I always paint a pink one for this month, but Florida’s man many colors have kept me busy. So here is my 2013-14 edition. Sunflowers ending their run. Sennelier watercolor and ink on WC paper.

And for sale, just ask. I have a bunch of watercolors that I would like to sell. Some are older and some are current. Would love comments, critiques too. Thanks. Martha Keim.

Watercolor, coffee, ink on WC postcard (Arches, QoR)

Cazenovia, NY: Valley from Toloa’s house

Here’s the fifteenth ink drawing from a live model session. It took two hours of intense practice, practice, practice to get to here. Pen and ink is great for learning form, while splashing paint (tomorrow’s post) is for learning color.

I shared this one on Facebook the other day and got lots of positive responses, so I’m doing it again. We need more positives now. The world is a mess, all colors, sizes and political practices. We are so polarized in this country that I am sad.

So I stop political rants, yes, again and post or share only art, music and things which feed us.

Ergo, Peace on the day after. Thanks. More to come.

I’m so pissed off about Donald John Trump–AKA the yapping yam–that I am going to repost this spectacularly well-writ piece by Keith Olbermann. All of the attributions are there, the way journalists were taught to use them. As a former journalist–now artist, blogger and ranter–I just cannot stand it anymore! Even an exclamation point!
Wake up, America. Trump is a danger to us all.
Now I need bourbon.
Go watch Broadcast News for the late great Albert Finley. After you watch this video by Keith Olbermann

Celebrating the colors, heat and humidity of Florida. I’ve survived eight months now, including the h0ttest month ever. The natives tell me I will make it. 

Color here is just so HERE. From living in upstate NY and wearing black, seeing gray skies and loving it there to here has been a culture shock. I love, love the hot food, always fresh produce, the choices, and even the nightly fireworks sounds from, I think, Disney. 

We accidentally got caught in the come-hither-purple Disney web the other day. Moving toward the gates, I screamed “No, no no!” But thankfully a worker there told us how to get out. It is a machine, Disney. People like zombies in the heat waiting in line to pay too much money. Enough.

Here’s a work in progress for today.

#worldwatercolormonth

The full moon over our salt lake in the Florida Keys inspired this iPad painting in Procreate app.

We took a complicated road trip last week, involving Key West. Good. And Jeep engine gone. Not good. I got to swim in the ocean and romp with our dog in the ocean. My sweetie and I cooked yellowfin tuna, drank iced coffee and beer.

I painted some, but those are for a later post.

Here is a Key West sunset

Heard it sizzle into the ocean.

This week has been full of adventure: a dead Jeep (being repaired); our first RV trip with Charlie (below) our beloved rescue dog. Charlie is almost as hardheaded as James Michael Pensinger, my first and now last sweetheart.

Charlie goes south. Our handsome rescue dog.

James Michael Pensinger, my beloved, driving our RV down to the Keys. Just because.

A work in progress of a beauty in the Everglades

The old bridge to the Keys, from the seven mile bridge. Whoopeee 

The view from our windshield on Sugarloaf Key. This is a seven-acre saltwater lake.

Now I go out to the day. Stay tuned and thanks for reading. Watercolors await.

Martha

Hello reader,

I have gotten my life back together, am divorced and happily living in Florida (!) with my first–and now last–sweetheart, Michael Pensinger. Even entered Watercolor Artist annual competition. I was a finalist in 2014, so I’m gonna brag, just a little and post it here. 

Watercolor painting is interesting down here. I paint outside our home on wheels (RV) and sometimes need to take paintings inside to dry. Humidity is a factor. Anyway, that’s all for today with my 2014 painting:

Feeder fodder for the birds, donated to the children’s center for an auction fundraiser. 

This is a quartersheet watercolor, taken into Paper53 to add the orange. I can’t decide if I want to add the orange in real paint. Any observations are welcome. I think this painting has something to do with the heat and humidity here in Florida where I live. The colors here and the stretching blue skies are whelming, maybe overwhelming at first. It rains every afternoon lately so we get all kinds of sky shows.

Thanks, as always. Martha Keim (-used-to-be-St.-Louis)

I am happy to have donated five 4″ by 4″ inch watercolors to the Just Add Water exhibit at the Kirkland Art Gallery in tiny Clinton, NY. The hook for me was Golden QoR watercolors. Participating artists were given QoR sample packs and paper. Great fun to be splashing and flinging on small sheets. Thanks to Linda Bigness for inviting me.

And here they are:

They are only $20 apiece. All proceeds go to KAC.

Thanks for looking.

Martha Keim (-used-to-be St. Louis)

All the years I lived in NY I had not ridden in a canal boat. Visited recently. Proof below.

I just sold a painting from View Arts in Old Forge, NY! Show ends Memorial weekend with a Saturday reception. Forgive me if this has posted twice.

There are only five left. Thanks for reading.

Here are some pics from the air show, Sun n’ Fun, in Lakeland, Florida. Unique to me is the range of true airplane zealots I met. Ages range to ancient from young and hopping. And hoping. The first photo is me ready for my first flight in a light sport plane. I’m in love.

   
Next is my long morning shadow, inspired by my friend, Bro Brian Zampier (ABZ)

 
The third on is the wonderful man who rescued me from NY and abuse. He’s in love with this neon green beaut.

Something entirely new and foreign happened to me this week. I found myself at an enormous (10,000 people) fly-in at the Lakeland County, FL airport. Met home-built pilots, vintage plane pilots, lots and lots of veterans of three or four wars, young soldiers, Royal Air Force cadets from Canada. All had everything from teeny teeny planes to enormous jets. All were airplane zealots (junkies). And everyone was happy talk with me and anyone who listened.

It was a friendly, laid-back group, no thievery among pilots. Saw aerial acrobatics, blue Angels, precision teams and more. There is airplane noise from about 6 a.m. To long past dark. Yup, ready for some quiet. Laughed till my jaws ached. We camped in an live oak grove of trees with a mixture of tents, motor coaches, pull-behind campers. Showers nearby. All of the comforts of home.

I hitched my first ride and will post pix next week when we have wifi again. Thanks for reading.

The newly-minted airplane junkie.

This one watercolor began as a lovely sunset. Morphed into “Escape.” I guess my feelings still come out of my brush. Using Qor by Golden is the best. On Arches cold pressed paper.

And then you die. I am actually better than I sound.Have escaped an abusive marriage, in process.

I saw my first Gulf sunset. One off my bucket list.

  
Next, airplanes and drawing. The colors where I live are remarkable. Blues, reds, roses, peaches, apples and cherry trees in bloom, flowers I haven’t even learned yet. I have painted some while recovering. Thanks to everyone who has hung with me.

Martha

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,400 times in 2015. If it were a cable car, it would take about 40 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Is this one a fiery sunset or the onset of winter?
  

I feel like painting, despite the turmoil of my life. That’s a good thing. Watercolor on paper, 11×15. $250 shipped flat, braced, no mat or frame. Please and thank you.

We rescued this handsome guy from a high-kill shelter. He turns out to be a purebred smooth-coated 

St. Bernard. He was five months old and starving, having been locked in a car when he was found. From 57 ponds, he is about 80 ponds now at almost seven months. Big baby.