Wading In Gold

8"x8" Acrylic SOLD

This was a commission I did in acrylic so it would dry quickly and I could varnish it and frame it.  I did something different by painting in thin layers with a small paintbrush.  Mostly it was an experiment and I really like some of the affects that created.  This as well, was of necessity because I am somewhat home bound and have limited supplies available.  Most importantly the person who bought it was really happy with the results.

Pink Peony

6"x6" oil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my third attempt at painting a peony.  I am understanding the structure of these flowers better.

Can't Wait

6"x6" oil

I know you have been there.  That moment where anticipation turns to kinetic energy and you are flying towards your long awaited moment.  I can say that she wasn't disappointed!

Naia

6"x6" oil

I couldn't help but smile the whole time I was painting beautiful Naia.

A Celebration Selfie!

It is my birthday...so I couldn't help myself...I had to post a celebration "selfie"

Downhill

0il 8"x8"

This painting  is an oil version from a series I did in acrylics.  The previous paintings were for a book I made for my grandchildren, the oil paintings are for a show my art group is exhibiting in August.  I am excited about this because my paintings will probably appeal to kids and I am going to have some activities to go along with it.  We don't have many shows that really draw kids in, so I am hopeful.

More Fun

watercolor  each 4"x4"

A Method and "On Leave"

"On Leave"  7"x9" oil  this is for my nephew who is a Marine and great dad!

I thought I would talk about a method I have been experimenting with in painting.
These are the reasons I like it:
1.  It is a method, therefore, I know what to do first and can get started right off.
2.  By drawing out the image, I get to practice my drawing skills, and it helps me to get the drawing part accurate.

3. By adding in a very thin and very quick layer of local colors, I can paint over the drawing, and diminish it, so I am not so picky and finicky about painting the drawing.
4.  I  get to evaluate it after each step which makes me take a brain-refreshing break (and I hoola-hoop for a couple of minutes).
5.  I can see if the design and basic values work.
6.  By doing the local colors, I quickly cover the whole area making it all much less intimidating.
7.  Since I don't add any subtle highlights, smaller values, warm and cool colors and variations at this stage, I can think through those things before I actually do them.

8.  I like it because it slows me down, yet I can still paint fast.
9.  There is instant gratification, which I always crave.
10.  I still get to apply all those wonderful teaching tips I've learned from other artists.

What I don't like about it:
It takes longer....and I end up fussing anyway!

True Story

7"x7" oil

Really it is a "True Story."  I was cleaning out my studio and had the doors open (I have garage doors on my studio so that I can work "outside" when the weather is warm enough).  A hummingbird flew in, got confused and couldn't figure out how to exit.  I anxiously watched as it first flitted to the flower paintings hanging then banged into the lights.  I didn't want to startle it more so I went inside and made some "nectar," put it in a feeder and hung it in the studio, to no avail.  I was worried about the poor little thing who needs to constantly eat, and talking to it gently didn't seem to help.  Finally it landed on my table.  I picked it up gingerly and it didn't move, except that it looked at me.  I carried it out and put it next to a red flower and it didn't move.  I even tried to coax it to take nectar, but it just laid there.  Then it perked up and flew away.   In the meantime, I was able to study it pretty well.  I wanted to do this like I do my "Gallery Viewers" series so I did a fancy frame, but I am wondering if I should just do the plain black frame that I use on my paintings.  BTW, I signed both the flower painting and the hummingbird looking at the flower painting. One thing about hummingbirds is that they are more about movement than color and shape.  Artist Brande Arno is amazing at capturing this movement.  I have included an image of one of her paintings, below.

"Laureen and Lois"  by Brande Arno 6"x6" oil

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I Do!

7"x9" oil

I painted this from a photo that was emailed to me for a commission.  I love the image because it has a strong story even if I don't know exactly what it is.  This couple is getting married in a few weeks, and I wish them a great deal happiness.  There are so many things to feel depressed about if you pay attention to the news reports so I am staying focused on all the happy things in life.  Even though I look a bit like an ostrich, I don't think I act like one!  If an ostrich sticks its head in the sand, it can't see the good either. I wish you a day with many moments of joy.
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Ramona's View

9"x7" oil

Firstly, I want to thank you for looking at my paintings and taking the time to read my blog.  I know it is a commitment to do that, and I really appreciate that you give my work this attention.  This painting is from a vacation photo taken by someone who means a great deal to me.  This is a pretty personal story.  Ramona is my daughter born to a different family.  She wasn't adopted, because she was in my heart from the day she was born, and although our hours together are significant, she has a loving family of her own.  Life throws us some interesting curve balls and my relationship with Ramona has a few in it.  Ramona is now married and I am painting this for her.  It is her memory, but the painting reflects my love for her...everything in this painting has a symbolic meaning for me.  I should say that there are a lot of subtle color variations in this that I just don't think are there on a computer monitor.  The location is Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, near the Tulum Ruins.

SOLD

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Raven

9"x12" oil

Several weeks ago there was a challenge to paint a raven on Daily Paint Works.  I am a bit late with it, but I finally got around to it.  It seems like everyone eventually paints a raven or a crow.  I like it because of the dramatic high contrast design.  I used lots of different dark colors to get depth in the feathers.  I also did an exercise mixing up greens from my blues and yellows for my color chart book and decided to make an abstract background with the colors.  I painted the background first then the bird.  I am so glad I did this exercise because I discovered some really cool ways of making green in the process.  This is a bit larger than usual and is on canvas rather than a gesso panel.

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Together Alone

If you think this looks a lot like the painting I posted yesterday, you would be right!  This is a larger version I did as a demo for a class.  I also did two of these for a (dated) challenge for Daily Paintworks to do two paintings that are the same but different.  This one I painted in acrylic first very quickly to lay down the local colors, then I applied oil alla prima.  Which one do you like better?  I haven't decided what I am going to do with this painting yet.
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Here are the two paintings side by side.  The first one is actually 1/2 the size of the second.

Alone Together

8"x10" oil

What kind of paintings do you like? I have been thinking about all the different things I do, and my favorites run the gamut of subject matter. "Alone Together" This was a oil practice demo I did for a recent painting class of beginners painting in acrylic. I also did one in class in acrylic on a larger canvas. 

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Ready, Set, Go!

8"x10" acrylic

This is the determined "Tom Boy" Princess (is Tom Boy PC???)!   Look good and ride fast!  She reminds me of Pippi Longstockings a bit!  To purchase this painting go here. I painted this while visiting my mom who is also a painter.  She paints in acrylics so I did too. Here is an example of her work:

Finally, I am giving away 3 paintings so enter to win one of them by:

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These are the three paintings:

Each painting is 5"x7" oil on panel (unframed)

Garlic

5"x7" oil

The current DPW challenge is to do white on white.  The tricky thing about doing an almost all white painting is getting the values correct.  I wanted the light on the plate to be warm and the tablecloth to be cooler. I did a stone carving workshop this weekend and my subject was a garlic bulb.  I am going to do a lot of garlic paintings to really get to know this subject...and maybe another sculpture or two.

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Prelude in D Minor

5"x7" oil

This is another exploration of color and music inspired by Rachmaninoff.  I especially like the explosion of pink at the top center and the wavy lines.  I think I learn a lot in these playful pieces.  However, retention of my learning may be another issue....

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Concerto in C Minor

5"x7" oil

This past weekend I did a stone carving workshop.  It was a 2 day affair and I had every intention of finishing my piece in the 16 hours I devoted to it, but you know what they say about the best layed plans of mice and men.... The workshop was filled with interesting conversations about a myriad of topics including the connection between art and music.  This inspired me to do some color studies using music as my inspiration.  I am keeping a notebook (gessoed canvas paper) of my color mixes, which is a little tricky with oils since they dry so slowly.  I am covering each page with wax paper, which will further delay the drying time, but also preserve the mix.  As I do the color mixes, I also am doing a painting, like this first piece, in which I chose (after listening to a lot of music) Rachmaninoff's Concerto #2.  He wrote this concerto in 1900 after a serious spell with depression that lasted about 10 years.  He had completely given up music and then started therapy with Dr. Dahl who used the auto-suggestion statement, "You will begin to write your concerto.  You will work with great facility.  The Concerto will be of excellent quality."  The result, is that we now have this lovely piece of music.  It is interesting how many artists suffer from depression...I guess from trying to reach that intangible thing!

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The Gardners

6"x6" oil

This is surely a sign of spring.  The gardeners are out trying to get those seeds to come up quickly!  I made a little demo slide show of this.  You can see it here.

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The Music Maker

6"x6" oil

If we could all be as brave and free as a little one banging away at the piano. I really want to learn to play the fiddle.  I heard on an interview on NPR the other day that for someone to be a professional classical violinist they need to start at 3 or 7 at the latest.  How can a 3 year old know what they want to do with their life?  I am a whole lot older than that and still figuring it out!  Well clearly I will never be a professional classical violinist, but I can still have fun like this baby.  I can make my own music, discover what a violin can do in the hands of a neophyte grandma, and learn a little on the way as well.  Thanks for looking at my work.  I hope you can hear the music.

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