Nature Break - Photo

I can't believe I got a photo of the elusive hummingbird moth! I was taking pictures of some new flowers that just bloomed and I didn't plan to take any more, but while I was keeping an eye on my cat so she didn't go into the neighbor's yard, something landed right on the tiger lily I was standing in front of. It was a hummingbird moth. It looks like a cross between a bee and a hummingbird. It has a long proboscis like a hummingbird and the coloring of a bee. I got two pictures, but I had the camera set for closeup flowers not flapping wings so one of the pictures is a little blurry. Check out Hummingbirdmoth.com. It's cute/funny.

Carnegie Festival

Carnegie Festival - Watercolor Pencils

I was trying to do a watercolor pencil drawing/painting for Pam for her birthday and I wanted to look at this painting for reference. So I went over to my son Tim's place this afternoon to get a photo of this, but I forgot to check the back for a date (or title) and didn't measure it. I think it's about 12 x 18" without the mat and frame. I won an award for this at a local art show, "Carnegie Painted," about three years ago, but I don't know what prize I won. Unfortunately, I didn't attend the opening reception so I got a form letter congratulating me for winning with a check for $22.50 which I think was half of maybe fourth prize or one fourth of third prize? I try to enter the show every year if I can. This was the first time I won anything. The actual painting is much lighter. I think I need a better camera or I need to learn how to take better photos of paintings. The subjects of the paintings for the show have to be of Carnegie. The local artist Philip Salvato has the show at his gallery, "The 3rd Street Gallery" every year in September.

Florida and New Goodies

Pam & Doug's Front Yard, 6 x 6

This was just a quick watercolor sketch. I think I used the Pelikan watercolors for this one. I think this is the last painting I did this year and it's already almost the end of June. I have a lot of pictures that I can use for reference from Florida (from end of March). As usual I took painting supplies with me to use when painting at the beach etc., but didn't have much time to sit still. I also have a lot of pictures of spring flowers here. My tulips were just gorgeous this year. Pam wants me to paint several Florida related paintings for her and I have some ideas in mind. I better get cranking.

These are just some of the goodies I got at Jerry's Artarama in West Palm earlier this year. I needed more brushes for acrylics and these were on sale. I'm not sure about the quality but the price was right. The Strathmore Assorted Pack is artist trading card size paper in several different surfaces. Even if I don't use them for trading cards, I could use them to try out new paper types. The Bristol pad is what I used for the front yard sketch. It's a really convenient 6 x 6 size for traveling.

Pears Again

Pears, 9 x 12

I'm not losing my mind--I actually found the pears I thought I had done. I used Yarka pan watercolors again. And, yes, the pear on the bottom left is a pear-- an Asian pear.

Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves, 9 x 12

Detail - Autumn Leaves

I painted these late last fall in November in water color and colored pencil. I used the Yarka pan colors again. In some of the real leaves I thought I could see metallic colors, like copper, gold and silver. So I searched around to see what I could find in metallic colors and found some metallic colored pencils and used them on the darker colored leaves. They don't show up too well--I think I need some metallic paint.

Pears and Fruit

Pear, 4" x 5"

This is one of the pears I thought I had done earlier this year, but the date I marked on the back says September '09. So much for relying on my memory. Guess I better date everything! This was done in acrylic on a 4" x 5" canvas panel. I think I was going to go back and lighten up the background; and the next time I use canvas panel, I think I'm going to first put on a coating of gesso or just an extra layer of paint to fill in some of the texture of the canvas. I think I prefer a smooth working surface.

Pear, 6" x 6"

Here's another pear I did about the same time in oil pastel on pastel paper. I set this up in the spare bedroom which I didn't go into very often at that time and forgot I left it there. I didn't notice until I smelled something kind of fermenty. Oh well, it looked tasty.

Two Peaches and a Plum, 6 x 6

I thought I had done another pear, but couldn't find one. But here is some other fruit I did about the same time I did the pears. This is done in watercolors on Bristol vellum which is not supposed to be used for watercolor, but I really like the surface. It works as long as you don't get the paper too wet. Not sure I like the background. I think I used Yarka pan watercolors, which I bought when I was in Florida last year. My son Doug and his wife Pam live near West Palm where there is a Jerry's Artarama. Pam took me there again this year and I got another set (for backup) and some other goodies.

"Refreshment Time"

Refreshment Time -- Oil, 16 x 20

I found it! Here's the painting "Refreshment Time." For a few minutes I thought maybe I didn't have the painting--I have so many old picture frames up in the attic, with and without paintings in them, I didn't know which box to look in. I painted this in 1962 when I was 19 years old. I'm not sure if I have the perspective correct on the pitcher and table, but I must have gotten something right because the judge for the art show, Dr. Chew, the director of the Westmoreland Museum of Art at that time, made the comment while rapping his knuckles on the pitcher, "Now that's real porcelain!" I never displayed the painting on the wall because I wasn't happy with the background. I should try to do this as a new painting ( I still have the pitcher) with a different background. I like the colors and the way the pear turned out. I did some pears earlier this year just for practice. I will probably post those next to compare.

Another Art Club Painting

Here's another painting I did for an art club exhibit. The art club purchased it and donated it to the Donora Library. I scanned the original black and white photo since it was better quality than the old yellowed newspaper clipping. Too bad I don't have a picture in color. I should go to the Donora Library and see if the painting is still there, if the Donora Library is still there also. Apparently, I titled the painting "Electricity Failure." I actually remember painting this in my attic room in oils with the lights off and a candle lit so I could get the lighting right. Good thing I didn't burn down the house. In case you can't read the caption, it says:

PAINTING PRESENTED -- "Electricity Failure", an oil painting by Melanie Dacko of Belle Vernon, R. D. 1, which was purchased by the Donora Patrons of Art at the 1963 exhibit of the Valley Art Club, has been presented to the Donora Public Library. Here Mrs. Ruth Muoio, librarian, and Rabbi Isaiah Tarshish, a visitor at the library, admire the painting displayed by the artist, Miss Dacko. (on the right). Mrs. Muoio was winner of the "Best of Show" award at the exhibit or her "Still Life." Miss Dacko was winner of second honorable mention for her oil painting "Refreshment Time."

I believe I still have the painting "Refreshment Time" up in the attic where I am living now, but I will have to find it and post photo later.

Art Club Artifact

Here is another art club artifact from my past. The club included members from Charleroi, Donora, Monessen, and Monongahela. Technically, I didn't live in Monessen, but we were at the edge of Rostraver Twp. near Monessen. Members were given a blank cover program booklet for the new year and there was a contest for the design. This is the cover I designed and if I recall correctly, I won a prize of some sort. I should have stuck to doing miniatures--maybe I should be doing the "Painting a Day" in small sizes or ACEO's. I might actually give that a try some time (the miniatures that is). I don't think I could do a painting a day, at least not yet. Too much housework to do. This kind of reminds me of Karin Jurik and her paintings of people looking at paintings in a museum, except my design looks more like a cartoon than a painting compared to her paintings. I think she is an exceptional painter. I would put a link to her blog if I could figure out how to do it.