Pansy II

5x5 acrylic on hardboard panel

available for $45

Had even more fun with this one! Inspired by a home-made-baklava-induced-sugar-rush, this wonderful little pansy just about painted itself :D Love it when that happens.

So far as the baklava goes.... delicious. But not at all photogenic, so Im guessing it is equally unpaintable. Ah, well, not all desserts can be beautiful, huh?

#425

Pansy I

5x5 acrylic on hardboard panel

available for $45

Having a wonderful time with pansies right now.... and hopefully I have finally suceeded in creting a working buy-it-now button :) We shall see, we shall see.... other than that, just glad that the weekend is here!

#424

Wyeth Study

9x12 mixed media sketch on paper

nfs

Just having some fun again.... I love Andrew Wyeth. Definately towards the top of my artistic idols list :)

#423

Lemon

5x5 acrylic on hardboard panel click here to bid

Just wallowed in color on this one- yes, there was modeling in the texture of the lemons skin, the shininess of it, the roundness of the lemon, but mostly just having loads of fun with the yellow and purple thing. Happy. And summery. Wishful thinking, of course, but Im one of those stubborn individuals who halfway believes that if I dress like its warm out then the warmth will come.... works every year :D

#422

Cosmopolitan II

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

click here to bid

More fun with alcohol, of course. Pretty colors, pretty shapes.... makes me want to get a bartending book or something, for more ideas on what to make. Thoughts?

#421

Degas Study II

9x12 mixed media sketch on paper

nfs

Wondering if this sort of thing would sell, if I was to do sketches like this somewhere other than in my sketchbook.... dunno. Nice to do, though, reminds you why you love art and all that warm-fuzzy stuff.

#420

Degas Study I

9x11 mixed media sketch on paper

nfs

Back to something familiar tonight, trying to learn, trying to loosen up. I do love Degas.... so beautiful, so instantly identifiable, I want that.

#419

Boston Creme Cake

6x9 acrylic on paper nfs

Trying to develop a vocabulary for painting desserts, a way of expressing colors and textures that are, right now at least, massively unfamiliar. Frustrating, but interesting.... like any new thing :)

#418

Cheesecake

8x8 acrylic on stretched canvas

nfs

The not for sale part, well, because I cant figure out what more to do with it, but Im not happy with it either. Hate it when a painting gets like this, but apparently cheesecake is one of those deceptive subjects, looks simple and sweet, but the more you get into it..... ah, well, at least it tastes good :D Ill probably let her sit for a bit, see if I can see how to make it all better...

PS- so far as the inspiration goes, Ive always adored Jelaine Faunces gorgeous paintings, especially her dessert pieces, and when I made cheesecake the other day, well, I just had to try :)

#417

Journey of the Butterfly

8x8 acrylic on stretched canvas

commissions - private collection

The full painting from the detail from the other night :) And the wonderful little butterfly that is a part of it, looking off to the horizon, the breeze stirring.... ok, let me hush before I get too completely hokey. Yoga tonight, added to the beautiful lyrics that inspired the painting. Hugs to everyone!

#416

Pear and White II

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

available on ebay - click here to bid

Something fun and a bit looser, all green gold and yellow iron oxide with those funny little bits leaning towards blues and reds....

#415

Butterfly and Marigold

6x8 mixed media study on paper

available on ebay - click here to bid

All warm fuzziness and my butterfly obsession and more fun with pen drawings and working within them with translucent layers of acrylic paint. Happies.

Just a Detail

A little-bitty piece of something I am almost done with and very proud of..... hopefully I can share soon :)

Crocus IV

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

nfs

Just a sketch, experimenting with looking at a group of flowers as wonderfully tiny as crocuses from down on the ground, placing them at eye level.... and the light. Its amazing seeing the light coming through petals like that, and it just doesnt happen unless you get down all close to the flowers and on the ground to see them. *happy sigh*

Shell

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

nfs

Love the shell itself on this one.... for some reason the composition just doesnt feel right to me at all. The up-hill-ness of it or something. Well, theres always tomorrow :)

#411

Shell Sketch

6x9 graphite and acrylic on paper - nfs

Seashells again.... why is it that I am so obsessed with them? I mean, if it was a simple love of the ocean I would be painting sea grasses and driftwood and algae and stuff too, right? Actually, that sounds like a pretty good idea :D

#410

Butterfly Study

*haha! success!*

Something called an internal error is preventing me from uploading an image to blogger.... havent the foggiest :( Got it up on eBay, though, if you want to have a look-see between now and the time I figure out how to get an image up on this post.... grrrrr.....

Coffee and Slate

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

available on eBay

click here to bid

Ive been sitting here sketching, trying to come up with something to say- and Ive got nothing, folks. Thank goodness I dont work in radio. So heres one of my favorite things- my absolute favorite thing, at the moment- sitting and listening to the night, with every window and door in the house wide open to let in the wonderful spring-time-y breeze. Gorgeous. Add some coffee and a warm fuzzy cat and the evening is complete.

#408

Cherry Blossoms and Japanese Teacup II

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

available on eBay

click here to bid

Going back to cherry blossoms in the spring sunshine.... planning on a perfectly wonderful day tomorrow with much reference-picture-taking. I want to try a few large pieces looking up into the branches of something in flower- thinking japanese magnolia and dogwood as soon as possible, and then wisteria and magnolia will have to wait till summer. I know gardenias wouldnt work like that, but maybe roses, like youre lying under the rosebush just gazing up at the sun? Beautiful idea... getting those reference pics should be thoroughly entertaining, on the other hand :D

#407

Roses Sketch

7x9 graphite and acrylic on paper

nfs

You know, one of the major points of daily painting seems to be the small paintings, low pressure thing.... but I suppose everyone needs a breather periodically, something even more lightweight that Im not even trying to sell. Ah, well, I promise Ill be back in the game soon- and Im painting again today. Slowly, cautiously, making sure I dont mess anything up. Going quite well, actually. Yay!

Seagulls Sketch

7x9 acrylic and graphite on paper

nfs

Pretty summertime thoughts- today turned out to be one of those days where I just canNOT paint a thing, and need to keep away from it to keep from ruining any in-progress paintings.... but even on the days I screw everything up, drawing is still fun and always familiar. The texture in the water is just salt sprinkled in a thin wash of phthalo blue, in case youre wondering. Experimenting :D

Crocus III

5x5 acrylic on hardboard panel

available on ebay at $20

click here to bid

Cannot imagine a more beautiful early-springtime day.... light breeze, not a cloud in the sky, temperature hovering around 70.... *sigh* And now a little crocus painting. Love and happy thoughts to you all, yes?

#404

Ghosts

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

nfs

For some reason my camera seems to like playing up the yellows in things.... the colors in this one are actually much more subtle. Anywhow, pretty pale things and nice light and a wonderfully quiet Friday night.

#403

Patron Tequila

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

available on ebay at $20

click here to bid

I think Paynes Grey is my favorite color, even with all of the discovery of subtle yellows and golds, and the reflection.... and the whole -tequila- thing, of course :D Trying to think of some funny story from the day, something I can say to be entertaining.... Ive got nothing. Have a good night!

#402

Orchids - Mauve

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

available on ebay starting at $20

click here to bid

It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin purple people eater.... now theres a song to get up and do your silly-bounce-in-circles kidnergarten-style dance :) Apparently it is only in my head because of the color of there lovely orchids, but Im okay with that!

#401

Wilted Tulips

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

collection of Carol Schiff

*drum roll please* and here is our painting #400, for the winner of the drawing Carol Schiff! (she does gorgeous work, btw. http://carolschiffstudio.blogspot.com ) More of my wilted flowers, another shot glass... love this one so much, with the shadow cast on the wall behind it, thats a new thing for me. Hope youre all having a wonderful night... its weird, I cant believe its already February, but I also cant believe its still Tuesday. I know, doesnt make any sense to me either :)

#400

Undressing

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

available on eBay - click here to bid

All soft and glowy and citrusy... happy. I do love lemons. And free stuff- the drawing for the giveaway is at 9:00, dont forget!

#399

Irises and Black

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

not for sale

Not sure how I feel about this one.... and since I am in-cred-ib-ly sleepy right now in the wake of the Superbowl, lets post it and see how we feel tomorrow, yes? Ill get a for-realsies one up tomorrow night, promise :)

#398

Study of Black Velvet by Andrew Wyeth

12x24 acrylic on hardboard panel

click here to see the whole thing

A detail of it, at any rate. Still behaving myself with this blog and the whole nudity thing :) I love his work so much... such a shame he died, though 91 years of a wonderfully prolific artistic life... thats a good chunk of time. Hope we all get the same, right?

Blue and White

12x12 acrylic on cradled hardeboard panel

available at auction

at the Durham Art Guild 2/7/09

Yay, Friday! We have a bigger, non-daily painting tonight, lots of fun with glass and delicate spring flowers and all that :) Dont forget about the painting giveaway- the drawing is Monday night! Just email me to enter, and tell me your favorite previous painting or your favorite theme. Muah!

#396

Orange Segments

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

available for $45

email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to purchase

Went with a more traditional setup on this one, I suppose... feel like I learned a lot, I have to do that more often :D

Daffodils V

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

available for $45

email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to purchase

Sunlight and springtime tonight.... have you ever noticed how it seems like the paler daffodils bloom first? And then the narrow, intense yellow ones, and then the funny ones with the ruffly complicated centers and orange stripes.... those might be fun to try this year :) Of course, Id have to do those in a more full-frontal way, instead of focusing on the wonderful profile like I usually do.... hehe, full monty daffodils... ok, dork moment officially over. Bedtime, now. Love to all!

#394

Wedding China

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

nfs

Yay, sparklies!

And one week to go on the painting giveaway- so next Monday night is when we do the drawing! Once again, email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to enter, and let me know which previous painting is your favorite, or what your favorite subject matter from me is :D

#393

Apricot and Windowsill

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

collection of Eileen Bookman

Yes, I know, more apricots. Theyre just such a wonderful color, I cant help it :D Trying to really capture the translucency here... and now Im about to run out to Twisted Sixs with my Pookie Bear to get our new tattoos done- muah!

#392

Apricots

18x18 acrylic on stretched canvas

available for $180 + s&h

email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to purchase

Yep, you read that right- 18x18. The apricots are as big as my fist, its really kind of wild... set up in a narrow stip of light shining through the curtains *happy*

In other news, it is Sunday night, and nothing this weekend went according to plan, but thats ok, really. Might be some kind of weird mental hangover from being in the middle of a book on Buddhism, Im not sure, but I try not to argue with anything that makes me a little more sane :) Hope everyone has a beautiful Monday!

Daisies and Coffee Glass

8x8 acrylic on stretched canvas

email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to purchase

Beautiful Saturday night, and only ten days left till my giveaway thing! Email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to enter... of course.... and give me a hint about the subject matter you enjoy or which previous painting was your favorite :)

#390

Dahlia and Raku Bowl

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

collection of Marilyn Dayton

Ah, Friday night, having fun. Civilized temperatures have returned, and if I can get some sunlight tomorrow Im thinking about taking a trip to Duke Gardens and seeing what plants are under the impression that a snowy middle of January is springtime :) If rain, well, yoga is always a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning....

#389

Shadowline

8x8 acrylic on stretched canvas

not available at this time

Id forgotten how much I love painting apricots- such beautiful colors! And right now Im watching Bones.... Booth and Bones (FBI agent and forensic anthropologist) are pretending to be russian knives throwing circus actor people. Its really rather painful to watch, but I just cant stop.... oh my word, he just conked her on the head with a giant rubber mallet....

#388

Cherry Blossoms and Shadow

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

available

email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to purchase

Heres a new one for you: sleep sketching.

Last night I woke up convinced I had just dreamed up the most wonderful painting idea, but I couldnt remember what it was, and for some reason I was cold, so I just snuggled down next to my Pookie Bear and fell back to sleep. Much to my surprise, this morning there was a rough sketch on one of my new hardboard panels! Ill let you know if it pans out ;)

In other news, less than two weeks to register for my painting giveaway! Email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com , and tell me what subject matter you most enjoy/which previous painting is your favorite. Please play!

#387

Whelk

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

available

email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to purchase

Stayed home in the snow today, and will probably be waiting for it to get above freezing tomorrow before I get up the courage to go to work (its not so much the snow and ice.... its the fact that, while Im sure I can avoid all those inanimate objects out there.... Im not so sure about my ability to avoid the other drivers).... and following my usual infallible logic (phe-he-he) Im presenting you with another bit of summertime.

Another thing.... Ive noticed other bloggers doing giveaways periodically, and I believe Im going to join in on that fad. So, painting #400 will be free to some lucky soul, shipping and handling included. Email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to enter.... and give me an idea for the subject matter, or tell me which previous painting you particularly enjoyed. That way the lucky winner, selected at random on night #399, gets exactly what they want.... and I get some feedback (yay!) and some email addresses for my monthly newsletter (bwa-ha-ha-ha!).

#386

Abalone

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel
available

email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to purchase

A cool, cloudy Monday, looking at a chance of six inches of snow tonight- very odd, we havent had a good snow in years. So I picked out a shining, iridescent bit of summertime for you all :)

#385

Study of Wilted Tulips

11x14 graphite and acrylic sketch on toned paper

From what I understand, my love of wilted flowers is odd.... like bordering on morbidly emo peculiar. But they make such pretty shapes, and theyre so wonderfully, translucently delicate, so Im sticking with my belief that they are beautiful and perfectly paintable.

#384

Sketch of Sally

11x14 acrylic sketch on toned paper

More doodling and having wonderful fun with foreshortening and colors :) Rest assured, I am working on some *real* stuff... but for now I am going out to play with some friends. Sparkles, sunshine, and Satuday nights!

#383

Your face will freeze that way

11x14 sketch on toned paper

Just a doodle, having some fun. And now Im off to hide under the covers until civilized temperatures return- because this is insane, we didnt even get above freezing today! Ugh. I am now the proud founder of the Hibernating Humans Movement, those of us who believe that it would be a wonderful idea to just sleep all winter :D

Problem is, the all of the members would really rather just move to the tropics :/

#382

For Two

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

email me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to purchase

Happy fun with colors. And the first time Ive ever tried to show the inevitable puddles, too :)

And just in case anyone out there is thinking about getting internet service.... once again, dont use Clearwire! Theyve now moved up to endless collection-type calls, demanding money for services they did not provide. Ugh.

In other news, its Thursday night- happy almost-Friday, everyone!

#381

Slanting Sunlight

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

collection of Catherine Ziehl

And I am in fully silly mode for the evening, and should not be typing. Promise. In fact, I believe this is typing itself. Yep..... As. We. Speak.

Hehe. No, its cool. Everyone have a wonderful night~

#380

Tulips and Windowsill

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

collection of Catherine Ziehl

Well, today took an unexpected turn for the worse. As you can see, here I was, painting away in my happy-happy place. And then I decided to go to Raleigh for a figure drawing class thingy, since I love them and they are usually included in my happy-happiness. So I get there, and the artsy gods are smiling upon me- not a crowded class, good lighting, absolutely amazing model. And then Moderator the All-Powerful turns the radio on.

To NPR.

So first its all these women talking about how woooonderful it is that Obama got elected and how ammmmaaaazing it is and how historic-with-a-capital-H. How its empowering-with-a-capital-E and how theyre teaching their kids all about how woooonderful and ammmmaaaazing it is. Inauguration was used, oh, every fifth word or so. Almost as often as Historic.

I know, I know, he isnt white. Get over it. I mean, why are we taking our intelligent, well-spoken, accomplished president-elect and acting like the only thing that matters about him is an accident of birth- namely, the color of his skin? Ugh.

So that goes off, and I try to reclaim my happy-happiness. The model strikes a particularly fun pose, and its beginning to work.

And then the NPR special comes on- guess what, folks, the rest of the evening is going to be elevator-music jazz! The one brand of music that reduces me to tooth-grinding and involuntary full-body seizures... for the first song I was struggling not to claw my eyes out. Instead, I made spitballs out of my sketching paper and stuck them in my ears... to no avail. When I realized I was actually sketching faster in an attempt to make the time go faster so I could leave, I realized I was being even more insane than usual.

Left early. Very very sad. But now I am home, and I am all better, and on Sunday I will go back to my usual class... the silent one :)

#379

Cosmopolitan

4x4 acrylic on hardboard panel

contact me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com to purchase

This one.... happy. Alcohol and pretty colors and all that. The drink itself is the infamous Cosmopolitan, made of vodka, sweet vermouth, and cranberry juice.... and here its made of translucent layers of Hansa Yellow Medium, Cadmium Red Medium, Alizarin Crimson, and Ivory Black. Too much fun :D

#378