Blue Pelicans

Still in progress here...I did some "lifting"....you can re-wet some dark
areas with a brush, scrubbing slightly, and the pigment will loosen
and can be dabbed up with a paper towel.

Here's a close up of some of the lifted areas.

I still thought it needed something, so I added some pen and ink lines
and flourishes.  I may still add some colored pencil strokes too.  I like the
colors in contrast with the white birds.  I thought the complimentary
scheme of purples and yellows would be different.
It's just a fun piece...another Louisiana subject.  It will be for sale
in the gallery, or I can ship!

Blue Pelicans   Watercolor/Ink   11 x 22
$150.00

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Blind Pelicans

Been working on this watercolor of these white pelicans...
I like the bright colors.  I am not finished...they are "blind" right
now...no eyes!  But I am going to lift some of the dark reflections
and add some details.  Will post when I finish...soon!

Bike Shadows....Pedal Power!

I did get a chance to paint this bicycle photo...from New Orleans.
It's watercolor on Arches cold pressed paper.  I used a sponge
to make some of the texture in the corners.  The bike and the shadow are
painted mostly with just black, but I mixed in a little purple and blue.  I
thought it still needed some tweaking, so I worked on it a little more this morning.

So, here is the finished product.  I painted it all again, and deepened the
shadow.  I punched up the blues, and then added some more splatter on the
ground.  I like it...it's different for me, but fun!  Maybe a bicycle enthusiast will
have to have it!

sheltongail@hotmail.com
Bike Shadows  Original watercolor  $150.00

The Long View

Just been scrolling through some of my New Orleans pics....looking
for something new to paint.  These are some possibilities.  I cropped
and saturated them with color.  I really like the shadow patterns,
especially the first one, the buggy.  We'll see what
develops!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Winter Berries

I love these winter berries.  I don't know what kind of tree this
is, but it grows in damp areas, mostly in south Louisiana.  I was
driving around down there the other day, and wished I could pull
over somewhere and photograph them.  But everywhere I spied them,
there wasn't a place to park, or get out without wading through the
water, etc.  So, I was disappointed.

As I drove toward my house, here in north Louisiana, just down the
road, there they were! And the light was beautiful.  The ground was dry,
So, I excitedly got my camera, and snapped away.  I love the color and
the contrast against the sky.  These would be good for scripture photos, or
I can add a bird or bug in a composition.  Or I could just look at them
and admire one more of God's glorious creations that
color this grey season of the year.
amen

sheltongail@hotmail.com

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

Time for Class

I am still teaching my children's art classes on
Wednesday afternoons.  These two did some watercolor
and ink paintings of a branch with berries.  They are sisters,
and love to compete with each other!  But they are having fun
and hopefully learning a lot!

For info on classes, call the gallery:
318--628-3560

sheltongail@hotmail.com

It's all in a Name

Oh, the blessings of family!  I am a "great Aunt" again, thanks to my
niece and her husband, and their new baby boy, Zane.  She asked me if I
would paint a sign for the baby's room with the meaning of his name.
I finished this fun project this afternoon.  It is painted in acrylic paint on
canvas in shades of pale blue, white and grey.

I will get it shipped out tomorrow and on its' way to Texas.
I hope to see baby Zane sometime soon!

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

Artwork Update

I had some great sales during the holidays.  This pelican is going
home to an art teacher in Alexandria, LA as soon as he is framed.

This crab is on layaway, and will decorate someone's wall soon

And this Jazz man was a special Christmas gift for someone who
had been admiring it for a long time.  

And I finished this egret drawing last night, and it will be for sale up at the
gallery.  If you are close by, come in and check it out.  You might find
something that you can't live without!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Back to the Background

I have had a chance to do a little more drawing on this one...the
busyness of the holidays kept me away from the drawing table.
Now things are getting back to normal, and I should be able to finish
this one up soon.

I really don't like backgrounds.  But this bird would not show up
or be as dynamic without the dark background.  I wanted the contrast between
the white feathers and the dark swamp behind him, I just didn't
think about having to fill it all in!!  I will keep plugging away, and using
the Icarus board to help with the large areas of color.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

You Occupy the Space You Have

After Christmas, it is always depressing after all the
decorations are taken down.  The gallery was empty today, and
I was ready to put something back up.

So I decided to put up some of my artwork and photos from my travels...
a "Destination: show.  These are from Greece.

These are my photos of Paris...from the flower markets on the Seine; the
sailing boats in front of the Louvre; an embellishment on a building on the
Champs Elysee, the Arc de Triumphe, and finally Monet's famous bridge
over his garden ponds.

And this is the "great wall of China"!  ...some photos and a couple of
colored pencil drawings.

Costa Rica was one of my favorite trips ever.  these are from
there.  There's a colored pencil drawing of a bird of paradise bloom,
photos of ferns in the rain forest and some coconuts along the
beach.

I will probably add a few  more along the way.  I have to frame
a few more.  I have a lot more; I may add some
walls out in the middle of the gallery space.

The new year is fast approaching, and with it comes new
ideas and new projects.  I have some plans...will try to post
more often, and share what I am working on.
Thanks for your support.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Little More Bird

Just making a little progress on this drawing.  This time of year is
always so busy with various activities.  And now I have used up all of
my green pencils that I have been using for the background.  So, I have ordered
some from Cheap Joe's, and I will work on the bird for now.  I hope
I can capture the luminosity of his transparent wings.  The late
afternoon light was filtering right through his feathers...just
beautiful.  I may try this photo in watercolor as well, to see which
medium can best capture that quality....or maybe it's the artist who
determines that...ha!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Shadows on White

Making a little progress on this drawing...just not getting a chance to
draw very much. Lots of decorating, shopping, and doing all the things that a
wife, mother, and store owner do this time of year!
I really like the blue shadows on this bird, and his whole body
and wing on the right side is in the shadow as well.  So it will really
begin to take shape as I move to the right.  Stay tuned!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

"Safe Landing"

Just getting started on this egret drawing.  I stalked these birds all last spring,
photographing them at their rookery.  I just love their elegant white feathers
against the dark backgrounds of the swamp.  Still have a long way to go on this
one...will try to post some progress.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Took a nice Sunday afternoon walk today...enjoying some of
the fall colors around our house.  In this season of thanksgiving,
I am thankful for many things....God and my salvation, family, health,
friends, and home.  I hope you will find time this week to enjoy
where you live...and thank God for His many blessings.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Birthday Book

I can show you all of this now...I have been working off and on
on this little book for my grandchild, Clara.  It was a gift for her
first birthday, and it chronicles her whole first year, in sketches, watercolors,
and photos.  I just finished it all up with her party in it, and now
it will go to her house!  She is not really ready to enjoy it just yet, but
someday, hopefully she will like reading and seeing pictures of what she
did her first year.  It was a secret, so I didn't want to post anything my
daughter might see.  She was tickled to see the book, and will
treasure it.  So fun.......

sheltongail@hotmail.com