Sunday, February 27, 2011

blooming onion

This weeks Daily Paintworks Challenge. The gist of the challenge was to practice not overworking your paintings. It was a good exercise for me to do after being away from painting for the weekend. Got to spend time with my sister and some of my girlfriends. Always fun!
I painted this on a 5 x 7" linen panel.SOLD






Thursday, February 24, 2011

smelly onions

My studio has smelled like rotting onions for a couple of weeks now. I knew I wanted to paint them so I put up with the smell. It is scary what I can find left in a bowl on my still life shelf. Most of my still life cloth drapes have residue of something rotten on them. I am not giving you all a very goood impression of me. Oh well.
I gave myself one hour to paint this today. Love that practice. Weeds out too much over work. This is painted on a 6 x 12" linen canvas.

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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

VW duo

I saw these two VW's parked side by side every day at the marina in Amelia Island. Was thrilled to get a picture of the cool looking owner with his beauties. Think it made for a fun painting. Painted it on an 8 x 16" gallery wrap canvas. sold

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Monday, February 21, 2011

amelia island

This is a 5 x 7" painting I did at the Amelia Island workshop. It's okay. I have not had a chance to get outside and paint since the workshop. Lost my viewfinder so have ordered another. I am extremely dependent on it. I can not look at the big picture and see the little picture I want to paint.

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Sunday, February 20, 2011

zippo schmipo

A new daily paintworks challenge. This did not make for a relaxing Sunday paint session. I was so tight. I did love the idea of using a limited palette. Crazy how many beautiful colors you can get from burnt sienna, UM blue and Tite white. Lovely. Michael Naples is an incredible artist. I could never paint as realistically as he does. Even though he paints very realistically there is still a slight looseness and lots of personality in his work. This is painted on a 5 x 5 gallery wrap canvas.
I need to go take a nap now.
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Saturday, February 19, 2011

No, I am not the chick filet cow

Painted these two on a 6 x 8" cradled panel. So slick that I felt like I was pushing paint around a lot. Had to really load my brush up and use a light touch. Still prefer more texture on a painting surface.
I have a distant relative in east Tennessee who has a dairy. I love the colors and markings on the holsteins. Think this is the first time I have painted one. Won't be the last.sold

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Thursday, February 17, 2011

putter and me

This is a commission piece for a friend. I have to admit that I get nervous when friends tell me they have a picture they want me to paint. My mind goes to the worst scenario. What a treat it was when Stacy showed me this wonderful photo of her Dad and his dog. A commission that was really fun to paint!! This is a surprise for her Mom's birthday. I painted this on a 20 x 24" canvas. So hapy to be more comfortable painting large canvases. Not such a stretch for me anymore.
So.... all's really good. Ready to loosen up a bit tomorrow with something that does not matter if it is representative. I may even venture outside into the beautiful weather.
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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

my girl


This painting is a bit hard for me to talk about. This is a painting of my recently deceased father in law and my sister in law, Robbie, many years ago. Robbie was born deaf and learned to read lips at a young age. Looks like Papa was mouthing something to her because his lips are protruding. They are sharing a special moment over a pot of popcorn. Who needs a bowl? Straight from the stove to the lap.
I painted this on an 8 x 10" linen canvas. Will try to include the black and white photo I worked from

Monday, February 14, 2011

leaning to the left

 
Had to take on Qiang Huang's Valentines challenge on DPW. He is one of my art heroes. Have admired his painting for several years.
It felt SO good to paint in my space again. My little comfort zone. Painted this on a 6 x 8 linen panel.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!






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feranadina marsh

 
Back from my workshop with Anne Blair Brown. Thought we were going to sunny, warm Florida but it felt a little more like Michigan. Pretty bone chilling for a couple of days there in beautiful Amelia Asland. What an abundance of things to paint. I felt out of sorts all week because I am not a plein air painter. I can not blame my performance on equipment this time either. Loved my versa easy L . So much to learn about a million different things. Anne helped move me along a bit on this journey. I was not very happy with anything I painted and did lots of scrub offs. Feel like I learned some good basics of landscape painting. Have miles to go to figure out color when painting plein air. I am going to challenge myself to paint outside at least once a week. Not today. Need to move out of my comfort zone to grow in my studio work. It HURTS.
So enjoyed Anne and all the other participants in the workshop. Artists are just the best!
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Monday, February 7, 2011

lucky 13


Found a bit of time yesterday to try out Carol Marine's challenge on Daily Paintworks. Painted these on an 8 x 16" canvas. I stuck to the rules and had fun.
Have a great week. Headed to Florida.

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Sunday, February 6, 2011

the one that got away


This painting was not a lot of fun. Happy with the outcome but not the process. I painted it on an 8 x 10 amperstand panel that I primed black. I then proceed to paint the painting with no black left showing through for interest. Only reason I would undercoat black. The panel was so slick that when I would go back to refine something I would pick up paint instead of adding it. Not enough paint loaded on my brush!! Ya da ya da ya da.....
I am very excited to be leaving for Florida tomorrow for a plein air workshop with Anne Blair Brown. We will be painting coastal light. Wish it was going to be warmer but that is unusual in February. As I have said before I am a newby to plein air. May or may not post paintings next week. Hopefully I will do better than I did at Tim Horns. NO postings from that . Still learned a ton.
Really want to try and find time to do Carol Marine's challenge on Daily Paintworks. May try to squeeze in an hour today.
Hope everyone has a great week!sold

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Thursday, February 3, 2011

reflection


Another Lake Junaluska swan. This swan was taking advantage of a little open water in the frozen lake. Painted this on a 5 x 5" panel.
I am participating in The "Riverchase loves artist" charity show tomorrow night and Saturday. 20% of the proceeds go to Alzheimers of Central Alabama, The Amelia Center and the Exceptional Foundation. Tomorrow night is invitation only but Saturday it is open to the public from 10-4.(Riverchase Country club) I also have work hanging for the month of February at the Levite Jewish Community Center here in town. Excited about both of these opportunities.SOLD
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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

long peppers


Another creative title. I actually spent some time thinking about a title for this painting and came up with nothing. These are really long peppers and it was fun painting them on a narrow, 6 x 12" canvas. So hard to beat the vivid colors in peppers.SOLD

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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

cubanelle peppers


First time I have ever heard of that variety of pepper. I was checking out at the grocery store this morning and the clerk asked me if these were cubanelle peppers? I had to explain to her that I picked them because of the color and shape and had no clue about the variety. I know now. She thought it was pretty cool that I ws going to paint them. Painting is pretty cool. I painted this on a 6 x 8" linen canvas. Trying to ease back into painting after a quick road trip to see my son in Oklahoma City. My timing worked out well leaving yesterday because today there is a foot of snow. So fun visiting with him. Hope he and all others keep power and stay safe.

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