I have been creating flamboyant, statement jewelry pieces for my upcoming Holiday shows.  Working with huge pearls, druzy quartz stones, ribbons, and rich earthy tones has been a fun change from standing at the easel with paints in hand and on brush.


This first necklace is actually two.  The jade butterfly is a necklace by itself or becomes a pendant look when worn under the eight strands of pearls, jade, and Peruvian andasite which are gathered together with a wide black ribbon.

Fingers of black coral, druzy quartz, lava stones and Chinese coins are gathered together with a ribbon allowing this necklace to be worn short or quite long.

This pearl necklace can be worn long, or doubled.  When it is doubled it looks like three strands of pearls....elegant.

Nine Pie Apples    8" x 24"

As we move through fall, what happens in my studio changes just like what happens in the kitchen changes.   So...I find myself painting fall fruit and cooking with fall fruit and veggies.  I am not sure if the thought of baking apple pies led to Nine Pie Apples, the painting, or the other way around.  I do know that my parents taught me to make delicious apple pies, which started with peeling the apples.  We always tried to take the peel off in one continuous piece and then threw it over our shoulders while making a wish, and I think we then looked at the peel on the floor trying to figure out if it was a letter shape and that letter was indicative of the name of your intended spouse....silly and fun for a young girl!  Just the proper amounts of cinnamon and nutmeg mixed with brown sugar seasoned the apples, and then we always piled the apples high above the pie pan so the pie became a domed, golden work of art.  Every time I bake an apple pie I think of my parents.

What a surprise to have pointed out to me an article about my Tahoe paintings in Tahoe Art and Mountain Culture.  I had no idea..  They show three nice paintings...  all of them are 30" x 48".


Check it out:   http://tahoeculture.com/2009/09/04/tahoe-rocks-by-pamela-hunt-lee-2/

Today I made more small corrections to the painting, adding highlights, a little more glazing with the raw sienna and the chromium green oxide, changing the stems on some of the figs to create visual movement, and painting out the fig on the far right.  

Here you can compare the two compositions, the painting with the fig on the far right and the painting as it now looks without that fig.  It is a much better composition now.  That particular fig created too much weight on the right side of the canvas.  Without it there, the painting is more balanced.  So that is it!  I will paint the sides of the canvas, sign the front of the painting, write the date, title and my name on the back on the stretcher bars, add a wire for hanging, and then it is completely done.  By the way, I never used the yellow orange azo.

Nine Figs on a Board

At this point in the painting I make small corrections while 'living' with it and having the opportunity to critique what is already there.  I have added highlights to the figs and changed the top of one of the figs.  

I just glazed some areas of the figs with raw sienna.  Glazing is a technique that allows you to add a hint of transparent color by watering down the paint so that it is barely there.   I use my fingers for this process so I can rub the glaze onto the area with close control, adding and removing quickly until I achieve the amount of color I desire.

You can see the raw sienna glaze fairly clearly on the  left side of the fourth fig from the right.  Each fig has some of the glaze.  Click on the photo to enlarge, and take a look at the transparent color.

What a beautiful day today.  I had to force myself to stay inside to work on the painting, but once I got started I was 'lost' to the process of painting and time flew by.  Dipping the brush into the paint, applying the paint to canvas, watching the evolution of the painting becomes completely entertaining.  It is the act of painting, the process that is rewarding.


While standing in front of the easel today, I began to paint in the board on which the figs sit.  Using raw umber, raw sienna, phthalo blue and touches of white the board began to take form.

And when I was done with this, I headed out the door to enjoy this gorgeous day knowing that when I return to the easel I will be refining and adding detail.