Personal Art Blog

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

Saturday, January 30, 2016

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

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

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 
They  are on Facebook
and their website is

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.







Friday, January 22, 2016

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...

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

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

 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.



Saturday, January 16, 2016

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!








Tuesday, January 12, 2016

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?



Sunday, January 10, 2016

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.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

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.

I like them both for 
different reasons, 
but most importantly
I enjoy being 
able to do both.