I have enjoyed an art spurt. Some new inspiration and some finishing projects initiated over the last 12 months. Right now I am down to three pastel projects. Most of my travel is complete and all of our visitors (which we love to host) are gone so it is time to get going. Again, I am still learning, experimenting with medium, subject, technique.
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| Four 4" x 4" miniatures using grey gesso base. |
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| Two Gouache 8 x 10's on watercolor paper, first time I used this medium. |
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| 5 x 7 oil on wood panel: Cactus, Pool, and Mary. |
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| Oil on 12 x 12 stretched canvas, 1st true still life attempt since college. |
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| 11 x 14 oil on a canvas pad, have worked on this for almost a year. |
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| 8 x 10 Drawing, couldn't sleep so got up and drew this after midnight |
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| Another gouache (and watercolor), looking down fairway on Ft Benning golf course. 12 x 9. |
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| Preserve #3, oil on canvas board, 12 x 9. This took quite a while, lots of starts and stops due to intricate depth problems. I am starting two more preserve views in pastel and then that is it. Too difficult. |
Over the last two months I visited Saint Louis twice, the most recent to attend Dominic's graduation from Washington U in St Louis. Sorry to St Louis friends, we were pinched for time so I could not try to get together.
Also visited Greg at Fort Benning, just to catch up and hang out. Greg on one of the Ft Benning courses:
Upcoming is our river cruise from Amsterdam down the Rhine River to Frankfort. Along the way we have a stop in Koblenz, Germany where my father's mother's ancestors came over in 1850's. I owe my Irish blood to her grandfather who married Mary McDermott from County Clare. And, really big for us, one afternoon, maybe Dusseldorf, we hope to host our former Au Pair, Claudia, who lives in Munster. She is planning on bringing her four children. She helped us when we lived in the DC area. A wonderful experience for the boys, us, and her. Her parents were able to visit during her stay.
Trying to get to KeyWest, maybe in July. I purchased a discount voucher for the KW Express boat. We need to use it.
Lastly, a possible visit to Ft Carson in Colorado Springs when Greg makes his next move later this year.
You Travel Here...looking forward to visits when Mizzou plays FLA in Gainesville first weekend in November. Let us know if you want to stay for a couple of days in Southwest Florida, we have the guest cabana ready for you. Just call to see if we are going to be home.
Dominic graduated fro the School of Engineering and Applied Science with a Master Of Engineering
Management. It rained on the way to the ceremony, during (held outside), and all the way home. We were wet through and through, but a fun day for him and his family. Met a lot of his friends. That would be his mother clapping as he walked by.
Humor:
Included is a little graduation fun, just change the degree from English to Engineering.
And, just another voice mail cartoon:
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| from Reader's Digest |
Photo History:
The one that got away (car, that is): '69 MGB I should never have sold. Custom steering wheel and Rocaro seats. Couldn't afford the $60 month payments right out of school. And my wild days, rode the Honda 360 to Florida with Marty, first half in a pouring rain. Sold it to get back to MO when I couldn't get a job due to the '75 recession. Unemployment in St Pete area was 13%.
Music:
While I am typing - listening to Deep Purple: Nobody's Perfect (Live). It includes a little heard Perfect Stranger-I would title it (we Must Remain) Perfect Stranger (Right?) A great concert piece.
Chuck Prophet: No Other Love. "No other can take me there"... "I can go anywhere"; raw sound, great engineering, fun key changes. Summertime Love was his hit.
Several Darius Rucker: Fell in love with You Can Have Charleston. Been there physically and emotionally; kind of a Southern version of George Strait's I Can Still Make Cheyenne (but not as funny). Also a quartet with Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, and Charles Kelly (Lady A).
And Moved by The Rev Shaun Amos. Some Demi Lovato and Gomez.
Saint Louis Connection:
Remember this Rams player?
Remember: My art work is for sale. I will ship it. Go to my website claudelylesartworks.com. Some you will see has been sold. Also can view on phone at artloupe.com but I can't make a price deal there as they take a commission. If you view my website on your phone (desktop or laptop 1,000 times better) use the "hamburger" button in the upper left to navigate to the various content pages. Having said that, hope you enjoy the blog. It is fun for me to share and it makes my brain work overtime in retirement. I keep learning. Claude
