Thursday, July 14, 2016

what I'm working on #1: redfish table

How does the art teacher spend the summer? Why, working on projects, of course! I even do projects while we're on vacation!



Each summer my husband and I take our two children to visit family in beautiful Matlacha, Fl (a little island in the Gulf of Mexico). Randy's parents are there, his brother and his family are there, some aunts and cousins are there, and lots and lots of framily (friends that are so close they become family). It's the only time of year we get to see them, so this visit is a pretty big deal. We rent the house next to Randy's parents, and it's awesome. The owners, Mike and Barb Peplinski, are the nicest folks you'd ever want to meet! Each year we do a project or two for them as a thank you for their kindness to our family. This year I painted a coffee table to match the two end tables that I painted for them last summer. 


I painted a snook (left) and a tarpon (right) last summer. Both fish are gorgeous in their own special way, but I'll save that for another day and another post!...


My brother-in-law, Captain Gregg McKee of Wildfly Charters, is an amazing charter fisherman, fish expert, and art critic. As far as brother-in-laws go, mine is the best. Gregg is my go-to-for-everything-you-need-to-know-about-Florida-fish guide. He should be yours too! Not only is he amazing at teaching people how to fish, he also takes incredibly beautiful photographs of the them and it's been an invaluable resourceHe shares his photographs with me so that I can paint them- it's like winning the fish reference lottery if fish are what you like to paint! 


I looked through several photographs of redfish, asked lots of questions...


Check out all of that glitter...


These fish are beautiful, and tasty...


Gregg and Randy are my best critiquers, offering advice on colors to use in the fins and body, the position and curve of the fish I'm painting, and little details that I wouldn't know to look for that a fisherman would notice right away. I'm fortunate to have so many great eyeballs looking at the things I'm making to help me paint my very best!


Florida redfish are one of my absolute favorite fish to paint. Depending on the season, their colors can be darker reddish oranges and rusts or brighter golds and bronzes. If the lighting is just right, you can see blue, green and purple iridescent hints in the fins. They are truly lovely...



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