Week 34 - 2018 in Photographs

Day 231

This is the week of flowers. But more importantly for me it has be the summer of flowers. I seem to have finally proven my mother wrong. I do not have a brown thumb. There have been some failures in the vegetable garden because of too hot too early. Seems to have been been a good combination, however, for the flowers.

In my studio I have a wide assortment of plants which fall into that category of those which thrive on neglect. Outside I have finally found those which grow like weeds.

And all of them fall into the classification of being great to photograph.

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Day 237

Next week back to landscapes and trees.

Week 33 - 2018 in Photographs

Day 224

 Flowers have figured prominently in my photos the last couple of weeks. My flowers have flourished and given me much joy. And hopefully everyone is enjoying the pictorial evidence.

I love particularly the "bones" of the sunflower. While it is easy to get seduced by their color they are spectacular in black and white.

Day 225

 I am daily more seduced by black and white treatment of flowers and landscapes.

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But it is hard to ignore the colors in a sunset or dawn.

Day 230

Next week will be all flowers.

The High Road - From Computer to Reality

The basic 48 x 32 Stretcher bars

Taking the photograph is the easy part. And it is very easy to post them on the internet. It becomes more difficult when you choose what size to print a photograph and on what platform you want to print it. I love photographs printed on canvas. It means no mats to cut and no glass to handle. And when I print photographs for display or exhibit purposes I choose in the neighborhood of 30 x 20. That was the size I first had The High Road printed in color. It sold within the first week it was on display.

I paint mostly within that range. Though Meraki Mustangs is 46 x 22. And I did a commission with the biggest measurement being 72 inches. But my studio and supplies are not set up to handle routinely the larger sizes. Part of the reason for rearranging my studio was to allow for handling bigger paintings and photographic prints. A painting begins with stretching a canvas and a photograph culminates in stretching the canvas.

Temporary Work Table 

To handle stretching a 48 x 32 inch canvas print. I put two folding tables together in the middle of my newly created work space. Fortunately these tables have adjustable heights so I was able to lower them to a comfortable height for stretching and stapling.

Putting in the center brace

Stretcher bars need to be squared. They don't just do that on their own. And for longer than 36 inches they require a center brace. These are heavy duty wide stretchers. I usually work with medium. Both are considered acceptable for galleries.

Print on stands to paint edges

There is a return, thankfully, to not framing canvas paintings and prints on medium or wide stretcher bars. I prefer painting the edges black.

Painting the edges

 I still have to affix hanging hardware sign the new photograph. Meanwhile the problem is finding a place to place it. I stood it against the studio chairs while I changed out the covering on the tables for the next stage. Off with the plastic for painting and on with the sheet to protect it. Then wrapping it up in a blanket for delivery.

The print waiting for signing and hanging

Week 32 - 2018 in Photographs

Day 217

 I toyed recently with doing a week of at home snaps. But these are at home snaps. My snaps are just different I suppose. Four of this week's photos were taken while standing on my deck. I had to be a bit off the deck to take the rest.

Day 218

 Upon moving into my house in 1998 I discovered I had the gift of dawns through the eastern window. That window is now a doorway into my studio which has four windows and a glass French door which face the same way.

The studio windows

And outside of those windows used to be a small temporary stoop upon which I stood in bare feet to record clouds and dawns. It took years to convert that stoop to the deck I currently enjoy. With a heated door mat so I don't freeze my bare feet in the winter.

The deck also provides space and reasons for container gardens. I have to walk to the far end of the deck to capture the African Daisies which grown in a container. The earth upon which my house, and deck, are built is not good at yielding to shovels so it is containers or raised beds.

Day 219

And the deck looks over the valley of the Little Coyote and a very large fenced yard where I entertain the my friends' dogs. They of course frequently become subjects of my photographs.

Day 220
Lucy, Metta, and Dottie

But the expansive vista of the eastern and southern sky rarely disappoints. I still am enchanted with the dawns and I have always loved clouds. The photo below was a record for my pleasure of some particularly peculiar clouds before a storm. The bird was a bonus.

Day 221

And if you stare at the photograph below and let your creative mind float you will see a huge bird in the clouds.

Day 222

And beside my lower deck, under those four windows of the studio is the hollyhock bed. I have loved hollyhocks since I was a child. The studio wall provides them protection from the winds and they gratefully pose for me in the summer. 

Day 223

Welcome to my snaps from home. BTW on September 29 and 30 my deck and studio will be open for the second annual Angel Fire Studio Tour. My studio is open by appointment most afternoons through the summer, but the studio tour is special. I will have my artist friends Carol Rupp and Judy Kosanovich showing their work too. Note the photo of Judy and Boca was taken on my deck. And of course there will be my work there too.

Week 31 - 2018 in Photographs

Day 210
Raindrops on the bird bath

It has rained. The grass is greening up.

Day 211

Even the musk thistle rejoices.

Day 212

There is hope for the forests and the birds.

Day 213

And the wildflowers bravely begin to bloom.

Day 214

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 The lakes can refill.

Day 216

It has rained.