No Dull Gal Here (Edited)

Self Portrait with Hood #3, charcoal

Self Portrait  with Hood #4, Charcoal

In an effort to get back into regular studio hours. I managed to work in some time on a third and forth charcoal, self portrait studies with the idea of going for another painting in the Portrait X 4 series. What you see  is the idea put together as a collage in Publisher. Sorry #4 is blue, but I shot it in natural daylight instead of the studio and was too lazy to shoot it again for the Publisher composite below.  (The difference of these photos is something to note when photographing paintings of color).

EDITED RENDITION: (I couldn't stand looking at the blue head in the collage, so I reshot the photo under the incandescent lights of the studio the same way I shot the others. Note that the head on the lower left side, must be darkened. It doesn't carry the same weight as the others).

In the last few days, diversity has been my pleasure. I really have always been happiest doing this and that.  I made no-salt carrot soup--well actually carrot/potato soup, a new batch of Light Rouille with red peppers and  finished David McCullough's 1776. Now, I'm into American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham and waiting on the reading table is George Washington by Ron Chernow plus another Tuft University Desk Top Food reference book; my copy was in shreds.  Online,  I shopped low sodium products from the Healthy Heart Market where I found staple treasures--no-sodium mayonnaise, mustard, sweet and sour sauce, baking powder and hopefully a decent bread? I have a feeling I'm going to throw away the bread; it has nothing in it--no glutten (whatever that is), so salt, no sugar. I really don't want to get into baking bread, but we'll see.... The Carrot soup recipe below was my cooking accomplishment this week. Adding a large Idaho potato did great things for the texture and my low sodium score: 563mg. Unbelievable but true.  Happy painting. Happy, healthy cooking.


NO SALT CARROT SOUP: (I intend to use this recipe to make pea soup too. I will cut out the Cumin and add lots of Thyme and finely chopped carrots to enrich the color. The color of food is as important as the colors on any palette I put together--I once sent a salad back at a restaurant, because it wasn't colorful enough.

Ingredients:
2 green onions diced; 1 tsp. minced garlic; 1 small onion chopped; 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil; 4 C. carrots sliced (8 -10); 3 Idaho potatoes sliced (I used one gigantic one and increased the carrots by 2);  2 1/2 C. low sodium chicken broth; 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds crushed; 1/2 tsp. cumin (ginger is an alternative); 1/4 tsp marjoram; 1/4 tsp. pepper (cut the pepper to taste is spicy makes you nervous).

Instructions:  Saute green onions, garlic and chopped onion in oil till lightly browned (about 2 minutes). Add carrots, potatoes, chicken broth and enough water to cover vegetables. Add seasonings. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer till vegetables are tender, about thirty minutes. Puree in batches in food processor. Cilantro would be an attractive and tasteful garnish--mixed in too.

 Makes about 7 cups of thick soup. Can be served hot or cold. If served cold, a dollop of plain low fat yogurt  or sour cream is nice (but does increase the salt, calories and fat content). Maybe when I relax a bit?

Nutrition:   96 calories per cup; 25 mg of Sodium; 21 g of Fat, (low sodium is always a trade off with high fat content).  And those numbers are all I am interested in at this time. Having potatoes in this recipe is a good thing with regards to potassium and controlling the water in the body. In my studies, I've  read that potassium rich foods are excellent for cleaning and balancing sodium in the body--things like bananas, avocados, tomatoes, potatoes, orange juice, cantaloupes, lima beans, flounder, cod and chicken all contain potassium (says eatlowsodium.com under the Tips tab). I adore avocados  have no idea what cod is and really only like cantaloupe wrapped with prosciutto, once devoured enthusiastically, now, out of the question. THERE ARE SACRIFICES to eating clean.

On The Easel

Self Portrait in Hood #2 IN PROGRESS, Charcoal
In progress is an important phrase, since very little has been in progress these last weeks.
I'm suspecting I chose this pose for all the prayers I've offered to Saint Anthony for getting
those photographs back.  Still no word. But life moves on.

After a painful lesson in graphics storage, the conclusion  reached was the nut behind the wheel didn't understand what  this gadget was and used it as a full time, accessible memory extension of her computer. Had she had an owner's manual to read, she might have gotten it and saved herself the suffering over the loss of digital photographs. After the horse has left the barn, this artist understands.

'But  on with  art and painting. A CANVAS FOR JD'S PORTRAIT  IS FINALLY ON THE EASEL. Being my first three quarter portrait in oils, he's going to take a while. But I will love every minute I spend with that beautiful boy.

While I work up the courage to begin, I'm fiddling about with another charcoal self portrait with that hood that fascinates me. Again I'm pushing  myself with a difficult head tilt. That's the stuff that keeps me  interested.

I am now almost back to healthy.  Would you believe that this whole season of colds, blues, vertigo attacks and just last week, emergency room gastroenteritis and dehydration was due to the sinusitis that settled into my system from that very first cold  I got coming off the plane from Mexico.  I'm finally on antibiotics and on the mend. My energy is back and I'm finally thinking about art again.  (Being in the ER, I missed my art and business workshop, much to my disappointment, but I'm picking up the notebook the leader put together tonight).

As for the photos, they are gone or they are not; I haven't heard. But for certain I will be making new storage arrangements for graphic data--in the Cloud.  And it's time for a new computer with a bigger drive.

Just A Little Sticker Shock

My Hat that Swims, Self portrait, Charcoal, 9 x 12
Note done on 9 x 12 paper. It's very hard not drawing with
my whole body.  This is practice drawing #1.

Almost packed. Two Mastersen palette boxes hold the total list.
Both fit nicely into the kid's carry-on luggage piece. 

I'm sitting here tallying the score on this workshop thinking I better come out with a hellofalot of helpful hints and an MPA degree in portraiture, (Master of Portraiture Art). It's costing a blimey fortune.

 To the 350, I've already spent joining the Association (50), to get a lower price on the workshop (250), I've added the suggested supplies plus a Kid's carry on suitcase bringing the total cost to a whopping 431.73 plus some tax! The filbert brushes take the prize. They better be more magical than the slanted flats that served me so well on The Unknown Children.


 I didn't charge nearly enough for that portrait. I'm surprised I was even able to paint it with the meager supplies I had on hand, but I did--and didn't do a bad job either. After next week though, I'm going to be fantastic--but starving on some street corner after Honey sees the bills. I'm pretty sure he's going to want to trade this crazy fool in for a wife who just plays Canasta.

Unknown Children

I jest, of course. After the cabana rape in Las Vegas last year, the workshop will be an enriching,  lifetime experience both art-wise and socially, as I step out from my solitude into an active art community with knowledgeable mentors . Every week or three, I am always picking up some sort of art supplies. Fifty bucks here. Twenty bucks there.A book about this technique or that. This is the first time I've kept track of the expense. I don't know why. It's probably because fifty years ago, I did workshops and they left me with a bad taste. I'm building a case against this one before I've even gotten there. Sticker shock. Jitters.

 Jitters aside,art prices should be high. It is a costly pursuit involving not only money, but time and emotional stress chasing after that little piece of perfection we can never quite reach. This workshop may bring me closer to the satisfaction I'm looking for when I look at my own work--or  at the very least, sharpen my eye.  All spent, all packed, I'm ready to go. --After just a bit more practice drawing small with charcoal.

Packed and ready to roll with or without the outstanding UPS order.
Thanks Celeste Bergin for a very functional idea.