'marker ballet - dancing today!' by myra anderson...

'ballerina with paint splatters' by myra anderson

I was standing by the foot of the bed packing my bags in order to visit Chicago.  I was thinking that everyone would be happy to see me because they haven't seen me for ten years.  I lamented that I would look so much older than when they last saw me...and then...I woke up!!!!  Funny! I thought the dream was real!  Also funny...I absolutely have no plans to visit Chicago!!!!  My husband had recently asked me if I wanted to move back to Chicago and - I love Chicago - but I can't see myself moving back at this time!

Antoine Giuffrida

With that being said...I don't have the means to visit France but if I did I would visit the studio of artist Antoine Giuffrida! I love his artwork, especially his beautiful ballerina paintings.  I wish I could dream about sitting in the middle of his studio and staring at his paintings, staring at his art supplies and staring at him painting a ballerina from start to finish lol!  (The same goes for Degas lol!)

Also, I decided to work on my ability to draw with markers.  I completed a whole pad of 24 sheets of watercolor paper before I drew one that didn't make me say 'yikes!' when it was done! I also thought it would be fun to add splatters of paint...and it was!  Finally, for three days a spider hung out on my studio ceiling and today when I looked up...it was gone...I am so scared...

Antoine Giuffrida

Antoinne Giuffrida...I love your beautiful work!

'going to the mark-it!' by myra anderson...

via GIPHY
Quite a few years ago, and I do mean quite a few, my family and I went bowling every Saturday (mothers, sisters, husbands, in-laws etc.).  We did not miss one Saturday for a whole year.  Even in the wintertime with a Chicago wind chill factor of 83 degrees below zero...we went bowling.  We even had bowling names like 'Jump', 'Skip', 'Twitch', 'airplane bossa-nova' and 'Twirl'.  I didn't bowl by throwing the ball down the center of the lane.  No! I loved to throw the ball with a spin - so that it would race toward the gutter - turn on the edge - spin toward the center - and forcefully knock down all the pins.

Was I any good? Of course not!  I was an amateur - not a professional bowler.  It was kinda funny that after bowling every week for a year, we would take friends with us...friends young and old, friends who had never bowled before or who had not bowled for decades! And, they would always beat us...each one of them...every one of us...every where...every time! What does this have to do with art?  I leave it for you to decide.   But I was wondering...if you compare art to bowling...am I the ball happy to knock down at least one pin at a time? Or am I the ten pins happy to be a strike!  Or do I just need a martini?  Again...you decide...

Below is beautiful artwork by Viktor Sheleg...

Viktor Sheleg

'color me degas!' by myra anderson...

 

Juliette Crane

Ahhh...something a little bit different...an ice skater! I am still looking forward to trying the water soluble graphite pencils that I mentioned in our last time together!  I did however try the watercolor pencil and as you can see in the ballerina sketch above it did indeed produce a deep rich shadow color.

Juliette Crane

Speaking of color...I am always impressed with the work of artist Juliette Crane.  I love the way she makes use of everything in one painting (see photo)!
Below is a quote by the artist Helen Gorrill. This is a very interesting concept that I have explored over the years but not to the extent mentioned here.

Helen Gorrill

Color me Degas: I would love to create some mighty and beautifully colored ballerina paintings using as they say 'everything but the kitchen sink'.  At this point I have no idea how - but this is certainly an adventure I am looking forward to.

'pencil me this...pencil me that!' by myra anderson...

Well, I decided to get out the old graphite pencils and try drawing some new and of course some all-time favorite things!  Here (photo) is something I would like to try...the graphite water-soluble pencil!
I am intrigued by the description given below.  Of course I suspect you can do the same thing with regular watercolor pencils and I will give that a try as soon as I find the ones I know are hiding somewhere in my studio lol!

Speaking of wonderful colors...I saw so much wonderfully colored art this past week from interiors to aquatic to still life to landscapes that I hope to share with you soon.  But first I wanted to share this 'wonderfully colored piece of art' Bowie.  This is Bowie at three months old.  He is a rescue pet (abandoned in a park).  You can click here to see how he looks now!

'I love this painting...I hate this painting...depending on the day lol!' by myra anderson...

 

Malcolm Liepke

You know...sometimes it takes a lot to be a baby!  Think of the hours you have to spend staring at things until you can figure out what in the world is going on!  Then...you would like to taste everything you see - but some 'genius' comes along and slaps that screwdriver right out of your mouth!  And no matter how many times you fall it's a must that you get up and work to propel yourself from over here to over there!

Janet Hill

I said it takes a lot...but I didn't say it wasn't fun!  As with art, the learning is both difficult and exhilarating! As you can see, this week was a thinking week for me!  One thing I was supposed to do was to master the feminine form.  I have more work to do...to draw the face, the hair, the dress, the fabric and the shoes! Liepke! How did you paint that beautiful texture!  Miss Janet! How do you create such sparkly texture? (Beautiful paintings by Janet Hill...a mere whisper of her amazing work!)
Ahhh...one thing about being a baby...if you keep at it...you will grow...you will get better...and...the less temper tantrums you will throw...maybe...

Janet Hill

'fashion and a fraction of abstraction!' by myra anderson...

Hello everyone and happy ppf!  It was sort of fashion week this past week.  I wanted to create a painting that was part figurative and part abstract. I did a fraction of a beautiful Dior gown. I wanted the flower part to look somewhat abstract from a distance.   This (see photo) is perhaps my favorite dress by fashion designer Matty Bovan (I've painted this dress before).  Talk about wearing an abstract!

I want to try my idea again by painting this dress similar to the style above.  I am working on this painting even as we speak and I have no idea what the end result will be lol!

Artwork by Jacky Blue

I love the artwork of fashion illustrator jacky blue...

It's beautiful, simply elegant and refreshing!

'gucci pooch!' or 'I promised you the moon but here's a pretty rock instead!' by myra anderson...

Clare Lloyd

This past week I was torn between the two titles you see above - so I decided to use them both!  The first one is the title of the painting and the other one describes the week lol! I was trying to determine if I am the kind of artist who can work on twenty paintings at a time or the artist who is 'steady as she goes' until you get that one painting done!  It seems as if I am somewhere in the middle!  

Myra Anderson 'One of my earlier efforts!'

Also I had the pleasure of exploring the blog of Clare Lloyd.  Journaling is an art form that I have dabbled in from time to time and Clare certainly made me want to explore journaling again!  The  top photo is just one example of the many cute and inspiring ideas on her blog.  Then I was wondering if you could paint beautiful skin tones with acrylic paint - as I had my doubts.  Afterwards I saw the beautiful work of  Abi Whitlock 'the master of aquatic acrylic paintings' and I discovered that you can do anything you set your mind to with acrylics!

The verdict:  If I try to work on 20 paintings at a time...the only thing I will have is a pile of unfinished paintings lol! Stay sweet and happy ppf!

'call me a taxi...okay...you're a taxi!' by myra anderson...

'lady on red...pink flower' by myra anderson

Sara Giles

Lipstick, nail polish, ice skater, coffee cup, roses, a poodle and yes a taxi...are some of the things that I painted this past week.  You know it's interesting...you wouldn't believe it now (lol!) but I was in this very room overlooking this very building in Chicago a long time ago!  The artist Darren Thompson (below) is from my hometown Chicago.  Here is a very interesting snippet from an interview...

Interesting! The sum of his work is historical (is that the right word?) as well as amazing.  I have seen those buildings.  I have walked down those streets.  I have rode the very trains depicted in his paintings. 

I also love his wonderful brushwork.  I will show you more of what I painted next week!

 

'cover with canvas, build a bridge' by myra anderson...

Photo found on google-no credit

Ahhh...I have been working on a few canvases including a new 'lady and red' canvas.  Thankfully they are coming along quite well!  You know...these days if you want to teach yourself something new you still have access to reasonably priced materials or you can practice on your ipad (see photo).  If you don't want your 'practice knowledge' to 'eat up your more expensive canvas' you can make your own canvas panels.

It took my aging brain a few minutes to digest information from several sources but it was simple and fun once I figured it out.  Sometimes we may come across really nice pieces of cardboard and the artist side of our brain always thinks that 'there is a good use for this'.  Like when you come to the end of a watercolor pad for example...oh what a nice piece of cardboard! You are halfway there with glue, a pad of canvas sheets and a coupon for whatever you need from Michaels.  In my excitement I rushed the first one (top) but now that I have calmed down I will exercise more care lol!
Below is the beautifully complex work of Jean Louis Marcel Cosson! Many of his works include ballerinas AND beautiful architecture!

 

How do I build a bridge to this level?

'red should be painting roses?' 'what?' by myra anderson...

'lady and red' by myra anderson

Last time we met - I spun you a tale - I weaved you a web - about painting flowers.  Well, I fooled us all! I just couldn't get my head into the 'flower game'.  But I will not go down in flower flames!  I will 'petal' my way to the top and one day I will indeed paint a bouquet of red roses.  Why? As I told you...I have that 64 ounce bottle of red paint...so YOU get some red...YOU get some red...everybody gotta get some red! 

Anyhoo...Here is the hand and paint of artist Carolyn Dube.  I did a little bit of experimenting with paint pouring and it was fun.  Whether on canvas or glass or more - there is much you can learn about this subject. I think that it is a really satisfying way to be creative with your collection of seldom used acrylic colors. 

Carolyn Dube

Below is the beautiful artwork of Bernard Martin and the last one is Degas.  Between Bernard and Degas I feel inspired to paint some ballerinas in beautiful red tutus.  Funny...I can promise you that more than I can the roses.

 PAINTINGS BY BERNARD MARTIN

PAINTING BY DEGAS