Nude Study

I joined a group in Carmel, Ca. last week to paint and draw from a live model.  This is a study I did in about 40 minutes.  I'm really enjoying working from live models, after years of painting portrait commissions, mostly from photos I've taken.  Not having to be concerned about an exact likeness and whether or not the person commissioning the portrait and I have the same vision, etc, is certainly freeing.  I'm also determined to get out of my studio to do more plein aire landscape paintings.

These are two paintings that I did in preparation for a demonstration to the Los Altos (California) Art Club.  They are both 8" x 8" studies, and I'm showing the flower field in the frame that I like to use.  It is protected with tru vue glass and it is ready to hang.
I decided to paint from the flower field in the demo, blowing it up to a 12" x 12", as it was less complicated than the study with the houses.
Los Altos Art Club was a very nice groups of artists and seemed to be interested and engaged.  This is encouraging, as I have another demo next April in San Jose, CA.

These are two paintings that I started on-site in Mendocino in early October, and completed in my studio.  The top painting is an 8" x 10" and I'm planning on making a larger painting of this same scene, working from my study and photos I took on site.
The bottom painting is a 12" x 12".  They are both framed in black frames with gold fillets. My next post will show "Summer flowers", framed in this particular frame.  I'm using these frames quite a bit these days, as I really like the look.

Painting in progress on site in Mendocino.  I joined some artist friends for a nice couple of days painting with beautiful weather and wonderful food!! I'll post more photos after I do more work on the paintings.

Study from Life Drawing Meet Up in Davis, CA

I joined a meet-up Life Drawing group in Davis, California a few months ago, which I've attended a couple of times.  I went last week and did this study that I'm putting on my blog censored, but I'm planning on adding a  new category to my web-site, "Life Drawing/Paintings/Studies/Nudes"where this will be included.  I have done some "life drawing" over the years, though not a lot, and since I joined this meet-up, I've found that I really enjoy painting skin. 
This is the pose that was set up by the group organizer's and I like the over-all outcome of the studies' composition.  It's my hope that this will be seen as a nice study of the human body.

Rose in Red Vase with Frame

This is a 10" x 8" pastel painting which is posted on Daily Paint Works and is on my web-site.  It will be delivered in the frame shown above.

Shipping outside the U.S.

I would be happy to mail your painting outside the U.S. after first finding specific shipping fees and collecting prior to shipping.
For Daily Paint Works subscribers, shipping fees can be found on my painting sites.

New Painting

One of my latest paintings, all packed up and ready to go south tomorrow to set up at the Saratoga Rotary Show, which is Sunday 9 - 5 on the West Valley Campus, Saratoga, California.  This has always been a big job, but I'm feeling it more these days!

Two New "Retro" Still Lifes

As I'm preparing for the upcoming show in Saratoga, California, I've dug out some of the items that I've collected over the years and set up some still lifes.  They've been fun and I hope they're well received.  "College Humor" is an old magazine I've had in plastic for years, and "SmileS" is an old piece of sheet music that I'm afraid to open, as it is so fragile.  One of my artist friends suggested I open it now that the painting is done, and I asked her if I should get out my accordian, too!  Yes, I was one of those little girls in the fifties, who played the accordian......most people would probably not admit this...

Demonstration for Sunnyvale Art Club

This first photo was taken as I was doing a demonstration for the Sunnyvale Art Club.  I talked a lot more than I painted.....and below is the completed 12" x 12" painting, which is now at the Valley Art Gallery in Walnut Creek.
I had painted this scene in an 8" x 8" format, which I posted for auction on http://www.dailypaintworks.com/ and was planning on having the "study" to paint from for my demo.  However, that study sold in the meantime, so I used the original photograph and the painting image on my computer screen for the demonstration.  Things are always changing.........technology, ...yada, yada....

Preparing for Saratoga Rotary Show on May 6, 2012

I've been happily posting 8" x 8" or 8" x 10" studies on http://www.dailypaintworks.com/ for a few months now.  However, I'm preparing for the up-coming Saratoga Rotary Show on May 6th, so I'm focusing my painting hours in preparation for that.  My plan is to do some larger paintings from the studies I've posted that have been well received and/or purchased.  I might still try to fit in a study when I can.
c.j.myers

Late Harvest

This is the painting I worked on today and just posted on Daily Paint Works.com and my web-site. I've been painting a lot of vineyards lately, and they're so much fun.  California has a LOT of vineyard landscapes to choose from.

"Morning Mist" shown in two different frames and note on "studies".

This painting, Morning Mist, 8" x 8" pastel on archival paper, just sold on Daily Paint Works.com.   I've photographed it in two different frames, which are typical of the frames I use to deliver my paintings.  I plan on painting this one larger during a demonstration I'm scheduled to give to the Sunnyvale (California) Art Club on the 15th of this month.
The small paintings I post are studies, and the ones that work out the best, or are the best received, or sold, I plan on painting larger for other venues.
I've been accepted to join the Saratoga Rotary Show on May 6th, so I'm getting a body of work together for that venue.  I might not be posting as many 8" x 8" studies during that time......but I'll sure try.  It's quite a bit of fun!

Information about "The Beauty of Pastel" and notes on framing.

The Beauty of Pastel

(information found on-line on William Hosner site)

"Pastel is pure pigment, the same pigment used in all media. It is the most permanent of all when applied to conservation ground and properly framed. Pastel has no liquid binder that may cause the surface to darken, fade, yellow, crack, or blister with time. Pastels from the 16th century exist today, as fresh as the day they were painted. Pastel does not at all refer to pale colors, as the word is commonly used in the cosmetic and fashion terminology. The name Pastel comes from the French word "pastiche" because the pure, powdered pigment is ground into a paste with a binder and then rolled into sticks. The infinite variety of colors in the Pastel palette range from soft and subtle to hard and brilliant."

Most of my pastel paintings are done on "wallis" museum grade paper, which has a rich surface that "grabs" the pastel.  The frames I use are typically plein air frames from JFM Enterprises or kingofframe.com.  I use quality, less reflective "tru vue" glass, which has some UV protection.  Unless a light is shining right on the glass, there really is hardly any reflection at all.  I have successfully mailed many paintings framed in this manner.

Roses

Here is another painting I just put up for auction on http://www.dailypaintworks.com/.  It is a 10" x 8" pastel, painted on archival paper and it will be received in a frame, ready to hang.  For information on framing and materials, please see blog, "Red Vines in a Frame.

Sunflowers and a Stinking Rose

Several months ago, one of my artist friends came for a vist.  We did some "plein aire" painting in the delta, but one rainy day, we bought some sunflowers and set up a still life.  I'm pretty sure garlic is called "the stinking rose".  Right?

Field of Flowers in Northern California

This is an 8" x 8" pastel study that I posted on http://www.dailypaintworks.com/ auction today.  http://www.cjmyersfineart.com/.
February 13, 2012

Autumn Vines

This painting will go on auction tomorrow on "dailypaintworks.com".  It is 10" x 8", starting at $94, including frame and tru vue glass.  I have more information of materials on my previous blog under the painting "Red Vines".

Notes on frames, materials and shipping.

This is an 8" x 8" pastel painting, with frame, posted on "dailypaintworks.com" on January 3, 2012.  It's painted on museum grade  "wallis paper", which is archival, and I use "tru vue" glass which is less reflective than regular glass and has some UV protection.  Unless a light is shining right on the glass, there really is hardly any reflection at all.  I have successfully mailed many paintings framed in this manner.

Red Vines

I just put this painting up for auction on "dailypaintworks.com", starting at $94.  It should show up tomorrow.

I took a trip in the fall, starting at Bodega Bay, through the Russian River area, up to Healdsburg, and around Sonoma and got some great reference photos.  The colors were quite fantastic, of course!