I signed up for Dianna Shyne's weekly miniature painting challenges to do in my sketchbook. They are small 6" x 6" acrylic paintings and I thought they would keep me painting in acrylics for the year, a treat to me from money gifted from my mother (thanks Mom!). It is interesting to use different colours and a different substrate as I do not have access to the same supplies while I am in Mexico, another part to challenge me. Notes on the different colours used or changes are also on each page. I love that art in any form makes you into a life long learner, there is always more to see, do and experience.
​Below is week one "Soon To Be Guacamole", week 2 "Red Pepper", week 3 "Starfish", and week 4 "Two Chickens"    Dianna's website www.diannashyne.com @karenoliversfineart  #canadianartist #foreverlearning #karenoliversfineart #sketchbook

This week 11 of us arrived at the building Linda is renting in. We were not only greeted graciously by the other renters but were given the whole yard and terraces to draw and paint as our heart desired, thank you! At the 2 hour mark of our arrival Linda and Art had coffee and homemade (dairy free!) cake to enjoy on one of the shaded terraces. Our heart, eyes and belly's were full, what a wonderful, caring and sharing group!

Above are the "works in progress". I usually call it quits when the time is up but this morning I ran out of time as I was walking around taking photos and deciding on where I was going to paint. There were just to many choices as you can see by the variety of views the artists chose!. My finished painting is below.

"Loncheria Rosita"
​10" x 8" oil on canvas pad, plein air and studio worked, #20032225

Our weekly and loose, ever changing group of plein air artists were welcomed back to Norva's beautiful home and yard. This week Amy brought two yellows for me to try until the ones I ordered come in. I loved them both as they were artist quality (lots of colour). I had brought the painting from last week and decided to work on top of it. I was so much happier now that I could mix greens again as I don't buy or have tube green. This time, not only was the light changing but the greenery on the lagoon was slowly moving and the patterns were completely different. I am so much happier not only with the painting but with the whole experience. Photo, top left: works in progress with oil paintings (taken in shade), right: in progress water colours taken in sunlight, bottom left: the ever moving view, bottom right: a photo of me painting taken by Norva (a surprise in my email!).

"Lagoon Ballet"
​8" x 10" plein air oil on canvas pad    #20017325

The Saturday plein air group were invited to Norva's beautiful home to sketch and paint for our usual 2 hours. I was overwhelmed with the possibilities in her beautiful courtyard garden, pool area, expansive lagoon view and even bats sleeping in a hallway! I also had both our kids, their spouses and our grandson here in Mexico with us and they only had 1 night left so I knew I wouldn't be painting long.
I had bought a tube of yellow paint that had so much white in it that I couldn't use it to mix any greens. Amy was kind enough to lend me some Cadmium Yellow but I used that up right away. My paint must of been student grade. The whole painting just wasn't working for so many reasons (mainly my head wasn't into it and I was trying to hurry)! The painting also fell straight down on my palette so I had to scrape off the blobs of paint.
The good news was in this lovely group, there were a couple of brand new artists. The suggestions and critique of my painting was new to them and it doesn't hurt to see someone else struggling and the suggestions to correct it.

These are the works in progress when I had to leave. My painting is at the top left, a view of coconuts in a palm tree, the lagoon with slits of water in the foliage and the hills and trees in the background. I am going to let it dry before deciding if I am going to work on it more or just toss it. First I have to find yellow oil paint!
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@karenoliversfineart #pleinairpainting #canadianartist #pleinair

This is a continuation of the monthly art/craft challenge for the month of February put on by Opus Art Supplies in B.C. Days 1-13 are in the previous post.

Top Left: "Comfort", Middle: "Abstract" with left over paint, Right: "Shadows" palm leaves on the tile floor, Middle row Left: "Generation", a street vendor and her son, Middle: "Movement", needle felting coasters, Right: "Texture" an iguana from dried palette acrylic paint (thanks for the photo reference Sue), Bottom row Left: "Imagination" mask at Monte Albom archeologic site, Middle: "Pose" an airport patron, Right: "Character", players with their game face on.

First Row Left: "Strength", a tiny flower growing in the crack of the stairs at Monte Albom archeologic site, Middle: "Proportion" at the Museum of Cultures of Oaxaca, Right: "Memory" of Northern Lights at home, Bottom Left: "Whimsy" metal street sculpture in Oaxaca, Middle: "Detail" from a roof top restaurant in Oaxaca, Right: "Contrast" 2 women celebrating a wedding in Oaxaca Centro

A huge thank you to Opus Art Supplies for once again putting this challenge out! @opusartsupplies  #opusdailypractice #travelsketching #canadianartist #karenoliversfineart   @karenoliversfineart

I think this is the third year I have enjoyed this month long change put on by Opus Art Supplies in B.C. I redefined how I was going to do it by blocking out a sketchbook page (A4 size 4 1/8" by 5 3/4") with the dates and the prompt word. Each day, I then try to find something for one of the prompt words and do that page, not worrying about the date. As the whole idea is to do some kind of art or craft daily and the prompt word is just a suggestion, this works well for me. This little field sketchbook is what I have taken travelling with me and will use it travelling and at home.

Top left, prompt words, middle: "Perspective" is my view on the bus going to the beach for the day (Thanks to Cathy for organizing!), top right "Reflection", loved the way the water made his body look so short and fat. Middle left: "Gaze", middle: "Emotion" of this young celebratory dancer, Right: "Silhouette" of waitress and patron during the Superbowl game, Bottom Left "Pattern", middle: "Lines"

Top Left: "Mood" Early Valentine's gift, middle: "Profile" airport patrons, right: "Hands", Bottom Left: "Layers" painted receipts, scrap paper, Right: "Light" a sunrise view

@opusartsupplies #opusdailypractice #sketchbookfun #sketching #canadianartist #karenoliversfineart @karenoliversfineart