Mary B Spires Watercolor & Art Stuff

Painting is a very personal journey, we all go about in a different way. Yesterday the question was "why do you paint?"

Jerry Fresia's Painting Lake Como, Italy We arrived in Washington DC yesterday afternoon, we fly out of Dulles tomorrow.  Today I got picked up by my friend Sandra Hill for" a girls day out".....she had a wonderful outing planned for me!  We visited the Hillwood Estate Museum & Gardens, this is Marjorie Merriweather Post's home - the legendary heiress.  She was a diplomat, philanthropist, and collector of mostly Russian Paintings and Decorative Art.   We also enjoyed a special display "Pret-a-Papier" the exquisite Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave.   The brochure states Ms. Borchgave is an artist with the unique talent of refashioning historic costumes and dresses as tromp-l"oeil masterpieces out of paper.  Crumpling, pleating, braiding, and  painting the surface of ordinary paper.  The exhibit more than 25 of her  interpretations of historical costumes and dresses.

8" x 8" on Canvas Board This is another one of the workshop pieces from Dreama Tolle Perry' s workshop......of course it has a few Dreama's little brush marks!  Since we returned from the workshop I haven't had much time to paint, but all those wonderful tips she gave us is still floating in my head.  I have a thousand pictures from my trips to France over the years with Chris Curry, my first watercolor teacher.  I also joined the Ohio Plein Air Society again.  I was a member a few years ago, but as most of you know I HATE PLEIN AIR, but I still want topaint in plein air....you say why?  When you hate it.....I hate it because I am so bad at it....I fight myself the whole time I'm out there!!!!!!  I love looking at all those wonderful landscape of trees, rivers, barns, etc.  My goal is to paint those wonderful little vignette you see everyday, like the one above....it's not so much a landscape as it tells a story!

Girls taking a Break! Heart of Ohio Tole Convention 2012 was over yesterday.... I had so much fun visiting with old friends and making new friends.  I had three 6 hour classes.....what fun! Thanks to everyone who attended.....I hope you were as pleased as I was with all the wonderful paintings. Remember to email me about the FREE  Watercolor Theory Workbook and the famous  BAG!!!!!! Pattern....no bags in these classes.....