Mary Jo Leisure

Keeping In Touch

Newsletters.....Links.....Comments.....Requests

Keeping involved, keeping in touch helps keep decorative art alive for each one of us.

Encouragement through sharing keeps it all exciting. I am always interested in hearing from you, your ideas, your accomplishments, your hopes and desires. The avenue through the computer has opened doors for this.

Comments

Let's Talk About Painting.....My Palette

It has been awhile since I've been in the paint so I guess I just have a strong need io talk about it. Maybe this will help until I am able to hold the brush again. Let's talk about my palette, what I feel and what I see. Wow! That is a big bite.

I love to see the color on the palette and to watch it change. First off I am a brush mixer...Don't let that scare you. Actually brush mixing is so free and you can learn so much from it. I use small amounts of paint (most of the time anyway) and consider myself a dry brush blender.....AND I love detail and and subtle soft colors. The main thing is to know how to create what you like and express what you feel.

Generally speaking I use a limited palette. I will go back and see if I can find some photo's of old palette's so you can get an idea.

These are the colors I most generally start with........Cad. Lemon (acool Yellow), Yellow Ochre or Yellow Ochre Light, Raw Sienna, Alizarin Crimson (Winsor Newton a cool red), Ivory Black, Titanium White. About 6 colors, I do use additional colors depending on what I am painting. Brands matter sometimes. I have not found a good substitute for Winsor Newton Alizarin Crimson. More important is understanding temperature and how oo adjust and change it....boldly or subtley.

Rule of thumb things to remember........
* When loading your brush be firm going into the paint 5 or 6
times in the same place before adding the next
color on your brush. Keep your puddles flat, smooth (not
ridgy), and dry.
* Load one side of your brush only (don't keep turning it over)
* Remember what you are doing is blending on your palette.
* Dry wipe lightly before going into the next color
* Go back and forth into the colors (Don't turn
your brush over)
Oops.....I am not trying to tell you what to do only what I do.
Watch the colors change in both puddles. Exciting.

Example: Alizarin Crimson + Lemon Yellow
Yellow puddle will turn to Orange.
The more Alizarin you add the
stronger the Orange becomes.
The Alizarin puddle starts to become
warmer as Yellow is added io the Alizarin
puddle.
If you dry wipe your brush and go into the White
puddle you will make either a warm or cool Pink
depending on how much Red or Yellow you have on
your brush. When you take the light Pinks into
the darker mixtures they can create values between
the light and dark. In fact numerous values and
even temperature changes when you add something new.
It only takes a touch of color to chane temperature,
values and intensities.

All at once everything starts changing and becomes exciting. Don't forget to look,see, and experience what is happening. I love to see the gradations and the movements.

Sometimes I might try different yellows into the cool red (Alizarin Crimson)....then Whites to lighten....then greens to dull and soften. Next watch for some bold contrast....rich darks (Alizarin plus Black or Green)(Black ro cool Green to warm)....bright lights
(warm green plus White). Next I need a tint to lay between (something clean and subtle. All this requires wiping the brush often and not cleaning with turp. More excitement.

I love to see an accent or splash of yellow in almost everything. Especially in a cool painting. I have found that a good balance of temperature makes you painting stand out.

You can see it on your palette. Take a good look. Get excited. Enjoy your palette.

Pat Bobko with the Christmas Drawing

Pat lives in Dugald, Manitoba, Canada. I asked her a few questions about painting. I want you to meet her and share that conversation with you. It took us a while to get this painting across the border with customs but we finally made it and here she is holding it.

Pat has been painting about 5 years. Her Ringette team had a Christmas party and gift exchange and the gift she received was a snowman scene painted on a paint can. Many can probably relate to this same kind of thing happening to them. This teammate got her started. She took a few lessons and then would get together with friends and paint once a week trying different things and teaching one another. She enjoys painting animals, painting on rocks and painting things for her garden. She branched into oil painting through Willow Wolfe.

I was curious about two things....What was Ringette and what was Willow Wolfe.

1. Ringette is a Canadian game first introduced in 1963 in North Bay, Ontario.
Developed originally for girls, ringette is a fast-paced team sport on ice in which players use a straight stick to pass, carry, and shoot a rubber ring to score goals.

2. Will Wolfe (also known as Willow Krauchi) is a local teacher in Winnipeg who has written three painting books. (Beautiful Birds, Birds and Flowers and Garden Birds). She travel teaches throughout Canada and the US.

Congratulations Pat Bobko, You Won!

Today, December the 22nd is the day I set for the drawing. Pat Bobko won the painting. I thought you all might like to see it before I ship it off. I have already informed Pat that she was the winner. When I hear back from her I will tell you more about her.
It was exciting for me to be able to give something of myself to someone else. I hope I can give away another painting in the same manner as a Christmas Gift next year.

A Dessert Waiting To Be Shared

This is a beautiful dessert. A friend shared the recipe with me several years ago and I have always had wonderful comments when I served it. It is good for anytime of the year but so pretty at Christmas time because of its color and unique height. Put your pie plate on a pedestal and then surround it with holly and a small string of lights. Lights always attract attention but the two together can't be beat. Don't forget how important it is to add a Christmas painting close by. This pie needs to be made ahead, frozen, and waiting to make an entrance for guests.

MILE HIGH STRAWBERRY PIE

Mix in a large bowl:
1 pkg. frozen strawberries
1 cup of sugar
2 egg whites
Beat for 5 minutes at high speed. (Do not cheat on this time)
Fold in 1 pint or more of whipped cream or a carton of Cool Whip.
Put into a baked pie shell and then freeze.

A Pretty Salad for Christmas Day or Anytime

This is something you can do ahead of time and then it is ready to enjoy whenever you need it.

Remember when you are setting your table incorporate some of your painting somewhere. You will have a beautiful and rememberable occasion.

FROZEN FRUIT SALAD

Mix together..................
1 can Cherry Pie Filling
4 bananas mashed
1 can apricot halves (chop & drain)
1 can Queen Ann Cherrie's (drained)
Mix together...............
1 cup sour cream and 1 carton Cool Whip
Fold into fruit mixture...............
add 1 tsp. almond flavoring.

Put in a 9x13 pyrex dish. Freeze.
When it is frozen it is ready for guests.

Christmas from my Kitchen

This is a nice hot and pretty tea to serve when guest drop in. Festive for the holidays.

CRANBERRY TEA

1 Quart Cranberry Juice
1 48 oz. can Pineapple Juice
1 small can frozen Orange Juice
1 1/2 Tablespoon Real Lemon Juice
2 cups sugar
1 cup red hots
12 cloves and cinnamon sticks
4 quarts water
Combine 1 quart water, 2 cups sugar, add red hots and spices.
Cook until red hots are dissolved
Add juice and 2 quarts water.
Heat.
Can make ahead and keep in the refrigerator to have ready when guests drop in. Just heat and serve in clear glass mugs.

Baking For Christmas

This has always been a special time in our kitchen at Christmas time. Three of our children and their families live in Texas so we don't always get to see them at this time of year. So whoever is here we cook their favorites.

Here is one of our favorite snacks. I am sure you are pulling your favorites out as well.

I will add a new recipe every few days during the holidays. Hope you will keep visiting us.

WHITE CHRISTMAS SNACK (pretty and good)
4 cups Frosted Shredded Wheat Cereal
4 cups straight thin pretzels
4 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups broken Cashews or nuts of your choice
2 - 4 cups Rice Chex Cereal
2 cups dried cranberries
1 pkg. White Almond Bark

Mill all ingredients except Almond Bark.
Melt the Almond Bard slowly. When melted add to other ingredients. Mix well. Turn out on Alumnum Foil or Parchment Paper. When set (a couple of hours)break into smaller pieces and seal in air tight container to store. Enjoy.

Sharing the Joy

This is a picture of the piece I taught during the class Kerry and I shared. I always encourage students to think creatively about how they might use the pieces they paint. I plan to use this project as a dessert charger. I have now painted two so now it will be fun to share dessert with someone else. I found 2 green dishes that will serve as parfait glasses. I found them at the Country Auction.
Now I have a conversation piece. Check out my Painter's Diary...
"A Country Auction, No. 93."/www.maryjoleisure.com/diary.asp

Sharing Kerry's Project

Isn't this beautiful. I told you about her project in my Painter's Diary. Go back and read "It's Hot , It's Beautiful, It's Hot"

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