Digital Cupcakes Version #1
Size: 6 x 8
Medium: Giclee



Still taking stock and reviewing my situation, but meanwhile here's an update.

I have been in the mood for a camping trip...in a small travel trailer....to an idyllic, country setting, maybe the woods of northern California...where I would set up my paints and enjoy the fresh, tree-filled air. Perhaps it's because my friends Kate and Gerard tell me about their lovely backpacking trips to mountain meadows in Idaho. Perhaps it's all the reading I do on the TinyHouse blog. But alas, such a trip is not a possibility just now. But a field trip, a day of painting in the country, this I can do.

Tuesday in the last few hours of the afternoon and again Wednesday morning, I set out with picnic, canvas, brushes, paint tubes, sketches, container of water, rags and of course, a cup of tea. I was heading for a spot with trees, the sound of a bubbling creek, the songs of birds, the glimpse of wildlife, the scent of the earth and a comfortable place to sit, where I would be undisturbed. In less than 60 seconds I was there....on my own tree-filled-canyon balcony.

The bubbling creek was my water fountain but the rest was actual country. The piece I worked on was in response to a challenge on the Different Strokes painting blog. Not a plein air scene, as you might expect. But cupcakes! The timing was perfect.

Neighbor-friends were recently married and they like cupcakes. Although the invitation strictly forbade gifts, I thought that I would give them some special cupcakes as a "non-wedding present". But when cupcakes served as their wedding cake it seemed redundant. Besides, the new pastry shop I had in mind suddenly closed. A casualty of the times I think. Then came this painting-challenge and I decided to paint cupcakes for them that I would also enter into the challenge.

Looking through all the entries, I wanted to do something different than any I saw and that would also appeal to the newlyweds. I decided to paint two pieces. One in oils on canvas and one digital piece, using only my clumsy mouse as my drawing tool. I am halfway through the painting and I am on my second version of the digital piece. Unfortunately, I discovered later that the challenge is closed to digital art. But as it is a style I like I will continue to work on it.

It has been lovely painting outside and I plan to continue as long as my canvases are small and the weather is perfect.