'out and about' by myra anderson...

hello beautiful people.  wow! I don't know edmund and edmund don't know me - but I actually had to take a minute to mourn the fact that he was eliminated last night on project runway and will not be going to fashion week.

there is a project runway blog where certain ones think that he will indeed receive the tim gunn save...we just gotta have some drama first.  i hope they're right!

above, you may recall, that this is a series I wanted to work on - where I would do some fashion paintings ala degas.  this is two 4x12 inch paintings together. i'm looking forward to getting back into this or something very soon.

speaking about degas,  who wouldn't be inspired by this lovely painting by Tom Nachreiner.

'something on your mind?' by myra anderson...

hello beautiful people!  so many of you are telling wonderful stories with your paintings.  me? well try as I might, and I did indeed try, but this week I did not produce one painting or one drawing that I liked. they were all, as the kids say 'whack'!  

anyhoo that doesn't keep the party from rolling on!  throwback thursday...here is some artwork I did earlier this year.  I have been wanting to try this collage type technique again...and maybe I will soon!

this photo below belongs to  yasmin on instagram.  what a portrait of healthy food! I really need to eat like this more often especially at the project runway party tonight!

 

'step into pink - an extreme collage' by myra anderson...

 
Sometimes a painting is like a short story and with each glance we discover more of the story.  Also as we know, the drama is not always what is added to a painting . . . sometimes it's what is left out of a painting.  It's what's left to the viewer's imagination.  Robert Heindel was such an artist.  He painted many beautiful figurative abstract paintings of beauty and drama.  I also love the little drama of his painting below.

'her green shoes - an extreme collage' by myra anderson...

Hello beautiful people! How is your figurative work coming along?  Again with the project runway!  It's down to the final four I think!  The interesting thing to me is that Tim Gunn would have used his 'Tim Gunn save' for emotional reasons by now.  That's the curious thing about this season. . . no emotional investment . . . everyone get's "the old heave ho and the 'don't let the door hit ya' do you need me to help you pack?" from Tim Gunn this season.  
Anyhoo. . .I'm not happy with this photograph - this girl is actually smiling!  I'll try another photo later. 

Another thing that also makes art an excellent adventure is getting a glimpse of the artist's studio, workspace and tools.  This beautiful array belongs to artist Hodaya Louis...

more later...

'A big top over some black pants draw-ma' by myra anderson . . .

Ah well kids...tomorrow is the project runway party and looking in the mirror I need to bring  my big top over my black pants party.  The photo below is what I wish I could eat...but I shan't...

I'll take 50 please!

You have to admit that these look like a work of art...speaking of which...I love this painting by Milt Kobayashi. He is a wonderful colorist and I love staring at those lines...speaking of lines...well...next time...

 

'patch work draw-ma' by myra anderson...

Last night PR was a little rough.  They had to create a garment for the everyday woman - in this case the members of the crew. But I'm sure (I think) that Nicole and I would agree that they voted the right person off.

Anyhoo, I love realism, I love expressionism and everything in between.  In expressionism you can even have crazy shapes and orange shoe shadows. And of course in art...you can use a lot of color or make full use of one fantastic color like the artist Sandra Flood below.  She can take dabs of paint and make it look like a woman who can't wait to get home and eat her 'lobster fried rice'! This painting is called 'take out'.

'this is how I walk in my red shoes draw-ma' by myra anderson...

Well, I'm still working on my figurative expressionism.  I'm trying to master what I call the 'none face' face.  The artist Dan McCaw (below) is the master of color, texture, story telling in a painting and the 'none face face'.  I would like to master the 'none face' in my figurative expressionist work because I want to represent 'the every woman' in the painting.  Figurative expressionism was some kind of a modern day movement.  I believe that a part of it was pulling the landscape or figure out of the abstract painting.  If that is so...then Dan McCaw does it well!

I would also like the increase the 'story telling' in my painting.  Patience.  Baby steps.  This is the food we are having at the project runway party tonight.  I don't know what this is...but I'm going to eat this.  Then you are going to have to give me a hamburger...or something...

It's an egg! Seen on Pinterest...

'this is me walking in my green shoes draw-ma' by myra anderson...

I don't believe it!  I haven't seen the last episode of Project Runway yet because so much has happened!  I do know who got voted off however, and I must say that based on that one garment I am not surprised...but indeed...she is a talented designer.  

My drawing above is an interpretation of one of the designs.  I am still working on my 'colorful figurative expressionism' but I saw this painting below (and so far the artist is unknown by me.)  This painting inspired me to turn my drawing into a monocromatic painting with her green shoe draw-ma...It's almost finished!

'me and my ballerina draw-ma' by myra anderson. . .

Well, how is your figurative adventure coming?  Sometimes in art I feel like the three legged mouse who says 'well...I'm going for that cheese again...and maybe this time things will be different!'  Happy to say, I did a couple of ballerina drawings that I actually like!

The artist Connie Chadwell (below) is a master of figurative art in oil as well as pastel...and she is also a master of breathing emotion as well as movement into her drawings of charcoal, pencil and pen.  

Connie Chadwll

Well, gotta go...Nicole and I have to get ready for the project runway party tomorrow!!

'blue pants blue stripes draw-ma' by myra anderson . . .

Myra Anderson

Well...here I was practicing my somewhat figurative expressionism.  Again I started with a simple sketch.  However, many artists start with no sketch.  They cover the entire canvas with paint and then they 'find' the figure within the paint.  Not gonna lie to you...done it before... don't know when I'm going to try it again.

One such artist who paints beautifully and uses this method is Linda Christensen (painting below).  There is another artist who practices doing a small painting every day and then frames them with antique frames he refurbishes from thrift store finds!  Wanna try!

Linda Christensen

 

'drama in my red shoes draw-ma' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch...

Well, I can honestly say that this weekend I practiced my art like a dieter eating the last chocolate donut on earth...like it was 'going out of style'.  I sketched some things, I painted some things, I pastel-ed  some things....and I also noticed some things.

I noticed that my paintings were starting to get a little 'rigid'.  I needed to loosen up.  What to do?  "Ahhhh! I'm supposed to be painting the 'fashion sketch'" I thought.  But I was doing too much controlled drawing and not enough loose sketching.

So, instead of a drawing, I did the painting above from this sketch.  And like a baby who eats country fried steak for the first time and says 'I don't know what this is - but I want more' I want to loosen up more...maybe not full out one hundred percent total figurative abstract expressionism...but more!

I absolutely love this painting (below) by Peggy Kroll Roberts - it's so delicious!

'me in the pink dress draw-ma' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch...

while interesting and engaging...project runway was also a little - shall we say weird...last night?   Why weird? Heidi said that the runway show was excellent (which it was) but at the same time most of the critiques of the clothing seemed quite brutal.

In my opinion, well sewn or not, all of the garments were just a little bit strange (the winning garment was indeed beautiful) ...and it seemed as if many chose the 'straggly hair and weird eye makeup' look for their models. Of course I could be wrong on all of this (that's me in the pink dress lol!!!)

What makes project runway more interesting going forward is the elimination of the last designer who while good - struggled with each challenge.  Now we are at what I would call 'the top tier' of designers and it's GAME ON!!! 

This is a painting Liepke did some time ago.  Okay! Now he's just showing off!!!! (just kidding!)

'abstract blue dress draw-ma' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch...

So indeed, the project runway party is tonight and I have changed my mind and decided to wear my favorite blue dress.  As I previously mentioned, it is the fantastic illustrator and artist Jeanette Getrost who is working with project runway to illustrate the winning designs.  Jeanette has a very large body of varied and vibrant work! (click her name to see her instagram) Below is her illustration of the winning design I showed you before.

Thank you for your previous comments everyone! Helen welcome back to blogging...I missed you!  You know, every artist has their own amazing paint signature.  Askart said of this figurative painter "her process of painting is an endless and ineluctably rewarding cycle of learning and teaching." Uh?? The what??  Anyhoo, who is this artist and what does this word mean?? Next time...

'orange draw-ma' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch...

my oh my...how quickly the days do fly by!  It's time to say again that tomorrow is the project runway party!  This is a painted selfie portrait of myself of what I am wearing to the party...just add 82 years and 149 pounds!  I saw this fancy food on pinterest and in my mind this is the food we are having at the party

So, we're working on our fashion as well as our figurative work right?  The painting below is by Leslie Sandbulte.  I love that it's almost monochromatic and has three beautiful, expressive figures.  I was thinking...wouldn't it be great if I actually painted another illustration of the fashion from project runway?  Anyhoo...there is a fashion illustrator who is actually working with project runway to illustrate the winning designs...I'll tell you who she is next...

leslie sandbulte

'draw-ma degas' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch...

well...this weekend I practiced my artwork like a long-time dieter eating a fully loaded gourmet hot dog...with relish!! I wonder...is there anyone who is NOT familiar with Degas (below)?  He was a master not only of color and composition...but also of painting a person...and a piece of a person.  That's what I was practicing here - painting a Fashion sketch ala Degas!  This is my first attempt.  It was fun...I think I'll give it another go!

'a little pencil draw-ma and a little painting draw-ma' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch...

project runway was very interesting last night.  It was interesting to hear one of the designers say that he was not putting forth his best effort...but was waiting more towards the end of the competition to do so.  He claimed that he was doing this so as not to peak to soon...and fizzle out before the end.  Well, after a lot of procrastination during the challenge - he was almost sent home! Alls I can say is that I don't know about his strategy...it proved to be a little questionable and a lot risky!  I think this is why one of the more imaginative designers went home last week!

A blast from the past Marguerite Stuber Pearson (below) paints a nice gown and interior!  Above is my little practice paper and a little painting where I did my best to paint a bodice.  I want to paint folds like Marguerite!

'pencil draw-ma indeed undone' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch...

This week I have been practicing my figurative work like a long time dieter eating a cookie...with gusto!  The artist Kim Frohsin whose work you see below, gave me the idea of doing quick, quick studies.  I am doing small fast drawings all over the page to see how fast these studies will help me to improve my work.  I'll show you an example later...maybe tomorrow...

'pink draw-ma' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch...

ahhhh....I gotta tell ya....just as I suspected....the last episode of PR was really refreshing! Not the drama - which was aplenty!  But the beautiful garments they created.  The designers were divided into two teams and below is the collection of the winning team.  It would be nice if you could see the front AND the back because some of these garments have stunning details in the back.

I truly appreciated all of the encouragement I received after my last pitiful post.  I went back to drawing my little panels - as I stated - until I was inspired to do this painting (of the gown I will be wearing to the PR party tonight---not---haha!).  By the way, the second gown on the top was the winning gown.

'2 much draw-ma' by myra anderson . . .

I gotta tell ya...I'm feeling a little bummed out today!  I usually feel bummed out on a day where I do a lot of artwork and there is more BAD than there is good! (actually I think I have a virus!)  I'm so bummed out that I won't even bother Liepke today - and I love bothering Liepke!  I'm so bummed out that I don't have any food for the party - and right now I don't CARE that I don't have any food for the party!  I hope this is just a caterpillar to a butterfly phase.  My solution to end the draw-ma?  This is a panel of little dresses I painted sometime ago. I like it!  So, I will have to go BACK to painting panels of little dresses...in order to go FORWARD.  I am so sure that project runway will inspire me tonight.  The drawing at the bottom is by Mary Cassatt called 'the fitting'.  Even SHE likes project runway!

'MY pencil draw-ma' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch . . .

wow oh wow!  I was pretty busy this week and  had no time to paint.  The only thing I could do was to practice a pencil drawing or two.  Ahhh! Liepke!  I may need a few more years to catch up with you so ...don't stop looking over your shoulder!

All of the artists I have followed here over the years are very talented.  And if you study their work - you would see that overtime everyone has raised their level of genius! 

There is another artist that I admire in the figurative arena...Janet Hill.  I thought I was closing in on her like a cute little mouse who thought she had the cheese - but OH SNAP!!!!  Please...don't take ANYONE for granted.  They just keep getting better and better...

'majorette' by janet hill

'project runway draw-ma' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch...

Well, I thought that the fashion on last night's episode of Project Runway was quite good.  As for the winning garment?  Okay I understood where the judges were coming from.  There were several garments that were beautiful, very nicely crafted.  However, the judges didn't pick the 'most well sewn garment' no....they picked what they called 'the most innovative garment'. They often look for new shapes that they have never seen before.  The garments I picked both last week and this week were elegant and beautiful...but 'safe' from the judges standpoint.

This sketch is just a fun re-interpretation of a few of the garments from various episodes of the show.  I must say...like a dog who hears the dinner bell...I now salivate when I see a garment with a peplum.

I know what let's do!  When someone sews peplum we'll all have a  martini (real or imagined...in other words...we'll look at some of janett marie's refreshing paintings of martinis!)

painting by janettmarie

'pencil draw-ma' by myra anderson painter of the fashion sketch . . .

You know I like to talk about food right?  Tonight is the project runway party...and for the first time I feel a little bit bummed out...
Why?  I put on this really, really cute outfit and I looked like I had one of these around my hips...(not the lady...the inflatable donut)!

What's a party when you don't have inspirational food to eat.  Then I saw this video and thought 'this is exactly what I need to do!!!!!!' Now it's a party!!!!!