Gone With the Wind 4"x4" oil

30 Paintings 30 Days Challenge:  Abstracts and Large Paintings (something different) day 14
DPW Challenge:  Paint Movement
It is interesting how to create the impression of movement with the brush.  A photo captures it either in implying an object in a position of movement, like a runner or a galloping horse, or by a blurred image.  I get lots of blurred images when I shoot photos because I do lots of low light shots and forget to reset my camera!  It is similar  with painting except it really is about how to move the brush and paint around.  When painting realistic images it is easy to forget that you (I) am not painting a real thing, rather an impression in two dimensions of something.  It is all abstract at its core.  When painting an abstract, and wanting a particular feeling to be portrayed, it is easy to just focus on the color choices and the way the brush moves.  The intention of this one was to create movement.  It reminds me of a seed pod flying through the air, but could imply (as the book "Gone With the Wind" does) that it is more about ideas of our lives and world that are ethereal, here today gone tomorrow.

$45 $10 ship

Why Oh Why acrylic and oil 4"x4"

Day 13 in the 30 in 30 Days Challenge  I have chosen to do abstracts for my challenge, and large paintings.
My grandkids have each gone through that 2 year old phase of asking constantly "why?"   In response I made up a song about a bird that flies into the sky and cries "Why Oh Why"....when I sing it I get giggles instead of the whining "why."  Someday I may illustrate it and make a little book...for now, this painting carries the spirit of that song. $45 $10 ship

Come Dance With Me 4"x4" oil

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Born On A Blue Day 4"x4" acrylic

"Born On a Blue Day" is a title of a very interesting book by Daniel Tammet.  He shares his insights growing up as an autistic savant.  When I painted this, I thought about that book and how he saw numbers as colors.  I don't see things like that, but I believe we all have a unique way of looking at the world.  Artists generally express and share their particular way of seeing through their art. It is a combination of the eye and the hand.  The way I handle the brush is one voice and the colors and shapes I am drawn to, is another voice.  I better stop before I reveal how weird I really am!

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It's Just Complicated 4"x4" acrylic

I love the earthy colors of this one and how there are little bits of pieces poking out of the layers.  I have been thinking about relationships lately and what makes them work and well....It's Just Complicated! $45 $10 ship

River of Life acrylic 4"x4"

I painted this one with heavily saturated colors and thin layers, dragging an almost dry brush over the canvas.  When I looked at the thumbnail photo of it, it looked like a river in a desert and I thought of archeology and buried evidence of previous life....so the title "River of Life" came to me.  When I googled it, I found out it is a gospel hymnal and popular name for Christian organizations, camps, etc. That interpretation was not my initial intention, but I like it so it stuck!

$45 $10 ship

A Tough Break 4"x4" oil

I am really enjoying painting these abstracts.  When I looked at this to photograph it, the title, "A Tough Break" popped into my head so I went with it.
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Girls Just Want to Have Fun 22"x28" oil

This is larger than I have done for quite a while.  I found a little line sketch that was just an idea which I drew a few years ago and decided to turn it into a painting which is from my imagination.  I painted the background with a palette knife in shades of light blue but decided it was too distracting from the main idea and so went over it with a teal-like blue using the palette knife.  I wanted the bodies to be fluid and loose with just a gesture to the faces.  It was fun and reminded me of playing with my sister.

Birth of an Idea 4"x4" oil

Doing these abstract pieces helps me discover what shapes and colors are most appealing to me.  When my husband and I bought our first house in VT we later talked about what really appealed to us about the house.  I said the huge window in the kitchen that looked out on our (to be) magical garden.  He said he loved the perfectly square bushes in the front.  As soon as we moved in I bonsai-ed the bushes, not knowing how much those geometric edges meant to him.  He is an engineer (nough said).

$45 $10 ship

Red, White and Blue 4"x4" oil

This is a similar view out my studio (to the one I painted a few days ago) except the size is MUCH smaller, and the season was pre-snow.  I love the 3 main colors with the very light birch verticals and the very dark crab apple diagonals.  Day 4.

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Change of Heart 4"x4" oil

The challenge I am participating in has encouraged us to do things we don't normally do.  Since I didn't choose a theme or style, I decided to just play around with different things, which is the reason I did this abstract.  It was fun!  I think I will do more!  I sort of have an idea of a shape or feeling that appeals to me and then I play with it.  I am not even sure if I really "like" it, but it was fun to do.

$45 $10 ship

Home On Leave 4"x4" oil

Story:  She has been anxiously awaiting the week, then the day, then the moment when his plane would arrive.  While he is stationed overseas, their marriage is based on short visits.  When they embrace, they both just want to hang on forever.
This is day two in the challenge and I chose a different subject (figurative, rather than landscape, emotional rather than aesthetic) and different format...much smaller 4"x4."  It is not for sale as I am going to gift it to the bride, who has been such a good friend to my "other daughter."

Sunset Glow 16"x20" oil

This is my first painting of 2013.  We had a windstorm that knocked down about 8 trees in our yard and completely wiped out our power and communications for a week.  In the midst of that and the holidays and workmen coming and going, I just put away my paints. In the middle of it all we got a huge snowstorm. It was tremendously fun to do this painting which is larger than I normally do.  It is the east view out my studio.  The sun is setting to the west and casting an amazing golden hue on the snow covered mountains.  It is my intention to do the 30 paintings in 30 days that Leslie Seata has challenged daily painters, but I am starting a few days behind so I am going to have to get serious.  I went skiing for the first time since I broke my leg a year and a half ago, and how I felt going out is very similar to how I felt doing this painting...excited, a little cautious, and thrilled to be able to do it.  Happy New Year to all!$600

Princess at Court 4"x4" acrylic

A three year old told me I needed to do more princess paintings.  Sometimes you need to follow the advice of the little ones!

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Hurricane Sandy Link

A Mother's Prayer 4"x4" acrylic

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Light In the Darkness 5"x7" acrylic

I did this painting on Friday after finding out about the school shooting in CN.  I felt so broken hearted, as I think most of us did.  I needed to express this need for finding light in the darkness and did this rather abstract piece.

$100 and $10 shipping

Can I Play? 6"x6" acrylic

This is a little out-of-season (it is summer somewhere)...but I found an old photograph that just struck me by the story it tells, but also because it looks a bit like a Christmas ornament.

$100 and $10 shipping

I'm Going to Have Blue Christmas (without you) 6"x6" acrylic

This was for a DPW challenge to use Magnesium Blue (which I don't have) to do a value study of a celebrity.  I had many more frustrating moments with this than I had anticipated.  I wanted to get the fuzziness of his beard, the soft furriness of the hat and coat trim, the fleshiness of his face, the twinkle in his eye and the grandfatherliness of his personality and not have it look creepy because it is all blue!  What do you think?  The whole time I was painting, the song "I'll Have a Blue Christmas" by Elvis, was playing in my head.  See an early version of this song at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ODrPL9-kEs

$100 and $10 shipping

Lufty 17.5"x17.5" acrylic

This is larger than many of the paintings I have done recently.  It was fun to paint big and loose.  I like the background which I did a little differently.  This is a commission.  SOLD

It Was A Good Trip 6"x6" acrylic

"Cheese" 6"x7" acrylic

It s a challenge for me to do portraits this small because it is a matter of choosing what to include and what to leave out.  I can only suggest someone's features when working this small and I have to keep in mind that it is more about the memory of the situation than the actual facial features that matter.  I like how the clothing looks so abstract and I like the colors I chose to show it.  SOLD

Fresh Baked 6"x6" acrylic

Can you smell its warmth and freshness?  This is a little more yellow looking than the actual painting, although I did paint it all in warm colors.  SOLD

Dready Hopper 6"x6" acrylic

I have done several paintings lately in acrylic and I remember how quick and easy it can be.  I love the way oil smears around and its brilliant colors, but acrylic dries...like immediately!  This painting I did as a value study in green first with a purple background, then I painting colors right over that.  I love the process, and the way the green kind of peaks out here and there.  I should have done the same with the purple.  Dready Hopper is a beer label that is a play on a beer named Heady Topper.  This is explanation for the bunny with the dreadlocks on the t-shirt.  SOLD

Autumn Values 6"x6" oil

This is one I had forgotten about.  I did it in 3 values and then came back and added color.

$100 and $10 shipping

Fluffed Out 6"x6" acrylic

This is a large-ish, fluffed out house finch on a chilly, almost winter day.  The last few days I have noticed that the house finches that are showing up are a bit thinner and more ragged looking.  It is like those of us who choose to stay in a cold climate....we are survivors but a little rough on the edges!

Hollywood 4"x4" acrylic

One thing you can say about bluejays is that despite their loud squawking and bullyish behavior, they are stunning to look at.  Kind of reminds me of Hollywood!

Together 8"x8" acrylic

I like how sunny this is.  A couple of friends posed for me.  Folks in Vermont are so hearty.  I had on a down coat, hat, mittens and my friends had on light weight shirts and sandals.  It is early winter here, but I painted this in a spring-like setting to give it a feeling of warmth.
SOLD

Light House 6"x6" oil

I can't remember where I took this photo...probably Cape Cod.  It was fun painting the boats.