Valentine Cupcake

Valentine Cupcake

6x6 in oil on canvas panel $110.

Purchase HERE

Artist note

I love February!

Why,

because 

Valentine's Day is a 

lovely way to remember 

our loved ones.

Not only sweethearts, but friends, 

pets...everyone or everything 

which brings 

happiness into our hearts.

And the anticipation 

starts on

Feb 1st

Apache Autumn

Apache Autumn

6x6 in oil on canvas panel $110. SOLD

Artist Note

I recently joined

a group of

painters

who belong to 

"Lets Paint New Mexico"

This is my first painting.

Here is the photo 

submitted to all of us. 

We are free to paint 

our own interpretation.

The group was started 

by a wonderful artist 

I have followed for years 

DEE SANCHEZ

They  are on Facebook

and their website is

here

I enjoy the variety of 

the different artist' styles 

and the non- competitive 

attitude of their goal - 

accepting the challenge to create

a piece of art based on a 

photo of New Mexico.

Sounds like the type of

stress free challenge

I will enjoy because

New Mexico is visually

gorgeous and is not called

The Land of Enchantment

for nothing. 

I don't think you have to 

live in New Mexico to

 participate, but it helps

being familiar 

with the area.

I have painted in the 

Bosque del Apache

many times before.

Single Bloom

Single Bloom

6x6in oil on canvas panel $110. SOLD

Artist Note

I thought a close-up

of a single blossom

would be easy.

Sigh...

I did enjoy painting it though 

and that is the reason

I paint.
The pleasure of it

 cannot be beat.
Struggle included.

Have a lovely weekend
and for those of you
in the big storm area,
be safe...
be warm...

Garden Roses

Roses

8x6  oil on canvas  SOLD

Artist Note

This one was admired and taken

 before I finished it.

This is the 5th floral

I have done trying to 

explore different

compositions specifically

for a small canvas. 

I think Georgia O'Keeffe had the 

right idea of just doing a single

flower and filling the canvas.

She painted them HUGE so 

they had to be noticed.

I love her poppies.

I painted a rose in the tradition

of Georgia back four years ago

see below

I did this at the end of 2011

Here is a link to see more of her flowers

see here

 I see many fabulous 

watercolor artists using 

the format of the close-up

of a single flower all the time.

 with amazing results. 

I think I am going to be trying 

to do one too.

Rose Trio

Rose Trio

6"x8"  oil on canvas panel SOLD

Artist Note.

Its been a busy week

and a busy weekend

is already in progress.

I agreed to do a demo for the 

Las Cruces Art Association

many months ago and 

promptly forgot.

The reminder was delivered

by the president

a couple of days ago...

...with a big grin 

at my look of horror 

when he said Sunday.

Surely it cannot be so soon?

Yup, no way out

 and it has created 

a panic attack.

I still get so nervous.

They have good artists 

in that group.

What to paint?

Still don't have a clear idea,

but it will be a still life.

Tomorrow, Sunday, at 2 pm.

Wish me luck!

Resting Poppies

Red and White Poppies

6x8in oil on canvas panel  $130, SOLD

Artist Note.

 Setting up a floral still life -
remembering it is for a
small 6"x8" panel.

.

As I painted, I found the dark
vase took over - in fact it
looked like a hole in
the canvas so I moved it
more to the side as
I still needed a bit of vertical
to offset the strong
horizontal line of the flowers.

If the rest of the background
had been darker it would
have worked, but I did not
want an old fashioned
atmosphere in this one.

I also made the front white poppy
less dominant by
placing more of it in shadow.

This happens all the time.
 I start off painting from a
set up I like, but then make
changes as I go along.
Does this happen to anyone else?

Chopsticks & Bowl

Chopsticks & Bowl

6"x 8" oil on canvas panel $135. SOLD

A favorite bowl caught my

eye and I did this before 

painting another floral.

Seeing Red!

Poppies

6x6in oil on canvas panel $110. SOLD

Artist Note.

Classes have started and 

it feels good to be back into 

a daily routine.

Just as it felt good to be taking 

a break before the holidays.

This is a fun-to-do painting.

No pressure of complexity...

just capturing the impression

of flowers without 

getting too detailed.

The difference between this

and the one 

in my previous post 

is quite pronounced.

Yet it  is the same 

subject matter

 - flowers in a vase -

playing with warm and cool 

colors and paint texture.

Main difference?

This one is missing 

the full range of values

the previous one had.

Next difference?

This is a contemporary

viewpoint, 

and the previous one 

was traditional.

See previous post here

I like them both for 

different reasons, 

but most importantly

I enjoy being 

able to do both.