Battleship Marsh 2. Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

I had time to paint two on Monday, this one was lots looser than the first...for me this is bordering on abstract. (smile).

Battleship Marsh. Lydia Host daily painting a day 6xx6

Joan and I met at the Battleship marsh today instead of her studio, for a bit of Plein Air painting. I had never been to this pavilion, and it was so nice, sort of back and hidden in the trees, it has two stories with cool spiral staircases, and there are birds flitting and singing all around. Our friend Laura Worsham who is a wonderful photographer, stopped by to scope it out for future excursions. All around an entirely pleasant experience.

Lydia

Purple Iris. Lydia Host daily painting a day 4x12

Well I am on a flowers in jars jag again...its really such a fun subject that I find new and exciting each time. Hope you have a great weekend. Best. Lydia

Yellow Iris. Lydia Host daily painting a day 4x12

I taught painting classes last night and this morning and really had such a great time in both. Its funny how putting actions into words and then words into action is such a hit or miss process. It seems that we only hear things when we are ready to hear them, when it makes sense internally. I really get a lot of gratification from teaching, which both surprises and delights me. Helping students problem solve, and witnessing their 'ah ha' moments, and seeing the progress....its awesome! Really. And then this afternoon I had a nap from Finn and a choice: clean house/ exercise/ paint, I painted and listened to good music = nice day. Doesn't good music just improve any activity? Lydia

60's style pears. Lydia Host daily painting a day 11x14

I like the way this one came out sort of looking like a painting that I imagine seeing in my parents kitchen ....in the 60's. My brother-in- law is a masterful wood worker, and he gave us this rough hewn wooden oblong bowl several years ago. I have been wanting to paint it, and these pears just seemed to pile up so fabulously in it that I could resist no longer! I hope the sun is shining where ever you are right now...it feels so good. best to you. Lydia

two minute gesture in oil. Lydia Host daily

Today I took one of my two minute gesture drawings and decided to paint it in oil. I am not sure how happy I am with it, but it was a fun excercise! Man, it is so beautiful in my city this week, everything is blooming and bright springy green, I really want to get out and paint, although some of it is almost too pretty if that makes sense...like how a vibrant orange sunset is soul stirring, but a tacky painting! Best, Lydia

After Homer. Lydia Host daily 8x10

Joan E. Whitespunner- Dixon's tulips above...aren't they as fabulous as I promised? We are thinking about having a show together sometime soon. I love her work, and her.

Today I painted a 'copy' of Winslow Homers Girl with elephant 1877. I changed the color of the dress and a few other things, Homer's masterful work is in watercolor and this is oil paint, I just love his work and it was really fun and a learning experience for me to bounce off of this piece.

Spring has sprung...and isn't it grand?

best,

Lydia

Good girlie Karma. Lydia Host painting

These girls were so fun to paint, I loved this family's energy, and I smiled the whole way through. Many times I feel like I struggle to keep a looseness when painting a large painting with multiple people, from a photograph. I question whether or not I even want to paint portraits by commission sometimes, because most importantly I want to paint good paintings, and often with portraits that falls by the wayside, or at least my style does. With this one, I really had a vision of where I was going, and I pretty much got there, I stayed true to myself. I feel like it is a painting that happens to be a portrait as well, and that makes me happy.

Happy Easter to you! Lydia

Girl with the golden hoop. Lydia Host daily 8x10

I used a picture of a friends daugther for my inspiration...I just thought it was such a 'girl with a pearl earring' pose! I just had to paint it...it doesn't look like her, but thats okay. I think that before you marry someone you should draw a picture of them...it forces you to slow down and really see people...and almost everyone on close inspection is quite beautiful. Details that distingquish one human from another, are really not that great, but its those tiny details that we fall in love with in each other (well aside from the internal which is what we really fall in love with). lydia