The Fitzgeralds

It is the first of the month (well, the last day of June)...update day for me. So I had to drop the oil painting...well, not"literally", but I did stop to let the painting dry and now it will be ready for another layer.

And I got out the watercolors and painted some offerings for TDIPT and EWM.

(Freddie Fitzgerald on TDIPT)

While we are on the subject of watercolors, lol....I have to say that I do enjoy painting with them. They are easy to put away or take out because they come in those small little tubes (or pans, if you use those), they are not too messy, and they don't have a really harsh odor. But, I will go back to the oils to learn some more....who knows? I may start to enjoy painting with them too??

Frannie Fitzgerald in her embellished frame

Pear Tree on TDIPT

For TDIPT (To Dwell in Primitive Thymes), I painted a couple in profile. Please meet Freddie and Frannie, two nature lovers who fell in love and now run a garden party event planning business....they are quite the entrepreneurs from the 19th century!

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And for EWM (Early Work Mercantile), I've painted two silhouettes....both inspired by unknown artist of the 19th century.

Pear Tree on EWM

Out for a Stroll
(little girl with her dolly)

Tatting Tales
(young woman with tatting shuttle and other sewing items)

Please stop by and be sure to visit all the artist's pages on both sites. Here are the links to each site:

http://tdiptmercantile.com/

http://www.earlyworkmercantile.com/

What's Happening on the Kitchen Table?

Since I don't have a "studio", I can't really title this post "What's Happening in the Studio?" So....just for fun, here is what mess I have happening on our kitchen table! :)


I've pulled out the oils...not sure if they are my favorite medium yet, but I'm determined to figure out what surface, consistency, and mediums work best for me. I've opened all the windows to ventilate and take frequent breaks outside! The fumes are fairly strong even though I've purchased Oderless Mineral Spirits to clean and Liquen as a medium to help quickly dry the oils. I've read about Galkyd as a medium, which may be my next purchase.

So far, I've tried Claybord, and I'm about to paint on Gessobord. Next, I think I'll work on the "tried and true" canvas.

(still working on the lace below the bowl)

On the Claybord, I drew out a simple Folk Art design of a yellowware bowl full of strawberries. For this one, I didn't do an "underpainting", I just painted oils directly onto the surface. The oils sort of sit on the Claybord, but adhere and dry overnight. It is hard to get detail, at least for me, on it. I may use it for a watercolor painting next.

I did end up drawing individual hydrangea petals and then I transferred that drawing to Gessobord.

(the hydrangea underpainting in acrylic....next I'll paint oils on top)

For this one, I did paint an acrylic underpainting, which just means I painted acrylic first before I paint the oils on top. I know this technique isn't recommended if you want "museum quality" results.....but I figure I need all the help I can get! So, we'll see if this works better and the oils don't "float" away on the Gessobord.

Do you have any oil painting tips for me? Have you ever tried Claybord? I'm actually looking forward to trying watercolor on it and maybe etching a lace design!

Eye Spy

I spy with my little eye........


My son loves I Spy books, even now that he is a little older he still enjoys them. Truth be told, I love them too! We will sit and look for objects in the puzzles over and over again until we practically memorize each one. But when you return to them months later, it is like a new puzzle! (or at least we try to pretend)

They even have an "I Spy" game for game systems...and we can get pretty wrapped up in that one too! :)

When we moved into our home about five years ago, we started remodeling. That meant inside and out! The yard has been redesigned and gardens have been started and planted and in the process dirt has been disturbed after many years of neglect. Hidden in the dirt have been little surprises....sort of like the "I Spy" game!



After awhile, we had collected so many of these "found" objects that my husband started an "I Spy" cup. That cup grew into a small jar, that is now in a larger jar and soon will need an even larger one!


The family "I Spy" collection game has spread to collecting on evening walks as well.
Some things that have been found are really neat........and some things should have been left where they were buried! :)



I think a family with boys must have lived here before us, because we've found an "army" of Army men that have lost a few battles with the lawnmower.

An old metal truck that's been "aged" with dirt!

Car bits and pieces- most were found on walks.

Let me out! Let me out! (one of the things that should have stayed buried!)

There is still lots of remodeling to be done....inside and out, so I'm sure before long we will need to start on a larger jar!

I've started working on the summer list of things to try. This "might" be done in oils, we'll see how frustrated I get! And, just for the record.....individual hydrangea petals are hard to draw!! :) I may have to go with an "impressionism" vs. "realism" approach to this painting.


Happy "I Spy" Hunting! :)

Best in Show

This week, TDIPT (To Dwell in Primitive Thymes) is having a group launch called, "Best in Show", and I thought I'd join in over on Ebay. I haven't put anything on Ebay in so long that uploading my auction took me awhile, but I finally got my painting listed!


Please visit Hazel and her faithful companion, Bernard by clicking the link below:

Pear Tree on Ebay

And be sure to type "TDIPT" in the search box to see the offerings of all the artist during the group launch.



Thanks to Jan of (Big Brown Dog) for the cute banner she made for our launch!

Ladies in Hats and Summer Plans

It's here!! Summer break has officially started!! Woo-hoo!! Now we have 9 weeks off to play and garden and paint! :)

While the boys were taking their finals last week and I was waiting for them to finish, I painted in the car again. (It really isn't as messy sounding as you might think!)
I painted some more "Ladies in Hats" and now have four color watercolor portraits and one watercolor silhouette completed for the series. They are now in My Etsy . They are also on my website: Pear Tree Primitives . The slideshow below gives you a peek at them.

All year long I've been adding to a list of things I want to try during the summer. (Keeps me motivated during the school year!) Here are a few things on that list:

Dry Brush Watercolor Technique.......this has a really neat look to it.
Paint a Pastoral Setting Scene
Paint a Landscape
Work in Oils again.....I haven't done this in a few years and want to really figure this out for future portraits.

That should keep me busy for awhile! Are you a list person? Do you have things you want to try this summer or someday? I'd love to hear about them!

A Slice of Americana

Slice One~ Today (June 1st) was my "baby's" birthday! Can't believe he is now 15. We still have school, so the only celebrating was a lunch to his favorite restaurant.

Slice Two~ We only have a week and a half left of school....including finals!! Then onto all those summer projects!

Slice Three~ "A Slice of Americana" actually refers to a fun and funky folkart painting I just finished for TDIPT. It is the first of the month and the selling sites have been updated once again. Please check them out!

On To Dwell In Primitive Thymes~ I've gone with a patriotic theme. I've painted the stack of animals, boxes and watermelon slice above. And I've painted another set of John and Abigail Adams.

Pear Tree on TDIPT

(*Sold*.....but will take orders.)

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On Early Work Mercantile~




I'm offering the paintings I did for submission in Early American Life's annual Directory of Traditional American Crafts. Here is a link to my page on Early Work Merc:

Pear Tree on EWM

If you visit, you'll notice that some of the paintings may look familiar. That's because I have painted those and sold them before...I repainted the silhouettes and the lady on the blue rug for the submission(s). But a "repainting" (not sure if that is an actual word, or one I just made up!) is never the same as the "original"...so each is "original" in it's own way!

Happy June! And thanks for visiting!