Montana Artworking by Cindy Betka

It seems that the day goes by and I ask myself, 'what did I do today?'. Before you know it the year is at an end. These days, other tasks are taking up the day to a point of having no time for art. However, I did manage to sneak in bits of time here and there for this remake of a painting. My motivation was a need for a larger painting on one of our walls. The idea and planning of the composition was formulating in my mind for awhile. I did not do much in the way of sketches, I just had to dig right into mucking around the paint. Leaves Afloat,  24" X 40", diptych, oil on wood panels

Primavera Primavera (Italian word meaning "Spring"), is a large tempera painting by the Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli painted in early 1480s. ‘Alla Prima’ The wet-on-wet technique, or alla prima (Italian, meaning at once), is used mostly in oil painting. Claude Monet, soleil levant (Sunrise), 1872, oil, Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris. Au Premier Coup The French term au premier coup (at first stroke/direct painting). When painting with watercolors, this (wet in wet) technique must be used with careful planning and patience. Usually it is unpredictable, but sometimes the results are wonderful. With loads of practice the frustrating accident will turn into rather nice results. Winslow Homer Stowing Sail, 1903 (The Art Institute of Chicago) James McNeill Whistler Sea and Sand: Domburg 1900 Pasta Primavera Pasta made with fresh spring vegetables. Too bad we are not in spring yet. Winter hasn’t even officially begun. Recipe - this is...