Fall In The Old Pueblo

Have been going to some gallery shows. Maynard Dixon at the Museum of Art. Other artists say my work looks like his so had to see what they were talking about. It is a compliment. He used a similar palette, more realistic, less romanticised. No yellow bushes with purple shadows. You just do not see that in the desert! Also very graphic shapes, which I use also.
Went to the Temple of Art Gallery to see Jim Waid's work, a contemporary, abstract artist that always has a 3D quality. Gail and I sat on a park bench on the upper porch at the temple and did quick 5 inch by 5 inch studies of the clouds. Planes were bringing tourists from the cold states.
The artist Jim Waid also has a show at Pima Community College, so we saw the city from that vantage point and went up to "A " mountain to catch the view. This is the road that winds around the hill. Painting is 5 X 7 inches.

The next week after google mapping the area, we found the right spot to paint the distant city.

I did not want to be so close to be tempted to paint every window and frustrate myself. This viewpoint is from a home site of a development that has not sold the sites at the end of a
cul-de-sac. Eventually there will be a luxury house were I sat. There was a nice morning haze that lifted as the morning proceeded. This painting is 9 X 12 inches.

In the "Sculpture for Animation" class, we did presidential busts, this is my Abe Lincoln caricature. He is about 8 inches tall.

Here is Priscilla, exhausted after a hair cut. She has fine thick hair and a impatient disposition. Rufus wants the attention and sticks his nose under the scissors just as you are about to cut her hair. He did not need a hair cut, but he lays there half asleep in bliss, so he receives excellent trims. Priscilla always ends up ragged.

I took pictures of Abe with my "old" Sony and found this puppy picture of Rufus on it!

His ears are not standing up yet!

Been busy!

How could it be so long between posts? Summer came and went, did not get much swimming in. Brought out the blanket last night so plein air painting season has officially started. This is the last of the summer inside still lives. There was a vase a flowers there but it did not make it in the picture!

Tried painting in 95 degrees, stuck it out until the sun came over the ramada I was sitting under.

This is San Pedro chapel in the Old Fort Lowell Historical Neighborhood. My favorite part is the American flag.

Tried again, 90 degrees. Was toasty by the time we set up at 9AM so we agreed to be speedy.

Was home by 11:30 as the temp crept towards 100.

This is me sweating it out. Got a new painting equipment. That is the lightweight aluminium easel.

The black bag is lightweight too and takes up an acre when opened up.

Classes started at the Art Institute of Tucson. This is the project from the first day of sculpture for animation, an exercise to learn the materials and process. We made a storybook dwelling in 4 hours from concept to paint. I taught by example. Base is 3 inches wide, whole thing fit in the toaster oven.

And here are the Yorkies! Priscilla standing and Rufus laying down. They are not jumping in the pool to cool off any more, but still prefer it for drinking.

Third flower painting in air conditioning

Everything's peachy! Somehow all the greens and peaches worked. These larger paintings are taking 6 hours or more. This one is about 18 X 14 inches. Looking forward to the new plein air season. Got a new easel and bag shedding at least 15 pounds. Better to roam with. Also ordered more paint as I did not want to break up the stealth box every week. So I am ready to go, just waiting for the temprature to drop a dozen degrees or so. Still in the hundreds here.

The pups are loving the grasshopper population explosion.

How to plant a yorkie-girl:

AC painting

Another hot day in Tucson, another bunch of flowers inside.
A smaller canvas and 6 hours.
The theme was white and I must have gone through half a tube!
Sorry no comments so no pup pics.

Air Conditioned Sunshine

Sunny sunflowers in air conditioned comfort of home. Gail came over and we painted inside.
I decided to go big (for a plein air painter) this is 18 x 24 inches! So I painted small flowers on a large canvas!

Here are the puppies also enjoying the AC. They don't even stay outside for too long!

Making a list of paintings for the Ventana Medical Systems Show next week, 18 good enough to show from 4 years of painting. Presenting at Art Institute of Tucson's open house tomorrow.

Check out Empty Easel link to right for tutorials I wrote on using GIMP to edit your photos!

Grading to be done!

Summer Painting

The monsoons have started, it is hot and humid.
Not a good condition to paint outdoors, even if it is lush and green for once.

5 x 7 inches Hotel Congress

Inspired by Duane Keiser's cigar box (see "love these paintings" in list to right)

I got my painting partner and I, smaller stealth boxes to paint in coffee shops. In this inaugural outing, we went to the lobby of Hotel Congress. Nice to work in air conditioning with music and bathrooms handy.

Also painted some in studio common objects, here is a fresh teabag on a 6 x 6 inch canvas.

Here are the pup pictures, they are happily hunting lizards, palo verde beatles and tarantulas.
Miss Priscilla scouting.

This is Rufus in action, he is a swift and strong leaper, look ma, no feet on ground!

SketchN and PaintN

Have had the urge to sketch for a while, so we went to the old downtown residences which are quite charming. Next day went to Tohono Chul and painted there.
Of course the obligitory puppy pics.

Florida Map

Revised #2:Revised:
Original:

Here is a Florida map to be published in a book of photography by Patty Dirienzo.

Not the final version but getting close! Click on image to see bigger version.

Evening walk at studio

These were taken by KGUN9's anchor Guy Atchley.

Perfect mothers day gift: me with my kids!

  

Paintings N Pups

Or rather Pups-N-Paintings.
Due to complaints that there were no DOG pictures.... "TEAM WORK"

Purple flowers bringing on the Butterflies.

94 Degrees, probably last day of season for painting out doors.

Decided to face the always challenging rocks.

Art Institute of Tucson

Had an interview today that must have gone well since they gave me application forms to fill out.
Might be teaching a 2D and/or a 3D course in July.
Here is my demo reel also available on youtube if you search for Dinardi.

Flower pics

Carpet of purple "weeds" in backyard. Meadow in Catalina state park, close up of flowers follow.

Catalina Meadow Flowers

Lots of flowers at the Catalina State Park in a meadow above the wash.
Took pics of flowers and painted colors that are not there!
Like it though, captures the spirit of the morning. Fun in the back yard, she may be cute but Priscilla is vicious too!
See lizard in mouth?

Ahhh, A quiet moment in between rounds of wrestling.

Drawing Studio

Here is a painting of our model Susan done in three hours of 20 minute poses.

8 x 10 canvas. Ran out of time on the hands :-[

This is a 20 minute painting-sketch of Susan with 5 minutes of negative space painting done later at home.

This is a Honey Bee Canyon done two weeks ago. The weather here is just beatiful these days.

And of course, what you really want to see... The puppies who are happy and healthy.

Rufus

Priscilla