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Saturday, May 31, 2008

Painting and Teaching

I just realized a couple of encaustics slipped by my notice. The square one is 12x12" on a deep box and the long skinny one is 12x24" on the same type of deep box.

My daughter's birthday is on Monday and she said all she wanted for her birthday was for me to come over to her house and paint over her ugly kitchen doors so that's how I spent the day.

Here are the ugly doors before. Notice the completely unacceptable blotches. Had to go.

I brought over a load of paints thinking it would take a lot to cover the door but I was wrong. The entire operation took only 4 hours or so with a big mexican food lunch and then ice cream to break up the fun. The sun came out so Shellie pulled weeds in her yard while her sweet dog Moose (enormous black lab) and savvy white and black cat (Sam) kept me company inside.

Every so often Shellie would come in and snap a photo of the progress and give me helpful advice. Then my other daughter Steffi came over with her friend Susie and they had ideas too, like "add dinosauers" and "where are the peasants". Uh, thanks, guys.

I had to talk Shellie out of a stone arch, a pathway and a water feature; what does she think I am, a PAINTER? Hard enough to fake your way through a mural painted with chip brushes without adding features. (Hey, I just found the color doo-dad on my menu bar.)

While I painted I drank green tea and listened to loud music and had a thoroughly blank mind. Just dibble dibble here and dabble dabble there until the doors were covered with paint. Then step back and scratch my chin.

Here they are at the end of the day. She's going to live with them a couple of days and then see if she wants any changes but she was very pleased and glad to be done with the ugly "befores".

Now a little update and reminder about a great retreat scheduled for October. I'll be coming to Cedarburg, Wisconsin to teach at the Raevn's Nest. This is a first year effort by Kim Rae Nugent to create an artful gathering in the midwest for all of us who love to get away and make art; I have never attended a class where I did not learn something wonderful or meet great people or have my spirit renewed by the experience. Check out the site and see if it fits into your fall schedule; I've never been to Wisconsin before and I'm so excited to teach there.

You have some wonderful teachers to choose from and many interesting classes in a historical setting at a gorgeous time of year.

The gathering promises to be intimate and fun; I've heard several people say that the midwest could use a great retreat so now is your chance. I hope to meet some of you there.

31 comments:

Candace said...

(Good lord, am I really the first one here???)

Oh Judy, those doors are going to lead to wonderful adventures and memories, I'm sure. So beautifully vibrant. Love them! How sweet a b'day gift is that??

Candy

femminismo said...

I've got doors that need doing too, but no birthday coming up! Let's plan for next April, OK? You are a wonderful mama to have. They are beautiful paintings, now, those used-to-be doors.
I know your classes will be wonderful and everyone will learn lots. The encaustics are going great. I love the candy-like look of several of them. I can see your two techniques blending a little more each time. - Jeanne

nancye williams said...

Those doors are beautiful.
nancye

Binky said...

Now Judy. In my world that is not dibbling and dabbling. Those doors now have full blown beautiful paintings on them. How luck is the owner who once had dark blotches on boring doors.
Love your encaustic work also.

Anonymous said...

wow!~ those doors are awesome...
Happy Birthday to your daughter. that is such a perfect birthday gift!

suzi blu said...

That door is LOVELY. what a beautiful beautiful thing to do for your every day living space.

Bridgette Guerzon Mills said...

midwest, you say? hmmmm. I'll be in chicago by then and your workshops look interesting. How funny would it be that it would take me moving to the midwest to meet you?! :)

katie said...

that's got to be the best birthday gift a daughter could want, triple duty doors; functional, beautiful, and warm the heart with a mama's love. hmmmmmmmm....xo

Kelly Snelling said...

that is the most fantastic birthday present! you did such a wonderful job on those, judy...although i'm sure the dinosaurs would have really been great (wink). & some rose cuttings are soaking for you right now!!

Bel said...

What a wonderful gift for your daughter, they look fantastic. I am loving your art work. I just want to touch them to feel the texture :)Belinda

Deirdra Doan said...

JUDY, JUDY, JUDY, WOW cool doors!

Tif said...

Just came across your blog from someone else's blog (Carolyn Gallo's). Anyway, these doors are AMAZING! You did a great job. What a difference it makes in the room. Your daughter must love it!
--Tif

Maija said...

I love your new encaustics!!
Those doors you painted are flipping amazing!!!

Unknown said...

Love the doors!! Makes me less intimidated to try something like that. I was wondering if you used just plain acrylic paint and if you primed the doors first. Also, did you prepare a sketch beforehand? They turned out so great, as if you were looking through the doors to the lovely scenery. I've been visiting your blog quite often and really enjoy what you share here. Thanks.
~Sharon
http://e14studio.blogspot.com

Linda Womack said...

Oh Judy, those doors are fabulous! I love how your style come through in them even without the peasants. :) You have turned a very sad set of doors into a gateway to another place. Beautiful! Now I wish I had some nasty doors hanging around...

Anonymous said...

goodness!
the doors are gorgeous!!

Leah said...

*love* those doors! beautiful work, as always, judy!

Unknown said...

Wow Judy! Would you be my mother?!!?

Hmmmmm...Wisconsin in the fall, on my birthday, taking one of your classes....how much more could a girl want?

Crystal

Anonymous said...

Wish I could "dibble & dabble" like THAT!!!!
HOLY PAINTBRUSH, BATMAN !!!

Anonymous said...

what a lovely gift - what lovely newly painted doors - so nice to be together this way - Mother and Daughter - lucky both of you...

xox - eb.

Heather, paperfollies.typepad.com said...

Wow, every time she walks through those doors she'll step into a magical land...no longer the "Land of Ugly Blotches."
What a wonderful mom!

Barbara said...

The doors are wonderful... I painted a girlfriend's ugly kitchen cabinets in a similar dibble dabble empty brain fashion...it was so relaxing.

I think the thing is, there are no rules... they are cabinets/doors... and you just begin.

Judy said...

You are amazing!!!

Karen Cole said...

My birthday is in February. Ditto, what Judy said, absolutely amazing.

Again....how about an east coast retreat???? Mid Atlantic, like Philadelphia maybe?

Anyone out there?

Warning, don't get too carried away with the color font button. Your work is too fabulous.

Ro Bruhn said...

Judy, you can come and paint my doors any day, how fabulous, if your daughter ever moves house she'll have to take them with her.
Ro
xo

Tricia said...

oh how wonderful judy! what a lucky daughter you have! a happy birthday to her, :)

blessings,

Dayna Collins said...

Judy, you continue to amaze me with your generosity, creative talents, and sense of whimsy! The doors are beautiful and your daughter must be mighty pleased! Dayna

Chris said...

Now, those doors are beyond fab. What an amazing idea you've given me. Oh, mine won't actually represent anything because that would necessitate drawing and perspective! But, they will be much better than the blah they are now!

Thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

I have some laundry doors I need to do that to!

Becky Mairi Farrell said...

Wow Judy, what a transformation! How do you work so fast?! I wish I had something like that in my house.

jo said...

Those doors are amazing, what a lucky girl your daughter is and what a fantastic birthday present!
Jo in Australia