Well, it's Friday, October 24th and I am lost without my camera. I managed to take a few pathetic photos with my broken Olympus, but they're not great. After much time with tech support I felt it was time to give up and take the thing apart, or at least take the uppermost lens out and see what's going on behind it. That's when I discovered ... there was no longer an outer lens -- it was missing. Must be why my zoom only functions half-way, and my uploaded pictures on my computer look like a fish-eye lens took it. So off to the E-Bay "store" I went, found a non-working one for $25, ordered it, and am waiting to cannibalize the thing when it arrives. I hope it works or I'll be selling TWO broken old cameras on E-Bay. Just got back from the Opening Reception of the Backus Four-County Show in Fort Pierce, where my bronze "Seminole" and pastel "Walpi Indian" were exhibited. Great show, great hors d'eouvres, and lots of local people from the art scene here on the treasure coast. Love going to these things--all the talking about art, critiqueing, comparing, buzzing about other artists. Surrounded by all that art is a good way to get inspired. It was a good end to a Friday night. Tomorrow I go to Melbourne to paint with the Arts League. These people can really paint, and the atmosphere on this third-floor bare-bones studio feels like the Art Students League in New York--with even less frills! No air conditioning, paint is everywhere, dust is everywhere, but everywhere there are signs that great painters have left their DNA in that place. Hope to post tomorrow's pianting using this lousy fish-eye camera. We'll see.

Good Red Things!

Well, it's been a few days since I have blogged. Silent migraines have plagued me for a few days, a very rare event, though I managed to start a very enjoyable painting that distracted me from the headache distraction. Attached is a good start for "Good Red Things," an oil painting from a photo of a still life setup I had painted from before. My other painting of this arrangement was done on a wooden palette, which I floated in a black box frame. It sold the first time I showed it, and so I thought it would be a good subject for The Garden Of Art's "Bon Appetit" show come November.

I think my headahe and back pain is payback from building that patio, but it was worth it. When I am done here I will go out on my patio in the dead of night to gaze at the beautiful full moon and the stars, without having to worry about creepy-crawly things at my feet in the grass.

Attached also is a portrait study I did a couple of days ago. Spotted this beat-up old poster at a Habitat For Humanity thrift store for $5. This was actually the 2nd time I saw this poster there, and had resisted buying it the first time because the frame was broken, there was no glass, and the picture had a scratch through the face. But what a face ... and it was a face I knew I had to paint. The poster was from the opening of the National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., which I had been a member of at one time. "Lady with a Bowl of Violets" by Lila Cabot Perry (1848-1933). What I'd give to actually gaze at this painting in person, and see the actual brushstrokes firsthand. Nothing compares to being in the presence of a work of art created by such a master. To own something like this must be such a thrill, and to have it actually hanging in your home--well I can only dream ... and try to copy one for myself!

Well, my camera is on the fritz. The zoom is acting crazy, blurry when I try to zoom in. And I notice photos are distorted in birds-eye fashion, but I've done my best to correct them as best I could. I've about worn this one out, like I did my last digital, taking thousands of pics a month, trying to capture every beautiful thing I come across to keep for my own.

Tomorrow I must finish my pastel of a Walpi Indian and frame it, and buff up my bronze bust of a Seminole Indian, to ready them for entry in the Backus Gallery's Four-County Competitive, which I won the watercolor prize for last year. I'll try to post them tomorrow. The competition is fierce as many accomplished artists enter this show, but I may just get lucky again. I hope tomorrow also to have enough time to work on "Good Red Things" ... the doily under the still life will be so so much fun to work on. And then there's the table, that's always an adventure trying to create a weather-worn-looking piece of furniture from my head. It's like the sections of a jigsaw puzzle, each section is distinctly different from the other, and enjoyable in a slightly different way, and when completed is a collective joy to see as a whole, and a source of accomplishment and pride. I hope I don't screw this one up.

Christening My Patio!

Today's pic is me painting on our newly-finished patio. Started painting at 6:30. What a pleasure being out there painting, watching fish jumping and herons, egrets and ospreys flying by, and watching the sun set just to my right. Just did some practice work, honing my water ripple-painting skills with oil, and practicing painting palm trees.

Today it poured this morning, so no plein air painting. Instead went to a media breakfast for people who do marketing for non-profits, and then went out soliciting sponsors with Rita Z for the Vero Beach Art Club's "Art-By-The-Sea" show. In spite of the economy, we've been quite successful. That's all for today.

Begging for Bucks!

Today started out with a spectacular sunrise, took this picture out my back door. Met Rita at 10:00 to find sponsors for a Vero Beach Art Club Show we're having in January, raised over $700 today from some generous Vero businesses. Then came home and painted the little gem attached entitled "McKee en Plein Air," while watching the debates. It's only 5"x7". It was started a couple of years ago at McKee Gardens.

Will try to post another one tomorrow, going plein air painting on the Pointe again after a 9:00 meeting in Vero.

Some Not-So-Important News (compared to World News!)

Well, it's been quite a few days since my last blog. Lots has happened in the world since then, finance- and politics-wise. Not that it's as important to anybody but myself, but lots has happened with me too--went fishing, went swimming, went to some art-related meetings, finished laying my patio, threw my hip out (patio), got my hip back (swimming), transplanted a tree, 2 bushes and a dozen or so plants, saw a really dumb movie, went to an art/craft fair, overcame my lifelong fear of speaking to a large audience, reorganized my studio, and finished another painting--one that I started with the Plein Air Painters of the Treasure Coast at Royal Palm Pointe park in Vero Beach. It was a lovely sunny day painting with friends and watching children play in the fountains as we painted and chatted. Life is good when you paint, and life is better still when you paint with other artist friends.

Shown also is a photo of a flock of ibis which flew down in front of me while I was sitting at the water's edge in our yard. Imagine my delight when they lingered long enough for me to set my wine glass down, run into the house for my camera, and run back outside to find these birds waiting for me as if they were posing for their portrait! The other photo was taken from our friends Rita & George's boat at sunset. I was the only one who caught a fish which I sauteed whole (which freaks everybody out) in Cajun spices and had for lunch the next day. Lucky day for me ... not so lucky for the fish. But the end of a perfect day.

Plein Air Painting with Friends

Hi folks,

Well, another perfect day in paradise, painting outdoors with friends. Picked up some morning jo at Dunkin, and joined Barb and Lee at Royal Palm Pointe to start the season's plein air painting sessions on Wednesdays. The day was perfect and we each set up our easels under green canvas umbrellas and began constructing our compositions. We enjoyed chatting and watching the children play in the fountains while we painted. Being a much slower painter (and way too chatty) than my colleagues, they were finished and packed up by 12:30 and I remained by myself, "In The Zone," until after 3:00. My buddy Rita came by at 2:00 and convinced me to not go home and get ready for our Art Club Website meeting at 4:00, but to join her for a swim and a glass of wine and leave from there together. How could I resist? Posted is my partially-finished composition which hopefully I will post finished tomorrow. Although right now it's at the really ugly stage, I've learned not to get discouraged because they almost always get better (with some exceptions unfortunately).

Also posted is yesterday's finished painting of "Tuscany," started at the Sebastian River Art Club, and painted from a picture my friend Julianne brought.

Posted too is a picture of my friend Cathy who passed away earlier this year. Her husband Phil called this morning from Texas, and I told him of this lovely photo of her I took while we plein air painted at McKee Gardens in Vero Beach, and sent it to him. That smile is vintage Cathy, in happier, healthier days. She was one of the most pleasant, likeable people I've ever met--never a harsh word or a complaint, always happy and smiling. A terrific artist too.

So at 7:00 Bob and I bid adieu to the sun, sitting on our adarondak chairs with a glass of wine out by the canal's edge, winding up a busy and fruitful day. Bob did a lot of stuff too ... but who cares? (only kidding!)

Judy