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",
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Day 11 - Lady Liberty

In response to the posts I was reading earlier today concerning 9/11 I chose to paint the Statue of Liberty... The meaning of the statue is inherently good and I wanted to put some good energy out there and paint a little bit of hope.  I painted this one very differently than any I can ever remember painting.  I laid it out as usual, but by the time I got to the actual painting, I had about 1 1/2 hours until I had to go to work.  The painting style is therefore very loose and I think has some pretty nice brush work going on.  There are some minor things I want to tweak here and there, but all in all I am happy with the expressiveness in this one.  I will post an updated picture if I decide to change anything.

Lady Liberty, oil on panel, 9"x12" 

Day 9 of the 30 in 30 - The Orange Lifesaver

I have these new paintbrushes that I am just loving... I have been slowly trying different brands, hair types and styles and think I have hit upon a definite winner.  They are made by Grumbacher are the Degas line and are a size 6 flat and a size 6 filbert and they are just great at laying down paint....

O.K., so, about Day 9...
I went for a less complicated composition today and decided on painting a scene I wouldn't mind being in right about now...  Boats and their reflections are endlessly fascinating to look at and to paint.  I also love the orange lifesavers and bumpers!

The Orange Lifesaver, oil on panel, 9" x 12"
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Day 8 - Winter Street in China town

I decided to challenge myself with a more complex composition today... and just finished!  Still have an hour to spare.... I am really enjoying this challenge and am learning a lot about my process... also learning how to leave things alone and not mess around too much with the paint.  It also makes me consider each brush stroke and the color and value of paint I am applying more carefully too.  Well, this one is from a picture I took in Chinatown, Philadelphia over the summer.  I was interested in the building in the background and repeating shapes.  I also enjoyed painting the two figures as it is not often that I include a figure in my paintings. I must do this more.

Winter Street in Chinatown, oil on panel, 9" x 12"
to purchase this painting, please click here

Out for a walk

When I think about some of the most relaxing activities I can engage in in my life, walking my dogs is definitely top of the list.  I don't get out with them as often as I used to as they are both 13 and one has trouble walking for long distances.  But when I am walking around the neighborhood or woods with my pooches, things seem just a little bit better!  This painting was an experiment with dramatic lighting and shadows while trying to capture a candid view of two dogs out for a nice trot.  

Out for a Walk,  9" x 12", oil on panel
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Teacup Kitty

I took part in an animal rescue benefit show the other weekend and painted a few kitties for the occasion.  This is an adorable little kitty who fits neatly into a bowl, but after I painted her, it looked to me like she was curled up in a teacup, hence the title, Teacup Kitty.  This painting is framed in a beautiful, solid wood, black and gold frame, adding about 5" total to each dimension.  She comes ready to hang.  Hope you like her!  If you are interested in giving this girl a forever home, click the link below the picture to go to my DPW page.. Thanks!

Teacup Kitty, oil on panel, 9" x 12", framed

Two landscapes

Just over the Hill, oil on panel, 9" x 12"

So happy about the 3000 visitor status.  I know it's not much compared to some, but it is a milestone for me and milestones are important!  

I have been painting landscapes and farm scenery for the past month or so and these two paintings came out of this group.  There is a funny story behind them, actually, which has nothing to do with the paintings themselves.  I like to go on what I call picture walks and picture drives and often my son likes to go along with me.  During these times, I photograph whatever is interesting, hoping for some good reference photos to paint later on.  During this one drive I took in the Oley area, my son was along, enjoying himself, keeping me company. We had been out for over an hour and he really needed to use the bathroom.... Well, we were pretty much no where near a bathroom, so I pulled over to the side of the road (kind of a secluded area) and said this is as good as it gets, do you mind just going here alongside the road?  He was a bit embarrassed, but nature was calling so he tried to be as inconspicuous as possible.  Wouldn't you know, a car came along.  I did the first thing that came to mind and quickly started randomly snapping pictures, trying to draw attention to myself... 'Just taking pictures, nothing to see here!'  Here is the funny thing... the pictures I took, while not really paying attention to the subject, turned out to be some of my favorite of the day! You just never know.  So, maybe I shouldn't have told you that, but there it is.  These landscapes were born of a potty break!  Hope you enjoy!

Brown's Mill Trees, oil on panel, 9" x 12"

Quaint farm cottage

Yes, you read correctly.  Quaint...  Some times titles for paintings elude me and at others the painting names itself.  Just depends, I suppose.  This one, I couldn't really come up with anything.  So, Quaint farm cottage it is.  Anyhow, I painted this one using a very bright under painting to see how that would affect the final painting.  Kind of liked it.  Going to keep on experimenting with this for awhile, I think.  So, the first picture is the final painting and the second pic is the underpainting.  As you can see, there is definitely a difference.  Enjoy!

Quaint Farm Cottage,  9" x 12", 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