Painting The Blues Away

8x10 inches, oil

The AC Tap, in Door County, WI

Yesterday and today have been cold and rainy, more like autumn than spring.  I've been gloomy too, thinking too much about my elders who are passing away more and more quickly all the time, and missing my mom.  I am too lazy to exercise, so I painted instead.  This is the sign for an old tavern near my brother and sister-in-law's house.  It's one of those places where a person can get cold beer and hot food, and there is a jar of pickled pigs' feet on the bar.  Since they always let me stay at their place, this will be a gift for next time I visit.

Of Art and Hardware

I painted this little acrylic last autumn when the trees were at their most colorful best.  I liked the way the roof of the bus station contrasted with the red leaves, and I have always been a sucker for old-time signs.  One of my favorite ways to waste time is to go down to my local Ace hardware and pick up cleaning supplies, or paint, or glass for framing.  While I wasn't thrilled with my lettering in this painting, I was flattered and pleased to get an email from a man yesterday requesting permission to put the image on his website.

John Mcvey comes from a family whose living is made in the hardware store business.  His website is an ode to hardware, in his town and everywhere.  I was fascinated to browse through his site, a collection of all things hardware.  My favorite part has hardware related articles, poems, stories, photos and artwork.  I think I could have as much fun browsing through his online collection as I have considering which drawer pulls might be candidates for updating my bedroom dresser, or dreaming about which paint chip would be just perfect to brighten the studio.  On cold days like this (it's below zero this morning) it sure it warmer than going out.

Here's the link if you would like to see:

http://jmcvey.net/hdwe/literature.htm

Putting It Out There

 watercolor of downtown Janesville sign (sold)

colored pencil of statue at Rotary Gardens

One of the things I wanted to do once I retired was to paint more, and, I hoped, improve. I am painting more, though now that the weather is glorious, I have been spending more time outside than in my little studio (converted guest bedroom). I made it a goal to show my work, and to work toward having enough framed pieces to have a show. I still don't have enough for my own exhibit, but I have two pieces in the Beloit Art Walk that is coming up Friday and Saturday.

One entry is a watercolor of the sign of a local Chinese restaurant, the Cozy Inn. I've been told it is the oldest family run Chinese restaurant in Wisconsin. I know that when my parents got engaged they ate there and bought their rings across the street. I like the old fashioned neon sign, so that is one piece with a local connection. The other piece is done with colored pencil on sanded paper, and is of a statue at our local botanical garden, Rotary Gardens. It is a figure of a woman holding a small pine tree, so I call it Garden Dryad. Another local connection.

My art will be featured with other nonprofessional artists at the Beloit Art Incubator, which is a small gallery. They're for sale, and part of the price goes to the Incubator. We'll see how it goes. No matter what, it will be fun walking from place to place, grazing and sipping, and maybe buying some art.