Figuratively Speaking - Little Cook

6"x6" oil

Everyone should daily have someone who looks over the shoulder and smiles adoringly at them.  Would the world not be a better place?  This little one should get the prize for a winning smile.  That is what caught my attention and made me want to paint it.  I hope looking at it makes you want to smile!

A New World

6"x6" oil

I reworked an old painting.  I liked the figure of the woman and baby but didn't like the environment she was in so I decided on a soft ethereal world.  Of course everything is new for a baby, but I think that a new mother also experiences the world in a new and different way, as the surrounding take less precedent over the world of love and responsibility you feel for this vulnerable and fresh creature.

Naia

10"x10"  oil

Is she beautiful or what?  She is not my biological grandchild, but she is the daughter of my "almost daughter" so that makes Naia my "almost granddaughter."  Lucky me!  I also feel lucky to get to paint her.  I did the drawing below first because I have been really enjoying the process of drawing lately and it helps to get to know the subject a little better.  I then did the painting.  Since the reference photo was black and white, I had to make up the colors.  Rather than studying a bunch of other photos of her, I decided to just let the painting tell me what colors to use.  It looked rather bland to me (except the startling yellow jumper) until I mixed a little batch of paint with Rembrandt transparent red oxide and some cad yellow and white and got the punch I needed.  I love that color!  I also added purple to her hair which I think worked well.  It is hard to tell in this photo, but the purple just kind of works with the brown.  Anyway, I have been working so hard to get ready for an upcoming show (mostly framing, etc.) that it is so fun to do a painting I am pleased with.  I really hope her mom loves it too!

Give Away

8"x8" oil

I am giving away this painting.  I really like it because it has all those ingredients that make it a lovely story with true romance!  A picnic in a meadow...a young couple....a kiss.....a baby in daddy's arms...what more can you ask for?  I got the idea from watching a production on Netflix.  It is a period piece with episodes and I am sure it is on TV as well although I don't have TV so I can't say for sure.  It is a popular show.  To win this painting, guess the name of the series.  If I get more than one correct guess, I will randomly choose a winner.  I have been thinking about doing this painting for a while and am so glad I finally got around to doing it.  I did it with a very limited palette (green, red, yellow, blue and white and kept it very loose so that I didn't overwork it.  You can register your guess by making a comment here, or on my facebook page. The value of this painting unframed is $180.  I will choose a winner on Friday.

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Mother and Child

6"x6" oil

I just keep working on this one...it is getting better, but who knows...I may continue to mess with it....sometimes there is one I should have wiped....but instead I never let it go. Does this happen to you?

Book Illustration - Reading With Grandpa

9"x9" acrylic

One of those special and rather universal moments with grandchildren is curling up with a book. In this case Grandpa is doing double duty while reading two books at once.  Since the kids know where Grandma's books are, it is one of the first things they run for when they come to visit. And.... that is one of the things you can do at Grandcamp.
 I suddenly have several deadlines and I am feeling the crunch.  I love the feeling of working towards goals and accomplishing a lot, but I vacillate, wanting to have no constraints on my time.  Are we ever truly satisfied?  I guess there are fleeting moments and we need to just embrace those.
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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