Mimi Torchia Boothby

Sometimes I don’t have a lot of time to paint, other times, I want to do something fun and different. That’s when I go to Susie Short’s website and find some of her fun painting ideas, complete with tips and tricks. I have always loved the look of Birch trees, so why not paint a thicket? This painting measures 6″ x 6″ and is SOLD. I have one more very similar the same size and a postcard sized one (with a little red fox) that are still available.
I just finished painting something big, but it’s a Christmas present so I can’t show anyone until after Christmas!

“A Rose by any other name” Who said it?
I really love roses. Their intricate fat blooms full of a wonderful scent make me smile. Even the simple wild roses with their bold structures and great rose hips have a place in my heart. This is another piece of “mail art,” a simple postcard that will surely delight its recipient.

My favorite rose is Double Delight. Which is yours? If a rose doesn’t have a scent, I will not keep it in my yard. To me a rose without a scent is like an artificial piece of candy.. or a clay piece of chocolate. Or a wax fruit.

You’d probably be surprised at how many paintings of autumn colors I’ve attempted and then tossed in frustration.

The weather here in November is tempestuous, to say the least. The sky will have big pregnant dark clouds and wind and sunshine and rain all in the same day. And the trees glow. I’ve seen it. They clash with the dark sky and fill my eyes with their incredible color. Right after a rainfall, even the streets and the wet cars reflect the color of the leaves on and off the trees. It always seems magical to me, and I guess I’ll just keep trying to paint what I see.

I won’t pretend that this painting has finally captured that which I seek. But I’m getting closer.

This painting is available for the bargain price of $45 if anyone falls in love with it.
It measures 7″ X 10″ and is on Arches fine watercolor paper.

During this time of year, a bike ride can be a kaleidoscope of incredibly beautiful visions. Even though this Autumn did not have the fire and brilliance of the last, there are places where the colors fill the eyes with glowing embers. On the bike, these visual delights force you to slow down just to see, just to see.

We were going down a tree lined street in the central district of Seattle last Sunday when I saw these crows, happily feasting on something hidden under the fallen leaves.

This painting and a companion piece like it are both available. This one measures 7″ X 10″ and is for sale $100.00 and the smaller one is painted on a square of watercolor paper, 6″ x 6″ and it is priced at $45.00

Gosh, I love painting people’s faces. I get to explore every nook and cranny of their eyes, their smile lines, their noses. I love to play with their hair, especially hair like Agnes’ rich, shiny, curly black hair. I learn so much about a person by painting their portrait. You’d be surprised, even with people that I already know well, as I inch across the terrain of their cheeks and foreheads, it’s quite possible that I become even more intimately acquainted with that acreage than they are.

Every November, a group of artists that I know via the website Http://wetcanvas.com do a portrait swap. This year, Agnes is my partner, she has to paint me, I have to paint her. It’s a nice break from my self-imposed studies an opportunity to branch out a bit. Do any of you do exchanges like this?

note: I’m sorry, I said it was a contest, but it’s not a contest at all, it’s a SWAP!