Yellow Roses And 1,000 Posts

Yellow Rose #1

6"x 6" oil on canvas panel $110  SOLD

It is rose season.

I managed to get two paintings

completed before the petals fell.
Thank you for sharing your
beautiful roses, Joan.

Artist Note.

I am giving myself a
pat on the back today.
This is my 1,000 post.
I had a shock when I saw
it on the sidebar.
That's a big number!

Quite a while ago I went back
 and deleted some of the
images/posts I thought were
ones I wished I had not shown.
I had gone 488 days without
missing a post, and the
quality... or lack of it
was definitely noticeable,
 and that is
the double edged sword
of "daily painting" and
posting it.

Yes - it is a marvelous way
to improve the actual craft
of painting, but the
creative side does not always
shine through under
those circumstances.
Not for me anyway.

I started to understand
that I needed
to paint every day with
an explority curiosity.
"Good" paintings did not come
out of this, but being aware
of what I liked
 and didn't like 
sure did  - and that
helped me develop
my own style

 I maintain the habit
of painting or sketching daily
Some paintings are
 definitely better than others
..just like some days
are better than others!

The enjoyment for me
is always
with the immersion
into paint and process.

Please share with me what
makes you happy about painting.
The process or the results?

Bouquet

Bouquet.  

8x6 oil on canvas panel $135. SOLD

Artist Note.

A bit of color on a gloomy day.

Things sure are changing 

in the world.

I wish us all Peace.

Roses #3

Roses #3

8x6in oil on canvas panel  $135.SOLD

Artist Note.
After all the previous focus
 on line, I deliberately went for just shape
in this one and fractured to
my hearts content.

Farmers Market - day 9

Farmers Market #26

8x6in Oil on canvas $145. SOLD

Artist Note.

This is a fully realized study.

It started off as a sketch 

during the summer and I kept going

here and there until today when 

I added some finishing touches.

I call it a study because I

became very aware of what, how...

and why I was placing the paint.

The reason...

I am working on a huge Farmers Market

painting. A commission.

Huge for me. 

It is 43in high by 62 inches across. 

That is equal to 50 of my daily paintings.

I will be doing some Farmers Market

paintings to help get me back into the 

groove - so to speak -  

and I will be sprinkling them 

amongst the challenge paintings.

Farmers Market #18 - Red Umbrella Sketch

Red Umbrella Sketch

6x6in watercolor on acid free paper  NFS

#3 in the 30 day challenge.

Many of us use an umbrella for shade here in the
bright sunshine of southern New Mexico. I use one
very easily...
I was raised using one in England for a completely
different reason.

Artist Note.

My watercolor weekend was spent on doing quick
sketches like this one inspired by a photo taken at
the farmers market here in Las Cruces, NM.
I did not draw first. I started by
placing spots of color next to each other and corrected
angles and shapes with negative painting. If you look
you can see the red of the umbrella under the green and
it doesn't bother me a bit!
The purple shoulder went out too far so I blobbed in a
small dark to indicate the lower part of the sleeve
and did not "tidy up."
These small watercolors are invaluable for me
testing what works or doesn't - what I like or don't like.
This was done on Strathmore  mixed-media #400.
I find I like the surface for a sketchy approach.

Thanks for all the great comments. I wish I had the time
to answer them but I will enjoy visiting your blog.
Please know that I do appreciate YOU.

Farmers Market #9

Farmers Market #9
Hats next to the Celery!

6x8in oil on canvas panel   $125. SOLD

Only at a farmers market can you find hats and celery being
sold side by side.
The eternal appeal of hats obviously captured this young lady's
attention even though she is laden down with stuff.

Artist Note.
Lots going on?  Busy? Yes. I wanted it all. And why not, indeed.
It could be worse. I could have placed a hat on the young lady's head!
I really enjoyed the discovery in this one. It took about five engrossing
hours for this little piece of frustration to be completed.
Lots of, "off with its head" moments. Each one a lesson and I enjoyed it.
(At least it was not on video for everyone to see.)
Your eye should go to the light hat with red band and orange one first.
They are then linked to the young lady and her striped shirt.
If your eye goes to her first then the reverse in will happen. Either way
your eye will travel round the painting. (It was like
a repeat of my dilemma in FM #3 - scale or figure.) Her cast shadow
onto the hats in front completes an angle to  lead back in.
I balanced the bright colors of the hats on the right with her purse.

Other Lights of My Life

Other Lights of My Life

6x6in oil on canvas panel  $100.



Day 27 in the 30 in 30 Days Challenge
My personal goal for this challenge - to paint only
what I have never painted or thought of painting before.

Three more days left in the Challenge!

Many years ago I had a virus which left me with what they 

call pinpoint pupils - preventing both my pupils from dilating. 

The only downside is that I am as blind as a bat from dusk to 

dawn without a light source. Caring friends and family have 

always casually linked my arm and guided me safely wherever, 

without a word being said, but on my own it was a 

different story and I became the flashlight queen...

never without one or two!. 

Have you noticed that along with the LED lighting, brighter 

colors and different styles and shapes have also presented 

themselves? It has been a joyful experience for me. 

I now have a wardrobe color range of flashlights.

My purple/cerise one is at the gallery or it would have 

been painted today.

Bedside Light

Bedside Light

6x6in oil on canvas board  $100. SOLD



Day 14 in the 30 in 30 Days Challenge
My personal goal  for this challenge - to paint only what I have
never painted or thought of painting before.

This is the lamp in our guest bedroom. It is brushed nickel.
with a simple shape that I fell in love with. Doesn't really fit
our casual decorating scheme, but what the heck!

Artist Note.

I had to examine the light glow very carefully. I was tempted
to take the downcast light right up to the shade, but looking
carefully I could see that there is an area of shadow on the wall
up above where the light starts to fall, and the rim of the shade.
Neat to paint and I recommend it.






.

Apple Demo for Class

Apple demo for class

not for sale

Working with a different group I did another apple demo.
Maybe you remember that in the classes I teach, the focus this month
 is painting from the imagination so these are not copied from real apples.
It appears that the hard part of painting from the imagination
is understanding the light and how it falls on a surface.

Seeing how many in the class had painted light on the sides as well as the top,
I quickly drew in the box showing the apple with a top surface to
catch the light. They immediately "got it" and some pretty decent apples
were presented.

I am always using the phrase, "light follows form," but I found
that it is not always understood. Another way of saying it is...
The path of light can not go around corners.

Different methods of broken edge work and colors were also included in
this little demo so this may appear a little weird, but I thought it may be
of interest to those who do not have access to instruction.

Having a great time with my wonderful grandchildren but admit
to being tired after teaching all day and then building a fort
(from a precious sari) to play cowboys in. I got the midnight watch!

Beauty with Thorns

Beauty with Thorns

6x6in  oil on canvas panel  $100.  SOLD

The beauty of the rose is amazing. Soft, velvety  petals
but watch out for those thorns.
Why are the thorns there - does anyone know?

The White Jug

The White Jug

6x8in  oil on canvas board   $125. SOLD

This is a set-up I have painted before but wanted to do a detail from it
using the fracturing technique.

Artist Note.

 When setting up a still life I am always thinking of how the
eye will move around the painting.
This has a circular eye flow pattern.
At the same time, I am thinking about creating a pattern of light and dark.
In this case, placing a deep amethyst vase and cherries within
the dark triangular shape at the front, works to keep
the eye from spending too much time in an area that is not important.
If you want to try it, you can place
something lighter over the front vase to see how it changes the whole design.

Albuquerque Gate, N.M.

Albuquerque Gate, N.M.

6x8in oil on canvas panel  $125.

This is one of many beautiful places in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The owners have built a rambling adobe wall which accommodates
the existing cottonwood trees by building around them.
It is down near the Rio Grande River where the large cottonwood
trees grow. It is easy to forget you are in a big city when in such
peaceful surroundings..
We lived there for a number of years and still have close friends
we love to go and visit.

Vincent's Pets

Vincent's Pets

6x6in oil on canvas   SOLD

These are two paintings I donated to the local Spay and Neuter
annual fund raiser. Obviously they are based on copies of famous paintings
and I added the animals. I had fun doing them.
They both pre-sold which was nice for me to hear.

Whistler's Mother's Companion

A Little Watercolor

A Little Watercolor

6x6in watercolor on Arches   SOLD

A quick little study of three Roman glass vessels, painted for a friend
who likes my watercolors more than my oils.
These are very old pieces and covered with a mica type film - which I find beautiful.

My lovely daughter is moving to another state with her job. (sob!) Tonight
is our last night together for quite a while so it will be special.
We will miss her and her companion, Eric. They follow my blog so
I am wishing them a safe journey and wonderful new adventures.

Made in China

Made in China

8x6in oil on canvas panel $125.

It was interesting to get into hard objects -  all made in China.
I own some beautiful pieces, but the blue bowl is on loan from a good friend.
I have painted it quite a few times - using different techniques. I like them all.
My hubby is great at using chopsticks but I still have not
caught on to the trick of not dropping the food before it hits the mouth.
These chopsticks have a beautiful design on them.

Artist Note.

A little bit of structure today after painting soft flowers for a
couple of days, plus I used more subdued colors.
It is the same palette as yesterday - Red, Yellow
and Blue, but worked so the complement colors have been worked
into them to tone each color down.
I mixed an orange to tone down the blue just a wee bit.
I mixed a warm purple to tone down the yellow background
and after mixing the green for the leaves, I mixed it into the red.

Red, Yellow and Blue

Red, Yellow and Blue

6x6in oil on canvas panel  $100. SOLD

This week's  Daily Paintwork Challenge is to use the primary
colors. Red, yellow and blue
I placed the cherries in for extra red so it would be the
dominate color. You know how I love RED!

The flowers are lantana's out of my garden. I love them because they provide
color all summer with virtually no upkeep.
As I went to cut some, look what I came across.

A harmless, but pretty scary to look at, tarantula! A big one!
It must be at least 5-6 inches across. It froze in place as another one went
scurrying away with a baby one following it.
Never a dull moment living on the edge of the desert.

Mixed Fruit

Mixed Fruit.


8x6in oil on canvas panel
THIS PAINTING HAS HAD A CHANGE - see 7/19/12

This is the last of my fruit paintings... for a while.
I have enjoyed working with the shapes and colors
but the yellow roses are starting to droop and I need to
finish the one I have started.
Painting walls in my new teaching space tomorrow
so may not have time for a blog. Stay tuned!

Fruit Bowl

Fruit Bowl

6x6in  oil on canvas board  $100. SOLD

I enjoyed all the colors yesterday so today I rearranged all the parts...
on a smaller "square"  no less!
Going for another one tomorrow.

Artist Note.

Working within a square worked best when I lowered my viewpoint
and placed a knife and leaf at an angle to offset the  horizontal
lines..

Fruit Plate

Fruit Plate

6x8in  oil on canvas board   $125. SOLD

This was actually inspired by my hubby, Jim, making a fruit salad.
I had come up from the studio and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw
all the rich colors together and asked if I could borrow the bowl and
fruit for a little while... and this, all knowing lover of mine, actually
said, "NO It could be hours before I get them back!"
I can remember the day when anything I wanted to paint, I could have.
That was before he took over the kitchen. Seeing I do not want the kitchen
back I smiled sweetly and picked up my camera!

Artist Note.


There was not really a leaf on the peach, I put it in to link the two
areas of fruit together. I deliberately placed the bowl behind the plate
instead of off to the side, to try something new, and I like it.
I am going to play around with this set-up some more.

Goodbye Yellowstone - Hello Jenny Lake!

Goodbye Yellowstone - Hello Jenny Lake!

6x8in oil on canvas panel   $125.

Oh Boy - just when you think you cannot see anything more beautiful,
along comes Jenny Lake and the Grand Tetons National Park.
We stayed at the Lodge and really had  wonderful time...
wishing we had made this amazing vacation years ago.

Artist Note.

This is a heck of a lot to put into a small format, but I wanted to try it.
I painted it from a combination of sketchbook watercolors and photos.
It has a very brightly colored under-painting which peeps
through here and there.
I used a combination of palette/painting knife and brush.
I use a Hobein knife. Trowel shape,  Series S,
and on these small paintings I use a slant brush.
I used my handy tool to move the paint around first.