... I thought it would be pretty tough that time of day for the ol' geezer but it was not... I made it thru in good order... did not fall asleep
Following are some of the drawings by the students and instructors .... the pictures with several drawings on one page were 5 minute sketches

Erik Gist 5 min sketches

Erik Gist 20 min demo

Jeff Watts 2 hour drawing

Jeff Watts 5 min sketches

Tutto leri

2011-08-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

Always nice to get to the Beach once in a while ... tough life but someone has to do it :-)

Relax

2011-08-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

Relax... cool it .... chill .... peace and no stress is up to you today .... make it a good one

Nicole was back again today ... 3 hours of fun painting

Oil on gessoed Masonite 9x12

tiny pieces of plastic

2011-08-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. - Will Rogers

OK...OK.... so we sneaked out for a day and skipped school (kinda)... but Z was in town so it was off to Legoland ...... what the heck is Legoland? ... didn't know but soon found out ... a theme park with all sorts of fantastic things made out of legos ,,, incredible.... who would have thought!?
(but the roler coaster was not made of legos)

Looks like everyone had a marvelous time... don't you think so ?

Who are they?

2011-08-08T22:33:00.000-07:00

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have..

Art students take breaks too....... so off we went to the Carlsbad Village to the COAL artist's reception for their 50th anniversary show .... it was great fun
afterwards I entertained in the parking lot for a while :-)

Change is good

2011-08-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

Since we live in a changing universe, why do men oppose change?...If a rock is in the way, the root of a tree will change its direction. The dumbest animals try to adapt themselves to changed conditions. Even a rat will change its tactics to get a piece of cheese. -Melvin B. Tolson

Sometimes change is good ... sometimes change is not good .... to know when to make changes and what changes to make ... that is the big question

Change of pace in the head drawing department with a fun sketch

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 12x14

What's happening today?

2011-08-02T09:48:00.000-07:00

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. -Henri Bergson

We probably make some changes to ourselves every day whether we know it or not... or whether we intend to or not .... take control and make some good changes today.
Poke your head out the door and sit in the sun for 5 minutes ... listen to some good music that is not normally your fare .... relax and enjoy the scenery ..... read something positive ... turn off the TV or computer for a few hours ....... study something new ..... jump on your mini-trampoline ...whatever.....

I'm still pressing on to learn and improve .... may not seem like it but it is true :-)
Painting from real life is always a challenge and in many ways better than painting from photos ... painting with a room full or more accomplished artists is always a pleasure and very rewarding.

Oil on masonite 9x12

Another day on the desert

2011-07-31T15:51:00.000-07:00

As long as you're going to think anyway, think big. -Donald Trump

Sometimes we think small in the studio .... a study from our landscape essentials class.... nothing local this time ... guess I'll need to take a trip to Arizona to paint this one en plein air.

oil on canvas pad 6x8

Outing to Balboa Park

2011-07-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

It was a great day for an outing so we went to Balboa Park and the Art Museum .... starting with the Coaster Train .... great view of the coast and the ocean from the upper deck... clean comfortable cars .. and , of course, the "ol geezer" price of only a couple bucks :-) ahhhhh such fun

the is the top of the station... right in the middle of the city ... then on around the block to catch bus #7

It was clean and light traffic for the middle of the city

balboa Park had a free trolly and a very amusing tour guide to motor us around the park and familiarize us with what and where of the park

We did arrive at the art museum which had 2 great special shows ..... Spanish art old to new and... Gustav Stickley... plus many other permanent hangings ... it was a great museum and the students enjoyed all the fine art

Some one was caught snaping fotos in the private showings :-)

On the grass in front of the botanical building there just happened to be a tribesman looking for dinner

We invited him to be a model at the atelier so he had dinner later on
We let ... tired but very happy for a pleasant trip back and dinner at Whole Foods deli

Kindness, I've discovered, is everything in life. -Isaac Bashevis Singer

Show some kindness today

2011-07-23T16:03:00.000-07:00

Kindness causes us to learn, and forget, many things. -Madame Swetchine

so,,, be kind today

To produce a quality studio landscape painting I am told there are a series of steps.... the first being to go out on location, stake some fotos and then do a plein air painting on the spot ....
En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors
Next step is to take the foto and make a value study .... the value study can be done in the field prior to the plein air painting and used for a reference guide to paint the plain air painting..... see my value study below ... I did not get to do a plein air painting of this scene so my value study is made from the foto.... sometimes we need to make several value studies and select the one that works best

A final canvas size is selected and a pencil sketch is made to the scale of the final canvas... this helps when transferring the image to the canvas... my sketch is below

Final step prior to beginning the painting is painting a color study...... notice we tried several color schemes before we begin ..... sometimes we might do as many as 6

Thanks for taking this mini tour on creating a studio landscape painting

Value Study charcoal on smooth newsprint 4x5

Pencil sketch to scale 6x7 1/2

Look for the good things

2011-07-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

There comes a time in a man's life when to get where he has to go -- if there are no doors or windows -- he walks through a wall. -Bernard Malamud

..........but I just go to the beach

Who wudda thot

2011-07-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them and try to follow them. -Louisa May Alcott

Now being a model has never been a dream of mine... nor even a thought ... but today the model was late due to car trouble and I was asked by the instructor, Jeff Watts, to model until she arrived. I was not sure that I could sit still for 20-30 minutes but it all went well ... even some in the audience complimented me on a good job and asked if I would model for the class sometime. Jeff stated he would hire me to model if I wanted to ... all very flattering ... I may do it on a limited basis but I want to paint much more than model.
The Atelier wants to pay me for a foto shoot and additional modeling..... hey, who knows... I may be on the front of "Old Geezer Magazine" next :-)

Jeff Watts oil on canvas board 6x8 .. 20 minute gesture painting

Another day slavin' away

2011-07-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

Here I am slaving away at school all day while you are enjoying your summer vacation.... going places ... doing things ... taking time off ..... but I must hit the books ... study day and night ..... draw and paint in between .....

Could anything good be hiding in a bush ?
Believe in something larger than yourself. - Barbara Bush

hmmmm .... I got Friday off

The end of a really great day.

Down to the Beach

2011-07-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

The beach is near so I had to head on down to Beacon Beach .... "down to the beach" is not just a way of saying it... take a look .... it is DOWN ...... and the tide was in ... when the tide is out there is much more beach
So I went there at the end of the day to catch a sunset ... not much of a sunset today but still lots of people .... and they stay until the last moment when the beach closes
Notice that all the surfers are not young kids.... there are lots of "old" kids from the Beach Boys era
Finally the sun gets closer to actually setting .... still lots of folks down there in the water and on the beach .... those in the water all had wetsuits on ... heh

Land of Fruits and Nuts

2011-07-10T17:04:00.000-07:00

:-) ..... take that anyway you like
After a wonderful drive down the eastern Sierras and across some desert county I arrived safely and parked on the street ... as you can see it is not very crowded ... however, down by the beach it is very very crowded. To hear the concert in the park today I would have had to park a mile or so away ... not that I mind walking a mile but to walk a mile and then push my way thru a crowd at the beach just did not seem like what I wanted to enjoy. This evening I will go down to a different section of the beach at sunset.
Notice that apples grow here on this property... I picked one off the ground and ate it.
There are always flowers ... here are a couple of my favorite which I shot today.
Enjoy

The old must stick together

2011-07-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

All big things in this world are done by people who are naive and have an idea that is obviously impossible. -Frank Richards

No body told me I couldn't do it... so I did it.. not knowing it was highly unlikely or impossible - Unocchio :-)

The Carson Valley Art Association has an anual hanging in August at the local College... the theme is always a photo chosen by the memebers and eveyone paints the same picture ... but they are all different and that's the fun of it all.
This year it is a picture of an old barn here in the Nevada-Sierra region. I love old barns, old cars, old dishes and old people :-) ... but I may not like old food, just depends how ol it is.

Here is my effort of the "senior" barn ... it is a knife painting on 14x18 stretched canvas.

oil on strectched canvas knife painting 14x18

Here and there

2011-06-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so. -Belva Davis
It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow. -Robert H. Goddard

If you have enough fantasies, you're ready in the event that something happens. -Sheila Ballantyne
Dream big, hope big, live big in your mind... just stay within you budget and be happy - Unocchio :-)

Where ever we go there is beauty ... and something for me to paint ..... here at the foot of the great High Sierras there are always old ranches, farms and buildings that have been here (believe it or not) longer than I have been around. .... I getting ready to do some painting so I started with some sketches to put those ideas together... here is one of the sketches

While I was on the coast do you think I could just ignore one of my favorite places on earth? ... nahhhhh

This picture is focused on the ocean.. the movement... the beauty... the smell... the sounds .... sure does add to the happiness. There are always sea walls, pilings docks, and boardwalks so I included a little of that too... this is a knife painting ... except those gulls which I added with a brush.

Oil on gessoed masonite 9x12

Some spots along the coast the land juts out a little from the rocks and some of the rock formations are under the water... more and less as the tide moves in and out .... here we have the tide out a little and the water rolls over some of the low rock formations and tide pools form .... or course food is exposed and the gulls are up and at it... they are always hungry ..... this is still wet so if you see some of my placement marks still there don't fret... they will be erased after the paint dries.

Oil on gessoed masonite 9x12

Success again

2011-06-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

Failure is success if we learn from it. - Malcomb S. Forbes
that makes me very happy

You have a good week end

Today we had a gesture painting class and a head painting class ... this is from the head painting class

Oil on canvas board 9x12

Find a way

2011-06-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

Man is so made that whenever anything fires his soul impossibilities vanish. -La Fontaine
So find a way to make it happen

Live model today.

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 18x24

Avoiding conflicts

2011-06-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

I have found that the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it. -Harry S. Truman :-)

....... especially if they are adults :-) :-)

John lives next door to his grandson ... they have a great relationship .... I drew this picture for him ... graphite on Bristol

Graphite on Bristol 11x14

Dodge the Truth

2011-06-14T22:08:00.000-07:00

Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.-Erica Jong
and some never even ask for the advice because they already know what the answer is going to be ..... I guess we just want to dodge the truth.
Let's just look in the mirror and 'fess up :-)

Today we had a live model again. ... it's always fun to draw from a live model

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 18x24

Do you have no choice?

2011-06-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously. -Henry Kissinger
I guess sometimes it is so much easier if we have no choices ... like the man said, that'll clear the befuddled mind really quick. However ....
it's having all those choices in life that adds growth and strength ... think about your choices .... add app the pros and cons .....

make some good choices today

I know you are really excited about this one.... artists do well to study anatomy... from the bones out ... here's one of our studies.. the subject of the figure fundamental class this week was "legs" .... we had a leg cast, a skeleton, a figure showing the muscles plus printed material. This was my drawing of the leg muscles from the back

Every week we have a gesture painting class ..... live model... 40 minute poses 3 times ... here is one of mine

Oil on canvas board 6x8

'ear ye, 'ear ye!

2011-06-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. -Cicero
Some folks are not thankful for the features they received .... they do not like their lips or nose or ears.. or whatever .... be grateful for what you have no matter what

In learning to draw the head we must study the features one by one... the other day the project was the ear... so we drew ears from photographs..... it was fun... every ear is different and a challenge ... some are a little more challenging than other

Charcoal on smooth newsprint about 6x8

When all else fails

2011-06-08T18:35:00.000-07:00

When all else fails, we are told to follow directions ... what if there are no directions?
then what? ..............
Shoot from the hip?
Run like hell ?
Ask you spouse?
Look it up in Wikipedia?
Keep trying till something works? .... dang... that could take a long time .... this can't be the most efficient way of learning .... this would be "trial and error" ....why not buy the knowledge from someone else who already went through all the tedious labor and anguish of doping it out or who learned it from someone else?
There are still "teachers" out there who think learning by watching without any explanation is the best way to learn ... they gotta be kidding! .... just because you see someone do something does not mean at all that you can figure out why or how they did it so the students are left to trial and error learning if they want to learn and do what they saw.
Sometimes parents might think a child can absorb simply by being exposed to something ... hmmm ..... what if the kid has no idea what you are doing and especially he can not possibly dream of why you are doing it ... teaching includes far more than "see and do" . especially when things get a little more complicated.... explanations, coaching and a little help goes a long way in learning and teaching.

Weather has cooled down here to unseasonally cool .. high 60's ... but that's still OK .... a friend from Truckee said it was snowing up there just a day or so ago :-)

There is now a small heater in my room to take off the chill and dampness .... works good for me ... feels a lot better

Today was a "one class day" .... a painting day which is more relaxing ....ok... so today's piece painted with a live model may not seem all that great but it is a 6x8 portrait..... portraits are a challenge even in a larger size... but a 6x8 is much more of a challenge for a number of reasons for Unocchio ... I was not sure I could even paint a portrait this small but I got thru it.

Take care of the little things in life and the big things will take care of themselves .... at least someone thinks that is true
:-)

Oil on canvas panel 6x8

Bouganvillas

2011-06-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

Bouganvilla is a South American Plant that is an evergreen where the climate allows ... they do well in coastal areas and salt air ............. they are everywhere here .... the intense color is something to behold. I don't know how long the flowers last but they have been thick for the past 3 months. They make the entire area very, very colorful.

Take time to check out the flowers where you live... it's got to brighten your day

Your Problems will melt away

2011-05-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

Just deal with them straight on and smile :-)

Happiness is not the absence of problems; but the ability to deal with them. -Anon

Generally we can look in the mirror to find the source an get right on with clearing up the problem.

Today was a bank holiday but the Atelier rolled right on .... at first it did not look like anyone was going to show up ...... but then they straggled in one by one... a little late, but they made it :-)

We had a good class working on a graphite and charcoal powder drawing,,,,, a very interesting technique. Maybe it will be ready next week

Today's post is another kid study .....

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 9x12

Have you always had everything you ever wanted?

2011-05-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness. -Bertrand Russell

May is almost finished, Memorial Day is here, I guess Summer is about to begin .... hooray, summer is always great ..... more flowers; more fresh fruits and veggies; more beaching for lots of folks; more fun in the mountains for lots of folks .... does that mean summertime is the time for plenty .... it's used symbolically that way ..... but for us, anytime is the time for happiness.... and with happiness, we always have plenty.

Today's post is John, again... heh heh ... he hasn't seen this one but from the remarks after the class I think I captured him ok from the foto. We all age, one way or another. Most of the time with that aging comes wrinkles, bags, droops, falling hair and a few other things ... so what. It's the heart and attitude that really matters.

Smile today. Be happy. It's a good day.

Oil on masonite panel 9x12

Kids

2011-05-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

Don't be afraid to take big steps. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps. -David Lloyd George

Almost everyone likes kids .. well, almost everyone.... except W C Fields ..... heh heh
Eyes are full size when you are born so proportionately they look big ..... the other facial features need to catch up .... so we keep on studying children ... kids do not sit still, as you know ,,, so painting and drawing them from fotos is a big help .... I have never tried painting a kid from real life ... maybe never will... unless I get very fast :-)

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 12 x 12

Smile Today

2011-05-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

Happiness is something that you are, and it comes from the way you think. -Wayne Dyer

It does not matter if you are young and smooth or old and wrinkled ... you can still be happy .... the way the skin is pulled over your body has nothing to do with happiness. Live with it :-)

Well, at least I'm trying .... The caricature class is very interesting... today we had a live model and the assignment was to draw his portrait in caricature... heh heh .... here's my attempt from the bottom of the barrel ..... some one said to become as good as the professionals it would take drawing 500 caricatures..... dang... that would be 10 per day for nearly a year .

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 18x24

It's all in the attitude

2011-05-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

The greatest part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.-Martha Washington

Good ol' Martha ... she got it right that time.

Speaking of happy people that would be mom ...... and she finished her year 99 today and begins year 100 ... pretty amazing ..... a lot has happened in the past 100 years. Remember when you were in your teens or early 20's .... 20 years in the future was hard to even imagine let alone plan for ... it seemed like a long time .... don't agree, then look at your retirement savings. :-) I bet when you are 100, 20 years does not seem like so much when looking back .... and those years probably flew by so fast.
You must agree that mom displays happiness and a good attitude.

“I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.”
Charles R. Swindoll

I'm still doing portrait drawing .... here is a study of a young man.

Charcoal on smooth newsprint

Ya nose wat I mean?

2011-05-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

2 people look out the same window.... one see mud the other sees stars ..... watta ya think?

Ya nose wat I mean?

Some people are just plain nosey

Some folks have a nose for news

Up your nose with a rubber hose

May the bird of paradise fly up your nose

What usually runs in a big family? .... their noses .. hey, doesn't everyone's :-)

I nose what you are thinkin .... this is purty corny :-)

Today we drew noses in class ... I won a big one .......... it was a fun day ..... I was the only one that made corny nose jokes ... but they laughed anyway :-)

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 8x10

Having Fun yet?

2011-05-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. -Franklin Deleno Roosevelt

Keep on stirring up those creative efforts .... it will be a thrilling ride
Once when I was at a workshop painting a live model I could see I was not going to finish the painting before the end of the ssession so I slipped out my trusty camera and started taking some pictures ... I thought, " hey, she's sitting for us to paint it must be OK" .. alas, it was not OK and she had a fit, becoming very angry and yelling at me ...... there's nothing like getting in hot water.
From then on I figured I better ask permission prior to snapping the model. Then, currently, the models were all giving us permission to shoot them so I joined in the fun .... well, except the totally nude ones, they had a problem with some old geezer bringing out his big professional looking camera and clicking a bunch of pictures ... I never saw anyone shooting them so I did not even ask :-) ... smart, eh?
Then one day I raised my camera to shoot a make portrait model and he broke his pose and frantically started waving his hands .... I took that as a "no".
Evidently, some models are ok with having the artists shoot them and some are very much opposed to it.... those opposed want more money for a foto shoot. Fair enough. We're back to specifically asking each person because there is no other way to know.
Seems like I got in trouble a couple times shooting pictures in the art classes while the instructor was doing a demo.
Now if we are painting from a picture there may be other problems. If the artists takes his own pictures and there is no recognizable person in it's all his property .... if there is a recognizable person in the foto he may have to get written permission to publish or use the foto even on his blog.... dang, get's complicated ..... soooooo
it might be that sometimes I could publish a picture of the model or subject of my drawings or paintings then you could check up on me to see if my painting or drawing actually looks like the subject :-) ....... Jeff has repeatedly stated that when we do gesture paintings likeness is good but it is not the aim of the painting and is not really necessary ... heh ... I like that one .... remember, gesture painting is done in a very short time and is generally done to capture the mood, lighting or feeling at that moment.
Sometimes I may achieve a drawing or painting that may look fine... or even look like a beautiful person..... but not like the subject ..... now why would I want to ruin your enjoyment of the art just because it doesn't look like anyone in particular. :-)
Heh heh.
Fun huh? ... well, I have fun at this stuff whether if looks like anyone or not ..... sometimes it may actually resemble the subject :-)
This is supposed to be my friend John's grandson .... maybe best you didn't tell him it is posted here ... but then if he doesn't recognize him who would care.

Charcoal on smooth newsprint about 14x18

Helpful

2011-05-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

In about the same degree you are helpful, you will be happy. -Karl Reiland,

sooooooo, deliberately do something helpful to someone today, that you may not have normally done ..... you will then be happier.... try it and see...... being helpful is a good thing

We draw from live models every day.... different models each time .... this provides interest and variety... and different challenges.

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 18x24

Picture the results

2011-05-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

If you want to reach a goal, you must "see the reaching" in your own mind before you can arrive at your goal. - Zig Ziglar

Envision what you want to achieve....... create a burning desire ..... they then say, nothing can stop you if you want if bad enough.

Set your goals. Make them crystal clear.

Friday on of the classes is Caricature Drawing with Court Jones .... see his work here:

http://www.courtjones.com/illustration.html
It is a fun class even looking up from the basement .... not all my work reminds a person of anyone in particular ... which is the object of this art :-) .... and, of course, not quite on the par of Court.
Nevertheless, it is fun.

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 18x24

I can relate to that

2011-05-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

The most powerful thing you can do to change the world, is to change your own beliefs about the nature of life, people, reality, to something more positive. -Shakti Gawain

said another way... If everyone would look in the mirror and change that person for the better, the world would be changed for the better

Today the instructor placed a human skull on a pedestal, turned on the spotlight and we went at it ... charcoal on newsprint ..... I can relate to this one... hey, we're almost the same age :-)
Geezers love to paint ol geezers

Charcoal on smooth newsprint 18x24 (but this is cropped14x18)

It's getting there that is the fun

2011-05-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the trip ... and when you get there, plan another .... the joy is in the doing .... set goals... make your bucket list early .... enjoy your work... enjoy life.