Monthly Archives: September 2013

Leslie Saeta’s September 2013 30 Paintings In 30 Days, Day 30

And now, the end is here…

Regrets, I’ve had a few,

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew,

I’ve had my fill, my share of losing.

I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way!

That song has been in my head today. And not just for me. I think each of the artists participating can relate. Great paintings were created, and also some mediocre. A few too, that will be ripped up, thrown out, or painted over.

I want to thank everyone who visited my blog and gave me your opinion of my work. It really means a lot to me, you kept me going even when I thought my work was only fit for Oscar and his trash can.

I want to send out a “Thank You!” to Leslie as well. She said today that she does not think she played much of a part in so many people painting every day. But there are over 300 artists who would tell you different. She will be hosting another challenge in January, and I will be there to take part. I have a friend who is just getting started with painting and she wants to join as well.

For today, a painting I will be sending to my best friend from 5th and 6th grade. Helena. We were friends for about two years, and then each left the state. Letters kept us in touch for a few more years, and then we sort of, lost each other. I found her on Facebook earlier this year. Not sure why I had never thought to look before that.

Eucalyptus Leaf, front and back. Watercolor on 140 lb. cold press paper. © 2013 Sheila Delgado

I mentioned in a post I think last Tuesday or Wednesday, that I had taken a trip down memory lane. I went to my old neighborhood. Well, that gave me the idea for this, and about ten other paintings.

These are eucalyptus. The neighborhood I spent part of my childhood in was Scripps Ranch. Just east of Miramar, and if you have watched Top Gun, you have seen parts of Scripps Ranch, and all of the eucalyptus trees. It was a little sad going back. One of the houses I had lived was burned in the Cedar fire. There were a lot of brand new homes, dotted in between older ones.

Scripps is an area I have fond memories of, and I even have dreams of it. Sometimes in the rain, trees all shiny and everything smelling so clean and fresh. That is when you can really smell the eucalyptus. ( I remember most of my dreams so that is not very unusual for me.)

I thought about using pen with this, adding a few crags and cracks and outline definition. the veins are really so tiny and so numerous, adding them would destroy the piece. I really like them like this. What do you think? (remember how the sunflower looked?) I will think on it for a day or two. If I do it, I will still have this version saved in the computer.

Here are all of the paintings I worked on this month. Which ones did you like the best? Can you tell me why? Sorry, I did not have time to include links with each of them. To revisit them you can go to my Home page, and then scroll down to see the original posts.

Have a great evening everyone! I hope you had as much fun looking at these, as I had creating them!

God Bless!

Sheila

30 Days of Art, September 2013

Leslie Saeta’s September 30 paintings In 30 days Challenge, Day 29

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Eight PM and I am just now finishing my painting for today. This is the second attempt.The first one I started by simply dripping and spreading paint. Just making marks, and layering some color.

A lot of interesting little shapes came out of the splotches, and that is one thing that is missing from the work I am showing you. I completely overworked the first piece. It did not scan well, and I should have left it alone, but I tried to make it better… and botched it.

This may need more work. I was thinking of adding some pastel seaweed in front of one or two of the fishes. And maybe some larger yellow spots. I am happy with this, the magenta does not stand out quite so much in person. There is a bit of blue over those areas, and it tones them down. In the first work, the blues were looking neon bright in areas, and now it is the magenta and yellows.

Metallic paint was used over the fish.

I used a watery metallic copper over some of the fish. On the others I used a thinned pearl mixed with turquoise or blue. You can see the reflection here. The letters are chipboard. I think that is what they are called. One of the fish looks as if he is upside down, but of course you know, that is his camouflage in a hostile environment!

Fish, ocean, swim. watercolor, pen, acrylic on 140 lb. cold press paper. © 2013 Sheila Delgado

Leave it to me to do my largest piece on the busiest day. And then to have to do it twice. One more day in the challenge. Not sure yet what I will paint, but I know it will be smaller.

Have a great evening everyone!

Leslie Saeta’s 30 Paintings In 30 Days, Day 28

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And they’re off! I mailed my submissions for the Richmond Art Gallery, Memory: International Mail Art Exhibition and Swap. The Richmond Art Gallery is in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. In close proximity to Vancouver. I am so happy with how the postcards turned out.

And I actually remembered to sign them before I mailed them off. I have been forgetting to sign my art for this challenge. I remember just after I have scanned it in, and because I am jammin’ to make a deadline, I have just let it slide and posted them unsigned.

Here is my final entry and my painting for today.

Tulips. 4 x 6 postcard, watercolor on 140 lb. cold press paper. © Sheila Delgado 2013. RAG Memory: International Exhibition and Swap entry #3

There are some bits of turquoise that are not showing well. (the white patch on the left leaf, and a couple of other areas.) It really does look nice in person though. The memory theme I chose was “In Memoriam”. Red flowers such as roses, chrysanthemum, hydrangea, gladiolas and tulips are often used in memorial service flower arrangements.

The end of the challenge is right around the corner. I am a little sad that I won’t be seeing the work of over 325 artists each day. But I have made some new friends, and their art will still find it’s way into my mailbox. Yea!

One more small (and HUGE) thing I have learned from Leslie’s challenge. I have ruined so many paintings, seeking perfection. I have learned more about re-working things I don’t like and also when to quit and let the drips and blooms win. I love all the imperfect parts when I see them in other artists work, but in my paintings I would see them as flaws. I still have a TON to learn. But I feel, really just in the last few days, that I have more confidence.

That in part is due to all of the great feedback I have received from my fellow challenge participants. Thank You Lucy, Joan, Samara, Kim, Sandy, Katie, Julie, Mariette, Jim, Maggie, Karen, Joanie. Big thanks also to my friends who are not part of the challenge, and family! Seeing my art through your eyes, has been a gift.

Happy Saturday to everyone! Thanks for taking the time to look at my art, and if you have left a comment, Thank You! Thank You!

Here are the first two postcards I painted for this show: