Day 27 - Learning to Fly

So, being an artist is just like being any other kind of person. When you get sick as a dog, many things you want to be doing come to a screeching halt. This happened to me this weekend and as such, the 30 in 30 I am participating in has taken an abrupt back seat to concentrating on getting better. On another note, I found this great website called 'Thought Questions' and thought I'd share a question that resonates with me. 

The question is "If you woke up tomorrow with no fear, what would you do first?"  So many people responded with answers that included flying in one way or another - flying to Europe, skydiving, taking a plane to a different country...  After painting this, the title seemed appropriate.  It seems we all want to get away, but fear is keeping us tethered to the ground.  Dreaming of birds, dreaming of the sky... Learning to fly.  This painting is up for bid on my page of the Daily Paintworks auction.  To place a bid, click here, or the link below the picture.

Learning to Fly, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to go to my DPW auction, click here

Day 21 - Half and Then Some

Today's is another painting done on an odd sized panel - 4"x18" to be specific.  I am enjoying cropping images to focus more on the negative space and look at the subject in a different way.  This one is also of my daughter, but her hair is not black... Just changed it here as it needed the intense value change, in my opinion. I am excited to see these narrow ones framed. :)

Half and Then Some, oil, 4"x18"
to purchase, please click here

Day 11 of the 30 in 30 - Discovery

Today's painting is a nice representation of what I was hoping would happen during this challenge... a complete dialog of experimentation concerning subject, technique and genre.  I once again used a reference photo of my daughter for this painting, but as you may know, she has blond hair.  So, I took some liberties there as the painting seemed to be calling for a dark haired dame.  The background was originally the farmer's field on that fateful, steamy day that my kids went with me on a photo shoot... but I wanted the moody blues instead of the Pennsylvania greens that dominate my surrounding landscape.  I also wanted to abstract the background and blend it with the figure some.... and by the way, her face is intentionally obscure...  I am hoping that you will see what you need to see in her by not emphasizing any one feature.
Discovery is the name of this painting for several reasons... I am so happy to be discovering new techniques, the human form and the blending of genres (figurative/abstract/realism), and this young woman is discovering new worlds through reading.. and this book happens to be a copy of the Tao te Ching, the ancient book of The Way.  Lots of discovery going on....

Discoveries, oil, 24"x24"
to purchase please click

14 - Zahaira

Today I revisited yesterday's theme.. but focused on just the one woman... She was my favorite part of yesterday's painting (Leaving the Beach) and I just wanted to explore her some more.  I decided to use a triad color scheme of red orange - blue green - and red violet but I started it  by painting an under painting of largely complementary colors... I included pictures of the different stages of the painting below... I have done something similar to this on several other paintings... and then leave some of the underpainting showing through in the final painting.  I like the effect of this technique, and think I need to experiment more with it!  Btw... look up the meaning of the name Zahaira... (you can find it here) it just popped in my head when thinking of a title for this one... I like what it means...

Zahaira, oil on canvas, 12" x 24"
to purchase this painting, please click here

Day 11 - Expecting

Good evening!  Today's painting is a bigger one... consequently, I am actually not sure if it is quite finished yet... I took the reference picture for this when my family and I went to the shore this summer.  Actually I took about 10 pictures of this woman, pretty sure I would be painting her some day... Today was the day.  I may need to do some touching up/adjusting... but for now, I must stop and post her, as I have a gallery opening to get to! In addition, the photo I took of the painting is bleached out on top!  Will definitely re post a new and better picture of it tomorrow.  Hope you have a great Friday night!

Expecting, oil on canvas, 12" x 24"
Not for sale... yet

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