A Great Weekend!

Three Pear Demo, 12 x 12

Whew! I taught a 2-day workshop this weekend, now over, and it was so much fun!  I always get nervous ahead of time about doing a decent demo, keeping my thoughts straight, being able to say what I mean, and just connecting in general.  It went great -- it was an honor for me to have painters travel from Alabama, Florida and North Carolina, as well as from here in Georgia, of course - what a terrific and friendly group.  As usual, I'm pretty certain that I learned more than they did.  Above is a pear demo by me, and below is a study done by Kathy Broyles, from Atlanta, which is fresh and wonderful!  Coincidentally, she won the "lottery" for the demo above.  I am exhausted, but continue to be gratified that so many good painters want to spend some time with me as the teacher.

Check out this sensitive painting, same subject, different view:

Three Pears, 14 x 11, Kathy Broyles

Unexpected

"Tiny Dress," 30 x 24

Well, I dropped off the painting above last week at Huff Harrington, and wonderful Meg said, "this is something new for you, no?" and the framer said the same thing!  I didn't even get that -- still don't... I was just painting a small dress on a hook in my studio, but I guess we all get identified with certain subject matter, rather than as painters.  I was in San Antonio this past weekend, at Salon International at the amazing Greenhouse Gallery, where I had 2 paintings selected for this annual exhibit.  (Also, my friend and fellow Atlantan, Bill Davidson, had THREE paintings juried into the show, and he won the landscape award).  Another unexpected development was that my painting of yet another rare subject for me -- a dog -- was selected for an Award of Merit by Everett Raymond Kinstler, the judge!  I was on Cloud Nine, and still am... at any rate, "Basking," below, is one of those rare paintings that just come out, truly painting itself, and when that happens, you know it!!  So, it has been kind of  - in fact -- a totally "unexpected" week!

"Basking," 24 x 24