30 Days of Painting...

I have re-titled my challenge this month to 30 days of painting.... I completed 26 paintings this month, but as I said yesterday, made it to my studio to paint for all but 1 of those 30 days. The one day I didn't paint, I was thinking about painting while shoveling snow! So, as in previous challenges, those who participate create a collage of all of the work they made during the month, and it is a great thing to see!  I love looking at all of the work I made side by side to compare, contrast and see the connections.  At the outset, I decided to focus on 3 things.... exploring Stripey abstracts, Vintage things and landscapes.  Some nice things came of limiting myself to these things. About midway, I decided to try combining the stripey theme with my more traditional painting style and subjects.  I love the result and plan on further pushing this idea to see where I go with it.  I hope you enjoyed following me and thank you again for your comments and support!

Collage of the January 2016 30 Days of Painting challenge

Day 30 (The last Day!) - Big Reds

Well, I did it, I finished the 30 in 30!  Now, to be fair, I didn't finish 30 paintings, but I was in my studio everyday painting... (oh, alright, I missed one day... that day that it snowed almost 3 feet of snow and I was helping shovel out... pass...)  But, otherwise, I was there, painting my face off... :)
Thanks so much if you came to my blog to read and follow my progress.  It means a lot that you are interested and I am grateful for everyone's comments and feedback both here and on my facebook page!  According to my flag counter, I had nearly 700 visits over the course of the month... So, thanks!

This last paintings was a 3 day event and I am not sure it is actually finished. But it is mostly done.  Its one of those things... you stare at a painting too long and your eyes start to cross and you cant even see it clearly anymore.  I needed to step away tonight, before I started making bad decisions and ruined the thing.  I will go back tomorrow and see whats what.  This one is a big one, exploring further the red shoes and the striped background.  Again, thanks for following me.  I am going to really try hard to post more regularly than I usually do between challenges!  It is just so easy to slack.  But rest assured, I will be making frames for the next week or so and painting, painting, painting...!

Big Reds, acrylic and oil on panel, 18" x 24"
nfs currently

28 - Big Reds

Today's painting will be a 2 day painting.  I felt the need to go bigger again, after a series of 6x6's and a 9x12 thrown in... Today's red sneaks are on an 18"x24" panel.  After painting the 2 smaller pics of Converse all stars (or Chucks, whatever you call them) I have been wanting to go bigger than life with them.  I don't know... it's not that I worship my red Chucks or anything, but they are just fun and make me happy.  So, I wanted to share that happiness with the blog-o-sphere....
But... because of the scale of the painting, it is not finished.  I painted what we painters like to call the "under painting" in acrylic today. I will be going over it with oils tomorrow to add depth, detail and little extra magic.  Here is where I got with it as of now...

Big Reds, 18" x 24",  currently acrylic on panel... tomorrow it will be mixed media

Day 27 - Focus

Wait.   Only 3 days left to this challenge?  What happened to January?  Even though I have been to my studio almost every day to paint this month, it still somehow feels like the month just slipped away.  There is way too much to accomplish in a day.  And it never seems to all get done.  This bird is titled focus. Focus to help me work more efficiently... focus to help me set better goals... focus to help me realize what is important and what can be left for later....

Oh, and hey, did you know this about bald eagles? ~ Their wingspan can reach 8 feet, they can reach 100 MPH in a dive and their nests are huge, sometimes weighing over a ton!  They are also endangered, largely because of humans.  We all need to focus on better ways for us all to live together on our planet...

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

Day 26 - Almost Twilight

Sometimes the stresses and responsibilities of life make me feel like that 80's ad proclaiming 'Calgon, take me away!'  I don't know exactly where 'away' is, but, maybe it is on a sail boat watching as the sky is beginning to change from day to peaceful twilight... I hope everyone out there reading this is having a peaceful day or night wherever you may be...

Almost Twilight, acrylic on panel, 9"x12"
to purchase, please click here

Me

Days 24 and 25 - "Cad Red" and "Vintage Thunderbird"

I just couldn't make it to my studio yesterday due to the immense amount of snow that I had to help deal with in my area of the world.  But, I made up for it today and painted 2 paintings!  The first one is in response to the last one I did, "Utrect Blue".  This one is titled "Cad. Red." Just look how that thin line of Cadmium red is screaming when it is juxtaposed next to Utrect Blue!

Cad Red, acrylic on panel, 4"x4"
to purchase, please click here

This Vintage Thunderbird is today's entry in the 30 in 30.. I was lovin how the red played off of the 2 different blues (ultramarine blue and this funky blue I have called "Utrect" blue) in my previous two little stripeys and decided to play with those colors using a representational subject...

Vintage cars are a theme I return to from time to time as I love their lines, shapes and details.  And I love painting chrome and headlights.  Go figure.  So, this experiment of painting my subjects on stripey backgrounds is proving to be a lot of fun for me.  I am loving being able to pick a finite number of colors for the background that will "talk" to the subject. 

Vintage Thunderbird, oil and acrylic on panel, 6"x6"
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Day 23 - Utrect Blue

So, this is a simplistic painting for y'all today.  Lots of snow shoveling and then subsequent sitting comatose at my kitchen table eating toast and cookies.... But, I did get myself to the studio, and after spotting a 4"x4" panel, I decided to do a simple stripey based on some colors that I have been pondering for a few days.  First let me say this.  Red is not always red.  And blue can be so many different  blues.  I enjoy seeing two of the most common reds found in paint playing against each other, the reds being Alizarin Crimson and Cadmium Red medium. When strait out of the tube and isolated, you would say, yes, that is definitely red.  But when you put them next to each other in a painting, they are so very different.  Add to that a strange color from my past, Utrect Blue.  Back in college days at Tyler (20 or so years ago) on of the colors required for a painting class I took was called Utrect Blue.  It is this electric blue that I haven't been able to find in any other brand.  And in fact, Utrect doesn't even make it anymore!  Luckily I still have some and it miraculously is still good!  I've been thinking of making a painting using these 3 colors, but wasn't thinking of going so simple.  But due to time and energy constraints, I had to go pretty basic today.  So, that is the story behind this little painting!

Utrect Blue, acrylic on panel, 4" x 4"
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Day 22 - The Moose is Loose

I painted a moose today! This was my first ever moose, so, it was an interesting challenge...  4 days of roosters (I almost typed moosters... funny..) and I was ready for something new... Although I really did enjoy painting all of the roosters.  My favorite was definitely the last one.  Something about the colors and composition.  Anyway, thanks to my cousin Jean for suggesting I paint a moose with a red background.  It was a fun painting to paint and I am getting ready to do another painting all about the color red, so it was a good precursor to this project.

The Moose is Loose, oil and acrylic on panel, 6" x 6"
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Day 21 - He's All That

So, I am lovin' the color palette for this painting (and yesterday's, matter o' fact..) I need to experiment with these colors on a larger scale.  I said I was going to paint 4 roosters, and I did!  There may be more, but I am not promising anything.  I really enjoy painting birds in general, and people seem to like them too which I am thankful for... but, I think there might be moose in the future, as my awesome cousin from Oxford, England plopped the idea into my head... I have been rolling it around, thinking it sounds pretty good... Stay tuned for possible moose..

He's All That, acrylic and oil on panel, 6" X 6"
to purchase, please click here

Day 20 - We Need to Talk

Today I am 2/3 of the way done this 30 in 30...  and let me tell you... I kind of secretly wish it would continue past 30 days.  It is a respite to think, "I HAVE to get up to my studio today", because of the challenge (even though there would be no repercussions if I didn't :)) I love doing the challenge even though it is a total juggling act... Anyway...
Rooster #3 in a series of (at least) 4.  This guy looks like he has something important to talk about, and now... I really like the head on shot of this one... enjoyed painting him!

We Need To Talk, acrylic and oil on panel, 6"x6",
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Day 19 - The Head Bird

Rooster #2 in a series of at least 4 that I am painting... This guy is the Head Bird, at least for now!  Maybe I named him this because I love the close up shot of the head... It is so much fun to see the brush work up close and personal... The texture.. colors... etc...

The Head Bird, oil on panel, 6" x 6"
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The Head Bird, head...

Day 18 - Batman

I decided today that I am going to paint a series of 4 roosters in a similar style as today's. The first in the series is titled Batman for no other reason than it popped into my head.  There must be some connection in some way.  Maybe the blue in the background.  Maybe tomorrow's will be Robin?  Anyway, I am continuing on with my experimentation with stripes as well and having a great time figuring out the properties of acrylic paint, which are frankly very alien to me.

Batman, acrylic and oil on panel, 6"x 6",
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Day 17 - Where Elephants Walk

Here is the final installment of this painting!  Today I went a bit outside my box and mixed it up a bit.... I am struggling to combine styles... to achieve a balance... Did I do it?  I don't know but I can tell you the work I did in the past few days has stretched my mind and knowledge of painting, maybe just a little, but enough to be inspiring!  Feel free to comment and give me your thoughts on the results!

Where Elephants Walk, acrylic and oil on panel, 20" x 20"
to purchase please click here

Day 16 - Where Elephants Walk ~ 2nd installment

Good evening...
So, this painting will be a 3 day painting... I have decided that I need to not stress about getting a painting done, complete and finished every day.  Instead, for this one, I am taking my time and making sure things are right, so to speak.  Last 30 in 30 I was set on completing 30 paintings and in the end there were several that needed more work, if not an entire over haul.  Weekends are also difficult getting to the studio as there are more family things I am doing... so anyway, here is the 2nd installment of Where Elephants Walk.  She will be done tomorrow!

Day 15 - Where Elephants Walk

Today's painting is a continuation of some new techniques I have been developing through this 30 in 30 challenge.  Every time I have participated in the 30 in 30 I learn so many things... about technique...working habits, color mixing, how much my family supports me.... and much more...
On a serious note, elephants turn up in my consciousness rather often and I feel compelled to paint them from time to time.  I feel deeply saddened and angered about their treatment as show animals and about the stupidity and selfishness of the poachers who kill them for ivory.  This elephant is in response to the recent announcement that Ringling Bros. will be retiring their elephants early due to increased pressure and scrutiny of their cruel treatment.  I hope that some day, elephants will just be left to live their lives free from the dangers of man.

Well, also, this girl isn't finished yet.  The painting is 20"x 20", and I just really didn't want to rush it.  Believe it or not, painting stripes is time consuming... not to mention the design aspect of things.  So this entry will be a two part entry.  Tune in tomorrow for part deux!
Btw, thanks Marty Ressler for title idea...:)

Day 14 - My Red Chucks

I didn't get a chance to post this yesterday... With family, and framing and an art opening, I just ran out of time!  But I had a great time painting this one.. As the title implies, these are my own personal pair of Chucks... I love them and want to get several more pairs in different colors.  This, I think is one of the most appealing things about them!  All of the colors!  Anyway, this probably isn't my last painting of Chucks... I think I have a problem... :)

To talk shop a little bit, I painted this one with both acrylic and oil.  I started it with acrylic, painting the striped design in the background. (did this because it dries super fast)  I opted for neutral black, gray and white with just a bit of red and yellow ochre. I love that palette and love how it allows the red shoes to pop.

My Red Chucks, oil and acrylic on panel, 9" x 12"
to purchase, please click here

Day 13 - Emerald Cove

Today I got to work at the Gallery which was a pure delight in that it is such a beautiful space, its just nice to be there.  However, it is a complete change of schedule for me and trying to paint while I am there poses logistical issues... Some of these issues are easy to fix...  But today the air in the gallery was so dry that the paint was drying almost as fast as I was applying it.  I was using acrylic to start and I just am NOT used to the working properties of acrylics.... Oh well.... I was able to work a little more on this at home, but... I really wanted to keep it simple.  Simple lines, simple composition, simple colors....
Also, I had a left over piece of panel from when I cut the panel for the billboard entry a few days ago... It seemed like it needed a hidden cove painted on it...

Emerald Cove, oil on panel, 11" x 20"

Day 12 - Vintage Chucks

Today's entry is for the vintage category of my 30 in 30 challenge.... Vintage Chuck Taylor's, or Converse All Stars, technically...  I have always called them Chucks, which may not be correct, but that is what they are to me... I had a pair in High School that I wore out... and recently have gotten a red pair of low tops like these (that my daughter sometimes borrows...)  Love 'em and would love to get 5 more pairs in multiple colors!

Vintage Chucks, oil on panel, 6" x 6"
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11 - Zebra, Elephant, Bug

This is a painting I am entering into Berks Art Council's contest called "Fast Lane Art".  It is a cool contest that, if your artwork wins, they blow it up to the size of a billboard and display it somewhere along a major highway for awhile... Very awesome!  I designed this just yesterday... the image just popped into my head and from what I could tell, it was passable.... :)  Hope the judges think it will look good as a billboard!
There are several things going into this design.  One main thing is the combination of my Stripey paintings and my impressionistic realist paintings.  This is a first for me.  It was only possible to complete today, because I painted the Stripey portion mostly in acrylic paint, which dries fast.  After that, I took a break to eat lunch and to make sure it was dry, then went back up and painted the animals (the bug is very animal-like to me...) Any touch up the stripes needed I was able to achieve with oil since the rule is you can paint oil over acrylic, but not the other way around.  I am quite happy with the results and I think I will definitely be experimenting with this idea!

Zebra, Elephant, Bug, oil and acrylic, 7" x 20",
not for sale currently

One other thing worth mentioning is that the colors of the stripes are from the Pantone 2016 Spring Palette as seen below... just for fun....

Day 10 - Orange Bus

So, VW got itself into some hot water recently.. and did some pretty despicable things... But ~
I have always liked the look of early VW vehicles... the bug, the rabbit, the bus.... Just so cute!  And the colors.... don't get me started....
Anyway.... Here is a sunny orange VW bus, I am guessing early 60's.... waiting to take me away on a road trip!

Orange Bus, oil on panel, 6"x6",
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Day 9 - Starry Starry Rooster

Corny title, I know.  I don't care... it must be...vvI painted this painting on a black ground today.  The gesso I used was particularly absorbent and I needed to work fast and thick.... In addition, the past few days I have been leaving my photo reference behind about 1/2 way through the painting.  I then finish the painting using cues from the artwork itself, rather than the photo.  These factors made for a very expressive chicken!  This guy fits into my "vintage" category as it's breed is apparently a Silver Duckwing which is considered Old English game... so to me, this sounded pretty vintage... Anyway here it is... :)

Starry Starry Rooster,  oil, 6"x6",
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After taking a picture of it, I noticed how much it reminded me of VanGogh's Starry, Starry, Night.  Below is a closeup of a part that is particularly Van Gogh-ish...

Starry Starry Rooster, closeup

Day 8 - Vintage Plane

Don't have a lot of time to blab today, so with out further ado... "Vintage Plane"... May be able to write more later....

 Vintage Plane., oil on panel, 11" x 14"
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Day 7 - The West Side

I started this painting using a picture I snapped as a passenger driving West on 422 around sunset one day.  The colors the sky was offering were appealing and I decided to try to translate that into a Stripey.  I have been discovering that painting these things large is very different than painting them on a smaller scale.  There are a few aspects of this painting that I want to work on, but the paint is so thick and obviously quite wet that I can't work on it anymore tonight.  I am thinking I need to try these in acrylic.  It just so happens, my wonderful hubby bought me an entire set of professional acrylics for Christmas... Convenient....

West Side,  oil on canvas, 12" x 24",

Here is the painting with top lighting to show the texture

West Side, same painting, slightly different lighting

Day 6 of the 30 in 30 - Lily and Charlotte

I was commissioned to paint this a few months back by a sweet woman who wanted to capture the innocent youth and beauty of her two Grand Nieces.  It is a challenge to paint people who you don't know personally but I was able to spend an afternoon photographing them which gave me an idea of their two different personalities.  I just finished it received final approval from the lady who commissioned me today!  Yay!  For an artist, doing commissions can be a bitter sweet deal.  Creating one of a kind artwork for someone to their specifications can be very gratifying as the final painting holds added meaning.  But it also means that you don't get to be painting your own personal artwork which at times can be frustrating.  But this portrait was special and I had a wonderful time solving all of the problems associated with painting portraits, plus I got to paint white, satiny fabric, so of course I looked at Sargent's work a lot as a reference point.  If you would like to commission me to paint a portrait or other subject, please give me a shout at karenlyn1772@yahoo.com.  I would be happy to work with you!

Lily and Charlotte, oil on canvas, 16" x 20",
sold

Day 5 - Sunset Pagoda

Today's painting is of the Pagoda, a well known landmark in these parts.  It has an interesting history and currently has a small restaurant and hosts community events periodically.  I most like the bell that is in the very top (unseen in my painting)  as it is quite old...  The Pagoda sits atop Mt. Penn overlooking Reading, PA and the surrounding area. It can be seen for miles around.  I have included it in quite a few of my paintings for this reason.. It just kind of shows up in my reference pics from time to time! This painting isn't for sale just yet.. I have plans for it... :)

Sunset Pagoda,  oil on panel 6" x 6",
Not currently for sale

Day 4 - Layers 2

Today has been a looooong day... And consequently, this painting is not quite finished... I know, you are probably thinking, "but how can I tell?".  Well, lets just say that, I can.  I had planned on hanging this in the gallery with yesterday's post, but by last night, I realized that was not going to happen.  There is more to be done in the composition and general paint application.  But, I am posting it anyway, as I have no more time to be working on this today!  (a an aside, I will be on TV tonight talking about Art Plus Gallery and all of the new renovations, business plans and our brand... Should be interesting...)  So, below is Layers 2, in its almost finished state.  And below that is Layers 1 and Layers 2 photoshopped, as I imagined they would hang, in some one's beautiful home!  I will post this painting again, once it is complete...

Layers 2, oil and cold wax, 16" x 20"
nfs... yet

Layers 1 & 2 , as they could look in your home!

Day 3 - Layers 1

Today's painting is one of 2 that I designed to be hung as a pair, or separately.  The original idea came from a much smaller stripey I did awhile ago and posted on instagram. I got so much positive feedback on that one little stripey that I decided to try it bigger.  Due to the dimensions, however, I needed to re-think it on two canvases.
Stripeys evolved from end of the painting session excuses to use up all of the left over paint on my palette.  I often save my paint by freezing it (this keeps oil paint fresh for much longer than just covering it)  But eventually the paint that I have saved over and over just needs to go because I need to start afresh with clean colors.  Nothing wrong with the old paint... just ready to move on.... So, I would grab a small panel, take my palette knife and just start painting it on in a purely abstract way. Some of theses turn out to be pretty interesting!  I like using the palette knife because it frees me from thinking about subject and just lets me talk about paint, color and composition in a purely elements and principles kind of way...  And... it allows me to use paint like a millionaire! (that is, lots of it!)  My recent stripeys are layer upon layer of paint.... in essence paintings over paintings.... It is what makes them so appealing to me!
So, here is Layers 1.  Below it is a close up of some of the juiciness, and below that is what Layers 1 could look like in your house!  Both paintings are custom framed and will be in the new show at Art Plus Gallery, opening January 8th.  Click here for details.

Layers 1, oil and cold wax, 16" x 20", framed
To purchase, please click here

Layers 1  Closeup

Layers 1  ~ Could be in your house!

Day 2 - Foxes and Cookbooks

I am going to try to stick to 3 themes with this 30 in 30.... I may waver a bit if an image just needs to be painted but doesn't quite fit one of the categories, but, the 3 themes are "Stripeys" (you saw one yesterday...), landscapes (could also be sky scapes), and lastly, "Vintage".  Today's painting fits into the Vintage category.  One of my kitchen cabinets is home to many vintage cookbooks, including the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, which possibly every American housewife has owned at some point, the classic Fannie Farmer cookbook (which I took with me when I traveled to Scotland many years ago and which amused Scottish and British girls to no end) and my two Vegetarian Epicure cookbooks which were staples of the early Vegetarian movement...  

I also have these two very cute fox salt and pepper shakers that I got much more recently, and don't qualify as vintage, but... they look so good standing guard over my cookbooks, they needed to be in the painting!  This one was painted with basically a primary color scheme (Red, yellow and blue...) As a point of interest, the 'green' in the background was made using yellow and black!  Just a little paint mixing trick I picked up somewhere along the way... :)

Foxes and Cookbooks, oil on panel, 11"x14",
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Day One of the January 30 in 30 - Anegada Da Vida

Happy New Year!!! I am so excited to be starting this year with a goal of completing 30 paintings in 30 days... Happy happy happy!!!  Anyway, I first want to wish everyone a blessed and healthy New Year, and I want to thank you for coming here to read my posts!  I need to add in that I am terrible at posting unless I have a challenge going on, which I am resolving to get better at also.

Today's painting is a big one (for me..)  It is 24" x 24" and it also represents a very different style.  I call this a Stripey, as I base the design off of horizontal lines of color.  I also am experimenting with a different medium mixed in with oil paints called cold wax.  I like the quality of it when it is dry... a bit more matte than straight oil, plus there is more body.  Oh, and I added in some marble dust to also increase the body.  A good friend of mine suggested I title this one "Enegada Da Vida" as it reminded him of sailing around the British Virgin Isles (an experience I have not had the good fortune of having... but he obviously has...) and I thought, Yes!  The colors I chose came from a photo I took at the beach of some colorful umbrellas, the sand, sea and sky... so he was pretty close.  Just that my beach was OCNJ, not the BVI's... oh well....

"Anegada Da Vida", oil, cold wax and marble dust, 24" x 24",
click here for purchasing information

Here is what this painting would look like in a room...

Close up.... there is a lot of  paint on this guy... lots of surface and texture