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

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

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

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.

chubby trio

Loved these chubby pears. Painted on a 6 x 8" linen panel.

Good weekend to all!SOLD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

sunflower in amber

Saw this amber glass at my sister in laws this weekend so I swiped it. Always on the lookout for something new. I have been so busy lately that I have had to work hard to fit painting in. May not be posting for a couple of days because I am taking my mother in law on a get away. Heading up to North Carolina. Will try to do some plein air but I am not sure the weather is going to cooperate. this is painted on a 5 x 7" linen canvas.SOLD

and then she was like...

 
Took this photo in Destin, FL a month ago. I loved the body language between the mom and daughter. The daughter is probably in the middle of telling some dramatic story and using her hands to give signs in case her mom does not understand. I painted this on a 5 x 7 "panel.

colorful trio

 
The colors in these turnips were hard to resist. Have not had a lot of time to paint in the last couple of days. I am going to get back today so that I can keep fresh in my mind the principals I learned from Tim's workshop. They apply to anything you paint. I really miss being outside painting. Hope to do that soon.
This is painted on a 5 x 7" linen canvas.

Horn at work

Just got back from a three day workshop held in Atlanta and instructed by Tim Horn. Such a wonderful painter. And teacher. Wish I could tell you that I can paint like Tim Horn now. Well, I can't. I learned a lot of new things from him and others in the workshop. My first plein air experience. I know I would win the prize for the most unorganized and unprepared painter. I felt like Lucille Ball fumbling around with my equipment. My easel was a piece of cr-p. My palette fell on my jeans a couple of times, my BEAUTIFUL paintings fell off the easel numerous times. It helped them if that tells you anything. I will conclude this description by telling you that I had a blast. We had beautiful weather and I loved being outside. I met a lot of nice people that I hope to keep in touch with.
Tim is interested in structures more than grassy fields and trees so that was fun. I like both. I like figures the most. I was way more interested in how the light was hitting him than how the light was hitting the ugly house he turned into a beautiful painting. So...this is an attempt at painting Tim doing a demo. I painted this 5 x7 panel black and wish I had not. Might paint it again with a different ground. Was hard to get the colors I wanted.
Check out Tim Horn's beautiful work on his site. The way he paints light is incredible. His workshop schedule will be on his website.SOLD

Maggie

Long hair or shaggy dogs are so fun to paint. This little yorkie is a commission piece for a friend. This is her Mom's dog and it is a surprise gift for a special birthday. Had a hard time getting Maggie to slow down long enough to get her photo. I hope her Mom likes this. I took some artistic license to push some of the colors I saw. Maggie kind of went from grey to orangey (there I go making up new words again) in other areas of her body. Painted this on a 6 x 8" deep cradled gesso board. So fun!SOLD

cups and pansies

 

I am still in North Carolina and struggling with getting a good image and posting. I have experimented with plein air a bit. So different and so hard. New appreciation for you plein air guys. So many variables. Trying to have a good attitude and patience. Have my first plein air workshop next weekend.

yellow in purple

I am always excited when pansies are back in season. One of my favorite things to paint. I am in North Carolina and it was fun looking around for different still life objects. This cup is hand made with a beautiful glaze. This is painted on a 5 x 7" linen canvas.SOLD

the good old days

 

I did this drawing of my grand dads several years ago. Hope to paint it some day. I was fortunate to have grand dads that lived until I was in my late twenties and had children. They spent a good bit of time together the last few years of their lives. They both out lived their spouses and spent a lot of time at my parent's home.
One thing I like about this picture is their hands. The man on the right was my mother's father and was a farmer. His hands were pretty beaten up through the years. Even lost part a finger in a saw mill accident. The man on the left was my father's dad and was a railroad engineer. He took great pride in how soft his hand were. He would wear two pair of gloves to protect his hands. I can still vividly remember how soft and smooth they were.
Sorry if this image is not good. I am spending a few days in North Carolina and don't have my normal set up. It is SOOO beautiful up here and I hope to try some plein air painting. I keep putting it off because I am so intimidated. That won't get me anywhere.

bartletts and bowls

 
My husband looked at my blog for the first time in a while last weekend and made a comment (to my face) that he was tired of my colorful bowls. He was in the doghouse for a few minutes. He did not understand that that was like telling me my butt was big. It's okay. He is a huge encourager of my work so I will forgive him. Not sure about the forget part. So.... in honor of my husband...I painted the bowls again. I hope he likes it.
Painted this on a 5 x 7" gallery wrap.

you first

 

This is a commission piece that I just finished for my good friend's mom. My friend was lucky enough to be blessed with two sets of fraternal twins. This is the youngest set. They are nineteen at the present. Extra special because they are good friends with my youngest son. The older set are girls and five years ahead. Anyway...these two have always been opposite in looks. John has olive skin and dark hair and Mary has curly, blonde hair. What I thought was funny about this picture was their stance is so similiar. Both standing so straight with their arms held out a bit. I am wondering if it was a little cold or whether they were so excited to be at the beach. They are great kids and I hope this will bring back some fun memories.
Painted this on an 11 x 14" linen canvas.