30 in 30 Collage and Wrap-Up

As a finale I've created a collage of all the animal portraits I completed for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge. Oh, no....I think I'm missing one of the animals. I only have 29 in the collage. I wonder who escaped.

My thanks to Leslie Saeta for inspiring all the artists around the world who participated in the 30 Day  Challenge. Today on her blog the artists are all posting their collages, which is a good way to see a lot of the artwork at once. https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

So what can I tell you about the experience of doing the 30 painting challenge this year?

• I am glad I did a theme again this year. It took the worry about what the subject would be each day. It was fun doing animals, which I rarely did before. I did learn that most cats look more like each other than dogs do. lol I hope I didn't insult any cat lovers out there, but cat faces are fairly similar. Different dog breeds can look extremely different.
• I primarily use watercolors but I enjoyed adding some different materials to the paintings at times. I used combinations of watercolor pencils, ink, or even oil pastels to get the textures on the animals, although a few of the paintings were done in just watercolors.
• Even though I tried to keep a day ahead of the challenge, there were a few days that I was scrambling at the last minute to keep up. I should have tried keeping two days ahead...and I didn't really have anything that was a surprise pop up and take a day away from me.
• One of the special things about doing the challenge is seeing the work of the other artists that are participating. I didn't have enough time to see all the work this time, so I plan to go back and review each day. I like finding artists I like and visiting their blogs to see not only their work for the challenge, but their other paintings too. Sometimes I visit people several times and then realize I really like their work and begin to follow them. I did that with Nelvia McGrath at http://nelviasworkshopchallenges.blogspot.com and Beverly Shipko at http://www.beverlyshipko.com/blog-2/. 
• It was great to see other artists that I know who participated again this year (some for several years) like Val van der Poel at http://mellowoodgallery.blogspot.com, Jacqui Petersen at http://www.jacquipetersen.com and Sandy Sandy at http://www.sandysandyart.com.
• I do wish I had done more experimenting with other materials...maybe yupo paper for a few or masa paper. I tend to use the same materials, so it was a big stretch for me to add the materials I did use this time.
• Will I do the challenge again? Yes. I know Leslie organizes it in September also, but that is a time of year that I am too busy plein air painting. The challenge at this time of year comes at a time when the most I am doing outside would be small paintings or sketches from my car, so I have more time to participate. 

30 in 30 - Day 30 - Sabrina

Today is the last official day of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge, and it has been quite a challenge for me to do so many animals. For Day 30 I have painted Sabrina, who belongs to my friend Mary Weeks. I thank her for sending me a photo to work from.

Here is a link to the other paintings from the challenge: https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog Now that the challenge is over maybe I will have a little more time to visit Leslie's blog and look at more of the other paintings submitted. I still have a few reference photos that were sent to me and I do hope to get to do paintings of those as well...but at a more relaxed speed.

When my portrait group met this past week, Chris posed for us.

30 in 30 - Day 29 - Louie

My Day 29 painting for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge is of Louie. He belongs to my friend, Jean Ogden, and he resides with Annie who I painted a while ago for this challenge. Jean has lots of great pets.

Here is the link to the other paintings done for the challenge: https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

The boatyard by the West Sayville dock is such a great place to sketch and paint. There is always a large boat being worked on (usually one of the ferries for Fire Island).

30 in 30 - Day 28 - Max & My Class

My Day 28 painting for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge is of Max. Max was the pet of my friend, Maureen Martini, but Max is no longer alive. He was a sweet dog. This was done with watercolors, watercolor pencils, and ink.

Don't forget to check out the other artwork for the challenge here:
https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

Thursday evening I taught my first art class at the Catbird Seat in Sayville. It is a cute shop on Main Street going into town with all kinds of vintage items, artwork, refinished furniture, and more. Debi Wickliffe asked me to teach an alcohol ink class after seeing some of the tiles I had done recently. We had a full class and everyone seemed to really enjoy the class and get into painting the tiles. Here are some photos from the evening.

All the ladies with their painted tiles. That's me at the far corner of the table with the star pointing to my head. 

Debi set up the room like we were at a dinner party...

complete with wine and snacks.

Everyone hard at work...that's Debi at the end of the table...just observing until she decided to join in the fun.

Susan used some colorful inks on her floral landscape.

The ladies were great at sharing the bottles of ink.

Laurie's first creation...it reminds me of a snail.

Marie working carefully.

All in all, it was a fun night. I knew some of the ladies from my plein air group, but more than half were new to me...and great fun to work with. Everyone got to go home with at least 2 tiles that they had painted.

30 in 30 - Day 27 - Buck

My Day 27 painting for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge is Buck who belongs to my friend, Roseanne O'Reilly. For this painting I used watercolors, watercolor pencils, and ink.

Check out the work of the other artists here: https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

This sketch was done at the South Bay Portrait Group on Tuesday. I had finished my painting before the time was up, so I sketched the other artists at work.

30 in 30 - Day 26 - Daisy

Daisy is the pet of my cousin, Phyllis McIntosh who sent me the reference photo for my painting. This is Day 26 of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" challenge...just 4 more days left. Daisy was painted entirely in watercolors.

I hope you have been following Leslie Saeta's blog and seeing the great works by the other participating artists for the challenge. You can view it here: https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

Last week when I met with my sketching group someone brought some bears and Pooh and Tiger for a still life. 

30 in 30 - Day 25 - Rosebud

Today's painting for Day 25 of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge is of Rosebud. She is the pet of my friend, Mike Maas. She reminds me of our dog, Trixie, that my family had when I was little. For this painting I used a base of watercolors, watercolor pencils, ink and a touch of oil pastel.

Check out the other artists participating here: https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

Last week our Wednesday sketch group worked on still life setups again. This was the first one I did...from my own props.

30 in 30 - Day 24 - Rosie

All of a sudden time is running out in the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge and I still have quite a few photos from people of their pets. Day 24 is Rosie who belongs to my friend, Maggie Latham. Some of you may know her from her past blogs. I don't think her last one is active any more but I see her on Facebook. Rosie was painted using watercolors, watercolor pencils, black and white ink, and oil pastels.

Don't forget there is a lot of great artwork from this challenge and it can be found here: https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

Last week Jeff post for my portrait group. I had time for one long pose...

and one quick ink sketch.

30 in 30 - Day 23 - Lucy

My Day 23 painting for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge is of Lucy. I met Lucy on Saturday when I went into NYC for the Women's March. When I saw that face I knew I needed to take a photo and paint her. She was all decked out in pink for the march.

If you have a few minutes, check out the great work by the other participating artists that are taking part in the challenge. https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

This was just a direct in ink, quick sketch done down by the water in West Sayville.

30 in 30 - Day 22 - Rudy & the Women's March in NYC

For Day 22 of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge I did a painting of Rudy, who is the service dog for the sister of my friend, Laurie Boroff in CA. I loved the close crop of Rudy and it was fun to capture him in watercolors, watercolor pencils, and a bit of oil pastel.

Here is the link to see some of the wonderful paintings posted by the other artists today:https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

On a more serious note. Yesterday I participated in the Women's March in NYC. What a day it was! I am not much of a political person, but I am concerned about where our new president and his cabinet are heading, so I went into the city to march. I was so honored and proud to be walking with so many others and showing my support for such important issues. There were people of all races, religions, ethnic groups, women, men, and even families with little kids. I loved that so many parents brought along their children to show them that people need to speak out and stand up for what they believe in. Everyone was so peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and supportive of everyone there. The NYC police did a wonderful job of keeping all of us safe. It was heartwarming to come home and see photos of all the marches that took place around our country and the world.

It was so crowded in the city that it was almost impossible to sketch anything...but you know me. I was there with 3 friends and one of them was also a sketcher, so before we started to march we stood and sketched for a few minutes.

Me with my protest sign.

Crowds with people of all kinds.

Our group of 4 after the march.

30 in 30 - Day 21 - Molly

This painting for Day 21 of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge is a deviation from the dogs and cats that I've been doing. Molly belongs to my friend, Pat Sweeney who lives here on Long Island. Molly is in Virginia. I find horses difficult to paint and a photo of a horse in a pasture doesn't give much detail. I relied on additional photos from the internet to get some of the horse's features.

You can check out the other paintings for the challenge here on Leslie Saeta's blog:https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

I still find myself returning to the water scenes around here, no matter how many times I've already painted them. This was painted down by the bay in West Sayville.

30 in 30 - Day 20 - Barney

It is hard to believe that we are on Day 20 of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge. This is Barney who recently left this world. He was the pet of my friend, Rhea's friend, Steve. Doing a white dog wasn't easy. This was one with watercolors, watercolor pencils, and touches of white oil pastel.

Feel free to hop over to Leslie Saeta's blog and check out the great paintings the other artists have been painting for the challenge. https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

Here is another sketch done at the Queens Museum last Sunday. This is the view looking out of the cafe toward the Unisphere located in Flushing Meadow Park which surrounds the museum. The Unisphere was part of the 1963-64 World's Fair in NY.

I did a sketch of a few people sitting in the cafe too. The little girl barely stayed still for me to sketch her.

30 in 30 - Day 19 - Summer

Summer is the name of the dog I painted for Day 19 of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge. This lovely dog belonged to my friend, Louise. Apparently Summer had a bad heart and was only with her family for 5 years. I loved her color!

Check out some of the other artists participating in the challenge here:
https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

This is an unusual sculpture sketched at the Queens Museum on Sunday. The sculpture was part of an exhibit about the sanitation department and was made from discarded work gloves, walkie talkies, brushes and assorted materials.

30 in 30 - Day 18 - Enzo

For Day 18 of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge I took on a spotted cat. The reference was sent to me by my friend, Michele DiPaolo. The cat, Enzo, belongs to her daughter, Nicole. I used watercolors, watercolor pencils and a bit of black ink.

On Sunday I decided I needed a trip to the ocean. I had been down to the bay but not the ocean since the year started. My destination was the Fire Island Lighthouse at Robert Moses State Park. It was a very cold day, so I dressed in lots of layers, grabbed a sketchbook and only a few sketching tools and headed off for a sketch walk. Each sketch I did took about 5 - 10 minutes. By that point my fingers needed the warmth of my pockets.

First I sketched with a twig and ink...a view of the dunes.

 

Next I used my watercolor pencils.

I could see the lighthouse in the distance and was thinking to myself...too bad they don't have a cafe inside the lighthouse...by the time I get there a cup of coffee would be nice. To my surprise they had hot chocolate set up as you entered the lighthouse. What a nice touch!

This sketch was done with my platinum preppy pen.

Around the back of the lighthouse is a short boardwalk that leads to the bay. That was my final sketch done with a Le Pen in brown. For some reason the ink turns a burgundy color when water is added.

After this sketch I walked a bit faster back to the parking area. The walk round-trip is probably about a mile and a half...good exercise.

30 in 30 - Day 17 - Willow

Today's Day 17 painting for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge is Willow. This was done from a  photo I got from my friend, Cindy Fox. She looks like such a happy dog!

If you would like to check out the other paintings being done for the challenge you can find them here: https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

I've been getting down near the water a bit lately. It isn't warm enough to sit outside, so I've been making good use of my "mobile studio." This was done down at Hecksher Park.

30 in 30 - Day 16 - Bandolier

My Day 16 painting for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge is from a reference photo sent to me by my cousin, Mary Jo Greco. This is Bandolier, her son Rudy's cat. I painted the cat in watercolors, added some ink and then did some strokes of oil pastel to give some light fur marks.

If you're curious about what the other artists are doing for the challenge, you can see the other paintings here: https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

Those of you who follow my blog regularly know I don't do still life paintings very often. My Wednesday night sketch group has use of a meeting room at the library for the winter this year so we decided to do a still life this week. Everyone brought along something to add. Since it was a group of about 10 people we set up several to choose from. I brought along the items in this painting. People loved the bright colors so several of us sketched it. I guess I had cooking on my mind. lol

30 in 30 - Day 15 - Rooster

We are now halfway through the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge. This was done from my own photo taken at a wildlife refuge. I just loved the colors in this Rooster's feathers. I used watercolors and ink for this painting.

Some of the great work by the other participating artists can be found here: https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30-blog

Here's another recent portrait I did recently. Freddy is a member of our group and will be moving to Florida. He promised to pose for us before he left. In case you're wondering he has a walking stick with a cobra on it.