Daily Painting, "Hare Brained" In Progress

"Hare Brained"
Prelim Drawing
12X8
Click on Picture for larger view

Doing one just for fun!!
Most of my preliminary work disappears because I usually sketch on the exact surface under my paintings. That being said, it's been great to at least have some camera shots of my preliminary work. Some ideas for paintings just sit in my head for a long time until the moment arrives when the stars align and I can finally do the thing I've been thinking of painting. This one is a good example of that. Several years ago a dear friend gave me this adorable stuffed rabbit because of my company, Wild Hare. (Rabbits became a collection of sorts because of that name.) I immediately thought when she gave it to me that it would make an adorable subject for painting. Then, some time ago, I bought this vintage frame thinking it would be great for something..not sure what. This week, trying to put my mind somewhere fun instead of in the daily grind, I decided to get going on the rabbit. He, the rabbit, sits on a shelf in my studio over the stereo with some books, just as you see him here. He wears a handsome wool felt vest. My husband cut a board to fit the frame yesterday, I gessoed the board and sketched out my painting. Here it begins....

Daily Painting, "Mrs. Pearson's House"

"Mrs. Pearson's House"
12X16
Acrylic on Board
Commission
Click on picture to view a larger version

At last....I finished painting this one this morning. Who wouldn't like to live here? Now I sound like a real estate agent. Mr. and Mrs. Pearson raised their children in this beautiful house. I think it was built in the 1950's, the days when construction was solid and men knew how to build hardwood oak floors and millwork that had real substance. It has two fireplaces, that lovely bay window, and gorgeous landscaping. I'm sure lots of happy memories are saved from the days they spent here in this house.
I hope she'll enjoy having this painting and her children will enjoy having it years from now.

I'm on to the next painting and thinking again of the up-coming show at the Schiele Museum. Thanks for reading and watching!!! :-)

Daily Painting, "Mrs. Pearson's House" In Progress

"Mrs. Pearson's House" In Progress
12X16
Acrylic on Board
Commission
Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Just starting to work in the sky and the trees above and behind the house. The tedious details of the house itself are finished finally. You'd think you could just slap on those window panes, indicate the curtains with a simple brush stroke and, voila, finito! Not. Each mullion must be noted, the downspouts drawn, shadows and light on each tiny inch in various ways painted deftly. Probably another entire day left to go on this. Acrylics are a double edged sword. The good thing about them is that they dry fast. The bad thing about them is that they dry fast. It's a real trick getting them to move the way you want them to... I could not have accomplished the tiniest details here with oils. I suppose someone else might be able to, but not me.
Stay tuned..

Daily Painting, "Mrs. Pearson's House" In Progress

Detail.....this piece is less than 2 and a 1/4 inch square, just so you know. And even this part is not finished.

"Mrs. Pearson's House"
12X16
Acrylic on Board
Commission








Inch by inch, measuring the Marigolds...as the song goes. Still at it and trying to not even count the hours. Is anybody else out there as crazy as I am? Don't answer that. If you are, you shouldn't admit it. You, too, might be asked to recreate Buckingham Palace on the head of a pin.
More later.....

Daily Painting, "Mrs. Pearson's House" In Progress

"Mrs. Pearson's House" In Progress
12X16
Acrylic on Board
Commission


At this point I am just thinking there is a long way to go. It's those pesky details that kill ya. Anyway, this is the progress since Friday. I'll get there....you'll see.

Daily Painting, "Mrs. Pearson's House" Work In Progress

"Mrs. Pearson's House"
Acrylic on Board
12X16
Commission

O.K. this is after several hours and layers of paint to describe the beginning of the trees on the left. Besides all of the other challenges here, Mrs. Pearson has asked me to recreate the big tree in the front yard on the left. Total fiction. No pictures to help. Just asking God to guide me.... or maybe Joyce Kilmer whose quote, "Only God can make a tree," always stays with me when I am trying to paint trees. Definitely not there yet, but still evolving.

Now about the house and landscape. I have to say that this house is, like the lady who owns it, meticulously cared for. My favorite part of the picture, the day I took the photos, was the line of crepe myrtles along the driveway. The light was spectacular coming through the webs of limbs and through the leaves. Only the top of them still had the reddish color left from the summer blooms. It was as if the crepe myrtles were beckoning one to come into the driveway in such a welcoming way.

More on this commission as I go along..

Daily Painting, The Devil is in the Details

"Mrs. Pearson's House"
12X16
Charcoal Pencil Prelim on Board

I know you can barely see this. Partly it's because of the photo, but honestly it is very light on the board, too. This is the beginning of a new home portrait.

It's my aim to please when I take on a commission. I really try hard to give the customer what they want. So I find myself in a bind. This one is a home portrait...for a very dear lady who finds herself down-sizing and knows she will miss the home in which she raised her family. I painted her beach house last year which turned out quite good. It's a painting I am very proud of that was 16X20 and full of teeny tiny details even at that size. This time, because she is "down-sizing" she requested I do this one even smaller. YIKES! I have been agonizing over this for a couple of months and couldn't even convince myself to give it a go until this week. I am trying to tell myself it won't be THAT hard to paint window panes and railings with a one hair brush and a magnifying glass. I am hoping my eyes will survive this.

Another thing I've noticed as I take on commissions, people think that squishing great big things with lots of details into little tiny panels makes them cheaper to do and to buy. The thinking is that is can't be more money to buy if it is 5X7 than if it is 16X20. Well, I guess that might work if the painting has not much in it. Not fair when you have to spend even more time and precision than what goes into a Rolex watch. I am here to say....NO to that in the future. Think about it. Remember this when you are asking an artist to paint Buckingham Palace on the head of a pin. It may take less paint, but it takes a heck of a lot more work, skill, and time.

Daily Painting Card Design, "Gift of Hope"

"Gift of Hope"
9X12
Oil on Board
Commission

Well, I know you thought Christmas was past, but this is Christmas future. As some of you know I was in the Stationery / Card industry for a time in my career. The Card industry does Christmas in the spring. The cards are designed and produced and ready for orders by the National Stationery Show in May. So as soon as you are past Christmas and glad to be done with it....there it is again.

Anyway, this one is a special commission. It hasn't been approved yet, so we'll see if it flies. In Charlotte there was a young girl named Hope Stout who had bone cancer. When asked what gift she wanted from the Make a Wish Foundation for herself, she answered that she wanted all of the other children to receive their wishes. And then she asked that enough people send money to achieve a million dollar goal. Well, Hope died shortly thereafter and broke everyone's heart.....including mine. Her goal was exceeded. Her parents set up another foundation in Hope's name. Next Christmas season we are hoping to sell a Christmas card to help make money for Hope's foundation and continue to give to the other children who have cancer. Keith Larson at WBT radio is tossing around the idea and asked me if I might come up with a card design to further the cause. So that's what I've been working on today. I'll report as the year goes along how this turns out and where to buy the cards.

Daily Painting Landscape "Hint of Fall"

"Hint of Fall"
16X12
Oil on Board
Available

To me, this is so North Carolina. At least where I live...the piedmont part of North Carolina. Lots of beautiful trees. My daughter and I went on a photo hunting junket one day last October and this is one of the scenes I shot. Fall was very late this year and the day was really beautiful as we walked around this lake. Only one tree had begun to undress and change to the blush of fall.....

A lot of fine tuning went on today besides finishing the lake and reeds. The reeds and various plants at the edge of the lake are actually my favorite part of this painting. I toned down the heat....took some yellow out of the grass and focused more on reflections and contrast. Hope you like it. :-)

Framed
Click on either picture to view a larger version.

Daily Painting Landscape "Hint of Fall" In Progress

"Hint of Fall" In Progress
16X12
Oil on Board

Today the trees, tomorrow the lake. The grass area is looking a little too hot, so it needs some toning down. The scene from which I am working is somewhat tranquil, however the day I took the photo the lake was full of life....soft light green algae around the edges and the cutest little frogs jumping in and out of the very edge of the lake and making cute little noises as I approached. I probably scared the daylights out of them, but it was fun to hear them and get a glimpse as they hopped into the water.

Daily Painting Landscape "Hint of Fall" In Progress

"Hint of Fall" In Progress
16X12
Oil on Board

Yes, I did live through the Art Guild meeting and presentation here at my studio on Tuesday. I hope everyone had a good time and enjoyed my "Show and Tell" style of presenting my work.

Now for the next thing. The Schiele Museum of Natural History is the venue for our next show. Our spring show takes place there with a theme of 'all things Nature.' It's always fun to see how the different artists bring their views of something from the natural world. Above is the beginning of a landscape I am painting with this show in mind. If it sells beforehand, I will work toward another idea so either way it's fun to put my mind in the outdoors. There is a lake in the foreground. As you can see, I am working from the top down...which is something I often do. This gives me plenty of room on the un-worked areas to rest my hand while I paint. There are times when I work the entire piece simultaneously...and when I get farther along that is what I will do to adjust the contrast and balance.
More tomorrow...

Daily Painting Still Life, "Pomegranate In White"

Framed Version
True colors are more like the bigger picture below.






"Pomegranate In White"
9X12
Oil on Board
Available
Click on picture to enlarge the view!

Off to a decent start to '08! One down and, I hope, lots of paintings to come!! This one was fun to do. The ribbon really was the attraction the day I took the photo. I loved the way the light just hit it here and there and made it shine and reflect on the mahogany surface. As I was painting the foreground I realized you can see the window panes making checkers on the surface. I hadn't really noticed it until I was working on it. The dish is one of my mother's ironstone that I inherited last year. I feel I will be working my way through quite a few of her pieces since they are lovely and I mean something to me.

Next Tuesday I have the privilege of having the local Art Guild meeting here at my studio for the first time. I told them I would be happy to do this if they would hire the maid service. Unfortunately that was not forthcoming, so you can imagine how much straightening up and cleaning I will be doing in prep for this. I am expected to give a presentation of sorts..so I will be working on that the next few days. Whoa....this ought to be interesting coming from a woman who speaks with paint brushes and never gives speeches. Hmmmmm...we'll see how this goes.

Happy New Year ! "Pomegranate in White"

"Pomegranate in White"
Prelim Photo for painting
9X12

Ever so gradually I am making my way back from the cursed virus and all of the holiday obligations. Really it has been a slog and I am now excited to face the new year with lots of ideas for paintings. Actually, for those who don't know me, I tend to totally overwhelm myself with too much to do and too many ideas...so the hard part is narrowing things down and locking myself into the studio. Every piece of art I create has a thought process that takes time to work on before I pick up the brush. Some lurk around for months, or even years. Some just jump up and grab me...like this one:
There was a piece of ribbon left from the presents, casually tossed over this ironstone dish holding a beautiful pomegranate which caught my eye as the light came through the dining room window, landing gracefully on the high spots of the ribbon and fruit. I took a picture. Sometimes I work from life and sometimes I work from my photographs. This one will be from the photograph, but I moved the dish, ribbon and pomegranate to my art table for reference as I paint. The trick is going to be keeping the red from bleeding into the white....because reds are so volatile.

Today requires me to help my family celebrate New Year's with a pork and saurkraut feast, a family tradition, so beginning the painting will have to wait until tomorrow. Happy New Year to all! Stay tuned.....

Christmas Card 2007

"Berry Happy Bird"
aka "Mockingbird"
Christmas Card design

In spite of still ailing with this horrible plague my son and his family brought to me, I have been consumed with Christmas duties such as getting our Christmas cards out to friends and family. When I was in the publishing industry I used to send out cards from my company, Wild Hare. Even though it has been several years now since closing Wild Hare, part of me always thinks about what my art would look like on published products. The fun of it was sharing my art with so many people. This year, since I had just finished this painting which seemed so full of abundant joy for this happy bird, this image seemed to represent what I wish for us all. So here is my Christmas card to you this year!!

Meanwhile, I have been to the doctor, am taking several meds and hoping that soon I can get back on my feet. Who knew that this thing would turn into pleuresy (spelling?) and knock me down for so long? Hopefully I am down, but not out. I apologize for being away from painting and posting for these last couple of weeks, but I am having to take my time to recover. My husband thinks I needed this to slow down for a while anyway...may be true, but I'm not a patient patient. :-) I hope to be back with some more regular postings by the first of the year....which is coming up fast, isn't it?

Uninvited House Guests

First there was a week of prepping for guests, my son and family who I don't get to see very often. (once or twice a year) Son, wife, and two children arrived all with the flu. Thus came the uninvited guests: thousands of germs, runny noses, coughing, throwing up, etc. So the next week was spent nursing them back to health. The son and family are now off on a Caribbean cruise for a holiday and now I am left with the flu. I started taking Airborne twice a day before they came and continued until they left. I think it helped alleviate some of the symptoms, but nevertheless, I have come down with muscle aches and chills and a bit of a cough and what feels like a knife stabbing me in the ribs.

Bottom line: sorry for delaying posts and missing out on painting, but it couldn't be helped. I'll be back soon.....
By the way, our Berry Happy Bird turns out to be a Mockingbird. Thank you Clarissa and Diana for letting me know. :-)