Staircase Beach Mural- Work in Progress

I am having so much fun with this mural!  No rules- its my house and I can paint anything on the walls that I choose to paint.  I will probably be working on this for a long time and adding elements as I think of them.  After all the hard work of building the stairs, it is truly fun to just paint.

Hopefully, now that I am back to painting- watercolors will not be far off.  For now, lots of walls and ceilings to take care of- with fun mural painting here and there.

Oahu Beach Triptych- finished!

Oahu Beach Watercolor Triptych

25X23, 50X23, 25X23

After a period of no available time to paint, I got back to this project and finished it.  It was really a lot of fun, even though it stressed me out during the process!  I have no problem painting just for the fun of it, or to put for sale in my Etsy shop- but when I am painting for people I know, I worry the whole time that it will be what they are imagining.

This project was a special request from my daughter in law, and the reference photo is one she took of her beach on Oahu at Pearl Harbor/Hickam AFB.  What she loves most about it is the gorgeous turquoise color of the water, so I really wanted to give her that.  This was definitely a larger scale than I usually paint, so it challenged me and that is a good thing.  The watercolors are now in the mail to Hawaii.

For the past year, I have been irregular at best with my painting and blogging.  A few things came up that required my attention and were more important than painting.  My mom has been in chemo and I go out of town a lot, so I just re-prioritized my life.  Things are settling down a bit so I am going to try to get back to daily (at least weekly) painting.  I have tried to get around to my fellow artists' blogs and see what's going on- but that has been spotty also.  Hope to see what everyone has been painting- and get back in touch!

Sea Glass Jewelry

I have a confession to make.  I have a beach combing addiction.  I cannot walk on the beach without staring at the sand, hoping to find the wonderful little treasures that come from the ocean .  I have mason jars full of shells, and also sea glass.  Every once in a while, I make jewelry out of the sea glass.  I guess I feel that using it justifies me constantly adding to the collection.  Last week, I got the urge to make some jewelry.  I got out my soldering iron and picked through my sea glass.  I had so much fun!

ACEO- Art Cards & Fun Little Watercolors

Red Cherry

 Hueneme Pier and Channel Islands

California Poppies

I have been having better luck with these tiny ACEO watercolors than with larger ones lately.  Art Cards Editions and Originals- they seem to be very popular on Etsy. I guess that means there are plenty of people collecting them.  As an artist, I like that they are just fun to paint since they are so small (2.5 X 3.5") and I can work on quite a few at a time.  They are a great way to practice and get some painting time in.  I love painting on large sheets of paper, but sometimes just want to work small- in those cases, postcards and ACEO are the way to go!

Sand Dollar Trio- Original Watercolor

9X12 watercolor on 140 lb. cold press

More beach watercoloring- I can't seem to help it with our winter staying in the 60's and 70's.  It just feels like summer! I walk 3-4 miles by the beach every morning and have many photos to paint from.  I feel like I need to paint something different, but this is what motivates me these days.  Soon, I will move on (at least in temporary spurts) and mix in other painting subjects.  I am going to take my artistic motivation wherever I can get it- and these days, it is the beach!  These sand dollars were really fun for me to paint since I really get caught up in the tiny details- that explains all the grains of sand I added. The main challenge for me was to use a light hand to shade these sand dollars- to keep them light in color, but not completely white.

Beaches- small acrylic paintings

Having some fun with small canvases and painting the beach. Sometimes, it is relaxing to just work in a smaller scale.  Somehow, it seems less serious- as if I am under no pressure to create a masterpiece!  That really helps keep the painting relaxed and fun.  I am trying to include people in some of my paintings, but also working on adding people without a lot of detail.  Seems easy, but it isn't for me.  I plan to keep practicing with these until they are easier!

Scallop Shell Trio Watercolor

Scallop Shell Trio- 9X12 on 140 lb. cold press

I am in a beach painting state of mind lately, and the shells and beach glass are getting me back in practice.  I decided that the easiest way to get back to painting would be with the simple objects- and beach finds are something I have in abundant supply.  The variety of colors and all of the little details make for good practice without a lot of pressure to produce a perfect painting.

These scallop shells are from Long Island- Fire Island to be specific.  Walking the beach on Fire Island is amazing when you are a serious beachcomber.  One beach has mostly clam shells, and a mile down the sand, there are zillions of scallops.  If you are having a GREAT day, you find some beach glass to add to your sandy treasures.

I found a new beach today(new to me) that was beautiful, but not much in the way of shells.  Right in the shadow of Mugu Rock, next to Point Mugu Naval Base.  I found a few pretty little shells and 4 pieces of beach glass.  A little extra exercise to add to my 3 miles at sunrise- along with some nice photos made it a good trip.  Who knows? Maybe a future painting in one of those photos.

Beach Glass Watercolor - 9X12

Beach Glass Watercolor

140 lb cold press- 9X12

beach glass detail

I am really trying to get back into a painting routine, and think I have finally gotten a start.  I haven't painted much at all since starting the moving/relocation process and I am definitely ready for some creativity!  About a week ago, I got out my palette, and a pad of watercolor paper and got nowhere.  Sometimes, I think the most difficult part of painting is thinking of WHAT to paint and getting focused.  Yesterday I sat down with a plan to just paint a few small watercolors and to paint things I enjoy painting.  Well, with a pile of beach glass and sea shells in front of me- it worked!  Sometimes, artistic mojo and too much thinking just don't mix.  After I relaxed and didn't worry about painting a masterpiece- I just had fun.  Now to find (and keep) my artistic mojo- wherever it may be.

Back to the Beach

"Catch of the Day"

9X12 acrylic on canvas

We are moving soon. That means lots of things to pack, which is bad.  It also means I will be a few feet from the sand and the Pacific Ocean, which is excellent!  I am only about an hour from the coast now, but an ocean view is much better.  When we left Long Island, I knew I would miss the beach being only a few minutes away.  I definitely have missed the frequent trips to Fire Island, and it will be wonderful to live on the coast again (not to mention saying bye bye to the 100+ degree days of summer here).

Vintage Sand Pail Watercolor- "Pig Family at the Beach"

I collect vintage sand pails and I think that probably makes me crazy, but whatever.  For some reason, I am drawn to all kinds of vintage items- I just love the history.  Sand pails are particularly interesting to me because I love the colorful designs. I can justify (or at least try to) buying them, since I paint them- sort of a "business expense".  Of course I am only kidding about that, and nobody (especially my husband) buys that as an excuse!  I am not as crazy as some of these collectors who will pay hundreds for them- I only buy them if they are a GREAT deal(in the tens, not the hundreds) and I REALLY love them.  I got this one for $35 at an antique barn on Long Island AND it included the shovel.  The rusted edges only make it more interesting to me to paint.

This watercolor is 18X24" on 140 lb. cold press paper - rough surface.  The sand pail is a vintage (1940's, I think) T.Cohn pail. It was completely fun to paint, and I often go back to painting these sand pails when I just want to paint for fun, and for me!

Fun with Watercolors and ACEOs

ACEO, ATC, whatever you call them- they are fun to paint!  These papers are 2.5 X 3.5 inches.  They just seem like pure fun to paint since you don't have a large piece of watercolor paper in front of you waiting to turn into a "serious" painting.  I have also been trying out the canvas ACEO papers for oil paints.  I have been seeing many artists on Etsy putting these tiny paintings in their shops and decided to give them a try.  I painted more of them, but didn't want to post too many at once, so will post more later. I found some small frames just the right size for them, and if you are like me, you probably like your paintings more once they are matted or framed.  The small size is also just right for painting two of my favorite subjects- wine corks and sea shells!

Watercolors- Ready for Summer!

Can you tell I am ready for summer to get here?  Where I live (in a valley in California) we get hit with foggy days much of the winter.  I don't mean hazy fog.  I am talking about the kind of fog they use in creepy movies.  The kind of fog that means you can't see 5 feet into your yard.  No sun for days.  Well, we saw the sun the other day and now I got a taste of what is coming- just not soon enough! I opened up windows to get some fresh air in the house after a winter of being closed in with the heater running.  

So, now I am already planning my first trip to the nursery-first of many.  I can't wait to start spending days in the garden- even though the first days will be spent doing all the dreaded spring clean-up and pruning away dead branches.  And, of course there will be the beach days!  

I am dealing with my Spring Fever by painting the beach.  I have said it before, but here it is again- I miss Long Island's beaches!  We have nice beaches here in California also, but the main problem is that they are more like an hour away now instead of the 15 minute drive on Long Island!     

Seashell Trio- oils on canvas

I am finishing, one at a time, the oil paintings that I started earlier this week. Sometimes I find I get more done by starting a batch of paintings at once. If I prime multiple canvases, they are then ready to go and easy to start. No excuses. Painting on these small canvases is so fun, too!

The dark still life starts out on a canvas covered in dark (usually black) acrylic paint. It is faster and uses less of my more expensive oil paint. Then, I can mix my darks for the background- usually alizarin crimson, burnt umber, and ultramarine blue. For the beach/sand paintings, I usually start with a raw sienna mix. Then come the grains of sand, then the shells and beach glass. Some of my shells and fruits (cherries, pomegranates, etc.) get a pure black background to make them really stand out.

Time to go paint- I have more than a few paintings waiting in my studio!

Thanks for visiting-

Sheryl

Finishing Watercolors

I have been enjoying my "new" studio space this last week and getting lots of painting done. With my painting table in the middle of the room instead of at the window, I actually have more room to put larger watercolor paper on it. Now I don't have a wall in front of me and the paper can go off the edge of the table if I want to turn it side ways or push it away. I haven't been keeping up with posting, so here is some of what I have been working on. I am thinking about adding some gulls in the beach painting for some interest. Sometimes I paint from 2 or 3 photos to get the painting I like, but this photo was pretty much what I wanted. I left out the washed up piles of sea weed since I don't consider them of any interest, and made a few minor changes.

The vineyard, as I have mentioned, was such a problem to me and I just wanted to be done. I did add a farm worker down the row for something else to look at. I tried to keep him vague, and duller color since he is far away- yet still have him there. I went with purple toned shadows which I often like, and added alizarin crimson and french ultra blue to my green vines to put them in shadow with the same cool purple tones as the cast shadows.

The sand pail was pure fun, and I always enjoy painting them, and the beach. I haven't painted a sand pail in a long while and they are among my favorite painting subjects -with the bright colors and details. This is an antique pail I found at an "antique" shop on Long Island and I use the word antique loosely here. Very much a junk store- my favorite kind. You never know what you will come across.

The sand pail is on 18X24 watercolor paper (as is the vineyard watercolor) and looks slightly out of perspective due to the angle I photographed from- will look better once it is scanned- this is just a peek. I will have to scan all of these larger ones in about 4 pieces and then stitch them together to print them.

I am working on the 100 Paintings Challenge (in a year) and need to keep up with at least 2 each week, or have some of those crazy weeks of one or more paintings a day to catch up!

Thanks for looking-

Sheryl

New in My Studio- Watercolor "3 Amigos"

I am starting a few new paintings to give myself a break from the frustrating raisin harvest watercolor. I shouldn't have gotten into it, as I almost never enjoy painting something I painted before (no matter how many years have passed). I was thinking it would be fun to do it again with a different style and maybe learn some new things. I have managed to learn how aggravated I can get with something that started out as fun. I love the vineyards, and after so many years in Fresno, they are a part of my life...I will get back to it soon- I have already started a second one to replace the first one- one way or another, it will be finished. I got a lot of great feedback and help from my fellow artists on my post yesterday, so I know it will be easier when I do go back to it. Thank you all for your comments!

One of the paintings I started yesterday is from a photo a friend took at a Long Island beach about 10 years ago and gave to me after she painted it herself. I call it 3 amigos- just looks like a perfect beach day. I have already painted it twice with different palettes (both many years ago) and like both of them. I know what I said earlier about repeating a painting...but I have had good luck with this one and wanted to try some new techniques on a subject I love-the beach. This time, 3 amigos will be 15X20 instead of 8X10.

The other painting I am working on is an 18X24 version of one of my sand pails. I have painted many sand pails and enjoy them every time! I buy the antique pails whenever I see them and use them for holding art supplies and paint brushes on my painting table. I love to look at them, and this way they are also functional so I can justify buying them. I just have one problem- when did something made in my lifetime get to qualify as an antique? Yikes, that is definitely a bummer!

Thanks for looking,

Sheryl

Watercolors

I have a tendency to work on lots of watercolors at one time. When one is still wet, I start another. If I am using cerulean blue in the water in one painting, and want it in the sky on another- great! I do lots of bouncing from one painting to the next and while it seems less than organized, it seems to be the way I work best. These are some watercolors I am working on at this time. I am still going back to the pomegranates again and again mostly adding darker tones and highlights. Thanks for looking! Sheryl

Welcome to Mermaid's Palette!

I am starting this blog in the hopes that it will keep me on track and focused since I will feel like something is keeping me accountable. I was going to make a goal of a painting a day- then thought better of it since I get a little crazy when I don't finish my "to-do" lists. I am going to stick with creating every day, and see where that gets me!

I read somewhere that a "mermaid's palette" is an old term sailors sometimes used to describe a spectacular sunset. It seemed a perfect name for my Etsy shop since it speaks to art and all things beachy. My Etsy shop has been open for almost two years now and since I am starting to get the hang of the ups and downs of selling online- it is time to tackle the next thing I have been putting off- blogging. Getting a blog set up is much more work than I thought it would be, and I am sure I have lots to learn as I go along.

Let the fun begin!