The pet friend game

Frankie 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$130 

Frankie is the Jo Mackenzie watercolor Facebook pet friend of the day. Tomorrow is the free painting giveaway day. It is my favorite day of the month because somebody is going to win a free painting and that makes me happy. 

You only have to enter once by sending a photo to Jowatercolor@gmail.com. I have so many pet friends I need a box to hold all the photographs . I treasure them all. They have taught me how to become a better painter.

City challenge

City challenge 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$130

This is my first weekly challenge entry in almost a month. It felt good to participate and I almost felt "normal" for a few moments. 

What I have learned so far: 

The neutrals are going well ..now it is time to plug in more color into value. You can do it . Just slow down use your value finder and figure it out.

Three steps to paint skippy

Step 3 

Skippy 

watercolor 

7x11 inches 

$140 

Step 2 

Putting in the mid tones

Step one 

Massing the darkest areas first. 

This is my first painting since my medical leave. I guess I am back. I feel rusty but lucky and happy to start the engine back up again. Oh and now a shameless plug is in order...

You can learn how to create Three Step paintings in any medium using this handy book. Available through amazon.com and also my website at  jomackenzie.com .

Living Large

This is the biggest size I paint. It is 18x24 inches. Framed it is larger. I painted this about two years ago before I understood many things I now know. But I think it holds up . I put Charles Reid's wonderful book Watercolor Solutions underneath a glass bowl with marbles in it.

What I have learned so far:
A painting can hold up over time if l the fundamentals are sound. I can still stand by this one.

Artists healing Artists

Artist's healing artist's is a play on the title of my favorite Blog talk radio program Artist's Helping Artist's .

Today I was feeling blue...truly feeling the loss of my recent surgery and all that it has come to mean. Then it happened!

I opened up my email and my good artist friend Dana Richards sent me this healing gift.
She contacted Dreama Tolle Perry who you can find here . Dreama is well known for her use of color and her generous heart. She is also known for painting her cat Eddie.

Dana asked if she would sent me a picture of Eddie that I could paint for my pet friends project.

Dreama sent a picture and said Eddie is looking forward to being painted in watercolor.

How exciting for me to have this to look forward to when I can pick up a brush again.

I needed this helping hand to make me feel the power of art and women..that I have kind of lost in my own soul for the time being.

That is why this post is called Artist's healing Artist's. 
I am overwhelmed and accept this gift and will paint Eddie as soon as I am able to start up again.

The pet friend game and how to play

How to play the pet friend game

How? 

Send a photo to Jowatercolor@gmail.com

 Where? 

I will paint your pet and post the picture on my Facebook Fan page. 

What? 

Every month a winner is picked at random to receive a free painting. 

Why? 

Because it is fun and it is free. Jowatercolor@gmail.com

Three step watercolor book and where to purchase it

This is one of the examples from my Three Step Watercolors book. This is step three . You can see the strategic value dots I used to create this painting on the left.

This is step one. Where all the darkest values were plugged in to anchor the painting together. To see more about the book and get the best price go to this page for the best price and kindle version

Wellness bear

I am back. I can not paint yet so Mr. Bear will have to do that while I heal a little bit more. But the surgery is done, the drains came out about an hour ago ...so now it will be ice packs and physical therapy and I should be back to painting daily soon.
I got courage from the comments and well wishes I received. I read them in the hospital and again at home. It gave me great comfort.

What I have learned so far :
You can do things you don't think you can as long as other people give you a helping hand.

An Adamant Day

This is the Adamant July 4th parade. A good example of how to paint this is in my Three Step Watercolor book.

Pet Friends

Pet friends are still being collected for the April free painting giveaway. Just send a photos to jowatercolor@gmail.com to enter .

Kents corners

This is right around the corner from me. The classic Vermont white cape with dark green shutters.

Time for more

This is a favorite of mine. It is framed and I am looking at it right now. It is 9x12 but framed quite a bit bigger.
More later...

Hello I must be going.

Today is my first day of medical leave. Do not worry about me. I will be back soon. In the meantime I will be posting some of my favorite paintings.
Please enjoy my website and my new book which are available while I am just down the hall.
Tom will be my stand in for this period of time. I think he is the best possible "me" there could be.

Lost edges

Lost edges 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$130 

I decided it is time to explore colors that have no names ( neutrals) and lost edges. It is time to ponder those things. 

What I have learned so far 

There is so much more to experiment with and I am ready to do so

Emily

Emily is on my mind today. I tried  to ignore emotion and just see darks and lights and shapes. Look, paint, simplify, no scrubbing...done.

A maple postcard from Vermont

Sugaring 

watercolor 7.9x7.9 

$130

This is a postcard from Vermont where it is sugaring season. This is the old way to do things using sap buckets. Very labor intensive but for individual families it is still a tradition to collect the sap this way to make syrup. 

Here is step 1

This would be a brilliant selling technique to keep showing steps one and three and not showing step two ( my watercolor book is called Three Step Watercolors)  But I truly keep forgetting to stop and take that middle picture. 

Roses step 1 and 3

Roses step 1 mass your darks 

Roses step 3

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$130

I put up steps one and three of these three roses. I forgot to photograph step two. I think I am so caught up in painting those mid-tones that I forget to stop and photograph that step. I am not holding out on you I promise. I will put up a note to remind me from now on . 

In the meantime my book Three Step Watercolors can fill in the gap as well as the short video on the top right hand side of this blog. 

What I have learned so far.....

I am now a tweeter.

Peony times three

Peony times three the final edition

watercolor 

7x11 inches 

$140 

A peony I like ...alert the media.......I made petals and progress.

Peony times 3

Peony times 3

watercolor 7x11inches 

 

Peony practice for today and a book sale to a wonderful artist friend. 

I am starting to get feedback that this book is useful for all painters and not just watercolorists. That is great to know. I probably should have given it a different title.

Skippy on the prowl

 Skippy 

7.9x7.9 

watercolor 

This is an example of a three step watercolor . I have written a book on how to use this method. It is available at jomackenzie.com and on  Amazon.com .
 Here I am showing steps one and three. I left out step 2 because I forgot to photograph it.

Thinking about peonies

I am starting to make my peony painting plans. I know it is early. I am in the strategic phase. I will paint the peony of my dreams this year. Peony Quest 2014 has only just begun.

Lassie

Lassie 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$130 

Lassie is the Jo Mackenzie watercolor pet friend of the day on Facebook. If you want your  pet to be entered into the free painting giveaway send a photograph to Jowatercolor@gmail.com and I will paint it for you and enter you in the monthly drawing.

What I have learned so far 

The power of neutrals by mixing complimentary colors is starting to take hold.

Totally inspired by Aud Rye

Inspired by 

watercolor 7.9x7.9 

$130 

I was inspired by an artist I just discovered named Aud Rye. I think this came out nicely.

What I have learned so far:
Pull back and take a three steps away from the rose. 

Skippy is still running

Skippy running more 

7.9x7.9 

watercolor 

$130

Skippy is still running and jumping. I have so much fun with animals in action.