little joe

I have run out of titles for pears. I think "little joe" works. This is painted on a 5 x 5" gallery wrap canvas.

sticking together

Trying to return to normalcy after a scary and heart breaking couple of days. My state of Alabama has had over 200 people killed in the outbreak of tornados that passed through April 27. I was in south Alabama watching the mile wide tornado heading toward Tuscaloosa on TV. I have lived in Tuscaloosa off and on for eighteen years of my life so I knew it was headed right toward where my son and many people live. The path of the tornado missed my son's ramshackle rental house by a block. A very frightening three hours that I could not get in touch with him. He is okay but so many others aren't. The tornados hit fairly impoverished areas in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. They need your prayers and support. Don't mean to just single out Alabama. So many other states were affected.

This is painted on a 6 x 12" canvas.

open water

Think I overworked this a bit. Took this photo at my parents home in North Carolina this past winter. The lake was 90% frozen so there was a cluster of birds in the open water. There were beautiful colors and reflections on the ice/water. This is painted on an 8 x 10" canvas.

dorothy

This week's daily paintworks challenge. Linda Popple sent in a photo of this girl in NYC and we are to work from it. Pretty simple. It will be fun to watch what different artists do with it. I did not have a lot of time to paint today so I kept it pretty simple. The girl is looking at her cell phone in the photo so I changed it to a book. I also edited out a purse between her legs.

Happy Easter!

one day

This painting is based on three photographs I took last weekend in New Orleans. There were a group of musicians on Royal street and the little boy was part of it. I think he was just there for the cute factor. He was holding the trumpet upside down most of the time. I think? You musicians may correct me. He looks a little older in my rendition of him. He was still wearing diapers. The background is just a loose interpretation of a building I saw. This is a large painting for me. It is painted on an 18 x 36" gallery wrap canvas.

purple pair

This was a good break from doing figurative pieces this week. This is my submission for the color challenge from Daily Paintworks. I chose to work with a complimentary palette. This is painted on a 5 x 7" linen canvas.

testing the waters

I am posting this picture as an incentive for folks to support me in a 60 mile walk I am doing for breast cancer awareness. I am doing the Susan G Komen walk in Boston in July and I need to raise $2300.00. Every bit of the money will go to breast cancer research and local breast cancer awareness programs. All donors who contribute $20.00 or more toward my fundraising goal will have a chance to win this painting. Please feel free to donate even if you don't like the painting. You can put it in your garden to keep birds away. After two weeks have passed, I will announce the winner. Think of all of your friends and family members who have been affected by this disease and help out the cause. Donate at Susan G Komen. Thanks!

This is an 8 x 10" and is framed in a champagne colored, plein air frame.

Update:My husband drew the winner of the painting this morning. Congratulations Johnny. Thank you all for your donations!! Going to such a great cause.

last, but not least

The final sibling in the Sam's family. I really struggle with faces. I know it should not be harder but it is to me. This is a fairly close resemblance.

This and the others are painted on 8 x 10" panels. "Ta da" and "curls" are the other two siblings.

a little swagger

Took the reference photo for this painting this weekend in New Orleans. One of the first things I do when I return from trips is to enter my photos on to my computer. Always so exciting.

It was a beautiful and cool weekend in New Orleans. Got to share the sights and FOOD with my husband and two of my sons. I have said it before but New Orleans has breath taking sights. The architectural details on the homes and buildings is incredible. Beautiful place to visit.

I painted this on a 6 x 12" cradled panel.

spring

I guess I am in my cow period. I saw this beauty in a field of high grass and flowers. Love spring with all the new leaves, flowers and green grass. Sorry about you folks who are still having winter. Won't be long now.
I am headed to New Orleans to visit with my son so I bet I will return with new ideas. Maybe no more cows for a bit.
I painted this cow on an 11 x 14" linen canvas. It is very cloudy out today so I am not sure this photo does the painting justice.sold

Tennessee beauty

I feel so fortunate to have had relatives who lived on farms. I would hope for everyone that you would have some of this wonderful exposure. My grandfather raised chickens, cows and farmed crops on his land. I loved going to stay with my grandparents and can still remember the way my grandfather smelled. A bit like tractor oil and the soil. A good smell.My in laws live on a beautiful farm in eastern Tennessee with rolling hills and the Smokey mountains in the distance. My father in law died a little over a year ago and we have been very focused on helping my mother in law sell the farm. We finally got it sold and are now relieved but sad. My family has wonderful memories of "Clearview Acres". The cow in the painting grazed in the field across from their home. A nice, young family with lots of kids bought the farm and are looking forward to making it their home. I painted this on a 12 x 24" canvas using transparent red oxide, transparent earth oxide, transparent brown and titanium white.

curls

This is the second commission piece I am working on for a family from Mississippi. "Ta Da" was the oldest child that I painted last week. Have to admit that I struggled with "curls". Kathryn, the mom, said she wanted suggestions of her kids, not portraits. Best kind of patron. But...since there was the profile of her face I tried to make it similar. Twice. One scrub out. This is fairly close. Painted on an 8 x 10" panel. One more cute sibling to go.

enormous handsome heifer

Yes, you have seen this heifer before. The original 6" x 6" went home with someone last Saturday. I am participating in a three day show in Nashville in three weeks so I decided to paint him three feet by three feet. Can you imagine how big I would have to paint him if I was doing a show in Texas? Sold a lot of my cows so happy to get to paint some again. One of my favorite things to paint. I think I am finished with this guy. Will check him out with fresh eyes tomorrow.sold

what's for dinner?

This is a picture that I painted and posted a few months back. I am posting it again because of this weeks Daily Paintworks challenge. If you follow my blog you know I have a thing for chickens so I was so happy to see that this week is devoted to chickens. I want to paint Carol's photo of a chicken soon but thought I would post this one for now. I sold this one a while back but it is still one of my favorites. One reason is because my son, Ben, took the photo. He was in a rural area of China and said that the chickens would roam in and out of some homes. This one was going in for a snack.
Happy to report that yesterday's art show went very well. Got to meet and visit with so many people. This area is very supportive of local artists. Proud and hesitant to mention that I was awarded "best of show" which is a huge honor because there were lots of deserving artists. I knew it was going to be a good show when a couple bought one of my favorite quirky paintings of square dancers before the show officially opened. I love it when people buy funky paintings. And... my not so funky paintings too.sold

big boy

Made a little time for painting today. This is a beautiful dog that I photographed at the Fairhope art show. Lots of dogs there. We saw so many dogs in strollers. I won't say any more about that. hmmm....
I painted this on a 12 x 12" gallery wrap canvas.
I am setting up this afternoon for the Mountain Brook Art Association show. There are around eighty artists participating. It is held on the Crestline Elementary school field and the hours are 10-5. Come see me if you get a chance.SOLD

ta da

This is a commission piece. I met this cute couple at the Fairhope show and they bought "banjo boy". She really liked my kids on the beach but wanted to see if I could paint from some of her photos. This is number one. It was a great photo to work from because of his body language and lots of strong light. This is painted on an 8 x 10" amperstand panel. Great way to start the day!

handsome heifer

I know I said I was not going to paint another cow. I lied.
I am getting ready for a one day art show next Saturday. The Mountain Brook art association is having it's 30th annual Spring art show. Eighty or so artists are participating. There will be no kettle corn there so bring your own . My machine and corn cob hat have not arrived yet.
I hope Mt Brookians like cows. This one is painted on a 6 x 6" cradled panel.ssold

looking back

Have enjoyed painting these cows. Have some more great pictures but need to try to work my way through a commission piece today. This is painted on a 6 x 6" cradled panel.sold

starsky and hutch

We had a bit of sunshine yesterday after several days of rain or gloom so I headed out of the city with my camera. Drove for a while before I found a beautiful field of cattle. These two calves were hanging pretty close. Got some great pictures to work from. Loved the markings on the dark calf. More to come!

I painted this on a 12 x 12" gallery wrap canvas. I think the rough texture of the canvas added to the character of this piece.

Have a great weekend.sold