50 paintings in 45 days? Oh my!

Hello and welcome to my new blog! I've been thinking about doing an art blog for quite a while, but had a hard time thinking of an opening topic. Well, the topic has arrived. I signed up to do 50 paintings in 45 days for Corning's 171 Cedar Arts Center Mosaic Show and fundraiser. I found out about the call for artists about a day before the deadline and signed on. The next thing was to think of a theme. Since I love looking at clouds and skies, and love painting these I thought I'd stick with what I know. So my theme is "Sky Gazing."

A week ago I picked up the 6x6 wood panels. 50 is lot when you see them!

I sealed them all, and gessoed a couple. This took a few days with the drying times between layers. Since I used a brush to gesso, the first panels were quite smooth and difficult to paint on.

I still managed to do these, one a day.

While doing these I decided that the surface was too smooth. I got a little roller and tried to gesso some boards with this. Much better! So the first gesso layer is brushed, and next 2 layers rolled on. I like the surface, so that is how the rest will be. I have a supply of about 10 boards completely prepared, enough to get me started. I also did a bunch of thumbnail sketches with ideas for paintings. Clouds, sun rises, sun sets are all included, but there is more to see in the sky. 

I couldn't help putting this one in too, specially after the news of the week.

There will have to be days with 2 paintings, and today I did these;

One week in, 6 done, 44 more to go.... this is going to be a challenge! In a good way. As long as I keep the momentum going. Between a part-time job, chores, yard work, and peonies that are begging to be painted too.... I got this!