Pink Daisies

I had these cut flowers....they were very pretty, in a little basket.  I don't like to paint baskets, but I liked the way the flowers looked so I decided to give it a try.  I spent two days messing on them before I finally wiped the canvas clean.  I guess that is a good lesson.....don't think you are going to be able to paint a painting that you can get excited about if you are painting a subject you are not excited about!  I rearranged the flowers in a vase and added some stoneware....now that I can get into.

Pink Daisies    18x23  o/c

I am very excited to learn that both my entries for the 2013 Celebration competition have been accepted.  It is always a remarkable show with some of the best regional artists!  I am honored to be selected to participate.
Hope some of you will have the opportunity to see the show.

227 FULTON ST E, GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN · (616) 451.2879 ·www.thecelebrationofthearts.com · CONTACT US Celebration of the Arts Update - November 28, 2012 2013 Juror Annouced GARY WAHL is a lifelong artist who works in a wide range of media from photography to cast metals. An Associate Professor of Art at Albion College, he teaches courses in Photography, Digital Art, and Sculpture. His work reflects his interest in the issues of want and need as expressed in human shelter and landscape. As our Celebration 2013 juror, Professor Wahl anticipates viewing works in a wide range of media and approaches dealing with the many facets of spirituality in art. 2013 Entry Form Mailing The 2013 Artist Entry Form should be arriving soon, please check your mailbox next week. Entry forms are also available for download online. Click here >> Celebration of the Arts began in 1972 and is a 13 day festival of the arts. In its 40th year, Celebration has grown to represent one of the largest juried sacred art shows in the country. It features artists from throughout the region in a variety of mediums including oils, acrylic, watercolor, sculpture, fiber, photography, and more. During the 13 day festival there are many individual events including concerts, drama, and art activities.

My Accepted Entries

An Uncertain Angel 20x23 o/c

The Bunny Bowl   16x20 o/c

Moms Mums

Spider Mums are hard to paint, I think.  They are big and graceful and a little "wild and unruly" at the same time.  It's hard to get that balance, but you have to be careful not to have them look like you worked too hard on them!

Moms Mums    15x21  oc

In honor of my Mom.

  May you be at peace in heaven. 

 I love you.

Roses on Black

Roses on Black     20x16  o/c

Last week I painted these roses on white, this week I decided to try it on black.  I saw a recent painting by Jeff Legg....(wow).  He does mostly dark-black backgrounds on his stilllifes and gets an incredible impact with the lights against the darks.  I was inspired to give it a try.  While it may not be a "Jeff Legg", there are things that I feel are successful on it.  Hope you enjoy it!

I found a wonderful square frame for this painting that I did about 3 months ago...only problem, the painting wasn't square!  I wasn't happy with the feel of it as it was so I made some changes and cropped it to fit the frame!
Christmas Cactus  16x16  o/c  framed $500

Today's painting is in response to a "challenge" to paint an all white subject painting.  Obviously I bent the rules a bit.  I had these roses I bought a couple of days earlier and they were losing their vigor.  I needed to paint them before it was too late....so I put the roses in a set up with everything else as white. Well, it was just for fun anyway!  Hope you enjoy!  Thank you for viewing my art!

Roses on White      20x16  oc

The holidays have been wonderful...but busy.  I am so happy to be able to settle down to a painting day!  A cozy fire, my two dogs at my feet, a glass of wine....what more could you ask for?

A couple of months ago I did this painting but things started to bother me with it.  I just couldn't get past the issues that I felt it had.  Today I reworked it quite substantially.  I am much more satisfied with it now.  Hope you don't mind the changes!

Red Roses and Green Grapes     28x22  o/c