Saturday, October 07, 2006

October 7 - Solo Oak Tree


"Solo Oak" A 12 x 12 inch acrylic came out of the studio tonight, because I have been thinking about trees lately. I walk in our small pine grove, enjoying the sound of the wind there, and in another location, while removing some dead vegetation, I came across an 8" coastal live oak growing amidst the debris. So trees are around us, providing privacy and loftiness, inspiring and affecting us without our even being aware of it. Whether 80 feet tall or eight inches, trees are a part of our lives. 
 I painted this using two brushes--one was a 5.8 inch filbert for the large areas, and the second one was also a filbert, but only 3/8" wide. The painting is done with layers generally from dark to light. It s a hazy day, but not overcast. Anyone who has been in California for a while will recognize the coastal influence of the fog creating this ethereal light.
SOLD to new collector Carole Carroll of Seattle, Washington.

Friday, October 06, 2006

October 6 - Rocker Revisited (Acrylic)


Remember this one? I finally got a window of time where I could concentrate and know I wouldn't be interrupted and got to work on the large acrylic of the bookcases and the cats on the chair. This is the first go-pass on it. The goal for this stage was to increase the value contrast between the lights and the darks. I achieved this by glazing the books to push them back with burnt umber. I also increased the lights and warmed them up generally. The cat in the chair got a major makeover, but may also undergo some massive changes, as will the white cat.  Never liked either one of them, really. Getting the major changes on the large value areas, I will give it a rest for a day or so, and then go after the changes needed to bring it to what I consider a finished state.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

October 5 - The New Studio and Daily Painting


"At Ease in Himself" This painting came off the acrylic brushes tonight, with a "look". Do you see it? He knows who he is, what he can do, and where he's going. Lots of appeal in that kind of man. The Bushrod Gentry character in "Many Rivers to Cross" perhaps, or the Sam Elliot macho man, with attitude.  Without fail, though, this was the kind of man who made me sit up and take notice as a younger woman!  It's so much fun to have the skill now to paint them any time I want one. The painting is an 10 x 8 canvas, and if it doesn't sell, I just might hang it in the guest bathroom! I may do it anyway because I enjoy looking at him! $200 Available from the Daily Paintings web site for this date.

Here's a picture of the new easel area, showing the onions set up on the stand, and the taaboret and Hughes easel. Yesterday's painting is on it. To the right is "Butterflies on My Nose" which looks like may be back on the market. I'm enjoying her while she's around! You can enlarge this image by opening it in a new window.
On the back of my chair is a wonderfully outrageous painting apron sent by Lanie Frick from Missouri, who makes these out of her Dad's old coveralls. Lots of pockets, and thank you, my friend!

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

October 4 - Onions, Yet Again!



Unpacking one of the (seems like) hundreds of boxes of "stuff" from the old studio, I cam across those same two onions I painted a month or so ago! One red and one yellow, they became reacquainted with the taboret and the new delightful set up space resulting in this 5 x 7 acrylic where, I promise they will have their last "dance" before disappearing into a winter stew! $100

The weather has cooled, the mare has new shoes, the move is almost finished, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it isn't a train!

SOLD to new collector CynthiaCynthia Dudley, R.N., B.A. of Toronto, Canada

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

October 3 - Transparencies


Today's painting is all about what's NOT there--painting objects that have  no local color, like some water, and a lot of glass!
  This little hand-blown corked bottle came to me in the boxes of still life objects that are now in the studio, exposed to light for the first time in a long time. I see them with new eyes, and find many of them that intrigue. I placed this one on my taboret (oh, wonderful-now-put-together taboret!) and you can see flecks of paint  from old painting projects behind it. Finding an object that had no interest before is also intriguing, because it measures our growth as artists to find something to paint in objects that might not hold much inherent interest. Bringing a love of painting to the task is just an added benefit!
 What do you have around you that you've never painted? Funny how a lot of it needs just a bit of "new" viewing! I spent many a morning doing drawings of ordinary objects to decorate a daily report I had to do as a clerk many years ago. Even a coffee cup can be an art form! $100 from the Daily Paintings web site for this date.

Monday, October 02, 2006

October 2 - Military Re-enactment


"Military Re-enactment Memories" This painting is all about the color notes in the shirt, really.  I wish you could see the amazing array of color in the shadow side of thie garment, and also enjoy the purple in the hat. There is much more than this digital shows. I like the nondescript loofk of this fellow--no urges to make him into Tom Selleck! He is "Mr. Ordinary", which means he is probably somebody pretty extraordinary to a lady out there somewhere. Original oil, 12 x 9. $200 from the Daily Paintings web site for this date.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

October 1 - Homeless Adolescent (Cat)

"Homeless" Today I read about a rescue lady who is fostering all sorts of cats. She catches feral cats, and has them fixed, and then tames them enough to take food. She was asking for help to do her work, as there are always more cats than there are homes for them. My head wrapped around the topic, and I paint this forlorn feline, who has a shadowed future. Our two studio cats are about as spoiled as cats can be. Bats rests on the newly moved roll-top desk, and Pesto is asleep on the easel chair. I think I'll go join them in sleep! Original oil, 7 x 5. $100 from the Daily Paintings web site for this date.