3 hours of optimism

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Vango..Lend me your Ear

"To do good work one must eat well,

be well housed,
have one's fling from time to time,
smoke one's pipe,

and drink one's coffee in peace."

~ Van Gogh

Crazy thing, that bit about Van Gogh's ear!
Van Gogh was born in 1853 and grew up in Holland.
His father was a minister and Vincent would
follow in his footsteps after a stint as an Art Dealer.

He worked as a missionary in a coal mining community
but art chased his soul and his life as an artist began.
Vincent moved to Paris and hung out with the likes of
Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin and Bernard. Brother Theo
footed the bill for most of Van Gogh's life.

Vincent Van Gogh took his own life in 1890 after producing
roughly 900 paintings in ten years. He suffered with mental
illness and physical decline. Poor guy didn't gain
notoriety until a few years after his death, joining a long
tradition of starving artistry.

900 paintings in ten years! What does that tell you?
If you want to make your mark..practice..practice..practice.

Katie and Shade...party of two...we did just that.

We headed out for a swinging Saturday night at
Vino and Vango with our personal instructor...
the "Icon-O-Guy", Brian Hahn.

We had such a blast. I brought copies of one
of Van Gogh's most popular paintings
"Van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles". He did several
versions of this. For some reason in really resonates
with people, along with the famous Sunflowers
and Starry Night paintings.

We started out on track.. but I demanded that we pull
out the turquoise for the floor and then we were all
slinging the color like it was the only color to use...
which it was! Love it..love it..love it!

The painting above is Brian's...our pilot for the evening.

This one is Katie's.

This one is mine. I texted a copy to my friend D.
She wrote back, "If you didn't say it was Van Gogh I
would have said it was Winnie the Pooh's bedroom.
I like it." I had to laugh..it does look like Winnie's bedroom!

I have had three excellent painting sessions at Vino and Vango.
If you want a fun evening out with the girls, or something
different to do for a birthday party, or any special event..
check this place out. They provide everything you need
and the instructors are so upbeat and encouraging.
No painting experience neccessary.

Thank you Brian for a really great class. I'm in turquoise heaven!

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Here we Vango Again

This is how it all starts.

A blank canvas, a blank page..

and in my case...a blank mind

waiting for inspiration to show up.

It sounds rather Zen doesn't it?

But in this case I didn't even have to

think anything up. All the better!

Supplies at the ready...

Sandi Bonn and I had a date at

Vino and Vango to paint some Zinnea's.

Here's Sandi laying down the basics.

Look at those lovely greens and blues.

My attempts show a softer palette.

What the heck are those big white circles on our canvases?

Aha...something does go there.

The shading on these flowers is beautifully done...

Sandi thought mine looks Chagallesque...

Maybe that Studying the Masters class rubbed off on me.

You can't get more Spring than this..

From blank to blooms..

Nothing better than a painting buddy!

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Sky Too Blue

I thank you God for this most amazing day,

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees,

and for the blue dream of sky

and for everything which is natural,

which is infinite, which is yes.

~e.e. cummings

Spring may not be official but it sure seemed

like it on Saturday. Chris and I enjoyed walking the

path at Skinner Butte and the sunny downtown streets

of Eugene. We stopped for slices of pizza and

salad at Sizzlepie across from Kesey Square.

I'm not usually a fan of the food shot....

but Yumm!

Kesey Square was all a bustle...

"Further" dropped off a load of laughing teenagers

and picked up another for a magic trip......

Further was a school bus purchased by author Ken Kesey

in 1964 to carry his Merry Band of Pranksters across the

country. Beat legend Neal Cassady was the driver for the

maiden voyage to New York for the publication of Kesey's

novel Sometimes a Great Notion. The bus is also featured

in Tom Wolfe's book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.

Young artists were spread out in the square

with their jewelry and wares.

This is Bree (I forgot to ask the spelling)

taking advantage of the warm sunshine

to work on her paintings.

We topped off the afternoon by sitting outside

Red Wagon Creamery for two delish one scoop waffle cones!

Sky Too Blue

~Shade Nelson

I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening playing with

my watercolor and Inktense pencils. Here is one I finished

up from a sketch I did last summer with my friend Sandi.

We sat across the street with our cold Chai teas, and sketch pads

balanced on our knees...until the ants chased us out. Little buggers..

Maybe we will go here next weekend!
(LOL...I just realized I spelled Espresso wrong...
don't set me loose in the tattoo parlour...)

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!!!

Sunday, March 9, 2014

The Thing About Doors

We keep moving forward, opening new doors,

and doing new things, because we are curious

and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

~Walt Disney

There are things known and things unknown

and in between are the doors.

~Jim Morrison

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors

where there were only wall.

~Joseph Campbell

A clever, imaginative, and humerous request

can open closed doors and closed minds.

~Percy Ross

“Why it's simply impassible!
Alice: Why, don't you mean impossible?
Door: No, I do mean impassible. (chuckles) Nothing's impossible!”
~Lewis Carroll

Every now and then one paints a picture
that seems to have opened a door
and serves as a stepping stone to other things.
~Pablo Picasso

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/door.html#iDgEIEjeTQI0A5tQ.99

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/door.html#2RHsbWtRED9cvXjS.99

Happiness often tries to sneak through a door
you didn't know you left open.
~John Barrymore

أحيانًا أشعر بالتفاؤل ، وفي أحيان أخرى أشعر أنني
واقفة خلف باب زجاجي سميك ، أطرق و أطرق ولا أحد يفتح
~Nahid Rachlin

The first door in the hall leads to youth,
the second door leads to middle age,
and the third door leads to the bathroom.
But knock first, because I think grandpa’s in there.
~Jared Kintz