Shelter III- Ruth Andre

"Shelter III"

4.5"x4.5" Oil-Wax on Paper

by Ruth Andre

The color, red, has come into my life with a vengeance. I am painting red and more red paintings. Isn't red the color of choice for so many things. It is a positive exciting color that gives off an aura that makes me happy. Enjoy! It has been, "A Painting Day".

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Stepping Stones - Ruth Andre

"Stepping Stones'

6"x18" Oil-Wax on Paper

by Ruth Andre

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I am on a few artist's email lists and one of my favorites is a blog by Nancy Hillis. Her Blog is The Artist's Journey. I totally enjoy Nancy's writing and her enthusiasm for art plus her abstract paintings are really very nice. The blog post that came today was very inspiring and as I painted in the studio her words continued to stir around in my mind. Letting go to paint, to experiment with the paints and to paint and paint some more is what I have taken from Nancy's well written words. Maybe you can see today's painting is a little different than my usual works. I had a paper primed with gesso and a first layer of paint just waiting for me in the studio. I decided to start painting quickly and let it be to see what would come from the exercise. I have posted a second view of the painting showing it in a vertical format below. Enjoy! It has been, "A Painting Day".

Second View - "Stepping Stones"

18"x6" Oil-Wax on Paper

by Ruth Andre

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A Painting Day - Falling In Place - Ruth Andre

"Falling In Place"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Mixed Media on Paper

12"x12" Mat

Challenge Painting Seventy-Nine

by Ruth Andre

$125.00

We are waiting for a promised rain today. Hopefully the rain will find its way to the fire area and keep the rest of the area safe. There may be hope that things are falling in place. My heart goes out to so many that have lost so much. Letting go and moving on is not always easy. May my next post be filled with rain. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Shallow Waters - Ruth Andre

"Shallow Waters"

4.75"x4.75" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

Challenge Painting Seventy-Four

by Ruth Andre

$125.00

The Mokelumne River is not far from our ranch. There are road exits to the river along the Old 49 Highway. My recent visit was spent watching over two wild preteens with a picnic in hand. The path was rather steep but both Taylor and Devon moved quickly and were at the water's edge in just minutes. I was not sure how deep or how strong the current would be but they edged into the water and  spent the next hours enjoying the cool water on a very hot summer day. It was a fun day. I enjoyed taking in the beautiful colors of the river's shallow waters. 

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A Painting Day - Desert Chant - Ruth Andre

"Desert Chant"

10"x22"x1.5" Oil and Mixed Media on Cradled Panel

by Ruth Andre

$900

The studio is spilling outside to the open barn. There are larger cradled panels in the works and some experimenting going on getting the paint moved around on larger surfaces. Tools that work well on small surfaces seem very limited on a larger format. My small Challenge 100 Paintings are very intimate and fine. Moving to larger works is a challenge all on its own. Today's painting, "Desert Chant" is a step up in size giving me the courage to move on to a larger panel. COMING SOON! I do love the desert colors and right now the valley has a desert look with the dried grasses and the sandy ground. 

It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Whispering Fog - Ruth Andre

"Whispering Fog"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

Available With 12"x12" Mat

Challenge Painting Seventy-One

by Ruth Andre

$125.00

As the day turns to dusk and the fog rolls into the valley it brings a feeling of quiet. There is a solitude and a wanting to find quiet from the hustle of the day. The fog is like nature is surrounding us and allowing us to slow down from the work of the day. I love going into my kitchen at night and fixing a dinner that will give warmth and nurture the soul. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Valley Fog - Ruth Andre

"Valley Fog"

12.25"x4" Oil and Cold Wax on Arches Paper

By Ruth Andre

$250.00

I have been enchanted with the color grey for ages and have wanted to paint with grey so finally I have started the journey. Yesterday I posted, "Morning Fog" for the Challenge 100 Paintings using shades of grey. Today I have painted a slightly bigger painting in hopes of finding my way to a much larger painting surface be it paper or canvas. It is a process to make changes and with the painting above, "Valley Fog" you can see several thin paint applications that appear to be wisps of color showing the over and under painted layers. I also am showing the painting vertically and horizontally since I am not sure of the direction for this painting. I believe it works both ways and would make a quiet statement to any room interior. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Morning Fog - Ruth Andre

"Morning Fog"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

Available with 12"x12" Mat

Challenge Painting Seventy

by Ruth Andre

$125.00

I remember being so surprised coming back to California to live. Before moving to the valley I had lived in the mid-west with turbulent weather patterns. Before that I lived on the coast of southern California with milder temperatures than here in the north. I also had not foreseen the foggy mornings that hung over the valley morning after morning in winter. Our small ranch is close to the creek and in the shade of a mountain holding the fog close for hours longer than our neighbors properties. I can be slipping and sliding on the frosted ground and look up to see a sun filled mountainside that as they say is so close but so far. I have learned to love these foggy mornings and over the years have found their beauty. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Phantom I and II - Ruth Andre

"Phantom I"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

Available with 12"x12" Mat

Challenge Painting Sixty-Eight

By Ruth Andre

$125.00

"Phantom II"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

Available with 12"x12" Mat

Challenge Painting Sixty-Nine

By Ruth Andre

$125.00

"Phantom I and II"

Available with Two 12"x12" Mats

Challenge Paintings Sixty-Eight and Sixty-Nine

by Ruth Andre

Two - $225.00

What goes on in the night? When I am walking outside after dark to check on the horses I can often see flashes of light coming from the edge of the creek bed. There is ample camouflage foliage with the berry bushes and old oak trees lining the water way. I know I am being watched from afar. Raccoons, Bobcats and Coyotes are about in this rural area. I always hope the Mountain Lions are making their scouting loop in another part of the valley, maybe one up the hill, a quieter area farther from the main road. It is always good to be aware of your surroundings even in the back country where it is usually so quiet that I can hear leaves scattering as the wildlife move about. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Closed Doors - Ruth Andre

"Closed Doors"

4.5"x4.5" Oil & Cold Wax on Paper

Challenge Painting Sixty-One

by Ruth Andre

$125.00

I have been painting a few works unrelated to the Challenge 100 Series
but got back to the series today. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Just Words - Ruth Andre

"Just Words"

6"x24" Oil on Japanese Handmade Paper

by Ruth Andre

$350.00

"Just Words" Shown on Mura Udaban A Itaboshi HM, from Washi Arts. 

"Just Words" - Close-Up Vignette

(The blue color is actually more turquoise than shown here.)

As you can see I have had a very fun Painting Day! I went to the studio with a soft soothing image in mind and then things changed once the paints came out. I find the whole painting process amazing. The images appear ready or not. The title comes from how sometimes a person will say one thing and do another. It is confusing at best. It has been, "A Painting Day".

PS: The Challenge Paintings will continue in the next post.

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Paper: Mura Udaban A Itaboshi HM, from Washi Arts.

A Painting Day - Red Feathers - Ruth Andre

"Red Feathers"

Oil on Japanese Handmade Paper

Image 12"x6.5"

Paper 17"x9.5"

by Ruth Andre

$175.00

Once again I used the handmade Mura Udaban Japanese Paper from Washi Arts as my painting surface.  The Mura paper is beautiful and has brought new inspiration to my painting. The greens in this painting are full of nature's beauty and then I added a bit of whimsy with the red floating feathers. It is as if a gust of wind has sent feathers drifting down from the tree tops. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Red Wing - Ruth Andre

"Red Wing"

Painting - 12 "x4" Oil on Paper
Paper 17"x9"

by Ruth Andre

$150

After the serenity of the quiet Challenge Painting in yesterday's post I am sending out a bolt of red with the painting, "Red Wing". Since I started painting on paper my interest in the different paper types has grown and I ordered a beautiful handmade paper, Mura Udaban A Itaboshi HM, from Washi Arts. The Mura paper is often used as a backing for scrolls and comes in sheets 17"x56". It is a beautiful paper and one I am enjoying and using as my painting surface. Lovely papers like Mura Udaban actually add to the painting by giving the painting a beautiful resting place and a foundation filled with the history of ancient paper making. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - The Land Between - Ruth Andre

"The Land Between"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

12"x12" Mat

Challenge Painting Fifty-Five

by Ruth Andre

$125.00

I don't often say this but this painting is one of my favorite paintings in the 

"Challenge Painting 100 Series". It is a quiet painting and there is something in the quietness that brings my thoughts to the surface and lets me dream. It also brings thoughts of having land that is separated by natural barriers. Rivers, mountain ranges and roads can leave the land in the middle in solitude. It is land that may not be appealing to most but I seek the gift of silence that is often found there. This is a painting that sets me free. It is, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Dry Creek - Ruth Andre

"Dry Creek"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

12"x12" Hand Cut Mat

Challenge Painting Fifty- Four

by Ruth Andre

The creek is a bed of sand and rocks with grasses and ferns growing in its sandy bed. This is the season the creek is hidden away underground. I am looking forward to the first fall rains and the creek's renewal. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Where Does It End - Ruth Andre

"Where Does It End"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

12"x12" Hand Cut Mat

Challenge Painting Fifty-Three

by Ruth Andre

Our small ranch property has a creek on one side and the dusty mountain road on the other side. Both stream and road bring interest of different kinds. As you can imagine the creek has its special place in the valley and brings life and beauty to the region. The road may have been just a horse trail and then upgraded to a wagon trail and now it is maintained for cars and trucks. There are many places along the road that will accommodate only one car to pass so there is often a juggling or backing up and moving over as you travel the back road. We get travelers that are lost and almost panicked stopping by. They do not know where they are and they don't now how to get back to where they started, back on the main road. The big question is often, "Where Does It End"?  It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - This Side of Dark - Ruth Andre

"This Side of Dark"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

12"x12" Hand Cut Mat

Challenge Painting Fifty-Two

by Ruth Andre

$125.00

There are times when I need to check on the horses after dark. I have found when I don't take a flashlight it can actually aid my way to the pasture gates. There is often just a glimmer of light making it just this side of dark. The horses  nicker when they hear my footsteps thinking that I may have a treat or will give them an extra brushing. Letting the light flicker through the darkness has made for, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Strangers - Ruth Andre

"Strangers"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

12"x12" Hand Cut Mat

Challenge Painting Fifty-One

by Ruth Andre

$125.00

When you live as remotely as I do you get to know who is traveling along our back country road. One thing that gives a stranger away right away is they have a clean car. The other thing is they have a black clean car. Neither will last for long on the dusty and bumpy road. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Kome - Moon - Ruth Andre

"Kome-Moon"

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

Available with 12"x12" Hand Cut Mat

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Challenge Painting Fifty

by Ruth Andre

This is Challenge Painting FIFTY. I am now half way through the "Challenge One Hundred Series". One hundred paintings, even small paintings is a true challenge. I am looking forward to completing the next fifty works. Yesterday's painting was titled "Hiema-Sun" a Miwok Indian word and today I use another Miwok word, "Kome-Moon". I feel our small ranch was once a place where the Indians met and gathered acorns. The trees are quite old and the acorns are abundant and close to the creek. Water is needed to leach out the toxins in the acorns so they can be used for food. We all walk on sacred ground but here in the valley I can feel the spirits of those from the past. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A Painting Day - Hiema-Sun - Ruth Andre

"Hiema" - Sun

4.5"x4.5" Oil and Cold Wax on Paper

Challenge Painting Forty-Nine

by Ruth Andre

$125.00

"Hiema" is the Miwok word for "Sun"

I have had the opportunity to work with the Miwok Indians, a local Indian tribe. I met with the tribal women and wove fine craft baskets. We wove with pine needles, natural twine and linen using the coiling technique. Romona, an older weaver, had years of weaving experiences and was well respected by the other women in the group. All of the women were serious basket makers and they waited to see what I would weave. Once Ramona blessed my work, so to speak, my work was accepted and they welcomed me to share this special time together. The Miwok's are a beautiful people with much history in the Sutter Creek-Ione valleys. the painting, "Hiema" is dedicated to the Miwok Indian tribe. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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