Mar 13 - Studio Cat Floral Continues, Gardens and Workshop

Using the magic of the trio of workhorse colors (Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin and Yellow Ochre + white), I'm putting in the background cools to set off the many warms that are coming along later.  This is fun to do, because there is nothing hard about filling in a flat area. However, please note (you graduates of the Color System!) that I'm using the sixth plan of values in making gradation across this supposedly flat expanse of background.

"When in doubt, gradate!!!" Makes large color areas more interesing when we vary the values across those areas. A lesson to remember, so that the end results of our hard work isn't boring areas for the viewer to land.

On other news, I'm in the second day of teaching the Color Boot Camp, and having a blast. The students are enthusiastic, they're GETTING the Color System and producing some wonderful pieces. Too hard on themselves, they sometimes find it difficult to like what they produce. I see Color System magic in places on their paintings, yet sometimes they want everything to be perfect. Perfection happens over time, and is always elusive! Be good to yourself and find small greatness in major efforts. That's all it takes sometimes to move forward.

And the gardens here at Two Trees Studio are producing gangbusters. Here is an image of the lettuces, kale, carrots and flowering bouganvilla out in the back. That's the gate that takes you out into the oh-so-green Preserve lands behind the studio. Yummy salad tonight. I have one of the wire covers propped up on that back box (filled with Swiss chard) because every once in a while, the rabbits come to dine. These are four-foot square boxes, slightly raised, built out of two 2x6 boards for one-foot deep boxes filled with compost. No fertilizing needed and it is a modified square-foot garden concept. No rows. Just groups.



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