SrishtiArt

Egg Shell

2011-10-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Egg Shell

10" x 8"

Oil on panel

I was hoping to finish this one all prima, but it actually took me 3 sessions...

Lemons and Purple Vase

2011-10-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest off the easel. Next time I might try taking Step by step pictures...

Lemons and Purple Vase

12" x 12"

Oil on Panel

Eggs with Vase

2011-10-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Fresh of the easel...

Absolutely loving impressionistic painting with oils!

Eggs with Vase

12" x 16"

Oil on panel

Impressionism with Oils

2011-09-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

After a long absense I am finally adding a new post to my blog! Woo Hoo...

Been super busy with work all summer long. But, I have recently started playing with French Impressionism and have signed up for a workshop with Susan Sarback in January. Woo Hoo... I can hardly wait, wish I could do it right now....

But anyway, I have been studying up on her way, and the way of the Cape Cod School.

Here is my first real effort, besides the block studies:

White Bowl

11"x14"

Oil on panel

Abstract Florals

2011-05-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

I have been having a blast painting these loose Abstract Floral vases. Just trying the various combinations from the color wheel and going for it.

Thanks a lot to the Loose Florals from splatters DVD by Robert Burridge!

Bouquet 1

10" x 10"

Acrylics on Paper

FOR SALE

Bouquet 2

10" x 10"

Acrylics on Paper

FOR SALE

Bouquet 3

10" x 10"

Acrylics on Paper

FOR SALE

Bouquet 4

10" x 10"

Acrylics on Paper

FOR SALE

Bouquet5

10" x 10"

Acrylics on Paper

FOR SALE

Bouquet in Blue

2011-05-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

Bouquet in Blue

22" x 30"

Acrylic on paper

Highly inspired by Robert Burridge. My first full sheet of watercolor paper!!! And it wasn't ever hard ;)

Childish enough to hang in my kids' rooms?

Persian Princess

2011-03-24T18:18:00.000-07:00

Back home to watercolor but with an acrylic twist!

Persian Princess- Chilero
11x14
Acrylic on cradled board with canvas texture
FOR SALE

Loved working on this! Haven't done a real watercolor in so long that I almost cried at the delight of watching the paint run all over and do it's watercolor-ey thing!
To top that it's actually acrylic and it's cradled so it's ready to hang! How awesome is that? :D

I think I am going to be hooked to this kind of stuff ;)

Many thanks to Magnus Brath for her beautiful reference picture on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/magnusbrath/5339239070/in/set-72157625657550369/

Oils.....

2011-03-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

I have been playing with oils last couple of months and just following some tutorials from http://www.painting-tutorials-online.com to get a feel of them.

It's been fun and some struggle. It's just a different way of thinking.

I think I am beginning to understand why people call watercolor the most difficult medium to master. The oils just stay put wherever you glob them, while watercolors are so alive.

On the other hand, while watercolors have always come easy too me, I am having a learning curve with oils. "Can't I just leave the while of the canvas to represent white in my painting, like I do in watercolor? Do I have to paste on the Titanium White.... ewwww..........."

"But oh, they are so deep and they just glow!!!"

Here are a few of my small attempts at this amazing medium. I really really want to do some plein airs with oils. Hopefully soon!

Emerging

2011-01-14T17:20:00.000-08:00

Emerging

16" x 20"

Graphite / Acrylic / Oil on Stretched Canvas

A sort of "emergence" / divergence for me from the usual watercolor. The technique highly inspired by Michael Shapcott... very liberating actually. I had a lot of fun!

This was inspired by a sketch I did of my 8 year old daughter who is a reindeer fanatic and come up with the concept of this painting.

Would love to hear your critiques and the thoughts the painting stirs in you....

Ero on Yupo

2010-12-30T12:18:00.000-08:00

Ero

14" x 11"

Watercolor on Yupo

This is my cute nephew Ero! I struggled so much painting this and started over at 4 times....That is a first for me, haven't stuggled so much with painting, ever!

But here it is :D

Kirati

2010-10-31T13:42:00.000-07:00

14" x 11"
Watercolor on Yupo
Done with the portraits of my 3 kids! What fun!
Thanks all for all the advice on how to handle and frame paintings on Yupo!

Himanshu

2010-10-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

My son Himanshu... contemplating... always...
11" x 14"
on Yupo.. again!
I love this stuff! :D
Tell me your experience with Yupo. Have you found any interesting ways to mount/frame it?
Do you spray it with fixattive before framing under glass?

Kiki

2010-10-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
Meet my daughter Kirika A.K.A Kiki A.K.A Reindeer!

My first painting on Yupo, which was a lot of fun!
11"x14" on Yupo

Some Kind of Me

2010-09-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I have posted anything on my blog. It has, once again, been a crazy busy summer.
We finally sold our house in WA and have moved down to Prescott, AZ!

It's a lovely town and with lakes and lots of hiking. We have national forest out of our back yard and we love the house.

I am just starting to dabble back into painting after a long pause of quite a few months.

"What could be a better place to start than to do a ... a self portrait"

The drawing was really much better... but when I transferred it to the watercolor paper and painted it... it somehow changed, and looks like some different version of me ( Does that make sense ?) And hence the title.

I would highly appreciate all the crits..

Some Kind of Me

11" x 15"

Cresting Waves

2010-07-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

Here is another technique I played with from Nita Engle's book How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself. Squirting water over already applied paint to make a wave Crest over itself.

Amazing indeed!

Cresting Waves
7" x 10.5"
watercolor on paper

Crashing Waves

2010-07-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Finally got my brushes wet after a long time. Summers are always a busy time. Despite the longer days there is somehow never enough time for everything :O

I have been wanting to try out some of Nita Engle's techniques from her book How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself. Really amazing book! Would really like to dive into it and play with the techniques.

Here is the first one I tried out today. Lots of fun with sqirting paint and water all over and try to make sense out of it :D

How Fun!

Crashing Waves
7" x 10.5"

Would really appreciate honest critique on compostion etc. Thanks for visiting ~ ~ ~

Whiskers

2010-06-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

Whiskers

Watercolor 11.5 x 15in

Here's another cat from Thierry's demo! Love this one!

My Eyes On You...

2010-06-07T21:02:00.000-07:00

My Eyes On You...

11.5 x 15

Did this one from Thierry de Marichalar's demo! A wonderful artist! Thanks a lot Thierry...

Juried Art Show- Award Ceremony...

2010-06-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

And award winner is....
Woodland Stream

With over 195 works of art, 97 artists entered into the 43rd annual Juried Art Exhibit at Allied Arts of Yakima Valley. Out of these 54 pieces were selected to place on display.

I feel very happy to have gotten two paintings selected and get an award! I didn't get any good pictures of the show though... Will go back on a quieter day and get some pictures :)

Juried Art Show - Award!!!

2010-05-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated my blog in the longest time...

I submitted 3 of my paintings to the local art center's- Allied Arts of Yakima's- Juried Art show.

Out of these the Woodland Stream and the Rhododendrons got selected this year!

AND, I have an award! :D

Not sure which one of these won the award or what kind of award.

The show starts June 3rd with the award ceremony. I can hardly wait to find out! I am jumping up-and-down!!! :D

I'll post an update as soon as I find out. Guesses and bets welcome! ;)

Phalaenopsis- on Masa

2010-03-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, you guessed it right! I am LOVING the masa paper!!!!

I just finished this last night..

Phalaenopsis
14"x18"
Masa paper

This time instead of glueing it to a watercolor paper, I glued it to a 1/8th inch foam-core.

Lion Fish on Masa Paper

2010-03-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to try out Masa Paper for a long long time. It has been sitting at the very bottom of my art papers wating to get crinckled! ;)

Recently saw a thread on Wetcanvas by Jeanette which really inspired me to get going with it! Thanks a lot Jeanette! :D

This is what the final painting looks like.

First I drew out the drawing on the smooth side of a 14x18 piece of masa paper.

Note: Masa paper has a smooth side and a fuzzy side. The smooth side is the top side, but that could be reversed for a slightly different effect.

Note to self: Next time I would be drawing it a bit darker as I almost lost all pencil lines by the time I was actually painting it!

I crinkled the masa paper up... yes this was the scary part! But I think next time it won't be as scary ;)

Then I wet it under the running water in the sink, just for a 1/2 a minute or so, until it was soaked.

Now, I very carefully flattened it out on top of a couple of sheets of paper towels, making sure the drawing was on the bottom. So, in other other words, smooth side down and rough side top.
Here, I dropped in all kinds of colors almost randomly, that I thought I would be using on the fish.

The masa paper is a sized paper. But when we crinkle it, the sizing breaks at the crinkles and that is where the paint is going to seep into the paper and show up on the other side, giving it a batik-like effect.

I let this paper dry like this.

Next day, I turned it over. This is the front side. You can see the lovely crinkly effect this has.

Now, I squirted an acid-free water-based white glue on the back side, spread it very thinly and evenly everywhere and glued the masa paper to a half sheet (15"x22") of watercolor paper. Use a brayer or a rolling pin to make sure it's absolutely flat and roll out any bubbles.
Let this dry.

Now, I just picked up my brushes and started defining and painting the fish!

More color...

Painting on masa, you have to be very careful not to scrub or lift. You can't use masking.

Starting on the background.

Almost done...

Finished! I will definitely be doing more of these! The colors seem so much more vibrant and I love the batik-like effect!

Sunshine Award!

2010-02-28T15:33:00.000-08:00

Christiane Kingsley of Christiane Kinglsley's Art added some sunshine to my blog by awarding a Sunshine award to my blog. Thanks so much Christiane... it is an honor!
It's my turn now to forward this award to the blogs that I admire and love!
Please check these art blogs out, they are truely amazing!

Carol Carter
Deb Ward
Laura Poss
Jeanette Jobson
Jane Minter
Tracy
Patricia aka Perugina
Sandy Maudlin
Susan Liles
Kathy Wirth
Jean Haines

Woodland Stream - finished

2010-02-27T15:49:00.000-08:00

Here is the finale...

Here I have just taken the masking off on the trees and bushes first, painted them, and then the masking on the water was taken off and finished up.

I am really happy with this :)

"Woodland Stream"

14x18 in

Arches CP paper

W&N artists' watercolors

Woodland Stream - WIP3

2010-02-24T22:11:00.001-08:00

Here is where I am today...

I removed some of the masking on the right side from the bushes and shrubs and started coloring them in.

Woodland Stream - WIP2

2010-02-23T22:12:00.001-08:00

I forgot to take pictures of several stages before this stage, but here is what I did tonight:

After all the atmospheric pours of red, yellow and blues were done and I was satisfied with the values, I started the splattering!

Aureolin, Cadmium scarlet and Antwerp blue. Also some brown madder and ultramarine blue.

Removed the Masking in the sky and did a "liquid sunshine" pour of Winsor lemon!

And another pour of Winsor Red.

Started adding my trees!

Pretty happy with it so far... Though lost all my pencil lines in the pours ;)
This would be very interesting to see how it turns out!

Woodland Stream - WIP

2010-02-22T22:10:00.000-08:00

I started this a few days ago along with the Mt Adams painiting. Though I didn't manage to take many pictures...

Here are two pics of the priliminary pours... The painting is much further along than these pics though. I'll definitely take some more pics tomorrow...

Here I am trying to floowing Ronald Roycraft's method of pouring atmospheric primaries and splattering with warm primaries.

Mt. Adams - finished

2010-02-21T18:16:00.001-08:00

Finally finished.

Just deepened the hues more on the left to make the right side pop more...

I think I am decently happy with it... for virtually a first landscape :O

Phew.... ;)

Mt. Adams - Commission

2010-02-20T12:38:00.000-08:00

I have a commission for painitng a landscape of the Yakima Valley with the glorious Mt. Adams in the background, on watercolor Canvas...

All's good but landscapes are sort of foreign to me :D

I have been working on it for a few days and managed to take some pictures of the process. I am sort of following Ronald Roycraft's method of pouring the atmospheric primaries to get a glow.

Pour of Winsor lemon.

This is where it stands now:
More pours of Yellow, Red and blue.

Pouring of Cobalt Blue +other blues.

Pour of Winsor Red

The Grahas - Planetary Deities- the Sun

2010-02-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

the Sun

"Lotus seated, lotus in hand, brilliant as a lotus flower and sitting
in a seven horse drawn chariot with two arms is the Sun."

The Grahas - Planetary Deities- the Moon

2010-02-11T18:48:00.001-08:00

the Moon

"White, dressed in white, divine, ten horses, white adornments,
mace in hand and two arms is fixed the Moon, O' Twice Born."

The Grahas - Planetary Deities- Mars

2010-02-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

Mars

"Wearing red garments and clothes, a spear, trident and mace
and blessing, four armed is Mars riding a ram."

The Grahas - Planetary Deities- Mercury

2010-02-11T18:42:00.000-08:00

Mercury

"Wearing yellow garlands and clothes, brilliant like a Karnika flower,
handling a sword, shield and mace on a lion and blessing is Mercury."

The Grahas - Planetary Deities- Jupiter

2010-02-11T18:40:00.000-08:00

Jupiter

"Jupiter... yellow..., four armed, staffs, blessing, offerings,
rosary threads and Kamandalus (water-gourds used by ascetics)."

The Grahas - Planetary Deities- Venus

2010-02-11T18:31:00.000-08:00

Venus

"Venus... white..., four armed, staffs, blessing, offerings,
rosary threads and Kamandalus (water-gourds used by ascetics)."

The Grahas - Planetary Deities- Saturn

2010-02-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

Saturn

"Brilliant like blue sapphire, trident, blessing, riding a vulture,
holding arrow and bow is known Saturn, O Twice Born."

The Grahas - Planetary Deities- Rahu

2010-02-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

Rahu - the North Node

"Gaping mouthed, sword, shield, trident, granting wishes,
on a lion and dark colored is fixed Rahu."

The Grahas - Planetary Deities- Ketu

2010-02-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

In 2006 I did the sketches of the planetary deities for my husband Ernst Wilhelm's book "Graha Sutras." The sketches were done true to the astrological descriptions of the imagery of the planets as described in the ancient astrological text from India.

In 2008 I started portraying these nine images in watercolor and finished them in January of 2010.

Here is the most recent one:

Ketu - the South Node

"Smoky, two armed, armed with a mace, deformed limbs,
and seated on a vulture are fixed Ketus granting blessings."

"Scented Symphony" -Clematis

2010-02-03T09:46:00.001-08:00

I made some changes on hte clematis painitng and also got a really awesome name for it :D So it is the final-final...

"Scented Symphony"
16" x 12"
W&N hot press paper

Clematis- WIP

2010-02-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

Here is another one I just finished yesterday, again exploring a similar technique as "here comes the sun."

Poured Masking and the first pour of yellow and red.

Finished painting:
"Clematis" (for the lack of a better name!)
Transparent Watercolor
12"x16"
Winsor & Newton Hot Press

Finding the darkest spaces...

Some negative & positive painting...

A second pour of magenta.

Sunkissed

2010-01-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

Finished it yesterday...
Very differnt from my usual...
What d'ya think?

Sunkissed- WIP

2010-01-24T15:54:00.000-08:00

I just started this yesterday.

12x16 inches on Fredrix watercolor canvas

I am experimanting with Stephen Blackburn's technique of pouring the masking fluid.

1. First poured the MF, and let it flow around a bit...
2. Then I poured my yellow (Hansa yellow Med DS) and Quin Magenta(W&N).
3. After this dried I pulled out the MF. and did a secong pour of some more yellow and magenta and some Phtalo Blue Green Shade(W&N) on the bottom.
4. I put in some drops of MF in the center for a spark.
5. Then I started developing some petals using Ultramarine Turquoise(DS), Quin Gold Deep(DS), Transparent Pyrrole Orange(DS), and Hansa yellow med (DS).
And here it is:

Some more petals:

And here I put in the first wash in the center with Ultramarine Turquoise & Transp. Pyrrole Orange.

So here it stands... I'LL BE BACK

Color Explorations! (5)

2010-01-17T21:30:00.000-08:00

Now you must be wondering what I am going to do with all this fabric etc...

Here is where the creativity and fun begins!
I need to trace out or draw the pattern on the fabric on to the canvas.

Then, I would decide on an interesting way to devide the painting into 6 areas.

1. In the first area I would cut out the fabric to that shape and glue it there.

2. In the second area I would try to exactly replicate the colors of the fabric on the drawn pattern.

3. In the third area I would paint it into the exact complimentry of the original colors.
NOTE: An exact complimentry color is a complimenty color of the same value on the value wheel. So a complimentry of Green at value 2 is Red at value 2.

4. In the fourth area I will paint it in the same hue but opposite value. So if an area had a Green at value 2, I would paint it with Green at value 8. opposite on the value wheel clock. (Check the clock faces on the value wheels above.)

5. In the fifth area I will paint it in the same hue but opposite intensity. So if an area had a Green at intensity 2, I would paint it with Green at intensity 8. opposite on the intensity wheel clock. (Check the clock faces on intensity value wheels above.)

6. In the sixth area I will be painting it back in the original colors.
Let see how this goes!!! Pretty exciting! :D

Color Explorations! (4)

2010-01-17T21:12:00.001-08:00

Here are my violet blue and green wheels...

Next I will be starting on my paintind and hopefully applying all the labor of painiting the Wheels!!!

I decided to do this on the Watercolor Canvas 12x16 but one can do this on any surface...

Walked over to Joanne's fabrics this morning and found a nice piece of fabric that would make a good design for this experiment.... Found a good 12x16 piece compositionally and cut it out an inch bigger to the canvas on all sides.
If I were painitng this on paper to be framed under glass, I would cut it out to the size of the paper.

Color Explorations! (3)

2010-01-16T17:36:00.001-08:00

Here are my Yellow Wheels: (DS Hansa Yellow Med; complementary: W. Violet)

The two value wheels:

White (of the paper) to pure hue:-

Pure hue to black:-

Intensity Wheel:
Pure hue to no color:-

See how when you add black to yellow you get beautiful olive colors; while adding complimentary violet gives gorgeous browns
~~

Here are my Orange Wheels: (Winsor Orange; Complimentary: Ultramarine Blue)

The two value wheels:

White (of the paper) to pure hue:-

Pure hue to black:-

Intensity Wheel:
Pure hue to no color:-

Notice how the dark value wheel on this and the intensity wheel are not much different!

Here are my Cool Red Wheels: (W&N Perm. Alizarin Crimson; complementary: W&N Pthalo Green Yellow Shade)

The two value wheels:

White (of the paper) to pure hue:-

Pure hue to black:-

Intensity Wheel:
Pure hue to no color:-

Again not much difference in the last two wheels....

~~~~

As you see we are not just one color wheel around the palette, but "three" wheels for each hue to help us get a deeper understanding of each hue, and also to get a deeper understanding of color mixing

I have seen many posts on WC! asking how to mix a particular color (be it blond hair/ or dark skin/ or of copper jugs .)

Doing these wheels will help us "see" what color is really there in the object we are trying to paint! And also help us understand the hue/value/intensity of each color.

Color Explorations! (2)

2010-01-16T14:58:00.000-08:00

A particular color has the following properties:
1. Hue: This essencially means what color it is: red/yellow/violet or blue, etc...
2. Value:this is the darkness or the lightness of the color.
3. Intensity: the brighness or dullness of a color.

We take each hue and we do 3 color wheels for each.

Two Value Wheels:
From white to a pure Hue and back again
From Pure Hue to Black and back again

One Intensity Wheel:
From Pure Hue to No-Color* and Back again.

*No color: Mixing complementaries reduces the intensity of a Hue. Until it reduces to a no color... it's neither this color or that...., for eg, if you keep adding the complemetary violet to yellow, there will be a point where it will be neither yellowish not towards violet... just PURE MUD! this is No Color.

For the first wheel we add water to the pure highest chroma pigment to change the value.

For the second wheel paint pure pigment at 12 o' clock. Paint black at 6 o' clock. We don't add any more water, we use the paint at the highest chroma, just keep adding more and more black.

For the third wheel we have pure pigment at 12 o' clock and No Color at 6 o' clock - by adding the complimentary to our hue. Again, we don't add any more water, we use the paint at the highest chroma, just keep adding more and more complimentary. Paint a small circular swatch of the complimentary in the center.

Color Explorations!

2010-01-16T14:37:00.000-08:00

I am leading a class currently at Wetcanvas! on "Color Explorations" based on the book "COLOR" by Betty Edwards, who as you all know also wrote the amazing book on drawing "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" (I am also working through that book on the side as well.)

I haven't read the whole book but what I have read, was really good and I am in the process of going through the exercises in the book. At the end of the section, the exercises and the knowledge gained are put together and lead to a very interesting painting showing you how to have color harmony in a painting.

Now, in her book she uses acrylics, but of course, me being me, I am doing them in watercolor.

It starts simply with instructions to make a color wheel of hues but then has exercises to train the eye to recognize value and intensity. There's a value wheel and intensity wheel too...

She only uses 7 pigments + black & white in her book.
Although I usually never use more than around 5 pigments in a painting, I really have no intentions of limiting my palette to 7 pigments I enjoy having all kinds of lovely delicious colors
But then maybe it will be good to learn and to know the few basic pigments and their characteristics, and that is in fact my main goal in trying this out.

The acrylic colors she uses are:
Titanium white
Ivory black
Cadmium Yellow Pale
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Red Med
Alizarin Crimson
Cobalt violet
Ultramarine blue
Permanent Green

I will be using these watercolor paints:

DS Hansa Yellow Med
W&N Winsor Orange
W&N Winsor Red
W&N Perm. Alizarin Crimson
W&N Winsor Violet
Schminke Ultamarine blue Finest
W&N Winsor Blue Yellow Shade

The reason she recommends 2 Reds is because a warm red does mix well with cool blues to make a good violet and vice versa.

She has a very nice template in her book to make color wheels:

To use it, you print this out on a paper and cut out the outside circular edge.
Now use a small craft knife to cut out the narrow spaces indicated on the template.
To use the template, simply place the template on watercolor paper and draw the outside circle and draw into the openings that you slit.

Here is a picture of my color wheel template:

Now paint your color wheel.
PRIMARIES:
Yellow on top at 12 o' clock,
Red at 4 o' clock,
blue at 8 o' clock.

SECONDARIES:
Orange at 2 o' clock,
violet at 6 o' clock and
Green at 10 o' clock.

TERTIARIES:
Here we'll mix the colors...
Yellow-orange at 1 o' clock
Red-orange at 3 o' clock
red-violet at 5 o' clock (the red we mix for violets is alizarin Crimson or another cool red)
Blue-violet at 7 o' clock
Blue-green at 9 o' clock
Yellow-green at 11 o' clock

This is my color wheel... with the colors mentioned above:

And here is a value wheel done with lamp black:

WIP- Rahu 3

2009-12-22T14:22:00.001-08:00

Here is where I reached the day before... I hink Rahu himself is all done.
Jst have to paint his steed, the lion now!

WIP- Rahu 2

2009-12-19T21:29:00.000-08:00

I worked today mostly on the adornments Rahu is wearing.
Since Rahu is the North Node, he is the one causing eclipses according to Indian mythology.
I am trying to an effect of him being in front of the glowing Sun/Moon as if he's eclipsing them.

WIP- Rahu

2009-12-18T21:12:00.000-08:00

The North Node- RAHU

I have been working on Rahu, the 8th planet.

“Gaping mouthed, sword, shield, trident, granting wishes,
on a lion and dark colored is fixed Rahu.”

Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra: Graha Shanti, 12

Rahu is four armed revealing that he is a Graha of worldly activity where Rahu forces us to develop where we have been lax so that we become balanced in our strengths. Rahu’s sword reveals his noble behavior, especially in times of conflict, a behavior we are in need of learning in respect to the Bhava in which Rahu is placed. Honoring Rahu helps to develop the needed behavior. With his shield Rahu protects himself from the many dangers in which he finds himself. How often do we find ourselves in crazy situations, only to have our worst fears not materialize, or not be as dreaded as we had imagined? This is Rahu’s shield buffering us. Rahu’s trident reveals the transformations that he brings upon us as we engage, with great inexperience, in those things that he directs us towards. With his fourth hand Rahu blesses us to engage materially so that we can become immortal spiritually.

Rahu rides a lion, revealing his mastery of the physical realm. Where Rahu is, we need to become king and master. Honoring Rahu helps us to become this king.

Rahu is dark; he thus obscures things, makes our future unforeseeable, and gives us cause for wonder and fear. Embracing this darkness of the unknown is to embrace life, which is all we need to do to manage Rahu. Rahu’s gaping mouth makes his a fierce appearance, which symbolizes Rahu’s tendency to pull us into the most intense experiences.

Poinsettias II- Experiment on PhotoPaper

2009-12-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

Got this wild idea from Myrna Wacknov to paint on Photo paper. I have been wanting to check out Yupo and thought this might give me an idea of what Yupo might be like...
Well it was very interesting for sure! The photo papers have this film on them which when gets wet, gets all strange-ly gello-ey. The paint didn't flow everywhere like on watercolor paper and the gello captures all the brush marks and kept them put.

It was indeed an experience but I think I am ready for some Yupo now

Poinsettias II
8.5" x 11"
Watercolor on Kodak photo paper

Orchid Medley - "sold"

2009-12-13T10:27:00.000-08:00

My painting below "Orchid Medley" got sold *YIPEE* the next business day after it was shown!!!! that was 4 days after I finished painting it!!!!!
This is my FIRST sale so I am very very excited!!!!! :D

Orchid Medley

2009-11-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted anything in a long time... just caught up in life...
But here is a new one I finished a few days ago...

Orchid Medley
12x16
My first and definitely not the last attempt on
Watercolor Canvas
I have had the Canvases sitting in my closet for a whole year and never had the guts to try it out!
But now that I finally did, I had a lot of fun!
Critics please...

Puyallup Fair 2009- Juried Fine Art Show

2009-08-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

My painting "Rhododendrons White" has been juried/selected in the Puyallup, Wa Fair's Fine Art Show.

A big "Thank You" goes to Barb Leavitt, a fellow member of the Red Gallery Artists' Co-op for undertaking the venture of bringing the Red Co-members' artwork all the way to Puyallup for admitting them to the Juried Art Show.

I would be ever grateful!

Thanks Barb :)

Rhododendrons White

12"x16"

Arches 140# cold press

W&N artists watercolors

Allied Arts, Yakima - Juried art Show 2009

2009-08-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

My painting "Aloe polyphylla" got juried/selected in the 2009 Juried Art Show at Allied Arts of Yakima this summer.

2008 Juried Art Show

NB: I posted the wrong painting 2 days ago here...

Sorry for the mistake!

Shomer & Zohar

2009-06-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Zohar Shomer
REcently painted these two gorgeous German Shepherds in watercolor for a commission.
Finally managed to frame them.
16x20 framed.

Aloe polyphylla

2009-06-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Here is my latetest attempt at pouring. Just finished today...

Aloe polyphylla
14x18
arches cp
140#
only 3 pigments
(same ones as I used in my last pour which I was regretting using so much but now am addicted to them)
Winsor Blue GS
Winsor Red Deep
DS Hansa Yellow Medium

It's watercolor on paper that is stretched over a frame like one would do with a canvas and it'spainted on the sides. Inspiration from Joyce Faulknor.

Rhododendrons

2009-04-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

Rhododendrons

12"x16"

Arches 140# cold press

W&N artists watercolors

Techni color Rhodies...

2009-04-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

Something very different here... mask and pour.

Used a reference of soft white Rhododendrons from my garden in spring of 2008...

Masked out all the whites.

Pour

Darken the background and starting to define the flowers....

Nyssa

2009-04-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hot off the easel!!!
My little niece Nyssa!!!

Hmm... what a perfect name for a niece... Nyssa LOL!!!

8x10"

Arches 140# rough

W&N paints

Lacy Days

2009-04-10T22:01:00.002-07:00

I started this as an exercise in my watercolor class last week as my students wanterd to learn how to paint lace (and crystal.)

Painted a little bit in the class for the demo and fell in love with painting lace. After the class was over, I ended up just sitting there and finishing the rest of the painting... It was fun and fast! :D

Lacy Days

8x10

Strathmore Aqarius II paper

W&N & DS paints

Colander with Apples

2009-03-30T22:51:00.000-07:00

This is done from the step-by-step shown by the wonderful and generous French watercolorist Thierry, who gave the permission to paint and sell it!
Thanks Thierry!

Colander with Apples

12" x 16"

Watercolor

Mercury - finished

2009-03-30T22:46:00.001-07:00

Here's Budha-Mucury. He's been finished fro a few days now, but I finally managed to take a picture!

Budha - Mercury14" x 18"

Watercolor

Mercury - WIP 2

2009-03-10T22:32:00.001-07:00

I have been busy with making a couple of websites for some Artists and for my Art Co-op Gallery.
So haven't gotten much painting in the last 40 days :O

Have been on and off working with Mercury (again, more off than on ;)

Here he is, at the end of today's painiting session...

I am also starting a watercolor class and have a handful of people... not makny but just enough for a first time teacher :O
I am looking forward to it :D It will be fun!

Mercury - WIP

2009-02-13T22:30:00.000-08:00

Mercury, my next Graha(planet), though not well situated in the heavens right now, happens to be in exaltation for the next 5-6 hours in the Navamsa (the 9th divisional chart.)

So I am squeezing in a start for Mercury though as I write it's already 10:30 PM. I know I won't be able to draw him out, but there is always time for a blog entry!

Mercury

"Wearing yellow garlands and clothes, brilliant like a Karnika flower (a brilliant white flower),

handling a sword, shield and mace on a lion and blessing is Mercury."

Yellow is the color of nobility, thus Mercury's yellow garlands and clothes reveal that he behaves in a noble manner. Mercury is the "Young Sovereign." His garland represents that he is worthy to be honored for his many abilities. His brilliance is the result of his vibrant pursuit and enthusiastic personality.

Mercury's sword reveals his honor, especially in the times of conflict. His shield represents his ability to protect himself from dangers, which Mercury does through the effective management of problems and through avoiding potential problems. His mace represents his ability to destroy when necessary. His fourth hand blesses with productivity and the successful realization of one's projects.

Mercury rides a lion, which symbolizes his mastery of the material realm and his ability to be a successful mover and shaker in the world. Mercury's mastery is revealed by Mercury's Mahapurusha Yoga: Bhadra Yoga (formed by Mercury being in an angle in own or exaltation Rasi), which is said to create a great leader and an individual of accomplishment.

--excerpt from my husband's Graha Sutras.

Cheese Please! ~ Slideshow

2009-01-30T21:19:00.000-08:00

Grapes - Finished

2009-01-30T20:44:00.000-08:00

Cheese Please!
17.5 x 23 inches (I think my largest so far!) :D
Arches 140# CP paper
mostly Winsor & Newton paints

Many thanks to "Emily Lagore" (mustcreate of wetcanvas) for her beautiful reference!

I have been a member of our local co-op gallery for the last two months. They are called "Red" and their theme for February is "Red" So everyone is supposed to create an artwork that is Red. These RED grapes are my contribution!

Grapes - WIP (8)

2009-01-29T19:34:00.001-08:00

I think I am done with the grapes and the bowl. Now just have to do a shadow underneath the bowl and a BG.

Grapes - WIP (7)

2009-01-26T21:13:00.000-08:00

Another glaze on the bowl. I still need to go darker on the bowl to make it sparkle!

Grapes - WIP (6)

2009-01-25T19:31:00.000-08:00

After one glaze on the crystal bowl.

Grapes - WIP (5)

2009-01-20T23:03:00.001-08:00

Phew....

I have painted all day long today (and my back is telling me that!)

The big part of the painting, the grapes are "done."

Hmm... I might go back to darken a couple pf them...

I will see about that in end and see how everything looks

and if the grapes look balanced or not....

I don't want all the grapes to look the same... some dark

and the others that are getting back lit, light and transparent.

The next step is the crystal bowl.

This would be a piece of cake.. (touchwood!)

Grapes - WIP (4)

2009-01-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

Some more reds........

A combination of ultramarine blue, pyrelene maroon,

alizarin crimson, scarlet lake,

ans maybe a touch here or there of sap green, tranparent pyrrol orange....

Grapes - WIP (3)

2009-01-19T22:03:00.000-08:00

Starting to put vairious Reds and oranges to the grapes...

This is the scary stage :O

Grapes - WIP (2)

2009-01-19T20:05:00.000-08:00

Here is the 2nd installment...

A glaze of yellow to make the grapes glow!

Grapes - WIP

2009-01-18T15:48:00.000-08:00

For their February show at the Red Co-op Gallery, where I have been showing my art, the theme for February is Red.

I have the ambition of painting Red grapes.... but I wonder if I will succeed : I am terribly nervous about these grapes to read like grapes, on top of that, to look like "Red grapes!"

This image is probably one of the most painted on wetcanvas. So here goes another one...

What you see so far is the violet underpainting in the grapes to define the dark areas.

Mars- Retake...

2009-01-17T13:49:00.000-08:00

Just got a Canon XSI with a 60mm prime macro lens :)
And took a better picture of Mars...

Mars

2009-01-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

KUJA

"Wearing red garments and clothes, a spear, trident and mace
and blessing, four armed is Mars riding a ram."

MARS

RAM- ARIES

The male sign of Mars

Winsor & Newton Artist's transparent watercolors.

14" x 18" Arches 140# paper

!!!Critics please!!!

Work-in-progress

2009-01-11T15:19:00.000-08:00

A little more progress...

14x18 Arches CP 140# paper
Winsor & Nwton artists' watercolors.

Gave him a Red garland and also started on the ram.

Also darkened his clothes.

***************************

Work-in-Progress

2009-01-09T16:32:00.001-08:00

Kuja - Mars

Here is Mr. Mars so far. He has been a lot of fun to paint so far.

Lts more to go... His clothes need to get darker... almost blood red!

And then of course there is Mr. Ram, the vehicle!

***********************************************

Mars

2008-12-23T22:12:00.000-08:00

As the Sun goes into Capricorn, the exaltation sign for Mars, I am drecting my thoughts towards painting the third Graha (planet) Mars.

"Wearing red garments and clothes, a spear, trident and mace
and blessing, four armed is Mars riding a ram."

Excerpts from my husband's Graha Sutras...

Mars is dressed in red, revealing his hot and active nature. His red garland indicates that he is worthy of honor for his many great and courageous deeds. He is four armed, revealing that he is a Graha that is active in the doings of the world and that he is not a ruling force of conciousness, as are the Sun and the Moon. His spear represents his focused and pointed pursuit, the trident his ability to transform and change through the strength of his will and his mace the ability to destroy when necessary. With his fourth hand he blesses one's exertions so that they may be productive. Mars rides a ram, revealing that he is a master of challenges who is always willing to scale new heights and reach new grounds.

Juried Art Exhibit

2008-07-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

Allied Arts of Yakima Valley is currently holding the 41st Annual Juried Art Exhibit. From over 150 entries, 67 pieces by 51 local artists were selected by juror Esther Luttikhuizen. The Show started on June 5th, 2008 and will be running through July 27th, 2008.

Of the 3 pieces that I submitted, the "Dogwood Branch" got picked against all my expectations! I had high hopes for the other two ;)

Here I am with the "Dogwood Branch!"

Work-In-Progress

2008-07-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

Chandra - The Moon

Second in the series of "The Grahas (Planets)" is the Moon, which comes after the Sun- Surya.

The Moon is the planet of the mind... and is full of knowing. A planet with feminine qualities, Moon is the reflection of the Sun.

He is the "Lord of the Night."

I think I am done with his face. Critics please... Do you think thebackground is too loud/distracting?

My studio

2008-07-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

To start off with my blog I though I should take you along for a tour of my art studio.

Though I keep changing it all the time, this is how it is looking right now!

Ok, I finally have a blog!!!

2008-06-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

Some of my friends have been insisting that I get a blog or some kind of a guest book where they could drop by, say hi, leave a comment etc. So here it is... I am still working on it... and don't have much here for now, but will hopefully be populating it more soon.