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Welcome to Barb's Blog.

I will post weekly (or nearly) some of my opinions, insights, ideas, and adventures about art, travel, plein aire, pastel, and whatever's happening. Join me, feel free to add comments, follow along as I paint and write and explore

A Note

February 14, 2023  •  Leave a Comment

I posted the recent work I've done. Valentine's Day is here and I can say I'm loving the art I'm making right now. It's more abstract and complex than I have done. I only posted a few of the recent, and none of the latest. Several of us have been taking classes with Judy Woods from New Zealand. On line, of course. Guess what? You can teach an old dog new tricks. It's good to take a few risks with art work, and after this couple of years of COVID it's time to get back to experimenting and exploring. I hope you enjoy these pieces. Back to the studio for me. OCTOBER CAT AND PUMPKINOCTOBER CAT AND PUMPKINstill-life with cat and pumpkin in front of the Grand Mesa collage and acrylic. This wasa fun piece. I love the way the collage papers add texture to the surface. Little secrets in the paint.

SUNFLOWER COVER FOR CALENDAR 23SUNFLOWER COVER FOR CALENDAR 23 collage with acrylic, and ink for fun.

MARCH MEANS BABY CHICKSMARCH MEANS BABY CHICKSmixed media and collage with acrylic Not as much collage and stuff, but I had a great time with the chicks in this collage painting. 

 

 


Summer ending

September 08, 2022  •  Leave a Comment

I've had an interesting summer here. My painting has been random and geared to my own interests, mostly.. I explored a lot of compositional study, knowing it's important to learn something new everyday. I took a couple of free classes on the internet with Judy Woods. I learned a lot. Maybe an old dog can learn new tricks. IMG_6482ONE SUNFLOWERAn abstract collage and mixed media done in conjunction with a free class from Judy Wood in New Zealand. I also found some information on the web about neurographic art. This art style is a form of meditation and connection. it is fun to explore. With the COVID year or so we all need to breathe and relax. Here's a way to do that. There is a ton of information on YouTube. 

IMG_6644NEUROGRAPHIC TREE OF LIFE

AT THE TOP _6458AT THE TOP

My son's birthday was in June. I'm late, of course, but here's Ken's present, a picture of his cats, Tater and Patootie, in American Gothic. Painting should be fun.

IMG_6637TATER AND PATOOTIE AMERICAN GOTHICken's birthday present. An acrylic painting of Tater and Patootie

Welcome to fall. 


Summer in Cedaredge

August 08, 2022  •  Leave a Comment

Greetings:

Kyle and I are in the process of publishing our third children's book, Clementine the Rescue Dog Series. Beachcombers takes Clem and her boys to the ocean. We hope to share the adventures soon.

 

 

CLEM AT THE BEACHCLEM AT THE BEACH
BEACH HOUSE DENMARK _5732BEACH HOUSE DENMARK

After publishing The Missing Green Crayon and working on Beachcombers I have concentrated on some family paintings, i.e. for my daughter and her remodeled house. This was fun for me as I jumped back in history to my relatives in Denmark and their summer home. I used acrylic and textured canvases, and palette knife. I also did the grumpy sheep. It's 36" square and was a hoot to paint. I also did a lot of cartooning and other Covid retreat type painting. I needed a break. Now it's back to work. I hope you, too, have taken this time to reflect, breathe and pamper yourself. The world is not easy.


August is here

August 12, 2021  •  Leave a Comment

August 16th through September 27th, the Eighth Tribe, also know as Barbara Torke's friends and students; my tribe, will be showing at the Grand Mesa Arts and Entertainment Center in Cedaredge, Colorado. If you ar in the area I hope you come and visit, and maybe even join the opening August 19.  EIGHTH TRIBE, GMAEC SHOW 2021EIGHTH TRIBE, GMAEC SHOW 2021card from the eighth tribe show at the Grand Mesa Arts and Entertainment Center, Cedaredge Colorado Members clockwise from the top are  Amy Daniels, Kathy LeVeck, Laurae Fortner Welch, Barbara Torke, and Barbara Allen. We managed to do Zoom classes during the worst of the pandemic, and now are back in the studio. It has been a rather trying experience, of course, but we have managed to paint and love what we're doing. 

I have some new paintings in the Recents folder. Not all of them, but some. Enjoy and hope you are all well and surviving  with flair. 


Happy New Year

January 04, 2021  •  Leave a Comment

I'm afraid 2020 was driven out of town like no other year before. I don't remember ever having a year so soundly accused of being Horrible. Being that what it is, here's wishing you and yours a very profitable and healthy new year.

MILKWEED PODSMILKWEED PODSmy favorite weeds are the milkweed pods. They're also a good plant for the Monarch butterflies. Peaceful

pleasant

creative

a HAPPY NEW YEAR

ICE BREAKING: CLEM HELPED THE BOYS REACH THE SUMMITICE BREAKING: CLEM HELPED THE BOYS REACH THE SUMMITrom the book Ice Breaking, Clementine comes to the rescue.

 

HIKING THE GRAND MESA: CLEMENTINE FINDS A HORNY TOADHIKING THE GRAND MESA: CLEMENTINE FINDS A HORNY TOADfrom the children's book Hiking the Grand Mesa, a children's book by Kyle Torke and Barbara Torke. The children's adventures on the clay hills at the base of Grand Mesa, Delta County, Colorado.

Clementine is beginning a new adventure. It's just the beginning. Ice Breaking, and Hiking the Grand Mesa are the adventures already available for children on Amazon and LovingHealingPress. by Kyle Torke and illustrated by Barbara Torke.