Work in Progress....cont.

Well...I am making progress.  I figure this painting is 3-4 times larger than typical for me...so It will take 3-4 days to do....sound logical?  That's my thought and I'm stickin' to it.

Work in Progress...

I suspected the day was coming...and here it is!  I shouldn't have been surprised...I chose a complicated piece and started with a large format (12x18).  But, I really love this scene.  I remember the day clearly.  It was a hot summer evening and the sunlight glow around the girls playing was amazing...we'll see if I can pull this one off.  I wish it was better than it is...but I keep reminding myself I have a ways to go.

Pretty in Pigtails

Pretty in Pigtails

8x8, soft pastel 

Day 12 - This sweet spunky little girl is Kristy (aka Beth) when she was all of two years old.  It took quite a while for her hair to grow long enough for pigtails...but finally the day arrived.  She was proud to wear pigtails this particular day along with her favorite colorful pants and matching shoes...and of course bright blue ribbons in her hair. Every little girl should wear pigtails at least once in her lifetime!

A Shady Spot

A Shady Spot

9x18, soft pastel

A right of passage for a prospective bride on a wheat farm is to see if she has the stamina to withstand the rigorous days and nights of harvest. This scene was during my daughter's first harvest working beside her future husband. Harvest days are long, hard working, dirty and typically hot. At lunchtime when you're in the middle of massive wheat fields, you don't run down to the air conditioned corner cafe for a bite to eat...you make due. A grain truck provides just enough cool shade for a quick lunch with the crew...then it's right back at it until well after dark.

Lady in Red

Lady in Red

8x6, soft pastel

An abstract that includes the favorite colors of my wonderful family members (in staying with my family theme this month).

I worked on this piece for awhile and after playing with the colors and trying to determine which direction to go with this piece, I suddenly saw...a lady in red.  Can you see her?  I see shoulders and the back of her head...she has long redish hair pulled back into a loose French braid.  She seems to be kneeling (perhaps praying) in a church pew and looking up towards what could be interpreted as a bright green cross near a bright yellow spot...maybe looking out a window.  Hmmm....or, maybe not.  

Maybe it's just my imagination...or the guilty little Catholic girl inside me telling me I really should be going to church more often.  Or, the good Lord sending me a sign that says "Cindy, you really are not an abstract painter".  Or, maybe I just have artist fatigue.  That's probably it.  In any event,  I will take it as a sign that it's done.  I am truly thankful for my family and their contribution to this piece...

(hmmm, maybe she's saying a prayer of thanks).

A Splash of Color 2

A Splash of Color 2

8x8, soft pastel

A busy day...another little splash to match the color theme of the past couple days.

A Splash of Color

A Splash of Color

7.5x7.5, soft pastel

                            

                       

Some days...you just have to give yourself a break. Today I decided to paint a small colorful square with the thought of using it in the end-of-month collage of all the paintings completed during the month.  In fact,  I hope to make a few more if time permits.  It was a little less stressful...and a little less time consuming so I guess I achieved my goal for today.