Saturday, March 31, 2012

Dear Blogger lady,
Where can I go shopping for gifts in Alexandria that is charming, convenient, and has something for everyone?
Befuddled in Bethesda

Dear Befuddled,
That's easy! Shop at A Show of Hands in fabulous Del Ray! Head on over to Mt. Vernon Avenue.
Now that was easy!
Blogger Lady

PS This painting awaits you at A Show of Hands: Three Roses, Oil, 10" x 8", by Patricia Uchello

Parker: The Man and The Machine!

Parker Climbs Aboard His Ride

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Cherry Blossom Time

Weeping Cherry in Alexandria



   I have favorite trees. Do you? This is my favorite weeping cherry tree. It has wide arms, and a graceful shape. 

Miller Times Three

The Three Miller Girls
Dear Imaginary Friend,

If you were my immediate family, you might be in this picture. These are my two sisters and myself, posing for a photo op. A certain young lady is getting married, and Susan and I threw her a shower.

Too bad you were not there to help us devour the massive chocolate mousse cake. So, I am thinking it is probably your fault that I ate too much of it. Yes, that is definitely why.

See you next time!

Your Imaginary Friend,
Patsie

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Shriners in Tiny Cars

In Old Town Alexandria at this year's George Washington parade
Dear Imaginary Friends,

Why do Shriners climb into tiny little red sports cars, and fly around like bats out of hell? For that matter, why are there people calling themselves Shriners?
It is one of life's mysteries.

Your Imaginary Friend,
Patsie

Parker Looks Strangely Hungry!

Dear Imaginary Friends,
Somebody seems to be very hungry!
Your Imaginary Friend,
Patsie

River Farms, in Progress

I started working on this painting back in October, and this photo shows it still in progress. What needs work?The sky and the tree.

Friday, March 23, 2012

The George Washington Day Parade in Old Town

Marching and Firing!Take Aim.

Sara Poly Teaching Landscapes at The Art League

One of my very favorite teachers at The Art League is Sara Poly.


 On the left is a painting she has finished. On the right, she recreates the steps she took to get to that point.
Inspiring!

Patsie

Monday, March 19, 2012

Cute Duo

Cute Duo
Dear Imaginary Friends,

Here is Auntie Susan visiting baby Parker in his playroom. Don't they make a cute pair?

Your Imaginary Friend,
Patsie

Study of Chrysanthemums

Study of Chrysanthemums
Dear Imaginary Friends,

Here is my recent painting-- an oil , 16 x 16", of pink chrysanthemums and yellow carnations. It is a study done in tones of the three primary colors: Red, yellow and blue. It can be a lot of fun painting fast and loose like this.
Sometimes, I prefer to paint with precision and other days I prefer to do loose impressionistic studies like this one.

Your painter,
Patsie


Camouflage Kitty

Sugarplum, Incognito

Dear Imaginary Friends,

Perhaps you are familiar with the chameleon, an interesting lizardlike creature, who reflects the color of his surroundings, as a survival technique. The chameleon brings to mind soldiers wearing camouflage.

Meet Sugarplum, the Mata Hari of felines. She blends into her silky surroundings.

Where does the faux fur throw start and Sugarplum end?She could tell you, but then she would have to kill you.

Meow.
Patsie

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Blueberry Pie

Blueberry Pie, Oil, 12 x 16"

This is one of my new delicious paintings. MMM.
Nine out of ten dietitians agree that it is healthier to paint a pie than to eat a pie.

Ten Thousand And Counting

Dear Imaginary Friends,

I have now passed the ten thousand hits threshold. Wow.  That threshold is not truly significant; I don't win a prize, or money or anything. But it makes me feel good, anyway.

Thank you for reading my blog! You are all invited to my house for a huge party February 29, 2013. What's that, you say? Next year, there is no leap year and ergo, no February 29? Details, shmetails. (Saves me a lot of money this way!)

Thanks,
Your Imaginary Friend,
Patsie

Chocolate Donuts: What's Not to Love?

A recent tiny painting of mine, small, but mighty in calories!
"The Chocolate Donut", 5" x 7", Oil

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

White on White

The Set Up
                      What I painted today at The Art League. One feels like one has gone color blind!
           How does one paint white on white compositions? With small nuances of color.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Are Artists Any Crazier than Anyone Else?

Dear Imaginary Friends,

I had the pleasure of viewing the play Red at Arena Stage this Sunday. Red is a play about Mark Rothko, a prominent color field artist. The title relates to Rothko's rage and his emotional nature, as well as a common color theme of his work.

Rothko's work, despite his difficult personality, was widely regarded as transcendent. In the right lighting, it had an intensity reminiscent of a religious experience. When the Seagram's Building was erected in Manhattan, it became home to the very exquisite Four Seasons Restaurant, well-known for the cognoscenti that have always favored it.

The artist had a considerable painting commission from Phillip Johnson, the famous architect who designed the Seagram Building, to provide Rothko's massive color fields to be hung on the walls of the restaurant. Since Rothko was infamous for his principles, and his unwillingness to sell out or go commercial, it is no surprise that Rothko sent the check back, and instead installed the famed paintings at a special Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas.

At the end of his life, his work was no longer the hottest trend. Instead, Pop Art rose in importance, thanks to Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenburg, Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, and Roy Lichtenstein.

Rothko slit his wrists and died at his own hand, having lost his prominence and his wife, who left him.

Your Imaginary Art Historian,
Patsie

Van Gogh: Who Knew?


FAMILY TREE OF VINCENT VAN GOGH
Dear Imaginary Friends,
We have all heard of the crazy Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, who cut off his ear. Being crazy usually gets you way more sales. (Yes, I am thinking about enhancing my rep as a crazy! But not cutting off my ear.)
But did you know that he had all these relatives?

His dizzy aunt ----------------------------------------------- Verti Gogh
The brother who ate prunes------------------------------- Gotta Gogh
The brother who worked at a convenience store ------ Stop N Gogh
The grandfather from Yugoslavia ----------------------------- U Gogh
His magician uncle -------------------------------- Where-diddy Gogh
His Mexican cousin ---------------------------------------- A Mee Gogh
The Mexican cousin's American half-brother ------------ Gring Gogh
The nephew who drove a stage coach --------------- Wells-far Gogh
The constipated uncle ------------------------------------- --Can't Gogh
The ballroom dancing aunt --------------------------------- Tang Gogh
The bird lover uncle --------------------------------------- Flamin Gogh
An aunt who taught positive thinking ------------------ Way-to-Gogh
The little bouncy nephew ------------------------------------ Poe Gogh
A sister who loved disco -------------------------------------- Go Gogh
The brother with low back pain-------------------------Lum Bay Gogh
And his niece who travels the country in an RV --- Winnie Bay Gogh
I know your're smiling . . .. there ya Gogh!!!!!
Patsie

Monday, March 5, 2012

Saturday Night Live Spoofs Sarah Palin

Dear Imaginary Friends,

I am not the only rabid fan of Saturday Night Live. The Newseum loves the show so much that they have an exhibit devoted to the costumes worn by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler when they did their hilarious send ups of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton.
See above. Thanks, Newseum!!

Your Imaginary Friend,

Patsie