Day 31 - 30 in 30 Collage of paintings

The final task for the painting challenge I took part in is to put together a collage of all of the paintings I created this month.  I love doing this as it has a lot of impact for me personally.. it is awesome to see all of them together!  I made the last collage for the September 30 in 30 into a poster and that was equally awesome to see!  I don't know if I will 'posterize' this one or not, but if I do, I'll let you know.

January 2015, 30 Paintings in 30 Days, Collage

Last Day of the 30 in 30 - Je Suis Reconaissant (or Reverie)

Warning:  long and involved post.  I have a lot to say today...
Well, I made it thought the 30 in 30... had so much fun, learned quite a bit about my current painting style, color palette, brushes I use, painting small (which frankly I am sick to death of...) and just how much my family and friends support me.   I know I have talked about being thankful... and I find that the longer I live, the more thankful I become.  Lucky for me, I have heard "recent studies show" that being appreciative in life seems to go hand in hand with happiness.  So woo-hoo..... :)
Anyway... I have a lot to be thankful for, in fact, too much to list here and besides, this isn't a Thanksgiving post... Just sayin', I am thankful and if you know me, hopefully you know that you are someone I am thankful for...  But I will say this.  I am so grateful that I can make art.  And I don't just mean physically, although that is a big part of it. But I also mean, I thankful that I am able to 'legally' create whatever I damn well want to create on any given day.  There are too many places in the world where freedom of expression is not a given, where you can be tried and put in jail for stating your opinion, making the 'wrong' image or saying what you believe.  I am forever grateful that I do not live in an area of the world like that!  I hope that someday in my life I will witness the transformation of those countries that do oppress freedom of speech into a place of freedom for all.
That being said, my painting today is titled "Je Suis Reconaissant, (Reverie)"  for several reasons... No, I have no particular fondness of the French Language, but there is a reason for it being in French... Je Suis Reconaissant means 'I am Thankful' and it is in French because of the image reference I used as the background to my painting.  The image I took this from, (and I did... I took it..) is from a famous lithograph by the artist Alphonse Mucha.   It is an image that I love dearly.  I had an image of this when I was a child and I can remember looking at the image, burning it into my brain for all times... I chose to super-impose a buddha on top of the image for no other reason than I love the image..and I love the symbol of the Buddha.  I want to pay homage to the artist who created the original image, the title of which is "F. Champenois Imprimeur-Editeur" and was made in 1897, but for a time was apparently also known as "Reverie".  I love this, because if you look up the meaning of the word Reverie, this is what you find... "A state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing", which is what my Buddha is doing... So, there.  Thank you if you are one of those who has followed me through the 30 in 30!  I have had so many nice and complimentary comments, I have sold 5 of my paintings so far (!) and I know lots of you are reading my blog (which is incredible to me) because over the past month I have had over 1,000 page views!  Amazing to me!  So... THANKS!!!  And just fyi, I'm not stopping painting!  I may not be posting every day because I plan on painting bigger, but I will post, so I hope you check back from time to time... If you don't want to miss a post, please sign up to follow my blog.  It is easy and maybe even fun... just enter your email in the spot under the elephant on the right and you will get updates when I post.
Alright... here it is.

Je Suis Reconaissant, (Reverie), 9"x12", oil on panel
to purchase please click here

And here is the Alphonse Mucha image, courtesy of wikipedia

"F. Champenois Imprimeur-Editeur" Alphones Mucha, Lithograph, 1897

Day 29 - Going Places

I love the geometry that happens in street scene compositions.. Especially this street scene that is somewhere in Prague... Yesterday I commented on the graffiti that seems to be everywhere in Prague.  I also noticed their amazing sidewalks and streets.  Many of the streets and sidewalks are beautifully patterned cobblestones... The architecture is outstanding also.. I can see why many people visit Prague just by wandering around on Street View.  It is rich with artwork just walking down any street, from actual statues, to friezes on buildings, to incredibly ornate architecture.  Anyway, I found this young lady, who moments before had been gazing at the mannequin in the store front.  I wanted to paint that scene, but unfortunately most of her body was obscured by the tree.  I opted for this one, just a little ways down the street.  It looks like she didn't want that dress after all...
This painting is available for auction. To place a bid, please click here.

Going Places, oil on panel, 6"x6'
to place a bid, please click here

Day 28 - Tagged

So, graffiti has a long and controversial history.  I myself can appreciate some graffiti.  Some would say all graffiti is a form of self expression and is therefore art.  I say, some graffiti is definitely art, and some graffiti is just plain stupid.  Just my opinion though.  Today's painting is titled "Tagged" because the graffiti behind the lady is what I understand to be tags, basically, the 'signature' of the person who wrote it there.  I have never cared for this kind of graffiti.  Much of it looks the same, slap dash and not well thought out.  Nothing artful about it.  However, when wandering around Prague on street view yesterday, I noticed more graffiti on the walls than seemed normal, at least where I am from.  It is literally everywhere... I was intrigued by this lady (who reminded me of my grandmother, how she always dressed impeccably) probably going home from shopping, with the graffiti covered wall behind her.  I almost titled the painting, "Turning a Blind Eye" because it seemed to me that perhaps she has walked down this street her whole life, but it wasn't always riddled with graffiti.  Now it is, and she has to walk by it everyday.... So she turns a blind eye.... Anyway, who knows.  That's what I love about painting.... the stories they tell.  Maybe you see a different story!

Tagged, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to purchase, please click here

Day 27 - Joy Ride

I do not own a motorcycle.... but I know many people who do.  Around here, motorcycles are a way of life for many.  Lots of Harleys.... plenty of every kind of motorcycle actually.  So, today's painting is for all you motorcycle enthusiasts.. (I know some of you are reading this!)  Nice weather is right around the corner!  Spring is only 52 days, 4 hours and some odd minutes away!
This picture is again from Google Street View and, well, its not in Pennsylvania.  The Yucatan, peninsula where I suspect it is warm motorcycle weather most of the year.  But, I bet they get rain and hurricanes on a weekly basis.  :)  Enjoy!
This painting is up for auction at my Daily Paintworks website.  To bid, please click here.

Joyride, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to place a bid, please click here

Day 26 - Colorado Abstract

So, as I have painted landscapes over the past few weeks, I have noticed that I am seeing them more and more as abstracted shapes, colors and values.  It makes me wonder if they hold up composition-ally when turned 180 degrees. Tonight I am posting a painting both as the original orientation that I painted it and flipped upside-down to see what I think.  Theoretically, in my opinion, the painting should be equally pleasurable to view no matter what the orientation.  (Right?)  I don't know, but I think this should be so.  So, today's painting, simply titled "Colorado" is up to you how you like it (as all of my paintings are, actually)...
This painting is available for auction at my Daily Paintworks site! Please click here to bid

Colorado, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to place a bid, please click here

(because it makes me smile)  Odaroloc, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to place a bid, please click here

Day 25 - The Red Beach

Sometimes you think something is going to be simple and it turns out to be elusive and unexpectedly difficult.  Today's painting turned into one of those times.  I was initially drawn to the image I found on Morguefiles because of it's strong S composition and pretty pastel colors contrasting with the red beach.  It didn't seem as though there was a whole lot going on in the water area and I thought I could  easily solve the problems of painting the reflecting sky, sea foam and the red sand showing through in some areas.  Well... lets just say, I struggled with this one today.  However, after careful observation... I think I resolved the problems I was having and am pleased with the final results.  This painting is available for auction on my Daily Paintworks site.  If you are interested in bidding, please click here.

Red Beach, oil on panel, 6"x6'
To place  bid, please click here

Day 24 - Lunar Alchemy

Painting for me is often a time and place for me to think through and process circumstances that life sometimes throws my way.  And if I am lucky, the painting will reflect an answer to my consternations.  Today's painting was one of those times.  Without going into too much detail, my 8 year old son has been having a rough time of it for the past week or so.  It can be hard growing up as a thoughtful, caring and emotionally deep young man, and that is just what he is.  Not your typical rough and tumble boy, my son would rather hold the door for me, read a book or talk about life. Sure he enjoys sports and activity, but that competitive hard nature just isn't there. These softer, pensive qualities are the qualities that make him so special to me and I would never, ever want him to change.  However, when faced with other typical 8 year old boys behavior, he is sometimes bewildered and hurt.  Today's painting, "Lunar Alchemy" started out as a study of the amazing contrasts you can find in the night sky and landscape.  It ended up being a 'portrait' of my son, or more accurately, the abstracted qualities I see in him.  I thought about him and all he has been going through this week while I painted this, and know now that it is finished that I painted the mystery, depth, beauty and power that are inherent in his soul... Now, somehow, I must reassure him that he is wonderful just exactly as he is.

Lunar Alchemy, oil on panel, 6"x6"
not for sale

Day 23 - Lake George, Colorado

I have discovered that I like painting the sky contrasting with a variegated, patterned landscape.  Particularly the landscapes one can find in the western U.S. where there are such a range of land formations and hues to the earth.  I love Eastern PA where I live... definitely a beautiful area... but you tend to see a whole lot of green, and then some more green.... Lush for sure, just not as stimulating to my eye.  So today's painting is from an area of Colorado called Lake George.  Painting the sky was my favorite part of this painting, and then getting the values correct in the foreground.  This one is definitely going to be painted big when I get the chance! This painting is available for auction at my Daily Paintworks website.  Please click here to see details or place a bid.

Lake George, Colorado, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to place a bid, please click here

Day 22- Good Fortune

This little scene reminds me of the many times in life that I have literally or figuratively rounded a corner, only to be pleasantly surprised by what I find.  I consider myself to be 'lucky', or to lead a blessed life, or to have good fortune, or.... maybe I just appreciate my life abundantly... I don't know which of these it is, but really it doesn't matter.  I love the little (and sometimes big) surprises life hands to me sometimes, even if at first I am a bit shocked.  Things always turn out for the best and more often than not, I find hidden gems when I least expect them!

Good Fortune, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to purchase please click here

Day 21 - Commemorative painting for the Riverfront Credit Union

Last night I presented a commission that was several months in the making.  The Riverfront Credit Union headquartered in Reading, PA was holding their 800th board meeting and several of the members/board members hired me to create a painting to commemorate this event.  The painting shows the credit union's history as it was originally founded by the members of the Reading Railroad.  After time, other organizations were acquired, starting with Conrail, then Amtrak.  There were many other acquisitions after that, too numerous to list, but the credit union finally settled on the Riverfront as their name.
The painting has many references to the credit union's history, including these names put on the engine and rail cars.  The caboose's number indicates the date of the meeting (1-20-15).  The city in the background is the town of Reading, PA as it is today.  I must say, this was one of the more challenging parts of the painting as I had to cobble together many different photo references from the web to create this panorama.  The view of Reading is looking West from atop Neversink Mountain roughly at a location known as the Witch's Hat.  The Pagoda, an historic landmark of Reading can be seen atop Mt. Penn on the right side of the painting.  The people who commissioned me also wanted to include Berks  County's rich farming history, hence the rolling hills and farm land receding into the background.  Finally, the sun is rising on the horizon, to symbolize Riverfront's new beginnings in the 21st century.
The frame was also made by myself and my husband and I am quite happy with how it compliments the painting.  Under the painting is a plaque that lists the current board and upper management.  This was a long time in the making, but I have to say that I love creating historical paintings such as this. Through researching the history of the credit union I learned so much about the Reading Railroad, which was huge in it's time as well as the history of Reading itself!

Commemorative Painting for the Riverfront Credit Union, oil on canvas, 18" x 36"
Sold

Commemorative Painting for the Riverfront Credit Union, Unframed

Day 20 - East Fork Big Woods

Hello!  Today is a big day for me as I am delivering a commission in about a half an hour and am very excited... a bit nervous... I will be posting this painting tomorrow.
But today's painting is back in Idaho... a little place called East Fork, Big Woods River in Hailey.  I loved the dusky, muted tones in this picture and was drawn to the rolling hills in the background. Have a nice day!

East Fork, Big Woods, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to purchase, please click here

Day 19 - Lady in Blue

Good Evening... Short and sweet tonight. Today's painting is of a young metropolitan woman walking confidently through the streets of Paris, France.  Found this little scene using street view again.   Love that.  Was intrigued by this nameless woman who seems like she is off to somewhere important.  Hope her day turned out good, whenever that may have been!

Lady in Blue, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to purchase, please click here

Day 18 - Je Suis Charlie

So, I decided to paint a scene in Paris, France today... and well, it obviously turned out to be the Eiffel Tower... Found a very beautiful shot and composition to my liking using street view again...  I have never painted the Eiffel Tower before, and was enjoying it quite a bit.  As it happens, my mind will wander when I paint.  It occurred to me as I was painting this, that I should pay my own tribute to the people who were killed about a week ago at the satirical French publication, Charlie Hebdo.  While I don't necessarily agree with the type of cartooning and commentary that the paper often prints, I am 100% a supporter of freedom of speech.  I myself am not into extremist political commentary, making fun of others religions and the like.... but freedom of speech is sacred to me and without it our country would not be what it is.  So, yes, I am Charlie, Je Suis Charlie, is the title of this one... Let freedom ring, let freedom of speech and expression live strong and may the terrorists who are trying destroy this freedom be stopped.  With that said, hope you enjoy this painting, my tribute to those who died in Paris... my thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends.

This painting is available to bid on at my Daily Paintworks webpage.  To place a bid, and to see other paintings I have for sale or auction, please click here.

Je Suis Charlie, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to place a bid, please click here

Day 17 - Lined With Phlox

Good Evening all!
I started the day painting, but didn't have a chance to post until now as I went to my son's basketball game at 1 (they won!) and then came home to clean and help my daughter prepare for the 'Winter Ball' that she went to with her beau....  Such a fun day!
So, today's painting is from street view again, and is again in Finland... such a pretty country. I loved the purple flowers that lined the road.  Don't know if they really are Phlox, but I know Phlox are purple and white flowers that grow along roadsides here in Pennsylvania, so that's what I am going with!  Today's painting is up for auction!  I am offering the opening bid at an extremely low $15!  To get in on the bidding, please click here.. Thanks!

Lined With Phlox, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to purchase, please click here

Day 16 - Private Idaho

Over the hump as it were.... Today is day 16 of the painting challenge and I decided on a scene I found in Idaho last night on street view...
Years ago (almost 20... geeze...) I was young and mildly foolish and I took a road trip by myself across the country in an old Subaru station wagon.  Went from Pennsylvania down through the southern states, out to California, up through Oregon and Washington and made my way back through Idaho, and then eastward back home again... I tell you... I expected to see some amazing things, but really didn't give Idaho a second thought.. just thought I'd be driving through to get somewhere else... but what I found was that Idaho was just about the most beautiful state.  Everything about it was breathtaking, which was totally unexpected.  So, I knew I'd find some pretty amazing sites to paint on street view and I wasn't let down.  This view is in an area called Hailey, Idaho.  Just out of curiosity, I looked up property values (you know, just in case I wanted to move there later in life...) Unless something drastically changes in my financial situation, (like I become a multi-millionaire) I will not be moving to that particular area.  :(  Oh well.  That's what dreams are for...
Well, happy Friday and may you all have a great beginning to your weekend!

Private Idaho, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to purchase, please click here

Day 15 - A Beautiful day in Pirkanmaa

Well, I am half way through this challenge.... It definitely has been challenging this time around, as I have a big commission I am finishing and making a frame for... Was down the basement today putting a special finish on the frame I made through out the week... So, I didn't get to my studio until almost 6:30 tonight.  Thank God for my hubby who has been taking my son to Basketball practices and picking up the slack with grocery shopping etc...... I remember reading some famous artist (wish I could remember who.. was it Picasso?) said all artists need a wife.  Of course this was back in the 50's when the art world was a man's world.... But, there is a grain of truth to that, excepting, of course, I am the wife.  So, we should change that to spouse and update it into the 21st century.  There, I feel better now.
Anyway!  Today we are visiting Finland... somewhere called Pirkanmaa.  So, I have Finnish (and Estonian) heritage running through my blood and that is what inspired me to paint a street view from this beautiful country.  May you have a restful night, and enjoy!

A Beautiful Day in Pirkanmaa, oil on panel, 6"x6"
please click here to purchase

Day 14 - Between Two Hills

I think there is something about roads disappearing into the distance that attracts me.. I am drawn to the what if... the possibility of what is around the corner... It makes me want to take a stroll and find out...
Today's painting has one of those roads... This reference pic is again from google street view and is in lovely Ireland.  It is funny, I know Ireland is said to be a green and wet country and as I cruised around looking for a great image, the roads were mostly muddy, the skies were often cloudy and... there were sheep regularly dotting the hill sides.  Just what you'd expect... Have a nice evening and enjoy.

Between Two Hills, oil on panel, 6"x6',
to purchase, please click here

Day 13 - A River Runs Through It

Good evening....
So today was a busy, busy day.... Putting on a pot roast to slow cook for the day, a few hours of frame making in my basement and then out to the mall to dress shop with my beautiful daughter.. Finally to my studio and,  I actually got today'a painting done!  Another landscape..  I am thinking about finishing this challenge with just landscapes because I am having so much fun with them... And this just happens to be one of my favorites of this challenge so far.  We'll see if I can keep up the landscape momentum...  Because it is so late, I am cutting this post short and sweet.  Hope you have a wonderful night!

A River Runs Through It, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to purchase, please click here

Day 12 - Somewhere in Goias

Where?  Well, this here is another Google Street view inspired painting.  I can't travel the world right now, in the physical sense.  If I could, however, I most definitely would.  I guess street view is the best I can do at the moment.  So, this is, as the title says, somewhere in the state of Goias, Brazil, which, I had never even heard of before.  Pretty sad that my geography is so poor, but, alas, there it is.  I was attracted particularly to the beautiful, deep blue sky with the large clouds receding to tiny little puffs way back at the horizon.  Today in PA, incidentally, is nothing like this at all... rainy, gloomy, cold and freezing... Probably also why I was inspired to paint this one today!

Surprise! I am offering this little gem as an auction at my Daily Paintworks Page!  If you are interested in bidding on this painting, please click here to visit my DPW friendly auction page

Somewhere in Goias, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to bid on this, please click here

Day 11- Street View Mystery and 3 lessons I learned in my studio today

Happy Day of the Sabbath...
I would like to say I rest on Sundays, but it often works out to be a day of doing chores and errands and of course I painted today also....
Sooooooo....  As I have pointed out on MANY occasions, I am constantly learning new things about painting (and life itself, but that is a topic for a different blog) Anyway, today was definitely one of those days.  I mentioned yesterday that I have been struggling with the tactile qualities of my oil paint... It seemed to be drying out too quickly, getting tacky and unworkable and generally just pis... well, angering me.....
I have to say, it takes me awhile sometimes to figure out problems.... but, I figured it out today and it has everything to do with humidity.  With the onset of frigid weather, I have been using a space heater in my studio which obviously has dried the air out considerably, enough to make my oils dry way too quickly.  I added a humidifier to the mix today, and voila.... problem solved... Thank the Lord.... because I was ready to fling things..... In my defense, oils are, well, made of OIL... I really didn't think humidity had a whole lot to do with dry time.  Wrong.  So lesson #1 for the day, if you are an oil painter and having similar difficulties, put a humidifier in your studio and see what happens.  Hope this helps....

Sorry about the looong post, but I have more to say...
I have also been playing around with color palettes and today, I decided to go with the very limited palette that a well known artist, Kevin MacPherson, uses.  It consists of only 4 colors - Alizarin Crimson, Cad Yellow light, Ultramarine Blue and Winsor Green (which I used Phthalo Green because it is the same thing and that is what I have) and then Titanium White.
I must say, I love a limited palette when I use it, I am always happy with the results and I don't know why I don't just stick with it.  I actually do... I love color and really can't resist all those tubes of juicy colorful paints.  But I should restrain myself and try to just stick with the limited palette for awhile to learn a little more about color mixing.  So, lesson #2 for the day.... Limited Palettes rock...

Last bit of blab for today's post....
I had too much fun on Google Street View last night... (yes, that was how I spent my Saturday night...) I have read of artists using screen shots of different google street view pics as references for their paintings.  I decided to give it a shot.  Street view is just about the coolest thing out there, and if you have several hours to burn, just start street viewing different areas of the world.   I do love it and I even came across a herd of elephants crossing the road in South Africa.  So cool.  Anyway, today's painting came from a screen shot I found last night somewhere in Northern Normandy, France.  Using the limited palette, having increased humidity in my studio and being excited about my street view reference made for a really great day painting in my studio.  So, there, lesson # 3 for the day... if you are feeling un-inspired and need a pick me up, start roaming the world using street view and your problems will be solved....

With no further ado or blabbing, here is my painting

Somewhere in Normandy, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to purchase, please click here

Day 10 - A Spectacular End to the Day

Good evening... Can't believe I am a third of the way there in completing this 30 in 30.  I have to say, this challenge is a bit more challenging than the first one I took part in for a variety of reasons, one of them being the extreme cold.  My studio probably doesn't get above 55 degrees, and I am learning that oil paint does not care for cold, dry air... at all.  I have been learning and adjusting to this atmosphere and it definitely has been a process.  Anyway, there is always something new to learn as an artist... always.  And that is why I continue to chip away at being one!
Today's painting came from a photo I found on the Morguefiles but I have definitely seen skies just as amazing in my life!  The sky provides endless ideas and material for paintings and I could probably paint a sky a day and not get bored... (hey.... that's not a bad idea!)

A Spectacular End to the Day, oil on panel, 6"x6",
to purchase, please click here

Day 9 - From Distant Shores

Happy Friday and happy day 9 of the painting challenge...
I must confess, I am cheating a tiny bit here.. Today is a super busy day for me - I have a commission I am adamant I will finish today, my son has basketball practice after school and I have a gallery opening I must go to sometime between 5 and 8 tonight... So, I have decided to not paint one of these daily paintings today to take a bit of weight off my shoulders.  Whew.. Anyway, the painting I am posting is a recent commission I completed over the holidays for a very nice couple I am friends with.  The husband had this favorite picture of his wife that he took a while ago and asked if I could paint it.. Of course I said yes!  Without further ado, here is the painting... Enjoy the rest of your day!

From Distant Shores, oil on panel, 11"x14",
sold

Day 8 - The Princess Phone

Last 30 in 30 I painted a vintage phone... I still have it because I couldn't bear to part with it.... So I painted another vintage phone today, this time a style called "the Princess Phone".  I can remember wanting one of these when I was a young teenager.  I would have preferred one in light blue at that time.  If I had one today, I'd probably get a pink one...

The Princess Phone, oil on panel, 6"x6",
to purchase, please click here

Day 7 - Happy Birthday (to me!)

Ha! Last 30 in 30 I took part in fell in my Daughter's birth month so I painted a cupcake for her on that day... Well, today happens to be my birthday, so I thought I'd carry on with that idea... why not?
I found this picture on Morguefiles, a site that has many open source photographs...  My favorite flavor of cake happens to be Butter.... with a chocolate cream cheese frosting... om nom...  Anyway, this one is for anyone out there who has a cold, wintry birthday.. Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, oil on panel, 6" x 6",
to purchase, please click here

Day 6 - Quiet Migration

Today's entry in the 30 in 30.. I titled it Quiet Migration because it was a cold, still day when I took this photo (during last year's endless winter) and there were geese migrating above a field.  Today in PA, it was bitter cold and it snowed all day... and everything looked blue... I thought this an appropriate subject. The picture I took was very atmospheric and I tried to capture that in this seemingly simple painting.. but was again surprised that it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be to create the 'foggy' look I was going for. This painting is mostly monochromatic with a tiny bit of warm corn stalks in the front.

Quiet Migration, oil on panel, 6" x 6",
to purchase this painting please click here

Day 5 - Glass Planets

Who doesn't like marbles?  (I guess there is someone who is a marble hater out there but....) I have always had a certain attraction to marbles.. As a child they seemed magical.. as an adult they are beautiful little objects that sometimes seem to hold a universe in them... Today's entry into the 30 in 30 are of some marbles that I came across the other day and knew then that I would paint them sometime during this challenge... well here they are!  I love that deep indigo color in the background.... one of my favorite colors...

Glass Planets, oil on panel, 6" x 6",
to purchase, please click here

Day 4 of the 30 in 30 - Together

Today's entry into the 30 in 30 is of 2 sweet birds... I have posted today's entry on my Daily Paintworks site as an auction (like yesterday's), and this auction starts today! Click here to check it out and place a bid.  Thanks for looking!

Together, 6" x 6", oil on panel
Click here to place a bid

Day 3 - Puff

So, painting later in the day on a gray Saturday... after getting to bed way past my bedtime (4 a.m.!) (oops...) is not an easy thing to do.... But I am pleased with how today's painting came out!
Here is day 3's installment for the 30 in 30... a simple little chickadee named Puff...
I am putting this little bird up for auction on my Daily Paintworks web page starting at just $40... if you are interested, bidding lasts 7 days starting today!  Click here to go to my DPW site and see what its all about!

Puff, oil on panel, 6" x 6"
to purchase click here

Ordinary Glasses

Sometimes ordinary isn't so ordinary... I chose this subject to paint as a kind of "sister painting to my painting "Laila's Platter, Ella's Glass", thinking that it would be a relatively simple painting to create.  Boy was I off.. For those of you who are painters, you know that a painting happens at the edges... edges are almost everything!  And this composition has more edges than I thought could fit in one image... I, for some reason didn't realize this when choosing to paint it today... but must have been attracted to the image in my dish drainer for some reason!
Actually, I am very interested in the ordinary... I think the ordinary is where life happens most of the time (kind of like edges...) so that is why I was drawn to this.  I find it fascinating that the ordinary can change so completely to complex and abstracted... Anyway, here is my 2nd installment to the 30 in 30... "Ordinary Glasses"

Ordinary Glasses, oil on panel, 9" x 12",
To purchase click here

The Winged Buddha

Sometimes you have to follow your heart.... Today is the first day of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 painting 'challenge' and I am posting my first painting!   It is a great way to kick off 2015 and I am sending this out into the cloud as my prayer for the world in the upcoming year... I pray for peace for the world because I think that covers pretty much all of the bases.  I don't subscribe to one particular religion or philosophic belief, but I am highly spiritual and have been on a lifelong quest for meaning and living to honor this life that I have been given.  I wanted to paint an image that represented reverence, peace and inward meditation.... Hopefully I have succeeded!  Happy New Year!

Winged Buddha, oil on panel, 9" x 12",
click here to purchase