Click Here to Bid (4x5in. - GOUACHE - starts at $75)
Here's another little doggie gouache. I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and didn't eat too much. I always do, and I always mean not to. It hurts. But I sure enjoy it while the eating is happening.
Click Here to Bid (4x4in. - GOUACHE on 24-ply illustration board - starts at $75)
Little known fact: I can do a particularly accurate impression of a chicken. We always had a flock of them growing up, and I spent a LOT of time outside. So if we're ever able to meet again in person, and you think of it, ask and I'll do my impression. My family still gets a kick out of it. That or they're humoring me ...
This is a painting I did a few years ago with the idea of eventually getting into a gallery, mostly because I think it's so much better if you can see larger work in person. But I had trouble finding a good gallery fit, as you know if you've followed me. And now a lot of galleries are (sadly) closing, and many are going online. So I feel lucky that I'm already here! And I can list paintings without charging the extra 50% gallery commission. : )
This painting looks SO much better in person. There is a ton of texture that you can't see in the main image (so I tried to capture some of it in these close-up pictures). Also it's really difficult to get good pictures of big oil paintings. One must position the lights to avoid glare, but that often makes the light irregular - in this case the left/right edges of the painting got a little washed out.
My return policy makes it easy to return if it isn't a fit in your house - just use the original box, and pay for return shipping, and I'll give you a full refund.
I thought this was an otter, but I just googled them and they all have black noses. Got any idea?
Click Here to Bid (3x5in. - GOUACHE on 24-ply illustration board - bidding starts at $75)
I started painting and posting (almost) daily 14 years ago, and it has been wonderful for my career, in so many ways. Painting daily improved my skills quickly and ... a lot. Getting my work out there regularly boosted sales and prompted others to invite me to teach and write books. Etc. I recommend it to ANY aspiring artist!
But I've learned that the creative spirit (mine, anyway) is a delicate one, and must be handled with care. I am not a machine who can crank out endless ... well, anything. In order for me to remain sane and happy, I must follow what is in my heart, which is always evolving. Unfortunately this does not always coincide with making money. So art is a tough career choice if you want to be happy and rich!! Also, posting daily and being in the public eye - it can be tough to make changes, even little ones, because people will tell you what they think, and it does not often align with what's in the heart. And for sensitive people (like me), the pressure from that can be ... quite uncomfortable.
So I had to take a break. And while I wasn't posting, I was most definitely creating. I have played and experimented with many of the ideas that have popped into my head over the years. I call it "chasing butterflies," in that I have allowed myself to follow any idea, anywhere, until it ran out or I got bored, and then I chase a new butterfly. It has been a wonderful. And a roller-coaster. Most of it no one will ever see. But I got so much out of it!
What have I learned so far? In general, two things:
1. I need variety to keep me interested and challenged. I've always painted a variety of subjects, but going forward I want to avoid only painting things that I think will sell, and I want to experiment with all kinds of mediums and subjects. Even if it never goes anywhere.
2. The unknown is scary but exhilarating. I've always avoided the things that scare me, but lately I've been diving in head first and some amazing things have come from it - things I never could have done on purpose! I want to do lots more of that.
So, while I'll be posting again, whenever I think you might be interested in something, I will continue to chase those butterflies. Because that's what makes me happy. Thank you all for your support!
We've had smoke in our valley off and on for a month or more, mostly from the California fires. Amazing that it can travel this far! But the water in this creek is at such a perfect level, I went back anyway, even though the smoke essentially made it look overcast. It helped that I had made plans to meet a new friend there, which was great motivation! And we had a lovely time.
The upside of overcast is that the light doesn't change much, so you have longer to ponder, and you don't have to worry about the sun going behind a cliff or something. I did 2 little studies, and they were both too dark (a problem I often have painting outside), so they took some work once I got home. But I'm very happy with them now. I'll show you the other soon.
Here are a few more tomatoes. And you might find this funny, since I just found a great light, but I'm going to take a break from the small still lifes. Maybe a big break. I've been doing them for 14 years and I guess ... the shine is off the apple (haha!). It's become harder and harder for me to come up with compositions I can get excited about. So I'm going to use that creative energy and focus it on exploring. I'll still post people and landscapes and stuff like that sometimes, but otherwise I'm heading off into uncharted territory with only some very vague ideas. It's scary. But it has to be done in order for this creative person (me) to remain happy and sane. Thanks in advance for understanding.
Several of you told me about new, dimmable, color controllable bulbs (thank you!), but I couldn't find anything in a spotlight, which is what I really wanted.
BTW, the jar in the painting contains multi-colored cherry tomatoes. But now they look more like gumballs to me. Ha!
