Rag Reduction Painting

In the last couple of hours of the Sebastian River Art Club's show in Riverview Park I decided to start a painting ... silly me.  But I must follow my "muse" whever it calls me, otherwise it may not come back again soon after.  So I slopped some alizarin crimson and sap green all over the unprimed canvas with a palette knife putting globs here and there at random.  Then I took a big brsh and squished it all over the canvas, allowing the colors to be somewhat separate in spots.

Then I looked for a rag, and found I had none in my bag, and I was stuck.  So I took a paper towel and some Q-tips I had packed and went to it, wiping the highlights away, leaving the shadowed areas intact.  Looked pretty bad at first, but within about a half hour it started looking like a face.  I lightly glazed alizarin on the cheeks, prussian blue on the iris, orange at the bottom of the eyeball for the glow under the sparkle at the top.  It was such fun to begin to see that face looking out at me--that's the part I love.  I think she's beautiful, and can't wait to frame her, although I looked and looked today and could't find a 9"x12" frame.  Not a common size.  I will be demonstrating this technique tomorrow at the Sebastian River Art Club during my class.  Enjoy.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

Giving Birth to a Cowboy!



"Texas Cowboy" 11"x14" Acrylic, UNFINISHED 

 "Texas Cowboy," in progress, started today in the Sebastian River Art Club's "Three-Hour Challenge" painting program.  We try to do a painting, start to finish, in thee hours.  Some take less, some take more.  I started this one just before noon, painted till 3:00, and I'd say have about another hour or so to finish.  It's my first serious portrait in acrylic, and I'm pretty happy with it, although it had a bit of a rough start.  Can't wait to work on it again, but for now I'm off to another non-painting event! 
PS - The Sebastian River Art Club will be having a show in the Art Center in September for these 3-hour paintings, with many unframed and reasonably priced.  More news to come!

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

June 10th--Sunset at the Wabasso Bridge

I guess I should have named this blog "Beautiful Sebastian," as that seems to be the way it's going.  Had dinner down on the Wabasso bridge in Sebastian with Bob, and following are some great pics of the sunet and other things.

Below is a pastel painting I did years ago for Bob of his father fishing, which was taken from an old photo.  His father died at age 52 so I never met him, but his spirit was certainly with us today when I snapped a picture of his son in almost the same position, fishing ... déjà vu!


Pastel painting of Joe Burgarella, Bob's dad, fishing

 

Bob fishing

 So we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours at the Wabasso Bridge park overlooking the beautiful Indian River Lagoon, and I had a great time hunting for things to capture with my camera.  One more of Bob ... it's good to see him happily fishing after triple-bypass surgery just eight weeks ago.

Theis next photo is of Pat Mills and "Billie."  Bob started talking to her and seems she is a native Floridian of several generations from Wabasso--a rarity!  She had lots of stories and we both enjoyed listening.  Billie was a doll, but not too social.

This is another one I must paint, this shot is perfect!

It was a lesson in grace watching this castnetter throw out his weighted net, but came up with no mullet to fish with.  It's not easy, the timing must be perfect.

This snowy egret seemed to be posing for me, with his beautiful plumage glowing in the soft amber sunset. I must paint him some day (along with the thousand other paintings I want to do.  I think I'll need another turn.



This little guy kept jumping all over the rocks, following me as I strolled by the water's edge with my camera.  Such fun to watch him -- another "poser."

The following photographs are the progression of a very beautiful sunset, a mostly everyday view from the Wabasso Causeway, and especially beautiful as you drive over the tallest bridge overlooking the lagoon. 

 



Barely visible is a blue heron whose silhouette is just above the rocks

 


Also barely visible is the heron in flight in the middle of the sunset

 A-h-h-h, Sebastian.  You really should move here.  It truly is a paradise--and we're so glad we found it.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

May 19th - more photos and a painting

Yesterday I worked on the mural from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, and had a great time playing with the acrylics.  I'm really beginning to see the attributes of this medium. Below is the cute little doggie I painted smack dab on the bottom of Panel #1.  Soon this panel and Panel #2 will be installed in the Community Center for all to see.  Launch will be in the fall, and it will surely be a shindig!


"Scooter" painted into the Vero Beach Mural May 18th

 Most of May 18th I was busy with the mural, came home and crashed.  May 19th, Saturday, did a little garage saling and finally found an old cookie press--only $3!  Mine broke years ago and I've missed it ever since.  Other "treasures" found their way into my van also, including my favorite style potato peeler which mysteriously disappeared when our girls came to "take care of us" when Bob had his triple bypass.  As I was driving my camera was making me constantaly stop, make u-turns, park askew, and drive slow.  Too many interesting and/or beautiful images for me to just drive by.  Below are a few of them.  The turtle is one of three I saw at different times today--amazing. 


Pretty little Florda house across from Archie Smith's Fish House in Sebastian, Florida



Blue Heron on the Indian River





Blue heron flying away when I came too close with the camera





Cow with cattle egret at Kashi Yoga compound on Roseland Road

 


Historic Archie Smith's Fishhouse on the Indian River




Gopher Turtle inbetween hissing at me.  This fella was at least 12" long 

When I got home I knocked myself out for a while weeding and moving plants around, I finished off the day with a little kareoke at Sandy's with friends from the Sebastian River Art Club, where I sung a duo badly with Kathleen Richter. 

Any of you artists out there feel free to use any of my blog photos as painting subjects.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger