The Finishing Touches

I started this watercolor awhile back, but I have been unable to get back to
it.  I did add the background stripes and the shadows on her.

So tonight, I was able to get a little time, and do the finishing touches.  I added
some colored pencil in the background and a few squiggles here and there.
I thought it "jazzed" up the piece (ha!).  Anyway, I am satisfied with it now,
and enjoyed trying something new.

As women these days, we "wear a lot of hats", meaning we do a lot of
different jobs.  At the gallery, we also have a cafe, and I have been filling
in with the cooking for the last month.  My fulltime cook has had
surgery, and she is still at home recuperating.  So, instead of painting and
drawing, I have been measuring, stirring, boiling and baking!  But
cooking is quite creative too, and I have enjoyed it.  I have always
heard that the best kind of work is work you are passionate about.  Art is certainly
my first passion (although being a grandmother is running a close
second!).  But I enjoy all aspects of my business...afterall, it was all my idea
to begin with.  So, I will savor my last week or so in the kitchen, but I was
tickled to get to finish this painting as well.
And now on a peaceful Friday night, its' hats off!!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Little Street Noise

I took this photo several months ago down in New Orleans.
I love the passion that this musician has...she is so "into" her
performance.  The audience loved her, and there were smiles all
around.  I knew I wanted to try to do something with it.

So I started it in watercolor, laying in a wet into wet wash in the
background.  I decided to use the opposite colors of yellow and purple,
since they are compliments.  When I took a workshop with Stephen Quiller,
he made us do a painting with only two colors, and all the variations
you could make with them. I plan to try that with this one...we'll see where it
goes from here!

sheltongail@hotmail.com