Grazing in my Shadow

Click Here to Bid - 5x7in. - oil on panel

I've always liked the idea of spending a day in a field with sheep, letting them get comfortable with me, and taking pictures of them in all kinds of light, in groups, singly, etc. So far though, I haven't met anyone with sheep! For now I settle for images I find online (royalty-free). This one is simple but I still had to paint it twice to get something I was happy with.

Gathering

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

This is my example for this month's Daily Paintworks challenge: The Gathering Challenge. You know, since it's the time of year where we get together. The prompt is pretty simple. Please submit your work! You don't have to be a member. : )

Sweet Nothings

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

When I bought these roses I was most attracted to the fact that some were pinkish, and some leaned more peachy. I find those kind of analogous colors incredibly yummy.

Finding Each Other

 

Click Here to Bid - 8x10in. - oil on panel

One of my students from last week sent me a photo of her temporary solution to a panel holder. The idea is that it holds the panel in place, and allows you to paint off of every edge with nothing blocking the strokes. She basically taped paint-stirring sticks (the same thickness as her panels) to a board with very sticky tape, which then holds the panel with friction. It works! Here's the photo ->

They Drank the Kool-aid

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I have kept an eye out for cool pieces of fabric for adding to still lifes, but have had a lot of trouble finding ones that would work. It needs to have the kind of pattern that is easy to simplify with paint. Recently my sewing adventures have included buying things from the thrift store and modifying them, or frankenstein-ing different things together. The fabric that is available to the clothing industry is far more vast and interesting than the fabric I can buy as an individual. So it occurred to me recently that I can also look at the thrift store for things that I can cut up for still life. This one did double duty. Not only am I using this little scrap in the scene above, I also used some of it to make a t-shirt for myself.

Apprehension

Click Here to Bid - 6x8in. - oil on panel

My husband is allergic to cats, so we don't have any, but I grew up with them. I found the reference for this one on one of the royalty-free sites online. I love the pose and the expression. Classic cat. Such great animals.

Confiding

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I am home from my Nashville, TN workshop. I had a really wonderful group of students. I gave them a list of things at the beginning about "how to get the most out of this workshop," and they did it! And with humor, which made it fun for me. : ) Also the organizer and her helpers were fantastic. I will definitely return to this location. Here we all are:

A Pig in the Kitchen (a journey)

 

I just dropped this painting off yesterday at Cassens Fine Art in Hamilton, MT. If you're in the area, please drop by to see it (and 6 others of mine) in person. It's a lovely gallery, with lots of wonderful art, so it's worth seeing it all. And the people running it are just fab!

I also wanted to share my journey in creating this painting. First I painted "Thoughtful Pig," back in 2018 (6x6in.):

Then earlier this year I painted "Thinking About Dishes," attempting to work out some composition changes before painting it big (6x6in.):

I also did this ipad version (using the art app, Infinite Painter) in order to further refine my thoughts:

Which all led to the larger painting at the top, which is 16x16in. Someday I might paint it even bigger!

Color Conference

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I've been attempting to dye fabric for backgrounds lately, with mixed results. The problem is that the length of time it stays in affects the color, but once you pull it out and wash it, the color is very different from how it looked when you decided to pull it out. But I'm learning. And I like these two (the gray and the peachy strip).

Mostly what I want are less saturated colors. I bought a whole bunch of white cotton fabric and Procion dye to play with. It's fun.

Shine On Crazy Apple

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I've got a workshop coming up, so I've been thinking a lot about teaching, always trying to improve my game. One thing I tell my students, because it's important for me too, is setting expectations. We tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves for the next painting to be "good." But it often leads to disappointment. So my thing is to always expect "eh." That way I am pleasantly surprised if it works out. 

Also it can help to do a bunch of paintings without judgement, and then instead of asking yourself if any one is good, rather, ask which are your favorites, and what you learned that you can apply to the next batch. That way you're always moving forward. If you get too focused on one painting that wasn't your best, it can easily lead to fear and discouragement. And then you're not painting anymore, and then you're definitely not improving.

Water Lily Buds

 

Click Here to Bid - 8x8in. - oil on panel

Remembering summer with this one, and the trips I took with my kayaking buddy. Already looking forward to next year!

Tranquil Blue

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x8in. - oil on panel

I switched to fixed prices a while back, but have decided to try auctions again. I'm also going to try shorter auctions, after bidding on some things myself (on Ebay - stuff to paint) and losing interest after a few days, haha!

This 3-day auction starts at $125.

I'll Tell You a Secret

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I specifically like turquoise and orange together, even though they don't fit any established color scheme. But I honestly don't think schemes are the end all - be all. Just suggestions.

Funky Cups

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Here are some colors I've been playing with lately. I was going through my Pinterest boards and noticed that these colors together were a common theme. So I challenged myself to make some compositions with them.

Plate Obscured by Peaches

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I painted this one twice before I was happy with it. It looks deceptively simple.

Patient Peaches

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

When I went to the store to buy peaches, I found they were much bigger than I remembered! Are all fruit getting bigger? Bigger and sweeter. It's very interesting.

Dive into Pink

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

This summer I went kayaking with a buddy on a little lake in the area. To my delight it was half covered in water lily's, and they were all blooming! At first I was trying to be polite and just enjoy the kayaking with my friend. But eventually I asked if she minded if I took a few pictures with my phone. She said "sure!" and joined me. We found quickly that the trick was to propel yourself into the lily pads, which quickly made it very difficult to paddle, but get yourself right near a flower, without overshooting. It was quite a challenge! But we enjoyed it, and I came away with a few good pictures to paint from. Here's the first one.

Reflecting on Reflections

 

Click Here to Purchase - $500 - 12x12in. - oil on panel

I painted this same composition as a 6x6 some years ago and always really liked it. This is my redo, as a 12x12. I set the composition up again, although I didn't have a tiny pear like this, so I had to wing that part. I tried to get the light the same, although looking back and forth now I can see it's somewhat different. I studied both - the real setup and the previous painting, and then tried to keep the things I liked and not the things I didn't. Haha, what a goal, huh? Anyway, I learned a lot.

Not on the Same Page

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Workshop Announcement!

In ONE WEEK we will be opening registration for a workshop I'm teaching next spring in Apex, North Carolina. On Thursday, August 21st, at noon, EST, go HERE if you are interested. You can also follow the same link for more information about the workshop. I hope you can join me!