Glasses Sketch

#731

Nautilus IV: Recognition

12x12 acrylic on hardboard panel

Thrilled to pieces with this one, but I don't have any great insights or anything to go with it, I'm afraid. Well, maybe that with pearlescent stuff like this shell you really want to go overboard with the colors in really thin layers... and then tone it back again with greys and whites. And then go overboard again. And then tone it back. And then- but you get the idea. Or at least that's how I have to work on stuff like this, for the texture and for that touchable look, you know? How do you do it?

And it's the end of the year.... I'm 27 today, and the Small Serious Creature, the Tiny Perfect One, is 11 weeks and two days. It's almost 2010. And on Friday this blog will be two years old. I'm feeling a smidge overwhelmed, thinking about all of this, but I'm sure I'll be fine once I'm through posting and back to painting :)

#730

The Front Door

6x8 acrylic on canvasboard

... and now something cooler, old fashioned, peaceful.... but mostly painted for the challenge of trying to represent the metal. Lots of fun :)

#729

Golden Rose

6x8 acrylic on canvasboard

Little bit of sunshine, here in the middle of winter.

#728

Red Plum

sketchbook

Hello! Sooooo soory about the interruption... it's funny. most bloggers seem to be posting more regularly for Christmas.... I have no idea how they manage it! Maybe as a sort of pre-New Year's resolution? Hm.... anywho, I'm all caught up now and ready to be back in the groove! Hugs and happies all around :)

#727

Hershey's Kiss

#726

Little Apple

#725

Three Acorns

#724

Lotus

#723

Orange Segments II

5x7 acrylic on panel

This is a reworking, actually... much improved, much brighter. And oranges are kind of a Christmas-y thing too, aren't they? Bah humbug :)

#722

Naomi Sketch V

#721

Portrait Sketch

#720

Camellias: Red and White

collection of Wesley Fisher

A commision that I thoroughly enjoyed :) Apparently Mr. Fisher grows these prize-winning camellias down in Charleston SC, and his lovely daughter Michelle commissioned a painting of a couple of them. Don't they just jump right off the canvas at you? *happies*

#719

Naomi

Love how her little ear and her visible eye turned out... but I'm not happy with it overall. Oh, well- win some, lose some, right?
#718

Eggplant V

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

Silver Mug Sketch

#716

Pear and Windowsill

6x8 acrylic on canvasboard

'nother pear. Love these guys :)

#715

Fuzzy

sketchbook

.... one of the many cuddlies belonging to The Small Pink One.

#714

Prickly

sketchbook

What the devil are these things called, anyways? Not fun to step on barefooted, surprisingly fun to draw.

#713

Paint Tube

sketchbook

Ok, the brain just isn't working today at all, but I had to do something, right? And what does an artist always seem to have on hand? You guessed it :)

#712

Rose and Wine Sketch

sketchbook

... just an idea for a proper painting, I suppose.

#711

Cherry Shot II

5x7 acrylic on panel

Can't chat much, Her Royal Cuteness is going to need my hand back here in a second. Hugs all around!

#710

Toffee

sketchbook

Just having fun :) Shiny, bright orange, wrapped around something sweet.... how can you resist?

#709

Radishes II

sketchbook

#708

Diner Coffee

6x6 acrylic on panel

... and this is a re-working of "Coffee?", and it is ever so much better now. I love it when other artists have those wonderful all-high-key or all-low-key paintings that really just glow.... but I need contrast when I work. Like I absolutely love other artists who just have that marvelous virtuoso brushwork, it seems so spontaneous and fresh... and then it never feels right if I try it. I just need layers and cross-hatchies and more layers. But it's a good thing, you know? I love my style. And I can buy work from other artists who are wonderful at what they do, and then I can have it to admire, too. Best of all worlds.

#707

Lilies II

8x10 acrylic on canvas

Back to those gorgeous lilies from Duke Gardens, trying out a composition I guess based more on an arc, as opposed to last time where I really played up the squareness of the composition... is it weird that I don't like one concept decisively more than the other? Well, it's just about sunlight on flowers anyways, and I believe I got that. Do you see the shadows from the pistils and stamen cast across the petal on that topmost flower? Surprising little details like that are so much fun :)

#706

Egg XII

6"x6" acrylic on board

on display at the NC Specialty Hospital

#705

Egg XI

6"x6" acrylic on board

on display at the NC Specialty Hospital

#704

Egg X

6"x6" acrylic on board
On display at the NC Specialty Hospital

#703

Leaves

sketchbook

#702

Iron

sketchbook

note to self: yellow backgrounds are fun!

#701

Peony and Brown

6x6 acrylic on board

Wow. For post number 700, last one of November, I've got a proper daily painting that I am really proud of! the slightly off-kilter composition, the wonderful feeling of light, the mostly subdued colors that really make the flower pop.... not to mention the fact that I painted it with a sleeping infant on my lap :)

#700

Chicken Sketch IV

sketchbook

... and the last of the chickens. For a little while.

#699

Chicken Sketch III

sketchbook

#698

Chicken Sketch II

sketchbook

#697

Chicken Sketch I

sketchbook

My parents have chickens. And you know, they're a lot more complicated to draw than I would've thought! Lots more lumps and bumps, you know, not just a walking cloud of feathers. It's kind of cool.

#696

Diaper Bag

sketchbook

:)

#695

Keys II

sketchbook

... and the modern version :)

#694

Keys

sketchbook

And, it's Monday. Baby is happily kicking and gurgling in her bouncy seat beside me, and while I'm not actually feeling coherent yet, it's a lot closer :) Pretty old keys on pink.... have to wonder just how secure those old locks were, with the keys being this simple. Of course you can get through a lot of locks with a credit card now, so I don't guess we've come but so far.

#693

Nozzle

sketchbook

Yep, looking forward to getting some sleep tonight! It was just the Durham Art Walk today, not both shows- lots of fun, lots of wonderful people. I'll have to post links once my brain starts working again.

#692

Peony and Turquoise

16x20 acrylic on canvas

Hm, this one didn't photograph very well at all... ah, well. Both shows went very well, were lots of fun.... and I'm dead on my feet. Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

#691

Evening Lights

8x8 acrylic on canvas

Tonight is setup for the Durham Art Walk, tomorrow is the Durham Art Walk and the Whimsical Women Show in Winston Salem. Wish me luck!

#690

Peach Slice II

5x7 acrylic on panel

Waaay too busy, it's my own fault, and I'm kicking myself for it. It'll be worth it, though- I mean, I'm always feeling crazy overwhelmed before shows. Just a little more so, this time...

#689

Little Teapots

sketchbook

I'm a little teapot

short and stout,

here is my handle

here is my spout!

When I get all steamed up

I will shout

so tip me over

and pour me out.

#688

Corked Bottle

sketchbook

#687

Twix

sketchbook

Ah, me and my sweet tooth... taking a step back here for a little while, it's going to be mostly a sketch a day instead of a proper painting. The Teacup Human is taking up a lot of time, yes, and I seem to want to spend every waking moment attached to her, but I also want to put some time and thought into how to ensure that absolutely every piece I make available is as high quality as it can be, you know? Hopefully that makes sense. The aforesaid Teacup Human is screaming in my ear tight now, and it's a little hard to think :-/

#686

Orange Handled Scissors

sketchbook

#685

Three Inch Paintbrush

sketchbook

#684

Ink Sketch

sketchbook

#683