Juror Room sketches

I spent the last two days at the King County Courthouse in Seattle. Each day began in the Juror Room on the main floor. The room had comfortable chairs placed in rows theater style. By 8 a.m. the chairs were filled with people waiting to be assigned to a court room. I had a small sketchbook with me and began sketching what was in front of me, the backs of chairs and the people they held.

I also added some of the folks I had seen on the bus into town.

The day was filled with waiting. Every now and then a person would read the name of a judge, followed by a list of 35 to 50 names. Each name was given a number. Eventually the judge's name would be read again and 35-50 people would leave the Juror Room and head to an assigned courtroom upstairs. Since only 14 people would remain with a case, those excused would return to the Juror Room and wait to be assigned to another case. If at the end of the second day you were not chosen as a juror, you had met your obligation and were excused from duty.

The last 10 minutes of the day I was one of fifty people called to a court room on the seventh floor. The judge introduced herself and the lawyers for both sides, explained the rules, we were sworn in and the day was over.






Tuesday morning I left for the bus in the snow, returned to the Juror Room. Around 9:30 my group was called back to my assigned court room and the lawyers began their rounds of questions to the jurors.

Selected people were gradually excused from the court room and sent back to the juror pool on the main floor. I was excused from the case just before lunch.








A walk in the sun and cappuccino, at one of Caffè Umbria's outside tables on Occidental, finished lunch break. At 2:40 those remaining in the jury pool were told we had fulfilled our jury duty and we were excused.

Today I am home painting.

Wedding Prayer

oil on panel, 12 x 16 inches

This painting has been something I have wanted to do for fo many years. It began a year ago. I posted the painting in process last February. Then set it aside. Every now and then I would take it out and contemplate what to do next in order to create the feeling I wanted to convay.

About a month ago I began painting on the background, clothing, faces and flowers. It has now has the feel I was looking for. I call it finished. Click here to see the early stages.

National Association of Women Artists Annual Open Small Works Exhibition

What a Guy 10 x 8 oil

This painting shows a moment in a theater production. All of her expressions were wonderful and this one was such fun to paint.

What a Guy is now on its way to New York City for the National Association of Women Artists Annual Open Small Works Exhibition February 1 – 27, 2012, NAWA Gallery, 80 Fifth Avenue, NYC NY

HERstorically Speaking Exhibition

Namaste

oil on canvas, 36 x 18 inches

I have just received word that Namaste has been juried into the National Association of Women Artists HERstorically Speaking exhibition to be held at the Johnson & Johnson World Headquarters Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, March 23 – May 23, 2012.

Snow Domes

8 x 6 oil on panel

An early morning view of the bird bath, rain drum and plant pots topped with snow just outside the studio window. I have been enjoying them all week. Each day the mounds have grown a little higher until today. They are still overflowing, but now they are also slowly shrinking. We have been living in a winter wonderland.

Blessings and Joy!

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Wishing you blessings and joy this Sacred Season.

May the New Year bring delight, abundance and contentment to you and yours.

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Watching My Brother

8 x 6 oil on panel

Saturday morning soccer games are often cold in the Pacific northwest. On this day there was a chilling wind as well. The players along the sidelines were jumping around to keep warm — so were the goalies. Some of the spectators were wrapped up in blankets and sinking farther into them as the game progressed.

Paint the Town Red!

The Red Kimono

12 x 9 oil on panel

This painting, from my Theater Series, is of a scene in Act II in one of the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society's productions of The Mikado. It is one of two of my "red" paintings in the exhibition below. Every painting in this exhibition features red!

The exhibition is up for the month of December. If you are in the Edmonds area, please stop by during the reception next Thursday, the 15th. The Ten Ladies will be there.

Reception: Thursday 15 December 2011 from 5 to 8 pm

Coldwell Banker Bain, 108 Fifth Avenue S, Edmonds, WA

Painting with Dan

Dan in the studio just beginning his first-ever oil painting!

7 7/8 x 7 7/8 oil on panel

Dan is a college student in Oregon. During his Thanksgiving visit with family in Seattle, he mentioned he would love to paint with me sometime. We arranged an afternoon the day before he headed back to school.

He has enjoyed drawing for years but had never painted in oils before. From the moment he began, it was easy to see he had learned a great deal from his drawing experiences. He marked out his composition in thin yellow ocher, began mixing colors and dove in right away. We painted several hours, then retired for dinner. The evening ended with a chess game with his dad … so you could say the painting was "unfinished." I love it!

Saturday Morning Soccer

8 x 6 inches oil on panel

Sometimes I find the spectators more fun to watch than the game. It really was quite cold. Note the umbrellas at hand. On this morning, rain didn't start falling until after the game was over.

My Brother Plays Soccer

8 x 6 inches oil on panel

This little girl was so much fun to watch. I noticed the bright pink coat first, then the socks, followed by the snacks and her expression. She was even more fun to paint.

The morning was very cold, more about that later . . . And it did not rain until we were in the car and driving out of the parking lot. Another great day in the Pacific Northwest.

Ball Four

8 x 6 oil on panel

I have been taking my camera to baseball and soccer games this fall. There are so many great shapes, poses in action . . . and great observers! I will soon be posting more.

I sometimes add the under painting sketch, the third image above, when I remember to photograph it.

Art in Embassies Pickup for Tel Aviv

Two Ballerinas ready for the truck

The first stop for this round of the Art in Embassies program pickup was this morning – my house. The two men will be adding more works to the truck as they work their way across the northern USA, on their way to New York City. Once in NY, the paintings will be crated and shipped to their assorted US Embassies around the world.

The man in the truck is finishing the paperwork for my paintings. He then wrapped and packed each one of into a custom carton he prepared in the back of the truck. My paintings are going to Tel Aviv, Israel, where they will be on exhibition for two and a half years. Click here to see the paintings.

Painting with friends

afternoon in the Teanaway valley (click images to enlarge)

Yesterday I returned to a favorite painting spot on the sunny side of the mountains. It had been three years and two days since I was last here. The weather was beautiful, just like my last trip, and the trees still wore most of their fall colors.

I had returned with one of the same painting friends as my last trip, Ned Muller. I thought of Bill, who had joined us on our my trip to the Teanaway valley in October 2008. As I painted in the field above, I recalled many past painting trips with Bill and could hear his advice as I painted.
With Ned and Bill Teanaway valley in October 2008.

Wm F. Reese, July 10, 1938-June 16, 2010, internationally renowned painter and sculptor, author, teacher and dear friend.

Art in Embassies Program . . .

I am delighted to announce that the four paintings below have been chosen for the Art in Embassies Program. They will be part of the upcoming show to be installed in the US Embassy residence in Tel Aviv, Israel.