a quiet afternoon post

Greetings from the confines of the best studio in the world. Not really, but a girl can dream. :)

It is so great to be able to paint at night and not worry about bats or trouble makers showing up- not to mention those noisy ghosts! Even though I have been here for a year, the studio is only half way finished. The pool table has been gone for a while now, but the piano is only half way out of here. Working on some storage solutions, first, a way to safely store large paintings, which we have not completely figured out. Rick and I did design a wonderful table for the studio, and I am looking forward to building it as soon as these holidays are over. The table was actually my design that Rick was able to realize with the help of his 3d building expertise. It offers a large 4x8 foot work surface that, at 39 inches, is a little taller than traditional counter height. Three more table tops under the first one offer plenty of flat file storage. There is no hurry though, I can work in it just fine like it is.

I have been playing with mediums and learning a lot. Playing with color and learning more. New studio loves: arches oil paper, the beautiful panels I found at utrecht.

Anyway, I really wanted to say "Happy Holidays" to all of my friends. Love, Lori

End of Vacation

It has been a busy week. Rick was home and Norma was gone. We have visited several friends in the last week- two reunions, one good by dinner and a museum. I have a big painting on the easel that should be done this week. It is a 4 foot square painting of Crystal lake, full of blinding light. I will try to add a picture tomorrow

The support is nice, even if it is canvas instead of linen. I stretched this over a heavy duty stretcher bar using some nice brass tacks, then used rabbit skin glue and a nice oil primer. I have been making my own supports for many years, and am very particular about the materials used.

Good turpentine is good.

Everyone remembers vics vapo rub, but do you know that one of it's main ingredients is turpentine? (it is a part of that good smell). Turpentine can also be found in lipstick and many other everyday products that no one is afraid of.

I use turpentine. Not the crappy kind that comes out of China though. Instead of tapping living trees to make the good stuff- China has been grinding up the whole tree- stumps and all. Then they boil it and do who knows what to it.

"Just imagine what sort of maple syrup you would get if you boiled up roots, branches and leaves."
~ Rob Howard

If you have smelled any of this, it would be understandable to think that turpentine stinks. This bad stuff is really bad for you- and unfortunately it has the same name as the good kind. People read the health warnings about the bad stuff and think that it applies to all of it- it does not.

You are welcome to stop by my studio and smell my good turpentine. Compare it to the the crap that you buy at the hardware store, and too often lately, even at the art supply store. Mine smells so good that I defy anyone to complain- unless they just like complaining.

You can buy some of Studio Products great smelling turpentine here.