LAST WAR DANCE

SOME roughly 25 + years ago I painted a huge picture of this American Indian dancer, complete with feather shields, ankle bells & the whole bit.  I happened to hate the thing and wondered: "what am I to do with this monstrosity?" (Was approx. 24 x 36")
 I was talked into doing it by my at-the-time controlling husband. 
It sat in my studio for years amongst other works, so I one day covered it over with another painting.

 Glad, though to still have this small photo of it.

Native Art by Karen Roncari

COSMIC WORKS in PROGRESS

Cosmic Works in Progress

TREASURE ISLAND  oils & goldleaf

  I was going to use my drawing table to "draw" but could not bear to disturb the pieces stored on top of it.  Guess I'll just use my lap for my sketchbook and sit on the couch.  One by one they will be finished. Meanwhile, got these all titled..  :)

NEW MOON  gessoes & charcoal

LUNA MOONA  oils

NEZ MOON  gessoes, pastels

PLEIN AIR in the PARK

"Lake Cadillac"  16 x 20 oils

edges painted black

Late in July after 4 sessions at the local
park I completed this oil; details done at home in the studio. As can be seen in photo I chose to exclude the dock and people fishing. These sessions were happened during Jazz In The Park on Thursday evenings, adding to the enjoyment I had while working on it and talking to friendly locals. 
Available through my Etsy shop.
 https://www.etsy.com/listing/182220399/landscape-plein-air-oil-painting?ref=shop_home_active_10

left upper detail

Lake Cadillac

SCIENCE In ART

Spirit Wind in progress

As of lately I have discovered a world of easy techniques for softening what I consider too-hard edges on an already painted surface.  The painting must be dry and totally matte [achieved with matte spray and/or brush-on matte medium], the soft pastels are applied and sprayed. The process can be repeated til desired results, then a final brush-on or troweled on varnish or glazing medium is needed.
Done only on my acrylic pieces so far, I discovered it works for oils too, as this one is. 
The jist of this revelation is: as long as it works, it can be done.  I shall not forget, however the panic experienced upon applying acrylics over oils! That was something that did Not work, and lesson not to be forgotten!

My Review of World's Greatest Gesso

Originally submitted at Jerry's Artarama Art Supplies

This wonderful gesso provides incredible coverage and the highest level of brilliance of any Gesso on the market today. It also has extra flexibility so it won’t crack even in the most adverse conditions. Simply put, it’s the best!

World's Greatest Gesso

the "Best" yet

By paintlady from Michigan on 2/23/2013

 

4out of 5

Pros: Nonyellow, Matte, Glides Smoothly

Cons: Covers Well

Best Uses: Art, Artboard Primer

Describe Yourself: Artist

Primary use: Personal

Was this a gift?: No

I have tried different brands over the years, searching for a gesso that will not dry with a shine and take several coats to cover. Another gesso stipulation is to be as white as possible. Jerry's Greatest meets these demands: primes with a good white tooth that is matte.

(legalese)

Doing a MIXED MEDIA PAINTING

"My Reflections"

The media used 
this time was: gessoes, [both black & white] pastels, colored pencil,  acrylic paints, polymer sealers [matte & gloss]..done on recycled plywood, 10 x18".
As reference a photo I took of my sister was used; though more impressionistic than a portrait, I was striving for more a dreamy, emotive  kind of effect. 
Initial stages = watery applications of the gessoes  dried overnite. 

drying glazes near infared heater

Pastels & acrylic paint next day, using  fingercots, dabbing at the cosmic pattern & background.
Additional wet glazes set near my infared heater quickened drying time.

More info on the sectioned paintbox in my post of 7/29/12.  The comb brush is great for hair strokes; as well in landscapes, etc.

finger-painting IS fun

Royal 1/2" filbert comb brush  

A CHILLING EXPERIMENT

Want to know what's more fun than watching paint dry??

Squeezing paint out of tubes! 

Not my own idea, I borrowed it from another artist's blog, wanting to try it for myself.  The reason is to have handy several shades of acrylic paint at your palette knife tips, without the hassle of opening & closing lids which ofttimes are stuck. The sectional has mointened felt fastened inside lid and it is stored in your fridge whereby it may keep up to 2 months or more.  

Having so many almost-used tubes, this appealed to me and last night I emptied 24 of them with the great help of a tube wringer.  Another practical thing: when tube has 1/3 to 1/4 left, half the time it is too firm and really should be used up before unusable. As additional means to keep fresh, I keep the sectional in a plastic bag in fridge. 

Another realization: no matter how icky the lid gets on a tube of Liquitex brand acrylic, they are always easy to open!

DENNY my BROTHER

"Dennis" in pastels

Dennis always a child, loved little kids, until they maybe teased him too much; including us-his siblings. After Dad died, there was 10 of us kids, 4 of which were in the Navy; regardless, Mom had her hands full. Dennis, we were told, was mentally retarded resulting from brain damage from a high fever in infancy. 

Looking through Mom's magazines, he would find a photo of a child and smile and happily stroke the face for hours, so much, the paper would begin to fray.  

Many people could not always understand his stammering jabbering, but we of his family knew what he was saying. One of his favorite sayings was: "I'm w-working t-too hard! I'm t-too-too busy all the time!"

It amazed me when he learned to print his name and that he always knew what day it was.   And when I held up a crucifix asking who was on it, he simply answered, "God". No question about the deity of Christ here. 

Denny had an awkward gate, quite often walking on his toes.  Outside he was compulsed to pick up or kick away any stones, twigs, trash in his path. 

Every Saturday was clean the house-time. Denny would sweep out his bedroom, leaving the dirt in the hallway next to the wastebasket.  

Once I happen to go in there looking for something; when I looked under the bed I was astonished.  Way back beneath the bed against the wall was maybe ten or so round boxes from oatmeal & such filled with various things. Each one had a different variety of objects he scavenged from the street edge or the waterfront (we lived on Lake St Clair; debris occasionally washed up onshore).  It was his private collection of stuff he had saved & neatly sorted according to shape, material & size, etc.  I discovered my brother had a sense of order, neatness & cleanness.

When Mom died, Dennis went to live in a small group home in Genoa OH.  After a number of years he died from complications due to congestive heart failure. 

SURPRISE from the PAST

Last month an old friend came across some of my artwork that I had mailed to her some 25 yrs ago.  Once they were scanned & emailed to me, I was amazed; since I do not remember sending or even painting them!

 No doubt I was probably inspired by the publication Arizona Highways, usually had a copy nearby in my studio.  I recognize the medium used as tempura, on opaque type of water based paint. They are small, done on paper.
These 3 of the 8 sent go well together; also inspire me to continue further with similar content of the Southwest.
Still surprised & amazed!  Thanks, Carolyn