My Koi Pond

Well, I have not posted in a life time it seems. Sorry. I am still working on my Master of Fine Art Online at the Academy of Art University. So far it has been a 6 year adventure. I have 3 more classes to go, which means I will finish up my degree May of 2013.

Last summer I was painting my Koi pond which accidentally became a water lily pond with no Koi to be seen. Well, 3 weeks ago I began cleaning out the pond and realized that the stems of the water lilies were as large as my bicepes and not easy to remove as they were 5 feet deep and completely filled the pond. No wonder I could not see the Koi!!!!! Last night I finally got to the bottom of the pond!!!!!  Today I will patch a couple of small holes and refill the pond. My fish need to be back in the pond ASAP as this weekend is supposed to be hot. No paintings in the past 3 weeks....just pond, next week I will be back to painting and my "Still Life Class". I am excited!

Slow Death

"Slow Death"

Since my blog has been acting strange I have not been posting much. I have not been able to post an image in a long time. I am trying again.

The image is an oil and was done as a collage 1st then painted in oil on a 24" X 48" I think. It is an anti smoking social comment.

Weeks ago I got a white and black polka dot rain boots with a pink lining. I got them at a garage sale for $2.00. I just love them!! They a such a blessing. I wear them to walk the dog and they keep my feet dry even on my muddy studio road!! Yah!!!

Nana on the day of her promise

Demo Lodi Art Center Last Tuesday

Well, This is displaying in a strange way. Hope it posts correctly. These are the steps I have taken on my Lodi Art Center Demonstration painting. I am not done yet. I still have more sutle revisions and adjustments of color to make.

Newest Revisions on my book

I am hoping this is the final revision.

Paintings of Farming and Ranching An Artist's Journey by Marilyn R. Eger | Make Your Own Book

New Website: marilyneger.net

Sorry, I have been so busy with the 2 masters classes, that I have not been posting here.

I did get my web site launched. It is marilyneger.net

Waterlilies, Oil, 36" X 48"

Well, sorry it has been so long since I posted. This is a painting that I finished in May. June 10th my Daughter, Son in law and 4 granchildren arrived, so I have been to busy to worry about my blog. Sorry, I see them, maybe every 3 to 5 years and they definately came 1st!!!!! We had a great time, they little guys helped me plant my garden and were great at using the lemon squeezer and master Smoothie makers!!! They were so creative!!! We made clay whistles and 2 did pastels. My Jerry got me 3 new doves and I didn't have them 2 days and one flew the coup when I was giving them fresh water. Well, a miracle happened. Jerry was in the vineyard and saw the dove, caught it and brought it back to me! That was totally amazing. I am doing 2 Academy classes right now and am a bit stressed about it. My dear computer has been a bit strange and may go in to the shop if it does not straighten up and fly right.

Cool Anger, pastel 5.5" X 5.5 "

This is another small pastel I did a few weeks back. The ranch had another breakin, this time the stole all the copper wire in the well so the ranch has not had water to the house in a few weeks. Hopefully the electrician will have it fixed next week.  My Advanced Placement students finally got all their digital images sent to the college board so I can stop worrying about them. Only about 2 weeks before my Academy class is over and 3 weeks till school is out, then I can ....maybe do some painting for myself just for fun. A novel thought. Well, I am going to go read a book and be grateful for my life with all that it has and does not have. I am blessed. Later!!

Dreads and Drama 2, 5.5"X5.5", pastel

This is a little pastel that I have submitted to a couple of shows. It was not done for a class. I started it while supervising detention at the high school...continued it in the orthodontists office....more at my friends house while we had coffee. I have 2 other little tiny guys in progress. I will post them as they are done. I worked on them while my husband was in for surgery. (I bet they never had anyone as messy as me in their waiting room before!!!) I worked more on my waterlily painting this morning. Yesterday I was so frustrated...I was not sure I ever wanted to paint again! What was I thinking. The waterlily painting is 36" X 48" and no matter what I did, I got glare and could not see the painting to continue to paint. Well, today I was rested, with a clear mind, I lowered the painting and rotated it to it's side and the glare was minimal so I began painting again. I started to feel better. I remembered back to the days that I just painted to make me happy. I need more of that. Mostly this painting is for me.

Oh, poor Diana still has not got her pastel that I sent to Germany as they are holding it in customs!! It is a gift!!!! Please!!!! I even put that it was a gift on the customs form. The people in customs probably think I am nuts for giving it as a gift but Diana is a very special exchange daughter. When I had my mysectomy she came back to the USA to see me and encourage me. What a dear young woman she is. Wish I could have hand delivered it, that would have done my spirits good!! Customs...IT IS A GIFT!!!!!!! YES, THE PASTEL PORTRAIT OF PHILLIP IS A GIFT!!!!! Sorry, yes, I was yelling at the customs people!

Race with the Rabbit, oil 6" X 6"

This cute little rabbit is actually a ceramic figurine with very worn gold leaf. It was so cute that I had to have it. The little square bottle was one of my many garage sale finds. The flowers are oleanders and if you did not know, they are poisonous, but pretty! I worked out on the ranch with Jerry today checking the drip lines and flushing out all the ends. My poor Jerry started feeling bad. He got a terrible headache and nausious. He is napping now. I hope it makes him feel better. I also painted on the "Waterlilies" a bit more early this morning. If anyone wants to check out some cool lecture notes from one of Richard Schmid's lectures go here: http://artofrodrigo.blogspot.com/2011/04/richard-schmid-lecture-notes.html Richard Schmid is just excellent. I know I need to locate his landscape book. Later!!! Enjoy the sun! Click Here to Bid

Red Tractor Seat with No Butt Reflected Oil 6"X6" Eger

This is one of my many tractors from my farming and ranching series. I am working on a 36" X 48" oil painting of waterlilies in the studio. It is about 80% done. I am hoping to have it finished in the next couple of weeks. I am working on edge control and color temperature on it now. My spring Academy class will be over the middle of May so I need to focus. This summer I will be attempting 2 Academy classes for the 1st time in 5 years of taking classes. Wish me luck, I may need it!!  Click Here To Bid

Pam's Palms, oil 6" X 6"

I did this little guy on Thursday after work down in Turlock, Ca. with the Central Valley Suncatchers. The wind was blowing and my beautiful brand new Kevin McPherson Pochade easel was thrown to the ground an slightly damaged but I felt alive and happy!!!!  Enjoy!

"Phillip", pastel, 18" X 24" Done

Well, it took me 9 monthes but I finally finished the pastel of Phillip and shipped it to Germany this last Monday. I made some changes in the background and quieted down the reflected light in the hat and jacket since the last posting. I threw my back out a week ago and 2 trips to see Dr. Toni Reynolds, (my Chiropractor) I am finally starting to feel a lot better. I am very tired...I am thinking that maybe I am not drinking enough water. Sorry, I have been very negligent about posting lately. I did not get any work in Pastels USA. Oh well. There is next year. I will just have to try again.

Dancer 5 Quick Study

Click Here To Bid This was done in the quick studies class I had with Michelle Goodwin. A great class and a hell of a lot of work but good for the soul!!!!!  I am soooo tired. My kids are doing airbrush, scratchboard, learning clay tools and tomorrow starting to get really messy with clay whistles!! They are so much fun!!!! Got to go. I need to put in some more time of that cute little "Phillip", pastel!

Quick Study Dancer 4

Well I am back to work with the high school students and my Academy of Art classes. I am working on Phillip some more. Diana...email me. We are starting airbrush and clay today in my classes. If you have not been to Karen Appleton's site...it is a must see. She inspires me.This was a 25 minute quick study but I went back in and put more detail in the face so it is really about 40 to 45 minutes. To Bid Click Here

Girl in Black Leggings, 25 min. oil 9"X12" Marilyn Eger

This is a quick study I did for one of my painting classes. She started out being a 25 minute quick study but I spent another 10 to 15 minutes adding more detail to the face. To Bid Click Here Tomorrow I am back to work. The rain has been pretty heavy here and the water has flooded over my gravel road going out to the studio. It has been partially washed away. It is still walkable though. When the weather is better and the water level lower we will have to do some road work and bring in a truck of gravel. Keep Japan in your prayers. I still haven't heard from Sayaka. Have a greaat day!

"Phillip", pastel, 18" X 24"

Here is a pastel I did of "Phillip" I am waiting for feedback before I call it done for sure. I am hoping to send little "Phillip" to Germany next week. I promised to do this pastel early last fall and I am begining to feel bad. I have worked on it off and on between assignments for my MFA classes at the Academy. I had the face looking real nice and one of my high school students drug his hand across the face and ruined it, then the next time the face was almost done last week...I sprayed it and got heavy handed with the spray fixitive and the face disappeared...so this is the third time and we all know the third time is a charm!!!!!  Right! I have 3 pieces on eBay that have never been on before so go to the link to the right and chack them out if you like. To see the detail in Phillip click the image.

Lockford Antiques, Pastel, 24" X 30"

I finished this last week. It will hang in the Lodi Memorial Hospital. I am trying to finish up "Phillip" now. A pastel portrait. As soon as it is finished I will send it out to Germany. Yesterday I was stretching canvas till I ran out of staples. I tryed Jerry's heavy duty staple gun but I am just not strong enough to use it effectively. It took 2 hands to squeeze the handle and I like to hold the canvas with one hand and staple with the other. I do have a few things on eBay if you go to the upper right hand corner of this site and click eBay you can see all that is posted there. Enjoy our liquid sunshine. This summer we will wish for a day like today!!

Church on Church Street, 24"X30", pastel

This is one of the 13 pieces I did for the Lodi Memorial Hospital. I finished it yesterday and delivered it to be framed. I can breath now. It you ever need an excellent framer...check out "The Cellar" in Lodi, Ca. She does such fine work and is a pleasure to work with!!!! I am finishing up "Phillip" today. I have been working on it for way to long. Oh, for those of you that have not made it to my show at the Elsie May Goodwin Gallery, the show will be up thru April 2nd at 5 P.M. Must get some work done! Must go! Enjoy the day!!!!