Happy New Year!

 Mockingbird Pride

12"x12"

Artist Note

I am still working on this painting. 

Taking my time to think it out.

Tweak or not to tweak...

that is the question!

As the sun sets on 

2020

I  want to thank you 

for the support you gave me and my art

during this weird year. 

It has meant so much.

My painting habits have changed 

due to being at home with a

dear hubby - who is delighted to have

me around due to him being able to enjoy

regular meals served on time.

(I do not kid myself it is 

due to my scintillating personality!)

I have always worked and been a do-er

so learning to be idle has been quite a feat.

I miss teaching and the wonderful artists 

I was around. BUT... I am grateful to be healthy

and in a position where I can stay safe and

 thanking heavens for Walmart grocery pick-up.

I am also becoming a ping pong player!

Let me know how YOU have adapted

to the new routines 

with any helpful hints you may have.

 I want to wish you all

 a much better new year than this last

one has probably been.

May 2021 Bless YOU with 

Health, Joy and Peace

12"x12" oil on gallery wrap 

Afternoon Pleasure

 Afternoon Pleasure 

6”x8” oil on Raymar panel  $150.SOLD

Artist Note. 

I named this Afternoon Pleasure 

because my

memories of visiting

this lily pond 

are still very pleasurable. 

I have done quite a few paintings from this 

lovely spot and I always enjoy the time 

painting them...well that is not exactly true. 

I start off fast and hopeful

then in the middle begins a struggle. 

and it usually goes through several changes

before it comes together in a way I like. 

This was no exception. 

How are you all doing?

This is a time like no other

and even though my hubby and I are safe

we are very aware how dangerous it

could be for us if we go anywhere crowded. 

 So we will be sharing a short outdoor 

picnic with our daughter and her hubby 

for Thanksgiving. 

This way there will be many more 

to share. 

Please stay safe and still enjoy a 

Happy Thanksgiving. 

Sunflowers At The Ranch

Sunflowers At The Ranch

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel  $150. SOLD

Artist Note

I joined a few of the guild artists

on a plein air painting trip

to the wonderful Nichols Ranch and Orchards.

Altitude 7,000 ft.

(Link at bottom)

This building is over 100 years old and was

the original home of the Nichols family.

Look what a fabulous view they have...wow!

The line of white in the distance is

the amazing White Sands National Park. NM

I was fortunate enough to enjoy 

a couple of the family pets

joining me in the shade

I did a couple of painting starts and decided 
the sunflowers were worthy of attention. 
I eliminated the porch for the sake of balance.

The new Blogger format is 

certainly different. 

I just spent over an hour 

trying to get the spacing

back to what I am used to. 

link to Nichols Ranch

 

Pomegranate Duo

Pomegranate Duo

8x6" oil on raymar panel $150.

Purchase HERE

Artist Note

Every year I paint the pomegranates 

when in season. 

I got a call from a friend telling me 

her poms were gorgeous 

and she invited me over to paint.

It had been quite a while since I had painted 

so this was a real treat. 

Hope you are all surviving these

powerful and awful events...

Covid, the protests, the fires and hurricanes.

Who would have every thought it 

was all possible when

wishing everyone 

A Happy New Year...

Sheesh!

Please stay safe and sane.

Profusion Of Hollyhocks

Profusion Of Hollyhocks

8"x6" oil on Raymar panel SOLD

Artist Note

This painting was started after seeing 

the hollyhocks on my morning walk.

I came back with hubby who napped

 in the car while I got a start.

   I finished it at home.

I wonder if any of you still get my blog

because it has been almost

 three months since I last posted. 

I have never gone that long before.

AND...what months they have been.

Covid has turned them into 

an anxious time of worry 

for our loved ones and ourselves...

The lucky artist can work at home

 IF 

the creative drive is still flowing.

 I am happy 

to feel mine is slowly returning 

to where I am 

at least "thinking" painting

as I go about my day.

I am sending warmest wishes for 

safe and happier days 

while we adjust to the new norm.

Blessings.

 blogger has a new format which I am not having

much success with. Please go to 

www.dailypaintworks.com

If the link to purchase does not work.

 

abstracted waterfall

Abstracted Waterfall

6"x8" oil on canvas panel $150.

Purchase SOLD

Artist Note

This was inspired by the same photo 

as shown on previous post, 

but approached 

in an entirely different way.

First...

I zoomed in on a smaller area of the photo

and let my imagination create the shapes

plus a different color harmony.

Play and Discovery

This was a lot of fun.

It became all about the process

because I was not worried about 

making it exactly like the photo.. 

I made notes of what I liked,

 technique wise,

and equally important...

did not like. 

I will repeat in another painting 

the parts of what I liked and maybe

it will be as enjoyable as this 

one was to paint..

Stay Safe everyone

Rushing Water

Rushing Water

6"x8" oil on panel $150
Purchase SOLD

Artist Note

When the guild classes were stopped 

in  March due to c-virus,

 I still owed the painters a lesson

so I gave some thought to what 

would be the most useful and guess what...

Absolutely...

Hands down...

THE Number one problem...

is watching artists

 trying to paint from a photo 

EXACTLY what  they see 

without doing a few 

The typical problems are 

VALUE

&

COMPOSITION

This is the original photo which I used for the painting.

As an Impressionist I had to add 

the colors I clearly remember seeing 

Water is full of colors

 in the sunshine and 

also reflects the sky. 

The dark values appear way too dark  

as we know shadows are transparent...

but notice how the tops of the rocks 

are not only competing with the value of the water

but tend to lead the eye out of the pic.

Below is how I check if the composition works.

I like to use 

"every quarter should be different" 

a very useful way to prevent matchy-matchy areas.

At the same time I mark off the center to help me 

remember to have a circle of the interest 

right in the middle. 

When I first became aware of art workshops 

in the 90's, I went to a 

few of the really good painters.

Ovanis Berbarian, for florals.

Dan Gerhart for figure.

Michael Lynch for landscapes.

plus

Richard Schmid, Burt Silverman - demos at ASL

They ALL said "paint what you SEE."

Trouble is... I didn't SEE what they did.

I had to learn.

But, hey, they too had to learn to "see."

I went back and found their early work 

and it was heartwarming to find

when they first started they made 

the same mistakes as all of us.

Time and learning are what make the difference.

Remember, shadows are transparent. 

If you are painting plein air 

you can see into the shadows very clearly

but a photo can make them way too dark.

Look above at original photo. 

I took this in Yellowstone

and I could see into those dark areas

and clearly "see' everything, 

all the bushes, stones and trees

surrounding this gushing stream. 

You cannot make any of those 

out in the photo

Sunsets are the worst offenders.

The ground is never as dark at sunset

as the photo makes them. 

I now take two pics - one of the sun setting 

and one of the ground. 

But logically, when you look how 

light the sky still is overhead, you know

it cannot be really dark on the ground.

The sky can look waaaay too dark 

in a poor photo. Usually it produces a

strong cyan blue - especially at the top, 

whereas it is actually

 more of a cobalt or ultramarine.

Take the photo to a window 

and look halfway up in the sky

to compare,

 and then down at the pic.

You will see it. 

The blue sky overhead is not what

you paint. 

Shadows are not the same gray 

over everything they travel.

A LIGHT COLOR IN SHADOW

BECOMES MORE OF A MIDDLE VALUE

A middle color value goes 

deeper in shadow BUT not as dark as

A DARK COLORS IN SHADOW 

The reverse is true in the light. 

BLACK MOVES TO A  MIDDLE VALUE

IN THE LIGHT and even lighter in some cases.

Remember the ABSENCE of light is the darkest

area. Underneath bushes, rocks or in still life 

it is the line you see under the object.

Strong sun bleaches out color.

If you cannot paint plein air

then the next best way is to paint from 

a monitor of some kind. 

Even then you sometimes have to lighten

the darks to see into them.

But if you have a stash of old pics

(like I do)

which inspire you to paint them 

then I hope these hints help.

If you are a decorative or abstract painter 

none of the above applies.

In my next post I will demo a abstract version.

Cheers everyone. Thank you for staying until the end.

Stay safe.

Pink Waterlilies

Pink Water Lilies

6"x8"oil on paper  Gifted

Artist Note

I have noticed that during 

unsettled periods of time

I turn to a group of favorite subjects.

It helps me to feel grounded.

These are strange times for all of us.

Before the C-Virus was even around

I began to realise that my husband 

would be needing me at home more

and started a plan to stop teaching. 

It was not an easy decision 

because I really enjoyed being with

a fabulous group of painters

who were invigorating 

and fun to be around.

Anyway my teaching career 

ended abruptly with no party,

no relaxed farewells...

just fast packing-up against a 

Governor's timeline

to get enough art stuff together

to create a studio at home.

Made it!

For those who have followed my blog

for a while, may remember 

that two years ago we moved

into  a retirement community

It has been a great move but our apartment is 

rather small. Fortunately my hubby was

willing to move our king bed 

into the small office

and now his desk and my easel are 

perfectly at ease next to each other

7 x 12 feet each.

But I get the window!

I have also discovered a way to stop people 

falling out of bed... only have a foot clearance.

You wedge before you hit the ground!!

I am not back into the painting flow yet.

I do have work up on the easel

and I go and piddle on it

but with no verve.

The waterlily painting had already

been started

and I finished it here at home

...so it is a start.

I do have a couple in the works though,

a clematis and an iris painting,

both started in the garden. 

Flowers - more comfort!

Times are strange - I have never been idle

in my life. 

I feel I should be helping somewhere,

 maybe at the hospital

but hubby has a severe health problem

and that is impossible to do.

There must be many people like me 

who all of a sudden are at home

and feeling really weird.

My heart goes out to all the families 

who have lost their loved ones,

and a very grateful "thank you" to

the many, many HEROES.

Their steadfast commitment to 

help others in need

no matter what danger to themselves.

Then there are the ones we don't 

readily think about.

Like the janitors who clean the hospitals,

the kitchen staff who produce 

and deliver the meals, etc. 

They are heros too.

I am grateful to live in a country

with so many wonderful people.

Blessings to you all.

Stay Safe... 

Sunrise Over The Rio Grande

Sunrise Over The Rio Grande

9"x12" oil on Raymar panel   $250. SOLD

Artist Note

Finally, getting a painting done 

and it took a breathtaking sunrise

to remind me that I could still grab

my paints while the memory was still fresh.

Not getting as much personal studio time

since my hubby's surgery.

He is doing fine...its me who worries!

Hope you are all well and happy 

and I want you all to keep that way.

Sending Blessings and thank you for 

following my blog.

The Pincushion

 The Pincushion

6'"x 8" oil on canvas panel $150.  SOLD

Artist Note

This was a fun guild project.

The pincushion lesson wrapped up 

a busy month of reviewing

Shapes, Values and the Principles of Light.

We started with SEEING the simple 

base shapes in everything  

For a mushroom it would be 

the shape of

half a ball, ellipse, and cylinder stem.

Everything painted from life.

Drawing first on gray paper 

with white and black charcoal pencils.

Finding how the light gives it the 

volume and values.

Next we did the white tulip.

A rectangle or cylinder -

both worked.

The emphasis was also on

the principle of how...

White in the Shadow 

moves into a middle value

AND

Black in the Light 

moves to a middle value.

This was a black container

set on middle value gray paper.

The light hitting the top

was a similar value to the 

middle gray behind it.

(I deliberately made the area between

the bottom handle lighter to show

how light white would go.)

I find this is the hardest principle for

most artists I teach to grasp.

It is very hard for ME

 to get it exactly correct.

I have to " intellectually" do it because 

as 

I am looking... 

my mind says 

black is black!

White is white

LOL. they sure ain't!

Like an apple is not always RED!

Anyway, after having 3 weeks of  that 

it was fun to going into bright color. 

Same simple shapes...ball 

(a bit squished) and cylinder.

plus single light source.

Everyone did a great job and I have 

several of these demos to enjoy finishing.

Enjoy a peaceful time in your studio...

or happy place!

Stacked Lemons

Stacked Lemons

8"x 8" oil on canvas board  SOLD

Artist Note

These lemons were fresh when I started 

and rather shriveled by the time I finished.
Doesn't matter...I still enjoyed time
with the paint!

I remember doing a whole series
with lemons
a few years ago
and some of them were very difficult.
Guess what...they are still not easy.
Interesting how painting is like that.

Enjoy a wonderful week.

The Original Feather Comforter!

Original Down Comforter

24'x24" oil on Gallery Wrap canvas. Sold

Artist Note

This is a painting full of 

painting love, frustration, then

back to love.

It is one of the hardest nests 

I have ever painted

and I have done hundreds.

Did you know that is is the early egg laying

birds who use feathers to

keep the eggs from getting cold?

Mother Nature thought of everything!

Obviously, it was the influence for the title.

An friend's husband came up with it.

(Thank you Carlos.)

My first efforts were fast and painterly.

I liked it.

But it did not describe the nest and 

all the careful work the birds 

had put into it. 

Out of all of that work I had to make some sense of order.

24"x 24" is large for me

 and it has taken a long time to paint.

I did take my time and tried to capture

the different textures and subtle colors.

Not easy for an impressionist

who loves color so there are delightful 

spots of color here and there.

The person who found the nest 

after a huge wind storm gave it to me

but did not know what type of bird made it.

Neither do I, plus it is the first one 

I have seen of its kind.

 The young lady who bought it

had seen it in progress on a visit 

to my studio and it "spoke to her heart."

When I emailed her a pic of the 

finished painting... 

she wanted it.

And that made me very happy....

going to a home where it will be loved.