Hydrangeas and Pears

Hydrangeas and Pears    16x40   oil on canvas

This was a bit different for me....it was painted over a dark underpainting and built up.  I used more scumbling technique and less of the transparent colors that I normally work with.   Because of the dark underpainting the transparencies would not have worked the way I use them.  I needed the opacity to cover what was underneath.  

I posted a version earlier but decided it still needed some work.  It felt too dark and like the two halves weren't connected.  I added more lighter scumbling throughout and created a better "bridge" between the right and left side.  Because it is such a long and narrow canvas it needs a strong path to lead the eye all the way across that expanse and back again.  It has been a challenge...but fun!

Photographing this painting was almost as challenging!  Being rather large and with so much dark, it was difficult getting accurate color and detail without getting glare.  I think this version is pretty close (at least on my computer screen).

The second day into this painting I discovered that I had brought a stow away in on the flowers.  I'm not particularly fond of spiders, but I felt guilty because, here he was just minding his own business out-of-doors and suddenly his world is shaken and he is dumped somewhere he had no intention of going.  Hmmm...I let him be trying to decide what to do with him and the next morning (much to my dismay), he had disappeared.  The only thing worse than finding a spider in the house, is finding a spider in the house and then losing it!  I'll be feeling things crawling up my leg for days! lol

Angel Valentine

Angel Valentine

16x42 oc

It's late for Valentine's Day but the red roses and the little angel made me think of symbols of love so the title seemed appropriate.  

I've been working more abstractly in my background areas, bringing the eye of the viewer through the painting using detail and sharp edges.  I love working this way and will continue to practice until I get it where I want it.

I hope you enjoy my belated Valentine's gift!

Thank you for watching my painting progress!

Picotee and Clementines

Picotee and Clementines

 16x20   oil on canvas

I saw these beautiful frilled picotee roses at the florist and fell in love with them.  I decided to throw some "pizazz" in the mix and try a pink and orange palette.  I wasn't sure how it would work but I really love the colors together!  It's soft and delicate and wild and exuberant all at the same time!

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

Fruit and Flowers

Fruit and Flowers    20x16  o/c

I had a geranium from last year that I've kept indoors all winter.  It surprised me this week with a lovely blossom!  What a treat when it is 20 degrees and snowing outside.  The big healthy green leaves were just about as pretty as the flower!  I guess I've got Spring fever.

The Marble Jar

I had so much fun today!  I just liked the way the painting went.  No big struggles, no frustration.  

After I was done painting I took my dogs for a walk in the blizzard...LOVE to walk in a blizzard.  Weird, huh? As long as I'm dressed warm enough (and I've walked enough blizzards to know how to dress!). It is so exhilarating.  I feel a little like "man against nature". Like I might not come back alive...haha!  (Well that might be a bit dramatic) ;)

I titled the painting The Marble Jar, not because that is the star of the show, but because I've wanted to paint that marble jar for the longest time.  It just never seemed to fit in my set ups-until today.  Maybe that's why I had so much fun?  I really enjoyed finally painting that marble jar!

Thanks for viewing my art!  Have a great week!

The Marble Jar    24x19 o/c

Red Amaryllis

Is it done now???

Well this is day 4 of working on the Red Amaryllis.  I think it's done.  Maybe it needs some "tweaking" here and there.  I have to step away from it a little while to get a fresh impression to further judge.  I'd be very appreciative of your thoughts.  It's been fun sharing this project with you all.  I hope you've enjoyed it as well.  Thanks for following!

Red Amaryllis    36x20  o/c

Red Amaryllis (step 2)

Red Amaryllis (step 2)
last tuesday I started a large painting of red amaryllis...I said I would post it in stages as I worked on it and built it up.  Today's post is day 2 of painting on it.  I think it's coming along.....

Red Amaryllis (step 2)  approximately 20x36 o/c

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

 This morning I went in search of flowers to paint...the florist was closed and Meijers had a lot of really awful "glow-in-the-dark" colorized flowers that I think are just gaudy.  Anyway, not something I wished to paint!  I settled on a small bouquet of red roses. I had so much fun with the larger one last time so I decided to go with that size again.

Red Roses and Green Grapes   24x30    oil

I took on a real challenge today!  Not only is the canvas pretty large...24x30, but I also worked with a very different color palette for me.  I wanted to express these soft hydrangeas with a color palette that would be neutral enough to keep the mood very restful.  It was fun to attempt the challenge!  I hope you like what I have done with it!

Soft White Hydrangeas   24x30 oil

The flowers in my gardens are almost done for this season.  There are a few Mums left, but even those are getting pretty straggly looking.  I Found enough to put together this set up and added the fruit for some color.

The Bunny Bowl       16x20 o/c

Yesterday was a beautiful day to go plein air painting!  PAAWM had their regular scheduled paint out and this time I was able to go and the weather was perfect!  The location was at the home of one of the plein air artists.....24 acres of woods and water!  There was no limit to the painting options.  I haven't painted a landscape in a while.  I've been focusing on the still lifes...but it was fun to get out and do a landscape again!  The owner of the property is Joy, so I named the painting, "Place of Joy".  Seemed appropriate.

Place of Joy      20x16  o/c

I tried something a little different in yesterdays painting in regards to color harmony.  I've been studying other artists color choices and thought I'd try a very limited color range on this one.  I rather like the neutrals but I feel the red is a bit too similar throughout.  It has been a good study though.  The neutral tones appeal to me, I think I'll try this again with something other than the red.

Red Mums in a Green Vase   20x20

A similar color scheme as the painting I did last tuesday.  I lightened the overall values in the piece.  I used different kinds of flowers, but so many of the fall flowers are yellows and golds.  I had a few Zinnias left from the garden and they added some real vibrancy to the focal point.  The copper tea kettle was fun!

Zinnias and Marigolds           20x24  o/c