27 paintings in 30 days

I almost made it. 

Rocky Bank

I just finished this and started to take photos when after the first one the camera battery died. This one photo seems good enough

6" x 8" oil on canvas

Alyssa

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This is actually a work in progress.

16" x 20"

Tomatoes on the Vine

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Just finished this in time to make the Monday post.

8" x 6" oil on canvas

Volunteer 1 Janice

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I have a new project starting in conjunction with the local art center: 

I am looking to create an exhibit honoring volunteerism and the non-profits they support with an exhibit scheduled for February of 2016.  This idea originated from an artist in Maquoketa.

The exhibit will be based on the “Portrait of Maquoketa” exhibit by Rose Frantzen. Rose’s idea was that: “Typically, the subject in a portrait is a person who can afford to commission a painting or someone the artist finds intriguing for his or her own reasons. In a Main Street Maquoketa storefront, Rose Frantzen painted portraits from life of anyone in her hometown that wished to pose for her. “I wanted to paint my neighbors and fellow Maquoketans without any selection or choice on my part, attempting to capture a direct portrayal of the people around me,” said Rose. “Together, we could democratize portraiture, allowing anyone to be painted just by showing up and participating.” From July, 2005 through July, 2006, Rose painted 180 12x12” oil portraits.”  http://oldcityhallgallery.com/page6/index.html

Typically when we honor someone for their volunteer contributions to the community it is the main person, such as Rodeo Parks' Eddie Richards. In this case the exhibition wishes to herald those “behind the scenes” folks that participate in regular and loyal fashion for their nonprofit. We want to honor the volunteer that shows up and does whatever needs to be done. We want to encourage volunteers with the idea that they are needed at all levels. I aim to capture their everyday strength.

We are asking that Fort Madison nonprofits select a representative volunteer that represents the organization.  The selected volunteer for each organization will need to show up for a 2 hour portrait painting session at the FMAAA. I will work around their busy schedule. This session will consists of myself painting the final portrait for the exhibit and will be open to any other artist who may want to take advantage of a live model. The volunteer will be able to keep the oil painting, but it must be available for the exhibit. 

The exhibit will consist of all the portraits and canisters to collect donations for the participating organizations, included with information on volunteering at these placements.

I look forward to this opportunity to paint, promote and highlight this great community with all the people who make it so.

I asked my sister to identify this lady and she knew right away. Such a relief. Although I tweaked this from a photo when I got home. She is well liked and volunteers at the local art center along with lots of other organizations.

One Whole and Three Sections

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I was doing really good keeping up with the 30 days challenge until now. I just finished this and had to photograph it under poor lighting. I will repost when I can photograph in the daylight.

12" x 6" oil on canvas

Light in the Forest

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9" x 12" oil on Canvas

Pink Peony

I am waiting for summer when these will be in bloom. 

6' x 6" oil on canvas

Red Raspberries

Raspberries started on a gray ground. I had to wipe off and start again but that is not the first time that has happened.

6" x 6' oil on canvas

Wilson Lake Sunshine on the Snow

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The first day after a snow yields the wonderful patterns on the snow. This was painted on an dull pink ground. I am really experimenting with grounds and thought this might help make the blues pop.

8" x 8" oil on canvas on panel

Shades of Hydrangeas

This was from the year that I had a lot of blooms from my hydrangea bushes. I loved the colors in various shades of pink.

12" x 6" oil on canvas.

Garmin Again

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When I went painting with My friend Carroll she had to take her young pup, Garmin, since she was going to be gone all day. The pup was well behaved and a great model.

6" x 6" oil on canvas

Cow Tails

They were feeding when I took this reference photo. These are the white cows with black noses and ears. 

12" x 6" oil on canvas

Apple Slices

This started on a dull yellowish brown ground.  I don't know if you can see that as I had to wipe off the first sketch when the apple was not centered right. Painting from life helps you see a lot more variation in colors. Painting from a photo helps you frame and position the image better. I would still rather paint from life even though I have a tendency to push it as shown in this painting.

6" x 6" oil on canvas panel

Peach Rose

This was in the same garden as the pink rose. loved the peach color

6" x 6" oil on canvas

View from the Bridge

Often I would stop on a bridge and take pictures. I loved the view but found it daunting and put off trying to paint it. I finally jumped in with this painting.

8" x 16" oil on canvas 

Rocks Along the Bank

This one took a couple of edits to get to this point.

9" x 12 " oil on canvas

Snow in the Lean To

The reddish brown against the blue is what caught my eye on this scene. The hay bales were the old square ones and the shed is gone now. That is why this was painted from an old photo. 

8" x 6" oil on canvas

Rose Garden Outstanding

There is snow on the ground and I wanted a little reminder of summer in the Bentonsport rose garden. This rose was in the sunlight in full bloom against a background of distant trees in shadow.

6" x 8" oil on canvas

Spring Lambs 2014

More from my lamb photo references. I thought of adding the fence but I like to paint the abstract background. 

6" x 12"  oil on canvas

Dutch Rabbit

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This was my son's rabbit from a long time ago. We would let it run loose in the back yard occasionally. I don' think we every knew what sex it was, it was just rabbit.

6" x 6" oil on canvas 

Herefords in the Sunlight

I love the color of Herefords. The reddish brown against the white make for great color schemes. This started on a dull yellow ochre ground.

8" x 6" oil on Canvas

Grandpa's Barn

This is what was left of the barn on what was once my grandfather's farm. I took the reference photo 10 years ago before they tore down the barn. Growing up this was our playground; we would stack hay bales to make tunnels and walk the beams. Of course they had animals, one was a milk cow they could ride back to the barn. Back then they would milk by hand and the cows grazed in the pasture. I edited this in Photoshop, adding the cows from various photos and moveing them around. I didn't have milk cows in my reference shots as these are beef cattle, much bulkier. As I am looking at this image, I think I need a fence from the barn to the cow in front. 

11" x 14" oil on canvas

I went back in and eliminated the cows on the right and cropped the painting to 12" x 9". I added the fence and altered the calf that was scratching which looked like he did not have a head. I paint on canvas off the roll. When I like the image I attach the canvas to a panel using archival glue. 

Winter from the Bluff

We had a little snow this weekend. This is the view overlooking the Santa Fe bridge from Blackhawk Heights. It was still overcast with shades of gray.

8" x 6" oil on canvas

4H Rabbit

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I have tried in the past to photograph rabbits in the wild to no avail. This was through a wire cage at the local county fair.

6 x 6 oil on Raymar panel

Hanso

My Christmas visitor, a Chiweenie named Hans Solo. I took several photos with the intention of more paintings.

6' x 6" oil on canvas

The Social One

The original photo had these lambs up against a fence and the fourth lamb was also black. I wanted to focus on the one lamb that looked friendly with the ears attentive. 

8" x 16" oil on canvas on panel

I started with a pink ground. That is just what I had 

Sunrise

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Sunrise over Rodeo Park 

8" x 8" oil on canvas