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Friday, December 8, 2017

Lily Pond and "Abstract"

This week I finished the cold wax and oil painting that I photographed in two stages for last weeks post.  I added several areas of paint. I darkened the bottom in some areas and added lily pads, and shades of browns and yellow and blue in other areas.  I scratched through the layers to pull out weeds along three edges.  FINI!

My second painting was started over 4 sample pieces done in the workshop with Mark Russell.  I used up old wax and paint mixtures from my palette to add about 4 new layers to it.
I will let both dry completely before framing.

I am busy with Christmas decorating, shopping, cards and parties, like many of you, so I may not post for a couple of weeks.


 LILY POND


Step One




Steps 2-4



Recent Sunset from my back yard.


Colored lights, all gold & Silver ornaments--Tippy Top!!


Gold and Silver on dresser top

Enjoy a visit to Paint Party Friday hosted by Kristin and Eva and thanks for stopping by.  I would love to hear any comments or questions--Gloria

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Some New Some ReDoux

Hello  to "Almost December"! 
Today I am sharing a cold wax and oil painting of a "work in progress".  I had previously done about 3 layers and let it dry during the Thanksgiving holiday. Today I added 3 more layers.  It is still not done, but I  hope to have some time next week to finish it  I have two photos showing the first stages. Click on them to enlarge to show texture.

I also have some pictures of Zentangle Christmas cards I made previously.  I had them printed into greeting cards and postcards. 
I am sharing with Paint Party Friday.  
Have a wonderful week! 

Gloria






Thursday, November 16, 2017

Some Finished Projects

I am happy with one of my finished Cold Wax paintings started in Mark Russells' workshop.  Mark suggested doing a series, so I am trying impressions of trees for my series.  Posting to Paint Party Friday.  Enjoy all the artists that Kristen and Eva host each week.

9 x 12 on Arches Oil Paper

In Karen Sako's Mixed media Collage Class we did two projects for Halloween.  Both use paper, transfers, and acrylic paint.

10 x 8" on Board


6 x 6" on Board


Cold Wax Projects Drying on my table.


Friday, November 10, 2017

Learning about Mark Russells' technique for using Cold Wax.

Good Morning!
Last weekend was  the Cold Wax and Oil Paint workshop with Mark Russell at Mainstreet Art Center in Lake Zurich, IL.  
Mark did a demo that showed us how to mix the wax, the paint and a medium to thin or thicken, and his method of always having a horizon line as someplace for the viewers' eye to rest. Then we all went back to our individual tables to try it on our own as he walked around to see how we were doing and answered any questions. He did a demo each morning and afternoon. 
He was most generous with sharing some of his supplies.  He had a gallon of cold wax and some scrapers/shapers if we cared to purchase them, and the mediums.  he also sometimes drops in some sprinkles of  soft pastel that comes in a powder.  He puts a fairly large quantity of the wax onto his palette-maybe 1/4 cup in amount,  He also put out three different mediums including Galkyd, Gamblin Neomegilp. and Gamblin Solvent Free gel.  He uses Gamblin's Chromatic Black because it is the only transparent black oil paint.  One of the demos he did was to show the difference in using a transparent black with another color and white, and using an opaque black with another color and black.  The difference was amazing, there was a beautiful glow with the transparent black, and we all ordered our Gamblin Chromatic Black right then!  In Mark's paintings he layers from 12 to 20 colors of grayed-down paint and put the layers on very transparently.  He makes random marks in each layer and puts on paint and rubs it off in some spots to show the layer beneath.  Each layer may take a couple of days to dry, so he has a dozen pieces going at one time.
Since our workshop was only 2 days our pieces had about 3 layers.  We had to be careful not to get some muddy looks that you avoid by letting the layers dry.  I discovered my layers were not as transparent, and would take longer to dry to the touch-three layers times two days to dry each equals about a week to dry...

Here are some examples of my work. I forgot about horizons in some, and mine are more colorful and abstract than his work.  I will do more layers over some.







I am posting to Paint Party Friday hosted by Kristine and Eva and a great spot for seeing the work of many other artists from around the world.  Have a good week making art-Gloria 

Friday, November 3, 2017

Enjoying Collage

Today I have some photos of a few of the collage pieces we have done in Karen Sako's class.  I am enjoying trying all different techniques. Each week we do a few homework pieces. This week I did our "color" homework. 

Tomorrow and Sunday I will have a cold wax and oil painting workshop with Mark Russell.  I love the look of encaustic and am hoping to achieve somewhat the same look with cold wax.

I am linking to Paint Party Friday, my Facebook and Pinterest pages and Twitter.
Paint Party Friday showcases about 50 different artists' creations for the previous week.  It is hosted each week by Kristin and Eva. Thank you, Ladies for giving us an opportunity to share our work.

Staring with a monotone black and white done with black gesso and collage cutouts of paper. Pictures from Google Images

Using my leftover acrylic paint primaries to create an abstract design.

The same design with the actual colors in the various types of color wheels.

Using my three primaries and discovering the possible combinations with black and white and with the other primaries.

Have a creative week, and thank you for stopping in.

Gloria J Zucaro

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Run,Run,Run!

I am in one of those dream states where you keep running faster and faster but can't get to where you are going!  Sorry I am two days late again!
I took a portrait class with Ann Feldman all day Friday.  She showed us her steps to painting a portrait.  It involved measuring for head height and width and then containing it all in a box and finding the center.
We all picked a different photo from the many she had brought.  I picked this man because of his attitude and Mona Lisa smirk!

my 8 x 10 painting on Gessobord.

The original photo

Enjoy Paint Party Friday.           I hope to visit you during the week.        Gloria

Friday, October 13, 2017

Exhibit Opening tonight

Hi, running late!  I feel like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland!

Below is the announcement for a juried show that I have 3 paintings in tonight.  If you are from our area, please stop in.  It would be great to meet fellow bloggers.


The Artist Association of Elk Grove Village juried show “ART CENTRE 2017,
The artists reception(about 100 paintings, huge buffet} is from 7PM to 9PM on Friday October 13th at the Elk Grove Village Library, 1001 Wellington Ave. Elk Grove Village.
The exhibit will be open at the library for the rest of the weekend during library hours with the full show by all participants- 10/14 Sat.- 9-5, and 10/15 Sun. 1-4. 
The winners of the show will exhibit until November 4 & 5 for those three extra weeks during library hours on Saturdays and Sundays.

Footnote!!!  I won an Award of Excellence and got a check last night at the opening.  Yippee!

I did a few more collage pieces this week.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>




Have a good week!
Gloria

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Long Time Gone!

I can't believe where this year has gone.  
Life had its' way and there were many times that I had no desire to do art.
I am finally feeling better.
I did some odds and ends of things so I will post them tonight for Paint Party Friday, and on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

I am taking an on-line class with Kate Thompson, hosted by Jeannie Oliver.
I have done a few flower studies.






I am also in a collage workshop with Karen Sako.




Thank you for looking at my art.
Have a good week and enjoy all the artists on Paint Party Friday.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Gloria J Zucaro's "Portraits and Landscapes"

I hope you all had a wonderful Spring break.  The past two weeks I have taken workshops or done studies with two fine instructors.
I enjoyed and learned a lot from Margaret Dyer in her 3-day workshop "The Figure in Pastel".
Then a switch to doing quick 30-minute landscape studies with Frankie Johnson.
A couple of the paintings from each are below.  I am linking to Paint Party Friday, the site for seeing many artist's weekly creations.  Have a wonderful week.









Thursday, April 6, 2017

Gloria J Zucaro's "Art For Paws"

This morning I am including an email message from a friend. It is about an auction to benefit an animal rescue organization.  This is something I normally don't do, so don't feel at all pressured. The site may only apply to areas in Illinois anyway.  Here is the letter then the link.

"
Hi Everyone,
I'm sending along this notification of the On-Line ART AUCTION to benefit our Helping Paws Animal Shelter.  I know you all know about animal shelters and the fact that they save some of the most adorable and lovable little guys from being euthanized only because they don't have homes and are left to fend for themselves.  Sometimes in a not so pleasant way. It’s heart-breaking while at the same time wonderful to go see these sweet dogs (and cats) being cared for so beautifully by HPAS, but the main objective is to find 'forever homes' for each and every animal.  In order to make sure these little 'strays' have good food, good care and a warm, soft place to stay and feel safe, we have to help them out financially.  This fun AUCTION is a really unique way to do this!!  Every cent goes to the shelter.
You can scroll through all the art works, which are all 6" x 6", at your leisure, bid on anyone(s) that you're interested in and you can actually keep track of your piece(s) and see if someone's trying to outbid you!!  Do not let that happen!!!!  You want it?  You make sure you GET IT!!!!  Oops, sorry.....I just want you to get what you want!!  I get a little carried away!!
The AUCTION runs until the 22nd of April and you can bid as many times as you want from any of your devices, anytime from anywhere. I don't make a practice of asking you to buy art, but this is such an amazing cause and I know EVERY ONE OF YOU loves animals and wants to make sure they get their forever families.  So anything you can do to help would be fantastic!  You'll get art that you love AND it's tax deductible.  WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!!!   lol
Thanks for listening and thanks in advance for helping out.  And if you're in need of a new member to your family, the four-legged kind, you know where to find one!!!
 Many, many thanks,  C."
Art For The Paws


I was away for 2 weeks visiting friends and relatives.
When I returned I had to get 18 paintings ready to hang for the Barrington Cultural Arts Center "Artist of the Month".  I was using a new hanging system I had bought from Pro Panels.  It is really sturdy, which is what I wanted because all my pieces were under glass.  I hung 3 mixed media, 3 Zentangles and the rest were all pastels.


I am linking to Paint Party Friday per usual!  have a great week and be sure to see all the wonderful artist's on Kristin and Eva's site for PPF.

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Gloria J Zucaro's "Moving Forward with Mixed Media"

Sunday March 12, I enjoyed another mixed media workshop with Karen Sako at Mainstreet Art Center in Lake Zurich, IL .

Each table had a pod of people(either 3 or 4) and supplies to share for the pod. Each pod was given a limited palette to work with. Our table got lime green, and turquoise blue as well as black and white. ’

The first thing we all did was apply gesso to a piece of watercolor paper that was 12 x 6, a smaller 6 x 6 piece and a piece of illustration board that was 9 x 12. Those three pieces would be the basis for our three finished projects so they had to have time to dry while we were making more papers.

Next was to do 3 minute drawings(paintings with our colors and India Ink). We did two large, about 20 x 24 in size and one smaller about 9 x 12.  

Another fun project was using long wooden dowels with leaves, strings and rubber bands attached to the ends. Each stick had a different thing attached. We got three more pieces of paper and a plate of very liquid paint to dip into and scribble around on our papers.  Every couple of minutes we had to pass our stick to the person on the left so that we could try out each type of texture on our papers. 

After all the prep we began to assemble our pieces by ripping our papers up and gluing them on our three gessoed papers.  We could add acrylic paint, pastel pencils, pastel sticks, ink, and pan pastels.  There were stencils to use and we tried some transfers.  

It was a great day!  Here are my three original finished projects after I added some marks and lines when I got home and everything had dried.

Happy Paint Party Friday, and have a great week.

























Friday, March 10, 2017

Gloria J Zucaro's "UnderPear"

First of all "Happy 6th Anniversary/Birthday" to Eva & Kristins' PAINT PARTY FRIDAY site that gives many artists a place to show their artwork each week.
I always enjoy and get inspired by what my artist friends from around the world are doing. Not only do they share their artwork, but many show photos from their area of the world, offer advice on supplies and techniques and viewpoints on various topics of world interest.

A couple of weeks ago I showed you the beginnings of a mixed media project.  I got it finished this week.  I finished the background with various stencils, stamps, Neocolor Crayons, Marks All pencil, Posca Pens, collage and acrylic paint.  Now the decision was between covering most of the background and allowing it to show through in one area, or leaving the background mostly exposed and covering an area to give the eye a resting place.  Since I had tried the first option previously I decided to leave most of the background showing this time.


Here is the finished project.  The original WIP is below it.  I am calling this "UnderPear" a play on Underwear!

Here is the WIP photo shown two weeks ago



Have a wonderful week of celebration Kristin and Eva and thanks for another year of Paint Party Friday!
I would love to hear your comments.
~gloria

Friday, March 3, 2017

Gloria J Zucaro's "Abstracted Floral"

I had some sort of "bug" this week so didn't get around to visit my Paint Party Friday friends.  I felt better by Thursday AM so finished this piece I had been working on for awhile.  It is in oil on watercolor paper and is 15" H by 7.5"Wide. I will be selling it in my new Etsy Shop when it opens in a couple of weeks.  
I am still working on that!  Have a great week~gloria