My experiment in automatic watering system

I put a little how to video on you tube about the creation of this system.  It was very easy to do and by trial and error, I finally got it to not be leaky.  The key to that was use a calk that is specifically used to calk guttering and is found on the guttering isle ( not where the other calk is) in my local hardware store.  Basically this is a closed system that allows water to come in via a hose connected to a very large rain barrel.  The key to success is a float that I ordered online that is made for this system.  It was a little tricky to find the right attachments to make this work but a very sweet guy at Home Depot spent around 15 minutes w me looking for just the right attachments and cut some pvc pipe to make it all work out. What you can't see in this picture ( and thanks to my husband, Scott who drilled the big holes in the bottom of each of these) is that there is about a 3" circular hole in the bottom of each of these where we dropped a little basket which dips down into the water in the gutter and is filled with potting soil which wicks up into the rest of the bucket where I have various seeds and plants planted.  Cool, huh?  It works!!

Just an interesting, no flour recipe for great crackers that I made up

Sorry that this is the kind of recipe that calls for a pinch of this and a handful of that but it is the best I can do...

I made something quite delicious the other day and thought I would share w you. took one can of low sodium white beans, put in blender w one egg, a bunch of almonds, a heavy dose of cumin, garlic pwdr , chili pwder, cayenne, blk pepper... I think I added a little water to make it pourable if I remember correctly. Pour on parchment paper on a cookie sheet so that it is as thin as you can get it. Sprinkle w seseme and other seeds that you might have handy. bake at around 350 and check it every 5 minutes or so. fliip it when it looks like it has tosted a little. I left the parhment paper on one of them and stripped it off one w the same results either way and then cook a little longer to toast the other side. They were DELISH! great crackers.... Scott said he hated to put anyting on them because they were so good by themselves. you could use them for pizza like crust as well, i bet.  I would post a picture but darn it.... they are all gone but the crumbs!

Kirsten

To Bid
Always love a chance to work with a live model.

Gathering Spring Greens

I was listing some paintings on Ebay today and ran across one of my favorites.  This painting was inspired by a walk in an ancient forest in Oklahoma and by a Waterhouse painting.  The painting was one done as I lead the class through the process of painting a portrait in my adult oil painting class.  Instead of putting my subject inside a building as Waterhouse did, I moved her outside, into the forest and gave her a job to do.  She has been out gathering spring greens and herbs.  If you want to visit her in my ebay gallery click here.
To visit my foraging blog click here

Cowgirls

I was just revisiting some older pieces and decided to post this one on ebay this week for auction.
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My son, Dylan got a nice write up in No Depression Magazine

This is great music to listen to while you paint.  It is soothing yet surprising.  Unexpected twists and turns.
http://nodepression.com/album-review/various-artists-imaginational-anthem-volume-7-guitar-soli

Various Artists - Imaginational Anthem Volume 7: Guitar Soli

by Rob Caldwell
February 3, 2015

Tompkins Square’s Imaginational Anthem series has become a standard for presenting solo instrumental acoustic guitar music in the “American Primitive”, or “Guitar Soli” style.  Since the first volume 10 years ago, the series has included new artists as well as bringing back to light influential and important guitarists of yesteryear. Partly as a result, solo acoustic guitar has been enjoying a revival of sorts lately, with artists such as William Tyler, Daniel Bachman, and James Blackshaw attracting fairly widespread attention. Hayden Pedigo (featured last year in Vogue, of all places) is one of this new breed and has been chosen to curate the latest, Volume 7: Guitar Soli. Pedigo is an inspired choice, as his most recent album Five Steps features collaborations with a menagerie of adventuresome guitarists ranging from Fred Frith and Peter Walker to Acid Mothers Temple’s Kawabata Makoto.
Even though the Imaginational Anthem albums showcase just one instrument, a lot of ground is covered.  Beethoven didn’t call the guitar a miniature orchestra for no reason. “Culverts”, by Sean Proper and “Red Bud Valley” by Dylan Golden Acock recall the “Takoma School” of playing (Leo Kottke, John Fahey) with bright, clean lines. Conversely, Chuck Johnson’s “On a Slow Passing Through a Ghost Town” is more contemplative, it’s haunting melody line stark and cinematic.
Things get experimental on “Trees Return to Soil”, by Simon Scott (best known as the drummer for Slowdive) - an atmospheric piece with subtle background noise and the close-miked sound of fingers on strings. Similarly, Jordan Norton’s “Araucaria” delves into ambient territory with an echoing sound landscape evoking empty spaces, with gentle percussive fingerpicking, almost banjo-like.  “0/3”, by M. Mucci features an accompanying tapping on the guitar body creating a duet between strings and wood.
Kyle Fosburgh’s “The Great North American Wilderness” is stately and grand, the deep resonance of the notes conveying a deep reverence for the wilderness of the track’s title. Some of the song names on the collection are more vague, playful (Christoph Bruhn’s “Something, or Oil Paintings”) or seemingly at odds with the music than Fosburgh’s. With a title like “Shadow Study at 6 am”, you might expect Mariano Rodriguez’ piece to be mellow and moody. Yet Rodriguez is wide awake in this greet-the-morning song, his confident playing ringing in the day.

Each of the tracks on Volume 7 tell a story and, though some of the playing is rooted in the sounds and styles of trailblazing guitarists of yore,  there’s always a striving to see what new things can be done with this “miniature orchestra” called the guitar. Based on the evidence here, the future is bright for guitar soli.
(Imaginational Anthem Vol. 7 is out Feb. 17)

Pre Raphaelite Girl with Cat

I was looking through some old painting photos and came across this painting which I did as a demo in my adult painting class.  I really liked how it turned out and apparently someone else did as well as it sold pretty quickly. 

A walk in the woods

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To Claire Goes Foraging children's book, written and illustrated by Margaret Aycock

If you leave a painting with an artist long enough, invariably it will go through a revision or two.  This one had a dog in it a few weeks ago and the more I looked at it the more I thought... I am not married to the idea of having this dog in the painting.  This week, out she goes.  I like the painting much better now.  It is on auction this week on ebay.  If it doesn't sell this week it is going to a Mardi Gras  fundraiser next week. 

Pink Peonies

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This is one among many recent paintings that are on auction this week.  Clicking above takes you to this painting where there will be links to the rest of the gallery and auctions.

FREE DOWNLOAD TODAY CLAIRE GOES FORAGING

I just finished publishing a little children's book on foraging.  All throughout the book are original oil paintings.  I borrowed my great niece and a good friend, Charica who modeled for the paintings.  I thought I would let you guys know so that you could read it for free today and tomorrow on Kindle. I had a tough time getting the Kindle version to upload my recipe/scrapbook pages.  This time it includes the missing recipe/scrapbook pages.  My fingers are crossed that it looks ok on your end.  On my end it previews the pages on Kindle which looks small to me.  Hopefully you can pinch it out so photos are bigger and you can read the words.  Let me know if something still needs to be tweaked.  If anyone else wants to add a good review, I would sure appreciate it.... and of course I have physical copies of the book at my house so I know they came out great  ( they pumped up the color a bit more than my original paintings but still looks fine) so feel free to order those with no worries.

http://www.amazon.com/Claire-Goes-Foraging-Margaret-Aycock-ebook/dp/B00RE0OE6U

My Gallery:  http://midwest-fine-art.com

Kindle Sales of Claire Goes Foraging FREE this week beginning 1/7/15

So you have an opportunity to read my book in advance of buying it for your child, I have made it available for free this week for Kindle.  On Amazon this week, Kindle sales are free, any other day Kindle sales are only $3.   I hope you read my little book, enjoy it, buy a copy and leave me a great review on Amazon.  Happy reading.

Happy New Year... This is my son, Dylan Aycock

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154985696500640

My book is finished!

The book is written so that children can learn several common plants easily found in places that are allowed to be wild, even in your own back yard or garden.  

I included some of Claire's scrap book pages about plant identification and the recipe that she and Celeste chose to make for their evening meal on the day they foraged for food.  

It also includes vitamin/mineral information that Claire finds on the internet.  

The book encourages parents and children to do more research and of course, to eat the weeds :-)

Here are a few sample pages

Winter Paintings

Time to pull out the winter paintings.  There is something attractive to me about a spot of bright red in an otherwise black and white composition.  Maybe stemming back to seeing the cardinal at the birdfeeder in the snow that gives a hint of life in the otherwise sleeping landscape.  Anyways I love this painting of friend, Melody as she walks her dog in the snow on some property near our home.  It is on auction this week on ebay

The bottom painting done by Scott was accepted into the Philbrook Museum's Festival of Trees and was sold there.  Congrats Scott!
To Bid

And just for fun, here are a few other winter paintings

This one was done by my husband/student, Scott Aycock.  It was recently chosen to hang at the Philbrook Museum's Festival of Trees where it was promptly snatched up by a lucky buyer.  Congrats, Scott!  You can see more of his work by clicking the link above and entering my ebay gallery.

http://www.bloomingtwig.com/32824/
Scott's book release is today at the Woody Guthrie Center at 2:00

Children's Book almost finished. Being edited now. CLAIRE GOES FORAGING

Holiday Sale

Happy Holidays everyone.  Any of you all who are in the Tulsa area next week, please feel free to drop by and see me and a few of my artsy friends.

This summer's peonies from a series of peony paintings.  This one is on auction this week through my ebay gallery.
To visit my gallery
To visit my blog

A Pair of Pears for Christmas

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SOLD! 23 hours left

 

Only 23 hours left on auction

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To Blog

SOLD! City Sky

In real life the buildings are not crooked.  My camera always does this.
to bid

Save the Date

Baby's first day at the beach

Fine Art America carries prints in all sizes of my work.  You can order it framed, matted, in greeting card form and much more.

check out prints of this image click here

A few paintings in process for a children's book on foraging

Hard Working Americans First Waltz

http://smarturl.it/FirstWaltzAmazon

My son, Jesse's newest project. 

Gathering Herbs

One of my favorite paintings started out using a master work.  She found her way moving out of the home and into the woods.  I like to imagine her in an old growth forest in Oklahoma gathering herbs and greens for tonight's dinner.  She is on auction for the next 12 hours on ebay
to bid

Working on the new children's book

Several paintings in progress for the new children's book

Jesse opens for Marc Ford at the Colony

http://youtu.be/BqJTu2V4Za8

Peonies

One small painting from my Peony series.
To bid

Honey Crisps

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Master inspired

When I  teach painting I often  use a master as a jumping off point so we can all be on the same page for much of the process and still allow the students some creative elbow room.  I have always loved foraging and continue to learn more.  This painting started out as a pre raphaelite woman in a cathedral and ended up in the woods gathering herbs and greens.
She is on auction this week on my ebay site
To Bid

Get Ispirato! An in-car concert with Jesse Aycock

Notice:Scheduled posts will be removed. You may delete all of this comment so it does not publish on your post. Thank you.

SOLD, SOLD, SOLD!

What a great weekend for selling paintings.  I had a very profitable time at Utica Square and arrived home to open my mail to see that my OVAC 12x12 sold for more than top dollar at their fundraiser.  Thanks to all who made a purchase of my paintings this week. 

Honey Crisps

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A Children's book on edible 'weeds'

I don't know why I remember this.  Maybe it is because I was the new girl in class and was pretty shy in the 6th grade.  I remember our teacher asking the question, " what is a weed?"  Being in a farming community, hands went up all over the room.  Mine stayed in my lap.  "Dandelion," one shouted.  Another suggested another common weed.  The teacher kept saying, "No.  No.  No."  Until I raised my hand and was called upon to answer.  I said tentatively, with a question at the end of my statement, "Any plant that you don't want to be there?"  I beamed with pride that my answer was the one he was looking for.

I have long ago had a relationship with the "weeds" in my yard, garden and in the untended fields around the places I have lived.  My mother passed down a great recipe for dandelion green salad and from there my meals of late have included, wood sorrel, purslane, poke weed, dandelion, lambsquarters and non traditional parts of traditional garden plants such as the leaves of sweet potato, the shoots of peas and radishes, the leaves of carrots, beets, broccoli and more.

I have decided to create a children's book on the subject.  Here is the first painting for the book.  It is unfinished but I couldn't wait to share it with you.  The little girl character, Claire, is holding purslane.

Her Jedi Knight 11x14 oil

I was on facebook the other day and saw this adorable photo of my neighbor and her little boy.  I loved the way she is looking at her brave knight and the way the son created halos around them both.  It was such a sweet moment that begged to be painted.  I really love this painting.

For those of us who have been lucky enough to have children who have not had to see the inside of a hospital, I choose to donate a portion of the funds from the sale of the painting to St Judes, for the children and families who have not been as fortunate.
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A Walk on the Wild Side

To Bid on this Painting Click Here

My son, Dylan's latest record

For those who love to listen to ambient, transe like music while you paint, you should check out all the record on http://scissortailrecords but in particular the new one...
Read the review here:
http://bigtakeover.com/recordings/talk-west-all-worries-at-once-marmara

A Walk on the Wild Side

This painting was inspired by the ever present, dramatic skies we have out here in Oklahoma and an old photo of my niece at the beach wearing a sarong that was flying up behind her as she walked.  Add some red boots, a few dress straps and you have an Oklahoma girl at the edge of the prairie watching the storm roll in.  She kind of becomes part of her surroundings with her hair joining with the cloud forms.
To Bid and enter my Ebay Gallery Click Here

Hardworking Americans up for Americana Music Award. Congrats Jesse Aycock!

2014 AMERICANA HONORS & AWARDS NOMINEES

 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Build Me Up From Bones, Sarah Jarosz

The Lights From The Chemical Plant, Robert Ellis

The River And The Thread, Rosanne Cash

Southeastern, Jason Isbell

 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Rosanne Cash

Rodney Crowell

Robert Ellis

Jason Isbell

 

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR

The Avett Brothers

The Devil Makes Three

Hard Working Americans

Lake Street Dive

The Milk Carton Kids

 

SONG OF THE YEAR

"Cover Me Up", Jason Isbell

"A Feather's Not A Bird", Rosanne Cash

"Ohio", Patty Griffin

"Only Lies", Robert Ellis

 

EMERGING ACT OF THE YEAR

Hurray For The Riff Raff

Parker Millsap

St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Sturgill Simpson

Valerie June

 

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR

Larry Campbell

Fats Kaplin

Buddy Miller

Bryan Sutton

 

The Americana Honors & Awards, presented by Nissan, returns to the historically cool Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN on September 17, 2014 (as part of the Americana Music Festival - September 17-21, 2014 at venues throughout Music City). The iconic Jim Lauderdale will once again host the Honors & Awards, while the phenomenal Buddy Miller will lead the All-Star Band. Described by Paste Magazine as “the worlds best awards show” the Americana Honors & Awards have featured once-in-a-lifetime moments, unforgettable performances and legendary collaborations.  Tickets for the Honors & Awards show come with the purchase of Americana Music Festival & Conference Registrations.

Icy Hot

My nephew who is studying to be a mountaineer sent me this photo of a rarely visited place on the planet.  He had to climb up icy mountains and camp in the snow in order to get this rare photo.  I thought it looked both freezing cold and somehow, warm with that brilliant sun in the sky and reflected back on the icy snow.
To bid click here