October 14 - Hairy Sycamore

"Hairy Sycamore" Got an earlier start on painting today, still sorting out boxes in the studio, and the title of this one just came after I finished the hen-scratches of the branches. Doesnt' this tree look like it's having a bad hair day? Sometimes you just gotta laugh at yourself! 
 However, I do like this one because the colors are passionate and vibrant--not like the subtle ones from yesterday! There's drama in the contrast of values, creating more energy. I swiped the lighting from the sunset we had tonight, where the layer of clouds and the curve of the Earth create this thin layer of intense sunlight as evening approaches. Original oil, 12 x 9 inches $250

October 12 - ONE YEAR of Paintings completed!

"Cousin Pru" How fun and fitting to create another image in the "family" of the Butterflies Lady on this, the one-year anniversary of my daily paintings! Connected as she is to the other painting (September 14), she seems related to her, right down to the yarn, glitter and netting on her hat! Her Mona Lisa smile shows us she's at peace in her world. During this past year (all viewable on the daily paintings web site) I endured two of the major life-issues that can cause the majority of stress:  Losing a parent, and moving. Painting my mother during her last days has profoundly changed me. Moving has made it possible to do the dailies with a much larger studio space. There has also been travel where I've been stuck in airports, teaching workshops, and doing plein air paintings.  All part of an artist's life, yet not so different from yours. I thank you again for "sticking the course" and enjoying the writing and sharing in the creative energy. 

Let's go for another year, OK?
Such fun to explore the creativity of acrylics this way. Pru is a 12 x 9 acrylic collage and is available for $100
Sale Pending

October 11 - Evening Movements (Horses)

Today I received an email from one of the people on this mailing list. That's not uncommon--I answer as many as ten per day from folks with questions or comments. What was unusual about this email was that the person writing to me made a connection to why I'm doing this. She wrote, "Can hardly wait to get my e/mail each day.  I have learned a tremendous amount from them and your comments.  Like you, I live and breathe art and at 80 and unable to get out and around, I still study and learn." Those words made me sit back and realize how fortunate I am, how much responsibility I have to you all in doing these paintings. On the eve of this anniversary, I need to thank each and every one of you for allowing me to bring you my images, and hope you'll continue to enjoy them and share them with others. You may comment that they enrich your lives--I hope you realize how much you enrich mine!

In sharing how fortunate I am, today I took the two goats out for a "bramble ramble" and had quite a time. Heather-not-the-Momma took off down the driveway sideways jumping for joy, thinking she'd broken the bonds of confinement and would lead me on a merry chase. Fortunately the new gate stopped her. Good ol' Vincent van Goat stayed right by my side, at least until he saw the oak tree. A half-hour later, they were full of sycamore leaves and ash branchlings, and happily headed back to the pen for treats. I need to get Vincent out on the trail for a serious hike. He carries my on-location gear, and the hills behind the new place are calling.

Today's painting is an acrylic, a 12 x 16, and comes from material gathered in Kentucky, modified by me, and shows the Color System at work to convey evening light with a subtle back lighting on the horses. It's a real trick to get the sky to read right without showing up with garish colors. I think I nailed it this time. $300 from the Daily Paintings Page for this date.

October 10 - Ambrosia Trio (Apples)

I've painted your daily painting, a nice oil of these three Ambrosia apples, yet I can't send it out tonight because our Internet service is down. How frustrating! So I'll tell you about it, and put this email on notice to go out the minute I get to a wifi location in the morning (my first priority!). 

This is a 9 x 12 oil, painted from life, and I really enjoyed how the colors of the right-most apple changed from red to green as the form comes toward you. On the others, the delight was in placing the "glinks" or lightest points. They are sitting on a brocade cloth, which I merely suggested, since painting too much of it would have detracted from the areas of interest in the apples. I haven't munched any of them yet, as there might be some "tweaking" on the morrow. The background is a mix of burnt umber and yellow ochre, two cools to recede and lay back.
Available for $120 from the October Paintings Page .

October 9 - Evening Sunset

I had an email from an acquaintance who was born in Switzerland, and her conversations brought back many memories of the years I spent there skiing and being on the National Ski Patrol's International Division. A long time ago, but the memories are strong. Today's painting isn't about Switzerland (ideas have to percolate for a while) but it is yesterday's sunset which was spectacular! It's really tough for a camera to capture the light and color of such a scene, so we have to train our eyes to remember what we saw--no easy feat, yet when we have some help in color knowledge, the exercise can be far easier. This 5 x 7 oil is completely from the memory of the evening sky, and does, in a small way, convey the power and light of those last moments.
 Things in our life fade away, as my experiences in Europe, but the memory can be as colorful and gentle as this image! $100 from the October 2006 month (my goodness, only three more days until the daily paintings anniversary!
SOLD to collector Charlotte McDavid of Birmingham, Alabama.

October 8 - Canyon Sunset - Water Miscible Oils

"Canyon Sunset" I have the pleasure of a visit from David R. Becker, a friend and wonderful watercolorist, who is out in California teaching at the Art Methods and Materials show in Burbank. He brought me some water miscible oils from Holbein to try, and this 8 x 10 inch oil is the result. I tried to use the Color System, and chose a subject without greens intentionally to capture this arid landscape. Although the oils are buttery, they still have the characteristic drag of the water-based oils. I'll stick to my Classic Artist Oils. Sure was fun to visit with David, and we enjoyed dinner, and is our first house guest to stay over.
This painting is available for $175 from the Daily Paintings web site for this date.