PROGRESS BEING MADE

Juniper berries in progress

Wow! October has flown past, and I can hardly believe how busy it has been! 
Our property is up for sale, and it has been "interesting" to see the creatures in our Jeep as we crate them up and take them with us each time there is a showing of the house.   One of the cats yowls the entire time which is really annoying after one or two hours. The other cat only speaks a few times an hour, and when he yowls, I kid you not, it sounds exactly like a person saying "No way!" in a high pitched cat like voice. Really funny-weird. Then there is the lovely happy Border Collie who jumps into the back of the Jeep and lays down, but pants the entire time we are away...which means fogged up windows now that it is cold weather. I don't know about you, but it kind of freaks me out, when I think too deeply, that I am breathing the air that the dog is panting into. 
 With many meetings of various kinds in October, creating a "show home" of our house, leaving for hours on end when someone wants a viewing, and the normal everyday types of things like laundry, cooking, eating, sleeping...it all tends to makes for reduced studio time. I am getting further on this watercolor of juniper berries, but it is slow going. Do you realize how many needles there are on just one branch of a juniper bush? Yes - it is TOO many! But, since this painting is for my own pleasure, I try to just enjoy the process of painting needle after needle, varying the color and value of each one...a real test of patience for someone like me! 
Time to get back to the easel...have a great week!

NEW WATERCOLOR IN PROGRESS

On the last hike we took this summer, I got a photo of juniper berries that I really liked, and I knew it would end up as a watercolor painting. :-)

Here you can see some of the berries and needles being developed. This past week was SOOOO busy, but I plan to spend at least 2 full days painting this coming week, so there should be good progress on this piece soon. As well, I am hoping to finish another oil painting, and I am starting a commissioned pencil portrait of a baby as a Christmas gift for the baby's grandmother. I have to finish it in a couple of weeks as it has to be sent away before the Christmas rush begins. 

I am so happy to be an artist! It really fills my sails when I get to be in my studio!