Personal Art Blog

Sharing the lessons I teach at the Artist Guild and the personal discoveries in my art.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Turquoise and Orchid



Turquoise and Orchid
8x6in oil on linen  Gifted.

The photo is not too clear and has caught a 
bit of a glare.
Sorry. On vacation and do not have my usual set-up.

I love this little vase. I mean I really love it, and was 
devastated when I accidentally knocked it off
the table and saw it shattered into many pieces.
Our host and good friend, understanding my loss
miraculously glued the jigsaw of pieces 
back together...patiently sanding angles
and matching shapes. It took hours.
What an eye!
What a really good friend.
He grows orchids so this was a gift for him.
MY time for His time seems right... doesn't it?




Sunday, July 20, 2014

Lemonade



Lemonade
8x6in oil on canvas SOLD

Still on vacation and using this time to repost some
older paintings.
Re-post from May 2012
Thank you for still paying me a visit and commenting.

The incredible painter Abby Ryan came up with the the
 Daily Paintworks Challenge this week. The Yellow Challenge

Abby asks the question - what does yellow mean to you?
Easy - sunshine, happiness and feeling good.

This time I thought I would see what it was like to explore fracturing
with painting the lemons in water.

 YELLOW
My palette was:
Titanium white
cad yellow light
Naples yellow
Indian yellow
Light red
viridian
Transparent brown oxide.
I put some yellow in every color I mixed.


Sunday, July 13, 2014

Wanna Be World Famous



Acrylic on paper 
12x12in 
Sold
(This is a re-post as I am still on vacation.)

I was invited to enter a show featuring paintings of women only. 
On my pondering of the place of women in art, I thought of the Mona Lisa, 
reportedly the most recognized portrait of a woman worldwide. 
Then think of all the famous artists' who have painted portraits 
of women in the hope to reach the same status. 
So far none have achieved Leonardo's stature. 
(I think Vermeer's Woman with a Pearl Earring is coming close)
The gallery informed me this piece was sold to a museum in Denmark.

Picasso-Portrait of Dora Maar Seated
Leonardo Da Vinci - Mona Lisa
Van Gogh-Madame Ginoux
Cezanne-Young Italian Girl
Egon Schiele-Seated Woman with Bent Knee
Matisse-Goldfish

The hardest part of this painting was the research of paintings of women
which would conform to my vision of them sitting 
together around a table...a universal theme the world over.
I started laughing when I picked the first two and even more 
so at the end
I adored the way these women looked totally bored ...
They must have been muttering as they posed...will he EVER finish!
Only Mona looks content, and after this painting, I wonder why?
Any guesses?




Monday, July 7, 2014

New Mexico Kitchen Sink


New Mexico Sink

8x6" oil on canvas panel SOLD

I am on vacation and, yes...thank you...I am
enjoying a very relaxing time. 
We have been visiting wonderful friends and
I have painted every day
This painting is a re-post from 3/13/13
Off to visit son #1 today in his new home. FUN!
Hubby at home guarding the fort!


Artist Note.
It was Lisa Graham who sent this comment on

my last post of a Chili Ristra hanging by a door.
"Whenever I see a Ristra I always think of an old
Mexican kitchen with a large window over
the sink and shutters. 
Then I want to make enchiladas."
I could see the image she created so clearly in my
mind and this is what I came up with.

As this developed entirely from my imagination,
it kept on growing when I added items as I
recalled them. Most likely from the many,
many kitchens I have been in in Mexico and
El Paso.
Hand painted tile, no granite. No dishwasher.
Garlic and Chili Riestra's hanging by the window.
Tomatoes ripening on the windowsill.
Casual flowers or pretty weeds in a jar.
If she painted it...
Lisa's version most likely would have a plump,
motherly type rolling out the flour tortillas.
All painted in her wonderful unique style.
See her work HERE
Thanks for the inspiration, Lisa. I enjoyed
painting this.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Happy July 4th



Happy July 4th, 2014
8"x8" oil on canvas panel
(Blue is not quite as vivid as it looks on my monitor)

Hope you are all having fun with your
loved ones on this Independance Day.