Tres Amigos

 

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

I'll leave you with this trio of sunflowers while I head off to Nashville to teach a still life workshop. I'm looking forward to making some new friends very soon!

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. : )

Old Friends

 

Click Here to Purchase - $250 - 8x8in. - oil on panel

Here are two peonies from my garden this year. I cut them when they were first blooming (they were a pretty dark pink) and took a million photos. Then one day I came into my studio and found them looking like this. The colors had changed quite a bit, and they were wide open. It was a whole new look, and I loved it!

Let's Stick Together

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x8in. - oil on panel - starts at $100

These two lovebirds decided to perform a duet. There were quite a few onlookers.

Three for Ye

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil - "Three for Ye"

Including these 3 roses, I have now painted 8 of the dozen. I used a different light for this one - a softer LED rather than the flood bulb I often use. It makes the transitions more subtle, and the shadow edges softer.

Two Poses

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil - "Two Poses"

I'm imagining these two at the Oscars, posing for the cameras in their "naked dresses". How scandalous!

See Through Three

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

There is a junk/antique store in downtown Missoula that has all its glass treasures in the front window. We walk by all the time and it is by far my favorite window shopping ever! The bottle on the right is my latest purchase.

Resting Between

 

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

I'm really tickled with this one, I won't lie. When I set it up I thought - oh this could turn out really cool, or really awful. And then I thought - screw it, I'm just going to have fun trying. And I got lucky.

Apart Together

 

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

Here's another attempt at suggesting peonies. I've been painting more regularly lately, and have to say that working daily (at anything) is the only way to grow! I can think about painting every day, but unless I'm also doing it, I'm not really learning. Maybe I should write a book about it - oh yeah, I think I already did! Oh the lessons we learn, over and over and over.

Protective

 

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

I posted the reference photo for this at the beginning of the month/year. It was for this month's Daily Paintworks Challenge, all about resolutions. One of my personal resolutions is to paint more flowers on larger panels, but the past few days I've been doing a few little paintings as a warm up (and to try and get myself out of a funk I've been going through). It worked! And this is one of the little ones I did.

I have a bunch more references of these flowers that I'm going to play with. One thing I realized is that I was intimidated by going large, so these little studies are a GREAT way to get warmed up, try some ideas for editing, and just see what works and what doesn't. So expect more, and eventually, larger versions.

Fitting In

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

I just took a look at ALL my previous sunflower paintings, to date, and I thought you might be interested as well. Honestly, I thought I'd done more. Oh well, this is one of my favorites ... so far.

Mysterious Apples

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

This is my attempt at a mysterious scene, where you might not be quite sure what's going on...

Three Cuties

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Here's one more of the trio of flowers from my granddaughter. Soon they are headed back home to Texas, and I am off to Seattle for a few days. Ahhh, summer.

Sunflowers on a Cloudy Day

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $150)

Here's another of my sunflower studies. The pig just snuck in there last minute. Stinker.

Frenemies

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

Recently I went looking for some flowers to do a large painting of. I tried the grocery store first but their selection was paltry. And what they did have looked very sad. So my husband suggested we stop by the florist at the bottom of our hill. How novel - a florist!? And what did I find? Happy flowers!! Sure, they were a bit more pricey, but well worth it for me.

I decided to take pictures for the large painting. And so that I fully understand the colors that the photos won't capture, I did several small studies from life, of which this is the first.

Wooden Salute

Click Here to Buy - $90

It's been a few years, but these wooden spoons (& fork) called to me again (here's their first appearance). They were a gift from my German mother-in-law, and like her, they are very patient. They knew they would make it into another painting, and I believe they are hoping for yet another.

Peony Sisters

sold.

My friend Pat gave me these lovely peonies from her garden. Unfortunately they didn't last long, once cut, so I only got one chance to paint them. But boy were they beautiful!

Scissors Lurking

sold.

This is my third painting with these tulips. For this and the one before I used a soft florescent "daylight" bulb. I find these often work well for flowers because, unlike halogen, the light doesn't necessarily overwhelm (or shine right through) the delicate petals.

I will be demo-ing at the Plein Air Convention in San Diego next week (Wednesday at 2:20pm, for those going)! This morning I am beginning the long journey down to San Diego, stopping off to paint with a friend for a couple of days. Unfortunately this means I won't be able to ship paintings until I am back (May 1st). I apologize for the inconvenience!

Daffy Dils

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When I found these guys at the store, they were all closed up. I thought the colors were so cool - I intended to paint them that way. But I didn't make it in time because I painted the alien flowers (from yesterday) first. I wonder if there's a trick to keeping them closed like they were at the store? Not that I don't like them open too.

A Jarring Accident

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We spent most of the day painting ... the house. The living room is now a lovely yellow, and the kitchen terra cotta red. Is it a coincidence the colors are exactly the same as in the last house? Then this evening we had some friends over for dinner. This is my excuse for not having added any links yet to my blog roll. I am going to add a few tonight and more tomorrow.