Some new Encaustics...

Pond Lilies Abstracted
Encaustic
5" X 7"






















Red Roses
Encaustic
4.5" X 6.5"




















White Flowers Teal Vase
Encaustic
6.5" X 4.5


I've finally gotten to get back to my encaustics. I thought I would do some small florals, they are so much fun to do. This afternoon I did my koi pond waterlilies. One thing about the encaustics is that it frees me to be really loose. You certainly can't be tight with it. I really do love working with the wax, it is so exciting. When you start out you really don't know how it will turn out. As you work the wax might flow and create something really neat that changes everything or the color mixes and does something; you never know what will happen.

It is so hard to photograph the encaustic pieces. The wax either has a glare on it from the texture or else the color fades away. You can never get that beautiful translucency to show. I looked back at the painting of "Winter Trees" that I entered in a show and got rejected, it doesn't even look like the painting and the color is totally washed out. I really need to figure this out.

Finally got to work on my gourd...

Well I wanted to show you all what I finally got to do with my gourd. Remember I had grown gourds last summer in the garden. One gourd that made it; (actually, there are a few more outside but they really don't look too good,) I've been wanting to paint. I liked this one because I managed to save the top of it. I don't know if I'm through or not, I have a surprise that I'm dying to do to it but it could very well ruin it. I'm going to Southern Colours on Friday and see what they think. Terry told me he didn't think he would do it, so I'm waiting to find out what "my artist friends think". Let me know what you think too, it involves cutting into the gourd.


I was finally getting time to do my encaustics so I started out with an impressionistic realistic piece and then moved on to my abstract. As I kept working on it I was starring at the forlorn gourd in front of me... so I decided why not.


I loved the little abstract piece, I call it "Secure" and it is 5" X 7". I guess the gourd is just a "Gourd Rattle Encaustic" for now. That is unless I go on with my plan.


I thought these were really different. Hope you enjoy seeing them. (Forgive the photography.)

You can also check out some of my new paintings on my website.

Sally...

Getting ready with the garden...

Well it actually started at the end of March, early April, getting ready for the garden. Terry started turning the ground over with the tractor when it was still cold. When it warmed up (which was really late this year) he used the tiller to pulverize the dirt and sort of layout the rows. I also started tomato seeds in little tiny peat disks. They did really good and then we had to go on vacation. We took them over to Pat and Greg's porch to be babysat while we were away. I had potted up some of the larger ones in big pots and then alot of them into disposable cups and poked a whole in the bottom for drainage. So when we came home the larger pots had wound up in Greg's box of tomatoes that he has like a cold frame but uses it to keep the rabbits and deer away. They loved the box and had little tomatoes on them. I brought the rest home and got them planted in the garden. The weather was not wonderful for them, especially since we go and come. Right now they are still thin lankey plants and I hope that changes soon. I planted the rest of the little ones and if they don't do I'll have to resort to the garden center for a few more.

We learned from last year a little bit more of what we want to grow and not grow because of the work. As much as I love butter peas we haven't planted any because they are labor intensive. I have planted Christmas Pole Butterbeans in their place. This is a big speckled butter bean... it's pretty I hope it taste good. I have a good variety of plants this year... beets, sugar snap peas, pole beans and Dutch half runners, the usual squash, cucumbers, and okra. Now it just needs to grow.

This year I have expanded the gourds and sunflowers to long rows around the garden. One end is dedicated to all kinds of gourds, we'll see how they do. I planted a big variety of sunflowers since last year I only used the bird seed and they didn't do too good.

I look at the garden and I'm anxious to see how it will look in a month... I'll keep you posted.

Sally...