One Off the Vine

This is the final painting for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I just figured out that I did not post correctly and on Leslie's blog I am one day behind. This is typical of me I don't read the directions just look at all the pretty pictures. 

We are asked to post what we learned from this experience, I found that information from Carroll Mickalek when we were hanging for our upcoming show in Keokuk, (self promotion). 

I have been blogging and posting for a couple of years and actually started out doing one a day. That is until I figured out that you don't have to post every day, which is good because I would sometimes post embarrassingly bad paintings. This time I had three paintings that needed work that I did not post. They were my just in case paintings.

I got more experimental this time. I did not want to do the same thing I have been doing and painted the Bunny painting from my imagination.

I quit before I could ruin a painting because I just didn't have the time. When I looked at it the next day it looked fresh and not my usual overworked paintings.

I had a great time checking out the other paintings. They were inspiring. I even tried one palette knife painting. 

This challenge was great for my upcoming show with Carroll Michalek. More self promotion.

Sometimes I feel like I am bothering friends and family with showing my artwork. Some of them I probably am so they can just ignore my facebook posts. The rest hopefully will enjoy them. I need to be more active with promoting my work.

This one is actually an 8 x 8 painting so by the end of the challenge I had worked up to a larger size. Yah!

Buy at Daily Paintworks

More about my upcoming show with Carroll:

We have both been painting for Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. While we don't each have 30 paintings in the show we managed to fill up their large gallery.

At the opening on Friday, February 4th we plan to have a slide show of all 60 of our combined paintings on a large photo frame.

In addition we would like everyone to be able to take a look at our blogs. We plan to have 2 iPads going so they can see what we did in January 2013.

To purchase this painting go to Daily Paintworks.

Red Onion, Yellow Onion

I made chili soup today and used up the last of the yellow onions. The temperatures are expected to drop to 17 degrees tonight and soup sounded good.

6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel

To purchase this painting go to Daily Paintworks.

Are You Following Me?

I was wandering around trying to take pictures of cattle. This one was walking away then turned to look at me when I took the picture.

6 x 8 Oil on Raymar panel

Two Lemons Two

I actually painted three lemon paintings in one day, but posted them separately. I have an exhibit coming up at the Art Center in Keokuk Iowa with my friend 

Carroll Michalek

. Sanding and varnishing frames, going through my inventory and making a list is taking up a lot of my time. It would be great if I could push the business end of this onto someone else.

Painted alla prima 6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel.  

To purchase contact the Keokuk Art Center

Lilly

The daughter of a friend of my son. I am commissioned to paint her, but one of the practice pieces turned out making her older. As anyone who has ever done portraits knows, besides getting a good likeness you also need to get the right age.

6 x 6 Oil on Raymar panel.

One Red Onion

Two of these onions are beginning to sprout. One seems a little mushy. I am not very good at cooking from scratch, too busy painting.

6 x 8 oil on Raymar panel.

To purchase contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Three Lemons One

I painted this just after the previous lemon painting. Having the colors premixed it makes sense to do another painting. Most of the time I don't always premix enough paint.

6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel.

To purchase contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Mighty Oak

This was a tree along the trail at the Girl Scouts camp. The 30 paintings in 30 days challenge has encouraged me to go out of my comfort zone, images I meant to paint someday. 

6 x 8 Oil on Raymar panel

underpainting for Mighty Oak.

I have an upcoming exhibit at the Art Center in Keokuk, Iowa in February. Anyone from the area stop by and view these paintings in "real life".

Three Lemons Two

Sometimes I just paint what is on sale at the store. I haven't painted lemons in a long time if at all. I think maybe the last time around the painting failed and I wiped it off the and painted something else. This time I am happy with the results. I think I may celebrate with a glass of lemonade.

This one is painted alla prima on the white ground. 6 x 6 Oil on Raymar panel.

Bunny Hop 2

This was just a fun make it up as I go painting. A familiar subject in any color I want.

6 x 8 oil on Raymar panel.

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Tack House at Camp L Kee Ta

This is the summer stables at the local girl scout camp. 

6 x 8 oil on Raymar panel.

Underpainting for Tack House. I use a combination of ultramarine and sienna in varying proportions. I also added white to some sections.

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Madison

The daughter of a friend of mine. I couldn't resist painting this.

8 x 6 Oil on Raymar panel.

Bunny Hop

I am entered in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. To get a painting out on time I did one I just made up out of my imagination. This was so easy paint it with any colors I want, quick and easy. I have painted many rabbits through the years especially white rabbits. I can paint the shadows any color I want. These are my Easter colors, bright fun colors like Easter eggs.

6 x 8 Oil on Raymar panel.

River's Edge Fallen Tree

SOLD

The underpainting for River's Edge.  

This is a painting I intended to paint but never got around to it. Painting water is one of my favorite things to paint. Ripples are beautiful and it does not have to be exact, just waterlike.

6 x 6 Oil on Raymar panel.

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Easter Rabbit 2013

The rough in for this one was just fun. I worked on the white ground because I was after bright colors. When Easter comes around I get in the mood for painting white rabbits in fun colors. I am a little early but after stressing over getting 30 paintings in 30 days challenge I wanted an easy one. 

This really bad photo from the county fair is the reference. It will do as I am not after realistic just something close. I don't want to be chained to the subject on this one.

One of the models at a life drawing class wore a thong. Most of the students were fairly new, including me and painted it in. That was the first time I strayed from reality and I have been doing it ever since. Change anything you want you control the image take advantage of that.

8 x 6 Oil on Raymar panel.

Green Apple with Pears

I don't always create an under painting. I am trying to get more contrast and hopefully the under painting will  help.

SOLD

I still made the background lighter.

6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Grand Entry

This was from a photo of the grand entry at the Tri State rodeo. Anyone was welcome to ride their horses and mules around the Arena at the start of each performance. This one caught my eye because I can remember riding my horse when she got excited and I am trying to hold her back. They encourage you to walk or trot through the arena but some horses have a mind of their own. 

8 x 6 oil on Raymar panel.

Geode Rock Wall

Palette knife painting seems to lend itself well to painting rocks. I am not that great at palette knife painting so  picking the right subject helps.

6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel

Road to the Flats

It snowed this morning which prompted me to paint green grass and sunshine. This was one of the photos I always meant to paint but find a little intimidating. The challenge here was to give it a feeling of distance with grayed out colors. The foreground was in the shade which I had to paint with lots of blues. 

6 x 8 Oil on Raymar panel.

This is the underpainting. I think I should have used more brown in the foreground and blue in the distance. That may have made it easier.

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Resting Pair

I had to crop this image from a photo of a much larger one. When I approach cows up close they tend to get up. Maybe I need a cow blind.

6.5 x 7.5 Watercolor on 140 lb paper

Rocky Impression

I sort of made up this image using a photo as reference for rock shapes and textures. The 30 paintings in 30 days challenge is the main reason I just winged it and watercolor means less mess.

5 x 4.5 watercolor on 140 lb. paper

Rainey's Red Bows

I may have fluffed up her hair but the face is what enticed me to paint her.

6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Sunflowers 1

Sold

I painted several pieces within a couple of days to get ahead on the 30 paintings for 30 days challenge. We have out of town guests. Just when I thought I used them up i noticed this one had not been previously posted. 

I bought the sunflowers for still life paintings and considered myself lucky to get two paintings out of them. 

6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel.

Waterfall at Geode

This was from a photo. I can't wait till spring to go plein air painting again. I suppose this location is great for an ice scene, if only I was tough enough to brave the cold. 

6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel.

Geode Rock Wall

These rocks were a little more rounded than some of the others I painted. I find rocks challenging for there abstract quality.

6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel

Geode Rock Wall2

This was painted alla prima on the white ground. Painting rocks is abstract so deviations from the original scene don't worry me. 

6 x 8 oil on Raymar panel.

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Mare and Foal

sold

A lot of warm colors trying to convey the feeling of a warm summer day.

This is the original underpainting

8 x 8 oil on Raymar panel.

Three Green Apples

Apples on sale is a sign that I need to paint them. This was also an opportunity to enter the Daily Paintworks challenge. 

6 x 8 oil on Raymar panel

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Sunflowers no 2

Sold

I originally painted a 6 x 6 of this subject. The setup was a good opportunity to experiment with bolder brushstrokes and color. 

6 x 8 oil on Raymar panel.

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Tomatoes

This is my entry for the Daily Paintworks challenge. 

6 x 6 Oil on Raymar panel

To purchase Contact the Keokuk Art Center.

Taylor's Favorite Things

Taylor's Christmas present, a painting of her favorite things. This is listed on Leslie's 30 paintings for 30 days challenge but I did not paint this in one day. I just finished it on the first day of the challenge. I did complete two paintings outside of finishing up the details on this one. 

21 x 15 oil on Ampersand panel