Where Does the Time Go?

Since my last post, I have been busy. I can't believe it has been almost two weeks. I have almost finished another large 4'x3' oil painting on a birch cradled panel. It has been sitting on the easel for the final touches. I do have photos of it and plan to show them here. Here is one photo, and there might have been a few touches more done.

I have also participated in a model session every Thursday evening -- most of the time they are nude models. But, a week ago, we had a Santa sit for us in all his attire! It was much fun. The sketches and paintings were shown this last Friday evening at Woodstock First Friday! Santa and his wife even came back to see all the work that was created. What fun!

I was able to do a nice graphite sketch which I framed in a wonderful antique frame that I had been hording for awhile. It did lend itself to the Santa because there was a red velvet liner as part of the ornate gold frame. It does make a statement. It looks good because there is no color in the sketch and the frame gives it that "red" it did need.

I was also able to do a little 7" x 5" oil painting on a gallery wrap canvas. This took the rest of the evening though I thought it would be a fairly quick thing to do. Boy, was I wrong. It took me much longer than I expected. But, I think it is a hit. I did not want to do a larger painting, because what do you do with a large painting of Santa?

I have also been chosen to be one of three judges for the first ever Art Challenge Competition on Facebook! What an honor. I will be the judge for the pastels and drawing mediums. Also I will participate with the other judges to choose a "Best In Show" from all the entries regardless of medium used. We are in that process right now.

It is very difficult as there were almost 1000 entries. I narrowed it down to just over 100 entries to chose 10 from to put with 10 from each of the other two judges. These 30 pieces are what we will choose the Best in Show from. After this process, we each will then choose the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and two Honorable Mention pieces in our category. The categories are: (1) oil and acrylic; (2) watercolor; (3) mixed media; and (4) pastel (soft or oil) and drawing mediums.

After the decision for each category, we will then choose the next 15 best pieces to go along with the winners. There will be some wonderful award prizes and best of all, there will be a show in Bucks County, PA. The Bucks County Gallery of Fine Art, New Hope, Pa will be presenting an Art Exhibit of the TOP 30 winning entries/artists of the competition either Februry or March, 2010. The judges and the three administrators will also have the opportunity to put a piece into the show.

Saturday, I was in Blue Ridge, GA doing a demonstration in my gallery -- High Country Art & Antique Gallery. The best gallery in Blue Ridge! I always meet some wonderful people -- talk about my art and my process. There are also many who talk to me about taking classes or workshops. I hope some of them will contact me!

And all this does not even take into account the time I spent cooking a Birthday dinner for my daughter and all the family, taking tennis lessons, going to a tennis luncheon, a tennis practice, housework, time with hubby . . . etc.

So . . . I will try to do better and not let two weeks go by without posting on my blog. If you have something art related that you would like for me to discuss, please let me know.