Gloria J Zucaro's "Three A Day"

After three weeks I am back from my road trip with my 92 (years-young) mother.  She is always ready for a new adventure.  We met in Chattanooga, TN for a family wedding, both flying in for the occasion. 

We attended the rehearsal dinner along with everyone else who was from out of town at the "Blue Water Grill" hosted by the groom's parents.  We were served great food and the wedding party entertained us with funny stories about the bride and groom.  

The wedding the next evening was at "The Church on Main", which is actually no longer a church but an event venue.  The old building had been stripped down inside to show the brick and rafters, but was still enclosed by beautiful arched windows and the old wood flooring.  The front half of the space was separated off with white curtains and was set up with a stage and seating for guests.  The back half was closed off until after the ceremony, but was set up as a buffet with food, bar and wedding cakes(bride's strawberry..groom's oreo) areas to be enjoyed after the vows were taken.  The stage at the front had a white curtain to hide the band set-up which would be revealed when time to dance.  In front of the white curtain there were three beautifully painted aqua wooden doors hinged together decorated with small lanterns and a painted wood cutout of the bride and grooms' initials.  There were 8 bridesmaids and groomsmen and a tiny ring-bearer, the son of the grooms' brother.  All the ladies were dressed in the color tangerine, and they all wore turquoise jewelry.  But the really unique thing is that every single one of their dresses was a different style that they each chose themselves to suit their own taste.  All their jewelry was different, too!  So cool!

My cousin , the mother of the bride, and her husband invited everyone over for a huge brunch feast the next morning, then Mom and I left on our road trip to Alexandria, LA to visit my sister and brother-in-law for 4 days, then on to San Antonio TX where my Mom and brother live.  I stayed with Mom for a week and flew home to Lake Zurich, IL which is Northwest of Chicago.

See a couple of pictures from the wedding below...

The backdrop for the ceremony

The guests on the grooms side waiting

The bride and her father

Two pastors and the groom, and the grooms father in back

The ceremony with the brides' sister(the matron of honor), another bridesmaid in left front.  The brides bouquet was tangerine flowers in a beautiful tight nosegay. See the photo of the bride at top.

One couple in wedding party exiting after ceremony ends.

And finally my entry at The Artist's Playroom called "Three A Day" done on my IPod Touch 5 with the ArtRage app.

Our theme from Jennifer Mclean this week is "fruit".  Many times these three fruits are the ones I try to have everyday.  Have a great day!    gloria

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

Gloria J Zucaro's "Bookmark Stack"

This week at The Artist's Playroom we are making bookmarks or other drawings/paintings/photos related to books.  

Here is my "stack" bookmark done in ink and colored pencil.  I will cut this out for actual bookmark use. 

  The style is called a “ pattern stack”.  Here is the original link where I learned about them. http://rainbowelephant.com/repeat-pattern-stacks/#more-1297    My bookmark is not following the exact recipe, except that the different items are precariously stacked up.  It is just about reading & learning and sitting down for a cup of tea with a good book.  The flowers are something I would just like to have in the room with me.  You are just supposed to draw anything that comes to mind.  I often like to look on a map to see where something in a story is located.  

The apples are because I thought of “an apple for the teacher”.  

 It is on 140 LB. watercolor paper and is 8 1/4"H x 2 1/2"W

For sale through Daily Paintworks

Gloria J Zucaro's " Breakfast From The Pantry"

Today I am linking to Jennifer Maclean's  The Artists' Playroom, The Daily Paintworks and Paint Party Friday. 

The theme for the Artists' Playroom is to paint something from your pantry.  Several mornings a week I have a banana, some Wheat Thins and a tablespoon of peanut butter as my breakfast.  The peanut butter and crackers are in the pantry, the bananas are on the kitchen counter, does two-thirds pantry fare count?!  

On the Daily Paintworks Jo MacKenzie challenged us with picking one of our favorite Daily Paintworks artists and trying to paint in their style.  Jo picked Nora Macphail and so am I.  Nora's work is full of joy  and color.  But I will tell you, Nora is a very accomplished watercolorist!  After I did this sketch and watercolor, I realized how good she is!  Thanks, Jo and Nora for your inspiration. 

Paint Party Friday is always fun to visit.  Every Friday there is a featured artist and many more artists who sign in with their artwork from the past week.  So Happy Paint Party Friday!

Gloria J Zucaro's "Give it a Spin"

Today I am linking to the Daily Paintworks challenge "Make It Move" offered by Francesco Fontana.  I am also linking to Ria Hills January challenge  which is to do a piece of fruit in a still life, an apple was suggested.  I am combining both these challenges into a painting called "Spin the Apple"!  I also did a painting today for The Artist Playroom site hosted by Jennifer Mclean.  Her thought was to portray our weather wherever we live, well it is darned icy!   I combined two ideas again.  The movement from Daily Paintworks and the weather theme from The Artist's Playroom for "On Ice" below the apple.

"Spin the Apple"

8" x 8" Original Oil on Museum Quality Canvas Panel.

Click on images to enlarge.

To Purchase

"On Ice"

5"h x 7"W Oil on Museum Quality Canvas Panel.  I found this photo on Google and think it is probably Kristi Yamaguchi doing a move called the Sit-spin. 

To Purchase starting Jan. 16th

Gloria J Zucaro's "Relax Phicops!"

I enjoyed doing my Diva Challenge for the week.  Laura's Husband Brad designed a new tangle called "Phicops".  I used it in my tangle(3.5" square) and in my greeting card below.

Two cards done last night.  I did one for a birthday, kind of quirky! and one for my resolution word for 2013 "Relax!" linking to Jenn's The Artist's Workshop

Pen & Ink on 4 x 6 cardstock with marker.  I chose "Relax!" as my word because I am always very intense and over booked & overscheduled   So I decided to try to "Cool it" and "Chill!" a little more this year.

Pen & Ink on 4 x 6 cardstock.  Part of this design is from the Diva Challenge from a new tangle made by Laura's husband Brad called "Phicops"

Gloria J Zucaro's "Seeds of Life"

I am adding this to Jennifer Mclean's Thanksgiving themed challenge this week over at The Artist's Playroom.  I actually did this last year, but it is perfect and I am busy getting ready for Thanksgiving, and for get-togethers with friends and a returning college grandson!  

I used an 18"H statue for my model.  I have an Indian woman, and a male and female Pilgrim, too.  I put the smaller set on my kitchen window sill and the larger on the fireplace mantel.  I have a great big turkey-shaped metal serving tray and sundry gourds and pumpkins around.  

My title relates to the fact that both the seeds of the sunflower and pumpkin may be eaten, and have some protein as well as other nutrients.  And the pumpkin has many ways of being served and feels"substantial" whether soup, breads or muffins, as squash or pie.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Gloria J Zucaro's "Winter Field at Sunset"

Tonight I worked on this pastel for Jenn's The Artists Playroom prompt of a "Sunset" theme.  A couple of weeks ago I painted my "Evening in Door County", but then I found this reference in my photo library.  I love to go for drives in the country in the late afternoon when the sun is starting to set.  I have a friend who lives about an hour away and sometimes I drive out through the cornfields to see her.  I always take my camera to get pictures of the countryside and the old barns that are fast disappearing.   It is so calming to get out of the traffic and built up areas.  Sometimes I just park my car on the edge of the road and roll down the window and sit and listen to the crows or other birds, an occasional bark of a dog, or the braying of a cow as the sun is sinking and twilight comes.  It feels primal to me and helps me realize the things I really value.

11"H x 16"W on Canson Mi-Tientes Pastel Paper.

Please buy a painting if at all inclined from the Daily Paintworks Auction Site to help hurricane victims   100% of the money will go to them, as all the artists involved have donated their paintings.  

And don't forget to stop by The Artists' Playroom to see all the creative entries!

Gloria J Zucaro's "Making Croissants & Bunz"

This week I am doing Jenn's challenge of "Shadows" at The Artist Playroom first thing!  I started my drawing with the Diva's challenge of a tangle called "Bunzo" first.  It is the beginning shape of all the croissants.  Then it morphed into a whole scene with lots of shadows!  I did however, also do a traditional tangle, see below the text for Croissants.

5"H x 7"W greeting card, or it may be framed in a 5x7 frame.  It comes with an envelope.

$6.00  To Purchase.    Click on image to enlarge.

This is done with a Sakura Micron Pen # 01 and my Inktense Watercolor Pencils.  I put the colors on the paper dry, then sprayed the surface with water.  I then added more color where necessary, or smooth some areas out.              Next is my 3.5"Square with the "Bunzo" tangle used in a more traditional way.  I also used "Holibaugh"and "Fescue."

3.5" Square of watercolor paper.  $4.00 To purchase email me

Gloria J Zucaro's "Glub, Glub"

Last week on Jennifer Mclean's "The Artist Playroom" we were to paint something with pairs.  I started this greeting card on Thursday with a wet watercolor wash.  I let it dry completely for two days because I had thoroughly wet both sides of the card.  On Saturday morning I had planned on finishing my entry into the challenge which ends at noon.  But "life" intervened and I did not get back to the design until Sunday.  As you can see, my "pairs" are two nosey goldfish and a pair of goggles   I did the design in black ink with a Sakura Micron pen # 01.  Then added Silks Acrylic Glaze for the other colors.  The two fish are highlighted with gold.  I finally sprayed the face of the card with Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist by LuminArte 

5"H x 7"W   Comes with envelope as a greeting card or may be framed in a 5 x 7 frame.

$6.00  To purchase go to  Daily Paintworks and PayPal

You can see the "sparkle on the photo below.

Click on images to enlarge.

Gloria J Zucaro's "Mardi Gras Frame-up"

 These are my entries for Jennifer Mclean's "Masquerade" prompt at The Artist's Playroom.

This is an ink drawing on a 5"H x 7"L watercolor greeting card that I did earlier this year for a Diva challenge.

I ran out of time to come up with something new, I'm sorry, Jenn!  But here is what I have done with it .

I have put it into a double mat, first black next to the white of the card, then a white mat, glass and plain black wooden frame.  Have a good week everyone, and I will come to visit your masquerade entries today and tomorrow!  The framed design is available on the Daily Paintworks Auction starting at $65.00

Gloria J Zucaro's "River Birch & Roses"/Sankegg/Portrait

"River Birch & Roses"

This is my entry for Jenn's challenge at The Artist's Playroom of painting something "Botanical".  I am not sure it qualifies, but two weeks ago we were to do our view outside   This is from my deck which has Roses and River Birch.

"Birch" is also the prompt from the Daily Paintworks.
Below that is my second week of  portraits with Ann Feldman.  This is in it's first stage and is from a painting by Manet.  Next we will do a tonal painting on top of this in oil or pastel.
And not to forget Paint Party Friday!  Which I did yesterday morning as I ran for the train!  So here I am a day late.  I hope to get around to more artist's sites this weekend.

Second Class in portraits, mine from painting by Manet

Gloria J Zucaro's "Goin' With The Flow"

"Things that inspire" is our prompt this week from Jennifer Mclean at The Artist's Playroom  

Well, color in nature, sunsets and sunrises.  
Storm clouds, dark and menacing.  
Butterflies and dragonflies, flitting by.  
Chipmunks...Now be nice!  They are very cute little guys!  
Newborns and two-years old's!  I love seeing their personalities develop. 
Panoramic views of untouched meadows and mountains.  
I love beautifully landscaped ponds and the exotic butterfly Koi and fancy tail goldfish. 
I love the wind on a stormy day and also a slightly warm breeze on a Summer day with temperatures no higher than 73! 
Sunshine and shadow always appeal as do many vibrant colors in my pastels and oil paints.  

New, New, New!  Learning about some new technique, art form or product is always inspirational. I think that is why I enjoy all the websites and blogs I get to visit when I participate in challenges and see what other artists are doing..  You are always learning.   Here is my entry.  Click to enlarge image for better detail 

9"H x 12"W Soft Pastel on Sanded Paper

SOLD

Gloria J Zucaro's "Good Will Towards All"

7"H x 5"W Original Ink Drawing with Acrylic Silks Glaze

$6.00 starting bid on Daily Paintworks auction site.

Click on image to enlarge.

This is my entry into Jenn's challenge this week at The Artist Playroom.  We were to use the word "Galaxy" for our prompt.  I thought I would do a design for a Christmas card.  The Star that the shepherds followed, the triangular pieces of the church foundation, the triangular tree, to me symbolize our higher power, God, and the Trinity.  The stars reaching out to all mankind.  The painting is on greeting card watercolor paper and comes with an envelope.  Inside are the words "Good  Will Towards All".  I wanted to emphasize each of the words "Good" and "Will".  See below.  I attached the wording with matte medium and a wash and then spritzed it with some very 

fine glitter mist.  I put a little black edge around both photos in Elements, so that the white cardstock would show up better against the blog page.

Gloria J Zucaro's "Color My World"

OOPS!  If looking for Diva Challenge check further down the linky list, I put the wrong link!

4"H x 6"L Greeting Card done with Luminarte's Silks and Twinkling H20s, 

which are both luminescent acrylics.

$4.00 starting bid on Daily Paintworks auction

http://dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/73666

darker version- click to enlarge to see the glimmer!

Lighter Version

Although I am still very much "coldey" and have to go to the Doc in the A.M. because of fevers, I wanted to get something in to Jenn's Artist Playroom this week.  Jenn's prompt was paint something in your favorite color.  Well, picking one would be impossible!  I find I usually use an array of colors from the warm side of the color wheel and a few from the cooler side.  I tend not to like earth tones or very muted colors.  I am most happy with orange, yellows, roses, aqua, lime green, and emerald green. I also love sparkles!  I just got new paints listed above and they are a wonderful pigment filled with mica.  The originator of these fabulous paints is Leslie Ohnstad and the paints can be found here, LuminArte.  The picture doesn't do the card justice as far as the richness and sheen of the paint.  You can see it better in the darker version but the lighter version is more true to the brightness.

Gloria J Zucaro's "Postcard Twist"

5"H x 7"L Original Collage
Click on Photo to enlarge for more detail
$6.00 starting bid on daily Paintworks
http://dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/70097

This is my entry into Jennifer Mcleans' "Make Me Laugh" challenge over at The Artist Playroom.    http://www.justaddwatersilly.com/search/label/APR.  This one really had me stumped.  So I went to see what some of the examples were, and what a few of the "early bird" artists had already posted.  I couldn't think of anything to paint or draw!  I finally remembered this magnet I had bought years ago that made me smile if not laugh.  So I cut out the "body" of an empty box of raisins for my cardboard support.  It turned out to be 5 x 7, a perfect postcard size!  I then read up on Mod Podge.  I had used it before, but always had trouble with everything I glued getting all wrinkly.  So I bought some Acrylic Sealing spray and sprayed all my little pieces of paper that I had gotten on-line, reduced in size when printing and cut down.  I sprayed them twice, but only on the front.  Maybe I should have done the backs, too, as I still had trouble with some wrinkles.  I was looking for references to the word twisted, because of the above saying about twisted men!  So I got a little tornado man, a "hunk" all twisted up in rope, a contortionist, a little pretzel guy, and a man sniffing a "twist" of lemon.  Whew!  My first collage,who knew it was so involved!   First I glued a photograph of some flowers and a butterfly onto the bare cardboard side of the raisin box.  Then I arranged all the twisted men and my 1940's movie star(whose name I can't remember, so help me out!).  I decided to enlarge the words, so printed them at 150%.  I glued them on.  Next I glued on some torn rice paper in a mint green color.  When that dried, I decided I need to use a Micron pen to enhance the smaller twisted guys as they were kind of dim(hehe) under all that glue!  About a month ago I had ordered through an Amazon seller some mini pots of Twinkling H2O's.  They were cheaper than the regular price.  Well, I opened them tonight and they seem to be all dried up!  I put a bunch of water in the one called "Ice" and crunched it around for a few minutes.  Then I painted it on in a few spots.  It doesn't show up here.  I did take a picture with it catching the light, but it just created a slick "Icy" look so I decided not to show that.  It doesn't twinkle, but it does look like ice!  See the back of my "card" below.  Do you think I can put addresses on the raisin side and mail it?  Or do I need to put it in an envelope so it doesn't get ruined??

This is also my entry for Paint Party Friday.  Happy PPF!   http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/