Rachel Jones and Art

Day 27 Like most painters, I have a few items I am just not happy with. They no longer excite me. I hide them under the bed, behind doors, in dark corners...hoping when I next pull them out they will have somehow transformed into something "acceptable". To date, this has not yet happened. So, I've pulled a few of the offenders out and am trying to "rework" them in either an experimental style that I've been eager/hesitant to try OR in the style of whatever mood I'm in Today. This is one of the results. I tried my hand at graffiti over a painting I had higher hopes for. There may be a shine to the photo since it is still very wet (lots of knife painting) and lots of thick buttery oils.  It is on canvas and 24" X 18". 

DERAILMENT!!!!! I have no idea exactly how, but one morning I awoke and ran errands and planned a painting session for that evening. But then one thing happened followed by another and before I knew it, several days passed and no paint, charcoal, pastels touched my hands. A complete derailment. So up bright and early with a new plan. I can not let this final leg of this month's journey fizzle out pathetically after setting a record for myself. So here is a little drawing I'm working on. Hopefully I can redeem myself the next four days. And a hearty "Heave! Ho!" to the others as you too finish up the 30.   

  This is for Our Local House of Blues event that I'm getting ready for tomorrow. I am really looking forward to it and hoping there will be a large crowd and of course PLENTY OF SALES...so I can continue to buy paints and brushes and canvases and do what I love doing. I just wish I had an assistant to help me pack and unpack. I have things everywhere....and I mean EVERYWHERE! trying to decide what to take, what not to take and how to pack everything as compactly as possible. It's all part of the journey I suppose, but I'd still prefer to have a serf, just for today.

Day TWENTY Four Daisies and a Beautiful Weed Oil on Canvas by Rachel Jones

Several More Drawings Have Been Done for the 30 Day Challenge, but in-between I've been reworking some previous pieces. I just became bored with them, so decided to try a few things. Here is one that I shall use as Day 19.   Reworking an older piece Acrylic on Board by Rachel Jones 

I admire many painters and can stare at their work endlessly. One of these can be found at http://larriva.blogspot.com/ . His faces are so rich! As they say, you learn by imitating. So I got myself all set up with one of his signature palettes, copious amounts of tea / coffee, my source material (another friend's beautiful face) and my concentration and determination firm... Well....things were not as successful as I had hoped. He definitely has something 'special'! So here is a painting of my cup of tea instead. There is always tomorrow, right? Day 13 Acrylic on Watercolor Paper 5" X 7" by Rachel Jones   

Day 10 A friend of ours had gotten married and we went for a little walk down unknown streets after one of the most gorgeous meals ever. The freshest seafood and the most creative drinks. This is how I remember that walk.... Calle de Santo Domingo Oil on Canvas 20" X 24" by Rachel Jones

Day 9 I'm beginning to find it a little difficult to do little paintings daily. It's not the daily painting, it's the littleness of it or the keeping it simple . I want to do something big. Something so big that it can not be finished within 24 hours, but not so epic that it becomes a life's work. So I'm changing the rules a little and breaking up the illustrations and acrylics with an oil. I am still painting daily though and shortly going downstairs and work on this a bit more until my heart is content. I  hope I've not offended the purist.  A little street scene in progress from one of my most favorite places in the world, Dominican Republic.  Oil on Canvas by Rachel Jones

One of the few whimsical paintings of mine... Chosen for the cover of SASEE Magazine in Myrtle Beach, SC. Thanks.

Day Five! OK, I should not really be to excited about day five since I did not actually Paint today, BUT.....I did art related stuff. I've lost my voice (husband has smile on face) and running slight fever while coughing profusely. So actually painting was not an option. However, I managed to drag my bones out of bed for  a moment to deliver paintings to a couple of guys who asked me to do a mixture for their new offices http://www.rdytogo.com/ . They come up with great new apps and  recently even got to ring the NASDAQ bell! VERY talented young guys. These web designers and needed something to entertain their array of clients as they sit in the conference room. This is what I came up with and they were tickled pink ( my description and what a painter always wants to see when they are told to do "whatever it is that you do").            

Day Three Wake up obscenely Early, Drive Drive, Doctor's Office, Wait Wait, Dentist Office, More Wait...Come back in 5 days, Rain Rain, Crackling Thunder...Endless Driving. This is Not an Extended Haiku, but my Day which led me to think... "I'd rather be shopping" which led to this late evening offering. I think the background needs a wash of blue. To answer a few of the emails I've received, Yes, I will eventually put these painting up for sale towards the end of the month. If you are interested before, Please send me a message. Stuff I don't Need Acrylic on Paper by Rachel Jones   

Day 2 I was quite excited that I awoke with a painting plan. That is progress already. I've painted my favorite reading chair before, but this time I put it in context... I wanted to label some of my favorite books, BUT since I'm determined not to get too detail orientated and just enjoy painting, I did not. But that is not to say, I will not return to it another day and add some titles. The Green chair in the Library Oil on Canvas 18" X 24" by Rachel Jones 

I can not count the amount of times I've attempted to do a painting a day and somewhere along the way...well, you know. Basically it did not happen. This time, I decided to actually join a group of painters doing so on http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/ . So we shall see if the camaraderie will make a difference and keep me on track. I'm off to a good start. I am organized. I decided that week one would be my version of several postcards I've collected from all over the world. The first is a postcard advertising the film The Last September. I know it stars Maggie Smith but, I've had it so very long that I actually can not remember anything about it or even if I've seen it. But I thought it would be appropriate for this 30 Day Challenge in September. I used Acrylic on Watercolor Paper. I've been working on loosening up and not worrying so much about the little details or I'd never get a painting done in a day. So hopefully this challenge will not only keep me