Look Up Lion

 

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I'm doing something a little different in my process of posting - I'm letting my paintings dry enough to varnish and then taking photos. This helps me get a more accurate photo, especially for darks, which dry to a lighter value, until varnished. This will also eliminate any wait time for shipping, as they are completely ready to go at this point.

Hide the Apple

 

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The cups are colluding against the spoon, who's looking for the apple. Is it a game, or something more serious? We may never know.

Visions in White

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One thing that is different about my new studio is I have true north window light! Actually, I had it (more or less) in my last 2 studios, but there were so many trees, and SO many glum days in Eugene, that I always relied on an overhead to supplement. Here I have a lot of natural light (from that big Montana sky!), and I'm right up against 3 windows, so I almost never need extra. Which has been nice! I feel like I can really see what I'm doing.

BUT, because of the way I'm situated to make the most of the natural light on my easel and palette, a fair amount of that cooler (sky) light makes its way into my shadowbox as well. You can see that very clearly here with the front bits of blue on the garlic (as opposed to the warm light that hits them from above). I loved what it added here, but I don't always love it, so I'm trying to find a way to modify my setup. I'll figure it out - it's a process.` But if you look back at my recent still lifes you'll probably see this a bit here and there. I think it's why I've been pushing my setups to the back of my shadowbox more often than not - I say that because I'm SURE you've noticed and wondered! ; )

Sadly

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Here is one last sunflower before my batch gets tossed. Sunflowers have several great qualities - they don't move or change very much AT ALL, even when you shine a bright light on them (unlike tulips other flowers I won't name). And they last a really long time. Thank you sunflowers.

The Stripes on Vacation

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This is what Mr. and Mrs. Stripe did on their vacation. They consulted maps and wore fanny packs. They were very organized and got to where they were going, on time. And always had chapstick when they needed it.

Civilized

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I had to try this one twice before I was happy. So much for my confidence of yesterday! Sheesh. What do they say? Pride go-eth before ... something. I can't remember.

For some reason this inspired me to go through some old files, and I found this one ("Gather Around" 6x6in. - sold), in which I used a very similar little white vase. I lost the original vase in the fire, but I'm sure I was happy when I found the new one! I need to use it more often. And figs.

You Lean That Way

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Painting is finally starting to feel like second nature again. I just looked back and counted - I took just about 4 months off from painting entirely, while we finished fixing up our old house, moved, and set up the bare bones of my new studio. And it took just about 2 whole months of painting almost every day to get back to where I felt I was before the break. Yikes! Don't they say something similar to that about relationships? If you break up with someone after a year, it will take 6 months to get over them? Something like that. Anyway, I didn't think it would take this long, but gosh it feels great to have my mojo back! (just my luck I'll have forgotten how to paint again tomorrow!)

Posers

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And now a small break from sunflowers. Even though the online classes I've taken so far have been about the landscape, I find that most of the lessons can be applied to still life as well. I did this one right after I heard John Burton talk about rhythm. I'm definitely learning, but I'm also getting inspired!

Sunshine Flower

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Even though this current series is about the sunflowers, I am most proud of the green vase and the plate and spoon. Go figure.

Listening

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“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” – Roger Caras

The Goose

nfs.

A few months ago, our beloved little dog, Lucy (aka, The Goose, aka, La-goose-nerb, aka, Sahib-sha-boo-boo, and many more) died unexpectedly. She was only 7 years old. We believe she had a brain stem tumor. It was absolutely heartbreaking. Last week I painted this from an old photo of her, and I found it very cathartic.

I just posted the Loved One Challenge on Daily Paintworks, for anyone else who would like to paint theirs, still with us or not. From life or from a photo.

Orange You Dotty

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Here's another with a printed fabric. I don't think I'll attempt this one crumpled! Stripes were hard enough.

You Cut Me Up

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Here's the same striped fabric as in my last painting, still a challenge, but not nearly as much as when it's rumpled. This time the hard parts were the slices, and the glow they emitted.

I haven't actually been able to paint for about a week (I've been sitting on this one and a few others I did before the holidays). I've had issues with my upper-back/neck since my 20's, but due to the recent work getting our house ready to sell, often tasks involving holding my hands above my head for periods of time, my dull aches have turned into acute pain. Which bites, considering we have a deadline! And because it now hurts when I paint. But my husband is a champ and has stepped up to take over my chores. I wonder if maybe I should start teaching him how to paint pictures... At any rate, I am working on a plan to get better, and will post what I've got left until then.

That Darn Sun

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Here's another sitting around one from Florence. Anytime I can paint sunlight and shadow in the same scene, I'm happy.

Rocks in Fall

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This one's been kicking around my studio for a while. I think I've made like 3 passes on it, and have finally gotten it to a place I'm happy with. It's one of my favorite kind of spots- quiet, with water and rocks ... and dappled light - especially if I'm there by myself. Which I was, when I took the reference photos. I'm pretty sure this came from Sweet Creek, here in Oregon.

Disciples

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Sometimes I feel like I'm just STARTING to figure this whole painting thing out. And where am I? Well, after about 75 more paintings I'll hit 3,000. That just counts these little daily paintings (not anything I did before 2006, most of my larger paintings, or workshop demos). But I suppose if I ever DO really figure it out, I'll lose interest. So here's to never figuring it out. And just trying forever.

The Fancy Family

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I'll be back home tomorrow. Meanwhile here is a still life I painted before I left. I've been going through my stuff lately with an eye towards culling, which has prompted me to paint things I have long neglected.

Moving Water

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This was a quicker moving creek, from the smaller pond to the waterfalls. It's difficult to paint what the moving water looks like, because it is constantly changing. But I figured it's the same with waves, and people manage to paint that. So I gave it my best.

Mountain Crack

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I've tried a composition sort of like this before, but I guess I like it because here it is again. One huge difference between this trip and the three I've been on (to the Sierras) before, was there was no smoke! California has had a wet year, and because of this, the number of wildfires has been thankfully low. I'm happy about this for lots of reasons.

Bug in Shade

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A few years ago I did the "painting" to the right as a demo at the Plein Air Convention in San Diego. I had an hour and a half to paint in front of about 200 people AND talk about how I do what I do. Which, wasn't enough time to actually finish. But I kept the start as a memento - of the time I almost died from being nervous.

I painted the version above recently, in Germany, without the first version around to see - only the photo reference. What's interesting to me is that I made a lot of the same decisions in editing the second time around.