Mary B Spires Watercolor & Art Stuff

Starting January 20, 2014, I will be hosting my very first online workshop.  It is FREE to anyone that emails me  marybspires@yahoo.com.  Website www.maryspires.com The workshop includes a 23 page workbook that will be emailed to you.  Sign up today!

This is a 6x6 study for a larger class project......30 paintings in 30 days

6" x 6" Transparent Watercolor This purple Astor was Day #2 of the challenge....

6" x 6" Transparent Watercolor This is #5 of the Leslie Saeta 30 Paintings in 30 Days.....This has been a direct painting technique.....I do not draw a sketch first, just paint.  So it's been a challenge....

I have about a 100 of these wonderful Poppies pictures from Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We just returned to Florida so I'm trying to catch up.....will start teaching at the Beach Art Center next week.  We decided to do a Tuesday night class.  I will teach the same project for Tuesday & Wednesday.  I'm so excited about all the new happenings at the center....Check out our new class schedule.....                  

                 6x6 Transparent Watercolor Well I did it!!!! Signed up for Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  I did it a year ago .... It truly motivated me to painted first thing every morning.  This was painted from a photo that I took this summer in Steamboat Springs.   

I painted a small cooler one a few days ago.......I can't believe how different the look!                   6"x6" watercolor

I'm really getting into this challenge - I'm using Keys to Drawing by Bert Dodson This is a wonderful book it plays on "drawing on the right side of the brain" by  Betsy Edwards .... I probably have given this book away about 20 times over the years ..... Since ice been playing around with oils my drawing has gone down... 

                   6"x6" Watercolor This was painted from a photo from the Yampa Garden.....a painting at ever turn.

        6"x6" transparent watercolor I've given myself a year long challenge....draw every morning while having my coffee.....paint a small 6x6 watercolor.....

Can't believe how many chickens and  Rooster are running free!!!! This takes "Free Range" to the next level.....I actually chased this guy into the bushes at a McDonalds in Maui...                       6x6 watercolor

                     6x6 watercolor       Painted in the Tuesday Morning class with Donna Noice ....  So much fun visiting with old friends.....

6" x 6" Transparent Watercolor I'm in Ohio this week, visiting my family.  My brother is in Chemo.....we lost our older brother, father & mother with cancer.  It is in the family.  I had breast cancer 25 years ago.....I was lucky.  We are having a family get together on the 4th....everyone will be there, except my great granddaughter Gigi.  She visiting her grandfather in Florida.  We will miss that little smiling face.   I got to paint yesterday with my friends at Donna Noices watercolor class at Robert Warrens Art Loft.....this was painted from a photograph taken in Steamboat Springs.

Dreams is posting a small watercolor sketch daily.  She will be giving it to one lucky follower!  Sign up for her blog post to be in the drawing!  With all the travel this summer, I'm doing little pen & watercolor in my journal. Today I decided to try one from her posting ....join her in France via little videos and photos

6"x6" Transparent Watercolor Dick & I visited the Yampa Valley  Garden on Saturday and all the spring flowers were in bloom.  I had visited the gardens when we were here about 3 years ago, but it was fall.  Spring has sprung in the Rockies!   

6" x 6" Transparent Watercolor This was painted from an old photograph I took at my mother in laws house.....this plant was on a trellis outside her back porch .....it provided wonderful shade. 

Angels' Trumpet - Jill Macfarlane a friend and Florida artist ...... posted on Facebook.... Angels' Trumpets belongs to the nightshade family and is highly toxic.  Keep the plant away from young children and pets, and gardeners should wear gloves to prevent contact with the plant's sap!

6" x 6" Transparent Watercolor I have no idea what this flower is called (if someone out there knows please let me know)....the first time I saw one was at Renoir house in the south of France.  They are huge... about 8-10 inches long.  We just returned from Hawii and I have to say it was "wonderful".....we drove "the road to Hana", which is  the road into the rain forest.  Long winding road but it was worth the eight hour trip up and back. 

Woody 11" x 15" Transparent Watercolor on Watercolor Paper This painting will be in the Society of Decorative Painters Magazine Winter Issue later on this year.  There will be step by step photographs, plus step by step instructions with a drawing. If you're not a member you may want to join for lots of fun projects.  We also have a National Convention, plus several regional mini conventions.  I usually teach at the mini convention in Columbus, Ohio. I can't believe I haven't posted in over a month....it's been a little crazy with teaching, plus  I've been spending a lot of time at the Beach Art Center.....It's the busy time of year for us with all the snowbirds taking classes plus all our fund raisers activities are scheduled at this time. We launch our new marketing branding plan this month with Facebook.    

7 1/2" x 11" Transparent Watercolor on Paper This is another small painting for the Make It Take It Fridays.....we have two Friday's scheduled in March.   The First being March 1 and 8th....hope to see you there!

7 1/2" x 11" Transparent Watercolors I painted this one for Make It Take It Fridays..... It will be taught in March.

These are the steps that was taught to me by  Jerry Fresia.....I was able to take his 5 day workshop on  Lake Como this past fall.  This is one of those things that change you for life.....my journey into impressionism. Thank You Jerry!

Step by Step Demo

25" x 25" Transparent Watercolor on Paper A few years ago I was teaching in Indianapolis, Indiana, of course I had to go to the museum.  All I can say is WOW! What a collection......this painting is huge, maybe 6 feet square.   I couldn't help myself when I saw this young lady looking at the painting.  I first did this in oil and loved it!  So let's see what it would look like in transparent watercolors. If  you would like to purchase this please email me at marybspires@yahoo.com $350

6 1/2" x 6 1/2"  Transparent Watercolor on Watercolor Paper Another little project for Make it Take it Friday.  Not sure when I will teach this one.  A couple of the Ladies from my condo complex want to do a Quetzal Bird from Costa Rica.  Dick & I joined my daughter and her husband for a fabulous week a couple of years ago. Those wonderful Birds sat outside of our villa every morning.  Day 35! not stop  painting daily!

Transparent Watercolors on Watercolor Paper 6 1/2 x 10 1/2 Florida Birds are so much fun to paint because they are so colorful.  This will be the first project for Make It Take It Friday, Feb.8th at 9:00 am.  Please call Beach Art Center 727.596.4331 to make a reservation.  All supplies are included in the class price of $35.00.  Hope to see you there!

I think I made painting daily a HABIT!!!!  Saturday is our open studio with a model at the Beach Art Center. I haven't been painting the model but working on various projects.  Yesterday two of my friends decided to work on collage paintings using torn paper from magazines.....while they were collecting their papers I work on two small watercolor paintings for my Friday Make it Take it Class.  Thursday, day after 30 days I also painted a small watercolor for the Friday Class.  I hope to continue painting 5 days a week.  Just think I could have 260 paintings by January 2014!

8" x 10" Oil on Canvas WOW! We made it!!!!! This has taught me so much about keeping to a schedule and just DO IT!  I still have a few more things to do on my list of "things to do in 2013".  Our next new challenge with Leslie is to paint every week and post 2 paintings on her blog every weekend.  That seems like a piece of cake.  This was painted in Judy & Larry's Wednesday afternoon class....It's very wet but I want to do a couple  more things just to finish it off....

24" x 36" Oil on Canvas Finally finished it!!!!!  I started this one with acrylics, it was a great way to base in the design.....I probably have about 36/40 hours all together.  I didn't post for 4 days so this one counts as a 4 day.  I painted it at her condo with 4 or 5 girlfriends (not painters) drinking wine and giving their 2 cents worth....I'll post a better picture later.

8" x 10" Oil on Canvas Board Three more days! WOW! The two days I didn't post I was  working on the 24" x 36" Commission. I hope to finish it this  week.....I hope the rest of you guys are motivated to paint more.  I have produced more painting in this month than I did in six months last year.  Thank - You Leslie!

11" x 14" Oil on Canvas The warm tones is what the Impressionist were talking about, the light is different in the South of France.  I was there about 8 years ago....it's one of my favorite places.  Eze is a little village north of Nice that sets on the top of a mountain. I think I'm beginning to understand the Mechanics of Painting that was taught by Jerry Fresia..........

10" x 8" Oil on Canvas Board I'm still working on the commission, it's so close to being finished, so I hope to post tomorrow.......I attended the open studio at the Beach Art Center this morning..... great fun..........we have a model but I worked on a landscape scene from France.   Have a couple more hours on it....will post tomorrow also.....

8" x 10" Oil on Canvas Board If you haven't noticed I haven't posted the last couple of days.....I've been working on a commission that is 24" x 36" big blue vase of Poppies!!! It's just about finished maybe a  couple more hours.  This is one of the "stash" I painted at the beginning of the challenge.  This was painted  from a photograph I took of a still life set up at Jerry Fresia's workshop last fall.  The vase was beautiful, this painting does not do it justice. Just can't believe we have one more week!!!!! WOW!!! When I quit smoking the theory is if you do something for 30 days you can break a habit, or create a habit.  I think I've created a new wonderful habit of painting at least 5 times a week!

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas I started this one yesterday but didn't like the start, so I did my famous "wipe out".  The colors in this painting are much warmer and brighter.  Still working on the photographing the wet paintings. 

6" x 6" Oil on Canvas Board One of the biggest technique I learned in Dreama's Workshop was the use of transparent colors.  She "blocks" in the design covering the entire space with transparent colors.  As a watercolorists I understand the  use of these clean colors.  When you apply the opaque layer you pick up a little of the first layer.  Not only were the colors clean using this technique but you get a glimpse of the design.

8" x 10" Oil on Canvas Board As most of you know I'm not a landscape painter!  I took a workshop from Dreama  Tolle Perry this past summer hoping it would get me in a another zone so I can paint landscape.  Well, I'm still not excited about landscape, but I am excited about those little vignettes that we see on our daily walks.  While in the South of France a  few years ago I took a zillion pictures of those wonderful little landscape "still lives" we see everyday around us. This challenge was about stepping out of what is comfortable and into another world of painting.......so my final challenge is too paint 11 days of those wonderful little landscape still lives. It's all about practice!!!!!

10" x 8" Oil on Canvas I think this will be the last of the pomegranate....they're looking pretty bad!   The pomegranate's are tough to paint, all those colors of RED.  I can't believe we are on day 18....I didn't think I would be able to keep up but when you are so motivated by the group of over 200 artist...it's kinda hard not to paint.  I want to THANK all the artist that have left a comment. 

10" x 8" Oil on Canvas Board I started this in the Wednesday afternoon class.  Of course my brain is mush by this time after teaching......so I finished it this morning....I'm still not happy with the photography.....need to work on this.  The painting does not show all that soft color.

7 1/2" x 11 !/2" Watercolor on Paper One of my all time favorite places in the world is Santa Fe, New Mexico.  There are so many wonderful old buildings to see.  Plus all the galleries up Canyon Road. Georgia O'Keeffe said that the light was different.  Once you spent time there you know it is different! As in this little painting you can feel the heat and brightness of the that intense sun.

11" x 14" on Watercolor Paper This is a watercolor that I did at the beginning of the "30 paintings in 30 days". I teach at the Beach Art Center on Wednesday morning plus I take Judy & Larry Pumfrey's oil class in the afternoon.  I did a demo today on the "Mechanics of Painting" that I studied with Jerry Fresia in Italy. I knew when we started the challenge that I would need a couple of paintings ahead.  I'm soooo happy that I did do a couple ahead........can't believe we are half way through! WOW

10" x 12" Watercolor on Paper I've had this photograph for about 5 years....we attend a Civil War reenactment at Heritage Village in Largo, Fl.  I have several photographs of this little guy.  I didn't realize that the Rebel Uniform was more blue-green than gray.  

11" x 14" Watercolor on Paper This week  I plan on working on Watercolor Projects for my Wednesday Morning Class at the Beach Art Center in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.  This will be a fun project to teach because we used Salt to create texture on the very old wall.  I try to teach a technique with every  project we do.  So many people say they can't paint, have no talent, it's not about any of these, some people do have a natural instinct but it's like learning to play the piano.....practice, practice, practice!  It's a SKILL.

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas This painting is very "High Key", the Impressionist, especially Monet painted with in this value range.  My problem is getting a good photograph.....the colors look "chalky" in the photo, but are very bright in real life.  Today I'm going to try to play around with different locations with various light sources.  I have a "photo box" with lights but they seem to wash out the painting.  If I get a better one I'll be sure to post! Having sooooo much fun, plus I have 12 new paintings!!! Yea! Yea!

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas SOLD The challenge today was to paint RED ! How many reds in the paint world are there! Well I think a lot!!!!! I had at least 6 tubes out ........the transparent  of the skin was the hardest to get.....I love the yummy reds against the cools of the table cloth.  I added a little light green, but it didn't show up in the photograph.  This painting is much better than the picture.... you can't see the impressionist colors juxtapose together.   Anyone doing the challenge can't help but get better......what fun!  Thanks Leslie!

14" x 11" Watercolor on Paper This is a transparent watercolor that I will be teaching step by step to my Wednesday morning class at the Beach Art Center.  I still love doing watercolor because they always create a challenge.  The big difference between watercolor and oils is you have to have a "concept".  This was the topic of discussion  in Wednesday afternoon oil painting class with Judy & Larry Pumfrey.  Larry ask the question what is concept?  Basically it the plan, what's going on in your head about what this painting should look like.  Watercolor, because of the way the paints are applied to the  paper you have to have a picture in your "head" of what this will  look like as a finished painting.  The nice thing about oils is you can change your "Concept" in mid painting.  Just wipe off the area you want to change. Not going to happen with watercolors...... This was a glass chest set our grandson...

10" x 8" Oil on Panel Yesterday was a very busy day....first day of classes at the Beach Art Center, plus I take the oil class in the afternoon.  I'm not a good painter in the afternoon especially after I teach, so this is one of my "stash" .  I knew I was going to be very busy after classes started so I painted a few ahead this past week.  Sooooo Happy I did!  The photograph does not do this one justice.....it's a very warm and colorful painting.  Plus the "light areas" have a few really nice thick brush strokes....

14" x 11" Oil on Canvas Talk about a fun painting!  This guys just went together with out any effort, I think Jerry's "enjoy the process" is finally sinking in......I'm still working with the lighting.  I photograph the  process.  I have about 20 picture that are a step by step of the painting.   I hope to have a little slide show in the coming weeks. While in Italy we worked with North light, it's the best.  I have a natural light that represents North Light but it's not quite the same.  This will be on Daily Paintworks Auction.

4" x 4" Oil on Panel SOLD As Leslie said we've finished our first week!  Yea!  A couple of my friends have selected a theme or challenge within a challenge....my challenge is just to paint for 30 days straight....I'm loving it!   I start my weekly Wednesday Morning Class at the Beach Art Center, it will be great to see all the "snow-birds".  I have several new designs for them to try out"....most of them don't know it that I use this class to "practice teach",  the projects that I will be submitting to various traveling teaching classes. Thanks Guys! Daily Paintworks Auction starting Jan. 9th Click here to place your bid.

4" x 4" Oil on Panel A few years ago I purchased 50 little frames with panels......I applied gesso to the panels and they are a great surface to paint on.  What a great time to use theme for the "30 paintings in 30 days".  It's  a little challenging to paint impressionist with a small brush.... .  another learning experience!  I will put this one on my Paintworks auction.....stating at $5.....

10" x 8" Oil on Canvas This is a early morning (like 4am) painting.....I'm going to have a very busy week with classes starting at the Beach Art Center......I need a few more watercolor projects for the next few months.  This challenge has been my first priority.  I've been wanting to take pictures of the steps and I do great on the drawing, scrumbling and the first layer of paint.....but I go somewhere and totally forget.  Jerry say you got to go to that place where it's all about the painting process...so I guess I go there.  Maybe the next time I'll put the video on my camera on!!!!!

10" x 8" Oil on Canvas While in Italy this past fall taking the workshop with Jerry Fresia one of the students had these wonderful Pomegranates, I had never seen them in this orangy peachie green before.  I was so excited to paint them, I still think the original one was the first time that I knew I had it!  Impressionism!  The original is in my studio and is a constant reminder of the "mechanics of impressionism".