Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Edward Hopper Edward Hopper

above is Hopper's Pennsylvania Coal Town which I had
the privilege of seeing at The Farnsworth Museum ..long ago
and below is my photo of West Main Light



I may yet paint this place I pass in town and have photo'd under various conditions---when I see it with the shadow shapes, all I can think of is Edward Hopper, Edward Hopper, Edward Hopper----and a Maine artist, Murad Sayen----I share this shadow fascination with---what good company, eh wot?



Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Merry Christmas Over the Roads

Probably the only hand made card
of any size I will send out this year
will go to someone who will see the
glad tidings and
appreciate the heck out of it...
Inside is a poem I wrote

Sunday, December 6, 2009

"CHICKEN GONE BANANAS"

During the Christmas rush it's nice
to be able to throw something together
with what you have in the fridge..
I used yesterday's roast chicken cut into chunks
and put them on a plate I just bought at
a Christmas Bazaar which needs
a pile of food on it to prevent
eyes from jumping around.
Then I spooned on some of CostCo's
Mango Salsa and since we're on
the Aruban route here...sliced on some bananas.
Hummmmmmmm.
all that's missing is steele drum music
and swaying trade breezes...






Guess Who (author)

from a photo I took that screamed
to be handled with care....
you might only look and feel his heated cold stare
I see a man who has been read
and quoted by some
throwing away what in a lifetime
not often will come

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

OLD TIN

(click on the picture to see it larger)
when reading the words, please insert "shelf"
where you think it ought to be--I forgot to...
I love this old tin with it's dings and
scrapes---been around a long time
I think. I have it my kitchen
where I have a lot of collected red things
.I don't remember where I picked it up but
I know the cover was almost welded on
it seemed...and you could shake and hear
something was in there...finally got it
off through sheer determination and
wondered just how old the tea leaves are.
I rubbed Vaseline on the cover edges and
set it back on the shelf. I was happy
to have it "fit" an Every Day Matters
drawing challenge. I have used mixed medias
in a Moleskine journal. I ought to brew a cup
just to read the leaves as my grand mother
was so expert at this, she'd have me all
wide eyed listening to her tales...

Friday, November 27, 2009

Celtic Snowballs

A hurried project for an ATC (Artist's
Trading Cards) group meet in two days.
I was to make a Winter Charm
I had no idea what to make And hadn't done
any loaded charm bracelets for a
couple years.
It was like beginning all over--real
dah moments for sure...
I have collected much I have hunted for
in barn sales and lots
of vintage jewelry
to look through
This is like looking over
buried treasure for me.
I did have all the tools necessary
and there are many which
might surprise some people... three
special wire tools, spacers, and Celtic
ones I especially like---extra long
wire to string them, special lying pad
to keep everything from rolling off
the table--
and to make
a nice finish, make a label and
insert in small bag ......Voila!
I am thankful I only have to make
nine of them.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

"Cold Fish"



If you include photos in an e-mail
when asking for
a favor (this was asking for
the air conditioner to be removed
for the winter) it usually adds a smile instead


of a frown. The fish here is one I designed, where


one side is a sunfish and the other a starfish...


jewel toned blues and greens with


metallic copper touches. I love the red scarf


addition and may leave it on him


for awhile
(click on photo to see more detail)




Friday, November 13, 2009

THE HOLDING PATTERN

"The Holding Pattern"
Acrylic 16 by 20
************************
I have been lax about entering any photos
on this siteas I am doing nothing but paintings for
an exhibit in Eastport Maine next June.
I did journaling steady for a year and think
that it honed my observstions---I am so grateful
for all the helpful comments I received and
still look at your works when I am taking a breather.

The result of not having a model to pose for me is I am the one holding the huge fish--this is not a self portrait but rather how I feel bout parts of my life. Some of the symbolism relates to how I never want to let go of the Ireland Journey in my heart.





Sunday, September 13, 2009

Eastport Battery and Custom View


This is a watercolor pencil 5 by 7 on watercolor paper

that is cold pressed but still got some texture---how I

do not like it---only Moleskine pages feel right to

me and accept the color much better
There may be somebody over there on Campobello

Island, Canada, thinking the same as I am..

"this is weird to see another country so close yet

you have to drive quite a ways to go over

with a passport" Also with all the gulls

all over Eastport I can merrily add them

whenever I feel like it and that's the truth..:-)

Friday, September 11, 2009

Good Morning !

A photo taken from the kitchen door in early am--
in Eastport where they are known
to be the first town to get the
sunrise on the eastern seaboard--
I had lost this site and may be back on..
I am trying to get a new photo up with this
attempt...it's been a month or so I think
that I was unable to get on...

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

A Pitcher Of Amber

I had been using the pitcher
for a photo shoot out on the deck
of a friends’ place in Vermont when
my granddaughter came to visit.
So it was a natural thing to
ask her to look through it for a
shot I loved . It was a snap decision to
either do the pitcher with her face
or the green Vermont trees in the
yard.for this EDM Challenge 224
The little scene is one I stopped the
car and backed up a bit to
get the only shot
between much foliage

Sunday, July 19, 2009

"Trading Smiles"


EDM Challenge #232
Draw The Last Thing You Bought
*****************
First the puzzling twine
over the page relates
to the thought that we
are all tied to things that
impact our lives and
other's. This was my first
time in this store and the
clerk's friendly personality
was such a bonus. She asked
the question on the page and
I replied I might use the photo when
illustrating a journal page,,,so
smiles were exchanged and
life felt good.
The flowers were potted out front
and their purpleness
was so inviting to me.
The watermelons were piled in front
in great arrangements as
the store has very talented people
working for them.
Two purchases I came home
eager to try, were the Triple Ginger
bucket of cookies and bag of
Crystallized ginger, my grandmother
also called one her favorites

Monday, July 13, 2009

Draw "A Neighborhood Store" EDM Challenge 85

The Mill Pond Store has been by
the pond side for many years---
a Vampire film named Moonshine
was filmed here in recent years
and every noon the mill workers
line up to buy delicious sandwiches.
The wild geese are often fed by the
water's edge and are a sight to see .
I recall one year when sea gulls
were all over the pond. Each day
as I get my mail I have but to look over
my shoulder to this store that is
now featuring hand dipped huge
wafflecones. In the back, there is
now a room to read the paper which
is always left there for all to read,
eat or look out at the views of the
Hollow. Years ago I painted a sign
for them with Canada Geese on it that
seemS to be the most
famous thing I ever did around here.


Thursday, July 9, 2009

Junk Draw Lion

Click to read the small lettering

Monday, July 6, 2009

"Fourth Colors"

It was extremely difficult for me
to leave this as soft as it is---but
I managed--I started with #2 Mirado
Black Warrior (a pretty macho name)
--which is a regular black color
barrel pencil--I just like it best
--- kept it pretty soft---erased a bit
---then washed it with plain water
as Kate had suggested at some
point in these weeks so the
pencil will be set.. It dried quickly
on the Moleskine page--then I
used F/C watercolor pencils and
waterbrush for the colors---
added a few 0.1 Micronpen lines.
with heavier Pitt Pen as an edge.
Finished with some more
colors with no water added
and some W/N Gouache white
touches. The roast beef sandwich is
wrapped in wax paper---the 3 blueberries
were a great compliment in flavor.
Another note: I cut the right side
of the plate off ---this makes the
viewers eye fill in what might
be there--maybe a glass of juice
or cup of tea--and thus the picture
seems larger than it is as it
grows in the viewers
mind...old Japanese theory--

Friday, July 3, 2009

"The Talk"


I think this is the last chance to

upload for a Kate's final 6th

class photo--I may be wrong--

For the class I added the words...

but for a painting

I would leave them out and

concentrate on the Post Office

building's details more

It appears

in my mind at odd moments

and there's no reason I

know of for that

---but there must be.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

'Hang Six " ( Insect)


Part of the last class mixed media

pages. I added rubber stamped

lettering to the regular supplies I prefer.

The background yellows represent sunrise,

at the time this happened--but I think

this guy was still sleeping as

he stayed there quite awhile

You see his underneath as he hangs

on somehow and that's me not

dressed yet--just out in the kitchen

to make coffee.





Wednesday, July 1, 2009

"Is That You Lizzie ? "

"Is That You Lizzie?"

Here we have a double stories for this Lesson 6 page using mixed media. First is the Lizzy Borden (Missy Warden being my version's name)---personal reason for me to make up the poem I added to the page---it just made me think of Lizzy...then below that story is information from the man that carved the woman from Eastport Maine, Roland.

I was so interested in the Lucy Borden case ---read everything and went to Falls River to see what I could---twice, in fact---a weird thing happened the second time--in the museum where they had some of Lucy's things and case related items---I asked the woman who was the hostess in that room where the father's skull was that had been in the glass case the last time I was there--She replied: "It's odd you should ask that question, because a gentleman was here last week and asked the same question...but, we have never had the skull on display here".....
**********************************
and below Roland's account,
which seems to me would make
a darn good page with
the log's journey depicted....
**************************
This is a carving modeled after my daughter Nicole. Made in 1995. The carving is made from a 20 foot white Pine log which was loaded on a freighter destined for Turkey. It was part of an unstable pile of logs which the Captain instructed the crew push over board. They washed up behind my house most were only telephone pole quality except this one. I made 2 carvings from the log this one is the second I sold the first and hope to sell this one also. I found a 22 cal. bullet in this carving where her belt sash crosses. It took about a month to make. While not being totally repainted she has been touched up over the years She is not in the weather this year. She spends her day looking out at Water Street from my carving workshop window. Priced at $2,500---must pick up here at studio. Roland LaVallee, www.crowtracks.com

Since I always use mixed media, this is done with pencil, Pitt pen, watercolor pencils, waterbrushes, computer typed words, gluestick and a bit of Gesso. I took liberties with The Crow Track's house but the carved woman and urn of Lilies are pretty much true to what I saw.


Monday, June 29, 2009

"This Much !! "

Lesson 6--I tried a new paper
for the first time...
Legion Folio Tea Stain--it did receive
the watercolor pencils better and
smoother spreading but the surface
is quite a bit softer then the
Moleskine and harder to erase--
so you have to watch the pencil
pressure. I used pencil, Pittpens,
waterbrush, white Gesso. liner brush,
round brushes, UHU glue stick etc
---I glued the page into the Moleskine
and also the large lettering at
the top--so I could fiddle with
the placement. I am a Wallace
and Gromit fan and have a small
figurine collection--that's my
favorite old tea pot, faded pincushion
and beautiful roses I bought myself

Friday, June 26, 2009

"Just Us Chickens"


Only have one more week of class, where I have

done pages I never would have done according to

suggested subjects. Lesson 5 was

more or less, Fur, Feathers and Folks.
The smallest chicken here came to visit me

on my front porch from the neighbors up the road.

The big one lives at my daughters where

she has many free range chickens that are

harder to photo than the long legged one.

He is a Malay Rooster (in his cage....I changed

his color so he would show up) in a

huge New England Poultry show nearby.

Hundred of them all the colorful breeds

and the cream of the crop--all making their

clucks and cockadoodledos.. I felt I had

hit the jackpot for chicken photo ops....

*************

This is pencil, pen, watercolor

pencil, bit of gesso and waterbrushes in a

Moleskine sketch journal.


Thursday, June 25, 2009

'Dog Lover and Door Knocker"

In Lesson 5 we have choices
of doing Fur, Feathers and Folks
Doing Folks is fun for me as long as I
don't have to be concerned with exact
likenesses---just catching the moment...

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

"Not The Dog I Thought She Was"

In this 5th class of 6, animals
were one of the subjects we could pick
to depict.
I made an error in describing this dog as
a Jack Russell terrier---then found out it is
an Italian Greyhound mix small terrier
Now the paws
MAY be a Border Collie's
I'm naming her Garbo and imagine
when her owner releases her she
will be off to the races!

Friday, June 19, 2009

"Only Two Petals Left"


The rain drops fall on the delicate Wild Rose

petals. They will fall off with a push from the field winds.

This is my Maine Ruga Rosa that so profusely blooms by

the coastal areas. It's scent is heavenly and later in

the Fall the pump rose hips grow right in the middle

where the petals were. I made Rose Hip jelly one

year that tasted rather medicinal. It was not a hit

with my family nor I.....


.


Thursday, June 18, 2009

"Sally's Wig "


Journal page for a class to "examine a

flower"--what I could find in the yard,

was some Witch Grass that looked interesting

as I pulled it up, roots and all.

Or maybe it's Sally's Wig...named

after old Sally who daily fished on the

pier for Hiram's supper...

The gusty winds from the bay would

play havoc with her wig and by

days end it surely did resemble

this grass clump.





Tuesday, June 16, 2009

" My Menu Memos"

Click on photo to view larger
******************
Inspired by borromini bear's journal
page of Monday foods, I had fun doing this
and might do similar things every once in a while
for my journal as I think they are a hearty slice
of life............. and the pie WAS my
supper ..............

Sunday, June 14, 2009

"FLAMEFACE"

Class work with the theme of flames--having
to use the watercolor pencils to achieve this
warm glow effect. On the left is a page
of colors tried before proceeding to
work on the candle holder.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

"STONE WALL HANGOUT"

This second page on stones became
a companion piece for the next page,
although it did not start out
to be that at all. In the todo of
changing things around it became
either I make it so I like it or cover it
up with paper, which I started to
do and then thought
"Well, maybe I could just cover up the
bottom part and let's see what the
results will be from that move"
.....and so it became what it is---

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

"Rocks Around"

Done with watercolor pencils
for class where subject was rocks---any kind
from pebbles to the Grand Canyon. These
rocks were in a box upstairs under
a table until I had them thrown
under the rose bushes by the porch
where they probably feel better. Some
of my students bought them to me
knowing I would like them so they came
from all different places.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

"And The Doctor Said"


I did not put this up before as I wondered
how the Dr. would react to this page
done after a check up with him--finally after 10 whole months
I took it to the office yesterday at another check up---and he
said, he thought it looked like him and made a copy
of it he liked it so much---I was relieved...
**************
check out my class Flickr Site

Monday, June 8, 2009

"The Great Canoe Launch"

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE LARGER

I'm still in a class, but here's one of the lessons ---we had to do a page with water being prominent in the scene. Not an easy thing to portray I think....

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Basketball Hall Of Fame

Above is a photo I took as Kim drove by this place
on the highway---it surprised me that it was
clear at all.
****************************


Please click on the below address to see what's going on with my classes and leave any comments back on this site. You just click on comments--then write one and sign your name---then do nothing else but click on Anonymous and nothing else...... then click on Publish Your Comment---that's all---no need to fill in any other blanks---Thanks so very much ! Winna


http://www.flickr.com/photos/ejmordasky/

Monday, June 1, 2009

"What are Thumbnails?"


As a part of my classes I have done some"thumbnails",


which are small ideas worked out with pencil of


components I may use in a future journal spread.


I drove on a couple car/camera safaris looking


for a scenic spot where the eye would travel


into space --such as a meandering pathway--and


finally found a few unexpectedly close to home.


the thumbnails are done fast and small and help


an artist visualize different ways


of looking at the same scene....







Saturday, May 30, 2009

SPECIAL TREASURES

Click on photo to read small print.
****************
Another Eastport memory that is
a treasure along with the things
I came upon that screamed, "Buy me!"

Thursday, May 28, 2009

SPRAY BOTTLE DESIGN

Click on photo to see bigger
*****************
I found this page I hadn't ever posted
as it's a EDM Challenge to draw a spray bottle
I decided to post it rather late as it was done last Oct.
I think at the time if I had looked around
more I could have found other bottle's
that some artist designed, as all man made things are
....even animals design for their needs....

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

VIEW FROM IRA BLACKS

Here's another landscape in Eastport
Maine. I just had to open the kitchen door
to take a photo of the rooftops that are
down hill to another street--to the Bay.
As you watch you can see the mists lift,
the colors brighten and the far away
Campobello Island in Canada become clear
while right in front of you is a strong
sun light---a wild mix for the artist to
play with.


Friday, May 22, 2009

Where's Winna??????

Just to let you know I am busy with a class that will go on for quite awhile---I will still post here occasionally, but not as often---I'm working on one right now.... above see one of the scenes I am doing ---they are not my favorite thing to do but already I have taken some better photos while looking for sweeping vistas that aren't as popular here in Connecticut as they are out in them thar hills in the West where the wagon trains made nice meandering paths thru the scenes.....here we look down hill and see tree tops mostly---but hunting has opened up some new sights to me. I also enjoy others that are in the class, too.



Sunday, May 17, 2009

By The Sea Studio


EDM # 184

Draw Something You've Always Wanted

(click photo to see text better)

********************

It's great to see somebody

make their dream come true.

I personally want the studio by the

sea but more barn sized

with a few comfort conveniences

I loved seeing this place

each day.







Thursday, May 14, 2009

The Cat That Sat

EDM # 30
Draw A Chair
May 2009
******
Here we are in the
Slayter Memorial Museum's
dimly lit entry way,
encircled by
ancient Egyptian artifacts.
A stream of light falls on the
tiles and across a modernistic
folding chair...where
the cat chooses to sit.....
(see the heart?)



Monday, May 11, 2009

"If At First"

On my front porch the Robins
came again this year to try a
nest in the bull head bell ---it
seems the Mrs. doesn't like
me to come out the door but
otherwise she's content to
sit on her three blue eggs.


Saturday, May 9, 2009

Thankful Ideas

EDM # 42 draw something
you are thankful for.....
**********************
From a set up in my
living room came this
journal spread....
A vintage checkerboard,
a phrenology head and a
shrimp boat model....

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Faces In My Mind

Left click to be able to read the text.
***********************
Drawing faces from memory would
improve with practice I would imagine.
At any rate, I see what I saw in these
people and would never say
who is who to listen to the "no ways" from
people, who have their own ideas.
I will add that in the previous journal
page with the colored pencils in
the bowl---what I found that I had
lost was a tube of Raspberry
Lemonade Blast Blistex lip balm..
yummy!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Breakfast and Barnboards

EDM #18 Draw a view through the
window of just about anything
(left click on photo to see enlarged)

***************


Going out to breakfast with

Gail has been a highlight in my

life as we both bring show and tell

bags and catch up on our lives..

I also eat more than I ever do

at home and marvel that I

manage not to leave a crumb

on the plate. The time too

soon, comes for us to get in

our cars out in the parking lot by the

railroad tracks and as I head out

I see this great old barn and then

have to turn

right to go home. It always

reminds me of bygone days when

barns were the best things to work in,

to play in and to store things away. I'd

love to have one out in my yard right now.






Monday, May 4, 2009

"Yellow Is The Color:"

EDM #222
Draw your favorite drawing tool.
May 4 2009
**********************
I did this as quick as I could
with the #2 pencil as I sit with
many other art pencils
I own trying to vie
for number one position.
I have been in an "I
can't draw" funk and
needed to get this out fast
and now I do feel better.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Lost and Found

I added the above photo, so you can see
how adding names to small post its
and then folding them worked out..


This is what I keep my watercolor pencils



in and grab colors from



when doing a Artist's Journal page



. It came from Pier One a long time



ago and is a thick transparent



deep mylar type bowl



sectioned into four areas for an



assortment of dippers for salsa



that would be in the center part, where



I had inserted a jar that fits with a



dab of that blue tack it to keep



it stable......



.....and I bought two--the other for



the regular colored pencils. What



a surprise bonus for me to find



the "................" I had bought



months ago and lost it right off



quick---a frustrating hunt brought forth



no results. I guess if you



hang around long enough,



things turn up. Do you see it?



Tuesday, April 28, 2009

"I Remember Mama"




The French words say:

"This is a test page " in a journal I found up

in the studio that appeared to be like a

Moleskine with lines, which I had been

wanting to try, liking what I had seen

Katherin Jebsen-Marwedel do . So I did

testing on a full back door page and

this I Remember Mama on an 'up front' spread.

I found the Pitt pens did not bleed through,

and the waterpencils and water brush worked

ok, if you are sparing with the water

amount....but the page is a bit thinner

than the Moleskine and probably would

not bother a pencil or pen artist. Or

straight text journaler. I did have to go back

and add the lines that got lost in the colors.

So since I know I won't use this, I am offering it

as a freebee---leave a comment and when

the name is drawn after there's enough

interest, I will email the winner for the

address to mail it to...


Monday, April 27, 2009

Self Portrait EDM Challenge 56






I found this unposted challenge


done in pencil, when I decided I


better make a record


of what Challenges I have done..and where


they are located etc. It was tricky to


do this flipping through


4 different journals..but I'm glad


I didn't wait any longer. I am


accentuating the positives if possible--


for the negatives will wear you down.


The little Auburn Maine bottle


(where I grew up) I did on a seperate


piece of moleskine paper and


glued it where it would hide something


and improve the page. I did use a mirror and


a photo I had taken in a mirror while drawing


--even if I have


a photo, if I can see the thing or hold


it, helps me draw it the way I want to.




Saturday, April 25, 2009

Maid Marian's Moons



I'm posting an Alphabet "M' page

let's see there's a faux Marble wall, Maple trees,

Mistletoe, Medallion, a memo, The Maid herself and

her Man and two Moons. Let's say the feather

came from a pheasant named Mortimer.


Thursday, April 23, 2009

"V IS FOR VINTAGE" Part of the Process





Part of the Process

***************
At the top, you see the final scan below it,

and the first scan
of the Alphabet Journal Page "V is for Vintage"
I don't always do this, but just feel like it
sometimes. Here I have scanned
a first look at the colored with watercolor
pencils and applied with waterbrushes
journal page to "study" and
make decisions about how I will
finish it and liven it up with my watercolor
pncils and waterbrush.......
You may agree that the original scan
looks weak in color and values..
well, that's what I think
because I like the final
to have more punch...
Buying this old scrapbook in
my old home town was so
exciting to me--who made it and
what her life was like will remain a
mystery that I can imagine what
I like about.....

So far. in my Alphabet book.I have

done C, B, and S---now the V

....me thinks this'll take awhile.

It's cool not to have someone breathing

down my neck to hurry up :-) and

of all horrible things, trying to edit what I do.

At my age I can enjoy more I think.