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Woody's
November
2011  Blog
began March 2007
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my watercolors

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Step One
"Neighborhood Landing"		 Last Watercolor for November (11/27):
            I completed a new watercolor today. It shows a hotair balloon landing on our street during this years Balloon Fiesta. I love painting shadows, but these backlit subjects are a real challenge.


Six Steps "Neighborhood Landing"

Finished
"Neighborhood Landing"
Another Entry Mailed Off (11/25):
            I decided to enter my two newest watercolors into the "Rockies West National".  The exhibition is in March, in Grand Junction, Colorado.  Counting WFWS and MasterWorks, that makes three juried shows I'm waiting to hear results from. Then I can decide which shows to enter my rejected paintings into.


Rockies West Entries
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"November Rose"		 November Rose (11/23):
            I finished my "November Rose", while my bride baked pies and got everything together for tomorrow's Thanksgiving dinner. We bought a turkey, but had them cut it in half because there's just the two of us and the dog.



Watercolor - Step by Step
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Taos Watercolor Workshop (11/21):
            Every June, since 1985, I've driven to Taos, New Mexico to take part in a wonderful watercolor workshop. Adams State of Colorado puts this workshop on at the Sagebrush Inn every June. Ken and Louise Blair own the Sagebrush Inn. They treat each and every student at the workshop as royalty. This year the workshop runs from June 10th through the 16th. I encourage you to check this workshop out.





click on any image for a larger view
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Finished		 Balloon Fiesta Sunrise Finished (11/20):
            It's over painted, but I'm finished. I will need to live with the painting for a while before attempting another. Below is the painting in several stages along the way.

click on the image for a larger view


Step by Step
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Difficult Painting (11/19):
            I made quite a bit of progress on my "Balloon Fiesta Sunrise" watercolor this morning. Still there are lots of challenges ahead to make this one work. I want the most detail in the figures up front - with less definition as the figures are further back. But everyone is to be back lit, so they should be darkened. I want to make this very busy composition work. If it does not, I'll try again.


click above for
pdf file of
December Brushstrokes		 New Watercolors Started (11/18):
            I got a decent start on my two new watercolors this morning at our Friday painters group. Tomorrow, I'd get some more done while in our final Saturday painters group. This will be our last Saturday session till January. We plan to celebrate by going out for lunch after our last painting session.
   

First Day's Progress
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November Rose		 New Drawings Started (11/17):
            This morning, I did two new drawings for my watercolors. I need to be working on more than one at a time while washes are drying. One is a really beautiful rose from the last of the blooms this year. I hope I can do it justice. Matted and framed it will be 28 x 22 inches. My second painting, is larger, it is on a full sheet of 300 lb Arches rough. I'm working from photos I took at the Balloon Fiesta this year. It should be quite dramatic with the early morning sun behind the balloons. The figures in the foreground will have more detail than most of the crowd. It will be hard but I think I can pull it off.

Balloon Fiesta Sunrise
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MasterWorks Entries (11/16):
            I decided to enter three watercolors, into MasterWorks, that had already been rejected from other shows. I believe the paintings are worthy - but, simply passes over by previous judges.



            One is my self portrait reflected in the windows of the balloon museum. I'm trying to loosen up and get more abstract. I think the second one of my grand daughter Tiffanie, shows the delightful awkwardness of a developing young lady. The last one is a portrait of a friend from the watercolor workshop in Taos. In it, I believe I was finally able to combine some abstract qualities in a realistic portrait.
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Our Mountain (11/15):
            It's nice to just look out our windows to see our mountain. The Sandia's may not be the Colorado Rockies - but, from someone from Kansas they are a wondrous sight. I used my 300 mm lens to shoot the photo below from our back yard.



Sandia with a bit of November Snow
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Morning Balloons (11/13):
            Yesterday morning, as I left to go paint, there were balloons in the sky. I shot photos from our front yard. I even caught the moon in the photo. I was able to finish my watercolor of the "Faux Poppy". It turned out OK.


Saturday Morning
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"Faux Poppy"
Finished


Unfinished "Faux Poppy"		 Faux Poppy (11/12):
            Friday morning, I made more progress on my "Faux Poppy" painting. I'll try to finish it this morning painting with my Saturday group. I'm working from a photo I took in our living room. We bought this hugh faux poppy in Old Town. Frani put in a vase in front of a painting I'd done witch had  poppies in it.



Steps 1 - 5 Still Unfinished
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WFWS (11/11):
            I've been busy of late, driving here and there.  I drove to Garden City, Kansas for the Kansas art teachers conference (KAEA). Next, I drove to Taos for SWAHC, the Southwest art history conference. That was followed by three trips to Santa Fe and back for the New Mexico art teachers conference (NMAEA).
            Most important, Donna and I have been getting New Mexico artist's entries ready for entry into WFWS. The exhibit will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada next April. NMWS artists have 100 entries this year. It's been over 5 years since I got a painting accepted into a WFWS exhibit. Perhaps my entries this year will catch the judges eye.


My WFWS Entries
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Dolls (10/11):
            My beautiful bride is trying to downsize by selling off several of her dolls. She started collecting these wonderful porcelain and vinyl many years ago. Now she is selling them on her e-bay store. This her last listing. She will close her store on November 18th.



23 Dolls Listed
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Moon Over Sandia (11/9):
            I could not pass up the opportunity this evening to shoot photos of the full moon rising over the Sandia. This evening, as we have for several nights, we will relax in our hot tub under the a very bright moon.
My Last Roses (11/8):
            One night soon, we will be getting a freeze. That will end my roses for this year. So, I went out and shot a few more photos before they freeze. These newest pics may give me more subjects for new watercolors.



November Roses
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Awards (11/5):
            NMAEA held it's first ever Awards Banquet on Saturday night.  I received an award for "Retired Art Educator of the Year".  Thanks for the support and recognition  for someone who never taught in New Mexico.
            On the same day, I also received my "Signature Membership" from the Mississippi Watercolor Society. I've been fortunate to get a watercolor into the MWS Grand National three years in a row now.
           
Santa Fe (11/4):
            New Mexico art teachers gathered in Santa Fe for two days full of workshops. Every fall NMAEA holds a conference to give art teachers an opportunity to get new ideas for their classrooms. Even though I've been retired for eight years - I continue to give workshops.
   

Photos From My Kaleidoscope Workshop in Santa Fe
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Happy Halloween (11/1):
        Last night we had 62 little goblins stop by our house.  That means we have candy bars left over.  I even ate one of the Snicker bars today. Best of all, I finished my newest watercolor for entry into Western Federation in Las Vegas.  My watercolor is a mix of abstract qualities and a very realistic handling of the subject.  It shows the interior of a hot air balloon being inflated.


above are photos of my working progress on the watercolor

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Click Above To Read
November Brushstrokes
 Great Workshop In January:
             Angus MacPherson is holding another fantastic workshop in the Fine Arts Building at  Expo NM.  It runs January 9 - 13, 2012.  Enrollment is through Donna Dionne 505-873-4229 or 505-350-4436.  This is a great opportunity to expand your creativity.  Links to the information and enrollment form is below.

 

click on images for larger versions
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