Tiger Nautilus

sketchbook

And something I havent painted for a while :) Fun, as always- the stripeys are awesome, but then the pearl one has the most wonderful colors and sheen.... not sure which is my favorite.

#517

Red Plums

sketchbook

Something Ive never painted before.... always scared off by the pale areas, never sure quite how to make them look real, and make sure they dont fool with the highlights, you know? Not as bad as I had feared :)

#516

Dancing with the Sun

9x12 acrylic on panel

Ok, another one of those not-a-daily pieces, and soooo much fun. All that space around the rose really kind of sets it off, doesnt it? Duh, the whole *sky* thing... reckon generous amounts of blue background is likely to set off any natural object like this :) Taking cues from nature and that sort of thing.

#515

Blood Oranges and Polka Dots

5x7 acrylic on panel

collection of Hilda Guillen

Wow, a little bit different today, huh? LOTS of fun with those crazy oranges and reds, and the reflected light from the white shelf, and the way the thin parts of the slices let so mugh light through.... and I officially love polka dots! At least on paintings... I still abhor them on, say, me. *shudder* Adorable on other people, but me and prints just dont get along in that capacity. Where was I? Yeah, I dont know either :) *hugs*

#514

Tulip and Window

5x7 acrylic on panel

collection of Linda H Grote

Happy, happy, happy! A little more complex a setup than I usually do... but I took my time and really tried to feel the sunlight :)

#513

White and Gold V

6x6 acrylic on panel

collection of Jodi Daume

More of the revisiting old subjects.... this time oh so cleverly combined with my ongoing-tea-and-coff-cups-obsession. Or maybe not so cleverly. Hm... a distraction is in order. Look! Pretty sparkly thingie!

#512

Coffee and Stripes

5x5 acrylic on panel

collection of Janine ODonnell

Fun background, huh? Yay! Got some pretty papers at AC Moore the other day- super cheap, and it really adds interest, I think. Hope. Whatever, Oh, and hahaha, I got the idea from last night worked out a bit, didnt I? Proud of myself- I deserve a cookie! Or a bowl of ice cream....
#511

Coffee Study

sketchbook

Just being lazy, playing with colors and the idea of positioning a spoon in the composition... never been able to get it quite right with an actually setup, you know? So I guess this is more of an imaginary thing... though if I got it set up right thered be an amazing cast highlight on the side of the coffee cup, wouldnt there? Ooh, should really try to set this composition up for real... again. Hmmm...

#510

Dandelion Study

sketchbook

Boy, it was the right idea to try this in the sketchbook before trying it for real- those little dandelion poufs are crazy hard to paint!

#509

Sky Study II

sketchbook

Just a replay of yesterday... hey, I told you I liked the idea! Happy summer and incipient Memorial Day Weekend, everybody!

#508

Sky Study I

sketchbook

Deciding Im rather too caught up in tv.... not only do I think it is horrible that the Sarah Connor Chronicles are being cancelled :( but I actually can say that the Bones season finale was the worst thing ever ever EVER. Pooh. In other news- sunshine and blue skies and pretty clouds, and trying to get better at handling paint when theres no way to put in too much detail or spend too much time. I likey :)

#507

Summer Daisy

5x5 acrylic on panel

Just wanting to do something simple and pretty and summery, you know? Unusual colors, for me, but I like how it turned out :)

#506

Rice Bowl II

5x5 acrylic on panel

collection of Michael Snow

Tried this subject, in a similar composition, ages and ages ago.... wanted to try again, to see what would be different. Ive definitely gotten better at the shinies, and the glow behind the rice bowl itself was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. Nothing else of note- happy Tuesday!

Tea for Two

5x5 acrylic on panel

collection of Michael Snow

Kind of a weird angle, on this one, but I like the way it came out- makes the most of the shadows this way. Just my ongoing tea obsession, I suppose.... now Im off to drink my cup for the evening!

#504

Prom night Sketch II

from the sketchbook

And more of the same :D

#503

Prom Night Sketch I

from the sketchbook

Baby sister went to prom.... she looked absolutely beautiful, and staggeringly grown up. I snuck some pictures while she was getting ready :)

#502

Twilight

12x12 acrylic on panel

No, silly, not the book. Or the movie. No sparkly vampires in this painting :D Another one of my teacups, on a linen cloth at the edge of the table.... playing more with that color combination from the Morning Coffee piece a few days ago... started that same day, actually. See the gold tone in the shadow under the saucer? Thats something new for me... yay, new tricks and observations! Obviously not a true daily here, but worth sharing nonetheless :)
#501

Yellow Roses

5x5 acrylic on panel

Nice idea for a semi-anniversary post, no? Cant believe this is my 500th post.... using yesterdays sunshine for it, too. Looks like rain for the next week or so. smileys anyway!
#500

Midnight Espresso

5x5 acrylic on panel
collection of Michael Snow

Fun, hm? Less color than the other one, but its the same scheme, just more subdued. And the sparklies- never discount the sparklies :D What is it with Paynes Grey that I find so terribly fascinating, I wonder?

#499

Tulips Sketch

#498

Morning Coffee

5x5 acrylic on panel

collection of Janine ODonnell

Can you believe those colors? I LOVE this one! In case youre wondering, its paynes grey, quinacridone burnt orange, and indian yellow. And white, of course, and vandyke brown when I needed a warm dark :) I mean, the centering is a little obsessive, but nothing wrong with that, and the pretty dawn-y colors are there, and the steam coming off the coffee, and everything. Its also one of my teacups that I havent painted for a while now. Happy.

#497

Honeysuckle Sketch

9x12 pastel and charcoal on paper

Something I had been wanting to do.... I love honeysuckle so much, but just cannot imagine a good composition featuring it. Oh, well- maybe inspiration will strike another day. Any favorite honeysuckle-centric artworks out there?

#496

Sunset Waves

9x12 acrylic on canvas

Pretty, huh? Guess who is longing for summertime and the ocean? Yep, guilty as charged :D One of those that really looks better in person.... I think its the whole using umpteen million colors thing. Bunches of blues, some reds and golds, browns, purples.... and yet it all comes together. Love it when that happens!

#495

Hydrangea WIP

16x20 acrylic on canvas

I know, I know, this is a HUGE piece for me. Like blowing a hydrangea blossom up to the size of a beach ball! Super fun, but more than a little time consuming....

#494

Shadows

5x5 acrylic on panel

collection of Janine ODonnell

Flowers in shot glasses, and portraits of cups of tea- well, everyone has a thing, hm? Putting a LOT more detail into the teacup with this one, especially with that border running around the lip.... kind of gives it an exotic look, doesnt it? Pretty cool :)


#493

Sunlit Loveseat

9x12 mixed media on paper

Just a doodle, I guess.... good to get into the sketchbook, some days! The summer flowers are starting to come in, gardenias and magnolias and the honeysuckle is in full swing, trying to figure out what I can o with them. The azaleas and rhodadendrons are still going too, but maybe next year.... Also got some other paintings started, but not far along enough want to share them just yet ;)

#492

Flower Suspension

5x7 acrylic on panel

Houston, we have a first on this one- the thread suspending the shot glass? Yeah, that effect comes from scraping the paint off the gessoboard with a razor! Makes for a very clean line, doesnt it? And somehow it is a white that doesnt compete with the other whites in the painting, which is nice :)

In other news, Mark and I went in for our ultrasound today, and apparently we are having a beautiful baby girl who is already tall for her age (19 weeks. wild, huh?). Many happy happies! And now I am off to read a story to my tummy and then go to bed- sleep sounds like a wonderful thing right now, does it not?

#491

Tulip I

5x7 acrylic on panel
collection of Carol Eidson

Oh, Im a sucker for a pretty face allright :D Went to Whole Foods today because Id missed the farmers market on Saturday for the Whimsical Women Arts Festivel (which went beautifully, by the way- cant wait till our November one in Pfafftown!), and just couldnt resist these lovely tulips! Have a few other ideas for them as well....

Of course, Ive also got a few ideas for the new tea Im drinking tonight- decided to give a wild rasberry herbal tea I found at the grocery store a shot, and not only does it taste wonderful, it is the most marvelous red color. Now, if I painted that, would it just look odd and unidentifiably foreign, or would it be really cool and pretty and buyable? Thoughts?

#490

Magnolia Sketch

Just a doodle, I guess, an idea- they havent come into bloom yet this year, but when they do I want to do something like this. Except huge, like 3 feet wide. Blam, the gigantic magnolia blossom, really try to play up that perfect, touchable surface, spending the entire time regretting that you cant really paint smells, that perfect, soft, unique citrusy aroma.....

Butterfly Print

I know, I know- Ive been truly terribly this week :/ Getting ready for the Whimsicals Show, honestly, and then going and falling asleep before realizing Id tragically failed to post for you.... but now Im back, promise!

This butterfly print thing.... I painted the butterfly in ink on tissue paper while it laid on a blank canvas :D It makes an interesting impression, doesnt it? No idea what to do with it, but still....

Cyclamen Detail

Zinnias Detail

Golden Butterfly

Unfurling

8x8 acrylic on panel

And the moral of the day is.... Im not a psychic. I know, I know, total shocker...

Woke up this morning and it was a beautiful day, the birds were singing just for me and flew into my bedroom to drape Snow Whites cape of freaking flowers over my pajamas. Bright eyed, bushy tailed, being so productive.... and then this stupid afternoon struck, and by the time I got home, really just wanting to bury my head in my bin of acrylic paint tubes and deny the worlds existence, well, by then Id decided that I couldnt paint and everything Id ever painted was ugly and I just wanted to go to bed. Grrrr.

Obviously I didnt follow the going to bed plan, and things are looking a bit brighter at the moment. Pretty unfurling pink roses brighter. Other than that.... phooey on Tuesdays.

#484

White Rose

5x7 acrylic on panel

collection of Janine ODonnell

Had to keep reminding myself not to blend this one within an inch of its life... and it worked! Got some really great colors in here, surprised me.... Not sure how the rest of the week will go, folks, what with getting ready for the Whimsical Women Show- Ive always been a bit of a procrastinator, and thisll occupy a good portion of my time this week, Im sure :D But if youre anywhere in the area this week be sure to come by Saturday! More details tomorrow.... see, now you have to come back, hehehe....

#483

Gardenias II

12x12 acrylic on panel

Perhaps a little early.... from a photo from last year, actually. It just felt like summer this weekend, and the whole gardenias thing felt sooooo perfect. Cant wait till they really start blooming! It might be soon.... I saw one early daylily showing its face weeks ago, and there are loads of roses blooming already!

#482

Poised

8x8 acrylic on canvas

Im liking this bright flowers against a dark background thing, it feels like such strong imagery somehow.... tough getting the flowers to feel balanced, though, isnt it? But at the same time, something that is so much the focal point has to be a fairly complex image, doesnt it? Hm.... its past my bedtime, and Im honestly not sure if Im making any sense at the moment, so Im going to duck out for the time being. Sleepy-sleep.

#481

Goldenfall

8x8 acrylic on canvas

Pretties and summertime :)

#480

Flight

36x36 acrylic on canvas

Perhaps the last of the birdies for a little while.... really feeling roses lately, lets blame it on the weather :D Roses and sunlight!

#479

Pelicans

8x16 acrylic on canvas

Pretties and birdies and such. My Mama told me once she watched the pelicans reall closely the time we went to the beach right before she gave birth to my twin brothers- that that was the image she focused on during labor, the pelicans riding the waves, smooth ups and downs. I really like that thought.....

#478

White Feathers

9x12 mixed media on canvas

Beautiful colors, just enjoying them and some nice, restful, flowing forms. And of course the pretty birdie.

#477

Tequila Shot

6x6 acrylic on panel

Argh, I miss alcohol. Though not so much tequila shots.... more my beloved gin and tonic. Its just that tequila shots make for such nice, compact, prettily colored subjects. Ah, well, October isnt very far away, is it? And theres lots of stuff to occupy me along the way. Like frozen lemonade.

PS- Fun with this one! See how the background colors get all tricky and inverted? And how the light leaves that beautiful bluish halo? Awesome what turns up when you stare at it long enough!

#476

Cookout Sketches

Well, I wound up out of town for the weekend.... and if there is one thing that will totally and excusably prevent me from painting, thats it. Pig pickins are a true sign heralding the begining of summer, right? Though that is probably the only time anyone will accuse a pig pickin of heralding anything :D And this one had a Mardi Gras theme, of all things.... yes, I checked the calender, its still April. These things call for a bit of flexibility, I suppose. It was fun, yes :) So, some pages from my sketchbook from the out of town-ness.... and hopefully, business as usual tomorrow.

Signs of Summer

6x6 acrylic on panel

Tried to be looser on this one, more impressionistic or something- it seemed like it was the color that was important, those wonderful, rounded red strawberries.... that so much more than the details. Tonight, anyways :D

#472

Daffodil VII

6x6 mixed media on panel - nfs

Messing with the transparency of the petals against a very nicely layered green background.... and while they do seem to have come out wonderfully translucent, something is missing.... maybe definition in the trumpet? That part is always the most challenging for me. Love to all of you.

#471

Degas Study X

5x7 mixed media on board - nfs

Hm.... computer is being more than a little difficult tonight. No fun at all. So far as an excuse for doing yet another quickie Degas study.... well, I do love them, but the official excuse is, apparently, Baby Brain. Cant get a durn thing done satisfactorily (I also, apparently, dont have too firm a grasp on English anymore). Gr.

#470

White Iris

6x6 acrylic on panel - nfs

Just loosened up and had some fun with this one. I should do more of these simple florals, they just feel good, you know?

#469