Ready, set.... well, not quite yet ready....

I am trying to get myself ready for the November/December exhibit and sale at the gallery. It is to be of miniatures, 8x10" or smaller. I sold quite well at this exhibit last year. So I'm hoping this year will be even better. But I need to get some work created, and it needs drying time. I started the above 8x10" oil painting today. I am wanting to do a few 'experiments' as I go, so I have painted this one as a grisaille, or a tonal underpainting. I have never done this before. It will need to dry, then I'll paint over it with color. The three cows are mostly black anyway, but I will put some reflected color in them, as well as color in the landscape. The actual underpainting under the grisaille is yellow, and you can see a bit of that showing through. After this layer dries and I do the final painting, I will post the finished piece.

I am having to make some hard creative choices, as I realize I can't do everything anymore. Of course, I never could do everything, but I used to think I could, and I used to make the attempt on a regular basis, and sometimes came close enough to convince myself that I truly was Wonder Woman. Now evidence has proved otherwise. I need to get some paintings done for the gallery; I need/want to get weaving on the "August" tapestry done to empty my loom for a large commission I have taken on for a local church, and I need to design that commission tapestry. So I have decided that I cannot also design and weave a small tapestry to enter in the ATA juried small tapestry exhibit. A hard decision to make, as I was in charge of that exhibit last time, and would like to support it with an entry. I guess I'll just send the entry fee in as a donation. Sigh... I am not Wonder Weaver anymore, either. Hard to admit. Those days of 5-6 8-hour weaving days per week no longer exist for me.



So long, Wonder Woman. It was nice to pretend to be you for awhile.... (I liked the whip.)