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Sunday, March 17, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "I Think I Fractured Something!"

How much fun was that!  I did, I did fracture something and it didn't hurt a bit.  I was using Julie Ford Oliver's technique in our last "Contemporary Impressionism" class taught by Ann Feldman at Mainstreet Art Center.  I had bought Julie's Art Byte video on the Daily Paintworks site and watched it with fascination.  But I did not try the technique until Friday with Ann. There were 5 of us in that class and we all used as our reference a still life photo that Ann brought in. It was amazing when we finished to see how differently we all applied our fracturing tool.  Julie has devised a small squeegee and Ann made one for each of us in the class.  If you like the looks of this technique, buy Julie's video on the Daily Paintworks, or come in to Mainstreet in Lake Zurich, IL and take Ann's next class.   Below I have pictures of each of the paintings done in that class.  If you go to Ann's site, you will see her version that she posted today.  Be sure to click on the images to see the really neat details.


By Ginny Breecher

By Carol Breyer

By Maryann Pailey


By Linda Rubens


By Me, Gloria J Zucaro!  Mine is 10"H x 8"W on a previously painted surface.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "A Fan Of Mine"

3.5 inch Square Original Design is Pen and Pencil
SOLD

This is my second entry into the Diva challenge #109 "Zentangle Quest", using the new Zentangle motif of tangles within other tangles.  You have the rods with open spaces between.  All the different spaces can be filled with designs of your choice.  I felt like doing a fan with bamboo sticks and woven or different designs between each stick.  I think this came out very well!

Friday, March 15, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "Visit to Saint Petersburg" Auction Piece

6"H x 6"W Original Oil on Raymar Canvas Panel
$35.00 For Sandy Hook Auction.   Bidding ends at midnight on Monday March, 18th.
Place your bid in the comments area.          SOLD

I will send the painting to you after I receive notice that the Sandy Hook organization of your choice has received the donation.  Shipping is free to all, however, extra fees required in countries outside the USA will be paid by the buyer.


Sandy Hook Elementary Charity Websites:

https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/

http://newtownmemorialfund.org/

Please contact me buy email with any questions.      gloria@gloriajzucaro.com


This is the monthly challenge for the Virtual Paintout site.  Our globe trotting on Google Maps/Streetview this time around was the city and environs of Saint Petersburg, Russia.   It is always fun to travel around the city and feel like you are there in the streets watching all the people walking along with their shopping bags.  This location is on the little island to the West of the city itself, but still considered Saint Petersburg.  I couldn't decipher the name of the island or this pretty building.  I do know that many government buildings in Russia are painted in cheerful colors so that everything looks better during their long, snowy Winter's.  This is also my entry for Paint Party Friday this week.  Happy PPF and I hope the auction is a huge success!   

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "Ostrich Eggs"

"Ostrich Eggs"
3.5" Square of Watercolor Paper with original Ink and Pencil Drawing.
I thought it was getting quite late for my iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com challenge for the week.  Laura picked a new Zentangle demonstrated by Maria and Rich at Zentangle.com.  It is called a Zentangle Quest Challenge because it has not been named yet.  Have a look at all the variations you can do with this tangle on the Diva's site.   I will be on hiatus for a few weeks after this post, so will have a lot to catch up on when I return!

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "Enzo in Monotone"

8"H x 10"W Original Oil on Reused Canvas Board

Today I am showing my challenge entry for The Daily Paintworks.  The theme for this week is offered by Christine Parker and is called "The Monochromatic Challenge".  I painted my grandson Enzo from a photo that was taken a couple of years ago.  He is now almost 5 years old so his face has thinned out and he now looks more boyish rather than like a toddler.  When I mixed all my old piles of paint from last week, I came out with different values of blues. I used a board that I had previously painted on from a challenge last year.  See below.  In the photo above I notice some "red" showing on one cheek that does not show up in real life.



Monday, March 11, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "Culmination"

Today I am linking to Jennifer Mclean's theme of the week which is "Woman".  The idea of the theme came from the International Woman's Day Celebration on March 8th.  I decided to do a journal page using the word "Culmination" as my main focus.  I feel that my attitudes as a woman are a culmination of the environment in my original home with my parents and my life experiences.   I used some of my gelli plate paper to write my journaling upon.  Then pieces of torn paper printed with various "roles" I have played in life.  A couple of attitudes like "Go with the Flow" and "I am Woman" were also added.   I don't know if other woman are the same, especially if they are younger, but I never had a bucket list, and was brought up to always be "nice".  I moved a lot as a child/young adult because my father was in the military.  There was no choice about that, but my mother always had a good attitude about moving, so as children we didn't feel like it was a bad thing, but a new adventure.  The most valuable thing to me is freedom of choice.  I am fortunate to be able to make choices for myself, as I now live alone.  I realize that many women are not able to make some choices because of great financial limitations.  
I definitely do  believe in equal rights of all types for all women.  If a woman has the same education and devotes the same amount of work-day time to a job, she should be paid the same amount of money as a man in the same work position. 
I used pen, markers, Silks Acrylic Glaze, stickers and rubber cement.  I found out that matte medium will remove your ink printing, but rubber cement will not.
Please visit "The Artist's Playroom" to see how everyone interpreted this theme.

Click on image to enlarge
9"H x 12"W Sketchbook.


Friday, March 8, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "Seuss Backs and New"

Today after meeting my accountant to talk about taxes, I spent the afternoon working on finishing up my Inspirational Card Deck Swap hosted by Jennifer Brogan over at "In Search of Dessert".   I will be shipping the cards out next weekend or sooner if they are dry.  I had already added quotes and paint and stickers and stamps to the fronts.  Today I worked on the backs to adhere my personal information(name,blog,etc.) that I had printed onto mailing labels, outlined around those stickers with crayons, and hand-printed my on-earth location with permanent marker.  Then I edged each card in gold or silver leaf pen.  I am thinking I want to spray them with a sealer, but am a little nervous about lettering smearing  or their not drying quickly for mailing.  Does anyone have suggestions for what sealer would be best?  They are not due until the 29th, but I was allowing plenty of time for delivery.  Plus it doesn't seem quite right to drop them on her on the very last day.  This picture shows the backs before I finished hand lettering and edging.  When I complete the set I will post a picture of the fronts.

I also sprayed the back of my Seuss inspired ATC's from my post earlier this week with various inks through my Julie Fei-Fan Balzer stencils.  Then adhered my info on those.  These are some of the designs on the backs.



Next I created three more ATC's.  I had cut old Christmas cards to 2 1/2 x 3 1/2" rectangles.  I then lightly brushed on gesso to mostly but not entirely obscure the designs and colors.  I did both sides at once, so when I laid them down on the table, they got squashy designs on them that are so pretty.  I decided to tangle some of them and add Silks Acrylic Glaze and glitter. I left some of the card peaking through on each one.  I also finished the backs of those cards with the ink spray as on the cards above.
"Red Heart"
"Winter"
"Cactus Flower"
That's all folks!  Have a nice Sunday



Thursday, March 7, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "The Treasure of Time"

Tonight I am linking to Jennifer Mclean's  of The Artist's Playroom challenge of "What do you treasure?"  Of course, the first thing that pops into mind are friends and family, then creating art, then my home, health, etc.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how the main thing I wish I had more of and can never get enough of is "TIME". I never seem to have enough time to enjoy all the things I love, people I love and things I want to do.

I am also linking to all my artist friends over at Paint Party Friday.  Thank you to our hostesses, Eva and Kristin.  Be sure to pop in there to see what everyone has been up to in the last week.

This week I received my prize from Patsy over at HeARTworks.  She sent me a wonderful Artist Trading Card with a portrait and lots of blessings.  So fun to hear from Patsy in the Philippines!  Thank you.
"The Treasure of Time"
10 Inch Square Original Oil on Raymar Artist Quality Canvas Panel

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "The New Mainstreet"

We moved into the new Mainstreet Art Centre this week after Frankie Johnson and her husband Jay spent months doing carpentry. They along with Dave Haley made new taborets, shelving for fabric and still life pieces, displays for paintings, 8 foot long tables on wheels for easy movement for workshops, storage for frames and palettes.  And of course, painting the walls.  And meanwhile, classes went on in our old location.  At night and on weekends, Frankie and some students and teachers and her family members would move things not directly essential to each class over to the new location.  As the full move-over got closer, she started with some kids classes, and the Wednesday evening watercolor class by having them start in the new building.  We are so thankful for all the hard work everyone did to give us this great new space.  We now have our wash sinks, refrigerator for cold drinks and palette storage, upstairs instead of in the basement.  We have two bathrooms and three classrooms.  So if you are in our area, come and join us for classes or workshops from excellent instructors locally and from around the USA!

Our front entry and chairs for having a cup of "Joe", tea, pop, or water.

 The coffee station and microwave.............>

 Still life props,  beginning student and charcoal area, fabric, easels, taborets............... and the table where we have lunch(and goodies!)
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                                                    Storage for our long sleeve, short sleeve and sweat shirts 


 Our wash sinks & storage



                                                                      Frame storage

 Art magazines for people who would like references on how the experts do it and photos of animals, birds, boats, people etc. for learning about drawing shapes.
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                                   Kid's Classroom 3..............>

 Storage in Classroom 3

                                                                 Back entry hall and aprons to borrow for keeping clean.

Susan Ploughe (Amazing instructor & Amazing Artist) conferring with a student before class. 











Monday morning student working on a pastel.


Our heroine, Kathy who runs the front desk, keeps the coffee pot going, plays music for us, frames our paintings, schedules classes, takes our money (cheerfully! :> ) and just does anything we need.  Kathy is also an expert palette knife painter and pastelist.



Classroom 2
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And saving the best for last, Frankie Johnson!
here is a link to her Fine Art             http://frankiejohnsonartstudio.com/works

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "Diva #108 WHYZ"

When I saw the Diva's challenge this week, I was confused.  I looked for directions of how to do a tangle called "WHYZ", but couldn't find it even on Tangle Patterns!    
I soon realized that Laura had made her own tangle with "Y's".  Her grandmother died last week and I am imagining that she, as we often do, was asking "why?" It is also a great title because we think of our older family members as being "wise".  
OOPS!  I just discovered I had somehow missed the sentence where it mentioned the creator of this tangle.  It is Jane MacKugler!
So here is my interpretation of Laura's design.  Have a great week, and check the site to see how very imaginative artists can be!


3.5" Square Watercolor Paper with original design in Sakura Ink.
$4.00 plus S&H
Email Me with questions

Monday, March 4, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "Coastal Light"

Today my oil painting is linked to "A Day Not Wasted" .   The March challenge from professional photographer Lee A Brown is a photograph he took while he and his wife were traveling along the Northern Coast of Ireland.  
I am also linking to The Hoffman Estates Art League.  The president of the League, Sharron Boxenbaum has challenged us to paint with a limited palette of red, blue, yellow and white for our March 6th meeting.  I picked Permanent Alizarin Crimson, Cad Yellow Light and Ultramarine Blue for this painting. 
10" Square Oil on Artist Quality Canvas Panel
$100.00 plus S&H
Click on image to enlarge.
My third link is to the Daily Paintworks challenge for the week of "The Bright Path Challenge".    We are to visualize that which inspires us.  I like the picture I chose for several reasons.  I love the coast with its' panoramic view, its' intense sunlight on the sides of the Church which seems symbolic, the bucolic view of the fields surrounding the old churchyard, the peacefulness of  the whole area.  These are things that feed my soul.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "Distorted Faces ATC's"

 I missed my Artist Trading Card meeting in February.  It was themed "Distorted Faces".  I wasn't quite sure what to do with that... but drew some this morning in case people still have some of theirs to trade next Saturday.  These are 3.5"H x 2.5"W on watercolor paper.  All Original Designs in Ink and Watercolor.  Stamps, Sticker, Glitter Glue, and cut-out from candy wrapper.
Email me with questions

Distorted face #1




Distorted Face #2



Distorted Face #3


Saturday, March 2, 2013

Gloria J Zucaro's "Cityscape Study"

Yesterday we had another session with Ann Feldman for our oil painting group.  This time we had a review of One-Point Perspective.  Ann made it so easy for everyone to understand.  We all had different city scenes to paint and were to find the horizon line first, then look at all the slanted lines going toward it from above and below the horizon line.  Once we had those lines established we were freed up to apply any colors and shapes of building we desired.  Since we were using other artists' paintings as our reference, these are just studies for practice purposes only.  But now that we have revisited the rules for One Point Perspective, we can use this information with more confidence in anything we draw or paint.
10"H x 10"W Oil on Raymar Artist Quality Canvas Panel