I am pleased to announce the winner of my second drawing giveaway! The winner is – Dreams And Beyond and this is the photo I selected.

I would like to extend a great big THANK YOU to all of you who participated. This was a tough decision and took me a while to finally decide.

Congratulations, Dreams And Beyond! There are a few things I need from you in order for me to get started. I need:

• You to send me your address
• I would like in writing your permission to draw this amazing photo and attach that photo in your e-mail for me please.
• After that, you may sit back, relax and wait for your drawing to arrive.

P.S. – I thought I was going to have some free time on our vacation to draw but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. And I’m lucky to get in a post in now and then. Not to worry, I’ll have plenty of time when we get back home and I still believe I’ll have this done by the deadline.

Welcome to the second Gallery Days Giveaway! You’re the photographer and I’m the artist giving back. I like the ring of this title for my giveaways because it reminds me of going from one gallery to the next. So lets kick off this next week with some fun at the gallery! I’m ready, are you?

Things to keep in mind when you post your photos –

• Please post your photos in a single post so that I can link to it. Post as many photos as you like but they need to be in one post.
• All photos must be taken by you so that you can allow me the rights to draw if your photo is selected.
• You have through Monday, August 25th to have your photos posted
• When you’re finished posting, please send me the link to your post so that I can link you up and everyone can visit.
• I will add the links as they come in to the bottom of this post.
• I will announce the winner of the 9″ x 12″ colored drawing by Wednesday, August 27th.
• The drawing will be in the mail to the winner by September 19th.

Thanks for posting and I wish you all the best!

Visual Expressions

Snap Shots From The Back Porch

Dreams And Beyond

Margie

I’m still doing a little modification work today. So far I’ve changed the right side of the tulip as it needed to be adjusted and lightened. I’m still working on the hazy green stuff blending and whatnot. I will be finished soon, perhaps today!

I still need the weekend to make any minor adjustments that I see and I also need to spray it with fixative to protect the colors.

P.S. Unfortunately I don’t have the nice sunlight for this picture. The tulip looks a lot different and more vibrant in real life. Hopefully when I’m all finished I can get a better picture of it.

This tulip is almost standing alone. She is taking shape but I still have quite a bit of tweaking to do before I can call her finished. I will need a couple more days and I’m hoping to have this little thing all packaged and off to Canada by the first of the week!

So here’s the plan. I would like to keep myself busy in our free time while we’re on vacation as we leave next Friday the 22^nd.

So be prepared this weekend for Gallery Days and Giveaways! I’ll be posting Saturday or Sunday with the directions and you too could be the next winner of a free piece of art. Sound good? Well keep those cameras rolling; you still have lots of time to prepare!

Yet another WIP and it seems to be moving right along with layers and layers and more layers of color. There were a few more strokes added to the pretty flower last evening.

I think I’ll be able to wrap up on the green leafy stuff today and start on the tulip! Stay tuned for more, the next giveaway is coming soon!

Moving right along and I have just a little more progress to show for those who wanted to see the work in progress. I’ll be working on the leaves and the green part at the bottom today and it appears as though I’m saving the best for last. I’m looking so forward to swirling around on that pretty tulip! This pic was taken in much better lighting this morning and I’ve also attached a small version of the original picture I’m using.

We had such a relaxing weekend and I was able to play with my pencils next to hubby while we enjoyed NASCAR and the Olympics.

I’ll be announcing another giveaway in the next week or so, so be prepared for the next Gallery Days and Giveaways!

By popular demand, I’m following through with another work in progress. I’ve been focusing most of my time on the lower left. I attached a pic of the original pic I’m working with. We got a long way to go yet but it’s starting to take a little shape.

I promised to mail by the 27th as I thought we were leaving on our vacation the 28th. I just learned this last week that Bobby’s planning to leave the 22nd. I’m under the gun as I want to keep to my word and have this delivered on time. And if I have to, I’ll work on it during the evenings on vacation. I plan on taking my pencils anyway to keep me busy during my free time and to make every effort to have this finished on time.

This was framed in my scrapbook program as it calls for a frame. The sketch is finished and the upper background is pretty much finished. Nan’s drawing is coming right along and those pencils are having a total blast!

Hopefully I’ll have another WIP to show by Monday as the response was unanimous to see the work in progress.

Would you believe that upper dark background sports 6 different shades of blue and some black? The colors to be exact are Cerulean Blue, True Blue, Copenhagen Blue, Peacock Blue, Violet Blue and Indigo Blue mixed with some Black.

Just wait ‘til I start in on the green below, it’s not going to know what hit it! And as for that beautiful tulip there are a lot of colors going into that let me tell ya.

There’s much more to do so I’ll be back around the first of the week with another WIP. Don’t forget to keep those camera’s busy as I’m having another giveaway soon! Look for Gallery Days and Giveaways in the title as that’s going to be my title from now on!

Here’s where I left off with my bowl of fruit. I planned to have it finished before the giveaway but things didn’t go as planned and that’s just dandy.

I changed the background as I wanted that fruit to pop so the background went from the light to quite a bit darker. There were some more changes made on the pear, peach and bowl but it still has a ways to go. I will get this finished but I plan to do so after I finish Miss Nan’s piece of art.

Before

After

I am pleased to announce the winner of my very first drawing giveaway!The winner is ~ Nancy Pants – Life Is like a Lunchbox and here is the photo I selected.

I would like to extend a great big THANK YOU to all of you who participated.This was so much fun and I truly was amazed with the range of choices.With so many great photos, I wanted ALL of you to win!

Congratulations, Miss Nancy Pants!  You may sit back, relax and wait for your drawing to arrive.

Gallery Days and Giveaways

Due to the overwhelming response of my first drawing giveaway, I will be doing it again in the very near future!Stay tuned for the next one and keep taking all of those amazing photos.

For anyone who wanted to post pictures for the drawing has through the rest of the weekend to get them posted, see Free Art Giveaway for details. I will be announcing the winner Monday. I’m astonished with all the pictures I have to choose from as every single one of you has posted some of the most amazing photography, Thank YOU!

The Art Giveaway is still in session in my previous post! Check out the prior entry for details!

In the meantime I’ve been working on my own little project and this is where I am at this very moment.

I was able to take the pic in the sunlight a moment ago and that helps show the true (not exact but very close) color.

There’s still much to be done as nothing is complete so stand by for another update in the days to come.

Here’s a little background for those of you who don’t know me.

Not that long ago I was a potter who loved playing in the mud – Below is a picture of my booth at a show

This is an example of a decorative purse I made

This vase is in the above pic and here’s a close-up shot

This pot sat on my counter ~ I threw the pot part and handbuilt the spout part and attached the handle.

Since our moved to NY, my kiln, potters wheel, slab roller and all things essential for me to do my pottery have been locked away in storage (we have no room in our little apartment for a studio). I miss pottery, I’m missing the clay between my fingers, I miss the mess and mud, I miss playing dirty and all that goes into creating a piece of art.

Hubby and I are in the process of building a home which many of you know by now and hubby’s planning a studio for me so that one day I can play dirty again.

Back to drawing ~ it was this year that I picked up my pencils having not touched them in oh gees, I’d say at least 9 perhaps 10 years. These pencils have brought the passion of art back into my life and I’m overjoyed for that. The clean-up is a snap and I can just pick up and draw whenever I please.

I’m delighted to have a passion for art and the time to dedicate myself to see each drawing to completion. Passion no doubt has returned and I will be posting a lot more art now that our home plans are underway. More surprises are on the way, so stay tuned!

NOTE: The artist has ended the giveaway and has decided on the winning photo. Click The Winner to see the outcome.

Sometimes I run smack out of ides. So here’s the deal.

I’m an artist at your disposal with a catch –

• You, my friends, are going to determine what I draw
• The photo must be taken by you or someone you know allowing me the rights to draw if your photo is the one I select.
• Post all photo’s on your blog (so that everyone can have a tour of the art). You may post as many photo entries as you would like – no limit here
• Whoever’s photo I gravitate to the most – wins the drawing, that simple
• You have through Sunday, August 3rd to have your photos posted
• Or if you already have some you like, your homework’s done
• Post away and give me a heads up when you’re ready.
• I will announce the winner of the 9″ x 12″ colored drawing on Monday, August 4th
• And no later than August 27^th the art will be in the mail

Clues that will potentially help boost your photo higher on my list

Grass, furry things and people make me nervous – Can’t wrap my brain around them – however, you have as many entries as you would like and I’m keeping an open mind.

The pears below are a series I did earlier this year and this is how I would like to have them framed. I also have a work in progress in the post below.

The Contestants

Linda – Lime In The Coconut

Ali – Flibberty Gibbets

NancyPants – Life is Like A Lunchbox

Becca – Ramblings Of All Sorts

Chris – Cats On My Quilts

Allisone – Deserved Indulgence

Brooke – Jonah 2

Anita – Dorset Tales

Teresa – Plum Water Cottage

Penny – Lavender Hill Studio

Cherrie – Willy Wagtail

It’s a work in progress but truly a joy blending so many colors into one picture. I’ve been concentrating a lot of time on the bowl as there are so many colors woven into it. We have many greens, blues, yellows and browns swimming around this bowl. There’s still a lot of work to be done but I just wanted to take a little break this afternoon to post an update.

The foundation for the background has been applied but there’s so much more to be done there.

I’ve also concentrated just a little time on the grapes to the far right but nothing is finished yet.

No doubt I’m having a grand time on this and I’ll be adding many more strokes to this today.

P.S. I’m Planning a give away soon. So, if you are up for a piece of art from me, stay tuned for details this week.