Soaking Up the Sun

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - Oil. - starts at $100)

Art supplies are getting more expensive. Panels are almost twice as much as I paid for them a few years ago, so I've been experimenting with making my own. This painting is on a piece of birch hardboard that I gessoed and sanded five times. I couldn't get it as smooth as the Ampersand gessobords I normally use. Does anyone know if you can spray gesso? I have a feeling that's the only way to get it smooth. So far I've tried brushing and rolling and even squeegee-ing. Thanks!

Just a Kid

Click Here to Bid (7x5in. - Oil - starts at $100)

When I was little my parents kept a few goats and we drank exclusively goat milk. One day we ran out and had to drink cows milk from the store. We thought it was disgusting! But we got used to it and when we had goats milk again we didn't like it anymore. Or at least, that's how I remember it. What's funny is that when I get together with my siblings, our memories never line up.

The reference photo for this was taken by my friend Bren before she passed. On one of our last visits we each went through the other's files and borrowed the photos we liked. Every time I paint one is a way for me to reconnect with her.

Jaunty Giraffe

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - Oil - starts at $100)

This one was incredibly hard, but so satisfying. The giraffe head is mostly in shadow, so the colors are mostly gray and dark(ish). As I mixed my colors I had to keep reminding myself of that, even though I wanted so badly to add in some bright colors. In the reference photo there are a bunch of busy trees behind him, so I decided to make up a very light background for contrast. As I was laying it down with the palette knife I realized I really liked the blue showing along the edges so I stopped myself at this point and called it done.

Chillin' Cheetah

Click Here to Bid (8x6in. - oil - starts at $100)

This cheetah has just the right number of spots. Any more and I would have gotten sick of painting them. Ha.

Many thanks to Paul Kratter for lending me the reference for this painting. Hope you have a great time on your next trip to Africa!

Heads Up

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $100)

I pushed myself a bit too much during my recovery (from neck surgery) and ended up setting myself back. : ( I would kick myself for it, but that would probably set me back further. BUT I am finally able to paint again some. And am happy for it. Sitting on the couch gets old after a while. I have been on it for literally most of 2022.

This is my first painting in a while AND my first painting of a giraffe! Or at least, a giraffe head. I am still having fun with the palette knife on the background, so I took this second picture sideways to the light so you can see it better.

Checking Pee-mail

 

Click Here to Bid (6x8in. - starts at $100)

My husband has made this joke about dogs sniffing for a long time - they're checking their pee-mail. I'm so glad he's funny. But so that he doesn't get a big head I tell him - "You're funny. Looking." Or, "You're funny. But looks aren't everything." Also both his jokes.

Ellie Faunt

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $100)

The reference for this is another one from my friend Paul and his forays into Africa. In hindsight, a 6x6in. panel is WAY too small to contain this giant creature. Someday I will have to paint her larger. But for now ... here's Ellie.

Sleeping Dogs

I did three versions of this dog. The first, in gouache, I did last year and liked it so much I kept it around to look at. The second I tried recently in acrylic. The third, in oil, is the last one I did, and it's a complete redo after another oil attempt bombed. But I learned so much from the gouache and acrylic versions that I decided to try again in oil, using what I had learned. I HIGHLY recommend this practice - using different mediums to paint the same thing. I learned so much!

gouache - 4x6in. - click to bid

acrylic - 6x8in. - click to bid

oil - 6x8in. - click to bid

I Spotted You

Click Here to Bid (8x6in. - starts at $100)

Here's another fun little acrylic. But this time the reference came from a friend who actually went to Africa and found this gorgeous feline and took the picture! Many thanks to my good buddy Paul Kratter for allowing me to use this photo (and more to come). Paul not only paints amazing animals, but pretty good trees too. ; ) Definitely check him out.

 

Fun Flower

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $1)

This was just a fun little flower that I did in acrylic recently. I like it but it doesn't feel as serious as my other work. Wait, is any of my work "serious"? Haha! Anyway, I'm starting the bid for this at $1. : )

End of the Line Lizard

Click Here to Bid (7x5in. - starts at $100)

My best guess - this is a chameleon lizard. I got the reference from Pixabay, but I changed the background. It is quite enjoyable to sit down in the evenings with my ipad and play around with different backgrounds for potential paintings. Below is the progression from: original reference (left), to piddling around on the ipad (middle), to the painting (right). You can see that I still change quite a bit once I get to the painting phase. (click images to enlarge)

Mellowed by Yellow

 

Click Here to Bid (5x7in. - OIL - starts at $100)

I painted from the same reference photo last year, but in gouache (this one's oil). You can see I had a completely different interpretation.

For the oil version I experimented by putting down a bright yellow ground the day before, with acrylic.

Whatchu Lookin' At?

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $100)

Here is another acrylic. Just a fun, little goldfish. But wait until you see the crowded reference photo! -> So I opened it first in Infinite Painter on my ipad, completely erased the background, and then tried out a whole bunch of alternatives on a layer under the fish layer (I had to try at least 10 before I liked one!), and then painted it.

Cheetahs

For the past few days I've been experimenting with acrylic paint. I've been wanting to do this for years. What appeals to me about it is its quick drying time. Don't get me wrong - I love oil for SO many reasons, but I have to admit that sometimes I don't want a brush stroke to mix with everything under/around it.

I thought the quick dry feature might work particularly well with these animals where I want to play around with fun color. So one of the first things I tried was to paint one that I had already painted in oil. This first cheetah is the oil version:

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - oil - starts at $100) "Askance Cheetah"

I have way more control over my colors in oil because I've been using it for so long, so I tended to be more "true" to the colors that I saw in the reference photo. Whereas in this next version (acrylic), I was really all over the place in terms of color, but it was fun!

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - acrylic - starts at $100) "Direct Cheetah"

I'm curious to see the reaction to acrylic vs. oil. My husband has an opinion, and although he is just one person, he is the only one I've heard from so far. : ) So please, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Show Me the Sheep

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $100)

This is a Shetland Sheepdog - Sheltie for short. I've never had one, but found a lovely reference photo online. : ) The photo didn't identify the dog, so I googled "fancy dog" and figured it out pretty fast.

I'm quite happy with how the background turned out on this one. I'm having such fun with this!

Bulldog Bowling Ball

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $100)

I personally think that bulldogs are pretty silly looking creatures, but I would never say it to their face. They might slobber on me.

Wolfie

 

Click Here to Bid (8x8in. - starts at $100)

I took a second picture next to a window to show the texture, especially on the background.

I realized after a few of these that I keep changing the background to blue. They are different shades of blue at least, but still, blue. So I asked myself why, and I think it's because when the animal is a warm color, especially leaning towards orange, blue is a nice complement. I didn't really think that through logically until afterwards - I just used the color that felt right.

A Serious Mister

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $100)

I took a second picture of this next to a window with my phone to show the texture, especially on the background.

Sometimes a title idea will pop into my head and I have no clue where it came from. I thought maybe this was something from a song I hear. But I looked it up and couldn't find anything. Maybe it's something my family said? No idea.

Brash Bear

 

Click Here to Bid (6x8in. - starts at $100)

I wanted to experiment with the colors of this bear, so I put the photo on my ipad and opened it in Infinite Painter. I created a layer over the photo layer and tried out a few color combos before I landed on one I liked. Then I painted something similar in oil. I'm quite happy with how this process worked out! I've even begun playing around with other photos for potential future paintings. The great thing is that I can do this in the evening when I'm sitting and resting my neck, and then paint during the day. : )

Chief Chihuahua

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $100)

I was completely done with this one - had put it up with all the others - when I realized his eyes were too high, and he didn't have that characteristic chihuahua look. So I wiped them out and redid them. That's always hard to do with oil because all the strokes fit together like a puzzle. I end up having to redo a lot more than just the eyes. But it's better for it.