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

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"

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Let's Talk About Painting....TINTS & ACCENTS

There is so much to talk about when you are talking about painting. So many times I have been asked the question "Where should I place a tint or an accent in my painting?" and "Do I need one ? Are they important"?

Your paintig becomes more alive and exciting when you place tints and accents in it. Notice the tints in the photo at the right. You can probably see them more clearly in the peach.

A tint may be placed anywhere in your painting when you are comfortable and have control of your color. I will generally say you are safer if you place them between the light and dark areas either inside or on an outside edge of your subject.
It helps you achieve a comfortable gradation. Try not to create spots or poka dots.

When my painting is too warm I will place a cool tint and if I feel my painting is too cool I will place a warm tint somewhere.

I generally place an accent (a stronger bolder color) on an outside edge leading into the darker areas. Again a nice gradation into the darker area as well as adding some excitement.

Tints soften and accents create drama or noticeable color.

The dictionary explains a tint as color plus the addition of white.
Sometimes White makes a tint too bright for me and I will soften my color by using something else, maybe a gray, greens or earth yellows.
I look a tint to create softness in my painting.

The dictionary explains an accent as an emphasis or drawing attention to something. Again this is an opportunity to draw attention to or add drama and excitement to your painting.

TINTS & ACCENTS

Notice the tints and accents in the photo at the right.

Lost and Found. What is That?

"Lost and Found", that is what makes the difference. The difference about what I feel about a painting. Depending on the lighting, depending on the distance you cannot always see the entire object. Decorative Painter's seem to want to see everything.

A lost area is one that fades into the background or into whatever it is touching...a leaf...a petal...an apple or whatever. That actually means the values are close together and sometimes it just looks like they are hugging.

On the other hand, a found area is one that is clearly seen, strong contrast, highly defined. Build high contrast on what you want to see first. That's right...you found it. Then work from there.

I think you can have too much of either. That, of course, is my personal feeling. I love movement, graceful movement, in and out.Notice how movement can carry your eye through your painting. Of course whatever you do tells the story of what you see and feel. Sometimes when you are looking for strong drama you might see both,bold contrast and strong faded areas, in the same painting. Don't be afraid to paint what you feel and what you see. Sometimes that happens anyway without even thinking abut it. It can also be fun to really think about what you are painting...the why's and how's.

Some stylized paintings are created by seeing every outside edge, maybe even outlining. That is style and maybe even your style. You see, maybe there is no right or wrong, only what you see , what you feel, and what you like.

Study what is around you. Learn how to paint what you like and enjoy. See if you can locate the lost and found areas in the picture above on the right.

Wild Rose Clippings ...2008

Here is a picture of my clippings this year from a rose bush that was embedded in and around an old tree. I am afraid the bull dozer will be looking to take them in the near future.

P.S. Thank you Thelma for your memories from our wild roses taped on the studio doors. I hope the stories and their beauty live on and on.

Wild Counry Roses...Making and Recalling Memories

Most people drive by them and don't even look. What a tragedy. I have to stop and examine them, drink in their color and the way they hang from the crooked fence post. They are a wonderful sight.

Lynnae and I would go out, at this time, every year and cut them and take them home to Cedar Crest, pile them up, take pictures, make arrangements and dry them for other creations. I would tape them to the back of the doors in my studio at Cedar Crest to dry thoroughly. They would hang there until their next assignment.

One wonderful memory was a student who made a prayer rosery for a friend from our Kansas wild roses buds.

When we moved into town in 2000 we were able to transplant one or two of the bushes that I had been cutting from for so many years and put them into our yard. Someone had purchased the property where they filled the ditches and were twined into the trees around an old house. They were actually getting ready to bull doze them all out. When I asked permission to dig up a few bushes they gladly obliged me not understanding why I wanted them.

My son, Brent, planted them next to a shed at the back of our property in town. They grow very fast and are very hardy, that is why they call them wild. The picture shows them growing today next to my shed. I just look out the windows in my garden room and enjoy every minute of their beauty because they only bloom once a year.

I still love searching for them down the country roads (actually I don't have to search very hard because I know most of the spots where they are growing). I enjoy seeing them in their natural surroundings and I still contine clipping, drying and planning new creations.

I need to also capture my memories with the paint brush. Soon I hope.

(I hope you will read about the Wild Country Roses in my most current Painter's Diary)

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