Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The last lone cherry


At group yesterday Mary provided us with a set-up of some hard candies in a beautiful glass bowl. It was fun, challenging and of course kept bringing our conversation back to food. There is no getting away from it. Not only is it a favorite topic that includes recipes, diets, favorite foods, food related incidents (both good and bad), favorite restaurants, memorable meals, etc. etc. etc. but how colorful foods are and how much fun they are to paint.
So, I think the best solution for us is to stop trying to fight it and do all major food groups,(including dessert).

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Mr & Mrs C Fly Away

I was gaining weight painting all that food so decided to take a break and finish something non-edible.  Under the creative instruction of Fran Hardy I had learned how to prepare this panel to be car-surface smooth with about 100 coats of gesso and acrylic.  It seemed the perfect place to put my cardinal friends.  Somedays the fine detail work of drawing is really very relaxing and I enjoyed working on this devoted bird pair.  After watercolor, acrylic, graphite and a touch of oil I guess it must be labeled multi-media.  Anyway I varnished it and grabbed it on the way out the door to a book signing.

Now here is the stumper: sometimes we artists work for weeks, even months on something that takes every bit of creative energy and emotion we have to give....and it hangs around and hangs around.  Other days we dash off a little something just for the pure fun of it, experimenting and playing with it...and it is sold before it dries.  Not that I am complaining...just wondering.

Anyway, such was the case with "Mr & Mrs C."  I barely put it on the easel before a lovely lady from Blowing Rock shared the story of her backyard cardinals and had to go home with the piece.  Wonderful.  And very good for the ego and back account.  But sometimes I have to think that as every pot has a lid, every painting has an owner...it's just a matter of connecting.  And maybe a matter of having a little more fun while painting and a little less angst!  Go figure.

Cindy Michaud
http://www.cindymichaudart.etsy.com/

Saturday, June 19, 2010

CheeeeeseCake ReDo

We are painting food...yummy sweet food and all for an exhibition we will reveal as details get clarified...but trust me, the goods are as delicious as they look and you will be invited to sample them!!

Here's the rehabilitation of my original cheesecake...I had to abandon painting my breakfasts as I soon learned I paint best on a full stomach and the pressure of not eating til I finished was way too much to bear!!  So I am into desserts...which I do not need to consume.  Cheesecake always seems to have a subtle artistic flair to it....rich, creamy, and decorated.  In cheesecake I definitely go for the "less is more" version.  This is 10 x 10, on canvas and available for hanging...or lusting after....or whatever: no calories!!

Enjoy...more about the showing soon!   Cindy
see more at: www.cindymichaud.com

Friday, June 18, 2010

CUPCAKE DRAMA, 5X7, OIL, CAROL SCHIFF STUDIO


It seems we are to practice baked goods for a little exhibition down the road, so last week Donna Vines did a little set-up with a monster cupcake involved.  I have tried cupcakes before, but without success, so I was very leery of this one.  This is the first one that has survived the dreaded "wipe-out".  Now, maybe I can move on with a little more confidence.

Purchase here

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Drawn and quartered


This was the little cupcake I painted to get back into the swing of things. After the painting was finished it was cut into four pieces and happily eaten. I think if I am going to follow in Cindy's footsteps I am going to have to resort to vegetables, there is no way I can paint pastries and not eat them in fact that is all I am thinking about when towards the end of the painting!!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

CheeeeseCake: Unfinished!

See why I am not a "Daily Painter?" I can't seem to finish something to my satisfaction in one day!  This breakfast is not done..."Unfinished Cheesecake" is the title and it applies in several ways.  There are some good juicy parts and some, frankly, lousy stuff...but all in good time....the foundation is good and I promise you, it will be completed and look good enough to finish, I mean, eat.  But not all in one day....
see, I am just too easily distracted by the fine details of the rough edge of the pie...I must have painted that part at least 1000 times...none to my satisfaction and when I had a depth of about 1/2" of wet paint, I'd scrape it off and start over again.  Frankly I began to look around the studio for something else to paint on (I love to go back and forth between pieces) and since I took this oath to do one a day....nothing was begging to be completed.

So...I took the dog for a long walk, she chased ducks and geese while I photographed them; she got her feet wet while I snapped future paintings of waterfalls and rocks, then we got an icecream cone and came home to work on the wonky fork......

I'll finish (and post) the cheesecake (it is 10 x 10) but tomorrow I am NOT painting my breakfast and I WILL BE painting on 2 or more pieces at the same time.  Geeze, I thought I had it in me but we are not all created equal.

My highest respect and best wishes to Carol and Carmen who have successfully become "daily painters" in several forums, hats off to you both!  To those who followed my sweat, take a look at the daily painters links....it's a whole new genre.......

Later,
Cindy
p.s. this is not to say that I might not re-challenge myself with this gig....maybe pastels and maybe all 5 x 7's...? we'll see, as always: stay tuned!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Today's Breakfast Painting


Whew!  Nothing fast nor simple about today's breakfast painting...I think I finished it at about 4 pm...still see a few things it needs but hey, it met the daily deadline.  And, truth be known, when I finally declared it done, the peaches did not look as appetizing as they did at 7:30 in the morn.  Good thing I opted to sneak in a little cereal.

The morning light on the deck here is wonderful and makes nice shadows...I remembered to take a photo as there was no way the rising sun was going to sit still for me while I struggled with the colors of the peaches.  This was actually fun to paint once I forgot that they were peaches and just concentrated on (all together now:) "shapes."  Kinda slipped into a trance...

So here's the photo of the day...sans the "extra touches."  Remember, this is all about doing four in a row...since I laid awake last night worried about what I might gather up that qualified as breakfast for today, I have already made my decision for tomorrow: cheesecake!  Not your mamma's breakfast I know but I have a fun piece to paint and maybe if I eat a corner after it is painted it can then qualify as my morning meal.

So enjoy....if tomorrow goes well I might decide to make it five out of five!!  Still haven't done the cereal...
Cheers,
Cindy
p.s. they are getting bigger: this is 8 x 8

Home at Last

Cindy you have inspired me to do some foodie paintings, just for fun. I have been away and not painted for about 6 weeks now and decided to follow your lead. What better way to ease back into painting than using a model that is also a reward!! I have done a cupcake and am heading out for more victims this afternoon.
Photos to follow.
donna

Friday, June 11, 2010

Daily Painters Must Eat!


So today, day #2 of the "paint my breakfast series" I made a strategic change: I ate one of the muffins before beginning and promised myself I could have the other two when I finished!  Amazing!  Much less stressful experience. 

I also increased the size of my piece from yesterday's 3 x 4 to a board 6x6...big difference!  And finally I decided that I would not worry about those lucious blueberries...just paint the silly muffins. 

And so here they are.  Not fantastic by any means but much better than the piece you'll never see from yesterday.  And as "perfect is the enemy of good," I am (today anyway) very happy with "good." It can only go up from here.

I enjoyed downing the models with a fresh cup of coffee and have now diminished my supply.  Thus I suppose I should prepare to paint cereal tomorrow unless I get busy in the kitchen.  Meanwhile this afternoon's challenge will be a piece of (store bought, i cheated) cheesecake.  Chocolate marbled.  I hope it tastes horrible or I will complete this challenge of food paintings a much bigger woman!

Enjoy your day...and check out the little gems on http://www.cindymichaudart.etsy.com/

Cindy

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Why I'm NOT a "Daily Painter"

Those wonderful "daily painters," seriously, they continue to inspire me!  They vow to paint an entire (small) painting a day; that means they paint fast, they paint wet into wet and it is finished all in one session...every day.  Not my usual style.  But I love them (and their work) so I challenged myself to see what it involved.  Five days (ok, maybe 4) and I would paint my breakfast (or something) first thing in the morning.  I love breakfast so not eating til I was done would be my incentive.

Do you see a posted painting?  No.  Not today anyway.  But I am here to say I tried.  I set up my 2 beautiful homecooked (thank you husband!!) blueberry muffins, lit them perfectly, laid out a palatte, found my brushes...already I was tired.  Started painting....getting hungry...kept painting...starting to struggle....more paint...not so inspired anymore....dab, wipe, dab....the muffins were now warming under the light and the blueberries were sparkling and begging me to....still painting.  By now I am swearing under my breath and faint from hunger. 

One more swipe of paint and I literally ran to the kitchen to slather on some butter and down those muffins.  The painting?  Well, it won't win any awards but it is done and after the 10,000 hours the grasshopper says we must invest I figure I will eventually be either 20 pounds heavier or have a decent blueberry muffin painting to post.  Stay tuned to learn which option wins!!

Cindy

p.s.  so I will spend the rest of the day in the studio trying not to weep over the morning failure and enjoying the multi-media piece of two cardinals I am working on.  To see these when they are finished just visit http://www.cindymichaud.com/.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Spoonbills


Big news! Carol Schiff and I are now on a new website, Daily Painters Originals, and we are in some very high-quality artistic company. Check it out in the slideshow on this page. The site just kicked off today.

This painting is an 18 x 24. These spoonbills are sporting my favorite color. I am loving painting the Everglades birds.

Carmen Beecher

Ballard Park, Original Oil on Canvas

  I had not painted outside in two years, so this was quite a challenge. It was one of those paintings I had to improve upon in the studio. ...