The JOY of the Joy of Painting

The BOY of Painting is a Bob Ross fan

2011-02-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry that my first post in months is not of my own painting or something that shows I've been SO BUSY ;) but I am compelled to share this 8 year old boy's paintings with you. His name is Christian and he has his own blog as well. Please check out. Christian's Joy of Painting Blog at TheBOYofPainting.blogspot.com

8 Year old Christian is The BOY of Painting

OPA or Other People's Art

2010-10-27T14:02:00.006-07:00

I can't help myself, I buy art. I mean I'm an artist and I have "some" of my paintings hanging on the wall, but mostly for self defamation and to have a reason to get better ;)

Seeing the Elephant by Penny Otwell
Oil on Canvas -All rights reserved
Private collection of Jim and Kay Zahn

Do YOU SEE THE ELEPHANT?

Recently I've been online a lot (only recently? to my friends, that's funny) and in those travels I have come across some art that I not only like, but I couldn't live without. So I decided to share some of the OPA (other people's art) that can be found on MY walls at home and the office.

For example from a wonderful artist in Northern California, Penny Otwell who until just recently lived in the Yosemite Valley. My husband and I honeymooned in the Yosemite Valley. Camp 5 ? the rock climbers camp, in 1984. We were cool ;)

But when I saw Penny's painting Seeing the Elephant, I had to have it. It's personal, and I'm saving up for a larger more iconic painting of Yosemite but for now, I See the Elephant everyday and I couldn't be happier.

View Of Scottsdale, Arizona From Pinnacle Peak
by Warren Keating
All rights reserved.

I'm sharing this now, because today I purchased another "must have", from an artist whom I found chatting on a Linked In Group about marketing your art, named Warren Keating. In looking through his online gallery, I found another personal MUST have. It's a painting of Scottsdale, Arizona looking down from Pinnacle Peak where hubby and I spent a lot of our local Rock Climbing years before all the houses filled in the landscape below the Peak. We were actually married right there. At the base of the Peak. Looking up at our beloved rocks, and some of our friends who didn't make it down in time for the ceremony.

Can you tell I like Rocks?

Speaking of rocks, I'll share now one of my own paintings (one of my first larger pastels) it's called Patagonia High Tide, because in fact there's a lot more rock down under that high tide, and someday I want to paint Low Tide there. My reference was from a rock climbing equipment catalog.

Patagonia High Tide by Kay Zahn
12x16 Pastel on Sanded Paper

I DO have other things on my wall, and I have a Gallery Wall filled with ACEOs. That of course is another conversation all together, but suffice it to say, I'm obsessed over OPA. Big or small, I love them all. In addition to all of the OPA I do own two (yes I said TWO) Bob Ross Originals. One from well before he was famous, and another CLASSIC Bob style, both with Certificates of Authentication.

Bob Ross 1981
Personal Collection of Jim and Kay Zahn
All Rights Reserved

Bob Ross - date unknown
Personal Collection of Jim and Kay Zahn
All Rights Reserved

Isn't that just a place you'd like to be right now. Look at those happy trees. These are happy trees before Happy Trees were popular.

It has been authenticated by the Bob Ross Company (Bob Ross, Inc) from 1981 because he put the date in the signature.

Something that didn't do after he was a television icon. At least not on the television show. Here is my other Bob Ross Original. Also authenticated by the company, but harder to date.

Clearly his standard style and as such I don't like it as much as his earlier one. I can look at both and compare what I know, what I do, and what I see, and realize that Bob has helped me tremendously along my journey to learn to paint.

Unfortunately I can't stay awake long enough to watch him much anymore (even on Saturday morning I can doze right after it starts) but I feel good that I take that TV watching time and just DO IT. I paint. Because I can. I buy OPA because I can, but more because I want to touch it and hold it closer than I can in a book or on a website.

Speaking of websites of course. Thanks for coming to this one. Share the Joy, Kay

Haunting images of early foreclosures

2010-10-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

"Cliffside Condos" in Pastel
9x12 on Sanded Pastel Board

This painting is study of another Daniel Plumer photograph. He's a fabulous photographer from Tucson, who I found on FaceBook (his daughter is my nephew's sister in law ??) when someone posted a photo of his and it haunted me until I contacted him and asked to paint it. He kindly said I could paint his photos and share them here. So here's one I've been working on for a month or more. I think it's done.

Here's the original photograph

a photo of the photo (sorry) by Daniel Plumer
find Daniel on SmugMug

And of course a few progress photos from the past few weeks. This one sat on an easel (right beside me as I painted a few others this month) and I stared at it in progress. It took that long to REALLY observe everything in this photo. The perspective of the structure inside the overhanging walls set me back about 30 layers of pastel (thank goodness for good sanded paper)

Charcoal sketch

the Toy Box

First color pass

first color WASHED with water

working on cave walls

starting to look set "back" in the cave

Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions if you have any. I am VERY NEW at this and sometimes I think I'm just "coloring" and others I think I "finally get it" . . mixing colors in Oil Paint is so different that mixing colors in Pastel. But WHAT FUN.

Share the Joy,
Kay

Virtual Paint Out in San Miguel de Allende

2010-10-06T06:29:00.004-07:00

I went to Mexico yesterday (playing with others at Bill Guffey's Virtual Paint OUT) It was a beautiful day in San Miguel de Allende, while it was pouring rain in ARIZONA! I found this little street and the colors just JUMPED out at me begging to be painted. So I painted them.

Hotel Posada de las Manjas
Pastel on SandPaper 9x12

Here is my reference photo from Google Street View.

I'm liking a few things about this painting. My 13th pastel painting ever. This one I tried real hard to avoid over blending, and I think I succeeded. If you get close you can really see the pastel dust! AND I did people. Of course if you count the carriage driver and passengers last month's Central Park painting, these are only my second attempt at figures, ever. So they aren't great, but they aren't horrible either. And I never had to wipe them out and start over . . . like the horse last month.

I did not wash the background on this painting at all. I liked the look that the pastel on the sandpaper at first pass. It left the buildings with that old patchy look. Here are some progress photos from today. OH YEA. That's the other thing. I did this in one day. I started, I kept at it, and I finished it. That's a new one for me.

Charcoal sketch

First Pass of Color

Adding bricks and greenery.

PEOPLE . . we have PEOPLE
and YES I left out the pickup truck. . . that looked hard!

I just loved the colors and the direction of this image. All of the action is really happening "way down the road" and it looked like it went on forever.

Try Google Street View . . you'll LOVE IT.

Paint Out, OFF and IN Online Art Contests

2010-10-05T07:09:00.001-07:00

Looking for ways to promote our new Paint OFF, I've run across a few other online Painting competitions. First and Foremost here's a link to OUR NEW PAINT OFF where there are monthly PRIZES like $250 on a VISA card.

www.StreetViewPaintOFF.com

Here are some other cool places websites with "get togethers" going on

VirtualPaintOut.blogspot.com

A Day Not Wasted

Inspiration All Around Us

Have fun and PLEASE JOIN ME over at StreetViewPaintOFF, either at the blog or on FaceBook where WE the People will Choose the Winners!

Share the JOY

Kay

Virtual Paint Out on Manhattan Island

2010-09-27T08:38:00.007-07:00

Recently I discovered a really FUN activity called a Virtual Paint Out where once a month a location is provided for artists of all abilities, ages and mediums who are invited to join in (via Google Street View) and find a location and submit a painting. It's just for fun, but it IS fun to watch the different location choices develop.

September's location was Manhattan Island NYC. I choose a spot in Central Park (not wanting to wander off the island and be disqualified on my first submission :) and decided to try my hand at a horse and carriage. Here are some of the photos with notes on WHAT HAPPENED along the way. Oh yea, I used pastels and I'm glad I did. I wiped out (literally) a horse and half a wagon, more than once.

Value Sketch to get started.

My walking paths were wrong, so I moved the lower one.

My horse was so BAD I couldn't share - he had to go.

My horse is better now, but the carriage is TOO BIG!

So I fixed it. (Gotta' love the pastels)

Sunny Day on Central Park Driveway - 16"x12" - Pastel on Ampersand Board

Below is a look at the Google Street View map where I found my subject. Once you find a subject I HIGHLY SUGGEST making a link (upper right corner of map window) and sending it to yourself. I would never have been able to find this again, if I hadn't done that. YES I left out the two people with baby strollers walking in the center. I struggled so with the horse, I didn't want to ruin it. If I ever go back, I may add them.

View Larger Map

I am right now looking in Arizona for a location to have my (our) own Virtual Paint out so stay tuned if you'd like to join in.

Share the Joy.

Kay

Seaside Sunset turns to Desert Island

2010-09-18T10:08:00.002-07:00

Well it has been quite some time since I have posted (anything about my Bob Ross Project that is) until recently I became inspired to get back to some starting point. Toward that end, yesterday I watched 5 episodes of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross (recorded from Saturday morning TV) to find that inspiration.

I got myself a big glass of Ice Tea (OK ok it was coffee but it's in the right neighborhood) and sat down to watch. It was very quiet. I watched him create the beginning of a great sunset, and then I got up for . . something. I can't remember, but I found myself on FaceBook, telling people I was going to paint. That often helps me.

Half heartedly I went back to watch the end of the episode. I was bored (and tired) so I "fast forwarded" it by 1X and watched it develop. I didn't like the mountain he made (but that was his world, not mine ;) so I jumped to the next episode. Then the next. Bob Ross in Fast Forward is still pretty good, AND I don't get as tired watching. I mean really, tell me you don't just about fall asleep while he's painting.

After my mini marathon I decided I couldn't waste my effort thus far so I went to get the video camera. OH SO MUCH WORK, the tripod, a new tape, batteries . . . argh. So I went to check my FaceBook only to find that a few people are watching (or at least also on FaceBook being distracted from their days work) and as always people just being there motivated me to just DO IT (so who says it is wasting time?) and it helped! But I decided to go the easy route on the camera and just got out the FLIP camera. The record time is 1 HOUR. No problem that's normal Bob Ross time anyway, right?

SHARE THE JOY - Kay

Say hello to Bob Ross when you get to heaven

2010-08-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Monday begins a sad week for us that started over a year ago, but now it's real. MiMi is sharing her last few days on earth with us now. She hasn't eaten for 4 days, and drinks very little water. Her brain forgot how to do everything. She sleeps now 22 hours a day, awake only here and there to smile a little and squeeze a hand.

(Mimi her daughters and ME)

I think she knows who we are, and where she is, and she is at peace. I hope her body cooperates and lets her go in her sleep, or at least in a peaceful state. Which she has been in for over a year since we brought her here to live with us. What a year it's been too.

It was June of 2009 when Jim (hubby) scooped her up from the Assisted Living Facility (with no shoes on) and brought her home.

Mother's Day and Boys Birthdays

Touchdown CARDINALS !

Since then we have shared birthdays and holidays with lots of family around. What could be a more fitting wish for a mother of 7, than to have her grown children get to know each other better during her months of life.

We've lived together through Football season, and the Olympics.

She and I watched a whole season of Rachel Ray and I became a better cook. We discovered Bob Ross together when the television in the kitchen only got a few channels, we turned to PBS. The rest of that story is HISTORY.

When her heart started to give out, we watched HOURS AND HOURS of Bob Ross on video in the hospital.

I don't know if she watched, but I DID.

And now after 84+ years on this earth her days are short, and she goes to be with Dad (after 17 years of holding her own after he died) She is still a beautiful woman with a beautiful family, that I am thankful to have been a part of for over 26 years.

Good Bye MiMi. Tell Dad that we love him and miss him greatly. And if you run into Bob Ross, tell him how many people still on this earth feel connected to him through his work. Through our work. And just like Bob, Mimi will never be forgotten.

All Creativity Counts

2010-08-16T09:37:00.001-07:00

Famous words from my friend Karyl, who is a voracious quilter. This woman turns out hundreds of quilts a year just to give them away. You should check her blog out at KarylsQuilts.blogspot.com

Here is my first pastel painting and I think it's done. I put my initials on it (the first time I have EVER signed a painting) because I thought I loved it. Now that I'm looking at it a week or so later, I'm not so sure. But I'll share anyway, just so you all know that I am trying.

Reference Photo by Daniel Plumber -check him out

My initial sketch of the photo

The computer image was better to work from.

I might be "blending" too much ???

and YES MiMi looks on when she's awake.

Bob Ross said he was like a drug dealer

2010-08-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

In today's episode of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross (Saturday 7:30 am on KAET Chanel 8, in the PHX market) Bob proclaimed that they (his company?) were just like drug dealers. They know that they get us hooked on painting, and then we will want more and more of it.

Well he couldn't have been more right. It has been less than one year since I started painting with Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting series. Really. I didn't grow up with it, I discovered Bob in July 2009 when MiMi came to live with us and I looked for quiet, easy going television to entertain her. After watching for a few months, I decided to purchase supplies and DVDs and give it a try. That was in October of last year.

Since then I have gravitated in and out of oil, watercolor, acrylics, and now I a little hooked on pastel. I have not been sitting idle all of these weeks, I've set up my studio(s) and pretend like I'm going to get something done. Every now and then I do, but when I sit at the computer I wonder who wants to hear about any of that.

However with the anniversary of my oil painting career coming up, I suppose I should try to GET BACK TO OIL PAINTING. After Bob initially got me hooked, I started out strong. 5 paintings in one week, then my first Bob Ross paint along, and then my blogging idea and here we are 5 paintings in to that project an I am getting bored with it. I TOLD YOU this could happen.

In my defense, it is a little more than just painting. It's video taping my painting and then editing it for YouTube and then writing about it . . and in case it wasn't exactly clear, I have a company to run, teenagers to raise, an 84yr old Mother In Law to care for, a beautiful grandson, and a couple of other blog projects in addition to this one (what was I thinking) so I could have guessed this wouldn't be easy.

Anyway, today's post is for a couple of reasons. ONE: To invite anyone who would like to do an episode of Bob Ross' Joy of Painting (painting along) on video tape for me to highlight here, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I would send you a camera, I'd buy you one of those kits you see there (or send you some of my stuff) so you could give it a try. I'll edit the video and post it (unless you are in to that sort of thing) and everything.

Number TWO reason for this post is to let people know about my other projects that you may have run in to on my YouTube channel. A friend of mine wrote an iApp that is in the iTunes store. In order to get people to download and use the App, we came up with a contest to give away an iPad and some other cool stuff. It is working great. Mostly because of my video on YouTube that I am promoting (ie: advertising) that tells about the giveaway.

A lot of folks have downloaded the App and we now have "stats" in the iTunes store that help us understand how the Apple Marketplace works . . because we have a much better App in the works that is a tie in to my charity Thank You Blue and its work with the 100 Club of Arizona. So we need to know how iTunes store works.

In any case, I'd hate to give away an iPad without giving the followers of this blog an opportunity to get in on the giveaway. So if you are interested visit TheTEXTupProject.com or watch this video and DON'T laugh at my voice. It's weird, I know.

The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross or Family

2010-06-28T07:48:00.002-07:00

Water Colors and Pastels vs Oil Painting with Bob Ross
Patricia played with pastels, perfectly pushing pigment on paper. Palette pale with pinks and purple, Patty places peaches in paintings pulsing with pleasure.

I spent the week with one of Jim's sisters (estrogen overload perhaps!) More specifically, she spent the week with Mimi and we didn't go anywhere. We stayed home except to go pick up Jamie from Horse Camp (which was fun). Even more fun is the fact that Patty is an artist. A pastel artist who has a gallery opening next week in Santa Fe New Mexico, where she lives and works.

She not only brought some pastels and paper (we went to Jerry's Artarama and I purchased some of my own) she worked on a watercolor painting for a class she was taking. So we both had a great time playing and learning new mediums. After just watching her, I feel more confident in trying both water colors and pastels.

I know I know . . it's not Bob Ross style. But I think Bob wants me to learn about everything that interests me, using him as a starting point and becoming my own artist. I don't intend to stop painting with Bob. In fact I can't wait to get back on to the easel and apply liquid white. (I know I still have Episode 6 on a black canvas that is half finished.) However it has been so hectic around here that painting with oil seems nearly impossible. I get only a few minutes here and there to play with something.

I find that I really like having pastels on the table so I can just pick up a color and experiment while Mimi naps or watches. She thoroughly enjoyed watching Patty and I this week. If her arms and hands were working she'd have joined right in. As it were, we just got a lot of smiles and thumbs up signs (which she can still manage to put together ;)

Today (really Today? . . wow) marks ONE YEAR since we picked Mimi from the floor at the assisted living facility where she was, and brought her home to be with us. What a year it has been. Remember that I discovered Bob Ross and the Joy of Painting on television when I installed a TV in the kitchen (where I was spending a lot of time all of a sudden) so that MiMi and I could be entertained. We didn't hook up a cable box and only got basic channels from the hookup. Low and behold, one day on channel 8 (public access) I found Bob Ross.

His slow gentle voice was just what Mimi needed and his style of painting a complete landscape in 1/2 hour was intriguing to me. So far the rest (this blog and my entire painting career) is history. His story and My story, Her story and probably Your story. The world is so amazing. I know very little about practical application and or the history of the masters and Patty knows so much (art degrees and all) but we both learned from each other.

What she learned from me (besides how to care for her mother in her new phase of life ;) was how I am using the internet for companionship and inspiration. How she might do the same and even sell a painting or two online. Help me SHOW HER and the gallery owner who has her work that you support their art. Visit their web site, or better yet, visit them in Santa Fe.

Mill Fine Art and the artist P.E. Baldwin. It's pastels today, and watercolor tomorrow. Who knows maybe next time she comes we'll do a "throw back" weekend and I'll teach her to understand Bob Ross and the wet on wet Oil technique. Talk about JOY! I can't even think about it right now. It's Monday morning and I have work to do.

Over "Joyed" by Family and Friends

2010-06-13T11:10:00.001-07:00

The past couple of weeks feel like months, yet they flew by. As odd as that sounds, I'll bet you can all relate somehow. MiMi is home now for 2 weeks and we have found some sort of normal for this phase. She may not be able to communicate much but you can see in her smile, she is not in pain. She's happy and comfortable. Hospice folks come and go 2 times a week for now and there has been a steady flow of family coming to share and understand. It's happy and sad, exhausting but enlightening, confusing yet very clear what we have to do. So we do it.

But I broke out the paint this week while I had the time and strayed away from "watching Bob Ross and painting with him" I decided to take one of my favorite photos and paint from it. I wish I'd have taken more photos while I painted (or video taped it, but I didn't) but here's where I am now.

I LOVE My Rocks (or mountains if you will) These are rocks that I've seen and touched in my life (back in our rock climbing days . . or should I say MY rock climbing days, since my husband still gets out there whenever he can) and we have always loved Yosemite Valley.

Here's my reference photo, and so you see I'm now going to work on the foreground, from the land mass on the other side of the river to the rocks up close. I have a few more trees to add as well, to cover the bottom of the waterfall, as you can't really see it in the view.

I'm AFRAID.

I like my big rocks so much, and my trees, while not perfect, are reflecting of a style that I have been working on (used only the knife) and I think I did well with them. I need another layer of trees and then the WATER. I'm not sure how to "start again" now that the paint is dry. So the underlayer of the river is there. I even put in a rock or two underwater. But now I need to "wet" it again so that I can complete the foreground.

When I wet the canvas now (or I'm really wetting the dry paint) I know I'm not going to make that paint wet again, but that will now be my base layer. Upon which any new paint will need to slide to make it look like water. . . . I'm afraid to start again. . . but I will.

Help me share the Joy . . . Kay

For me, Painting was Never Therapy. But I NEED it now.

2010-05-27T11:46:00.001-07:00

After everything MiMi and I have been through lately I so wanted to pick up a paint brush, summoning up the spirit of Bob Ross, and paint like I've been painting all my life. I watched so many episodes of The Joy of Painting online and on DVD while we were in the hospital and at the nursing home. You'd think my mind would know exactly what to tell my hand to do. Something MiMi can't do anymore. She's pretty much forgotten how to do everything. Literally. So she requires a lot of help when she's awake. She does sleep most of the time however and that is both a blessing and a curse. But that's not why I'm here blogging right now . . so back to my story.

Now that we are home I was itching to work on Series 2 Number 6. Black River. The name says a lot for me, because it starts with a black canvas. I didn't like the black canvas we did in S2-No.3 Ebony Sea but I had convinced myself it was because I had used both the liquid clear AND the transparent colors as under paint, and this time I knew I was using only the transparent colors.

I was eager to apply my somewhat rusty skills on the black gessoed canvas that has been on my easel for nearly a month, so I just squeezed out the paint and "fired it right in there" (word to Bill Alexander, whom is still very much "with" Bob in his early episodes) and it Burned my Brain. I couldn't mix colors, I couldn't decide which brush to use. I forgot how to make trees. He was working with browns and yellows and I don't seem to like browns and yellows, and made a big mess.

So, to make a long story short (my facebook followers know I am likely going to destroy this one and start over or "skip" it) my Series 2 Episode 6 Painting of Black River is facing it's doom. I AM going to edit and post the video and let you all have a good laugh. After which I'll decide what to do with it. I have not watched the video, but I keep walking by the painting and cringing. I'm sure the video will make me cry.

Speaking of crying. That's happening to me a lot again lately. Anyone who's read the 50 things about me on my web page can figure out that the stress of having MiMi here and hospice care (which is a very helpful and beautiful process by the way) is likely affecting my emotions a bit. But you wouldn't know it to talk to me. (That's probably the problem right there) Good thing for blogs because I obviously need therapy!

But since this blog is about my painting, and not about my whining, I'm going to start using painting as my therapy and get back to something that I like to do, not that I need to do. Theres' so much of that around lately. That NEED to do stuff. I have always gravitated towards the LIKE to do, or WANT to do and that just becomes the natural NEED to do and by then I'd package it up and teach someone else to do it or sell it to someone else.

Spoken like a true entrepreneur. That may be why I am enjoying learning to paint. It's not something I can package up and "hand off" to anyone else to do. HHHmmmm. I'm going to have to talk to someone about that. I think I'll go call my sister now.

Share the Joy.

Goodbye Nursing Home it's been a Long 2 Weeks

2010-05-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

We busted MiMi out of Heritage Court today. (With proper discharge of course ;) On our own two (well 6) feet. Jim and I took MiMi from her bed, to a wheelchair, from the wheelchair to the car and then HOME. Then we went car to wheelchair, and wheelchair to BED, where she is currently resting (snoring) and all is well in her world.

She's not walking yet, even with her walker, and may never gain the strength to do so. The Autumn Splendor painting and video I did, where she walked in to the frame was one of the first and last times we may see her entering the frame on her own accord. But she'll be sitting up and watching if she can, and I'll let you know how it goes.

I have Hospice assistance coming in soon and we'll have a lot of paperwork to do I'm sure. Hospice will work with us for 5 days or 5 years, depending upon mom's needs. I had no idea how helpful they were. Even though my own mother had hospice care with her when she lost her husband to Cancer, after which she volunteered for them for some time. Jim's father (MiMi's husband) died of Cancer 17 years ago, but it happened fast, and in the hospital. Thanksgiving diagnosis and hospitalization and he died on Christmas Eve.

He was always a great help to me when we started our business (back in 1982) having so much experience in the security business and life in general. It was hard to see him go. On the last day of his life he had been going in and out of periods of lucidity and dementia. At around 4pm he asked for ME, his daughter in law to come to the hospital. I had a 18 month old toddler and I was preparing for a family party that evening, but dad couldn't be there. It wasn't going to be very "merry" as it was. I dropped everything and went to the hospital.

MiMi and Aunt Patty took Tyler to a waiting area and I went in to talk to dad. He looked at me very clearly and said, "K.C." (that's what they called me, cuz MiMi is a Kay as well) "I left a mess." Here was a man who was living my biggest fear (at the time) and that was leaving my desk, and not coming back to finish my constant stream of work. "I have bills to pay," he said. "and who will take care of mom if I'm not here." To which I assured him as much as I could at my younger age and wisdom, that I would take care of everything. I reminded him that he raised a large family of wonderful children now adults, who can do well with what they have learned from him. I reminded him that Jim and I had the most to gain having followed in his footsteps and stayed in the alarm business like he was all of his life. I told him that we had a strong company and strong hearts and we could take care of MiMi. I told him not to worry about things like that. I told him to rest.

Later that evening just before midnight as Jim and I were going to bed having done our "Santa" chores, our phone rang. It was Patty's husband Russ. He wanted us to know that they were with dad in his room and they watched a catholic mass on television, during which dad quietly passed away.

MiMi was a ROCK. She held up during the wake and the funeral. During the family visits and selling the house, and moving into an apartment and living her life. She found work (with ME) as she helped to care for the children in our company day care and then later in life took care of my home and family (while I worked my tail off growing a company). Which brings me back to the future.

MiMi lives here with us now (as you know if you are regular blog reader) so we could not leave her in a nursing home. Her eye is better, her hand is still healing, and she's not exactly "mobile" but home is where she belongs and as long as we have control of the situation, home is where she will stay.

I'm hoping for a painting or two to show up this weekend. No running back and forth to the hospital. Just making MiMi comfortable is the goal, so what's more comforting that our friend Bob Ross and his Joy of Painting DVDs. Maybe I should rest up for this so I don't get comforted right to sleep.

Share the Joy!
Kay

A Broken Heart Syndrome and Mother's Day Birthdays

2010-05-07T09:14:00.003-07:00

One of my New OLD friends told me today, small changes and small "sameness" will get you through this. As simple as it sounds, it is the most profound thing I've had to think all week. And I've had a LONG week my friends. Filled with changes in routine and face to face meetings of the heart.

If you've ever read the 50 Things about me on my web site you know a little about these Mother's Day facts, but here's the rest of the story: My husband's Grandmother's name is Catherine Zahn. She and grandpa had their first boy on May 10th. He (my father in law) grew and married a woman named Katherine, who then was called Kay. Kay Zahn (aka: MiMi). She and dad had a son on May 10th (my husband) and he grew and married a woman named Kay. Kay Zahn (me). Our first son was born on . . you guessed it . . May 10th. So on this weekend of Mother's Days and Birthdays our family feels very Blessed by our "sameness" and even though Dad left us almost 17 years ago (on Christmas Eve) we still put his name on the cake, and usually have 2 cakes because they can't fit it all onto one.

I don't know how "same" this Mother's day will be but we are going to do our best. There was a poignant prognosis for MiMi's heart which was described in slang terms as "a broken heart syndrome." More specifically Takotsubo Syndrome, wherein the heart swells to a size/shape resembling a Japanese octopus pot (hence the name) during times of sadness, stress or memories of events and times. Usually post menopausal women. It presents like a heart attack (high enzyme levels detected) but is not and usually does not damage the heart. Often (normally?) it will regain it's shape, size and strength with rest and therapy. But MiMi is very tired. She has suffered a trauma with the fall that clearly is challenging her will right now.

What we are going for now is "sameness" and to get her home. In her own chair. (It's a cool one with control to stand up, lay down flat, or anywhere in between.) If she could be in her own space watching Wheel of Fortune on our big screen TV instead of the little one up in the corner of her room . . well, she'd be comforted greatly.

We did watch Bob Ross on my DVD at the hospital (many times) but it wasn't the same. I don' t know if she can see the screen with the patch on her eye anyway, but she could hear him, and his voice does make you feel comforted. He "god blessed" us many times these past few days.

We are likely bringing MiMi home (in a week to 10 days) with hospice care. The services and people available to help give me confidence to know we can do it better here at home than anywhere. She was released from the hospital to a nursing facility to help get her strength back but I'm sure she'd rather be home. I was hoping it would be by Mother's Day, but it may take a little longer.

We are very hopeful to have a few more Mother's Days before she goes to be with Dad. I'm sure when she does, she'll be planning the parties up there as they watch over the rest of us. I know Dad did after he left. How else would I have been so lucky?

We will have a lot of little changes before we get to our sameness. I'm tired of sitting in a hospital chair. I look like it too. I can't believe I did one of those "shoot your own photo straight arm" things but I did. I have that "calf sucked on my head look". I think that is an old Iowa saying. Or at least MY mom used to say it back in Iowa!

Oh yea, mother's day. I should stop in and see my mom too. AND I should say Happy Mother's Day to all of my friends. New and old. I like to think that all of my old friends from high school are all still kids, and we never got old. But we did. Older and wiser too. I wish I knew then what I know now, and I would never have let 30+ Mother's Days go by without wishing them all the very best from their families and friends.

That is really all there is in the end. Family and friends. . .and technology of course. Without this stuff where would we be? I mean look at Bob Ross. He's helping me in so many ways and he was dead before I discovered who he was. I realize the technology I found him on (pbs television) is pretty old school, but I love my old school as much as my new school. I could go on, but I would just be boring you. I'm using this as therapy right now, because I can't paint. I blog.

No Joy in today's news.

2010-05-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

I'm still at the hospital with MiMi. They think this fall caused, or was caused by a heart attack. She is not the same person she was a few days ago. I don't like this at all. We have plans for the next few years, she can't leave me now. I'm bringing Bob Ross in to talk to her today. She will like that.

Hospitals are horrible places filled with wonderful people. Her Nurses and Doctors are all really kind, and very competent. I trust them but we get mixed messages. The cardiologist is telling me to think about hospice care and the physical therapists come in with a walker and try to get her up (but I sent them away, she can barely lift her arms) but in fact I had to feed her what food she ate yesterday. She's not going to use a walker anytime soon.

I'll pick her up and carry her home. We just need to get out of the hospital.

Please forgive my absence for the last few days and what might me the next few. I'll post little things here and there, but I can't think too hard.

Pray for Joy (for MiMi) -Kay

Some days just don't go the way you planned

2010-05-01T19:57:00.001-07:00

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one fits the bill. MiMi is going to be fine, and home tomorrow. She took a little fall (while I was at the 4-H horse show. . . I'm the food mom ;) and so the good news is the other mom's and dad's jumped in and finished the show for me and I didn't have to do all of the clean up. But MiMi is in the hospital tonight, awaiting a small surgery tomorrow. Her skin is so thin that what to you and I would have been a "rug burn" caused her to need plastic surgery. I'll share more later . . or maybe later, I'll just have her home and we'll paint together and everything will be back to normal.

My Husband Hung My Paintings on the Wall

2010-04-24T13:01:00.002-07:00

Look what my husband did while I was out.
I have been painting in our large front foyer, where the light is usually good because of those high windows you see here. I have had quilts hanging on the wall for many years. I have a lot of quilts and so I change them up for the seasons and holidays. You can see a few hanging just behind my easel still.

But he took down a full size quilt that hung on the entire wall, and put up the first five of my series paintings. He did it straight and everything! I'm not sure I LIKE the idea of my artwork hanging there. In fact as you can see just to the right of my 5 beginner projects hangs my original Bob Ross painting. That's almost poetic. I know they don't belong with the likes of his, but the DO BELONG because that's what he wanted. It's just different when it's mine.

It is not yet known whether or not that painting by Bob Ross came from one of his PBS Joy of Painting shows, or somewhere else. I'll find out I guess some day, but if any of you know, please don't hesitate to tell me. I would be thrilled to find be able to watch him paint the painting that I actually have hanging on my wall!

Ok well it's Saturday and I watched Bob Ross and the Joy of Painting on television this morning and I was all ready to paint. . . until the kids got up, and after that, MiMi, and NOW it's too late because the Phoenix Suns are playing the Portland Trailblazers in about 30 minutes. Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs and we are currently tied. But not for long . . GO SUNS!

Share the Joy, Kay

PS: How many of you think I wrote that headline just so the search engines could see "husband" and "hung" in the same sentence. He'd get a real kick out of it. Too bad he doesn't read my blog! If you know him. Tell him you searched Kay Zahn, Husband, and Hung, and his name came up. . . OMG as I typed that I see another joke that he'd deliver if you said that. But I'll leave that to your own interpretation.

Can anyone out there imitate Bob Ross' voice?

2010-04-22T19:38:00.007-07:00

I would LOVE to have an audio file of a "Bob Ross sound alike" saying the little things I have written here and under the header of my blog here.

Grab a big ole glass of ice tea and join me - Now let's get crazy - Just beat the devil out of it -You can do it. See that lonely cloud, let's give him a friend - It's your world, you can do anything you want.

Does anybody out there know someone who does that sort of thing? Or maybe you know someone who sounds like Bob! They could just read those lines into their recording program on their computer and email them to me. If I use them, I'll pay respectively.

I'm going to go looking for a site where I can hire someone like that, so if you know where one of those might be, I'd appreciate that too!

Thanks in advance. Share the Joy. Kay

I was babysitting and they brought their iPad !!

2010-04-18T20:10:00.007-07:00

Eleven year old Troy brought along his I-pad tonight (I'm babysitting he and his little sister Tira for a few hours) and he let me play with it. Put it this way, he sat with my laptop computer and cleaned up the registry, while I played with his I-pad. TOO COOL (the kid AND the Ipad).

It does a lot of neat things but basically it's just a LARGE I-Pod. You can watch YouTube videos on it. So of course I watched some of mine!

If you ever get your hands on an I-pad, watch my videos too. Please?

Anyway, the kids kept me from painting today. Good Kay, blame the children. But I did need to go to the grocery store before they arrived, or we'd have had a pretty boring time. As it is we did hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, baked cookies,

AND of course we played with their iPad.

Overrated? YES.

Do I want one? You Bet.

Don't you?

But alas, Steve Jobs must wait for my money. Maybe someday soon. For now I'll just borrow the one that my friends have. To play with and take pictures that are relative so that I can write about an Apple I-pad, and so when people search for the words Apple I-pad, maybe, just maybe, they'll end up here and see my blog and my painting, and remember that they love Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting. And then they will follow my blog and watch me paint.

Hey just think when someone searches for Bob Ross AND I-Pad they might just get right here. Someone try that and let me know if I come up in the first few listings ;)

btw (4/20 update) I just went to the Apple site and found out that the correct spelling of the I is 'i' so I should be writing iPad, iPod, etc. I fixed the title of my blog post but left the other misspelled ones to make my point . . which is . . . i type too fast and the word iAnything SUCKS to type! . . . But what was I doing at the Apple Store you ask? OHHHHhhhh something very exciting for me and one of you too. Stay tuned.

Share the Joy, because Troy shared his Toy. (duh) Kay

Bob - We have a WINNER in the Starbucks Giveaway!

2010-04-16T07:36:00.001-07:00

And the winner of my $50 Starbucks Giftcard Giveaway is: (drumroll please) Jacinta Pichimauida! She's a F/Book person so she should find out very soon. Congratulations, and enjoy. I have a new giveaway planned for Mother's Day. I'm going to get another painting (or two) done before then so there's more videos to watch and enter.

The prizes I have sitting here range from giftcards for Home Depot, Applebees, or Walmart. AND AND AND I purchased 2 basic Bob Ross Painting kits AND some kids Paint by Number kits from Bob Ross, Inc. So the next giveaway will be something like a CHOICE of prize out of that batch of goodies.

In any case, ALL of my BLOG FOLLOWERS are always entered, so follow today and you may win later for doing NOTHING.

Thanks, and get out there today. Look at the Happy Trees . . . it's your world. Enjoy it.

Share the Joy. Kay

2 Ways to get FREE Starbucks Coffee TODAY.

2010-04-15T07:29:00.006-07:00

Just go to my YouTube channel watch and comment. There are many ways to win, but not if you wait until after 11:59pm tonight. Because that's when it ends. So get your entry in, and you may be sipping FREE Starbucks next week.

If you want FREE Starbucks TODAY (4/15/2010) bring a reusable mug to any of their outlets today and they will fill it with their brew. Really.

Don't you just LOVE Starbucks?
I'm going to get mine and see if it motivates me to paint today !!
We are having a "walk in tub" installed for MiMi today. My house (an my MiMi) may be to discombobulated to pick up a paint brush, but we'll see.

Share the Joy, Kay

Speaking of Artistic Licenses meet Dan-O

2010-04-13T07:21:00.000-07:00

Dan-O is the Webmaster of DanoSongs.com, a royalty free production music library where people can use his music for free under the creative commons music license. The only thing you need to do when using Dan’s music is to link back to or credit his Website. His songs are available to be used in YouTube videos, films, slideshows, games, podcasts and any other projects that need original instrumental or vocal tracks.

Dan-o is where I've been getting my music. It's FREE (even tho I donated some money to Dano, cuz that's how I roll) and the instrumentals are just what my painting videos need.

If you need music for any (royalty free) reason, please check out DanoSongs.com
Thanks Dano
Share the Joy.

Artistic License from Bob Ross himself.

2010-04-12T12:33:00.003-07:00

"When you purchase your first tube of paint, you are issued an Artistic License that you can do anything you want with," mused Bob. He was highlighting the trees in a very dark scene. Suggesting that if it were really night time, you would only see silhouettes.

The next episode of the Joy of Painting online will be Series 2 Number 6. This one is another BLACK canvas painting. I learned a lot about the wet on wet oil painting technique last time Bob and I did a black canvas. You can check the previous posts, but basically to begin the next painting we are going to use Black Gesso (dried) and Liquid Clear. Followed by some under painting with some transparent colors which will "light up" when we add an opaque color (like titanium white).

See the video Ebony Sea (episode #3) for the effect I'm talking about. In fact, HERE is that video. Please click and watch (again, if you've seen it already) I need YouTube to see my videos get watched. AND if you have not already, leave a comment on the video (here or on YouTube) and get another last minute entry into the Starbucks Giveaway that ends April 15th at 11:59pm.

There's a few hundred entries, but that still makes for pretty good odds that you'll be sipping your FREE Starbucks sometime soon. GOOD LUCK, and Share the Joy.

The Joy of Painting Series 2 -#5 - Autumn Splendor

2010-04-08T11:08:00.003-07:00

My NEW Video from my Bob Ross journey shows that I need to paint in the morning when no one else is around. MiMi sleeps until noon usually, and kids are at school, hubby at the office. But did I do that? NO of course not this time, or I wouldn't even be mentioning it. This time I waited until mid afternoon and it turned out to be a bad timing. But my husband and his mother both got into the video, as "drop in" guests.

This is the episode of Bob Ross, Joy of Painting where he picks up the crayon? (that's inside a power drill looking thing) and says "I have a lot of limbs to do, so I'm gonna cheat." Then he made a LOT of tree branches and limbs in a LITTLE time. This worried me for a while. I do not like using the liner brush (and I thin the paint just like he says) for make limbs and branches. Or at least I "didn't" like it before THIS episode. I actually had a small victory on this painting. My branches and limbs are some of my best (which isn't saying much) and where Bob "cheated" I did not and I had some better success with it.

I have seen so many beautiful Bob Ross style paintings on FaceBook it's always motivating but they put mine to shame. On the other hand, I never like my own paintings even though I've only done a handful and therefore shouldn't expect much. But I watch Bob Ross and he makes it look so easy, and I really believe "I can do it" so I have high expectations.

At least I enjoy the videos and I hope you do too. Oh yea watch this video and leave a comment and you'll get ONE MORE ENTRY INTO THE STARBUCKS GIVEAWAY. What could be bad about that?
Share theJoy - Kay

My ORIGINAL Bob Ross Painting - video on FaceBook

2010-04-07T12:58:00.002-07:00

These are HAPPY LITTLE TREES painted by our trusted comrade, the Late Great Bob Ross. It is mine and I own it. It has been certified by the official company Bob Ross, Inc as having been painted by Bob Ross sometime in 1993.

It came with a Certificate of Authenticity from them as well. I purchased it on an Ebay auction from a private party who said he had a couple more. Who knows I may someday get my hands on another one. That is unless hubby thinks we are just about happy enough around here ;) (love you honey)

I had video taped it and was going to add it to my newest episode (which is in processing right now) but had second thoughts about putting it on YouTube, given my quest to earn their Partnership Status. You have to certify ownership of all visuals, and I could not on a Bob Ross painting even if I own the painting itself. Which I do. But I can't put it on YouTube. So I put it on FaceBook. So if you are a FaceBook user, go take a look, become a Fan or Follower or whatever they call it. Join our conversations. It's fun.

OMG I own a Real Piece of History. I don't believe it came from an episode of The Joy of Painting on PBS tv, but it would be cool if some day I discovered it in my journey. To paint along with Bob on a painting that I own, well that would take it to a "HNL" (for all of your MadTV fans) or a Whole "nother Level !

Stay tuned, Series 2 Episode 5 - Autumn Splendor is on it's way, and there are a couple of special guest starts dropping in. Literally. The Video will add another potential entry to my $50 Starbucks Giftcard Giveaway (ends 4/15/2010) and so far that is going very well. We have a lot of new friends and followers and I feel very grateful for your time and attention. Even if I have to give you things from time to time. I don't mind. You're worth it.

Share the Joy, Kay

I own an ORIGINAL Bob Ross Painting from 1993

2010-03-29T09:51:00.001-07:00

I am so very proud to announce that I have won (Ebay of course) an Original Bob Ross painting. It is coming with a Certificate of Authenticity AND a personal check written by Bob Ross (to authenticate the signature on the back of the painting, which is nothing like the ROSS on the front of the painting, which is INDEED Bob Ross) I couldn't be more excited. I'm going to touch something the Bob actually created. Real Happy Trees, and their friends. Oh Joy!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemVersion&item=290414923700&view=all&tid=0

As soon as I get the painting in my hands, I'll be posting pics. I KNOW I SHOULD BE PAINTING. I'm trying really, but Monday morning is going by FAST.

Bob Ross CHEATED

2010-03-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

I said this before but no one commented, so I must say it again. I'm watching Series 2 - Episode 5 Autumn Splendor, and Bob said "Now we have a lot of limbs to make here so I think I'll cheat just a little bit." Then he whipped out something that looked like an drill (no cord, that I could see) with something sticking out of the end that had to be a paint stick, crayon or something. He proceeded to make "lots of limbs" just like he said.

I don't have one of those. I don't even know what it is, so I went on Ebay and searched for "oil paint stick, gun" and other such things. I found heat guns to DRY paint, and apparently there is a sort of paint used in doll making that requires heat to SET the paint, but there was nothing like what I saw Bob use.

I did order some oil paint crayons and they have arrived, but I don't think they are anything like what Bob used so I doubt I'll use them in this next painting. Anyway, I'm painting today. I set up the camera and everything day before yesterday but everything got away from me and here I am 48 hours later.

Wish me luck. Kay

Bob Ross was in my DVD, but I watched Julie/Julia on ITunes.

2010-03-19T16:37:00.006-07:00

Having never seen the movie, nor the book, I decided to watch "Julie & Julia" while dad took the kids skiing. Spring break in the Arizona mountains is sometimes a good time for that. I sat down with my laptop and went to play the DVD of Series 2, Episode 5, but for some reason went to ITunes first. Maybe I was thinking music and a little light surfing (yea, that will help get work done)!

Anyway, I had forgotten that I downloaded "Julie & Julia" some time ago and found this afternoon to be the perfect time to watch. I can't believe I had not seen that earlier. I feel so connected to them. Like "Bob & Kay, Julie & Julia" and my head is full of stupid little things that make it ironic that I REALLY DID decide to do this thing. This Julie/Julia project with Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting. Which is a great phrase by the way. Well as far as search engines go anyway.

You see in addition to all of the watching and painting and editing and uploading and blogging I've been doing, I've been really updating my knowledge of how to publicize a web site. How to win friends and influence Google. How to make everyone you know, go tell their friends to come and watch my videos and visit the blog. What a world. What a time to live in it.

25 or so years ago, Bob Ross was producing a television show. I was just getting inside my first computer and shortly thereafter got my first internet connection (installed from a 5 1/4" floppy disk via a dos prompt of course) before even Windows. Who'd have thunk that . . HEY my spell checker didn't mind "thunk" at all . . that I would be sitting here, basking in the pseudo reality of the world of Julia Child, and Bob Ross, the blogosphere and the Googleverse and me sitting here talking to you. Just like Julie did in 2002. Oh GOD is it 2010 already?

The last 10 years have been nothing short of a roller coaster for me. If you've read my website then you know . . . but I feel like I'm connecting again. I mean literally in 6 months I've discovered Bob Ross, FaceBook, Blogging, and a bunch of OLD and NEW friends I didn't realize I needed so much.

I am really looking forward to the rest of my life. Not that I wasn't before, but for some reason it feels different now. I'd better publish this quickly before I read and edit it to death, and the kids come home. There is a beef roast (potatoes and carrots, snap peas and home baked bread too) in the crockpot. I didn't ONLY watch movies today. I did do a few things. It's 4:20 and I feel good about the day.

Tonight might be better. I have a husband JUST like the Julie and Julia had. If you've seen the movie then you know what I mean ;) Now as far as Bob Ross's love life . . I can't imagine. I'm not sure I really want to go there anyway. So I won't.

But I got a feelin' . . that tonight's gonna be a good night . . .that tonight's gonna be a good good night. . .

Share the Joy.

Kay

The Joy of Painting -Series 2 #2 -Winter Sun

2010-03-19T09:01:00.001-07:00

This video was noticed by YouTube and approved for the partner program! I'm trying to get all my videos approved. That would be cool. If you haven't already seen this one, PLEASE WATCH today. Help me prove to YouTube that they were NOT wrong. People are watching.

I'm still out of town for Spring Break right now, but am spending a lot of time watching Bob, reading books and looking out the window wanting to paint.

Can't wait until I get home to do so. Right now I'd better get my mind back to the kids. They are gearing up to go outside and ride ATVs in the snow, and it IS snowing right now too.

That means this afternoon we'll be at Sunrise Ski Mountain. My daughter has become a pretty good snowboarder. Go figure. I'm afraid to try. Don't want to go thru the recovery after the fall(s). I wish I were 13 again.

Share the Joy!

First painting from series goes on Auction Block

2010-03-15T07:26:00.004-07:00

As an experiment I have listed the first painting in this series FOR SALE on Ebay

Seriously it's just an attempt to get more traffic to my blog and my videos. But I swear last night I listed the painting (very quickly, and I already wish I had taken more time to do it better) and this morning "Tammy" on my FaceBook Fan page asked if I ever sell my paintings.

What's the chance of that? I decide to sell one about the same time someone asks if they are for sale. Anyway, I don't really think it will sell. It would be very exciting if it did. But I set the starting price at $50 just to NOT sell it and make it stay there longer. Does that make sense? I've been watching a lot of "how to use YouTube to drive traffic to your site" videos and such.

Speaking of what I've been watching . . . Last night I watched Episode #5 on series 2. My next painting. In it Bob used a tool I have never seen. It looked like a Power Drill. He was making trees, that required a lot of branches and sticks. So he said "I'm gonna cheat" and just picked up this tool and make a lot of branches very quickly. It looked like a pencil or crayon at the end of the Power Drill.

Does anyone know what that was?

The Joy of Painting -Series 2 #4 -Shades of Grey

2010-03-12T16:43:00.002-07:00

I went a little crazy in this one. Still it's not bad to watch on video.

Unauthorized Bob Ross Videos online

2010-03-01T11:15:00.007-07:00

Links to more
I've never seen these online before now, though clearly they've been there a while. The ones on YouTube look like an art store or something posting these. They are clips from the 3 hour Bob Ross workshop. Which I own on DVD and watch regularly. I've posted these links to make a point. So many people ask where they can see some "Bob" when they don't have PBS or television at all and they ARE online. Just to bad that The Bob Ross company are not putting them there. (I think they should . . just a few . . they have so many, it could help sales!)

Recently I asked for permission to use some clips online (edited into my videos) but they said NO. It was Annette Kowolski who answered (I was honored) and she nicely said "Thanks for asking in advance" because so many others don't. Really ? Shocking ? But I did. And I won't be using any copyrighted material in my videos, cuz that's the way I roll.

But she also told me I needed to stop using the domain name TheJoyofTheJoyofPainting.com because it is a federal trademark. Which I understand, however we understand the rules differently. I am clearly reporting on my OWN experiences in being a student of Bob Ross so no one is confusing me with Bob Ross or his television show The Joy of Painting(tm). That's rule number one in not violating a Trademark by using it in a phrase (especially if it IS a phrase) is not using it to purposefully trick or confuse AND Rule number two, they must defend their trademark. Considering that www.TheJoyofPainting.com is not their domain but belongs and redirects to a UK art supplier, they clearly are not defending their trademark.

Trademarks are different than copyrights. Copyrights are a given now. Your work, people can't copy it. But you can't copyright a name, and if you TradeMark a name or Mark you must defend it, and they simply don't.

Ms. Kowolski did extend her approval of my use of the Names of the episodes in the name of my videos (tho I don't believe I needed it) and that is the reason people find my videos on the subject. They want to see it. Ms.Kowolski would do well to recognize that and give the people what they want.

That being said, I am making a few changes to my blog header to make it clear that this blog is not affiliated in any way with The Bob Ross company Bob Ross, Inc. . . except that I love Bob Ross :) and we all know, that's not a violation of anything.

Share the Joy

The ANSWER, a day late and a painting short

2010-02-27T11:02:00.001-07:00

I LOVE Saturday mornings. 7:30am (KAET Channel 8 - Phoenix Valley) is The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Today he started with a black canvas. Just like my Series 2 #3 painting last week. I had decided to use a "liquid clear" layer over the acrylic black canvas. Today after seeing this additional episode AND after having done the same treatment last week, I'm pretty sure I didn't need the clear layer.

The reason being that he used a layer of transparent color on both. Mine last week was Aliz.Crimson and Phathlo Blue, and today on TV he used Phathlo Blue and Phathlo Green. In both cased, you don't really see the color on the black. It's when you add the White that it becomes opaque as you start to blend the two.

My painting last week ended up SHINNY with the undercoating. While my paint did indeed move on the canvas, I believe it may have had the same effect from simply the Aliz and Blue.

Here's the photo. I really dislike it (I typed "hate it" but went back and was nicer to myself) because my white cap waves are NOT believable. I should have blended them more. I also need to stop making those "smiley faces" with my fan brush.

My trees, while eliciting a compliment from my 18 yr old son, are just . . well, bad. The grass and bushes are my least favorite as they are WAY TO BRIGHT . . and I even heard Bob say "be careful you don't make it so bright ya can't stand it" but it must have been after I actually painted them because it was too late.

Lately I have been yearning to go outside and paint something (Plein Air style) that isn't fed to me on DVD. That would be the real goal of painting with a Bob Ross or Bill Alexander style painter. Learn techniques that you can apply to your own compositions. I want to be able to see trees and KNOW how I'd paint them. It's starting to happen. I see rocks in and along streams and I can see the contrast between the dark and highlighted sides. I look and know how I'd paint that. I silently (sometimes to my husband out loud) say that I'm going to put one of those in my world.

I've been visiting other web sites and forums, just looking for places to learn. One that I found just recently via another blogging artist site is The Wet Canvas (www.wetcanvas.com) they are very friendly there and while it's FILLED with Artists who can really call themselves artists, many still took the time to welcome me and comment on my painting. Compared to them, what I'm doing is just entertainment (for me and MiMi and anyone else who wants to watch the video) but someday I'm going to be an artist.

Share the Joy.
Kay

OSU Art Professor Scot Kaplan 30 min. Performance

2010-02-24T16:53:00.003-07:00

Here's a guy actually painting WITH Bob Ross' a couple years ago, in a performance at a gallery or similar. Professor Kaplan did a 30 paintings, 30 days, 30 minutes series and was showing the paintings. At that showing he did this video. It's cool. People were cheering him on. Share the Joy, Kay

Series 2 -#3 - Ebony Sea

2010-02-22T08:12:00.004-07:00

My first black canvas painting. If you read previous posts you'll see the treatment that was done prior to painting. In the end, Bob was done before I got to the trees and grasses, and there were some horrible "accidents" that didn't make me too happy.

But I promised to post the video, so I did. It's too long and I thank anyone who makes it to the end. When I get it down to 30 minutes real time, the shortened videos should be more watchable. 30 min real time looks good sped up to run 4-6 minutes. So let's hope for that next time. PLEASE leave comments (if you have them) it keeps me motivated. Share the Joy, Kay

I was feeling real good about painting, until I started. . .

2010-02-20T17:32:00.002-07:00

Right now I am taking a break. Yes I started a new painting today. Probably should NOT have because it is getting late and I'm loosing light (I paint in a huge room that has lots of windows up high, so I don't need lights to video tape) but as usual Bob is done, and I am not.

I am NOT happy with my painting. I swear I have forgotten EVERYTHING I've tried to learn. I watched this video 2 times before starting. (Not all today, but this week here and there) So when we started I felt confident that I'd be able to keep up. But I quickly got behind and panic set in. You'll see it in the video.

It didn't help that I've been having a couple of conversations with a few of you and I've seen some of your paintings. I really wanted this one to be good too. I was feeling good about the under painted background. The black canvas that stared at me all week was finally being looked upon. I decided to use liquid clear before the Aliz/Ph.Blue treatment, and I think it went down hill from there.

However I WILL BE POSTING THE VIDEO. I'm determined to not just do this, but to learn from my mistakes and get better. I don't really want to just "copy" Bob's work (even tho that's the end result of painting along with his television series) but I don't seem to have any vision once I pick up the brush. I SEE it when he's demonstrating it. But I get stupid with a brush in my hand.

Eventually I want to be able to use the technique I am learning and be able to make "my world" come out in the painting. I know that it will eventually. I just did episode 3 for heaven sake, it's not like I'm on #300 and still suck at this. I have to get better. Eventually.

Stay tuned. I will post the whole sad event on video, which might turn out ok, because the whole video thing is really different than the actual painting. If you don't get too close to it!

Share the Joy,
Kay

Dark Skies Ahead

2010-02-17T13:05:00.001-07:00

OK I'm ready to do #3 in the series and have a small problem. I'm going to have to "make a big decision" and not the easy kind like where to put the land and the trees. I'm going to have to draw upon my extensive Bob Ross(tm) watching experience. All 8 months of it ;)

Sort of funny that I didn't know him as a child. We had pubic television. Heck I was ON "Bart's Clubhouse" in my home town (shout out to the Iowa folks from the 1960s) but I didn't see a Joy of Painting show until about 8 months ago when we hooked a tv up the the basic cable and couldn't get The Discovery Channel. . . but I digress . .

At the end of the last show he said we would be doing a black canvas. He said to prepare a canvas by painting it black with acrylic, and let it dry. So I did. Now I've watched the episode and he begins this one by putting Alys.Crimson in the center surrounded by Ph.Blue around it. The colors are transparent so you don't actually see them on the black canvas, until he started blending them with white.

What he didn't say was whether or not he put on the magic white (he still hadn't 'invented' his own liquid white, and used the Bill Alexander product . . . I love Bill Alexander too. They are putting a lot of his stuff on YouTUBE lately. I have watched a lot of him too. He's funny, in an old German Grandpa sort of way. Could have been MY grandpa) but again, I digress . . You might find I do that a lot.

Im guessing that at this early time (remember I'm on episode 3, probably from 1960's as well) there was no "magic clear" or "liquid black" or otherwise. I suppose one might have used Linseed oil on a dark canvas, because white would produce a grey effect. Nice maybe, but NOT what he was starting with.

He did say the Crimson and Blue were "transparent" and I don't know if he means the colors in general, or that he'd thinned them with something. His canvas still looks black AFTER he puts on these colors (he did this before the show began, and just "told" me about it, which is why I'm left wondering) but as he adds white to the center, it begins to pick up the red and blues, and they seem to be blending as if there is/was a liquid medium of some sort in play.

SO I'm going to make a big decision here. I'm going to decide to use liquid clear, or liquid black, or neither. I know what I'm going to do, but don't want to say so yet. Building suspense so that you just MUST come back when I'm done to see, or maybe so that you'll give me your advice and it won't spoil the audience pool. So I'll let you know, or you let me know. Whichever comes first.

Share the Joy, Kay

TRANSFORMER di ROBOTER

2010-02-15T09:24:00.003-07:00

If you are a Bob Ross fan, you will thank me for this . . . It's a most hypnotic song that you will be singing if you listen to it. . . . "see that lonely cloud, let's give him a friend"

Share the Joy, Kay

Series 2 #2 -Winter Sun

2010-02-14T09:31:00.004-07:00

OMG - That was HARD. I forgot how to hold the brush, and my colors got all mixed. In the end I had lavender snow. BUT I DID IT. I broke the Ice with this Icy painting.

Sort of anticlimactic considering Valentine's Day and the Start of the Olympics and all, but my own little Victory none the less. I had watched the episode a couple of times before starting. I ran it once at regular speed with sound. That's the one that makes me drift off. Then again, muted. Then I ran it in fast forward just to remember the scene we were going for. Even after all of that preparation, I still fell behind Bob. I had to pause him about 5 times throughout just so I could mix my paint (which I remembered that I'm horrible at) and then I ran out of white because I turned it all lavender with Alys.Crimson and too much Phalo Blue. Oh Yea, AND since I am watching the earliest series the colors are not the same. He's using Burnt Umber and I don't have Burnt Umber. I know it's probably just like something else. I need to Google that.*

Anyway, please enjoy the video. I edited out a lot of "thinking" time, and of course sped it up 4x normal. I still think it's a little long for enjoyment. Next time I'm going to edit it down more so we are entertained, and not bored.

Share the Joy,
Kay

*Wikipedia : Burnt Umber was one of the frequently-used colours on the pallet of Bob Ross during early seasons of The Joy of Painting. Later he switched to mostly dark sienna for his lighter brown colours, while still occasionally using a Burnt Umber acrylic to under-paint some of his works.

My husband gave me flowers just before he left me . . .

2010-02-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

alone with his mother on Valentine's Day weekend.

It's the weekend for lovers. The weekend to prove to those you love, how much you love them. Of course when my daughter and her friends wanted to go skiing for the weekend (no school Monday) my husband wanted to prove to her how much he loves her so he's making the sacrifice.

But I ask you, which one of us made the bigger sacrifice? For context, we've been married for nearly 26 years this year, so Valentines Day while cute and all, is overrated. And though MiMi does require some effort and attention, we're talking 3 days without the kids or husband. Nothing to worry about. Well mom will worry about things anyway, but I'm going to paint.

I'm going to paint at least 2 of the series paintings, if not 3. That's just like me, set a goal. Not a small one. Oh No. Go Big. I've already proven to the few people who've read anything I've written here that I'm a huge procrastinator.

But I work best under pressure (yea, so you've said) and this is my weekend. So if you have nothing else to do, stay tuned. I'll post the painting video as soon as it's done, so it could be a busy weekend of blog following. . . I'm just kidding . . that's sort of lame. But then who really cares?

Share the Joy,
Kay

Can FaceBook help me stay motivated?

2010-01-27T15:55:00.002-07:00

I have not painted all year! I mean . . . (here comes my excuses) . . . I AM really busy, and if you've spent any time on my website (www.KayZahn.com) you'd understand why. But I really want to paint. I work from 6am to noon on the phone, on the computer and otherwise engaged in my regular life. MiMi wakes up around noon (sometimes earlier, sometimes later) and I really want to take the hour or two that her and I watch TV (while I type on my laptop, like now) and paint at least once a week.

Why I'm not getting to that, I'm not sure. But of course, I have an idea. Always one to work better under pressure, and long ago realizing that most of my pressure comes from my imagination anyway, I decided to give myself a reason to believe there is pressure to do what I say I want to do. So today I did something I'm not sure I will regret or not. I went onto Facebook and looked for a few friends. Not to talk to everyday, or so I have more "friends" in general (even tho my daughter seems to think it's a contest) but to help motivate me to paint.

They won't even have to do anything, except just become a fan and make me think they are watching. Then if I feel like what I'm trying to do is a waste of time, I'll think of them (and my few new friends from YouTube) and get over it.

I KNOW. It's stupid, but it just might work. Gotta go. Oprah is just about to talk to the guy who started Chipotle. I love that place.

Share the Joy, Kay

I started the year with compliments on You Tube !

2010-01-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

Recently an email notification from YouTube(tm) said that I had received a comment on one of my oil painting videos. My heart skipped a little beat. I didn't want to open it for fear that it was the usual mean spirited type of thing that I've read elsewhere. You know the ones that seems to come from people with nothing better to do than to sit around watching stuff they don't like and then taking the time to criticize it. Sometimes with great passion. I gathered my courage (ok, I'm not really the type to worry about criticism, but I'm adding a little dramatic embellishment) and clicked to open.

To my great comfort Grynomite44 posted "You are really good! :)" and later Drawingmaster posted "Nice! I love his work. Makes it so simple. I hope to start soon." I have no idea who these people are, but they are my new best friends (more dramatic embellishment.) Honestly what it tells me is that no matter how many years ago Bob Ross published his work, people are still touched by his style.

My house is back to normal after the holidays. I have set up my easel again and I'm ready to paint. I'm going to try watching the episode I'll be painting along with next in advance of painting. I just need to have time to absorb it and think about it first. Perhaps in the future I'll be able to just turn on a new episode and go with it, but for now, I need time to prepare. A LOT of time to prepare. Once I am ready to paint, I'll try to do it along with the 30 minute episode.

I'll be back when my liquid white is wet (or actually after that as it will take me a while to get the video posted) but it sounded good.

Series2 #1 - Mountain Lake

2009-12-09T20:36:00.004-07:00

This was as much as I could do in 30 minutes. Bob was WAY ahead of me. Next time I'm using the Pause button.

Share the Joy,
Kay

Slow Down, You talk TOO FAST.

2009-12-09T09:14:00.006-07:00

OK This is IT. It's official. I've painted along with Bob Ross's first episode and my oddessy begins. After watching countless episodes (well maybe 10) on Saturday mornings and viewing the 3 hour workshop (twice) I was ready to paint along with Bob.

Well I thought I was all ready. Canvas covered in liquid medium, all paint on palette, camera on (with a 30 min disc because after all the show is only a half hour)and DVD player paused on Bob's shinning afro.

He looked so much younger. He was of course. 12-15 years younger than when he died I figure. And while he did develop his own style over the years, in the beginning he was clearly a student of Bill Alexander. He called the palette knife "the almighty knife" and the easel too was "almighty." (I have a Bill Alexander DVD too:) At the start of the episode he referenced Bill's work. He thanked Bill for teaching him this style and acknowledged him as teacher and friend.

During this part I was starting with my sky as I figured it couln't hurt to get ahead. Quickly however, even tho I was painting AsFastAsIcould, I could not keep up. That's when I found myself uttering words to Bob Ross that I doubt anyone has ever said "SLOW DOWN! You talk too fast!"

By the time I got done with my sky, he was fluffing clouds. By the time I was making snow "break" down the mountainside, he was putting land between the water and trees so they didn't just fall into the lake. Whatever you want it's your world. I can see that in MY world I'm going to have to take advantage of the "Pause" button and slow Bob Ross down a notch.

I have the video on my other computer and will edit and post it later today. I stopped after the disc was full so you won't see me finish the painting, but you can see by the photo I still suck at this. My mountains are floating, my evergreens are christmas trees, and my other trees always like overgrown bushes. In the end I was just putting highlights all "willy nilly" and feeling very lost. But it all happened so fast, I'm not to upset that it is horrible. Tomorrow is another day.

PLEASE comment or follow me, or whatever you do to show you are there. I need motivation.

Share the Joy,
Kay

Warming up to the Joy of Painting

2009-12-06T18:52:00.004-07:00

I finally did my warm up painting. It's my first video of painting, so I was just playing with camera and placement and post production (how to do as little as possible) and I just sped it up about 400%. I'll do better next time. For example, move my stuff to the left so I don't stand in front of the painting, AND I'll find some music I can publish. You can't just put your favorite song in a video (or play it in the background while you shoot) or YouTube will take it down. But I have tons of royalty free stuff. I'll dig it out.

Share the Joy,
Kay

Why I Don't Paint People

2009-12-04T09:28:00.004-07:00

Here's the video I mentioned. I just learned how to embed them. I love this video :)

Painting myself into a corner?

2009-12-01T09:25:00.010-07:00

Here I am 24 hours later still thinking I could do this. I'm going to do a warm up painting today. I know it sounds silly, a warm up painting. Since I've already painted a number "warm ups" but this one feels a little different. So don't judge me :)
Speaking of judging, I'm sure if anyone has found this blog (I don't know why or how, but I'm grateful) there must be some who want to engage in the LOVE or HATE Bob Ross conversation. Not that there's not room for that. Art is very subjective and I'm not calling what I am trying to do art. I'm painting. Putting Oil on canvas with brushes and knives under the direction of an icon from days past. If it turns out to BE art, then so be it. I'm not an art critic, or even a student of the arts so I don't claim to have any idea what is or is not classic art. I (like many others) just Know What I Like. Period.

Here's a link to another blog that posed the LOVE/HATE question about Bob, and the answers there pretty much include folks from all sides. Love it or hate it, the conversation is also fascinating, so please feel free to continue, if you're out there.

I'm going to get a little canvas on my easel for a little warming up. I'll put up a tripod and camera (maybe even comb my hair, in case I get in the frame) and see what works and what doesn't. Taking pictures of what I'm doing may prove to be the hard part. I have tons of photo and video equipment (I do a LOT of that too, the details of which would be in another chapter, but you can see my videos on YouTube, just search for Kay Zahn)

See, I wasn't kidding. I got out a canvas. Actually it's been out for days. But I did get the camera out. I'm doing something. Thanks again for reading. Please comment if you have, so I know if I'm talking to myself and MiMi or not. Kay

390 episodes @ 1 p/week will take YEARS

2009-11-30T15:23:00.011-07:00

Since I recently started watching the Saturday morning classic, The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross (thanks PBS I don't know why I didn't find Bob earlier in life) I did what I always do when I think I want to try something . . I bought the entire package. DVDs, Paint, Brushes, Easel, Canvas, and everything one could ever need to paint along, so I had to try. Lo and behold, Bob was right. I CAN DO IT.

But how to stay motivated to get better. To produce something actually usable, and or something I'd keep around. The few I've already done, I'm keeping only to look back at and see how I'm doing but that's about all. They are fine enough for a beginner, but not what I'd call art.

So what I'm thinking about here is to paint and blog my way through as many Bob Ross television episodes that I can. I'll try to do at least one painting a week and post notes, photos, video, or whatever comes up during my progression. Who knows I may even get good at it.

Why do this? you may ask. And even more important, how?
Luckily I have a fabulous husband (the best in the world I've been known to defend) and kids to match. I'm the CEO of a family business that's been around since 1982 (that's like decades) started by hubby and I that long ago. Unfortunately since June of 2009, I've also become the primary care giver for his mother. A woman who took care of me (well did my laundry and helped with the kids for YEARS) and now due to a couple of strokes, she needs me. So we moved her in with us. I have worked from home for a number of years anyway so it was pretty natural to move her in.
Back to PBS. I started watching Saturday morning PBS television while "hanging" around with MiMi. She doesn't talk much and you can tell she doesn't process everything quickly. So she understands better if we talk slower and more deliberate so she can process things before they "go by" if you will. So if you know the late great Bob Ross then you know why he's just what the Doctor ordered. I've read that folks compare the effects of his voice to the effects of demerol. She likes to watch, and she frequently comments that "he makes it look so easy."

Today I ordered the First 2 seasons on DVD (happen to be Season 2 and 3) I don't know what happened to number one, no one seems to sell that.
I'm thinking that I should start this as a New Year's resolution. You know . . think about it for a month or so . . . and then see if I STILL want to do it. Of course that procrastination is JUST what my brain wants me to do . . . and so I need to FIGHT.
Maybe I need to start ASAP. Carpe' Diem.
What does anyone else think? I'd be amazed if anyone even read this, so really if you are out there and can offer up much needed motivation, please join and follow or whatever you do with blogs. I promise you, if I keep writing, even if I fail, it will be worth your reading. But you can be the judge of that. Thanks for reading this far. Kay