Blog

Like most people I am either in my comfort zone or in a rut, depending on the day, I guess. My painting life is my comfort zone even when I am hating the image on the canvas and finally gesso the whole thing to start again from scratch. Which begins my story. My rut is that I am redoing old themes because my brain cannot conjure up something new and exciting. Then I think maybe ...

I just had a disappointing yet eye-opening painting experience. I had an older painting, a 24x36 canvas that quite dissatisfied me.  I thought I could remove it from the frame and redo it. It was a group of musicians slightly abstract that was part of a series I had found interesting a while ago.  I thought I could make it better. I proceeded to make some changes in color, then repositioned one of the five ...

Unless you are one of those fortunate women who have an hourglass figure (and always have), you are probably one of the millions of us less fortunate who, no matter what our body type, develops what I called the “Belly.”  It seems to appear suddenly, but it was probably in development for quite a while. The Frustration of Pants When buying a new set of pants or jeans, I find for a pant leg to ...

My normal Christmas holiday memo is usually lightweight banter coupled with exaggerated accomplishments, etc. This year is a bit different. This year has been very tough on many folks. And it is not the season to be jolly. It is another year to just get through. Right now I am coping with one family member’s post-surgery pain and discomfort of a normal variety. Yet it is still hard and I am too tired to think ...

Actually, I am a plein air painter in that I do enjoy setting up my art supplies and painting outdoors when the weather is perfect. The difference is that I am not interested so much in painting what I am seeing as much as what I am feeling inside. However, I do find it very hard to ignore the reality of the environment in order to interject my own ideas. The temptation is too great ...

It's that time again! Artist Gloria Coker is hosting her Annual Art Show and Sale in Hampton, Virginia Come walk around Associates in Dermatology and view Gloria's beautiful paintings up close and personal. Meet and visit with Gloria and other art lovers as well. And as in past years, there will be delicious hors d'oeuvre to snack on and of course wine to drink. Won't you come out and join us? Enjoy Gloria's colorful paintings ...

I bet everyone wonders what an artist does when she is alone in her studio. In my case I am surrounded by a confusion of the tools of my trade. Along one wall is an almost ceiling high bookcase holding old loose-leaf notebooks filled with photos of my work in plastic envelops. I call this my archives. You will also find file boxes filled with years of photos, collected reference material like photos (almost all ...

I have been in a painting slump for quite a while now. Well, maybe not a slump, but definitely a plateau. I mean I have during my career painted and drawn so many different themes all of which seemed to follow each other effortlessly without pause; and to my surprise they have always been exciting to me while I was painting them. Apparently my style of painting has provided a unity to these themes so ...

Oh joy! Another art scam email. This time I only responded with a "Ha-ha". I have used earthier language in the past. One time I actually asked him (or her - give the sexes equal time) if he ever got tired of scamming people and he responded “No." Should have saved the email. Email Scammers are just the latest and most sophisticated in a steady stream of those who see artists as an easy target ...

Time: Years ago. I do not even have a record of it.It is winter: Cold and dreary in Hampton, Virginia And Cindy wants me to paint a watercolor of her, outside, tending to her summer flower garden. Of course I tell her I can. I show up at her house, trusty 35mm camera in my cold hand. So how are we going to do this? We go outside where she shows me her garden. Nothing ...