simple rituals . Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

This morning in class, I was telling my students that a painting of three pears just can't be bad....silver bullet of subjects!

Of course there are some caveats, like they have to fill the space, touching three sides, etc. It started me thinking about the subjects that have a high success/satisfaction rate, here is my list; pears, cups, glass with single flower, figures....pretty short list!

Its a work in progress.

These subjects are grounding in the sense that they provide interesting shadows and negative space automatically, leaving the artist to play with color and value.

Two cents.

Lydia

study. Lydia Host daily painting

I painted the lovely 'Louis' with some other Artists this morning. It was fun to arrange her and create the scenario. I painted like mad to get something, and then had to partially wipe down, because of silly mistakes. I think I will slow down a bit next time and see if that helps. I can't wait to do it again. I have had some trouble lately keeping my daily paintings going, I am painting every day, its just that I have been trying to finish a couple of big paintings, and my school schedule is pretty demanding, time, time, time is fleeting. I am reading 'The Agony and the Ecstasy' by Irving Stone, about Michelangelo, and it has made me realise that to be creative, a person has to have lots of time to practice their craft. Michelangelo worked sixteen hours a day for four years on the Sistine chapel ceiling. Best,

heads up. lydia host daily

At a party this weekend, someone asked me if I were working in clay again....which I am, sort of. Well anyway her point was that she wanted one of these heads for her sisters birthday. So I asked if she wanted male or female...female, so they came out male for some contrary reason. I will try again tomorrow! I used to make these and sell them with a group of women clay/potters called "The Dirty Girls". It was a fun group spearheaded by Vikki Finch and Bertice Mcpherson. Vikki is currently using her super powers to inspire lucky students at a local private school. Bertice is also teaching at a local university and from her studio, and also making her art, click on her name and check out her site, she is amazing, and a great person to boot. About ten years ago the three of us went to Mississippi for a pyro-mania festival, and they had exhibits were we got to make glass beads, and a molded smelted metal piece, I remember being so totally impressed with what both of these gals came up with on the fly artistically speaking. True artist'e.

Courage. lydia host daily painting a day

Sometimes I have to indulge myself and paint a face that appeals to me. This is Cynthia again, the cool River guide. It photographed weird, but still looks kind of interesting so I'm leaving it for now. Yesterday I had a 'theme day', this happens occasionally and I love it when I actually notice. Last week I went to a gallery opening at Springhill College for Clayton Colvin, who is a really interesting and good artist (show is still there-worth a trip), in his talk he mentioned that sometimes he feels as though a painting really gets resolved when he is able to paint out something that though he likes, doesn't really enhance the piece. I was relating this idea to my painting class yesterday, and my friend and currently my student, Laura said; " oh, that happens in writing too, its called 'killing your darling", like when you love a sentence, but it does nothing for the story!" "Killing your darling". This idea came up again later in my ceramics class that I am taking... in clay you really have to be able to kill your darlings, because many times they kill themselves by blowing up in the kiln or glaze mishaps. I am sure that this idea is universally applicable, if you can think of any examples, let me know...just curious....really curious. Happy weekend to you. Lydia

seated figure. lydia host daily painting

Another watercolor from Saturday. Today I had lunch with my friend Renee Wallace, who co-owns "Paint Party", she is so full of energy and is funny and talented, sweet,kind and generous....if you ever have a hankering to just up and paint a picture, or want to have a super fun birthday party or girls night out, go to her shop, or book a party...you will have fun, I guarantee it! best, Lydia

Monday Monday. I went to figure drawing downtown on Saturday morning, and it was wonderful, model, and other artist wise. I took only drawing and a little bit of watercolor materials. It was a relaxing, and yet invigorating way to start the day. We are taking longer poses in this group, which is nice, especially if I get a good angle and can stop, and not over work....always a challenge. Last week my four year old was in a mini Mardi Gras Parade in his preSchool, and then this weekend he was in another that a neighborhood puts on every year. My husband and I made the Wednesday float, which was to be on a wagon, and our theme was 'Hickory Dickory Dock'. For the Sunday parade our theme was 'Sponge Bob' and our assignment was to paint something on an 8x8 board for the back of the float. I am putting a picture of each below, because believe me it took some 'art muscle'! I feel inordinately proud of the Sponge Bob thingy because, it is so not my style- and we painted it in about four hours. We are not really Mardi Gras people usually and so this has really been an unusual week for us, and frankly we are exhausted! Onward and upward! cheeers, Lydia

birthday surprise Lydia Host daily painting

I painted this little girl for her mother to give to her father as a birthday surprise. The colors are kind of blasted, but I couldn't get the light right on this one. Note to self...learn how to take better photos!

Pear is square. Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

Back to an old favorite. Pears are like people, in that I never tire of painting them. I am gearing up to teach a beginning oil painting class that starts this Thursday morning down at Space 301, it is such a nice environment to view, and to make art, with the semi industrial feel still in the building. We started out with a blue sky this morning, and it just made me realise how much I appreciate that as a pleasant start to a busy week. Hope you got a little blue sky today where you are as well!

Lydia

poof! Lydia Host Daily

Okay. This might be it for the jesters! Well maybe one more later next week. This one is watercolor on clayboard...love the wackiness of this surface. It is sort of a mix of drawing and painting. Happy weekend to you!

A bird in the hand... Lydia host

This didn't come throught the camera as it truly looks ...it isn't this dull. Well today was our last day with Zeb as our jester, it was so fun to explore a topic more than the typical one session. I feel that I learned a lot this week, from Joan, and from just reworking the Jester topic. I am thinking about clay now.... Best, Lydia

jester mini-paintings. lydia host

Added a feather to Monday's Jester. Tomorrow is our last day of jest painting...its been a fun time. I think that tomorrow I'll go big!

Lydia

two minute jesters....

Here are a few of the two minute warm-ups from yesterday. Many times this speedy type of drawing would be referred to as a gesture drawing...;) I like these most in figure drawing because we don't have time to focus on the details, just enough time to work on getting the major forms and gestures. I wish that I would start every drawing as though I had only two minutes, because if I have more time, I often get mired in details, to the peril of the big picture.

Lydia

jester week begins

Today Joan and I painted a model dressed as a jester. She has a commission for this, and I am just along for the ride! The model is an actor and artist himself, and so was really a natural, not having modeled before. We warmed up with two minute sketches, and then painted a little...this painting may or maynot be finished...I haven't really decided. I think my favorite things were my two minute sketches, that happens a lot! We are painting Jeb again on Wednesday. The week of the jester! be well. Lydia

irresistible. lydia Host daily

After watching and advising students last night on how to approach these pears, it was irrestistible, I had to paint them myself! I was amazed at how fun and successful last night felt. I am going to get permission to post their results because I think you would be amazed, I was. Hope you have a great weekend. Lydia

miss cozy. Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

I have been thinking about the class that I will be teaching on Thursday (its full-which is good news, and yet scary!). I am going to try and simplify the basics of composition and form and still life set up, into a few hours, so that people feel enlightened, elated and ready to paint the next still life. It can be done! Meanwhile, I have started my Ceramics class at Springhill with P. Favier, who is an intense, and inquiring style of teacher, which I really feel will be good for me as a student. I expect great growth this semester. best, Lydia

All bunched up. Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x8

Have to give grapes another go! I was trying to see them as a bunch instead of individuals... Hope you are having a good Martin Luther King Jr. day! What a inspiring hero he was ! Lydia

Girl. 6x6 Lydia host daily

This represents my first painting (or sketch...or wash) on clayboard with watercolors. I read about this painter who uses this substrate, and calls the paintings 'fresco' paintings. Originally that would be on wet plaster...but this mimics the way that color sits on top of plaster. I will explore it in the next few weeks and see what I can come up with, but at first pass, I really enjoyed it. It reminds me of painting on illustration board, and even Yupo paper to a certain extent. The advantage over those would be that you can seal this and frame it like an oil painting....gotta love that. Best to you. Lydia

paperwhite. Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x10

I painted today with Joan E. Whitespunner, and Stephanie Morris, two really excellent painters who mainly paint portraits. We had fun with this beautiful still life. As for my inquiry about complimentary colored palettes, both do of course know about the theory but don't strategise in that way. Stephanie does something that is intriguing to me, she mixes all of her colors before she begins to paint...and let me tell you her colors were the best! I thought that might be fun to try sometime.

I will try to post their paintings when they are finished.

Lydia

simple pleasures . Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

I had a visit with a good friend today that ended with coffee....coffee that lovely beverage that is a part of such precious rituals. I have to mention that I did use my new found complimentary palette, plus I used a really big brush for most of this painting, keeping it loose and soft.

Hot, dark and black.

Lydia

Iris. lydia Host daily

I painted these irises with Mary Elizabeth on the weekend. Check her blog out and see her result...its great! I have been reading a book on color theory, and the idea I was pondering was complimentary color themes in a painting. I asked Mary Elizabeth if she considers her palette in that way for each painting, for I consider her to be a master colorist, and indeed her answer was 'yes' of course. I personally have been guided by the reality before me and instinct when choosing color, which results in an inconsistent result. Ha! I learned something important that will surely improve my paintings. Best, Lydia

still life . Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

It just never hurts to give a girl some flowers....thats all.

Have a great weekend!

Lydia

prickly. Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x8

I painted with Mary Elizabeth today, and she had all of this fruit left over from her Holiday party center pieces. I don't know that I have ever noticed how multi-hued pineapples are. After we painted she whipped up a simple lunch of several styles of cheese toast (Parmesan, blue cheese, and some herb-y yellow, on black olive embedded bread), and sliced crisp apples and pears, and slices of salami...oh my goodness! Isn't it great when you eat food that makes you sigh with pleasure..with the added bonus that its fairly healthy? It was like a food vacation to France! I highly recommend that you make yourself some sort of healthy, yet indulgent food in this barren time of year...simple pleasures you won't regret. Lydia

man eats grapefriut. Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x10

It was fun to day to paint this little manikin, I suppose all artists have one in their studio....I have four that I got at IKEA one time for four dollars each! You can use them to 'stand in' for a human, but I never have done that...until now.

I painted with Joan today and she painted the citrus by itself to a beautiful result, I will try to get a copy of it, and post it later.

Lydia

secret weapon. Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

My Grandmother turned 90 today! She does many things that health gurus advise one to do if you'd like to live a long time; she walks thirty minutes (at least) a day, she is moderate in most ways, gets plenty of sleep, and she eats a grapefruit every morning. I'm just sayin' !

I love that in the dreary winter months we can look forward to such bright and cheery citrus to perk us up.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Best,

Lydia

Pansy teacup

It felt great to paint on a 6x6 inch canvas today. I have decided that for daily paintings it just makes sense to paint small! (like re-discovering the wheel). When you are forced to capture something in a small space, you figure out how to do it, and many times that is all you really had to say about something anyway. I hope you had a nice holiday time, I really enjoyed getting to hang out with my family and especially loved being with my big boys, who are both funny, smart, interesting and compassionate people, who I'd want to know even if they weren't my kids....go figure!