Davida Schulman
July 2009
On the Deck
Potted ImpatiensWatercolor on Masa Paper
15×10.5″, $125.00
I am not a gardener, but I have containers of flowers on my deck. You know, the old faithfuls—petunias, salvia, impatiens. I think impatiens give the most bang for the buck. They are blooming when you buy your flats, when you put them in their assigned places, and the day before the first frost. Just don’t put them in full sun. No deadheading to keep them blooming either. They mound up in their beds or pop up to mound out of their pots with very little care other than watering and a little fertilizer once in a while. I can actually see that they have grown over an 8 hour period. My kind of gardening!
In the Studio, Again
Watercolor on Masa Paper
15×10.5″, $125.00
If this man seems a little awkward and tense, your right. He was. Whenever he models he is not psychologically present. He knows it too. The emotional distance makes it difficult for the artists. It’s difficult to capture that certain “je ne c’est quoi.”
We are a very chatty group. It’s something that annoys people who try out our sessions. We like to engage our models in conversation for their entertainment and to get an idea of who each person is. His shutting down make him inaccessible to us. Go figure!
In the Studio
Seated ManWatercolor on Masa Paper
21×15″, $175.00
This was done in the Saturday painting session. He is a regular. We were all set up for an the Ravenswood Art Walk the following week. Everyone who wishes opens their studio for visitors. We had work hung for the occasion and it can be seen in the background.
New Model
Watercolor on Masa Paper
15×10.5″, $175.00
This young woman is not a professional model. One of our members met her and asked her to model. She did not have to take her clothes off unless she wanted to. It turned out she was a natural. It was a great session and as usual we entertained our model with good conversation and great music. Our models love to work for us.
Self Portrait
Acrylic on Canvas, 60×48″
My blog description says “Paintings with Things to Say”. This is one more of those. I have a reputation for being a snot and this painting, though austere in setting, is snotty or defiant—whatever descriptive you might want to choose.
This and the work of the previous post is let the world know that women are not all like the images pushed by the media and we never had to be. After years of starving myself trying to be what I was not, I have capitulated in the battle of the bulge. This is who I am and if you don’t like, tough! It is also to acknowledge my vocation as an artist. I have had a very hard time convincing some people that I am a serious artist. By taking my clothes off, I convinced them.
Same View, Different Day
From the Deck, AgainWatercolor on Masa Paper
15×10.5″, $125.00
This the same view as the last piece but at a different day and time. Ths last piece was done later whne the sun was behind the trees making the greens a pale yellow-green. This was much earlier and the foliage is much darker. I will be doing another one at another time just to see which time of day a like.
Backyard
From the DeckWatercolor on Masa Paper
10×7.5″, 95.00
I have been painting the views of my back yard from my deck. It’s very pleasant. My next door neighbor has a very wooded back yard and this is the view from my deck into their yard. Once again the color here is not as saturated as the original.
Summer Back Yard, Again
Watercolor on Masa Paper
15×10.5″, $125.00
This is another view of my future backyard. Not hard to take. I am going to be terse today. I have been invlovled in a pleine aire painting event and I am pooped. All that fresh air has wiped me out.
Same Backyard, Different Season
Watercolor on Masa Paper
15×10.5, $125.00
This my backyard in winter. The summer is nearly half over and this what’s to come.
Ah, Summer!
This is where my husband & I will be retiring. We will be waking up each summer morning to this scene. Not bad! Unfortunately that large tree is dying and I don’t know if it can be saved. I guess we’ll have it taken down and sent to the saw mill for the oak planks.
