mARTa's Art

Welcome 2009!

This is the year!

I will sell a painting (or more I hope)

I will seek new adventures 

I will loose 10 to 15 pounds!!!

I will try to find a way to 'give back' that is meaningful to me

I will continue my explorations into line, shape, hue and space!

I will continue to dream.

I will live my best life!

Still Life Duo Series 2009

no. 1

oil on canvas, 9x12 inches

Click on the painting to see the next in the series that I am currently working on.  This is a wet canvas project that I am participating in along with my friend Casey at Rue Manuel Bis.

Posted In oil painting, still life | 10 comments |

Tough year, is it over yet?

I'm not much in the mood for Christmas. This has been a very difficult yeat for me. So much happened in my life, many changes. It began with menopause which came with oer 40 hotflashes per day, drenched in sweat, then chills and the mood swings. Hormone therapy took care of all that but left me with long and frequent menstrual cycles. Then a neighbor on drugs stabbed my son in front of our house and that left me with nightmares for months. My son ended up in the hospital but not seriously hurt. Soon after that my dear cousin who'd lost his wife a year earlier and left him widowed with 3 small children was killed in a motorcycle accident. And on top of all that my eyesight continued to worsen. I finally 'broke' and had to stop working. My salvation has been my family and friends and of course, my art.
Through my art I can loose myself, sometimes for hours and forget everything else that causes stress in my life. Through art I have made friends; at my community college art classes, at the art museum and my special online friends. My online friends are never far from reach, a blog comment to boost my confidence, an email to tell me I'm thought of, a phone call across the 'pond' when things have been bad and face to face meetings which begin and end with embracess. Yes, art and what if has brought to my life is my lifeline.
Now, I guess I really should begin thinking of Christmas and the tamale preparations!




This is a 16x20 inch oil on canvas. We are working on glazing techniques at school so I thought I'd try my own at home. This took over a week to finish because you have to wait for the glaze layer to dry before adding another layer. I think I was most succesful with the pitcher

.

Posted In oil painting, still life, thoughts | 10 comments |

Muy Caras

Since I've this day to myself I spent it catching up on small tasks I've put off and running a few errands. But as the afternoon dragged on and I thought of 101 excuse why I should paint instead of go to the gym.....these pair of eggplants beckoned me to do them justice.

Last Saturday at the farmer's market I was buying last of the season strawberries for a very hefty price. I eyed the eggplant more so to paint than to eat. The young woman at the veggie stand said to the man working with her " Estamos cobrando mucho por el eggplant." (We are charging too much for the eggplant) I smiled at her and said, "oh, you think so too?" She laughed and said she didn't realized I could understand her! Embarrassed, she gave them both to me for a dollar.

I got a little sloppy with them and am not pleased with how the tops where the leaves are turned out. I had a hard time mixing just the right colors. I do like that it turned out a fairly good composition and that my shadow areas although not quite what I envisioned, still work. Mostly I'm happy that I satisfied the desire today to paint. Now, maybe I should go to the gym? Well, maybe after I have a bowl of strawberry gelato that I made this morning with those very expensive berries!

watercolour; 27.5cm x 36cm Arches 140# cp

Posted In still life, watercolor | 8 comments |

Basket of Peaches

basket of peaches copy, originally uploaded by mmvgonzales.

from Evelyn at work. The pediatric oncology committee had a meeting today and she brought these in from the tree in her yard. I brought home a few as a base for a new batch of Sangria! Going to soak them in some french brandy tonight.......yummm.
While the meeting was going on I quickly did this sketch. Should have paid more attention to values.

Posted In general sketchbook no.1, ink, still life, watercolor | 7 comments |

Trois Tomates

Two of my favorite online artists: Casey and Ronelle (who live near each other in France) get together to paint weekly. Last week they gave themselves and others a weekly challenge to do a painting larger than a small sketch. I got excited to join them but unfortunately work got in the way and I wasn't able to get my fruit painting done by Monday's deadline. Here I am a day late and not really excited about this 10x14 watercolor on 140#arches cold press block. oh yeah, tomatoes are a fruit and my favorite!

Posted In pastel, still life, watercolor | 5 comments |

One More Try

Well here is the second rendition. I think this one works better for the toy series. I'll wait before cropping the first painting. Who knows, I may have two good paintings or two duds. For now, they are fun to do and I'm having fun with the colors!

Posted In pastel, still life, watercolor | 6 comments |

I am not happy with this El Balero y El Trompo painting and already have it sketched out to do over again. I think the composition is bad and I have so much empty space around the toys. They seem to float. I don't think I did a good job on the reflections on the balero either. The top looks alright to me. I do like the colors I used. I was hoping to give the impression that they were left outdoors against a reddish color stucco wall. I also used gold metallic watercolor paint in the balero as the one I was working from is decorated with gold stripes. This painting might work if I just crop it but before I go cutting up a painting I'm going to re-do it once more and see what happens.

Posted In pastel, still life, watercolor | 6 comments |

Can I be an artist and be thin too?

I'm not one for flowers. I love them...smell them, display them in vases, have some in the yard...but paint them? In case you can't tell what these are, they are a little bunch of sweetpeas I picked during yesterday's morning walk. Yes, I picked them from someones side yard, hoping it was early enough that I didn't get caught. I just love the smell of sweetpeas! Comments please, which of the two appeals more to you, if they appeals at all?

Ok, here's the thing. When I find myself immersed in my art I begin to gain weight. It creeps up on me like a slow growing vine. Not too noticeable at first but by the time my clothes are a bit too snug I am see it in the mirror as well. So, can an artist be in good shape and still be productive? I sure hope so! I began this week with morning walks and watching what I eat. Really watching, like counting fat and calories and drinking lots of water. I have gone down this road before so I know if I stick with it in a few months I'll be back to being comfortable with myself. Maybe what I have to do is incorporate sketching into my get fit plan. Carry the sketchbook with me on walks, draw my food intake for the day, eat my pencil...well, maybe not.

Posted In moleskeine, still life, watercolor | 6 comments |

El Balero y El Trompo

I want to thank all of you for such kind words on my Los Baleros post. I think in that painting I poured my sadness into it and also the hope we all wish for; for ourselves and those we love. Our family is moving on and healing.

I have some exciting news about Los Baleros. A new art friend, Fernado at Sol Digital Studio in Ontario, Ca. has put up Los Baleros in his gallery for sale and/or giclée copies of the original. Everyday brings forth a new venture!

I bought some new Mexican toys during last week's trip into Los Angeles and Olvera Street. This pencil sketch is a preliminary study for hopefully another successful painting. My dusting and vacuuming will just have to wait!

Posted In moleskeine, pencil, still life | 7 comments |

Los Baleros

Today is a day to relax and re-group. A family member died tragically on Tuesday evening leaving behind 3 young children and a loving husband. I spent the day yesterday with all my family huddled together, quiet and missing our family members who are gone now. My husband and I returned home and fell into each other's arms, both of us feeling the same emotions. How could we, would we, go on if we didn't have each other.

I did get an evening in with a nice group of artist who are starting a monthly gathering. I wasn't prepared to paint and really just spent the evening doodling with what I had in my bag. I played around with sumi ink, watercolor and pastel. I had fun despite the heaviness I was feeling.

So today I opted out of the studio watercolor class, canceled some dinner plans I was looking forward to and decided to just 'veg' for the day. But this addiction I have lately with water and paint won't let me go. So I blew off my value study, my sketches and precise drawings. Instead I grabbed some 300# wc paper, pastels and watercolors and just lost myself for the rest of the morning. I think I fed the addiction for today.

Posted In pastel, still life, watercolor | 16 comments |

Baleros

A Balero is a Mexican toy where the object of the game is to get the little ball on the string into the cup that sits atop a long handle. It is a brightly colored and varnished toy made from soft wood. I have NEVER been agile enough to get that little ball into the cup, yet some members of my family can do it quite easily.

This is a small 5x7 monochrome watercolor I plan to use as reference for a colored version. I have some values to work out and some decisions to make about the background as well.

Posted In still life, watercolor | 5 comments |

Why do metal chairs

have to have hard cold seats? How come I need to have a reason to eat pomegranates in the bath tub? Why do I need to make a statement when all I want is to paint a chair? Why shouldn't I call myself an artist if I BELIEVE I AM? How come when I crave a bowl of Cherrios there is no milk? If I say something is so, isn't it? Why should I paint a landscape when I can only see 50 yards in front of me? Why should I stop at one glass of wine when there is no one around to share a bottle? And how come wonderful art is wonderful just because it's wonderful?

Posted In ink, still life, watercolor | 3 comments |

Naranja Sangrienta

I have a blood orange tree in my yard which produces luscious fruit. When ripe the rinds are deep orange red and the pulp the color of dark red blood. The juice is not as sweet as our California Navel oranges but sweet enough to eat and great for juicing. Rudy has finished picking the last of the oranges and before he juices them I wanted to do a quick painting....trying out my new "loose woman" philosophy. So I just played and approached this somewhat distracted by the pretty view out the window and my plans for a lazy day. So much so I stuck my brush into my coffee while working at the kitchen table!

Posted In still life, watercolor | 4 comments |

Christmas Cactus

I don't know why this Christmas cactus begins to bloom weeks after Christmas is over. I am actually amazed that it has already survived several Christmas' (houseplants usually die on me).

I signed up for an open studio class at our local art museum. Because of work commitments I can only attend a couple times a month. On my first session the instructor gave me the syllabus and a materials list. She wants us to use a limited palate and so in doing this little sketch (in my new moleskein sketchbook) I used only those colors.

I guess I should go downstairs now and hang out with the old guy who's watching the Superbowl alone :(

Posted In moleskeine, still life, watercolor | 1 comments |