Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Fluffy Pink Frosting

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I made it! I always start off each year with the intention to post a painting every day. Of course that falls by the way pretty fast. So the next goal is to surpass the previous year. I failed on the that as well. My final goal has been to at least make 200. This painting makes the 200 mark. 
6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel.click to bid.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

A Pear of Gossips

Pears seem to last longer than some of the fruit I buy. They develop scars after a while which seems to give them more character.
6 x 12 oil on canvas to bid click here

I painted this on a ground made up of paint left on my palette. Once I worked on a pink ground that I took to a John Preston workshop. He made the comment that he had never seen someone work on that color. With his help I produced a very nice painting. I don't know if he decided to try it of not as his technique works very well without any tinkering.

I next roughed in the pears before I did the background. It is easier to adjust the background to fit the main interest than the other way around.



Saturday, December 28, 2013

Orange Peel

I bought more Clementines I started this on the white of the canvas alla prima. 
6 x 12 oil on canvas 

Friday, December 27, 2013

Wedding Dress

I have admired artist who paint fabric folds so well. That is what prompted me to attempt this painting. I started this using ultramarine blue and burnt sienna as a ground. I then wiped off the highlights. I worked in the opaque colors letting the edges fade into the background. 
6 x 12 alla prima Oil on Canvas to bid click here

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Tow Head

This little tow head was a real challenge. It took several attempts to get this one.
Watercolor 10 x 12

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Snowy Day at Rodeo


Sun on the snow is always a great way to add lots of color
8 x 8 oil on canvas on panel


Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Two Pears One Blue Plate

I started this with a gray ground with the intent of the gray showing through in places. Again I got carried away with the details.
6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel to bid click here

Monday, December 23, 2013

Past Their Prime

I ran out of Clementines and the weather here is icy and snowy, so what I have in the refrigerator will have to do. I found these in the back of the refrigerator and they may not be good to eat, but they make nice painting subjects.
6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel

Sunday, December 22, 2013

One Pear Flawed

This little pear was blemished and that gave it more character. 
6 x 6 oil on Ampersand panel

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Clouds over the Skunk River


This is a repeat of a previous painting. I cropped the top off.
6 x 8 oil on canvas on panel to bid at auction 

Friday, December 20, 2013

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Bird Feeder after the Snow

Snow shadows give me the opportunity to play with colors warm against cool.
6 x 6 oil on Ampersand panel

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Kelly's Cupcakes and Ribbon

I bought another cupcake from Kelly's. I guess I could make my own but then I wouldn't have time to paint. The cupcake would be less inspiring if I had to do all the work.
6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel to bid at auction

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

2 Mules and a Buckskin

This was the final. The client pointed out how the mules and horse looked unnatural. In the photo they were waiting at the fence to be fed. After adding the fence it was OK'd.


This is the latest update. The client commented that she did not care for the background and this is what I made up. In the following painting the mules got lost in the background.


Commission for Christmas. This may not be the final. I will do a few details 
16 x 20 oil on Raymar panel


rough sketch. The mule on the left was changed again. I was more concerned with the sizes. I believe the mules were larger. 




Saturday, December 7, 2013

Addison

My daughter's dog, Addison. This is her usual position. 
6 x 8 oil on canvas panel

Friday, December 6, 2013

Lake Geode Ripples

I like to walk the trails at Lake Geode but not carrying my french easel. This is from a reference shot. 
8 x 16 oil on Raymar panel 


Thursday, December 5, 2013

Single Pear

If you are in Iowa City this weekend stop by the student union for the Thieves Market. I will be set up with lots of new paintings. I just finished this one in time for the show.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

White Dog on White

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I gave a class today at the Fort Madison Art Center. It is a drop in class so we never know how many students to expect. Being the Christmas shopping season only one student showed. She had this great photo of her white dog on white sheets. I loved the photo so we decided to both paint the white on white as a challenge. I wish I had a photo of her painting to post as her folds were better than mine.
9 x 12 oil on canvas. 

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Illinois Barn

I found the weeds in front of this barn interesting and challenging. A lot of this painting was creative license and I am still thinking about it.
16 x 8 oil on Raymar panel.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Haybales Demo

This is the demo from a class I am co teaching with Carroll Michalek. We have another one scheduled for this Wednesday. This was a quick one hour demo. I have painted better and worse. I just hope they walked away with something they could use.
9 x 12 oil on canvas.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Saturday, November 30, 2013

White Rabbit in Winter 2013

With the cold weather coming and the holidays, I feel like painting white rabbits in snow. It is fun to make up the scene and play with whites.
6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Cutie Peeled

I am nursing a cold. I am not too sick to paint this before I eat it. 
8 x 6 oil on canvas on masonite panel

Monday, November 25, 2013

Clouds over the Far Bank

Painted for the Daily Paintworks challenge to paint clouds.
12 x 6 oil on canvas.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Three Green Pears

I had wiped off a cloud painting. These pears were easier. I just did not want another failure.
9 x 12 oil on canvas on masonite

Monday, November 18, 2013

Two Pears

It was between this and the apples. I thought maybe the apples might be soft so I chose these pears. I think next time I may try those red pears.
6 x 8 oil on canvas

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Three Lambs in the East Pasture

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These lambs were from the photos I took in the spring. 
6 x 12 oil on canvas

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Taylor's Red Glasses

I have often shied away from painting glasses, but just couldn't resist these. 
6 x 6 oil on canvas

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Horse on Chalk Ridge Road

There is a stable on Chalk Ridge Road and I will stop along the road and take photos. This is painted from the photo references 
9 x 12 oil on canvas on masonite panel

Monday, November 11, 2013

Popcorn on Movie Night

Nothing interesting on TV so my husband is picking up a movie and I made the popcorn.
 I purchased the bowl from a fundraiser and the popcorn from the Boy Scouts. The current exhibit at the our local art center in Fort Madison, Iowa benefits the local homeless shelters and food banks. If you live nearby stop by and purchase a one of a kind bowl for charity.
6 x 6 oil on canvas click to bid

Friday, November 8, 2013

Don't Let Her Out

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This is my granddaughter's cat who often stares outside. She was a stray and now has a comfortable existence and the only worries she has is the kids wanting to pick her up and pet her. I wonder if she misses the life she had before.
8 x 8 oil on panel.  

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Mount Vernon Iowa at the Quarry

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I have painted this in oil. Last night I taught a class in pastel and did this in the class. 
Pastel on Le Carte paper 10 x 13

House with a Blue Roof

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This is a driveway off a country road. I ended up working from a photo because a sign across the road said no trespassing. Once I had set up on a road to a field thinking the farmer would not be using it that time of year. I had just finished setting up my french easel when the farmer showed up with his tractor pulling something. I apologized and moved on.
9 x 12 oil on canvas

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Three Pink Tutus

I took a photo of these three, Photoshopped their positions, then added the tutus and made up the background. This is pushing me out of my comfort zone.
9" x 12" oil on canvas on masonite panel.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Rodeo Park Fall Walker

I was plein air painting in Rodeo Park Saturday when this man came walking by on the trail. He graciously consented to let me take his picture on the bench. He may not recognized himself and I changed the color of his hat. The bench really needed something and putting people in paintings give them scale and personality.
6" x 12" oil on canvas panel.
I painted the above on preprimed canvas that I then glue to masonite panels. This give me the option to crop the image. I dropped this into Photoshop to see what it would look like as a 6 x 6.

This is the other half as a 6 x 6. I think I might like them as cropped images. I may revisit that in a week.
6 x 6 oil on canvas.


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Fall at Wilson Lake

This time of year gives me a chance to work on my oranges and yellows. I have painted this same scene in winter.
9 x 12 oil on canvas on masonite panel. to bid

This was painted when the leaves were off the trees. There were a few brown leaves on the deciduous trees. At that point the evergreen's needles were getting that deep brown. A sort of barren landscape before the first snow.


Sunday, October 27, 2013

Drill Team

The wonderful red hair and blue uniform was so striking.
6 x 8 oil on canvas on panel

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Bicycle Bridge in Amana

I painted this for the Fresh Paint 2013 plein air event in Amana, Iowa. There is a great bicycle path and the tourist center will rent out the bicycles. The day was kind of overcast most of the time. 
8 x 16 oil on Ampersand panel.