A little Diversion, Maestro, please

Yes, I am still around, good readers.  Still making my way through my creativity on a new road.  I am not able to stand long at my artist table.  However, since my husband is occupying my studio space, too, one day when I needed another surface we pulled in a folding 4 x 6 table. It works fine.  I can pull up a desk chair and all set!

There have been a few new "creative" developments.  First, I took on a student.  Finally gave in.  This is new since I am most used to group teaching.  But, it was very good.

Next I began a painting project: a nursery gift for a new nephew that will soon arrive in the family.
It took a long time researching.  I prefer to use photos of live animals and then work to give them another personality. Then, on and on with sketches and drawings and composing. This is way different than my abstract work.  It did, however, remind me of the satisfaction of creating.  All in all, the total piece took nearly a month to complete.

Here is stage one: this stage probably took over two weeks.  Creativity demands pulling back and letting messages come through.  That often happened when I first awoke in the mornings.
Composing was another task, being sure the negative space had a form of its own.

Stage Two: the dreaded color choices.  I started with the zebra and the giraffe as they spoke to me early on and offered the most opportunity to play with color and shapes.
They would set off the others.

 At this point I did not like the sky at all.

All during this time I started studying children's book illustrations on Pinterest. This prompted me to start a board just on that.  I love old vintage illustrations including Beatrice Potter.  In the next post I will discuss my one attempt at illustrating a children's book.  Everything in my painting at this stage  is blah.  Gngerly I look for ways to define and excite it.  I do not want the painting to keep the little one awake but do want him to enjoy looking at it.

Examples of vintage illustrations I like: the first is. of course, of Peter Rabbit
 by the great Beatrix Potter.

Here is a You Tube trailer to tantalize you...

If you have not seen it, there is a great movie about her life that I truly enjoyed. 

check out my Pinterest board

I have a whole collection of cards by the artist Ferrandiz, not as vintage

but superb in detail and delight.

Finally, ta da....it is finished. I am awaiting delivery of the mat and frame. Twin nieces, now five, have a corner of their bedroom which they call The Pineault Gallery (I am very honored!) where they add new pieces I send to them.  I have taken also, to designing and illustrating the boxes in which the children's gifts are mailed.  This has the advantage of also delighting the post office staff. 

 Everything can be fun!

The sky was the biggie.  It allowed me to "go abstract" and play. I love the result. It gave the piece depth of field, as did working the grassy area where the group sits.The tropical bird flew away from the back of the zebra as he was a distraction.  There are things I wish I could improve on, but this stands as it is now.  All my years in art have told me when to stop. 

  I hope this is the stuff of which sweet dreams are made....

This is the start of another children's home art gallery.