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Today, I want to talk about hanging in there.  In a recent class with my mentor, Donna Aldridge, I brought some beautiful spring flowers to paint.  I have always loved flowers and gardening but never really painted too many flowers, even though I love them.  So, with that in mind, I brought a lovely spring bouquet to class and did an arrangement using some wonderful vases that Donna had. 

Well, needless to say, my first painting was a disaster.  It was too dark in the background, I was having trouble getting paint on the canvass, it was way too blended for my taste, well, you get the picture.  It is currently residing in the trash bin awaiting its fate.

So, feeling very frustrated and becoming very out of sorts(partially due to the current frozen shoulder issue), after a break, I decided to slog on.  Donna suggested that I just concentrate on the flowers themselves and try and simplify.  So, I decided, hey why not. I asked her to show me how  she would approach starting a flower.  After several seconds, she looked at me and asked if I had a stiffer brush.  As I had, she started using that brush then she handed it over to me after a couple strokes and told me to try.  Well, after a couple stokes I knew why she had that grin on her face.  The brushes I had been using for the first painting were way too soft for the task at hand.  With just a simple change of brush, I actually  painted something that not only looked like a tulip, but was fun to paint.

So, my tip for the day is that if you are feeling frustrated while attempting something new, step back and take a second to evaluate why.   Ask a friend (or mentor) to put in their two cents worth.  Keep your options and mind open to trying a new direction.

The final painting is just a study but now I know that my flower painting ambitions can be fulfilled.

I am looking forward to trying new and exciting flowers-using my new found knowledge-and a good stiff brush.

So, don't let adversity get you down, change your path and you just might find less mud and more stable ground,

So Go Paint Spring,

See you in Augusta, Mo for the plein aire event,

Jennylynne

For years, I went to the water garden tours and also out to the water garden at Powell Gardens.  I love the waterlilies and lotus.  Their leaves blaket the water giving it texture and color and the flowers rise up from the water like offerings.

This is the first in a series of water paintings using not only the pictures I've taken over the years but I will also do some in plein aire as the weather permits.

The first was done in pastels.  I had gotten away from my pastels other than for sketching and have just recently rediscovered the passion.  Pastels give you an immediate sense of satisfaction and their luminous color is unbeatable.  So, stay tuned for the journey and remember all will be for sale on my website.  So if you too are passionate about them just give me a call and the lilies can come hang out on your wall, too.