This Too Shall Pass - Ruth Andre

"This Too Shall Pass"

8"x8" Acrylic on Handmade Paper

by Ruth Andre

This is the week we in America celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday and I would like to wish everyone a very special Day of Thanks. Be thankful for the people and  things in your life that really matter. I plan to stop for a moment to take a deep breath, relax and of course be thankful.

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Changing Seasons - Ruth Andre

"Changing Seasons"

12"x12" Acrylic on Paper

by Ruth Andre

The painting today is to celebrate the October rains and the change in seasons. It is a beautiful time of year. I feel as if our home has been transported to a new location. The valley has had several rain storms lately. The dry white grasses are now green and the creek is filling with water. My view has changed with a new palette of fall colors. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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Sky Dive - Ruth Andre

"Sky Dive"

12"x12" Acrylic on Paper

by Ruth Andre

This painting is soothing to the eye and reminds me of late afternoon clouds that flood the valley sky. The pink clouds signal the day's end with dusk to follow. It is a beautiful and fleeting time to enjoy the quiet of the valley. It has been, "A Painting Day".

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Grasses - Ruth Andre

"Grasses"

7"x7" Acrylic on Arches Paper

by Ruth Andre

Todays painting came after the valley was washed with rain and cooler temperatures this past week-end. It was so good to feel and smell the rain. Yesterday I took a walk down by the creek and saw new grasses sprouting under the  under the oaks and in the open pasture. The dry tall grasses still stood but will soon be replaced with new growth  New life has been released after a long dry summer. It has been "A Painting Day".

Hillside - Quartz Mountain Road

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Save the Day - Ruth Andre

"Save the Day"

12"x12" Acrylic on Paper

by Ruth Andre

This painting got into the studio save box but not the blog so here it is a few weeks since it was completed. We had a rash of very hot days and finally a few clouds passed over the valley. The overcast sky was a gift giving some relief from the last hot days of summer. There was hope in seeing the clouds that rain might follow. It was a, "Save the Day" painting for sure.

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Summer Lost - Ruth Andre

Summer Lost

12"x12" Acrylic on Arches Paper

by Ruth Andre

NFS

It was a busy day yesterday. First my husband and I drove about 4 hours getting materials to fix the horse shelter. Of course there was cooking and the normal chores that needed to be done. A lady neighbor helped my husband get the new shelter roof in place and I did my best to sneak in some painting. I worked on the painting above and decided to take a break. My mistake was going back to the studio and was seemingly on a mission to make a change to the painting. One thing moved on to more changes until the painting was lost. Darn is a nice way of saying SHOOT, DADGUM-IT and all the rest. Sometimes it is best to let something be than to hover over it and try and change it. Is that so true of so many things in life. I am sharing "Summer Lost" with you because I like the painting and it reveals the end of summer. The cloud like images might be the clouds that were forming outside announcing the coming rain. The painting is gone but the day is remembered. It has been, 

"A Painting Day".

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Mountain Ridge - Ruth Andre

"Mountain Ridge"

12"x12" Acrylic on Arches Paper

by Ruth Andre

This painting is what I see daily as I step outside to be with the horses or walk to my studio. 

It is my interpretation of the mountain ridge just steps away. 

It has been, "A Painting Day".

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Night Moon - Ruth Andre

"Night Moon"

4"x12" Acrylic on Arches Paper

by Ruth Andre

I thought I would try and work with a very subdued and limited palette on this new painting. I am working on contrast whether it is using just a few colors or many. Getting a dramatic change or accent is important and also one of the hardest things for me to remember at times. It is so easy to stay with a quiet palette and not move on to make a more dramatic painting. I see reasons for doing both but of late I wanted to make a statement punch. I follow several artist's blogs and websites and I have found a few artists that influence me with their strong creative spirit. 

Sheila Vaughan's Blog, REAL ART

Nancy Hillis' Blog and Website

It has been, "A Painting Day".

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ArtSpecifier - Interview with Ruth Andre

The link below is my interview with ArtSpecifier. The questions asked took me back a few years to the days when I first started my art career. Being an artist is a way of life and I can see art has been a part of me my whole life. I worked in industries that fed my creative spirit and did my best to have my own art on the side until finally I could paint full time. I hope you enjoy the interview and while visiting ArtSpecifier take a look around. It is a very informative and up to date art site for artists and collectors.

Read Complete Article Here

Passing Rain - Ruth Andre

"Passing Storm"

7"x7" Acrylic on Arches Paper

by Ruth Andre

I think fall arrived today. We had our first rain in many months. The air was cool and the wind was pushing the pasture grasses from side to side. As the rain fell I saw a small flock of wild turkeys down with the horses in the pasture. A few of the young turkeys jumped looking totally surprised. Today's rain must have been their first real shower. It was a wild time had by all.

It was also, "A Painting Day".

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Bows and Arrows

"Bows and Arrows"

12"x12" Acrylic on Arches Paper

by Ruth Andre

Give and Take can sometimes go to ruin and become Bows and Arrows. It is a wild time.

It is also, "A Painting Day".

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Manzanita - Ruth Andre

"Manzanita"

6"x6" Oil on Canvas Panel

by Ruth Andre

$95

I live in the back country and the native manzanita bushes line the mountainside as we travel the back road to upcountry. Occasionally I see truckloads of cut manzanita being hauled away. It must be going to a wholesaler that may sell to craft outlets or florists. The red bark is beautiful and and the leaf colors are the palette of old California, muted and desert like. Manzanita seems to be quite tolerant of granite and rocky soils  and can survive with little water. The deer leave it alone and that is really saying something since they want to eat everything they can on our small ranch. Last night a momma deer and her twin fawns found the hay wagon and took on loosening the tarp and having a feast. Hay is close to $20 a bale and each of our horses eats one bale a week. When we lived on our farm in Missouri we had a 20 acre fescue pasture just for the horses. Our hay bill was quite low but here in California with only five acres and just two horses the expense shines each year on the tax form. Our accountant reminds of the animal care costs. We do love our horses.

 It has been, "A Painting Day".

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Moon - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Moon"

4"x4" Hand Painted Papers, Wire, Bead on Panel

by Ruth Andre

$75

The other night after all the house lights had been turned off I walked through the house and the full moon was shining through the back French doors. I could look out to the pasture and see the dark shapes of the horses. The night reminded me of other nights being out with the horses when one was sick and needed to be watched. I did not need a flashlight and could be with the horses without being a total intrusion. The moon collage above is a reminder of these beautiful moon filled nights.

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Feathers - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Feathers"

4"x4" Hand Painted Papers, Bead, Linen on Panel

by Ruth Andre

$75.00 - Summer Sale

Each morning and afternoon the wild turkeys in our neighborhood walk through the horse pasture. There were 11 turkeys this morning. They must sense they are safe here as they browse the ground for bits of hay and grain left by the horses. Our dog, Sadie, pays them no mind and lets them be. I love watching the flock as they position themselves to show who is in charge. The collage today captures the look and colors of wild feathers.

Backyard Vista - Wild Turkeys

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Red 2 Group Show - Ruth Andre

"Ready"

7"x7" Oil-Wax on Paper - Matted 

by Ruth Andre

sold

My painting, "Ready" is in a Group Showing with Gallery 25N

The show is quite interesting with works in many mediums

"In accordance with this shows curator's theme "RED 2" the artist's work selected for this exhibition are in a variety of mediums; painting, drawing, digital art, photography, sculpture, etc. The artwork that is exhibited reflects these artist's interpretations of a subject enhanced through the use of the color red. In the work one can see  how red is used to imply a wide range of emotions and feelings."

Enjoy the show - Gallery 25N

Secret Promise - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Secret Promise"

4"x4" Hand Painted Papers, Linen Thread, Copper Bead on Panel

by Ruth Andre

Summer Sale - SOLD

Today is the beginning of a long Labor Day Holiday. I hope everyone will have a fun and a safe time to  enjoy. I rarely leave the ranch and plan to enjoy the week-end just being at  home. Walking the old road to the creek and watching the wildlife that travels through our small ranch gives me a lot of joy. I talk about the quiet because it is truly very restful here. I have been put on 'Rest" therapy but walking is still something I can do. I did get myself in somewhat of a mess the other day. I went  out to check on my old mare who was down and needed a dose or pain medication. I bent down, forgetting that is a NO-NO and went head over heels and landing on all fours. I hurried away as fast I could thinking the mare might flail her legs and hit me. When My husband found me he was none to happy and gave me a well deserved lecture. Then I thought about the whole mess and started laughing. I was down, the horse was down and neither one of us could get up. I know dark humor sometimes has its place. I had to have help getting up and that made me more than unhappy. Shoot, how did this all happen?  I am healing but my bones have their problems and I need to be careful and mind what I do. If any of you following my blog have osteoporosis I would love to hear what you are doing to make yourself better. I have read and read about medications and therapies and have almost decided nothing works. Any advice would be more than appreciated. By the way Old Mystery took her time but she also got up and started pawing the ground to let us all know she was unhappy and wanted her breakfast of grain and hay. Mystery may just be a little spoiled but at 31 she deserves all the love she can get. Take care.

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Wishing for a Rain Cloud - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

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"Wishing for a Rain Cloud"

4"x4" Painted Handmade Papers, Bead, Wire on Panel

by Ruth Andre

As you know I live in the foothills of northern California. The summers are hot and dry with no or very little rain. This summer we have  not  had a single drop of rain and the fields are heavy with dried almost white grasses. I found myself feeling jealous as I spoke on the phone with a favorite aunt in Kentucky. She said the sky is grey and a big storm is coming. I remember living in the mid-west and feeling the hot temperatures drop when a storm came through. The rain was a blessed event and oh how lovely it was to see the earth soak up the falling water. I found myself wishing for a storm cloud.

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Golden Hills - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Golden Hills"

4"x4" Painted Papers, Embellished Rock, Gold Wire, on Panel

by Ruth Andre

I got to the studio late today. The shadows from the mountains met my view showing the golden hills that surround our small ranch. The grasses are so bleached by the sun they seem to glow. The Summer Sale will go on through September. I will be adding small collage works  here to the "A Painting Day" blog and also to the Daily Painters website. Enjoy the sale by adding a collage work to your art collection.

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Red Door - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Red Door"

4"x4" Hand Painted Papers, Metal Disk, Linen Thread on Panel

by Ruth Andre

$75 - plus shipping

I hit a slump recently and I have been finding it difficult to get myself to walk the short path to the studio. So today I thought I would challenge myself to start a series of small collage works and have them available at a Summer Sale price. The "Red Door" collage is the first of the series. Getting this little one completed got me kicked into gear and I hope to be back into the studio tomorrow so stay tuned.

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Time Travel - Ruth Andre

"Time Travel"

6"x6" Found Papers, Painted Papers, Wire, Bottle Cap and Gold Leaf

by Ruth Andre

$150

This collage may be an entry for a coming Altered Art Show. I have never tried using found objects in a collage so it was interesting working with box paper and an old bottle cap that I found years ago and saved. I would like to compete a couple more altered works to see what finds its way to the finished work. I am enjoying the collage process very much. 

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