Cold Sketching 476 and Note

Brrrrr, baby it's cold outside.  37 degrees F on Gene's Weather Bug. (Many more places to check, see below.)  Our couple of days of winter are here.  I will have to bring in the geraniums.  :)  They are used to heat!

I sketched in the big sketchbook with the Micron 01, freehand and as quick as I could.  You know I get bored if I have to take a long time.  I numbered the last page of sketches wrong so threw in a number 3 to catch up.

Number 3, pot with lid - this is red with an aluminum lid
Number 7, something used in the kitchen - spoon rest, red with white polka dots
Number 8, folded towel - a light blue kitchen towel
Number 9, something I should have thrown away - the box from the new thermostat.  We have a new heat pump that, like all new tech, is smarter than us.  It sends Gene an e-mail when the settings are changed and keeps the outdoor temperature and weather at hand.  The bad part is now we have to check the temp on the heater, phones, computers, Gene's clock, the rain guage, Weather Bug, Yahoo weather, and on and on.  Ha.
Number 10, lamp

*** ** *** ** ***

I was reading a blog, which one, I don't remember, sorry, about hints to have a successful art career and sales.   I will remind you that success is defined in different ways by different artists.  Is success:  sales?  Awards?  Self satisfaction?  Learning?  Teaching?  

The blog pointed out that the artist thought you should never put links on your page or blog.  They said visitors would go to the link and never come back.   Would you do that??  My readers seem to be regular.  I hear from a few folks by e-mail  that do not post on my blog and have not had any cancellations in a long time.  Hmmmm.

So with that in mind I will point you to Richard McKinley's blog today.

http://www.artistsnetwork.com/medium/pastel/painting-in-winter

He talks about the changing landscape ant the bleakness and different colors in winter.  He talks about how he has such beautiful reference photos, like New Mexico in the summer, and he doesn't feel as excited about those in the winter when he is in Oregon.  He says to paint the season with all the feelings that go with it.  

I feel much that way, too.  Here the seasons are not so distinct.  We don't always have beautiful fall color and many of the trees don't lose their leaves.  Is it time for some still life paintings?  Something to ponder.

Oh, he has a link to some extreme cold painting in Wyoming to wander off to read ... y'all come back for my next post, ya hear???