I absolutely love this song, and I’ll admit that when I’m painting I have it on repeat a few times. Here’s my song of the moment: Airplanes, By: B.O.B

Ingredients

• potatoes
• white sugar ,just a pinch
• seasoning salt
• Worcestershire sauce no more than 5 drops or so
• mustard
• black pepper
• mayonnaise
• chopped green onions (preferably scallions)
• chopped celery
• chopped fresh parsley
• a couple shakes of basil
• one tin black olives (optional)
• one tin of peas & carrots mixed <——THE BEST PART!

Directions

1. Peel (optional) and dice potatoes
2. Place in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil.
3. Once potatoes have cooked and cooled place them in a LARGE bowl, add the ingredients above to your liking and enjoy.
4. You can also added fresh green beans (cooked to a crisp) and crsip bacon.
5. Salad can be served as is or over romaine lettuce.

My latest piece: captured in an array of warm siennas and purples, a baby dreams of life’s discoveries and adventures.

Ingredients

• 2 cups kidney beans, soaked and drained
• 10 cups water 
• 2 Tsp oil
• 2 med onions, diced
• 1 lg green pepper, diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, minced (I used 3)
• 4 scallions
• 1 lg carrot, diced
• 1 cup sweet potato
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• (Add other veggies if desired)

Directions

1. Cook beans in water on medium heat for 45 minutes.
2. Drain, reserving 5 cups of the liquid and set aside. Saute onions, green pepper, and garlic in oil for 7 minutes.
3. Add beans, cooking liquid and remaining ingredients except salt.
4. Simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours on low.
5. Add salt to taste. (serves 8 ppl approx.)

This is one off my latest, completed in yellow ochres and with purple hues overlaid.

I have been taking a weekly art class for almost 6 months now, and I’m really pleased with where I am in my artwork and better yet where it’s going, especially since I have found a way in which to balance it with the rest of my life considering that I work full time and have a family to care for. 

Over the last few months, I’ve learned quite a few new techniques and methods such as under-painting and dry colour mixing, I’ve been open to new styles and more importantly I’ve learned to simply slow down and slowly understand that work happens in stages.

I’m not sure if those of you who visit this blog are artists or not but whatever it is you do, whatever it is that you have a passion for, I strongly encourage you to find some way to incorporate it into your daily life, even if you can only devote 15min a day it’s a start well worthwhile. It’s far too important, and you can’t let things that bring you so much joy just slip away… one of my favourite sayings is “If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad”…and like the title of this post, “there’s no power in empty passion”…

So here’s to new discoveries, time to self, and the passion for the things we love most in life… find and hold onto your love!

Here is one of my latest impressionistic still life pieces. A simple piece depicting two pears. This piece was completed by applying soft pastel over modelling paste.

This is my very first piece completed with modelling paste. It’s hard to see the textures through a photography but the modelling paste provides some wonderful ridges. It does however take some getting use to as it doesn’t allow for super fine detail. I’m still experimenting with it to determine exactly how/when I’ll use it throughout my works.

Here is my latest still life, a bowl of soft fuzzy peaches. This is the second time I have revisited this reference material. I did it earlier in the year with ochre tones, remember this post.

I have applied a blue under painting to the charcoal but am not sure if I will leave this as the finished product or go on to add further colours. What do you think?

The waters are warming…

I’m going to attempt to draft my art philosophy this month, and if you don’t mind, I’m going to take you on this journey with me. This for me will be slightly hard because as we speak RIGHT NOW I don’t quite know what it is; but I’m going to dig deep and find it, determine what my art really means to me and what I want it to mean to you and other viewers.

There’s something that brings me back to art, no matter what happens in life I always find my way back and surely that calling has some purpose beyond being a mere hobby. And no that purpose will not capture everyone but to the few that it does strike, I would find content.

It’s part of my artist journey and even when I think I have found it, it may change, through life it will change. Regardless it would certainly be valuable for me to identify what it is as we speak.

So gradually I’m going to try and address these questions:

• Why do you create art and what does it mean to you?
• How does the creation of art make you feel? What emotions do you wish to convey?
• If the statement refers to a specific piece, why did you choose to represent this piece in this way? What do you call the piece and why? What materials did you use? What are the dimensions of the piece?
• What inspires you? How are your inspirations expressed in your work?
• What message are you trying to convey to the viewer?
• How much time is spent creating your pieces?
• How is your work a reflection of you?
• What artists (living or dead) have influenced you?
• What is your vision/philosophy?
• What are your goals for the future?
• What are your techniques and style and how do these relate to the medium?
• How do your techniques and style relate to your vision/philosophy?

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 can (8 ounces) no-salt-added tomato sauce 
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup squash
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 TB grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 TB plain dried bread crumbs
• 2 TB flour
• 1 TB chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup low-fat (1%) milk
• 4 red snapper fillets (11/2 pounds total)
• 1 TB plus
• 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. In medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, bell peppers, garlic, olives, squash, salt and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
2. Uncover and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
3. In shallow bowl or pie plate, stir together Parmesan, bread crumbs, flour and parsley. Place milk in another shallow bowl or pie plate Dip fish first in milk, then in Parmesan mixture, pressing to coat.
4. In large nonstick skillet, warm 2 tsp of oil over medium heat. Add half of fish and saute until golden brown, crisp and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer fish to serving plates and repeat with remaining 2 tsp oil and fish.
5. To serve, reheat tomato sauce and spoon over fish. Serve with lemon wedges.

Here is one of my latest pieces, two apples upon a counter top. I decided to do a green underpainting with a few red over tones. It’s amazing how so few colours can give you a wide range of colours once you start mixing them on the paper. The finished product isn’t far off from the actual colours and values. I’m definitely happy with this one. I’m becoming more comfortable with colour mixing.

Charcoal Layer

Green Underpainting

 Red Overtones

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 Cups Elbow Macaroni 
• 5 Ounces Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1 2/3 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Paprika
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Pepper
• 1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne
• 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1 Can Carnation Evaporated Milk OR 1 Can of Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup
• 3/4 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Egg
• 2 cups of bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Lightly butter 9×13×2 inch glass baking dish.
3. Boil macaroni for 10 minutes in water with teaspoon of oil until 3/4 done, tender but still firm to bite.
4. In a bowl, whisk the egg and the can of evaporated milk/soup
5. Once done, drain the pasta and transfer to backing dish, add ½ of the cheese and mix in
6. Add in the Worcestershire sauce, flour and seasonings then mix in.
7. Next pour milk and egg mixture over casserole.
8. Next sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the macaroni, making sure the entire top is covered
9. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top
10. Cover the dish/pan with foil and let bake for approx 20-25min
11. Uncover the dish and let bake for a remaining 5min or until cheese is golden brown
12. Let stand for 40 minutes before serving

Note: Some people like to add a few squirts of ketchup to their macaroni when mixing

Here is one of my latest pieces, a little baby sucking on her hands. Below is the first charcoal layer. At first I was not sure what colour to do the under painting and then began leaning towards something neutral like ochre, similar to the apples I did previously.

I decided on a coral ochre under painting to the charcoal for a soft finish.

And here is the finished piece below. The pink ochre gives the piece a warm and soft feeling, And it’s amazing how the combo of pink and brown pastels only produces this effect. It looks as though I have used some greens and oranges.. I’m guessing that had I wanted to take this piece to “full colour” there wouldn’t be too much work left from this point in. I still have so much to learn regarding pastel layering, but the fun is in the journey right! for this piece specifically I don’t wish to add any more colour ranges to it. I’ll keep it simple…