Photo of the Day and A Favorite Guest Artist

Today's photo is of a sunflower that is just beginning to open. It is so fun to see the random placement and the amazing number of these flowers. I am guessing that birds are either really gluttonous trying to carry too many and drop them as they fly, or (perhaps more likely) they are dropping them from their "exhaust" system almost continuously.

At any rate, here is one in its beginning stages. I really like the greenness and the fuzzies, and the out of focus color behind it.

I had an unexpected guest artist yesterday and she began asking about "bainting" almost as soon as she was in the door. Before long we (actually she) was doing "awrt" and looking like an old pro. I love her attitude and her complete freedom to choose color without thinking about it too much.

Needless to say, I didn't get any art done yesterday, but I had a great day with this one and then with her 2nd grade sister after the bus dropped her off. Their Mom came around dinner time to pick them up and they stayed for BLTs and then by the time the kitchen was cleaned, the Tigers were on. I went to bed really early last night and slept in until almost 8 am. Perhaps I've caught up a little on the sleep I didn't get the last couple of nights.

I am planning to do more with the heron. Since I can't lighten it up very easily, I will try darker in the background and around the heron's head and some darker color in the water in the foreground and around him. Thank you so much for your lovely comments and suggestions, but for today's class I am planning to sketch some kind of waterway through trees with a lone fisherman in the water. At least, I think that is what I am going to draw. I'll share both the drawing and the first stages of painting tomorrow.

For now, I hear the treadmill calling. And while I am walking perhaps the "fishing in the river" idea will begin to take a more definite shape in my head so that when I am ready to sketch it out I'll know what it is I am trying to accomplish.

xoxo