daily painting

Hello!

Yes, I have been painting daily---lots of green and white. Someone before our time painted the office in our home mud green and put a golf print wall paper border on it. That's just wrong, and I can't imagine why we have been living in this house for a year and a half and I just now got around to fixing it. So yeah, four days of daily painting---green walls, white trim. The trim was the killer. A wall full of built in shelves, which required a coat of primer and two coats of latex, because they were the lovely mud green and it was a bear to get coverage over. Then when we moved the computer back in, of course, the internet refused to work. We discovered our internet provider and our computer doctor do NOT like each other and in the middle of them was an annoying and time consuming place to be. There's still something wrong with the internet, I had to clear out and then reload our IP address to get here, but I'm here and getting stuff done, so do you want me to quit whining now? I'm sure!

I have a new painting to show you. It's about 15 x 15 inches, on heavy paper, called Tomato Picker. (Yes, the garden is ripening nicely)

RAGBRAI weather

Good morning!

It's a steamy one in Spencer, Iowa! Ollie and I opted to walk instead of run this morning, and it was a hot one anyway. The weather guys are saying this is the plan for the forseeable future. It must be July!

Yesterday I promised you I was finishing a painting that talks RAGBRAI. Today is followthrough day. It's image is here and on my website:

http://www.karencooperpaintings.com/

The painting itself is at Arts On Grand, 408 N Grand Ave, Spencer, Iowa. If you are in the neighborhood, do stop by.

Later, Karen

RAGBRAI, "Bikes, Boards And Blades" and daily painting

Hello!

Yes, I live in Spencer, Iowa, and anybody that can relate to RAGBRAI 07 knows that Spencer is the first camp. My son Brent works at Bikes, Boards and Blades here in Spencer, and they are all pretty excited. "Bikes, Boards, and Blades" is very much a quality and service based shop, which means they are all working full speed right now---lots of demand for what they have.

I have a totally non RAGBRAI related painting to post today, in fact, I should probably make a separate post, but that would be just too nonconfusing, right?! How about I just make sure it lands at the end of this post so it can masquerade as being tied to the last post? And THEN tommorrow, or maybe Wednesday, I will post something that looks like RAGBRAI--I promise you, it's very close to it's final brush stroke!

Later, Karen

daily painting

Good morning!

Wow, a breezy, sunny, 68 degree July day in northwest Iowa! Who could ask for better? It also sounds like a good reason to paint outside instead of in the studio today!

But first a daily painting (painted yesterday, photographed today) for you to enjoy. It's a still life color sketch titled 'First Fruit", 15 x 15 inches, acrylic on heavy paper. Normally the zucchini or tomato plants are the first to yield in my garden. This year it's the eggplant. Paint it yesterday, eat it today! What a system, huh? Yummy, yummy!

Later, Karen

Krasl Art Fair On The Bluff

Good Morning!

Normally I like open windows and fresh air. Today none of the second commodity is available in Northwest Iowa, so the windows are shut and the air conditioning is on. Maybe tonight we'll be blessed with a cool breeze to open the windows for!

Sugar Creek Arts Festival was also a steam bath. I did manage to score two (count'em 2) shade trees. Any artist without one suffered.

Before I went to Bloomington/Normal, I promised you a look at two new color sketches. Better late than never, right? The first was to be a simple roomscape, which was fine until I realized it really needed someone heading out the door. Yes, my visiting daughter protested about the hot bathrobe on a day when the air conditioning was NOT on, but I worked fast, she survived! The second is a fun study of feet. Both are acrylic on paper, 15 x 15 inches, $125@. Enjoy!

Karen

ps. If I don't get back with another post before the weekend, and you are in SW Michigan, July 14th and 15th, stop by Krasl Art Fair On The Bluff. I will be in booth #147. It's an incredable art festival, you will enjoy it! It always makes my summer when my work is accepted for exhibit!

Art Show

Good morning!

I don't know about July 4th in your town, but ours was perfect! We went up to the lake (Okoboji) and had an amazingly enjoyable day. The weather was outstanding for July in Iowa. We were at the greenspace, Preservation Plaza, to hear the concert. A band named Cory And The Fireflies played (great fun music) but their lights attracted a few bugs and unfortunately the band ate (yuck!) some of them. I guess that just goes with an outdoor performance!

I am headed for Bloomington/Normal, Illinois for Sugar Creek Arts Fest this weekend, July 7th and 8th. If you are in the neighborhood, stop in. My exhibit space is on the ISU quad, hopefully under a wonderful shade tree!

I do have a pair of new paintings for you to see, yes, painting everyday, BUT they have not been seen through my camera yet. Hopefully that will happen later today, and then I will get them posted for you.

Later, Cooper