Trees

Trees

8x6in oil on canvas panel $125.

Click HERE to purchase

Painted from a photo I took in Colorado

a few years ago. 

Artist Note

I felt like using some 

spring green color with a palette knife. 

My green mixtures were made from 

Hansa Yellow - Turquoise - a touch of light pink.

Naples or Yellow Ochre and Ultramarine Blue Deep 

I mix my deep U Blue with a bit of white to bring it up to 

the same value as the yellow ochre before mixing together.

Green has always been a difficult color for me 

so I did a lot of exercises to try to learn to control it.

The one thing I found important was to have

a little pile of pink mixed from  

 any Rose or Permanent Alizarin, 

in three values - light/med/dark - to add 

to the matching value mixture needed.

Talking of trees...

One of our sons has started to make these

wonderful trees as a hobby.  

He has always been a creative thinker 

enjoying unique skills at problem solving.

We are now also very proud of his artistic talent.

I took these photos showing them in the gallery 

Trees by Jason Oliver

Nest With Three Eggs

Nest With Three Eggs

5 x 7 in  watercolor on Yupo paper

NFS

Another piece painted in the car. 

The road bumps can be very handy!

How about this nest below?

Small snake OR big egg!!!

It was forwarded to me but I have no name to pass on for credit

Apple Tree Blossoms and W/S Info

Apple Tree Blossoms

8x6 oil on canvas panel $125.

click HERE to purchase SOLD

A favorite place in Santa Fe, NM.

Artist Note.

I have two, 3-day workshops on how to use the 

Fracturing Technique with your own personal vision.

 June 3-5th

June 11 -13th

Both here in Las Cruces, NM

Please email me if you are interested. 

juliefordoliver@gmail.com

Apple Tree Blossoms and W/S info

Apple Tree Blossoms

8x6 oil on canvas panel $125.

click HERE to purchase SOLD

A favorite place in Santa Fe, NM.

Artist Note.

I have two 3-day workshops on how to use the 

Fracturing Technique with your own personal vision.

 June 3-5th

June 11 -13th

Both here in Las Cruces, NM

Please email me if you are interested. 

juliefordoliver@gmail.com

Calla Lilies and Forsythia

Calla Lilies and Forsythia

8x6in oil on canvas panel $125

click HERE to purchase SOLD

Celebrating Easter Sunday with some spring beauty.

Wherever you are in the world - I wish you 

Joy and Peace.

Nest With Dryer Lint

Nest With Dryer Lint

6x8 watercolor on Yupo Paper NFS

This nest is loaded with lint from the dryer, It is woven between the 

twigs, horse hair and grasses. What a beautifully soft

place for the babies to emerge into.

Artist Note.

This one is another painting done on the trip to the dentist.

It was painted by memory of a particular nest I have.

The Yupo lends itself very well  to this type of technique 

- just a few areas of detail with  lots of washes.

I am finding it is best to do the washes FIRST.

I place a few drops of oxgall into the water.

and let the wash dry before going back in with an 

almost dry brush for the details. 

Easy to lift off an area for light spots, but I also did opaque areas for lint

on top of the washed areas.  I went into a dark color next using a rigger

I had a very light touch and a flowing consistency of paint.

Still learning the "how to" of Yupo.

Yupo Floral

Yupo Floral

6x8in watercolor on Yupo paper  SOLD

Another trip to the dentist and I accomplished three

small paintings this time - two bird nests, and this floral.

All three from the imagination.

Artist Note.

This is what I call a decorative piece. 

I did a basic cartoon of  flowers with a rigger brush, 

then added light washes of several lavenders and soft greens.

Next, I anchored the design with a strong abstract design 

going from orange mixed with red and green (to tone it down)

 into even darker brown shades.

I lightly drew lines with the rigger to add some

 interest to the flowers. 

Working on Yupo is challenging but I am learning to 

take advantage of the run, drips and movement on the surface.

When I compare this to my previous post of apple blossoms

I can understand how surface quality may be used to provide 

an artist with a personal style. This particular technique lends itself
to more of the abstract and decorative aspects of painting. FUN!

Apple Blossom Study

Apple Blossom Study

6x6 watercolor on aquaboard  $100. SOLD
 Click HERE to purchase

Painted with watercolor exploring the shapes of flowers and leaves.
Did not using my fracturing technique
though I found myself  trying  to get a similar feel.

The blossoms are from a friend and fellow Artists Guild member
 who, with her husband,  Bob, owns the century old

Nichols Cherry and Apple Orchards

 up high in La Luz, New Mexico. 

Here is Sue arriving with some blossoms for me to paint.

She travels 140 miles round trip to come to the Guild.

Do You think she brought enough? Howzat for friendship!

She knows I have a couple of  larger unfinished paintings from last year.

Thank YOU dear Sue.

Artist Note.
Sue Nichols is a dedicated artist with a fine arts degree, but
like most of us... just keeps wanting to learn all she can
so she is a regular here at the Guild.
. She enjoys painting plein air on and around her ranch.
The one below was just accepted into a
 prestigious New Mexico show.

This is a pond on the ranch and the koi fish cluster under the
simple pier for shade.
Such a gorgeous orange color next to the blue sky reflection.
 Below is a Quince tree on the ranch, heavy with fruit. It is large 36"x18"

Sue is also an accomplished stained glass artist

Her work can be found at www.suenichols.com

Freesia, Pear and Grapes

Freesia, Pear and Grapes
6x6in Watercolor on Aquabord $100.
Click HERE to purchase

Another "dentist trip" painting!
This one was mostly done on the two hour trip back from the
dentist.( I hour waiting to get back across into the US)
and I finished the highlights at home. Drawn first in purple
watercolor pencil, it is totally from the imagination
 of items I have painted before.

Artist Note.
I am still experimenting with the different surfaces for my watercolors.
This is on the aquabord by Ampersand. I used some Chinese white
on the light area of the vase and a couple of areas where I screwed up!

I have been asked to show my set-up for painting while
traveling. I did place it on a previous post but here it is again.
I use the Judson's Thumb Box

It is small, but perfect for travel as I keep everything I need inside it.

I carry a tray with a cushion attached underneath which  keeps it 

stable on my lap. The lip on the tray prevents anything sliding off.

This little set up works for my oils as well as watercolors.

Olive Oil #1

Olive Oil #1

8x8in  watercolor on paper  SOLD

Artist Note

This watercolor was painted in the dentist's waiting room. 

I did the drawing during the hour drive to Mexico

using an purple watercolor pencil. 

Any errors from bumps in the road were easy to wash off.

This painting has been selected by a tile company to add to their

licensed line of unique tiles. They offer a high end line of

 tiles for kitchens, I hope it will be popular.

Left the Nest

Left the Nest

6x8in oil on canvas panel

It is that time of year again when the bird nests are thriving.
I paint the nests for pure pleasure and hate to sell them.
I am going to live with this one for a while because I am not
capturing what I feel about it.

Artist Note.

Regarding the previous post of painting in the car. I call it a car
but I have an old Sienna van.
The secret to keeping everything on your lap if you hit
 the bumps - is this magic tray.

It has the cushion attached underneath which rests securely on
the lap. The raised edge on the top stops anything slipping off
in case of sudden stops.

Red Anemones and Stripes

 Red Anemones and Stripes

8x6in watercolor on Strathmore board  SOLD



During a round trip drive of two hours
I painted in the car while hubby drove.

I have to have some serious dental work,
and due to the enormous estimate in the US,
I am traveling to Juarez, Mexico, to have it done.
The dentist is not only a great dentist but
she is also fun and generous . Because of the length
of time we had to be there she took us to lunch
at this wonderful seafood place.
Bright, spotless and colorful.
Every chair and
tablecloth was a different color.

A handy stand was
brought to our table
for the purses

Each lady
was presented
with a rose.

The waiter
brought
the credit card
machine to the
table - smart move
as it provides
a feeling of
card
security







AND THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS!