The "studio" (my jumbled mass of shelves, baskets, easels and desk) is in the "sun room," thus called because it faces the sun so pitilessly as to be uninhabitable on sunny summer days, but on sunny February days, it is the best place to be.
It has been a while since I have had a good day stretch out in front of me so that if I avoid looking at my task list I can pretend I have nothing to do but paint. Today I spent some time trying to salvage a few swings-and-misses, and spent a little time starting my every-three-paintings-or-so bear painting. Later today I may drag some winter paintings out to the patio for a quick varnish coat.
Here is one of the swings-and-misses:
Not exactly a photo-realistic portrayal, but a (pardon my French) impression.
I didn't begin this as a "keeper," but just wanted to practice my ponderosa pine bark, which is something I obsess about whenever I am in Central Oregon, or whenever I think about Central Oregon.
ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)
Here is a ponderosa pine in person. The bark is like puzzle pieces stacked on puzzle pieces, none of which seem to belong where they are, or to make a whole. They have been shoved and smooshed onto the bark by an unseen and odd hand, and occasionally the whole thing gives way and makes a deep, black fissure into the bark. You can even peel the puzzle pieces off, and a weird enough kid (ahem) can spend hours doing just that.
So the study went okay, but not enough time was taken in the design of the piece, so that it's not much of a keeper. Knowing that it would go on the "give-away" pile, I added a surprise in the weeds to give it a little more interest.
Thanks for stopping by. More later. There will be bears.