Four Red Apples

Four Red Apples

9x12"

Oil

$215

(Daily Paintworks Auction beginning bid $150)

     This poor old canvas. I have painted so many unsuccessful pictures on it and washed them down each time. The threads I love so much in the texture of good canvas are almost smooth now. 

     Sometimes, when I hit a wall, the best thing for me to do is tell myself to just paint something for myself and forget about all the rules and lessons I have been trying to teach myself. And so here is something I will keep on the canvas.

     This morning I heard Tony Bennet on NPR. He said he had been advised to study successful singers, but to not try to imitate them or he would be just another voice in the choir. How hard it is to find your own voice.

     I am pretty happy my Belgian Bangs was chosen as a DPW Pick.

Little Puffin

Little Puffin

12x9"

Oil

$215

(Daily Paintworks Auction beginning bid $150)

     Puffins look like clown birds, and how funny they are running across the surface of the water with their bright orange feet. This little painting was both easy and difficult. The easy part was the pure white next to the pure black, making the wonderful contrast. The difficult part was painting the face, trying to capture the color without making him look like he had painted on a clown face. The last stroke was the little bit of orange on his belly to reflect those amazing red-orange feet.

Golden Apple

Golden Apple

9x12"

Oil

$216

     This past summer I began working on compatible palettes and color schemes, using Exploring Color by Nita Leland. Much to learn and relearn there. This is one of the pieces I did that turned out a little different than the usual. I enjoy painting small scenes of nature as this one is, but instead of a sunny effect that I often try for, I chose the earth palette, which rendered a completely different mood. The arch composition and the limited color scheme gave me a painting I have grown to really like.

     This painting is hanging next month in the Small Works Exhibit at the ASIF Studios (Artist Studio In the Foothills) in Grass Valley, California.

Ten Minute Challenge

Six Gourds

6x8"

Oil

     The Daily Paintworks Challenge this week was to divide your canvas into small sections and then paint the same subject in each section, allowing only ten minutes per section. I used the little gourd that sits on my window sill in the studio. Our house if full of gourds because of Bill's work, but this one is mine. I think its stem is so graceful.

     At first, I thought I could not paint it over and over again, but now I see the value of the Challenge. The variety of treatments is probably endless, and giving myself only ten minutes to do each one prevented me from belaboring the task.

     The painting is not for sale. I washed it down. I did the work for the exercise and for the discipline. It was worthwhile.

Easter Girl Challenge

Easter Girl

8x6"

Oil

     This week's challenge was to paint the little girl on Easter Morning. The reference photo has cars, people, and trees behind her. We were supposed to simplify the background shapes, but I found painting the face on such a small canvas to be so challenging that I felt simplifying the shapes in the face to be demanding enough. Once again, the Challenge enabled me to do a thing I would not choose on my own. 

Magnolia Pair

Magnolia Pair

12x16"

Oil

$385

(Daily Paintworks Auction beginning bid $250)

     This is the second of the Magnolias I did last summer. That tree was old and huge and loaded with flowers. It was a beauty, but I think I will have only one more painting from it.   

     I liked suggesting the leaves and branches in an abstract way, but the best part was laying on the titanium white to highlight those big, thick white petals. Of course, they are not entirely white as very white objects rarely are in a painting.

Tyler

Tyler

9x12"

Oil

Sold

     This is the painting that was used for the exhibit at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley for the Open Studios Tour. It sold and I am grateful, but I always have mixed emotions when that happens. Happy to sell a painting, but sad that it is not mine anymore. 

     The first weekend of the Studio Tour was beautiful. The weather was gorgeous and the setting where I am sharing gallery space with friends is perfect. Weekend #2 is coming right up, and again I wish good luck to all the artists.

Magnolias

Magnolias

24x36"

$1700

     What a time I am having! Last Friday I did a demonstration for the Lake Wildwood Art Club. I enjoyed that very much. And then I prepared for the Open Studios Tour this weekend and next. Hoping it goes well for all the artists on the Tour.

     Magnolias is one of my larger paintings although not the largest. I photographed a huge tree in full bloom and had so many images to choose from it was hard to pick one, so I have done two so far and may do more. This was the first one and I like many things about it. At first, I wondered why I was so pleased with it and then realized it is an example of the 25/75% principle--25% warm or cool, high or low value; 75% vice versa. This is mainly a cool, dark image, with the smaller per centage of warm colors and high values. I will try to pay more attention to that principle in all my paintings.

Moab

Moab

20x24

$960

(Daily Paintworks Auction beginning bid $625)

     I painted my "foster dog" Moab in our adirondack one summer while he was visiting. He used to visit often and we always loved having him here. He does not come much anymore because he is very senior now.

     This painting is always a hit at art shows. I think people associate it with other dogs they have known and loved. It has not yet sold, but I think the people like it just the same. It is a little large and so a little expensive. Or maybe people merely like it but do not want to own it. I feel that way myself about many things.