Painting the Blues – “Moody Blues” that is

The model for my “work in progress” has a delightful personality and more moods than “Carter has pills.” (Boy does that date me!) I’ve used her before, and hope that her mother, and grandmother, will allow me to paint this wonderful child again.

When I saw this photo of her, I knew I wanted to capture her moody countenance on canvas. Cool colors like blue, purple, and gray may capture this mood. And contrasting warm colors, especially complementary colors, will heighten tension and interest.

In this blog are the original photo, the drawing, the first layer of paint on the figure, and some complementary background colors. I will share the completed painting next week after details are finished.

                 (Drawing in blue)

As we all know, if you wait until you’re in the mood to start something, you probably won’t. If your performance depends on mood alone, then your skill and preparation mean nothing.

Discipline requires an artist or any professional to keep going regardless of how you feel.

Performance requires self-confidence and faith in yourself. If you make yourself “go through the motions,” even when you don’t feel like it, your “e-motions” will soon catch up. It’s hard to maintain a negative mood when your body is moving, and your blood is flowing.

(First layer of paint)

When life gets rough (and it usually does), I simply put one foot in front of the other and keep going until the chaos, the trauma, the problem or mood passes. The familiarity of the brush, the sweep of colorful paint on canvas pulls me from my slump and into the world of imagination.

(Warm colors in background)

(Awaiting final layers/details)

Trust in yourself and in your God or higher power. Trust builds strength. Strength overcomes weakness. The present weight that darkens your spirit will fade like clouds on a summer day. The sunshine in your soul will shine again.

Imagination, Vision, Concept, Development

 I admit. I’m strange. When I see sandcranes foraging in the grass, heads bent, knees bending as they walk, tail feathers bobbing, I hear Indian tom toms and Navajo chants. That’s imagination!

In my miind, I take that image and imagine what it would look llike on canvas: colorful darks, browns, oranges and reds in the background, sandcranes foraging as a group with a pair nearby fluttering their wings and jumping in a mating dance. That’s vision (visualization).

But how to incorporate the Native American theme? I need more than color to establish a relationship. I do an internet search with the tags: "sandcrane, legends." Bingo! I find some interesting symbols and designs. Cranes are connected with water and the end of growing season. Water is symbolized with spirals and denotes cycles of life, renewal and springtime. I sketch some rough drawings and experiment on drawing paper: That is concept.

Development is the process of putting these components together on canvas. First a few sketches and preliminaries.



Some photographs for accuracy in form like the cranes above and the Native Americans below (aren't they wonderful!).

Then on to solidify my composition. I will take you through these steps over the next few weeks in their initial stages and on to the final painting.

I’m taking a risk. At this point, I’m not even certain I can turn my vision into reality. But hey, I’m a sucker for a good challenge. I’m willing to risk humiliation for the chance to see if I can turn my concept into something beautiful.


Next blog I’ll share with you the beginnings of another painting that we can follow together. I hope you’ll be back!

Photographs – Instant Replay



Surrounded by old photographs, my past envelops me with a sudden rush of remembrance. Here we are family and friends captured in a brief, fleeting moment singled out from the countless hours, days, and weeks that make up our lives.

How happy we look smiling for the camera. How hopeful for the future as we pose here together, frozen for eternity in a fraction of a second and the flash of a camera. One click and an infinitesimal moment is recorded for posterity. Tomorrow’s pain and unfulfilled promises are unforseen, unanticipated.

Photographs are given far more importance than they deserve. We use them to document our lives; perhaps even to define us. Then when relationships crumble and children move on into adulthood with their own lives and preoccupations, the frozen images smile back mocking the reality of what is now – what is today.

The life we once had -- was it dream or illusion? Who are these people smiling at us now – these people caught in a millisecond of time?

Photographs wear with age, their brightness fades and their corners become tattered and yellowed; but the images continue to smile at us as they did long ago when the shutter closed and captured one shared smile, one shared space, one microcosmic second in a lifetime.

We have all changed since those first pictures were taken. We are older, and perhaps wiser. Photographs provide proof that we have lived, but they can never tell others who we really are. Photographs are, after all, only superficial shards of the life we leave behind.

Completed Painting – “Playing Dress Up”

The girl in the painting could have been me as a child. I brought home stray cats as fast as my mother could tastefully get rid of them. But some of them, she let me keep.

Stray cats are a ravenous bunch. They crave both food and affection. I adored lavishing them with both. Their dependence on my goodness gave me an omnipotent power over their well being. Their growing dependence gave way to my every whim.

I preened them as a parent would wiping their noses and brushing their fur. They obediently submitted when I dressed them in doll clothes, covered them with blankets, and gave them rides in my doll buggy. Of course, I wanted to dress the part so my mother’s old blouses and hats fit the bill. If mother were in a good mood, jewelry and high heels were added to the mix. I clomped around the house in seventh heaven.

"In Progress"

Not wanting my own dolls and stuffed toys to feel neglected, I made a chart and a schedule so that each one had a turn snuggling in my arms at bedtime. It took a whole month to get through that list. I was devoted to “my brood”. This painting is a tribute to those lost memories, to childhood, to wild imagination and lost innocence.

Throughout this blog, preliminary sketches show stages of my progress. A painting is a succession of changes and refinement; a process, if you will.

The finished painting is now on my online gallery where prints, giclees, and greeting cards may be purchased: http://carol-allen-anfinsen.artistwebsites.com

Please share your childhood dreams or experiences in the comments section. Thanks!

Green, Groovy and Fabulous!

Downtown Fort Myers sparkles like a queen on prom night. A recent makeover has turned the “City of Palms” into a hub of artistic expression, music and theater. Upscale shops and restaurants beckon locals and snowbirds to the tantalizing smells, toe-tapping sounds, and show-stopping eye candy displayed in glittering shop windows.

One of those gems is attracting urban traffic by its unique and trendy mix of eclectic jewelry, clothing and art. The boutique features fun, green and eco-friendly items with a groovy edge. The owner, Lisa Boucher, knows her stuff. The shop is arranged to draw the curious, the playful, and the serious collector. If you can’t find it –Lisa will get it. She invites you to come and explore the unusual, the exciting, and the unique created by local and global artisans.

 Visit her onlline gallery at http://www.green-n-groovy.com/ and find out why everybody’s talking about her collection of jewelry, clothing, handbags, accessories, sculpture, wall art, home décor, gifts and more. Then come downtown and see for yourself an expanded reportoire of delightful choices to suit every taste.

Currently, I have four paintings on exhibit there. I’ve scattered them throughout this blog along with photos of Lisa’s shop.

You could spend hours browsing and exploring “Green ‘n Groovy” and still see something new by the time you were finished. The location on First Avenue next to the Arcade has ample street parking close to all of the action.

Downtown Fort Myers River District is a delightful place to shop and have lunch or dinner. The new ambiance of orange tile roofs, brick sidewalks and lamplights sport a wide array of shops, restaurants, and a vibrant night life. The more than 16 art galleries in the area, activities such as “Art Walk,” and live entertainment is pumping new life into the downtown area. Live music on Ponce De Leon plaza adds a lively touch of local flavor.

Next time you think of jewelry, art or fun, think “Green ‘n Groovy.” Shop downtown Fort Myers and discover for yourself the fabulous bevy of boutique and artistic wares. You won’t be disappointed!

Featured Artist: Elena Kapustina

Most artists dislike diverting attention away from their own art, but there comes a time when a blog (and an artist) need a refreshing change.

I came across the Russian artist, Elena Kapustina, and felt I had to share the beauty of her artwork with you. Her style represents how I feel and how I would like to paint. I love the figure and the face in paintings, but don’t want to do portraits and prefer impressionism to realism both in landscape paintings and in portraying animals and birds from nature.

Elena was born in Ryazan, Russia. In the period 1984-1989 she studied in the Ryazan state pedagogical institute. After graduating from the institute she worked at school as a teacher of drawing and was the head of the Fine art studio. Working with children, Elena found her original style. She takes an active part in many regional exhibitions. Many of her artworks are in private collections of Russia, Spain, Italy, the USA, and Germany.

The beauty of life and the joy of living is what Elena expresses in her canvases. I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do. The link below provides you with another look at her work. Inexpensive prints are also available.

http://www.arthit.ru/impressionism/0067/impressionism.html

The quality of these digital copies can't compare to the original paintings or prints. They still show Elena's beautiiful style.

Running on Empty

Every now and then, we all run into a wall, either of our own making or because of circumstances: health and time constraints, personal obstacles, an awareness that we need something; a jumpstart, a class, some inspiration.

I have reached that point. My tail has been dragging and I don’t even feel like creating, let alone blogging. The weather is largely to blame. This time of year tourists and springbreakers flood the area with teeny bikinis and exhaust fumes escaping from cold winter doldroms of their own.

Aaaaah -- Spring!

But this year, instead of our usual mild temperatures, the tourists were slammed with a blast of summer heat and humidity. The beachgoers are loving it; but by afternoon, I’m feeling like last year’s petunias. If this is a foreshadowing of summer’s tropical onslaught, I’m in trouble along with the other “locals” who are drousy and disoriented by the early heat and the sudden temperature changes. We went from comfortable lows and highs in the sixties to highs in the 90s with 75% humidity in a matter of days!

A Star is Born                     

The effect is an uptick in sweat and heat exhaustion, and a downturn in energy level. I seem to be sleeping longer and accomplishing less. To fill in the gaps while I regain my stamina, I did some quick, silly Easter sketches. I find humor helps dissipate the doom and gloom. I hope you enjoy them!

Buy me -- Buy me!

I Found it -- I Found it!



If you haven’t visited my art website http://carol-allen-anfinsen.artistwebsites.com/, you may find my illustrations entertaining. They were prepared for the book “Inez Ibis Flies Again, the Story of a Courageous Ibis who never Gave Up.” You can click on the book icon below in the right hand column for a free preview.