Big Honking Sunflower

Drawn from life at my friend's studio, a giant sunflower taken from her garden. Its arched stem and wildly curved petals reminded me of Art Nouveau, so I used pen to emphasize those lines and echo that style a little.

I like to make floral art at approximately life-size, which in this case meant BIG. It's 11" x 15",  layers of pen, watercolor, and acrylic on heavy cotton-fiber paper from France. All the edges are deckled or torn, so it'll do great float-mounted in a standard 16 x 20" or 20 x 24" frame. Available, $250.

Next on the flower agenda: Peonies from another friend's garden! I'll be grabbing a vase full today, before they're gone for the year.

Phlox

Little Phlox, 7 x 5" oil on panel

This was today at Derek Davis' class. A little experiment in loosening up and in leaving some areas really thinly painted.

I'm having such a good time.

Insomnia

And My Shadow, 6 x 12" oil on canvas.

I'm not sure if I was painting because I couldn't sleep, or if I couldn't sleep because I was painting, but whichever -- this was the result. I am less-than-energetic today as a consequence, but happy I started when I did, since the cute little flower was on its way out by morning.

Update: Sold.

Seeds in a tiny handmade book

Untitled, mixed media on Rives BFK Tan paper, about 5" x 3.5".

This is the first page of a hand-bound book my friend Tom Winterstein made for me. I took the book on my flight to Denver and back last week, began the drawing at 30,000 feet, and finished it in the studio Saturday afternoon.

I've been everywhere, man. Except online, it seems; but I'll correct that this week. I have photos from the training day at the Sandlot Brewery, and of a commissioned painting of geraniums, in progress.

Oh, and I have a class coming up at Michael's Arts and Crafts on Thursday. I'm at the Har Mar Michael's; you can find a link at the top of this blog where the schedule of classes (mine and everyone else's -- we have a lot of them) is available to download. :-)

Small works for the Holiday Sales

Last Petunia and First Berries, both 5" x 3" pen and watercolor. I'll have these matted to fit a standard 5 x 7" frame, and they'll be for sale at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts Holiday Sale starting on 11/17.

Tiny Flower Garden

Garden at the Faire, 5 x 3" watercolor and pen on paper

Another drawing from yesterday at the Renaissance Festival.

The humor of this: it was just to the left of the Legends Stage where the Puke & Snot Show was going on. Ribald humor and dahlias. I smiled all through the sketching part, but didn't get to finish it until much later in the day. I enjoyed the cool breeze and some remarkable music while I sat in the Queen's Tavern with my watercolor kit and a pint of good cider, happy despite knowing how soon winter will arrive.

The intricate pattern of leaves and flowers required considerable time and attention, but it felt good to slow down enough for that.

This little piece is now available at my online shop.

Tiny Periwinkle, Begonia, and Sailboat

All from the last week, all 5.5 x 3.5", in my Tiny Moleskine Sketchbook. The Periwinkle is in my grandma's back yard in Florida.

Red Begonia in Orono. Drawn while awaiting the arrival of someone who got Mapquested. That is -- she used Mapquest and it did to her what it has more than once done to me. Having my sketch book means I get to be happy and creative rather than impatient, and I love that about it.

Distant Little Sailboat, Hudson. It is possible, I suppose, that it's bad manners to sit outdoors at a restaurant and spread one's watercolor kit on the table to sketch, but I don't regret it, and our server was kind of intrigued to watch what was happening. Also I tip well, so I'm sure that helps.

Katie Bar the Door, indeed!

Strip-mall Petunias, 3.5 x 5.5", in the Tiny Moleskine Sketchbook, sketched outside PostNet on Ford Parkway yesterday

                                       Katie Bar the Door is 11.5" high, found wood, oil paint, wax medium, string.                                             A symbol of the dangers of too much self-protection.

In the last month or so, I have:

Made art every day
Taken a fantastic painting workshop with Kami Polzen
Begun teaching at Old Town Artists
Accepted an invitation to participate in the $99 Sale at the Soap Factory
Accepted an invitation to participate in the Rescue Me show at Altered Esthetics
Signed up (this morning) for a demo and workshop with Mark Balma
Accepted an offer to be profiled on CreatedByChicks.com for their "Who's Creating? Wednesday" feature
Sold several drawings and paintings
Found a new venue for my salvaged-materials art
Begun writing professionally for others after years of writing professionally for myself
Joined the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota

Thanks to Lauri Flaquer, the Mackmillers, Josephine Geiger, Kelly Williams, Gail Weber, my amazing family and many many others in my life for reminding me that if I want to, I can.

And I'm sharing all this not just because I want everyone to know how awesome my life is now, but because  I've been the most timid, the most self-effacing soul, the one with the most reasons why the things I wanted were out of my reach, and I've changed. It can be done.

I hope someone else will see what I'm doing and decide to do what they want.

Foxgloves, a Pony, and a 110-Degree Heat Index

Foxgloves at Jerusha's House, about 8 x 5.5" pen and watercolor. Click to enlarge.

Palomino Pony at Wholechild School, St. Paul. Based on a toy horse that lives in the classroom.

You know, I'm certain I had Interesting Things to Say today. Sadly those thoughts seem to have melted and leaked out my ears during the time I spent outside.

People often ask -- while looking at me as if I've lost my mind -- why on earth I left Florida. It was mostly because the support I wanted as an artist was here, not there, but also: this kind of heat. Month after month of this.

If you need me, I'll be hiding under a nice, cool, shady rock for a while.

Watercolor Flowers, and a Bird that's a Bird, this time

These small flowers are so popular that I plan to make note cards out of them.

Courtyard Sparrow, about 5.5 x 8", pen and watercolor

 All three of these are from the J&S Bean Factory coffeehouse today, done while I sat in their pretty back patio area. The flowers kindly sat still for me; the birds didn't, and I sketched this little fellow as best I could from memory.

The flowers are something like 3" x 2.5" each, quite small. I'll sell either of them for $15; $25 for the set of two. 

Sunday Daylily Watercolor

Daylily, 7.5 x 5.5" pen and watercolor

I did this while having lunch at Panera with a good friend. It is now in her collection, and that makes me happy.

Minneapolis Alley and a few Phlox -- or why I sometimes hate my scanner

Actual colors. This being a book, though -- I can't lay it truly flat to photograph it.

The scanner flattens the paper nicely -- but look how muddy the colors are. Ugh.

These were done just after I left an appointment in the Southwest Metro. I had a little extra time and the alley and flowers were right there, waiting for me.

I often dislike feeling that I've got to carry a purse, but it helps to have a sketch book in there. :-)

One Last Peony

Peony the Fourth, 4" square oil on canvas by Tracie Thompson

I love these ever so much, but this was the last one still alive in the studio today.

Fortunately, I found THISTLES. And cut a half dozen of them -- big, bold, purple fuzzy thistles for me to paint. That should help ease the pain of having another year's peonies fade away.

Peony the Third, and some Questionable Photography Methods

Peony the Third, 4" square oil on canvas by Tracie Thompson

Sadly, the peonies are pretty much gone now, which means I'll be moving on to other flowers. These studies are giving me a lot of joy and sharpening my skills at the same time.

Getting photos of them is a whole other thing. It requires good lighting, but not so bright that there's glare on the painting; and daylight works best because it shows the colors at their truest (no matter what, the colors in a photo are never ever exactly the same as what you see in reality. Never.) Often I end up doing the kind of thing I did this morning, when I set this tiny painting on the front railing of my apartment building in order to get the shot you see here:

See, this was the spot where the painting was well-enough lit but at an angle that didn't cause glare. Creative thinking: it doesn't end when you put down the brush!

Tonight's agenda in the studio is at least one more 4" square study, and finishing the portrait of the black German Shepherd Dog, which needs just another hour or so to complete.

Clematis Flowers outside Espresso Royale at Fairview and Randolph

Coffeehouse Clematis, pastel pencil and carbon pencil, about 9 x 7.5", by Tracie Thompson

These kept moving while I drew them! It was windy yesterday afternoon.

Another case of feeling that I've got to catch summer while I can, before it runs on off into fall and leaves me standing here wondering what happened.

Studio Time! Peony Painting #2

White Peony, 5 x 5" oil on canvas by Tracie Thompson, $40 at my ArtFire Shop

The urgency of spring/early summer has caught me: I want to paint these flowers while they're here. Need more little canvases, though!

More images in a moment; I've been drawing daily and it is doing me tremendous good. Need to pick a theme for July, I think, and challenge myself to another thirty days. Perhaps thirty scenes from around the Twin Cities in that time frame?

Awkward Exits & Gerber Daisies at Anita Sue Kolman Gallery

Anita Sue's Gerbers and Awkward Exit, both 5.5 x 3" ballpoint and watercolor.

Last night I went to see the new exhibit at Anita Sue Kolman Gallery in the Northrup King Building. Very impressive work -- vibrant and bold, well worth the time to go check it out.

Anita had used small pots of bright Gerber daisies for path-markers on the way to her gallery (if you've ever visited Northrup King, you'll know why folks need a guide!), and so I took a few minutes out to draw one. In ballpoint, because that was what I had. Art doesn't always require sophisticated materials.

Later, heading home, I noticed the red door. An awful lot of people look at what I do and lament, "I can't even draw a straight line!" -- and I always wonder what makes them think I can.

The watercolors for both of these, I added this morning.

Poppies

 

I want to be good, and write something worth reading. Unfortunately I am too much in need of coffee for that. I'll attempt semi-eloquence again later, I suppose.

Peonies, a Strawberry, and a Field Easel

10 this morning and I set up out in front of La Patisserie, that fabulous little bakery at the corner of Snelling and Randolph in St. Paul.

Pink Peony, 5 x 5" oil on canvas by Tracie Thompson. My prize trophy for the day, just $40 at my shop.

Proper stance is important while painting! Um ... maybe not, but it's a more physical activity than most folks imagine.

Shiny Strawberry, 5 x 5" oil on canvas. One of the $40 "Snack Food" series.

Josephine Geiger (at JA Geiger Studio -- she is an amazing stained glass artist) gave me a bouquet of peonies from her yard. My joy knew no bounds. I love, love, love peonies; I may have a Problem. I do not Care.

Painting them, though! Intimidating, to say the least. That peony was another case of having to keep telling myself, well, why not? The Worst It Can Do Is Suck. 

What I learned: Let go more, trust myself more. I actually made two peony paintings today. The first took about four times longer than the second, and you don't see it here because it isn't half as good. Chances of my destroying it and painting a different, freer picture on that canvas: approximately 100%.

Raw Poppies

A look at the process for these latest flower studies. This is from today around 6 p.m., in the front yard of my friend Josephine Geiger.

The initial sketch is in a reddish colored pastel pencil. Once I mostly have what I want, I draw over it in waterproof pen. That's what you see here. Next, I'll erase the pastel pencil and then apply the watercolors.