Day 7 ~ And The Winner Is......

Yippee! I drew the first winner of my Holiday Painting Giveaway today!
And without further ado, the winner issss...
Anne Petrick of Reno, Nevada!

Congratulations! I love that this painting will be going to a good home! And I love that a friend from across the country will enjoy this little long horn. :)  I will be priority mailing this off Monday morning. Thank you to everyone who entered this weeks contest!  :) And don't forget, look out tomorrow morning at my website for next weeks new giveaway painting!  I think you're gonna like it...

Today is also Day 7 of my Holiday Painting Spree!  (I think I was a little nuts when I planned on doing all of this off in the weeks around all of the holidays!..)  I have a new mini series of birds... Chickadees!  They are the cutest little birds to paint with their black capped round heads and sweet little faces.  I am also having fun experimenting with the background.  I used both paint brushes and palette knives in this painting to create all of the different textures in both the bird and the background. I love the effect!
If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please visit my Daily Paintworks gallery here.

Little Captain, oil on panel, ready to hang
To purchase, please click here

ALSO... Today is Small Business Saturday....Artists ARE a small business!
Thank you for reading and check back tomorrow! I will be unveiling my new painting giveaway, which I think you will like...  Don't forget to enter here, starting Sunday!

Day 19 of the 30 in 30 - Blue Marble

Today's painting is a miniature... harder to paint than you might think, especially if you are like me and like using big brushes.  The panel measures 4"x4", however, I will be offering this one framed and ready to place in your home... :) So why did I choose a miniature painting?  Well, I had to paint 2 paintings today due to the fact that I have a very busy schedule tomorrow and don't think I will have time to paint... ugh.   But that's o.k., because I did get 2 done today!  I am out of breath (figuratively) and feel like I spent the better part of the day in the studio.  Oh well... not many other things I can think of I'd rather do!  Today's painting is of a marble... Glass orbs are fantastic to paint.  More detail in this tiny object than most other things...

Blue Marble, oil on panel, framed, 4"x4"
to purchase, please click here

Lone Tree

One more landscape study for ya...  Again, I am enjoying playing with slightly thicker paint and trying to keep my colors pure. I love the shapes and color that landscapes afford!

Lone Tree, 6"x6", oil on panela

5 trees

If you are interested, read my previous post for my recent thoughts on Landscapes.  These little studies I am doing are helping me to see shapes and colors and design my compositions.  This is a line of trees that caught my fancy for their mis-matched shapes and their silhouette against the bright blue sky.

5 trees, 6"x6", oil on panel

Down a country road

Lately I have been fascinated by the landscape.  More accurately, I have been admitting to myself just how much I like looking at our beautiful planet.  There are endless scenes to paint and amazing compositions and color combinations everywhere I look.  I can't drive 1/4 mile without wishing I could take pictures of what I am seeing to review later for future paintings!  Anyway.

This little one is a landscape of some country road near my house.  I liked the abstractness of the composition, the colors and I particularly enjoyed applying the paint as thickly as I did.  Hope you like!

Down a Country Road, 6"x6", oil on panel

Happy New Year!

As you may have guessed (If anyone is even following me anymore!) I am not a big social media person (yet...)  It is hard for me to find a block of time to sit down and upload pics and post them, etc.. BUT, I have been painting lots, and even selling some of my creations!  December was a great month for sales for me and I am looking forward to a great 2014!  I wanted to post some of my latest paintings which will be in the January/February show at the Gallery.  The opening is Friday, January 10th from 5-8 and all are welcome!  Enjoy!

Fields at rest, 14" x 18", oil on panel

Secrets behind the Gallery, 9" x 12", oil on panel

American Foursquare, 6" x 6", oil on panel

The Red Mansard, 10.5" x 10.5", oil on panel

White House in Fleetwood, 6" x 6", oil on panel

My Elsie, 8" x 8", oil on panel

Moo-net

I am always trying new things in my studio.  Sometimes they work out, others don't.  Dreama Tolle Perry is an artist I have been looking at recently and I have been trying to figure out her technique.  She uses almost all transparent oil colors and has a method in which she applies them onto the canvas that gives the paintings vibrancy and light.  That is what this cow painting is about.  There are things about the painting I like and others I am not necessarily pleased with, but all in all, good learning experience...  When I finished this little girl, I thought it kind of looked Monet-ish, hence the name, Moo-net..... I know... very cheeky, but what do you want?  Anyway, I also love using this online slide show maker to show the painting's progression... Hope you like!

Moonet, 9"x12", oil on panel, 2013

October Newsletter

My October Newsletter is out!  I am running a special deal on commissions this month (and into November)  If you ever thought about commissioning me to paint a pet portrait, now is a great time to do it.  Pet portraits make wonderful gifts!  Think ahead to surprise a loved one!

If you are not a subscriber, you can read my newsletter here... http://eepurl.com/GP1An

If you'd like to become a subscriber, click here... http://www.karenweberfineart.com/subscribe.html
I also always try to include tips about oil painting and information about upcoming art shows and events!
Thanks and enjoy this rainy day!

Unlikely pear, oil on canvas, 6"x6", $75.00

Pecking order

Yesterday was the Wine and Cheese Fundraiser... It was an elegant and fun afternoon with lots of guests, music, appetizers, wine, cheese and of course ART.  I thank everyone who came out as well as my hubby for all of his help.  I wouldn't be able to do all of the art that I do if it weren't for Kevin.
The painting of the 3 girls below was from a picture I took at Lake Tobias Wildlife park. As with most places, there was a mix of people walking around but, I guess because of the location, there were lots of Amish people who were tourists just like me.  They were as interesting to look at as the animals were! ( I know that sounds bad, but I mean it in the most respectful of ways, people. I know Amish people aren't animals...) Anyway, I thought I'd show the photo to demonstrate the artistic license that I took with the painting.  Sometimes part of a photo is just right but others parts don't work.  The girls tickled my fancy as two of them were barefoot, and they were just so pretty with their cotton dresses and matching hair.  The sunlight was pretty, glinting off their heads also.

Pecking Order, Oil on panel, approximately 8"x8" framed

$75.00 at my website

Chicken Chat

I didn't exactly lie.  I am sorry blog-a-sphere.  I have been ultra busy and finally have a moment to post a pic.  (And the energy...)  In my last post I promised a chicken a day for at least 10 days and then the very next day I didn't post!!!  Bad form...  Any way, today, a chicken for you.  And  just to make my apologies sincere, its actually 2 chickens!  This one, my friends, is one of my favorites.  Hope you like!

Chicken Chat, 6"x6", oil on panel

Click here to purchase.

Summer Roses

So, I have been painting.  I just haven't been doing a lot of posting.  We are getting ready to go on vacation, I am busy with my garden and summer stuff, and time just seems to get away from me.  Today, I made some collages of the rose paintings I have been working on for the past few weeks.  These paintings were done from photos I took of the beautiful rose bush that is in my back yard. It blooms perfusely (sp?) in spring for about 2 weeks and then its done until mid to end of summer.
The first 4 paintings are on 6"x6" panels.  I recently ordered these panels because I know of other artists who paint on panel and wouldn't paint on anything else.  They definitely take some getting used to as they react completely differently to the brush.  The paint has to be a different consistency as well, and after painting on several of these panels, I came to realize that you must also put medium down on it first and then paint wet into wet.  Geeze.  For those of you who use oil paint, I hope this makes sense.  For those of you who don't, you may choose to disregard all of this nonsense.  Regardless, I did come up with some nice rose paintings, and well, frankly, one or two I don't like as much.  But you can't love, love, love every single painting you make now then can you.

Summer rose collage.  Each painting is done on separate 6"x6" gessoed panels

2 summer roses.  Both are oil on canvas

Antique Gas Pump

This painting is of an antique gas pump that sits behind the Art Plus Gallery in Reading, Pa.  I saw it the first time I parked out back and luckily had my camera in the car with me.  After I took pictures of it, I told one of the artists who was gallery sitting at the time, and she said... "yes, we have had many people offer to buy it from us, but it is not for sale!"  It is an attractive 'thing', I guess to many people.  Is it nostalgia? Or maybe the colors and rust...  Not sure what, but when I posted this painting along with the strawberries from last post and the Green tomatoes, and asked people which painting was their favorite... Guess what?   This one won!

Antique Gas Pump behind Art Plus Gallery,  6" x 6", oil on canvas

No more daffodils

Well, technically, I may paint more daffodils, but around here, in eastern PA, the daffodils are just about over for spring.  Tulips are in full bloom around here now, and spring is just moving right along!  Happy May!  Which I can't believe because I swear, March was just yesterday, but apparently April happened in there somewhere.  Anyway, here is another daffodil painting.  I actually finished this last week, however, I have been busy preparing for the opening at Art Plus Gallery, which is Tomorrow!  In addition to painting, I have been making frames for my artwork.  Not exactly my thing, but you do what you must when you are just starting out.....  I will post some pictures of my artwork at the show.  There are 3 paintings that made it in and I am excited to meet some of the other artists tomorrow night.  Now, without further ado, Daffodil.

Delicate Beauty, 5" x 7", oil on canvas

I didn't realize that painting this one was going to be more challenging than the first.  But it was...  Painting yellow, which is not really yellow, but some pale, delicate version of it (as in the petals) and then getting the multiple shades of ... salmon (?) in the front part of the flower.....  well, challenging, as I said.  Color keeps me coming back.

The Daffodils are blooming!

So the flowers are in full swing around my house.  I am so grateful for flowers and so thankful for Spring.  It is by far the most magical time of year and I wish it would last forever!  I am lucky to have many kinds of flowers planted around my very old house.  I imagine that the previous owners would get flowers every Mothers day or Easter and plop them in somewhere on the property, because they are all over the place.  Daffodils are a favorite, because they usher in Spring and are so bright.  Here is a new painting, done in the looser style I talked about in previous posts. Still trying to perfect this...

Daffodil, 6"x6", oil on canvas

Little garage

Another house, except its not.... It is someone's pretty little garage on a side street that I never realized is... Red, White and Blue!    The small building behind it has a simple green roof that contrasts nicely.  I always like to look at this little garage when I pass by for its simplicity and the owner's upkeep.

"Red, White and Blue garage", 4" x 4", oil on canvas

As you may have noticed, I am experimenting with a looser style of painting.  After doing the dog portrait from a few posts back, I felt like I needed to loosen up a bit.  The next few paintings will probably be similar. 

Things I like to put together

These still lives are a series of objects that I bought at the goodwill, or commandeered from my kids toys, or just simply like the way they look and keep them around so I can see them every now and then.

 One of my current favorites.  Little buddha, 6"x6".  I was just reading about Buddha this morning.  The last buddha spoke about reincarnation and said that that would be his last incarnation because he had finally realized that the soul is but an illusion.  Something to ponder.  If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

 Cruet and Vase; Nuts and Marbles, 8"x8"

 I currently have stacks like this in my studio of my paintings.  I guess I will just have to start selling them or something.  I wish there was an easy way to draw people to know about my paintings.  I am such a novice at the marketing and business aspect of being an artist.  I suppose, I better start learning and employing the knowledge soon, otherwise, I am going to run out of room...

I am currently trying on different color pallettes for my paintings.  I am often inspired by the color collections you can pick up for free in the paint section of any local hardware store.  I keep them around so that when I start a new painting I can look through them for ideas on palletes to set just the right tone. 

More little paintings of fruit

I completed these two paintings this week to continue with the small paintings of fruit theme.  Lemons are just as nice to paint as pears and I think they look pleasing together...

Pear and Lemon on stripes, acrylic on canvas, 6" x 6", 2012

Lemon and Pear, acrylic on canvas, 8" x 10", 2012