Football Season,

the Decorative Painter’s

Best Friend

I love football; college is my favorite to watch. In fact I’m watching it as I write this week’s blog. If you are thinking she’s just trying to get us to watch football, your right; but I really do have your best interests at heart.  Are you able to sit down and paint for 3 or 6 or 9 hours without your significant other complaining about it?  Have you ever complained that he just sits on the couch all day Saturday (college football) or Sunday (NFL football) or both? 

If you answered yes to either of these questions, you need to start watching football.  I know, I know, you don’t understand the game, it’s kind of violent, you don’t know the players, I’ve heard them all.  But the truth is with a little knowledge, an open mind, and a lot of painting to do, football can be the decorative painter’s best friend.

If you take away anything from this read it is this, you don’t have to actually “watch” the football game.   With a movie or TV show you need to pay attention and actually watch the show so you can follow what’s happening; painting is possible but I don’t do my best work when one of my favorite shows is on.  But football has instant replay.  Trust me; your significant other or the fans in the stands yelling will let you know when something important or interesting happens.  And then you can watch the replay, and they usually only last a few seconds.  As a bonus for those of you that don’t understand football, most commentators explain the play for you in great detail.  

You can have it on in the same room as your significant other and paint your little heart out!
Go Ducks!

A trip to the County Fair!

  It took about a week until Rick figured out one of the hand painted decorative plates in our bathroom was missing.  I took it to the Clackamas County fair along with several items to show different styles of decorative painting while demonstrating. I worked on this tray that I started at the Portland Raindrop Convention September 2011. Yeah, took me a year to finish it, another thing to try and be better about! 
I enjoy doing the demos at the fair, although it is always hot! Yes, I used a wet palate.  The first day I had quite a few people stop and chat with me; it’s really amazing how many people have done some “tole painting” in their life.  I met one person who used to belong to the Raindrop Chapter of SDP that I belong to.  It makes me wonder why they gave it up. The second day, Sunday, one of my chapter friends, Becky Albeke joined me at the fair.  It was great having her there and she painted a darling coffee pot. Several of the fair goers were impressed with it and asked where she gets these darling finds.  The pot she painted like the ones I did were reproductions.  I’ve added a link to a couple places that offer tin to paint on.

The pieces I brought to share were very well received; several people commented about the plates I have painted with designs by Arlene Linton (dark blue & yellow green).  They are a lace look pattern with lots of little strokes and dots.  I really enjoy painting her designs; I know they look like they might be difficult or frustrating, but I actually find them quite enjoyable to paint, you get lost in the linework and details.  I took a class from her in Miami in 2006. If you ever have the opportunity to paint with her, do it.  She is a great teacher, I took a beginner class and the first 30 minutes were teaching us the movements needed to paint these intricate designs.  She had us use a pencil and ruled paper to create the lines and movements needed.  It was brilliant and I really learned a lot, not only about the technique we were going to paint but about using outside methods to help the student understand the process that is required.

Thank you to Mary Anderson the Hobby Hall Coordinator for making me feel so welcome with this very nice sign on the painting table.  I’m looking forward to demonstrating again next year.  Do you do any demos at your local or maybe state fairs?    Till next time!