Home from California

I just spent a month in Boulder Creek, California amongst the "tree people"!  It's a bit of an inside joke.  My son, daughter in law and baby Ireland just bought a home in Boulder Creek.  I went out there to play with baby Ireland while everyone worked on the house!  A month is a long time to live in the forest.  Boulder Creek doesn't have any stop lights but it does have two grocery stores and some small shops on Main St.

Even though I have spent a respectable amount of hours on my motorcycle exploring mountain roads I was still intimidated by all the curves and steep grades going up and down the mountain to get to their house.  Baby Ireland and I explored the area almost every morning, we found every play park in a 40 mile radius, various streams, trails and even a covered bridge!  I made sure I kept her stroller strapped to my wrist after all if I was to lose the stroller for even a moment it would have been long gone in no time at all!   Almost every farmers market and grocery store had fresh flowers but as it was late in the year so I didn't see many flowers actually growing.  Baby Ireland  liked the sunflowers better than any other flower, though she has quite an affection for cats!  Everyone was very friendly, especially the people who frequented the "green cross" store next to the coffee shop!

I arrived home on a Saturday and went for a walk the next day with my husband.  It was a nice fall Indian Summer day in Indiana, no mountains to climb!  I told everyone in Boulder Creek that I was from a state where you could stand on one side of it and see the other side, it's just that flat in Indiana!  On our walk some white ducks in a pond  caught my eye and fortunately I had my iPhone with me.  I took quite a few pictures and went back out the next day with my camera to take more.  These little ducks are going up on eBay next week and the sunflowers are already being bid upon.



I am headed to Michigan to celebrate our twin grandsons 6th birthday!  I will have a couple of months of no travelling so I hope to be painting fast and furiously!

 

Sunflowers

Everything is moving so quickly!  We rode our motorcycles to New York City last week to visit my sister and her family.  We had to cross the George Washington Bridge and navigate our way through Long Island.  I was very nervous about all the New York traffic but every one was very considerate of us on the bikes!  We did everything we could do in two days in the city.  We visited the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, the 911 memorial (it took my breath away), China Town, Little Italy, Greenwich Village, and a carriage ride through central park.  My brother in law had us on a two hour feeding schedule (just kidding); the food and company was outstanding.  Every where we went I kept seeing sunflowers for sale or growing in fields around the vineyards.  I took quite a few pictures but as soon as I back home to Indiana I bought some sunflowers and painted them.  I am hoping to have time to do another painting before they wilt.

Raspberries

Raspberries and eggs directly from the farmer!  The raspberries were a much quicker painting, I spent much more time on the eggs.  When I paint quick I like the painting but days later when I look at it I wish I would have spent more time on the painting.  The same is true for the paintings that I spend more time on, I wish I would have painted them looser.  

We are getting ready for a motorcycle trip, headed to New York City.  We will spend an entire day at the art museums and galleries and yes my husband will be with me.  I won't be able to dress up too much as everything I take must fit into two saddle bags, but I can really pack it into those saddle bags.  I am sure I will return to Indiana with all new inspirations!

Today I will be painting sunflowers!  A new subject and something I have been wanting to paint for quite some time.  

Sign Up for Daily Email

I just revised my website!  I added a sign up form for my daily emails.  If you aren't receiving them you can go to http://www.deniselipusch.com and sign up for the daily emails.  I am my own website author, I post all my own pictures, scripts and make my revisions.  I am glad I have this skill as it is much easier to keep my site current.

Daily Painting - Raspberries  5" x 7" oil

I had fun painting these raspberries!  I learn so much more when I am paintings small quick paintings.  We have a farmers market in town and they have fresh Indiana produce all summer long.  I love it!  I have spent almost all week working on my email program for Paintings from Van Gogh's Closet.  I don't mind working hard for myself as I spent almost a lifetime working hard as a secretary while I studied art and raised a family in my spare time.  I am hoping that by tomorrow I will be sitting in front of my easel instead of my computer!

Paintings from Van Gogh's Closet

Another busy day!  John Reynolds (teacher/mentor) sent his painting from Van Gogh's Closet out today.  He did a self portrait.  Paintings from Van Gogh's Closet are small quick daily paintings by myself, John Reynolds and fellow student Ann Simons.  Our paintings are inspired by our travels and seasonal flowers or produce from the local markets in Indiana.

The daily painting blog format forces us to commit to painting daily and it gives us the opportunity to share our work with people all over the world.  We study once a week with John.  He sets up still lifes of flowers, fruits, musical instruments etc.  Of course, Ann & I now have a collection of small paintings in our closet, thus Paintings from Van Gogh's Closet!

Paintings from Van Gogh's Closet is run from my home in Noblesville, Indiana.  I have managed to send out 3,000 plus emails in our first week.  If you would like to be on the email list please go to my Denise Lipusch Artist facebook page and join our mailing list.  https://www.facebook.com/denise.lipusch.art/app_141428856257

Coneflowers From My Garden

My first daily painting.   This painting is 5" x 7" in oil.  These are coneflowers from my garden just outside my door.  Myself and two other artists will be sending emails with daily paintings, Paintings From Van Gogh's Closet.  These are quick little paintings that you can purchase.  We posted them on eBay.  

You can sign up for the emails by going to my artist facebook page.

  https://www.facebook.com/denise.lipusch.art/app_141428856257