Portrait study Ms. Safa still in progress!

45cm x 53cm
Oil on canvas
It's the third time that Ms. Safa came to pose for the study. I think the reason why this work takes a little longer is that we have to stop at ten thirty or before that. And that makes each session shorter than it should be. But I think, I'm working with a slower pace as well. It's not hard to capture my sitter's mood but its the skin tone that slowes me down. There's so much colors on her face. I have to think what color I should use at this specific area or there. It's very much like doing experiments. I have a feeling that this work is important to me because it represents a possible improvement if I was able to reach what I wanted with patient of course.

Sketch by Swimming Pool 2

25.5cm x 17.5cm
Oil on panel
A good friend of mine came to visit me and I decided to take her to work with me this noon. Yes. At noon! Remember I did a study by swimming pool this morning. Well, we went back to the exactly same place but I set my tripod at different angle to do my second study. I loved those plants and trees there. There's different layers to be able to create the depth of image. I have to go back and practice more with this beautiful scenery. It was a good workout but the result's still faraway from what I expected. I have to be persistent, consistent but most of all, be patient with myself.

Sketch by the Swimming Pool

22.5cm x 15.5cm
Oil on panel
After I dropped my son to his Saturday morning class, I went to Princess Hotel and did this quick study by the swimming pool where I swim. I couldn't stay long. There's only an hour and half. But I thought it was long enough for a quick sketch. I had to keep practicing this kind of study, quick sketch. It helped to work more accurately with my color value. I had to remember the value of the color always came first. I believe, including this one, many of my early work would failed. But, just like the project of 100 portrait studies. It won't take too long. The work of plein air will come to my satisfaction.

Portrait study Moose

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm
Finally we finished this portrait study. Moose has a brilliant mind and is an exceptional musician. Work with him is pleasant and fun. He told me about Belizean drum and African drum. Djembe is the name of African drum he plays. After I drove him home, he showed me and explained to me different types of drums. It's fascinating! I still remember when I was living in France, subway was my dialy transportation. One day, as usual, while I walked down to the sub. I heard a continuously African drum sound. It caught my attention immediately... It was a sound from the deep sea. It was the sound of soul from the heart. It stays in me until today. Before I went back home, Moose played for me for a few minutes. He played beautifully!

Time Waits No One

27cm x 22cm
Oil on panel
I did this quick study after 5 this afternoon. It was a 40 minutes break between picking up my two daughters from two different places. I wanted to paint the sunset light but time went in a blink of an eye. Time waits no one. Too bad if you couldn't catch it!

House and truck

25.5cm x 17.5cm
Oil on panel
Did this house seem familiar to you? Yes, its the second time I painted it. I thought it was much better than the first one. It maybe a little overworked. It took me 2 hours. I began to paint from 8 this morning and finished by 10. It should have been just one and half. Again, the sun was burning. I was standing on the grasses and saw dozens of caterpillars having sun bath. I was so focus on my work that I didn't notice there's one crawling up to my leg. I was lucky that it didn't cause me any allergy. I thought that pickup truck was painted too big. It took too much attention from the house. And, there was the same old problem. The image looked flate. The perspective of this study wasn't quite clear. I should have worked on it from the beginning.

White Wall at Noon

Do you see the difference between the two photos of my work? I took this photo back home at my studio. The color is much more closer to my original work. The earlier one  was taken at the back of my car while waiting for my girls coming out from their school this afternoon. I didn't noticed until now. It looked really green-blueish.

25.5cm x 17.5cm
Oil in panel
I went out to do another plein air at noon. Yes, the sun was burning. I didn't know why I chose to go out at this hour. Usually, I'm eating my salads comfortabley at home. Guess I really wanted to work. Oh~! Yes, because I didn't need to cook the dinner. Kids wanted to eat pizza. Now I remember why. Maybe I'll do another one this evening....who knows? I like to be a workaholic!

Houses study

27cm x 22cm
Oil on panel
One of friends ran into me this morning while I was working on this study. He showed me couples of his paintings. I thought they were wonderful and I was glad that he gave me some of his advices. He told me that he's busy and had no time to paint. I think this is the most common situation. Many people are so talented but they don't have time. Well, most of the people have to work for their daily lives. Art is a luxury for many people here. Or, some don't even know the value of it. Guess I'm lucky enough to do what I love to do besides the duty as a mother.

Green roof top house

27cm x 22cm
Oil on canvas
I feel more comfortable painting houses now. But somehow, I haven't push far away enough the houses. It feels no dimension at all. The image looks flate. The value of colors aren't right.

The Shadow of Fence

27cm x 22cm
Oil on panel
Its a sunny afternoon but it feels a bit of cold from yesterday. Under the sun is burning yet it feels cold in the shadow. I have to work with sunglasses, hat and umbrella to protect myself from the sun but once the sun covers by clouds its cold. Still cannot go out to do the study of houses. Maybe tomorrow will do!

Portrait study Ms. Safa in progress

45cm x 53cm
Oil on canvas
It's the second session of this study and it's still in progress. Yes. It takes a bit longer but I like very much its mood even from the first session. I add some colors. It looks green now but it will be fixed on our next session.

A Cloudy Day

27cm x 22cm
Oil on panel
Wanted to go out and do a house study this morning. Didn't make it because was busy with my kids. After lunch I had 2 hours free time so I decided to do it in an easy way, simply to work at my back yard. It's a cloudy day and felt a bit cold too. Guess, somewhere far away is snowing now ...

A Corner of Backyard

27cm x 22cm
Oil on canvas
I add some water lilies and fix a little details. Do you see the difference between the first one and this one?

The Historical White House

27cm x 22cm
Oil on panel
I had fun painting this house this morning. The owner of the white house came to say hello. Her name is Flores. A very nice lady. She was taking a walk with her little nephew. She now is in my painting. Do you see the little figure there.... Two of my friends, Denese and Jyoti drove by. And one of the tourists asked if I sold my work to him... Working with cars, buses, motorcycles and bicycles....and people passing by, it wasn't too bad at all!

A Corner of Backyard in progress

27cm x 22cm
Oil on panel
This is this afternoon's work. I simplified the scene. Again, I tried to focus on the light and shadow. The image looks kind of grey now. Ill try to add some nice color tomorrow and we'll see how it turns out!

The Houses

25.7cm x 15cm
Oil on panel
This is this morning's work. Almost the same scenery as I painted yesterday except it's a sunny morning. I even felt hot when I finished the work at 10:30am. Friend of mine says that I'm not an architect but an artist. I should see things differently. I was a little frustrated by my yesterday work. This morning, I tried to feel the sun light and less the structures of the buildings. And that, I should remind myself to not to overwork. I really like my work with big chunk of colors. Maybe I should limit the time.

Blue House

I worked and added some colors in my studio. Does this one look better?

25.5cm x 17.5cm
Oil on panel
I felt so cold this morning when I was painting this study.  Besides the cold air, it was drizzling and I had to work with my umbrella. Now, back home I have running nose. Houses are not my favorite subjects to paint but I do want to paint them well. The only way is to paint lot of them. This is not a very good study. The colors aren't well...I'll paint it again when its sunny day.

Pinkish sky

27.5cm x 17.5cm
Oil on panel

One O'clock Light

Oil on canvas
27.5cm x 17.5cm
I think it looks much better now. I try to focus on the light and shade but not the shapes of objects. It helps to see the part I want to high light.

Orange roof house

27.5 x 17.5cm
Oil on panel
It was cold and windy this morning. I had my long pants, coat and scarf with me. I was working from this morning around seven thirsty to ten. I saw this orange roof house yesterday morning and it stayed in my head. " I had to paint it", that was my thought yesterday all day long. I think it maybe a little overworked.

One o'clock Light in progress

27.5cm x 17.5cm
Oil on panel
I think I look for troubles. I always know that complicated composition is harder to master but somehow I look for them subconsciously. Guess I love challenges but I suffer at the same time because of them. What can I do about it??? As we know the time goes fast. Its just quarter past 2 in the afternoon but I can no longer continue this work because the light changed completely already. This isn't one o'clock light, its 2 o'click light. Am I a fussy person? Well... I'll continue tomorrow. It's a beautiful scenery if I could express the light correctly.

Portrait study Ms. Safa in progress

53cm x 45cm
Oil on canvas
The is the second portrait of Ms. Safa. We begin from quarter past 8 this morning and finished at 10:30am. Probably I will need another 2 sessions to complete this work. Ms. Safa had to rush home. Like me, guess, as a mother, we are not really free in a sense especially when the children are still very young. I think some mothers adjust better with their routine, some don't. I used to be a very diligent mother when I was working full time with my 3 kids. Now, I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just tired.

Plein Air color study White fence

27cm x 22cm
Oil on panel
This is the second study from this morning. The size is a little larger. There's more details since I had about 2.5 hours after the first study. Feeling much more relaxed with this work especially when I paint at my backyard.

Plein air color study Three Musketeers

27.5cm x 17.5cm
Oil on panel
Do you recognize where is this place? I had 1 and half hours this morning to do this quick study. Children's father is not home and I had to drive my kids to their Saturday classes. Its very . : ( ...to stop in the middle of no where....knowing that the work is not completed. Well, it looks not too bad for an one hour and half work! Ha! I forgot again to take a picture!!!! 

Plein Air color study Sunset sparkles

27.5cn x 17.5cm
Oil on panel
I began to paint this study after 3 this afternoon. It took me 2 and half hours. I liked very much the sparkles from the surface of the river. I didn't paint every thing I saw but the ones that fit well my study. The picture of the scence looked a little different because again I forgot completely to take the picture from the beginning. Time went fast.....after two and half hours, the view looked totally different.

Figure study Harley

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Figure study Harley in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Plein air color study Backyard in progress

Oil on panel
27.5cm x 17.5cm
I need more time for this study. Tomorrow morning 3 more hours maybe. Its more complex the whole construction of this work. I had hard time to use right value of color. Such headach! But I will get it right tomorrow!

Plein air color study On the riverside

Oil on panel
25.5cm x 17.5cm
I really need to sit down and do my outdoor study. My poor two legs and my back cannot take it anymore. It's a torture to standing for 3 hours. This morning I painted in my back yard. I was waiting for the sun to come out but it didn't happen. A little disappointed.  It's not an excellent composition but it's a good exercise!