Masters Study – American Flamingo 1838 by John James Audubon

“I always have enough time to thank people for their help and kindness, no matter how small their act was.”
–Richard Carlson, Ph.D. (The Don’t Sweat Affirmations)



Masters Study – American Flamingo 1838 by John James Audubon
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

A link to the original Audubon painting is here.  This is the last one of the Masters Study series.  I wonder what I’ll do next?  he he

My life has been a whirlwind lately.  I haven’t had time to get around to the blogs and visit, but I will.  I promise.  Soon. 

The Don’t Sweat Affirmations

 

100 affirmations that reinforce the don’t sweat philosophy of life: that not letting the little things get to you is a great way to reduce stress overall. These peaceful, beautifully written affirmations are simple statements that hold a big impact. Readers who repeat only several affirmations a day will find their lives becoming more calm and less frantic immediately.

About the Author

Best-selling author Richard Carlson, Ph.D., creator of the popular Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series and the just published Don’t Get Scrooged, died suddenly of cardiac arrest enroute to New York on December 13. Carlson, 45, published his first book in 1985 and went on to publish more than 20 books that remain popular in English and in translation in 130 languages and 35 countries. Richard Carlson grew up in Piedmont, CA. He received his undergraduate degree from Pepperdine University and his Ph.D. in psychology from Sierra University. He was in private practice as a psychotherapist when he started to publish books about psychological and spiritual health. As his books started to attract a large audience, he began writing full time so he could teach more people how to live with presence and ease by cultivating gratitude and generosity. Dr. Carlson was a large supporter of and participant in the National Center for Family Literacy and at the time of his death he was working on a project with them called for “A Penny a Book” from publishers, authors and literary agents to promote literacy. Dr. Carlson is survived by his wife and life partner of 25 years, Kris Carlson, his co-author on Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff in Love and the author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Women, his loving daughters Jasmine and Kenna, sisters, Kathleen Carlson Mowris of Olympic Village, CA and Anna L. Carlson of La Selva Beach, CA, and his parents, Barbara and Don Carlson of Orinda, CA. A private memorial service will be held next week. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in Richard’s honor to local food banks, Challenge Day, Girls Inc. or Children Inc.

Masters Study – American White Pelican by John Audubon

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing attempt.”
–William Shakespeare



Masters Study – American White Pelican by John Audubon
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

Tomorrow is the last Masters study, in case you’d like to see something new for a change. 

A link to the original is here.

I have been working on my art licensing collections.  I’m pleased with what I have come up with.  The real work starts now, as I get it all into Photoshop and do the repeat patterns and mock ups.   Whew!  It’s all fun, even though I have a huge learning curve to deal with.

William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564; died 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist.  He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon”. His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.  More…

Masters Study – Emile Bernard, Iron Bridges at Asnieres 1887

“No one can really pull you up very high — you lose your grip on the rope. But on your own two feet you can climb mountains.”
– Louis Brandeis



Masters Study – Emile Bernard,  Iron Bridges at Asnieres 1887
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Gouache

A link to the original Bernard painting is here. This one was really fun!  Well, of course it was.  They were all fun!    Jeanne at WetCanvas has started another Masters exchange.  You can find the project here.

About Louis Brandeis

American judge Louis Brandeis was the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice, and one of the most influential Justices in the history of the Court. He was born in Kentucky in 1856 to Czech-born parents. He graduated from high school at age 14 and later became head of his class at Harvard Law School. As a Justice, many of his decisions created greater protections for individual rights of privacy and free speech. He died in 1941. Brandeis University was named in his honor.

Masters Study – Georges Seurat A Sunday on la Grande Jatte crop

“A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually. One must fight for a life of action, not reaction.”
– Rita Mae Brown



Masters Study – Georges Seurat A Sunday on la Grande Jatte crop
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

I loved this entire painting, but was too chicken to do more than a little crop.  I like the  feel of the original, with all the ladies in their Sunday finery.    I really am creating current art, but it’s not ready to post yet, so thanks for hanging in there with me, while I share my 2008 Masters series.  

The original Seurat painting can be seen here.

About Rita Mae Brown

American author Rita Mae Brown became a pioneer of lesbian-themed fiction with the publication of her first novel, the best-selling Rubyfruit Jungle. She was born in 1944 in Pennsylvania and ultimately settled in Virginia, where most of her novels take place. After she lost a college scholarship due to her political activism, she briefly lived in an abandoned car with a friend and a cat named Baby Jesus. Her many novels include a mystery series “co-written” with her cat, Sneaky Pie.

Masters Study – George Seurat Crop

“The gain in self-confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labour is immense.”
– Arnold Bennett

Brian Tracy (author of Eat That Frog) calls that “Eating the Biggest, Ugliest frog first”.  I’m learning that he’s right.  It’s hard to put in to practice, but I’m trying to get better at it.

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Masters Study – George Seurat Crop

2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

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A link to the George Seurat original is here.  Another one that is much harder than it looks.  Being so new to painting, after a thirty year break, I tried to pick images that would be easier to copy.  HA!  Boy did I learn a lot! 

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Well, I bit the bullet last week and decided to go to the Altlanta Americasmart License & Design show.  I am sure Art Licensing is the direction I want to go with my art, so I made a commitment to get my feet wet.  I am not exhibiting, just observing and networking.  I spent all day Sunday, working on additional collections of art.  It’s going to be very exciting! 

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Imagine me “wiggling my butt” if you dare!  he he

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About Arnold Bennett

Popular British novelist Arnold Bennett wrote more than 30 well-received novels, including The Old Wives Tale, the fictional life story of two sisters. He was born in 1867 in Hanley, in the heart of the six Staffordshire towns known as the Potteries. Although he left as an adult, settling in London and then Paris, he set much of his fiction in his birthplace, giving the novels a gritty realist texture. He died in 1931.

Masters Study – Pablo Picasso – Portrait d’ Utrillo

“Luck is the by-product of busting your fanny.”
– Don Sutton

Happy Veteran’s Day! If you served, or are serving  -  which includes being a supportive family member – Thank You!!



Masters Study – Pablo Picasso – Portrait d’ Utrillo

2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor and Gouache ATC

This was amazing!  Here is a link to the original.  It looked so simple and easy and it wasn’t.  I worked and worked at it and had a ball!  I enjoyed the background, too.  I love Picasso!   I did his self portrait, too.  I’ll show you that tomorrow. 

About Don Sutton

American Major League baseball player Don Sutton, never a flashy player, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after an amazingly consistent winning career as a pitcher. He was born in Alabama in 1945, and broke into the big leagues at age 21. By the time he retired in 1988, he had won 324 games, recorded more than 3,500 strikeouts, racked up a record 21 consecutive 100-plus strikeout seasons, and never missed his turn in the pitching rotation. He is now a TV announcer for the Washington Nationals.

Masters Study – Paul Cezanne – Pines and Rocks

“We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.”
– Carlos Castaneda



Masters Study – Paul Cezanne – Pines and Rocks
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Gouache ATC

A link to the original is here.  This was fun!    It’s funny when I type that.  Have you ever seen me say “This wasn’t a bit fun.”?  ha ha ha  The part I like is all the bursts of color in this painting.

About Carlos Castaneda

Carlos Castaneda, the Peruvian-born new age writer, is known for his book series about his apprenticeship with Don Juan Matus, the Toltec shaman, including A Separate Reality and Journey to Ixtlan. The books are about the nature of perception and include many hallucinatory experiences. It is unknown how much of his writing was factual. He wrote the first three books as an anthropology student at UCLA, and they quickly gained cult success. He was born in 1925 and died in 1998.

Masters Study – Crop from The Red Dog by Paul Gauguin

“The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.”
–Ben Stein



Masters Study – Crop from The Red Dog by Paul Gauguin
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Gouache ATC

I guess you can tell that I didn’t have time to paint anything last weekend.  Here is another study I did in 2008.  I learned so much doing this.  I can still remember that I worked on that white dress forever! 

A link to the original Gauguin painting is here.

Ben Stein (Benjamin J. Stein) was born November 25, 1944 in Washington, D.C., (He is the son of the economist and writer Herbert Stein) grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, and attended Montgomery Blair High School. He graduated from Columbia University in 1966 with honors in economics. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1970 as valedictorian of his class by election of his classmates. He also studied in the graduate school of economics at Yale. He has worked as an economist at The Department of Commerce, a  poverty lawyer in New Haven and Washington, D.C., a trial lawyer in the field of trade regulation at the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., a university adjunct at American University in Washington, D.C., at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. At American U. He taught about the political and social content of mass culture. He taught the same subject at UCSC, as well as about political and civil rights under the Constitution. At Pepperdine, he has taught about libel law and about securities law and ethical issues since 1986.  More, at his official website – Ben’s House.

Masters Study – Ferndinand Loyen Du Puigaudeau

“Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think they should do, they never get around to do what they want to do.”
– Kathleen Winsor



Masters Study – Ferndinand Loyen Du Puigaudeau
2.6″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Gouache ATC

This one was really hard, if I remember correctly.  I couldn’t find a link for the original painting by Ferndinand Loyen Du Puigaudeau.   I have a copy, but if I post it here, Facebook will pick it up in my automatic feed and I don’t want any misunderstandings.  If you want to see the original, I can email it to you.  If you can find it, please put a link in your comment.  How weird is that?

But… while looking for it, I saw many of his other paintings that I would love to try. 

About Kathleen Winsor

American author Kathleen Winsor is best known for the racy historical novel, Forever Amber, which made a huge splash when it was first published in 1944, selling 100,000 copies the first week. It was banned in 14 states for its sexual content. The ensuing debate contributed to the loosening of restrictions that allowed works by D. H. Lawrence and Henry Miller to be published in the US. Winsor wrote a number of other novels, none as successful. She was born in 1919 and died in 2003.

Masters Study – Van Gogh Portrait of Joseph Roulin

“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain;  If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Into it’s nest again, I shall not live in vain.”
–Emily Dickinson



Masters Study – Van Gogh Portrait of Joseph Roulin
2.5″ x 3.5″ Gouache on Art Spectrum Colourfix

This is my third Van Gogh study.  The other two are here and here.  The original Van Gogh painting is here.

Looking back at these, reminds me that I should do more.   The other Masters that I studied on ATCs are John James Audubon, Edgar Degas, Edward Hopper, Emile Bernard, Fernando Puiqaudeau, George Seurat, Pablo Picasso, Paul Cezanne, and Paul Gauguin.  Can you imagine? 


Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1830. She attended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in South Hadley, but severe homesickness led her to return home after one year. Throughout her life, she seldom left her house and visitors were scarce. The people with whom she did come in contact, however, had an enormous impact on her thoughts and poetry. She was particularly stirred by the Reverend Charles Wadsworth, whom she met on a trip to Philadelphia. He left for the West Coast shortly after a visit to her home in 1860, and some critics believe his departure gave rise to the heartsick flow of verse from Dickinson in the years that followed. While it is certain that he was an important figure in her life, it is not certain that this was in the capacity of romantic love—she called him “my closest earthly friend.” Other possibilities for the unrequited love in Dickinson’s poems include Otis P. Lord, a Massachusetts Supreme Court Judge, and Samuel Bowles, editor of the Springfield Republican.  More on Emily Dickinson here.

Masters Study – Van Gogh’s Yellow House

“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”
–Epictetus



Masters Study – Van Gogh’s Yellow House
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Gouache ATC

This is a crop from the original painting.   I really enjoyed these little studies.  Here is a link to the original painting.    I’m off to Muskogee now, to go fly! 

Weeeeeee!

Epictetus (Greek: Ἐπίκτητος; AD 55–AD 135) was a Greek Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present day Pamukkale, Turkey), and lived in Rome until banishment when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece where he lived the rest of his life. His teachings were noted down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses. Philosophy, he taught, is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are determined by fate, and are thus beyond our control, but we can accept whatever happens calmly and dispassionately. Individuals, however, are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline. Suffering arises from trying to control what is uncontrollable, or from neglecting what is within our power. As part of the universal city that is the universe, human beings have a duty to care for all fellow humans. The person who followed these precepts would achieve happiness.

Masters Study – Vincent Van Gogh

“Can anything be sadder than work unfinished? Yes, work never begun.”
– Christina Rossetti



Masters Study – Vincent Van Gogh

2.5″ x 3.5″  ATC – Gouache on Art Spectrum Colourfix

When I first started painting, again after a 30 year absence,  I joined an ATC exchange on WetCanvas where we studied the Masters.  I learned so much in this swap, because I have no formal art training.  I understood why they were the Masters while I was studying their paintings.   I did these in early 2008.  Since I haven’t been able to paint much in the last few days, I thought I would share some of these ATCs.  The original Van Gogh painting is here.

I had a great lesson with my new flight instructor yesterday.  I have renewed hopes for actually getting my private pilot’s license.  YAY!

About Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti, the Victorian era English poet, is known for the melancholy themes in such poems as “Goblin Market” and “When I Am Dead.” She was born in 1830 in London to Italian-born parents. Her father was poet Gabriele Rossetti and her brother was the painter/poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti. She rejected two marriage proposals because, although she loved both men, neither shared her religious devotion. According to her brother, she wrote effortlessly and rapidly. She died in 1894.