ALTIPIANO WINERY

ALTIPIANO WINERY

Last month we visited a (very) nearby winery with some friends to enjoy the sunset and a glass of local wine together. I took this photo with my iPhone and even though it wasn't the clearest phot, I still had the image in my head. So, I decided to try my hand at painting it. Cut a canvas board down to the size I desired for a frame I wanted to use.

UNDERPAINTING 

ALTIPIANO WINERY 5 x 10 acrylic on board

So, don't hate me, but this is what winter looks like here. Suffering through.

MISTY MORNING

MISTY MORNING by Paula Prass 6x6 acrylic on canvas

I have oh so many pics of this view on my cell phone taken on various times of the day, different times of the year. So far Torrey Pines beach has been our go to beach mostly because it's 20 minutes away, we can get in a five mile walk without even thinking about it and we love collecting the stones and beach glass. This time of year it's so quiet and serene and the chill helps for a brisk walk. 

Then we come back and add the stones to our courtyard garden. it's about the only thing I haven't killed (yet). I am eventually learning that succulents are about all the green this draught can handle. Well, cactus, but I tend to back up into those. It only takes one time, ya know.

CAKEBREAD WINERY AND A REALLY SWEET STORY

CAKEBREAD WINERY by PAULA PRASS

It was exactly six years ago that I asked my blog followers to check out my daughter Jennifer's new blog HERE. A follower of mine popped over there and when Jennifer posted that she was starting to sell a new line of jewelry called Stella and Dot she got one comment. That one comment Jenny led to a gal named Jenny Foley joining Jennifer's new team. Together they have built an amazing team of over 2200 Stella and Dot stylists. This January Jennifer and Jenny took a group of their directors to Napa to celebrate. 

Jennifer (bottom center) with her Stella and Dot Directors at Cakebread Winery

Jennifer, Kelly, Jenny

Jennifer and Jenny were also celebrating Kelly Sears Cox who has reached Platinum Director. BTW, that's huge people!! So, Jennifer and Jenny secretly commissioned me to paint the Cakebread Winery as a gift to Kelly. And this weekend Kelly was surprised with her new painting. That smile says a lot.

Cakebread and Kelly meet

Jessica Herrin and Jennifer Storey

Never underestimate how the smallest things can turn into HUGE blessings. When we simply ask God to use us today; expect it to happen. Six years ago, one blog post, one response and 2200+ women's lives have been touched. So glad I was a part of it.

AND...For the other gals in the photo, or anyone else, I am offering a print of the original painting in my Etsy Shop. Available in a 5x7 or 8x10. If you all live near each other I can fit a few in an envelope to save on shipping. Just send me a note over on Etsy. 

Oh, and to my other friends, since I'm on a Stella and Dot kick, did you all see the founder, Jessica Herrin, on Undercover Boss recently? If you missed it, here's the link-worth the watch.

NO MANDARIN IS AN ISLAND

Let this be a lesson, young (NOT) lady. Here is a perfect example of the need to start with the end in mind. Last week I had a couple friends over for a fun painting day. Between playing hostess with the mostess, turning my dining room into a painting studio, getting the girls set up, making lunch, etc. I didn't pay attention to the fact that where I set up to paint this mandarin orange the leaves were positioned behind the fruit, which wasn't the best view. Then I quickly drew my mandarin and plate while standing, ran off to make lunch, ate and when I came back to paint I was sitting, which changed the vantage point. Forgot to take a photo of the mandarin on the plate before putting it in the frig for the night. As a result, I had a heck of a time. 

So I basically started over on day 2, but with what I already painted the day before. Turned the orange so the leaves looked more interesting and this time took a pic for reference. 

1) Take a reference photo

 Once I moved past reworking the leaves and plate and reshaping the mandarin I liked it better, but then realized it could have been painted much larger or at a more interesting angle. I had too much empty space and it bugged me…and bugged me…

2) Fill up more canvas or choose a dynamic angle

If a dozen people said it was fine, I still had to fix it for me. So I draped some striped fabric over the back of my vignette, painted it and voila! I can sleep now. And by the way, painting a glass dish, especially at that angle was way hard. I was a bad "instructor" (free, but still bad) for thinking the clear glass would be easy to paint. And for not spending more time experimenting with interesting angles beforehand. Overall, we had fun painting together, but I learned more than they did. Better planning upfront and having a procedure to follow may possibly help avoid reworking and correcting during the painting process. In my defense we did talk a lot about the color wheel. Imagine that.

3) Start with the end in mind

That poor little mandarin sat alone on that clear glass plate for way too long, so I named it No Mandarin is an Island.  

GALLERY WALL

Last week I created a gallery wall as part of a submission requirement to an art show. Well, by golly, ya do what ya gotta do, right? I basically robbed Peter to pay Paul. Anyone even remember that saying? I have a couple blank walls now with nothing hanging but a nail. It worked as I was accepted and for right now I'm going to leave the wall as is. However, this turned out to be a valuable exercise; there actually is a thread of continuity to what I create! Can you see it?