DJ Geribo

Fine Artist

On My Easel

This is where I will discuss my current art projects. Although I paint in a variety of mediums, I do almost always use an easel whether I am painting acrylics, oils, pastels, or other medium (unless the canvas is a miniature that I can hold in my hand).

Great Blue Heron in oils

Great Blue Heron in oils by DJ Geribo - in progress

When I recently mentioned to a friend that I wanted to try working with regular oils, she gave me a few of her older oil paints to get me started. Then I was visiting my sister and she dug out her oils, which she said she will never use since the smell bothers her, and gave me those as well. So, I've ended up with a good beginning to oils and after using them for a few weeks, I know which ones I need or need more of and which ones I have to replace since I cannot (nor can my husband) remove the cap from the tube. I also remember, as with water-soluble oils, that I have to be patient and wait in between layers. Which means, I'll be working on two or three at a time or work with one of the other mediums that I paint in.

This is my first attempt with the regular oils - a great blue heron. I'm having trouble with some of the detail since he was quite a distance away from me when I took the photo, but that should work ok for me since my style has become a looser one, more impressionistic, which I have been developing over the last few years. I just worked on him today so I'm at a waiting point and will be looking at him over the next few days to see where I want to go with this.

 

 

Mini Cedar Waxwings

Cedar Waxwing couple acrylic painting by artist DJ Geribo

 

A few years ago I had several frames made up in a variety of sizes. One of the sizes was to fit a 3"x5" canvas board. Since that size is so tiny, I thought it needed something more so included a linen frame insert to offset the painting from the actual frame. I really like the way they came out and they do accentuate the paintings much more.

This is one that I finished yesterday and that I will be including in my solo show at the Libby Museum in July this year. I painted it in acrylics. I was fortunate to get several photos of cedar waxwings as they passed through our neighborhood, which they usually do during the late winter months. I'm guessing they are traveling to someplace warmer!

 

Chipmunk Eating Cherry

 

Chipmunk Eating Cherry by artist DJ Geribo

When my sister-in-law and her family were camping on a lake in NH where we live, Jim and I spent an afternoon with them, enjoying the outdoors and the nearby wildlife. This little guy was obviously a seasoned resident and came right over to us, fearlessly. We happened to be eating cherries so shared a couple with him. He quickly picked it up and started eating, ripping the skin back to get at the ripe, sweet fruit. He sat, eating with us, as if a member of the family. I almost expected him to join in conversation but after having his share of the fruit, he ran off, obviously to the next family, looking for, perhaps, a little after-dinner dessert.

 

 

Maine Coon Cat

 

Maine Coon Cat in AcrylicsI took a photo of a friend's cat a few years ago and recently came across the digital photo while looking through my extensive digital photo library. Such a pretty cat, and such a good poser (I have found that cats are much better at posing than dogs are).

This painting worked up quickly - I got in and got out and before I knew it, the painting was complete and I liked what I did. That doesn't always happen, but it is only 5"x7", one of my favorite small sizes to paint. And of course, acrylics allow me to finish a painting in one sitting, also.

 

Pan Pastels....on Suede!

I've just discovered suede as a surface for using pastels. I started using pastel pencils with either my fingers or a styrofoam peanut for blending. But then I thought this would be a great surface for the pan pastels. I've used the pan pastels on a rougher paper and I wouldn't recommend it - the rough surface is not kind to the Sofft covers that are used with the Sofft knives when applying the pan pastels. But the suede surface is perfect! The Sofft covers do all the work of blending the colors and you can keep adding layers and layers. I haven't used my regular soft pastels on the suede yet but I really like the pan pastels with it and may just stick with that.

To see pan pastels on suede, look at my moose painting in progress in my blog entries.

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