Everything I learned about painting I learned from Bob Burridge - Intentions & Journaling

What are your intentions? Why are you painting? What is your goal?

How do you know the answers to those questions?

Through journaling. Keep several sketchbooks at a time. Keep them every where. Keep on in your car. Keep one by your bed. You never know when inspiration will strike and you will NOT remember it later. This I know.

Through journaling, you will create your intentions. You will have a starting point for your paintings. You will be able to create a body of work.

A body of work- many pieces of the same subject matter. It is important to create a body of work. Not a smorgasbord of paintings. (I did this in college.) I also like the advice of having standard sizes for your body of work. Your series.

Paint what you know. One of my series is of guitars. Do I play the guitar? No. But I love music and the sound of the guitar. Music has the power to change your mood, bring people together, and inspire you. My other series is hearts with inspirational sayings. The art and power of relationships is something that intrigues me. Do my intentions and goals need to be refined? Of course. For my whole life, I will be a work in progress. And so will my paintings.

Bob asked me on Sunday afternoon what my intentions were for the workshop. My intentions were to submerge myself in painting, re-learn or hear again some basics, and allow him and others to inspire me. Your intentions and goals will change as your life changes. Write it all down, go back and revisit ideas, and do something you have never done before.

Everything I learned about painting I learned from Bob Burridge - 4 C's

When starting a painting decide on the Four C's.

Content: What are you painting? Paint what you know. I love music and I love the sounds of the guitar therefore I started painting guitars. I'm also intrigued by human relationships and how we related to each other. It is my wish that my artwork inspires others to believe in themselves, encourages them to be better people, to be positive and so on. I have picked up painting hearts. Some flying with wings and others just floating which is kind of ironic. Or serendipitous. Or just a coincidence that Bob also paints hearts. I aslo love the feeling of being in L-O-V-E!

Color: What color is your painting going to be? Get a color wheel. Monochromatic, analycus, complimentary or triatic?
Complosition: How will the painting lay out? Horizontally? Vertically? Golden Rule? Curves? This is where Bob's Composition Board comes in handy.

Commitment: Commit to your intentions stated above.

I had a fifth C while in the workshop. Chris. He was always in my thoughts and I finally just wrote his name on my table as if to say, "Yes, I know."

What you can't see in the picture is that I also wrote the words Content, Color and Composition.

Music Monday - Lover Lay Down

Dave Matthews Band has been a favorite of mine for a long time. So many instruments and elements to their music. I've seen Dave Matthews in concert a few times but my favorite time was when he was with Tim Reynolds. It was hard to choose just one song but I love the music in this one.

Thirty Fifth Sunday

If you don't have a goal, any road will get you there.

- Yogi Berra

Journal - Overflowing

I think this needs some work but I love it. This is my lovetank. Overflowing and spilling out every where!

I'm a happy girl.

Bob Burridge Workshop

Yesterday was an awesome day of painting. I painted in black and white all day and just soaked in all the information that I can from Bob and my fellow painting students. Such great people. I am here to submerge myself in painting, to paint as much as possible, to be inspired, motivated, energized and to be exhausted all at the same time. I have journal images for lat saturday and next Saturday but they are uploaded at work. I will post those next week.

I won't drone on but I will just say this is an amazing experience and I am so fortunate to be able to be here.

My message to you today is: whatever you do go forward without fear.

Music Monday - Wave on Wave

I'm just looking for a happy ending. I forget how much I like this song.


I was going to marry Pat Green until I found out that he was already married.

Thirty Fourth Sunday

Love cures people - both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.

- Karl Menninger

Journal - Norman

I am so out of routine. Back posting because I want 52 Journal posts at the end of the year. I had this image ready to go before I left for the Robert Burridge workshop but didn't get it posted. 

I purchased a five foot metal rooster for my 42 birthday. You can read his story on my family blog: Chicken Saga.

Haiku for You - That's Amore

When the moon hits your
Eye like a big pizza pie
Ah, That’s amore!



i didn't write that. i just added ah and put it in haiku format.
i like it because it's cheeky.

Music Monday - Jimmy Buffett

Two weeks in a row of having to pick just one song from an artist I love. I have a dream of going to some beach resort and just happening to meet Jimmy Buffett. We'll strike up a conversation and talk about the philosphy of life and we'll become fast friends and I'll design an album cover for him.

It could happen.

There are so many good songs to choose from- funny songs, introspective songs, sweet songs... but I chose Knees of My Heart because 2011 is the Year of Love.

Thirty Third Sunday

Unless you love someone, nothing else makes any sense.

- e e cummings

Journal - Love

Having computer issues at home. I have a better image at work that I will update on Monday. :)

Updated: I don't know that the top image is a great deal better than the bottom but it has more contrast.

This page is about my love of music and the fact that I'm in love. Love. It really is all you need.

Happy New Year!

Today is my personal new year- or my birthday!

The picture below was taken in 2006. My first birthday back in Texas. My boys helped me make the cake. I love this picture of the two of them. Oy! They make me feel blessed.

From the Vault - Some of my favorite Ray's

Painting has been slow so since I don't have anything new to post I thought I would put up some of my favorite Ray drawings.

CompadRAY

Count RAYcula

Ray joins Twitter

Haiku for You - Birthday Week

forty two journeys
traveled around the sun star
sixty more to go

-cew

Music Monday - John Mellencamp

I am a huge John Mellencamp fan and had a hard time just picking one of his songs to feature. Pink Houses, Jack & Diana, Hurts So Good, Dance Naked and Authority Song. They all remind me of my youth. I decided on Small Town because that's where I was born and raised. I did love growing up there. My friends from Refugio are like family to me. As a kid, I always thought I would stay there and raise a family in the deep traditions of the town. But, that was not the way it worked out. And while I love the diversity, variety and options that are offered here in the city, there are times when I miss that small town feeling. Where your neighbors stop by without calling and you know where everyone will be on Friday night.

Thirty Second Sunday

Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.

- James M. Barrie

Journal - Orange Tulip Cake Party

I've been thinking about painting cakes. I love Wayne Thiebaud's work and all his cakes and pies and such. I love some of his landscape work as well. Chris told me that he liked orange tulips so there you have it. An orange tulip. With cake.

On The Horizon - Shine

This is a detail of what the painting looked like before I changed the sky to blue.

This just needs a few colorful splatter flowers and a coat of varnish.

You know what I love about painting? I never liked the yellow/orange sky so I painted over it. Change. That's what I love about painting. Because you can keep changing it until it's right.

Flying Heart - Under the Stars

Acrylic & Collage

The haiku collaged on the horizon reads:

Under the moonlight

Let's go out into the night

Dancing under stars

Guitars - Dueling Blue

I like the progress that this painting has made. Just a few more small touches and it will be done.

Haiku for You - Complete

utter and complete

you make my heart skip a beat

fulfilling my dreams

-cew

Music Monday - Brown Eyed Girl

Laughing and a running hey, hey
Skipping and a jumping

Sounds like a great way to spend the day...