Daily Painting, Still Life Sign

"Still Life Sign for Art Guild Fund Raiser"
16X40
Acrylic on Foam Board

This is the second and last sign that I am doing for the Art Guild fund raising project. Once again I am borrowing someone's artwork for this, however, this time I don't know who it is. It is a piece I found that I thought would work to illustrate the example of a still life for our sign, but I promise I am not taking credit for the copper pot with the flowers. I only am taking credit for borrowing it for the sign. Hopefully, I am not tramping on anyone's toes by doing this...and I am being up front about it. The point is to catch the eyes of potential guild members and the public who will donate money to the guild.

Because of this sign business and several other family obligations, this is the only thing finished for the past week other than a sketch or two. Hoping to get back to my own work the rest of the week. Thanks for watching!! :-)

Daily Painting, "Van Gogh's Landscape" Interpretation

"Van Gogh's Landscape"
16X40
Acrylic on Foam Board
Sign for an Art Guild Project

You may click on the picture to enlarge it for viewing.

Well, I've been side tracked from working on a still life that I began last week. There is an Art Guild fund raising project coming up and I was enlisted to create some fun signs for catching people's attention. The few of us who are doing this are each working on our own and coming up with our own ideas, though each sign has a word to celebrate some form of art, This is the first of two. I chose to recreate one of Van Gogh's landscapes, taking elements of his and stretching them across the 40 inches as best as I could.... and then I hand lettered the word across the top of the sign. The next one I will begin tomorrow and it is based on Still Life. Not sure yet how I will interpret that. It has taken a couple of days working on the floor of my studio to get this one done....and my back is definitely feeling the effects. But I have to say, it has been fun to study the madman / genius Van Gogh and appreciate his use of color and loose brushwork even more than ever. Really fun!!!

Daily Painting, "Easter Egg Radishes" In Progress

"Easter Egg Radishes"
In Progress
9X12
Oil on Raymar Linen Panel

In case someone out there is wondering with frustration about fewer blog posts from me this past couple of weeks, there is an explanation. We've had a couple of medical issues requiring surgery around here. The first was my husband's knee surgery last week and he is doing very well. The second was a cyst that has been causing me a lot of discomfort for some time now...and that was removed yesterday, to my great relief. Now that we are on the road to recovery I am feeling I can get back to the easel! Hurray!

Now about the "Easter Egg Radishes." I bought them at the farmer's market early last summer. The darling young farmer's wife who sold them to me actually called them, "Easter Egg Radishes!" I had never heard this name for radishes before, but she said they are named this because they are big and colorful and have sort of an oval shape. When I set up this still life I threw in one of the regular red radishes for balance and some brightness, and I had every intention of painting this last year, but time and duties interfered. Fortunately, I took some pictures of them and now I can relive the excitement I felt when looking at how fun and wonderful they are. I only was able to get started on them today....quite a ways to go....more tomorrow!!

Freedom and an Interesting Cat

Photo of Speedo


The other day I was doing a myriad of things while my mind was racing away on; what to paint next, weeding the garden, thinking about my son and family who are about to move to Korea for two years, worrying over my husband's recent knee surgery, and preparing for a medical procedure I am about to have tomorrow, among many other things. After coming in from the garden I used a few moments of rest to sit down and look around at other artist's websites, something I often do to stay inspired and connected. This is the mental trail I took.... if you can follow my convoluted thought process.

The painting.... Speedo the rascal adopted cat belongs to my son who is a Major in the US Air Force. Speedo was a feral cat my son rescued about four years ago from the animal shelter in Goldsboro, NC, close to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Speedo loves freedom and is very vocal about it. My son loves freedom and works every day to secure ours. My son and his family are heading to Korea soon. Speedo is about to embark on this trip to Korea and I am hoping the flight won't be too traumatic for him and that he will like Korean cat food...and can make the adjustment O.K. The trip to Korea is for a very good cause, keeping us secure to enjoy our freedom.

So then, as I was looking around, I came across a blog by another artist, whose work I keep up with, named David R. Darrow. That is the link to his art site. His blog, however, is about various other things he shares with the rest of us. The particular post I found was about Russian immigrants who also love freedom. Their story is compelling and David tells it well. It hit home with me because I think so many people in this country have forgotten what freedom is, don't care about it, and do many things to undermine it. It's an election year and much is at stake, freedom being the most dear. If you are an artist in America, freedom is your ticket. Freedom is the reason any of us can do what we do. Too many freedoms have been lost and more will be lost if you choose to vote for Marxists / socialists/ leftists. And so I hope you will click on this linkLearning from Commies and go read David's account of the Russian immigrants. Remember this story when you are thinking about your vote this year. Please remember that limited government means liberty!

A Bit of Confusion

A Photo of Speedo


This elegant fellow is posing to be a subject of a painting, I'm just sure of it. But while I have been thinking about that, I have also been running my brain around blogger help in order to figure out why I have not been able to create links in my blog. To that end...this is a test run to see if Old Mr. Blogger will now let me do it!!

There is a story to go with this, but I will save it until tomorrow since it is now late and I am brain frazzled from the blogger endeavor. Here is the link to a friend and wonderful artist out in California named David R. Darrow. Now I am going to publish this thing and see if it works! Crossed fingers and eyes....

And it did it!!!! Yippee....so...story to follow tomorrow!

It's Show Time!

"Berry Happy Mockingbird










"Morning Visitor"











"A Natural View"
Show dates: March 13 through April 18
Place: The Schiele Museum of Natural History


It's time for the spring guild show this week. I have just been informed that the two pieces I entered have made it into the show. This particular show has a theme...having to do with nature and nothing man made. The show is called "A Natural View" and fittingly it is held at the Schiele Museum of Natural History, which is a place of some fame in its category.

I guess it is pretty obvious why I entered these two paintings. Both of them are of local birds and both of them are scenes I was lucky enough to capture on a spur of a moment. The colors of the painting of the Mockingbird are much prettier in person and I regret I couldn't get a better photo representation of it than what you see here. But, you can see it in real life!! If you find yourself with a little time and want to see some very nice art, please stop by the museum and take a look!

Daily Painting, "Pampas Landscape"

"Pampas Landscape"
5X7
Oil on Board


A quick study this afternoon.....a small version of a painting that I plan to do larger.

I have to say how much fun it is to buy new tubes of paint. I have the basics, yet sometimes I come across a color that I think will "pop" out from the rest. This time it was a light green shade and from the looks of it here, I can mix it with reds and yellows and get lots of different variations! That's the fun of it...more colors to try to interpret all of the colors in a landscape. Sometimes I love colors so much that I could just eat them up....but I'm a grown up so I paint with them instead!! Ha ha...

Daily Painting, "Daffodils"

"Daffodils"
14X12
Oil On Board
Available

I posted the nearly finished version earlier today...and then I promptly went to the easel and finished it more quickly than I thought...soooooo, here it is. Welcome to one little corner of my yard. I have lots and lots of these beauties and every spring they make me very happy!!! This was really challenging due to all of the leaves, but in the end I can say I had fun doing it. I am glad to have put down in paint a record of the beauty I get to see each year!!

Daily Painting, "Daffodils" In Progress

"Daffodils" Oil on Board
In Progress
14X12

Here is the progress so far today. Rocks, rocks, and more rocks. You have no idea how hard it is to dig in this yard. But as you can see, there is a reward!!!







Pretending....what's it going to look like in the frame? Sometimes I can't wait, so I prop up a frame next to the painting and stand back while imagining the finished piece.

Daily Painting, "Daffodils" In Progress

"Daffodils" In Progress
14X12
Oil on Board


Red clay and rocks may not be good for growing a lot of things, but I have lived here for nearly 24 years and every year the daffodils are faithful and trustworthy. They have multiplied and so has my appreciation for them. There are three or four different varieties, some yellow, some white, some yellow and white, and some just white. There is one kind that I think is called Narcissus that has double white petals and has the fragrance of heaven itself. In spite of frosts and weird weather, this year they are prolific as ever. I have often in years past urged myself to attempt a painting of them. Last year I did just one daffodil reclining on a cloth. This year's attempt, as you can see, is going to be just as I see them among the rocks and the red clay...making me smile, year after year. :-)
More on this as I go along....excuse the shadow....I am bone crunching tired and didn't have time to set up the photo any more than what you see.