Personal Art Blog

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

Friday, July 26, 2019

White Raven

White Raven
8"x8" Raymar square panel $200.
Purchase HERE

Artist Note. 
As we are not allowed to copy any image
 off the internet, I took a photo of the 
White Ravens
from a video when it was playing.
I am sure you understand that 
it was not crystal sharp so 
this painting was difficult to do.
I abstracted the background and that was fun.
Pleased I managed to get 
something I like.

Still experimenting with the 
different fracturing techniques 
and that keeps me from
stabbing myself with my knife when I 
want to pack it all in!

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Grace’s Warbler


Grace's Warbler
6"x6" oil on raymar panel $125.
Purchase HERE

Artist Note
Such a pretty little bird 
and the first time
I saw one, my heart skipped a beat.

They live high up in pine trees 
so you have to be on a cliff
or something high to usually see them.
But guess what...
I saw this little family down 
by the ground at a lake we have
just an hour away, enjoying a bath.

If not for the bright yellow, 
you would never see them 
as their blue gray feathers 
match the color of the sky 
peeking between the pine needles.

I tried to get that feeling of camouflage
in this little square..

Monday, July 22, 2019

Roosting Dove

Roosting Dove
6"x 6" oil on raymar panel $125.SOLD. 

Artist Note
I will be doing birds, nests and related
things until I can get this 
new extension of the 
fracturing technique down.
Experimenting is much easier with
subject matter you know and love.

The white dove is a positive symbol
of kindness, peace and forgiveness
Cannot go wrong with painting 
them so another 
one is bound to end up in the mix.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Western Tanager

Western Tanager
8"x8" oil on Raymar panel $200. SOLD

Artist Note
Isn't nature a marvel? 
The different colors in the avian world
always surprise and delight me...
and I do not live in a tropical place.
This is from a trip to beautiful
Cloudcroft, New Mexico.
Less than a two hour drive from Las Cruces 
and up to an elevation of 9,000ft.
MUCH COOLER temps!

My technique causes a quandary
when  I paint something with 
important details like a bird. 
In my former life as an illustrator
it would be easy to paint every feather,
but I do not want to paint like that anymore
(- in fact it is now impossible.)
So getting the impression 
of a bird in its natural habitat 
requires "suggested" imagery.
Something which I find harder 
but more engrossing to capture.

This from a photo my hostess took.
The nest was not in it...
just a personal love I have for the nests.


Thursday, July 18, 2019

Bluebird Of Happiness


Bluebird Of Happiness
6"x 6" oil on gallery wrapped canvas  $135.SOLD


Artist Note
I am so happy, happy to be painting birds,
nests, feathers and eggs.
What could be more appropriate than the 
Bluebird of Happiness!

Painted on a wrapped canvas 
which I do not usually use. 
The sides are painted a dark blue


If interested in the origins of the 
"Happiness" part
 here is a link to a safe site



Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Steller's Jay

Steller’s Jay
8”x6” oil on Raymar board
Purchase HERE

Artist Note
A visit to Cloudcroft, NM, (9,000ft)
 for a few days last month,
provided the pleasure of seeing
many wonderful Jays.
They flitted between the trees showing off
flashes of their beautiful, blue colors.

Jays love peanuts in the shell
and our host would place them on the deck rail.
They would actually pick and choose,
putting back down ones they didn't want.
It was fun watching them .

I have decided to do a  short "bird series"
and it is helping me get back in the flow and my block.

Due to my painting technique, exact detail
is pretty impossible.  I try for the essence or impression .

I am explaining this because
I have a serious birder who follows my blog.
He posts the most incredible images
taken by Miriam Bauman
I am hooked on his blog and through it  have traveled
and seen the most interesting
and awesome places/things/birds.

Check out his amazing blog link below
if you are a nature lover.

David M. Gascoigne





Monday, July 15, 2019

Anemones

 Anemones. 
11x 14. Oil on ray-mar panel Sold 

Artist Note
A friend heard me 
struggle through my block 
and came to the studio as 
this one was developing. 
She said she liked it. 
When it hit the gallery walls 
she bought it. 

 Happy dance!!

Saturday, July 13, 2019

Two Blues

Two Blues
6x6 inch oil on Raymar panel $125 SOLD

Artist Note
I was invited to go to an
artist friend's house to plein air
paint his beautifully blooming plants
and guess what I found I wanted to paint.
Surprise, surprise...a turquoise chair!
(Anyone who knows my work 
will understand.)


He had mixed varying colors
of blue plant containers ranging from
cobalt, teal and turquoise
and it made a stunning display
of surprising harmony.
Very exciting to the eye and heart.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

The Water Jug

The Water Jug
8"x10" oil on linen mounted on panel $225.
Purchase HERE

Artist Note
A cause for celebration....
I finished a painting without
scraping it off!

It has been a bummer of a summer 
as far as my painting block goes.
I tried all suggested solutions.
I have enjoyed a couple of trips and not 
having to be in my studio quite as early.
I guess it just takes time.

The 4 week online tutorial I paid so much for 
has not been staying on my computer. 
Cannot find the darned thing.
I have only done two segments 
and cannot get the other two.

The second segment is on automatic
writing/mark making.
That influenced some of the marks here.
I kept doing the spiral of  life
with the charcoal.

It is the first online I have ever done so 
maybe I am doing something wrong.
I am going to persist because I think it is well 
thought out and has been excellent in the 
first two segments.
Will let you know when I know.

I continue to post new and older works
on Instagram where my following
far exceeds Facebook.
Weird when it is the same paintings.
It is also far easier to be able
to reply to their comments
and that adds up - time wise.
My instagram is
juliefordoliverart.

I still post here first though.
Enjoy your week and thank you
for following my blog.