Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning!

I've had so many "irons in the fire" lately..I've had very little time to paint!! I miss the painting but need to get some of the Spring projects done so the studio just has to wait for the moment. sigh........

I am very proud to announce that I have been blessed with acceptance into two recent juried competitions.  Both events are major regional and/or Statewide shows.  I feel honored to be a part of them both!

Three pieces have been accepted to Festival 2013 in Grand Rapids, Michigan

The event this year is being hosted by the UICA Gallery 

http://uica.org/event/fesitval-2013-regional-arts-exhibition/

Berries Galore

Berries Galore  received a Festival award! Thank you to juror Larry Blovits for selecting my piece!

Also honored to be a part of the show:

Red Amaryllis II

Autumn's Glow

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Daffodils at Tea

Daffodils at Tea

17x17 oc

I've been waiting for a month now to have some flowers in my gardens to paint!  It has been such a cold Spring.  Finally the Daffodils have shown their cheerful faces!  Welcome Spring!!

Autumn's Glow

I feel that I am becoming a bit more comfortable with working the landscape from photo reference.  I am still anxiously awaiting Spring flowers however, so I have some garden flowers to paint!

Autumn's Glow

20x16   o/c

Buck Creek (revisited)

Thank you my artist friends!

Last week I posted this landscape asking for comments and suggestions from you all.  Thanks to my wonderful (and VERY talented) friends I made some adjustments to this painting that I think made it a stronger painting....your suggestions were much appreciated and enjoyed!  What a terrific opportunity to learn from you all.  I hope you enjoy the changes I made. :)

Buck Creek  20x16 oc

Cattails

Another attempt at a landscape using a photo reference.  This one is sort of "playful" I think.  The tangle of cattails is the main focal point, but they seemed to feel best when I kept them to a loose abstraction of shapes. 

It is much more of a struggle for me painting from photos than it is from life.  I feel that I want to become more accomplished at it though.  Sometimes it is so much more practical than trying to paint from life.  It is good to be able to do both I think.  So I will continue to practice. 

 I'm waiting for some Spring flowers and then I will do another still life....will Spring EVER get here??

Cattails     16x20  oc

Buck Creek

I did two things today that I have not done in a long time.  I painted a landscape.  And I painted a landscape from a photo reference.  It felt pretty foreign to me when I started..it took me three starts before I felt I was on to something worth continuing with!

Let me know what you think...I could use the feedback.

Thanks for viewing my art.

Buck Creek   20x16  oc

Mom's Mums

Mom's Mums  20x16  oc

West Michigan Regional Art Competition

My painting The Marble Jar has been accepted to the West Michigan Regional Competition!

The show is now open to the public....follow the link for open times as well as a full listing of the artists in the show.  Hope you have an opportunity to see the show!

West Michigan Regional Art Competition

The Marble Jar   24x19  oc  $1000

West Michigan Regional Art Competition

Satsuma Pitcher

I loved the wispy, graceful tufts of grasses that flowed through this set up.  Combined with the elegant detail and graceful shape of the pitcher it was my goal to to lend a sense of sophistication to this painting. 

 I've been practicing at creating a painting with a dark and dramatic arrangement that still has life and interest in the darks.  I know I have a tendency to go "too" dark.  What's your thoughts?

Satsuma Pitcher

25x18 o/c

Roses and White Teacup

Today I played...... pushing the extremes of the shapes and colors.  It's a bit different than my usual style but I had fun with it.  It started as a painting I had painted about 3 months ago. I felt there were some things that I didn't like so I decided to rework it.  Before long I had gotten involved in a much more radical change than I had planned, but I'm not unhappy with the results.

Thank you for viewing my art....I appreciate all the support and wonderful comments you have given over the past year.  I am enjoying blogging and hope you are enjoying my posts.

Roses and White Teacup  20x16  o/c