Friday, December 31, 2010

the lineup

I am just one big accident waiting to happen. I set this 2' x 3' panel up to photograph outside and the wind sent it sailing to the ground as I was moseying( I am certain mosey is a word) back to my camera. My neighbor was walking by when it crashed and stopped to see if I needed any assistance. I guess she could help me dig concrete out of the wet paint. Look closely and you will see some.
Moving on....I did not do this painting in honor of New Years Eve. I took this photo while I was in Charleston, SC. Liked the way the light was coming through the dirty window and shining through the tops of the bottles. Love the pattern the plastic cups made. Will probably do some touch ups when I can safely remove the concrete particles. The sad thing is, is that I know better. This has happened to me lots of times. I am a slow learner.
Happy New Year!!
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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

prime time

Think I bit off more than I could chew on this one. First time painting in a few days and I chose a 2 foot by 3 foot panel. And... a picture that needed lots of editing. There were lots of challenges but in the end I think I like it.
It has been so cold here in Alabama and other places that I chose to paint a picture from a warmer time. I took this photo the week I was in Hilton Head with Karin Jurick. Loved the light hitting these two prime timers.
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Thursday, December 23, 2010

tea for two

The creative juices are not flowing when it comes to titles. Lucky to get a painting done much less come up with a good name for it. This is painted on an 11 x 14" linen canvas. Happy 23rd of December! Guess I need to start shopping now.
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Monday, December 20, 2010

onions and shallots

I found new owners for most of my colorful bowl paintings so I had fun painting one of my favorite subjects yesterday. This is painted on a 5 x 7 linen canvas.
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Saturday, December 18, 2010

button

What an appropriate piece to be my final commission piece due before Christmas. This is a painting of my friend's husband competing in the New York marathon. Painted on an 11 x 14 linen canvas. I think it turned out pretty well. One question....do you think I should omit the streamers on the left? Guess I can ask my friend. Not sure.
Party time! Ready to start celebrating the holidays and painting whatever comes up. Or maybe not painting at all. Two of my sons came home yesterday so I look forward to spending time with them. Happy holidays!
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Thursday, December 16, 2010

T and company

Think I am close to finished with this commission piece. Pleased overall but make do a few tweaks. I really don't do faces so these are a little off from their owners. This family belongs to one of my good friends. This picture was taken sixteen or seventeen years ago. Beautiful family! This is painted on an 8 x 10" linen canvas.SOLD
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Monday, December 13, 2010

catching a wave

Maybe I have had too much sugar. I promise I have not been smoking or drinking anything. This just kind of happened today. I am experimenting with larger canvases. This is painted on a 12 x 24" canvas.
I am between doing some commission peices so it is fun to go with whatever comes to mind. I am sorry if you guys are sick of seeing my pears. I think I could paint them every day.
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Saturday, December 11, 2010

really big pears

This painting was so much fun. It is painted on a 20 x 30" gallery wrap canvas. This painting started out being a very involved still life set up. I am challenging myself to paint on larger canvases. I did not stick with the challenge very long. After struggling with painting and keeping the same character as my smaller paintings I wiped it off. No likey. I liked the tones that were left on the canvas and decided to play a bit. You know I love painting pears but have never tried them on such a large area. I likey.
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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

cape cod labs

Feels good to be painting again. I have been working on a couple of commission pieces for the last two days. This is a Christmas present for a client's mom. Hope she likes it. This is painted on a 6 x8" cradled panel.
I had a great time in Nashville last weekend at the art show. I am fortunate to have a sweet friend who lives in Nashville and opens her home to me. Got to spend time with some other special friends too. It is always fun at shows to meet artists and patrons.
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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

red's rovers

Took this photo back in the summer. Finally got around to painting it. I thought these pooches were so cute. The lady said she had adopted both of them. How could you resist those faces?
Her perfectly pedicured toenails were such a pleasant surprise when I looked at the photo.
This is painted on a 8 x 10 panel.sold
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

sunflowers on a rainy day

Painted this 6 x 8" yesterday. No luck photographing it because of the rain. I finally got a break in the rain today so that I could take it outside to photograph. If you look closely I think you will see a couple of raindrops.
I had a great Thanksgiving with my family. Glad to get back to painting after several days break. I am also busy preparing and packing my work for a three day art show I am taking part in in Nashville. Hope to squeeze in a couple of paintings before I leave. SOLD

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Monday, November 22, 2010

orange and blue

I discovered today that it is a lot easier to paint when you can see. The last painting I posted I feel was a little overworked. Mostly because I was working in a foreign area where I did not have my usual lighting. Happy to be able to paint these clementines again before the leaves shrivel off. This is such a busy week but am trying to fit some paint time in.
This is painted on a 6 x 8" linen canvas. Sorry for the bad photo. In a hurry.SOLD
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Sunday, November 21, 2010

clementines

Painted this while at my parent's home in North Carolina this weekend. Different lighting situation and forgot my paints so I had to make do with what was aready on my pallette, ya da ya da ya.....Posted it briefly. Deleted it and worked on it a bit and took a new, little bit better photo today. I saw these clementines with the leaves and had to squeeeze in some time to paint them.
I got a new camera and have taken some great pictures this weekend that I can't wait to paint.
Only wish there was more time in a day.
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Friday, November 19, 2010

chubby trio

Loved these chubby pears. Painted on a 6 x 8" linen panel.
Good weekend to all!SOLD
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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

cow squared

Painted this from a photo I took on my way home from Oklahoma. Very pretty country. Flat! Was a fun departure after the more tedious table scene. Love to change it up. This is painted on a cradled 5 x 5 panel.SOLD
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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

82 Queen


This is a painting from a photograph I took from my trip to Charleston. I had lunch with my husband and friends at 82 Queen the first day. Quaint place with great food. We were eating an early lunch and had a whole room to ourselves. I noticed the beautiful light coming through the window and hitting the glasses on the corner table. This is painted on an 11 x 14" linen canvas.
Finally got to paint again after several days absence. Moved my son's things to Oklahoma City this weekend. No quick trip. Eleven hours turned into longer because I had to stop and take pictures. He is one of my recent college grads. He got a job with a construction company based in Birmingham that does jobs all over the states. Will be in Oklahoma for 8 months building a hospital. Proud of him.SOLD
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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

wavy


Painted this beach beauty today. She looked so content looking out at the water. There was a nice, strong light on her. I still struggle with skin tones. Feel like I learned a lot from Karin but I still have a long way to go. Enjoying the journey.
Now I want to share a pet peeve about blogging. I know you guys have to have experienced this. How many times have you composed a heart felt, profound, enlightened or wise quote ( I may have taken that a litttle far) on someone's blog and then you tap the enter button and it says, "service unavaiable" ? What a waste of precious time. It already takes a lot of time with the security they have in place. I am not a typist either. I really do not mean to complain because this is such a great way of communicating with folks from everywhere.
On that note....glad to see August Leaves making comments again. I have been worried about you. You are so kind to make a comment on my paintings even if they stink. I have missed your presence and am so glad you are back at it. We need your encouraging words.
This is painted on a 6 x 6" cradled panel.SOLD
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Tuesday, November 9, 2010

good times


This is another painting I did at the workshop last week. Same little girls as earlier post. Loved the reflections in the water. Karin taught us a lot about working with your photos. She showed us some examples of bad photos that she had taken that turned into great paintings. Check back through your old photos and crop them, leave stuff out, pick out something minute that might be a good painting. She knows alot about photoshop and feels it is a great tool for artists. I am slowly trying to learn some things I can do with it. I am so excited about painting this week. Wish I had more time to put into it.
This is painted on a 6 x 6" panel.SOLD
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Monday, November 8, 2010

banjo boy


Home from my travels and it feels so good. I had such a great week in every way but there is no place like home. Had a wondeful long weekend in Charleston. First time I have ever been and it is such a beautiful city. Got to see Karin Jurick paint in Washington Square park on Saturday. She created two beautiful paintings. I won't keep on gushing about Karin but I could.
I am really tired from the traveling but hope to jump back into painting tomorrow using new knowledge gained last week.
I painted banjo boy one day last week at the workshop. He is painted on a 6 x 6" panel.SOLD
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Saturday, November 6, 2010

Frolicking


The first afternoon in Hilton Head we all headed out to look for photos to work from. Glad we did because that was the only afternoon we had sunshine. I was pleased to get enough photos to keep me busy.
We all worked on the black primed gesso panels. Takes a bit getting used to but I really like the results.
Let me share a funny story from the workshop. There was this one soft spoken guy there that I had noticed really had a nice touch in his paintings. I asked him if he was in any galleries or sold work. He said he mostly gave things away to friends. I proceed to tell him that maybe he would be interested in doing some weekend shows, etc. Well.....he said that it might be hard with his permanent job. I asked what that was and he said he was a cartoonist. It was Jerry Scott who writes "Zits" and "Baby Blues"!! My face turned dioxazine purple wih embarrasment. He was very kind and super talented. Showed us some very large paintings he had done at home that were terrific. Maybe he will create a website or blogsite some day. In his spare time between doing weekend art shows.
Thhis is painted on a 6 x 6" panel.SOLD
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Friday, November 5, 2010

first day practice.

 
The first day of Karin's workshop she did a demo of "flip, flop, flip". She then gave all the students a copy of the photo to paint. So much fun to paint. I edited out the fishing tackle box and the extra flip flop. She made it look a lot easier to paint than it was. Her drawing and painting skills are magnificent. I was able to see the original "flip,flop, flip" at the Morris Whiteside gallery in Hilton Head. It absoultely glowed. So nice to see her other gallery paintings up close and personal. Breath taking!
I have moved on to Charleston now. Stunning drive over from Hilton Head. Can't wait to explore the city. Karin is painting in Washington Park tomorrow.
I will tell you more about the workshop in the next few posts. The absolute thrill of a lifetime.
This painting is painted on an 8 x 10 panel and is $1000.00. JK, It's just for me.
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Thursday, November 4, 2010

Our teach

 
What a great experience this week has been. Karin Jurick has given the 19 artists in her workshop an experience we will never forget. She greeted us all the first day with bear hugs. Good way to start. The first day she did a demo of "flip, flop, flip". The painting she is working on in the photo. So great to see her paint. Her paintings are even more amazing in person. The way she portrays light, color and personality in her work is incredible. It has been an inspiration to see her paint and hear her story. Also fun getting to know the artists in the workshop. Has to rank in one of the top ten fun things I have EVER done. Can't sing her praises enough. She is painting in Washington Park in Charleston, SC this Saturday morning if you are in the area. Brave woman is doing plein air for the first time. No prob, she could make a dog turd look good.
Hope to photograph and post some of my work beginning tomorrow.
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Saturday, October 30, 2010

at home


Could not think of a title for this painting so it is named after the store that carried the vases in the painting. Love the colors and shapes. I broke a blue vase a few months ago that I loved to include in set ups. I sold every painting that ever had the vase in it. Still trying to find a replacement.
The next post you see of mine should be from Hilton Head. Will be doing figurative work with Karin Jurick. She has been a hero of mine for such a long time so I am over the top excited. I will try and share some tips with you as I learn them.
Have a great weekend!SOLD
This is painted on a 5 x 7" linen canvas.
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Friday, October 29, 2010

daisy

 
Painted this in honor of my mom in law Daisy. Had a great time visiting with her last week. Guess what her maiden name was? Not Duke, it was Garden. A sister named Rose. Parents!
This is painted on a 6 x 8 " linen panel.
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Thursday, October 28, 2010

just you and me


Been a bit busy lately. Working on getting back to the easel. This is a painting I painted a couple of weeks ago when I was going through my pear stage. I am not saying that I am not still in the pear stage just taking a brief break. Was fortunate to learn some plein air techniques from Tim Horn and.....(you are going to hate me) next week I am participating in Karin Jurick's workshop in Hilton head. As the old country song says, "I'm the happiest girl in the whole USA". Who does not like Karin's work? She is a superstar.
Hope to paint some in the next few days before the workshop and I will try to post some while I am there.
This is painted on a 5 x 7" gallery wrap canvas.SOLD
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